Hello everyone. My uncle's 2000 S-type (4.0) has developed a leak. There is a puddle in the garage about the size of a dinner plate. So he took it to the dealer and although the leaked fluid looked more like oil to me, the mechanic determined that it was engine coolant. He said the problem was NOT the typical coolant reservoir tank. Instead he said you need to change out the water pump, heater valve, and probably the a/c something pump. So my uncle did the first two which cost him about $800! [sm=icon_flaming.gif] The leak got a little better but it wasn't solved. Next day he took it back and they pressurized the cooling system and determined that the crossbar tube in the rear of the engine (sorry I forgot exactly) needed to be replaced as well. Another $500-600 for repairs... At this point I don't trust the dealer. Does anyone have any ideas or know of any good Jaguar repair shops here in the Los Angeles area? The car only has about 55,000 miles on it. I don't understand why such parts would even need to be replaced at such low mileage.

 

If it looks like a rat, smells like a rat, acts like a rat, then by gollie, it must be a rat. If it looks like oil, it's probably just that...oil. You're not the first and unfortunately not the last to get robbed by the ***********. I would have gotten a reputable mechanic that you might know to change the water pump on the car. It's SOOOO easy to change it and it wouldn't have cost you more than $300 bucks. Now if the leak got better, then you're probably headed in the right direction, just not fully there yet. The heater valve is a very common problem in the pre-03 S-type but I don't see how that would cause a leak. Then again I don't really know how the heater valve works. LOL

 

That just sucks. I usually do all the work on our cars/trucks and try to avoid mechanics like the plague. Now that you say the water pump was easy to change out I wish I would've taken a look at it first. But then again if it were my car I would have. Do you mind filling me in on some info. What are the common problems with this car?

 

-Ball Joints need to be replaced
-Shitty Interior
-Coolant Tank Reservoir Leaks
-Any plastic engine pieces are very brittle
-You can hear the wind in the cabin with the windows closed if you don't have the radio on
-Window Regulators go bad
-Seat motors go bad
-Mildew like smell from the AC
-A/C compressor ticks...but works fine! It's simply annoying! If yours doesn't...say your prayers and knock on wood.
-If you let family drive the car, it'll come back crashed.

 

lol... I like the last one. So it seems like the car is pretty good overall. I'm glad to hear that. Jaguar used to have a bad reputation with reliability.

 

Did anyone have an answer to the original question about a reputable shop in Southern California? I take posession of my 2003 S-Type R in about 2 weeks and hope to find a shop for any issues that might arise.

Any suggested mechanics, dealerships or independent shops from the Los Angelenos out there?

 

Sorry pal, I'm a few miles away from you in Miami, but I promise that if you ever experience any problems, we'll try our best to answer them.

 

Thanks, Big, that's much appreciated!