I have an opportunity to pick up a very nice looking 03 STR 4.2 with 90k miles, black on black with a slipping transmission for under 4k.

It would be a project car and nothing I would need to drive daily but I have never dealt with STR transmissions and have no idea what I am looking at to get her on the road again (seller says car is driveable but slips under medium throttle).

Body is a solid 8/10, Interior also very nice and good rubber.

I also believe as an 03, there are no tensioner issues to worry about (replaced them on my 2000 already... never again

So what would you pay for such a car?

 

Could be low fluid but could be in need of a trans swap. (ZF 6HP26)

 

$2,000 - you want to leave meat on the bone if a trans swap is in order ($4K to $7K)

 

Wow only 2k? Here I was thinking 3,500 would be a straight up steal.

 

Have you priced the cost to rebuild a 6 speed ZF transmission?
Do you know where to take it to get it rebuilt?

Remember your old S Type had a common Ford 5 speed transmission that you can get rebuilt in any town in the US. The ZF is much more rare.

I agree with JagV8. You might have something as simple as low fluid. However if driven with low fluid it will destroy the transmission. The good thing is it's still driving and does not appear to slip all the time.

If you get it do a fluid/filter swap first and make sure the fluid level is correct before jumping into a rebuild or replacement. They are pretty tough transmissions.
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Just wondering but couldn't you swap the transmission with any of the 4.2l jags. Thought they all used the same trans. Which would be a cheap alternative

 

I've just had to replace the ZF box in mine.... £3200

 

No sir... not with a slipping trans. The only steal would be coming from your wallet....

 

Seeing a transmission rebuild is in the order of $5K or more, yea, $2,500 to $3,500 is what would seem fair.

Throw in a few more repairs along the way, and you're suddenly in it $10k after transmission and odds and ends...

 

ZF transmissions are scarily expensive - I would want the car to be very, VERY cheap unless I was sure that I could get a known, good, used transmission at an affordable price.

I often wonder why car manufacturers continue to use ZF - I have yet to find a ZF-equipped car that does not have a reputation for giving (expensive) trouble except, perhaps, the XJ40.