Like most have replied I'd stay away from older S Types and personally I'd stay away from any Jag with over 75k on it. Over 100k? Never.

 

I've bought my 2001s type v8 @ 76k..ran fine till about 99k when it overheated n I had to change radiator,wtr pump,thermostat&housing..the extended warranty paid the shop $1100 for labor&after market parts...@100 k I got sick of the suspension noise had front ball joints &ctrl arms changed and also ac compressor n hoses,warranty paid $1800 and I paid $700 for the 2 hoses n tax...my warranty expires in october and I'll have it checked for suspected problems like these tensioners,the tranny with the original fluid which don't feel the best...don't know wat else is plagued with problems and if I should keep it after the comprehensive warranty which I paid $3500 for...any idea will help..thx

 

Looks like daboss085 made the plunge and joins the ranks of pre 2003 S Type ownership...

 

I have the 2000 4.0 V8' ,valve covers gaskets and upper tentioners , coils and plugs,plastic to metal thermostat tower, and sepertine belt were all changed by me and I'm 65 years old. If you have the tools and a garage to keep the car from the weather . And don't drive the car hard it will last. true mine has almost 55,000 but it sounds great. I did have the transmission drained and refilled with filter just to see the fluids' appearance and it was clean at 50,000 miles. It's not a daily driver and sits clean in the garage and has fluids changed every 3 mouths or so. Break fluid was just change along with synthetic power steering fluid. I still drive it like it's made of egg shells,"most of the time". Only because I don't want to be complaining on this forum. So far so good! Good luck! Oh ya ,I forgot to say there was nothing wrong with anything except one valve cover had to be changed along with the set of gaskets because they warp and are made of plastic so don't over tighten the screws. They are almost loose with the feel of the wrench. Oil may get into the plugs if valve cover gaskets have over 40,000 miles. I also changed the water pump to the metal one along with the thermostat tower housing which were made of plastic.

 

+1 on chucky60 - I also have a 00 S Type V8 - I have put almost 110K miles on my car - if you can DIY that's a big plus - I love my Jag - even with the woes that come with it. You can't be "cheap" with this car - get the right part and get it done right the first time. Look carefully at surrounding parts when working on something as odds are it's better to change it out when apart - instead of doing one thing, then doing the other down the line... just my $0.02

 

I still have a2000 stype.
Still love it and never had any particullar issues. Never.
110 k miles in the clock

 

The timing chain tensioner problems are not related to how the car is driven. The problem is the loading on the chains is very uneven because of the DOHC type engine. So the earlier tensioners get pounded until they fail. That's why Jaguar upgraded them to an all metal design instead of plastic.

Remember the early versions (we are now at version 3) will all fail because of this. It's just a matter of time. Jaguar installed all metal ones starting with the 2003 and up models on the V-8.

If you have 110K on the originals I would go out and buy some lottery tickets because you are a VERY lucky man!! Just listen for noises on start-up because you can catch it in time if careful.
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I have version 3 tensioners installed - changed out as a precaution... the earlier version that came out of the car was clearly showing fatigue...

 

A very good point! All the old tensioners that have been changed out show differing amounts of damage. There has never been one person report all is well and installing the new version was a waste of money.

When they fail the pistons hit the valves causing big damage. A few rare ones merely jumped a tooth and screw up the timing bad enough that the engine would barely run.

I am impressed with those of you that have changed them yourself! It is doable but a big job. One more comment - If you do change them do them all!! Not just the easy to get at ones up top. They all share in the wear and damage.
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My recommendation is this, and I tell you from experience as I own that specific model and year you are wanting to buy. Do yourself, and your bank account a favor and follow these guys advice. They are telling you straight about the problems with the 98-2000 s-types. I have experienced all of the mentioned problems, ie....trans rebuild, 3rd gen tensioners installed, ignition coils go bad often, driver side window keeps coming out of clip, am in process now of refurbishing front end suspension. My s-type has 106K on her now, and there is no way in hell I will ever get out of it, what I have put into it. I love Jaguar like no other cuz once you drive/own one, you will not want anything else BUT, the 98-2000 is not an entry level ride. Had I done mu homework, or had guys like these members/techs telling me th estraight scoop, I would never have purchased this particular model. I am HIGHLY disappointed to say the least, but it is my own fault.