Wow Where to begin, The headlights droop I did the screw trick but now even that doesn't work, the HVAC system sort of heats barely cools does not defrost, the transmission sort of shifts ok when cold but must be very easy on it when it's warm or WAM Bang at take off from a start, Now the center plastic piece along the windshield, Just exploded and broke in the center? Evertime I get on it I smell a funny smell inside the cabin I think is coolant on exhaust pipe. Been to the dealer( authorized) many Many times, Been to local cub recomended expert? Shops, spent 3x what I paid for it so far and this is what I have now.I'm thinking of building a hot rod and using the motor and interior and junking the rest.

 

Is there a question here or are you just venting?

 

All sounds very fixable but some dealers really don't have a clue.

 

I have seen one hot rod with an STR motor and would like to know how they did it.

Using the Jaguar stuff or aftermarket.

You will spend a lot at the dealer. You really need to DIY all the repairs. They are not hard and very well documented on this forum.
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The OP's location is listed as Kirkland. I know of only one Kirkland, but it would be nice if people also listed which country to give all of us a clue................

If he's from the Kirkland I'm thinking of, and using the dealer I'm thinking of no wonder he's frustrated.

 

1st Kirkland Washington USA
Go Sea Hawks
2nd yes I'm Venting I have owned 6 Jaguars Including 2 S Types
I actually have more things wrong than I listed.
When I was younger I would do all these repairs but am not physically able anymore.

 

Sorry to hear about your wows, but a 2003 STR is over 11 years old and with almost any make by this age, you would be seeing problems.

The issues you list are all fixable and I would suggest searching one by one on the forum for details. You could then get a good independant guy to repair once you had details.

I currently have 151k miles on my 2003 STR and the plan is once the body dies around the engine, is to transplant the V8 it to one of the RR P38's however, it keeps on going so not today.

 

I quite buying these to resell due to the number of issues required to get them up to my standards. Not worth fixing since the repairs are more than the car will bring on a good day.


Even if I was paid $1,000 to take a clean one, I'd pass.

 

Have you owned the car long? With a 12 year old S-Type, many of those problems you mention are wear-and-tear issues in a 10+ year old car. If they hit you all at once, they can easily add up in $$$ even if you DIY some of them. For instance, I think that mist screen cracking is near universal -- mine's in 4 pieces and I've seem at least a half dozen around here in similar condition. Depending on your mileage, anything you put into that car is going to be a labor of love, not something for which you'll get much of a financial return. My 03 S-Type needs another $500 in DIY repair soon -- if I were to sell it on Craigslist locally, the going price seems to be around $4k. Go figure.