Hi guys..new to the forum! Just have a few questions reguarding the beloved S type R

i absolutely want to buy one..they look amazing from the exterior and have a beautiful (and i mean BEAUTIFUL!!) interior..not to mention the superchargered V8..this car has everything......but why in the world are they soo cheap?? this has me worried....the car is better then most new highend luxury cars..why are they cheaper then even the same year Nissan Altimas?

Also for the guys and gals here who have owned a STR for awhile..how is your experience thus far? reliable vehicle? problematic? Is it expensive to fix issues like the jaguar reputation has embraced?

I am 24 years old and ive been looking at alot of vehicles..Infiniti M45..BMW 5 series etc, yet the STR has always tickled my fansy alot more in the end.

Im just trying to not be mislead by this car...it really does seem to good to be true...its really cheap but why?...last thing i want is to buy an 03 S type R just to have it constantly breakdown on me.....

any help??

P.S. i drive a 95 Mustang GT 5.0 that i work on myself so im decently good with my hands

 

Welcome!

BTW, you DO need to post in the New Member forum. Yes, really. Site rule.

Most owners of S-Types will use the dealer (franchise) network, which is expensive - especially for labour.

Yet many things are quite easy DIY. They could also be done by a competent - that's competent! - non-franchise person. Finding such can be a challenge.

Parts aren't cheap but nor are they expensive (an exception used to be the ZF oil for the autobox, but that was ZF's fault as it was awful for LR, BMW, Audi etc too).

There are a few commonish faults that are mainly DIY and not horrifically expensive.

There's a risk you're unlucky and have an expensive fault. If that is a concern, get a good warranty (or a different car).

The not-rare failure of a cheap hose that runs under the supercharger is a potential money pit or lengthy DIY. (Search will get you threads - e.g. from ttwotees.)

Realise the STR is a really low-volume car. That means most buyers have never heard of it and so don't want one. And jag's reputation was for electrical problems, rust and so on. Largely fixed but all modern cars are stuffed with electronics (emissions laws - and also people like toys).

If you want a highly reliable car you'd look for a high-volume car well through its production run and with a reputation for reliability. (Boring.)

What I did when considering buying (but before doing so) was read a LOT of posts here and on other S-Type forums. I wanted to know what others had to say and there's no better way I could think of. I also wanted to know I could get a workshop manual. So, read away!!

 

Realize as a whole, the entire Jaguar brand has terrible resell value, not just the STR or S-Type range...

When you hear "supercharged, 400hp" understand it's not all that quick/fast off the line due to a variety of reasons but the two that stand out the most are it's a heavy car and it's geared very tall...I had a 250hp (commonly underrated at 230hp) Turbo Neon SRT-4 that I could do a 0-60 in under 6 seconds and I was able to get a 13.7 quarter mile. It still feels faster off the line than my modded STR...Where the STR really excels is on the highway; you can go from speed limit to a driving to endanger/reckless driving offense faster than most other cars...

 

The fact it is a discontinued model also suppress the price it has been superceded by the XF.

It is a great car for the price if you get a goodun, like anything else if you pick a bad un it will cost more. But you will certainly like the drive

 

Steer, I was a Mustang Man. As my forum mates have you realize; for a $65k car the STR can be gotten at a super-duper discount. Though it's affordable to purchase, it's still a well built vehicle. If cared for properly; will provide many miles of carefree driving. Compared to the maintenance costs of an Audi, BMW or MB, the STR is affordable to maintain. As for performance; if trained appropriately (adaptive learning) it will scoot off the line faster than stock. My modded 03 STR will take out an M5 of the same and some subsequent years 0-60, 1/4 mile, and beyond. Though I'll soon prove my point when at a track, I believe she's doing a 4.8 or lower 0-60 and a 12.80 or so 1/4 mile. The STR is comfortable to drive and as you said; never boring to look at inside and out...just timeless.

 

I think Jason still has his if you are interested.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...-chance-59209/

 

If you're 24 you might not have the sheckles to keep it running if an expensive repair is required. Modern cars aren't so wrench-it-yourself friendly when it comes to serious issues. Jags are more expensive to repair than Fords and other brands. You can get help on here though. Just not in the financial department ... LOL.

Good luck.

 

Find a good private mechanic, buy your parts online and you'll be fine. My STR experience was under a year, but she was reliable and fun to drive.

 

Hi SteeR,
Welcome to the forum. I purchased a 2007 S Type 3.0 about a month ago. So far it's cost me $225 for a valet key and $900 for tires. It's sitting in the garage right now with 8 lug nuts on the left side, because the local Jag dealer won't sell me the wheel studs without buying the hubs at $340 & $170 front and rear. All things considered I am thouroughly taken with this automobile. I'm sure that some may take exception, but I think that she may be the most asthetically pleasing automotive form I have ever seen. Besides she's a JAG!

 

Right On Artie! Let's see if we can get you those wheel studs. Have you called Coventry West (Atlanta, GA.) or Jaguar Heaven (CA.)?

 

No, but I will tomorrow. Thanks for the thought.

 

Arte, they sell used Jag parts at over half the cost than new Jag $$$ parts. JagBits sells discounted new Jag parts. Wheel hubs and/or studs shouldn't be a problem.