I'm still in the window shopping stage, I have a Dodge Durango to clean up and sell and have been contemplating what I want to replace it with when I have cash in hand. I haven't talked to any sellers yet, or even peered into a parked S-type, I'm just reading ads at this stage and doing my research on the forum as to potential issues.

Regarding the 2001-2004 S-types, locally most are listed at close to double what Kelley Blue Book values them even assuming excellent condition. I'm looking at private party sales only.

What am I missing? KBB shows almost $5k price difference between the S-Type and the S-type R...I believe that was when I ran the numbers for a 2001 if I remember correctly. But I assume sellers know which one they have...hopefully!

Thanks in advance

 

Its typically best to avoid any S-Type before 2003. There was no S-Type R before 2003, either. KBB is just a guide, prices can vary a lot based on location and market. If there's no other local S-Type Rs for sale, they can likely get a lot more for it than if there several. I usually wait on cars to sit for sale for a while; if they are overpriced they won't sell and in a couple months the owner/dealer will be much more open to lower offers. If they are selling at prices higher than KBB or NADA value, then you will likely have to spend more to get what you want. These cars aren't typically in high demand, however, and you should be able to get a good one at a decent price.

 

I JUST Bought and STR, im local to you and looked for awhile...i ended up buying from a forum member in NYC and had it shipped across the US.. i saw STR's come up from time to time, but they are kind of rare so i always searched nationally to get what i wanted....didnt notice high prices here, just high milers..

 

Bought mine in alabama and had it shipped to miami. Almost impossible to find the right STR local, especially if you live in a small town / area. Sellers will obviously know which one they have. If you don't know anything about the car you're buying you should probably have someone help you that knows what they're doing.

 

Ah, yes it was the 2003 that I noted the $5k price difference on. I've only been half looking at the S/STRs as the XJ8/XJR are what really caught my eye. So now I'm deciding what I want, what's in my budget, etc.

Thanks for your input. I've never seen so many people not anywhere near KBB in pricing, and I really don't know if they are selling at those prices or not (on Craigslist mostly).

 

Something else to think about is that the cars can be problematic and parts can be very expensive.

I have really criticized my S-Type and the problems I've had but a forum member pointed something out to me. I bought my S-Type in December 2012 with just under 100,000 miles on it and no matter how well it is maintained with a 10 year old car and 100,000 miles there are going to be wear and tear problems.

If you are not mechanically inclined then find a trustworthy shop because the dealer is extremely expensive. As my car stands I need to replace a good portion of the front and rear suspension, parts alone are going to cost about $2000.00. Luckily I have a friend of a co-worker that is a mechanic and he gives me a great rate on labor.

I've said all that but I am looking at Type R's because I am going to sell my sport. These cars are very addicting.

 

That is a VERY good point!!

Plan on doing your own repair work because an expensive luxury car gets no cheaper to repair as time goes on. The parts are not easy to find outside the dealer and they are expensive.

Without this forum I would have never been able to keep my R in good shape. Just a vast amount of knowledge about Jaguars here.
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Thank you for the further advice. I am fairly mechanical. I repair sewing machines (largely self taught, with help from online mentors), I fix my own appliances and we do a lot of home improvement projects. My current project vehicle just needed plugs/wires and a hole in the muffler repaired externally. I've all but taken the interior out to clean it (serious pigs owned it), and its looking like it'll net me about $2k when I sell it. But I haven't worked much on internal combustion engines since high school. My husband has some more automotive experience. And we do have a trusted mechanic who is also a friend and willing to teach some as well. We already drive older vehicles, so no worries there.

It still remains to be seen what direction we'll go in. The 98-03 XJ8/XJR are what really tickle my fancy. But I want to make sure I don't paint myself into a corner with too many projects eating up my budget. I keep threatening to go the $700 Ford Escort route just to embarrass our teens while I build my emergency fund. "You want a ride to Homecoming? Sure, let me hotwire the rusty Ford"