I found the "What DON'T you like about your XJ" topic very informative on things to look into when I go shopping for one. Since I'm also interested in the S-type (especially the R) I'd like to know what people find annoying about their S-type. I realize there is much to love about Jags but like any car there's bound to be things that drive you crazy. What are they?

 

Hey Vakharn.

I'm not the best source of info:
I'm a new owner, about two weeks in, but so far so good.

To be honest, my biggest issue at the moment is parking.

Quite frankly given the number of times I've seen people 'door' other people at the grocery store and things like that I'm a little terrified. Perhaps when the finish finally does get that first ding I'll relax a little bit... but by far my biggest issue with Jaguar ownership is fear that either I'll get dinged or that some neighbourhood kid is going to rip the leaper off the front on me.

Aside from that, I have to put the seats in the back down in order to fit two golf bags in the back, and that's my only real grievance with the S-Type at the moment.

The only person who might be more smitten with the car than me is the missus, so at the moment I'm very pleased.

... and I should also add that I'm currently looking for Jaguar number 2 already, so the S-Type seems to have made a favourable impression on me.

 

Vakharm, a few days ago my mechanic drove away with my 03 STR so he may check her out (he eventually found a vaccume line disconnected at the rear of the intake manifold, a miss by another mechanic when replacing the EGR). As he drove away I actually felt a twinge in the crotch of my pants cause she both looked and sounded beautiful while burbling on her way to be looked after. This is a true story. The STR or a regular "S", are just plain sexy, and the STR looks beastly and sexy in the same breath. Due to her beauty and the realization that nothing is perfect, IMHO, I don't have one problem with the "S". As far as I'm concerned Jaguar hit a homerun.

 

Since I finally got a new motor (not the cars fault it needed a new motor, but the previous owner) in my '03 Type R I love it. Rides better and faster than my Mustang

Only problems It currently has at 106k miles is the electronic parking brake control module has failed.

 

only few things i dislike ....I find the car overly sensitive to potholes etc requiring an alignment more often than other vehicles i've owned. 2nd annoyance is the drivers seat shift around a bit (not the cars fault) just cant find why. otherwise it is wonderful!

 

With 473 posts to a thread very near to this one, grab a cold one or twelve pack and enjoy!!!

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...-s-type-47258/


fellas'

 

The center console armrest seems a bit plastick-y and cheap by comparison to the rest of the interior.

 

I have a couple of dislikes.

First, the nav system isn't user friendly. I tried typing in an address and it wouldn't let me enter IH-35 (the one main highway here). I guess you have to know exactly what the developers were thinking before you can put a street name in. My Tom-Tom works so much better.

Second, the Bluetooth is very restrictive. My Ford Truck and after market Kenwood (less than $200, mind you) in my Lexus work flawlessly while the Jag is fairly crippled. It also only pairs with one phone, compared to 4 in my truck and 12 in the Kenwood stereo.

I have to say though, that the Jag is freaking awesome and dislikes are well eclipsed by the likes.

 

Dealers, dealers, dealers. Have you ever been charged $160 dollars for
an oil change? Oh, and when driving thru South Carolina and your
DCCV goes bad, are you prepared to pay $960 dollars to replace a
part that retails for about $120 dollars? But wait...there's more. Now
the dealer tells you that you need to replace the entire center console
because the DCCV fried the climate control module which is part of the
navigation system/center console and that's going to cost you about
$7,500 dollars. I am NOT making this up!

Oh yeah...how about an estimate of $890 dollars to change the
plugs? Or, $1,800 dollars to change the disks and pads? This is on
a NA 4.2 S. If you can't do basic mechanical work yourself, call a few
dealers in your area before you purchase a Jag and get estimates
for basic services like brakes, oil change, air/cabin filter changes, etc.
Then, tell me you don't feel like a duck, flying around hunting season
in a gold lame' vest, towing a banner that reads, "picture me naked on
your plate in a bed of whipped potatoes." There may be some ethical
dealers out there (the parts guys at that Atlanta dealership, for
example) but it's like trying to find a hooker in the Vatican; you have
the same chance as a rat at a DeCon party.

No really. Give 'em a call. If it wasn't for this web site, I would have
sold the car many years ago. The knowledge here is the equivalent
of being heli-evacuated off the Titanic. To not check out the cost
of maintaining this car prior to purchase, is like leaving a light on for
Jimmy Hoffa.

Cliff

 

Ouch! Good points, well made.

Those jobs can be done by any competent mechanic, doesn't need to be a jag dealer, but even so those prices are crazy.

 

Mine was too, then I restored the leather and it made a big improvement. If yours is glossy black rather than a matte black leather, you should consider cleaning and conditioning the leather (and not in one step of course).

Same goes for the leather wrapped steering wheel. I refused to believe it was real leather until I actually cleaned and conditioned it for the first time.

---


My dislikes, hmm...

The monochromatic display of the climate control screen, radio screen and information center are pretty difficult to read in most lighting conditions.

Turn signal and wiper stalks feel very flimsy and tactile response seems of really poor quality. Even the flasher relay click-click-click combined with the plasticky feel of the stalks turns me off.

Interior plastics feel pretty cheap, whole interior creaks cracks and groans sometimes like riding in the hull of a 1600's freighter.

more to come...

 

Monochromatic? Mine's not. Do you have an odd user setting maybe?
I don't get those creaks etc. Most odd.
I guess the stalks etc is personal as I've never thought what you do.

 

+1 on the creaks etc, awful

 

It's only me that creaks and groans in mine.

 

My STR doesn't have a single creak or groan.

Negatives - small trunk for it's class, which from what i can tell due to the styling/shape of the car. However I'd rather have the Jag shape than a box shape that has more trunk space. Second - gas tank is too small.

I have no issues or problems with the Nav/HVAC/Radio display.

 

I HATE the seat tray; I've almost wrecked trying to catch something before it falls between the seats of no return !

 

The rear cupholders! Absolutely useless.

 

since I've been scoping out used Jags for my first one, i did look at all the models... S type has a lot to admire in it, but aesthetically, I just can't resign myself to the toilet seat front grille, sorry... a friend of mine calls these the "potty mouth" Jags, lol.

 

he's just jealous

 

Actually, my buddy is a she, and she loves her older Jags, i found out... she currentlly rocking her second '98 XJ8 and had a '89 XJ6 before that !