Remember most people don't even do basic maintenance (but you do). So, they'd have to do that 100 miles just for an oil change. Or risk a non-jag shop do it. And that'll be OK but then if there's a problem they'll do the same. Sadly, most shops can't cope with a high-tech car. Yeah, all modern cars are high-tech so be afraid.

It's clear from the many threads on this forum (and the .co.uk one) that there are some rather common problems but mostly they're easy to fix and compared to the low price for the car are very affordable. But if you want a REALLY reliable car which probably will have NO problems, get a high-volume model that was built well into the production run. (I reckon you'd rather have a jag and so would I.)

In terms of working on the jag, get JTIS (ebay, see jaguar workshop manual, on CD for about $10). You might even like to get it before the car so you can see how easy most things actually are.

BTW, plenty of people here have the 3.0 and if you spend some time reading back through the forum threads you'll see the common issues.

My feeling is that car you listed is over-priced but others will know better than I do.

Oh, try to get a Select Edition warranty (if I got the name right). I didn't and touch wood haven't needed it but for peace of mind it's well worth considering.

 

Plenty of recent threads here explaining the pros and cons of an S-Type. Search this forum using a phrase such as "should I purchase an S-Type". As has already been touched on, the more routine maintenance you can do yourself, the far, far better off you'll be. Yes, OEM parts are expensive. So is dealership service. The electronics modules are very complex. So roll up your sleeves, get the JTIS CD off of ebay for less than ten bucks, use this forum as a valuable resource, and have at it. That's what I did when I bought my wife's S-Type in December 2008. She loves it, and I've enjoyed it as well....

Most folks considering both models prefer the S-Type over the X-Type. I agree - we wanted rear-wheel-drive, a smooth luxury ride, plenty of power in a highway cruiser, and more room than the X-Type provides. I'll advise you to stick with a 2005-or-newer model. Most of the more serious flaws in the early S-Types were sorted out by then. And if you can find one that still has six months or more of factory warranty left, you can get the issues resolved on Jaguar's dime, not yours. That's what I did, and I played it to my advantage as much as possible. That strategy worked out perfectly for us....

Good luck to you. Keep us posted on what you decide to do....

 

Very good post and questions...We get a few of these "what should I get" a month on here, as I'm sure you'll see....

Your post is near and dear to my heart. I got my car as I was looking to move from a coupe to a sedan for family reasons. So, I too discovered that a Jaguar was in my price range. I do my own service and figured I'd take the leap. I have had some issues crop up. Nothing major other than a ABS / Master Cylinder failure right after I got it. That is when I'll make my next point. When that happened the car was still under the original warranty. Just took it in to the dealer, they gave me a car, and fixed mine. Simple and painless. My main advice to you is see if your budget can afford a certified ( Select Edition) car that is still under the original 4 year 50K warranty. That would be an 06 or 07. My experience with the warranty has been exceptional. Some of that has to do with the dealer though. I took the liberty of looking around 200 miles from the dealer in the add you posted. I found two dealers that are in the Atlanta area that have posted cars on Autotrader. One is Hennessy Jaguar and another is Paretti Imports. Here is a listing at one dealer: http://www.autobase.com/cgi/info.exe...dealer=PARETTI

Here is another:http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false
So, I would check into some dealers first.

As far as my experience, I have been very happy with my car. I enjoy my car every day. Sure beats going to work in a Camry..

 

I agree, with all the above statements. That vehicle on Autotrader is over priced, nice mileage though for an '03.

Don't be in a hurry to purchase, as I recall Jon89, myself and others here searched for 3 months or longer to find the right one. I would go for a 2005 or newer myself. There has been ALOT of positive feedback from this dealer in Texas.

Check out the S Type FAQ section here (above) and see what the common problems are and the fixes.

http://www.texascarsdirect.com/Publi...2/default.aspx


Good Luck, and keep us updated

 

Username, what's said about buying a used S-type here is good advice. Apart from the usual stuff, you're careful about buying ANY second-hand car (does it belong to the person selling it, is there any outstanding finance on it, is it a "cloned" car, has it been crash-repaired etc.), you should look out for signs of an impending failure that's going to be expensive to fix -- and do remember, there's many a job on modern cars you CAN'T do yourself. Why? Because you need an OBD reader that'll work with the Jag., and you won't have the kind of access to updated software that the dealer, and only the dealer will have.
Really, you should take along someone who knows these cars. Spend some time establishing during your test-drive that everything works as it should, particularly the auto-gearbox. The test-drive is SUPREMELY important. Get it on the motorway/highway and take it up to 80mph to see if anything is not quite right.
Why does someone get rid of a car? Because, ten to one, there's something wrong with it that's going to cost an arm and a leg to fix. That could well be the very car you're test-driving!
Oh, and as usual, you won't believe the mileometer reading will you? Even the Jag. speedo can be fiddled. Work out how many miles per year the car has done acc. to the speedo. If it's ridiculous, like say, 5000 miles/year, take it back and run! In the UK at least, most Jags. do a phenominal mileage for business use by company executives, indeed, they are usually leased, that's why there's only one owner on the V5 document! Expect it to have done at least 30,000 miles/year. The Jag. will stand it, PROVIDED the maintenace has been done as required. Still be en-guard for a dodgy gearbox.
Finally, if money is important, the diesel S-type is wonderful! Not only will it do 30mpg. in town/urban traffic, the engine has more punch than any other diesel. And it's the quietest with it. The petrols will only do half that figure approx.
Finally, as with most cars, avoid early models. They will be cheap, and there's a good reason. They will have loads of unresolved issues esp. software changes that haven't been done. For S-type, go for 2006 on to be sure.
Good luck! Leedsman.

 

Can't agree with you on the mileage per year generalisations being made. My 2003 has 70K miles on it and I've owned it since early 2006 when it had 37K on it. That's less than 10K per year. Looking at many used S types before choosing mine, most had averaged 8-12K per year never anywhere close to 30K.

It appears that ownership and usage in the UK and here in N. America follows different trends. I wouldn't expect to see a company executive with a Jag having the time to drive all over in the company car.

Note also that the diesel units are not available here.

 

Not picking on you Leedsman, but there are a few differences between the US and UK.. First off, car "cloning" is not a big issue here nor is the mileage thing. There are many paper trails and regulations that make it very difficult to do. Also, the dealer community here is liable for big $$$$ if they try and pass a bad car. The biggest risk here is buying from an individual. Also, the finance thing isn't an issue either. When a car is financed here the title is held by the finance company. Again, not a major problem of people trying to pass a car with a lien.
Now I'm going to pick on my wonderful country... Here cars are treated more like vain commodities than they are in other places. Many times they are leased for short periods and only driven a few miles then traded on so the original owner can have a new piece of status jewelry... That is why I have sworn off of new cars. There are just too many good deals to be had here!

Another big difference...Jag doesn't sell diesels here! God I wish they would!

Other than that.... Great words of advice!

 

Have to chime in here to echo what others have said about low mileage on leased cars....

Our S-Type spent its first three years as a corporate lease to a company exec down in Fort Lauderdale. He obviously flew a great deal more than he drove. He put only 18,000 miles on the car during its three-year corporate lease span. So my wife and I were the ultimate beneficiaries of his corporate lifestyle when I purchased the car....

 

About diesels..... have a look at the threads about them on the .co.uk forum, especially about turbos and the DPF. Oh.... and be careful what you wish for lol