I am thinking about buying a 2003-2004 STR. I am looking at a couple different ones. Both of them have been service with all the records and are in great shape. They both are around 120k miles but they looking and drive like they have 20k on them. I have owned 2 X Types in the past but I know the STR is a totally different game. I am just wanting to get some info and insight on what you all think about the STR and do they have any known issues or problems that I should look for or that you have experienced. Any help or info would be greatly appreciated!

 

Just a couple of thoughts of the top of my head:

1. Do you need STR performance? Coming from an X-type the difference in performance will be just huge!!!

2. S-type will give you - dare I say it - a proper Jaguar experience. X-type is a good car but imo not in the same class as S-type;

3. STR is a lot more complicated and expensive to run - huge performance yes; but you pay for it.

If I were in your shoes I would test drive a couple of 4.2 NA as well as at least a couple of STR's - then you'll know for sure if STR is your kind of car.

Good luck in your search

Dave

 

+1

also, post links to any you're interested in so people can comment

 

+2 to both of the above, bare in mind you will also need a "repair fund" as all old jags come with an unwritten agreement that something will go wrong and you will have to spend on it within the first year.

Also bare in mind these are complicated vehicles to work on so make sure your able to do the work yourself (not as hard as you might think with this forum and jtis) or know a good honest shop who able to do it.

That said, go for it!! ¡¡

 

Expect to replace the following if they haven't been done yet:

DCCV
Coils
Expansion Tank

 

Better idea, go look at this one:

Jaguar : S-Type S-Type R in Jaguar | eBay Motors

Low miles and appears to have a warranty.

(no connection with the seller, just cruised over ebay...)
================================================== ===================
Angle parked in a parallel universe

 

Lots of discussion on this forum in the past regarding what to look for when buying used STR's, search will turn up plenty of reading, but here is what I look for when STR shopping,

1) Transmission Service - The 6-speed ZF transmission in the STR's was said to be 'sealed for life', which means, the original owner(s) took the dealers advice, and never changed the transmission fluid or filter. I assume transmission failure by 100k miles on this service protocol. Find out if there has been any transmission service done on the car you're looking at. If the seller tries to tell you 'the dealer said its sealed for life, no need', explain to them that just isn't the case, and that these transmissions are commonly on their last legs by 100k, if not already gone, and a transmission overhaul is about a $5k+ job; use this to negotiate the price, alternatively, if you're looking at high mileage STR's, try to find one that had it's transmission already done. I bought my STR with 90k miles, and it JUST had it's transmission done, and was still under warrenty when I bought it. The 'lifetime' in 'sealed for life transmission' was probably referring to the first 4 years under lease and warrenty.

2) Climate Control Problems - commonly found on these cars, it helps to check for proper operation of the climate control very thoroughly. DCCV valves tend to fail, which regularly leads to climate control module failure. Search for further details, but heres what to check for, get the car up to operating temperature. Make sure it blows fully HOT, cycle through all the vents to make sure they are all working and blowing HOT. Same goes for COLD. blast the A/C full strength, make sure all the vents will blow cold air. Try the dual zone climate control; have one side blow hot and the other cold.
With the heater on full, confirm that it blows strong HEAT at idle and low engine speeds; if the vents blow hotter when RPM's shoot up from idle, and lukewarm at idle, could indicate auxiliary coolant pump issue,

3) Check if the auto-dimming mirror works,

4) Check if the gas cap release works, several times,

5) Check for steering wheel shimmy or vibration at higher speeds or under braking,

6) Check if the power adjustable pedals work,

7) Check if the expansion(coolant) tank has been replaced, probably has been at this point in its life, if not, it's due. Can spring leaks at the fittings,

8) Keep your ears open for wheel bearing noise, front and rear. might be hard to pick up on, but higher mileage STR's, if they haven't had it done, its likely due.

9) Keep your ears open for rear differential noises. Might be hard to differentiate from wheel bearing noise in some cases,

10) Put the car up on a lift. Check for play EVERYWHERE in the suspension, all the bushings and ball joints should be looked over thoroughly. Failed lower shock bushings seems to be common. Some bushings are cheap to replace, others require you purchase a whole suspension component which adds up fast! Rear toe-rods are commonly found worn out.

11) Alignment. Check the front tires for uneven wear, typically inner tread is worn from toe being way out, search this forum for "brutal alignment spec"

12) Battery is a very common point of failure and leads to strange electronic behaviours commonly misdiagnosed. Ask the seller if and when the battery was last replaced. Problems related to battery condition seem to be very, very commmon around here.

13) Brake pad and rotor condition. The STR brembo brakes can be pretty expensive to do, especially if you don't shop around for the best price. Check how much meat is left on the pads, and whether or not you'll be doing them in the first few months of ownership.

14) The electronic parking brake, confirm it engages and disengages both rear spot calipers, cycle it several times,to confirm no EPB errors appear. Check the rear spot calipers brake pads. These should last forever, but are kind of pricey to replace them if you have to. Confirm they have lots of pad material left.


15) Droopy headlights. The self-leveling headlights tend to break internally, causing them to aim low. Very easy to identify if the headlights leveling is broken once the hood is popped and checking through the back of the assembly for play.

16) The infamous ZF 6-speed transmission 'lurch' issue. The car will bang or lurch when doing the 2-1 downshift or 1-2 upshift. In many cases, this is 'normal' operation for this particular gearbox... but it's still unnerving, and some exhibit this behaviour a lot more than others. look out for it, and use it to bargain with. Also look out for the transmission 'slipping' or a brief RPM surge when the car upshifts to overdrive from 5th to 6th.

17) Check for water leaks in the trunk. Look in the spare tire well for signs of moisture and such, water leaks into the trunk are commonly reported.

18) Coolant-hose under the supercharger/intercoolers, hard to say when this one will fail, but when it does, it is a BIG job to take the whole intake manifold apart in order to replace it. See if the STR you're looking at has already had this hose replaced or not. Big plus if it has been done already.


That about covers most of what I can think of right now when used STR shopping. These are the most common trouble spots I come across when looking at these cars.

 

As with any used car - buy as much as you can upfront! It's always better to start with something good and make it better than to try and fix something with existing problems.

 

Wow GT42R.

I am currently looking (hard) for a STR or 2002-2003 XJR.
I gotta say that your info is very, very helpful.

Thank you sir.

 

Right?!? WHAT A POST, Everything You need to know!

 

I sold my XJ6 about 8 months ago, and have been sorry ever since. Going to check out a 2003 STR next week. Has 95,000 miles, and I'm not much of a wrench, so I really appreciate the heads up. I have one question...I read that the "Lurch" can sometimes be aleviated with new Transmission Fluid, and an Additive. Can anyone tell me which ATF and Additive to purchase? Thanks Again, Mike.