Can't wait to get my 03 STR back from the trans. shop...need to work my neck extensor muscles with some brutal excelleration.

 

Seth,

What is taking so long to repair/replace your ZF?

 

The s type r is my second Jag and one thing you can count on is there are no cheap parts in these cars. I guess why they say JAG (just a grand). Even with all the problems it's still worth it to me.

 

Ditto, these are beautiful cars. Jon89, trans. is repaired and she's a beast.

 

Actually, you CAN get parts much cheaper than the dealer prices, but you have to work at it, check around. Parts can be half the dealer price this way.
It's a bit like car insurance, shop around and again, swinging cuts can be made. But this is like retail anywhere. In Leeds market, I bought X-mas puddings at £1 each. Then I found another stall in the same market selling the identical X-mas puddings at TWO for a £1.

Quod erat desperandum.

Leedsman.

 

Let's see if I can't breathe some new life into an old thread. I am beginning my hunt in earnest for a low-mileage (50K mi.) STR. I am interested in the S/C upgrades and would plan on performing one of these in the near future.

That said, what is the best year to start with bearing these parameters in mind. I would generally want to buy the latest year of a given model but in the this case I am not sure if changes in the drive line were made along the way which might make an earlier car more desirable than a later car or if there was one particular year model that has better brakes, etc.

I have been digging through the site for the last few days and am finding out a lot about these ares and I will be in need of a new car in the next month so after some research I've settled on the STR. Being a hot-rodder at heart however just means that a new car is merely a starting point. I've been driving an AMG C55 for the last few years (0-60 in 4.7) so I do enjoy a car with a little oooomph.

Let's hear what you experts have to say.

Thanks in advance,

-Robert

 

Only way to get decent more power is a twin-screw as member Avos has done so find which PCM can be tuned. Most can't be, simply because it's a very small market so mostly it hasn't been attempted.

Doesn't matter what you do with suspension, brakes etc if you can't fit a TS and tune. You'd be stuck with the M112 and its just about at its end anyway.

 

your current Merc has more pep than the STR so you just might be disappointed from the get go....you can get there or close enough to there with the available SC upgrades and air/ exhaust

 

Thanks for the feedback guys. The twin-screw S/C is exactly what I have in mind. Because of the power potential I see in this mod. I am curious to know what the members feel is the best starting point.

With the understanding that my goal is to buy a low-mileage car and install one of the twin-screw units, what year would you guys vote for as being the best starting point? Are the earlier transmissions more up to task than the later ones? Are the brakes throughout the whole production run essentially the same?

Another way to ask this question would be, in order, what would start to break if BHP was increased by 100 (at the flywheel)? Looking for some good feedback here. My goal is to buy a driving project car as a daily commuter so I want to maintain reliability while increasing my smiles/mile.


Thanks guys.

-Robert

 

Trans didn't change. Your problem is finding anyone at all who actually can tune it. Generally you will find out far too late that someone who says they can tune it is lying.

I see no reason to buy low mileage but that's up to you.

 

I don't care for the body style but a 500+HP XFR is how much in the used market? I drove this and a similar XJ a few years ago at a Jaguar track event and they really are quite an improvement over an STR. It might be cheaper in the long run and survive the bump in power better if you can stomach the styling. The STR is just so lovely.

 

AGREED AN XFR would be a better route....i dont think a twin screw is even available yet is it? you can go with a pulley, air intake, exhaust and a port and polish on the s/c and call it a day.....

 

Sounds like you want the best of both worlds, a nice affordably depreciated luxury car that you can still add gobs of power to. I would recommend you check out a 2009 or 2010 535i with the n54 engine. Lots of tuning potential with a huge defined aftermarket. Good examples are now in the mid $20K range, or if you don't mind one with higher miles, they are in the mid teens. If I remember correctly you can hit 450rwhp/500rwtq for around $2K invested running on Meth or E85, 400rwhp on pump gas. Replace the stock turbo's with aftermarket, and 500rwhp + is attainable. The aftermarket is more geared to the 335I crowd, but most parts work for the more refined 535I. Best of all the turbos are so small, that the powerband mimic's that of a large V8, so there is no turbo lag, and the cars pull hard through the mid-range all the way to 6K rpm (check out the dynos).

 

I couldn't agree more, I can barely take the styling of the XF. Too bad the Hyundai and Kia's of the world decided to copy that swoopy XF'esque rear body style.

I parked my STR next to an XF once, and the choice was easy! I still lust after that 5.0 SC though, but again, if you could only get over the looks. XJR might be the better of the two.

 

Thanks for all the feedback, guys. I had considered an XF but it is just not nearly as handsome as an S Type. I have also looked at other makes and models including another Benz or another BMW. I've owned several of each and had fun modifying them (including a Five Series and my current turbocharged monster 3.0CSL) and because I always liked the styling of the classic Jag saloons, I became drawn to the STR.

AFA getting year model specific recommendations I have not yet gotten a single recommendation for one year over another.

Surely there must be certain years of these cars that have better reputations than others or did Jaguar get it right every single year of the production run? I'd find that hard to believe.

Let's hear your votes!

Thanks, all.

-Robert

 

My understanding is that the 2003-2005 STR have the big Brembo brakes up front, while the 2005+ models had a number of Jag mods, possible improvements(?). So, that would suggest 2005 could be the year of choice.

Avos has indicated a power increase of between 100 - 200 HP with the twin-screw S/C, depending on how many options you build in during conversion. It also seems that you will need professional help and, for max HP, could be looking at maybe $25-30,000 by the time the dust settles. I don't know whether or not that includes an LSD.

But then, you would have a 600HP STR! That thought keeps me awake at night.

 

The 2005 "improvements" were cosmetic - if you like the tweaked looks better.

There were also some extra emissions-related changes whose complexity adds a small risk of new faults (some of which have bitten members).

Tuning is the big issue. Year, mileage, etc simply don't come into it except in that context. If you can't go TS and tune then you're never going to get even 450HP except briefly if you add nitrous.

 

and part of the appeal. I like the idea of having something less than common. There are tuned BMWs and MBs all over the place. A big horse Jaguar would make a nice sleeper.

I'm going to look deeper in to the changes made along the line and see if that helps to inform by decision.

I'll keep y'all posted.

Thanks for all the feedback so far. I'm still interested in more opinions. My ears are on

-Robert

 

If you get a 2003 or 2004 be sure and drive it. The early STR's are known for short shifting. My 2005 has always went all the way to redline about 6100 rpm.
Since I have a 2005 that is the year I think is best. Last year of the Brembo's and no short shifting.

We never did find out why but it has been reported enough that it is a problem.

If you want a car to mod a CTS-V can be taken as high as you want in HP. Of course it's a Chevy motor but it does run strong. The 556 HP SC version would be my choice.
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The main differences are the body and brake changes in '05, VVT added in '06, and bigger wheels in '08. I personally like the '03-04 looks the best (keeps the fog lights and no big chrome strip on the back), and all the other changes are pretty negligible as far as performance goes. As mentioned, the shift points in 1st and 2nd gear seemed to change in '05, but that is programming, not sure if it actually is noticeably faster. I think Jaguar claimed adding VVT added 10 or 20 hp, but the performance numbers were not really affected.

The S-Type was already 4 years old in 2003, so the kinks were fixed for that years' models. If I got another STR, I would get another '03-04, but that is just subjective on my part, the whole run through '08 was solid. My STR was a late 2002 build, and it stood up to massive abuse without a hiccup.