Hi y'all, my wife sent me an ad for an '04 3.0l with 97k miles yesterday so I'm going to have a look at it this afternoon for her. What sort of things should I look for/be aware of on these cars?

Thanks!
-BoarHawg

 

A good place to start is to read the various "sticky" threads at the top of the S-Type forum. There are a number of well-known issues that must be resolved but if you are a do-it-yourself type of guy with a decent array of tools, you should be able to handle most of them yourself. First and foremost with the 3.0 models is to replace the original factory-installed Intake Manifold Tuner Valve (IMT) O-rings. The factory ones are yellow in color and poorly designed. They eventually warp and allow vacuum leaks that turn into misfires. The new-and-improved ones are green in color and solve that problem immediately upon installation. Just read and study the "sticky" threads as mentioned and you will come away with a checklist of items to inspect on any S-Type you are considering....

If you cannot DIY most maintenance and repairs, you will likely spend a ton of money keeping the vehicle roadworthy. I always say if you cannot DIY, do not acquire a Jaguar....

 

Check all of the rubber boots on all of the suspension steering etc.
look at all of the coolant hoses especially the turret that connects the throttle body.
has the oil and filter been changed in the gearbox if Zf it should be done every 60,000 miles.

​​check for any signs of water in the spare tire well.

 

Broken headlight adjusters. Small bits of white plastic inside the lenses is a dead give away, tho not always present.

Dual heat valve with signs of leakage & not workig correctly.