I purchased my '04 S Type about 3 weeks ago with 50k miles and clean Carfax report for $10,900. The paint was showroom perfect and I thought that I got a good deal. I have put 600 miles on it and already I have had a $500 repair for a chaffed injector wire that was shorting out and generating a wide variety of error codes. I got a gearbox fault message that I think is related to the engine misfiring (gearbox message cleared when I turned the car off and back on again - has not ocurred again). I consistently experience Lurch 1 and 2. This morning I rolled the front passenger window down and it slid down into the door (I believe the regulator went out). I had to drive 79 miles with the window down - did I mention I live in Ohio and the temperature was 8 degrees today? Every time I go out of town, something new goes wrong with this thing. Before some jolly joker says it; I will - Then don't go out of town!
It's sad because I love the car's performance and fit and finish. I am not the mechanic that a lot of you are and I will be stuck going to the Jag dealer who is probably going to rake me over the coals.

I need a pep talk, somebody help me feel good about this car and give me some preventative service recommedations.

 

I'm not a mechanic either, but I did find a local shop that works on them for less than half of what a dealer charges. Since Cleveland is a much larger city than mine I would imagine you can find some really good local Jag mechanics. If you need parts DO NOT BUY THEM FROM A DEALER. The closest dealer to me will rape you if they get the chance. Many parts can be bought on E-bay from wrecked cars, you can rebuild some of them, and you can buy them online for much cheaper, some times as much as 60% or more less than a dealer wants. Since you have a non "R" S-Type some parts are much more affordable than mine are and some parts from Fords or Lincolns will work just fine in our cars.

No matter how you slice it, you are driving a 7 year old car and any car that is 7 years old will have a few issues. Please put your year and model in your signature so that we can help you. Post up some pics and chill, there are some great folks here that are exceptionally helpful and knowledgeable!

http://www.jagshops.com/near/cleveland-oh/

 

That's an unlucky car. The regulators "don't fail" on the redesign cars - yours is about the first I ever heard of. (The original cars use Ford parts which fail quite often.)

I guess any car could have a chafed wire but if you Search on injector and look for another such fault you'll see how unlucky you are.

Just have it reflashed like everyone does to cure the lurch. Cheap, quick, easy.

You'd be wise to put the car engine size etc in your signature.

If you just bought it from a car trader and were over here all those faults would have to be fixed at their cost. Is it so different over there?

 

@bert- Welcome. While Pushing_Tin is correct on many things, you happen to be lucky to be in Cleveland (Yea I said it, as we sit in freezing temps we haven't seen in a while). Have you visited Jaguar Cleveland in Solon yet? They host jaguarparts.com and to be honest, I've spread my parts $$ between them and Nalley since Nalley is a sponsor...Yet Jaguar Cleveland will charge about the same. Also, Mike (the service manager), Lucas (yes that is his name LOL), and Rob are great guys in the service department. They have always treated me good (just don't have them send your car out for paint work). Some of the things you listed, as JagV8 stated, are real unusual. I would call them and ask how much for an inspection and trans reflash. Should be less than 200. They can check it over and pull any codes. Tell them Jeff Osworth told you to call. Then if you need further help, heck I'm 40 minutes South.
How's this for inspiration? I now have three kids and take care of them on weekends while the wife works. As you can imagine, shopping for a somewhat large family takes up a lot of space. I've considered getting rid of my car for something more "errand" friendly but find it real hard to replace given all it's wonderful properties. It makes me smile every day I slog up route 8 to work in Solon.

Oh, BTW JagV8: Yes, dealers here in the US are able to sell cars "As Is". Where the dealer accepts no responsibility for any mechanical faults. There is recourse if an unscrupulous seller dumps a wrecked and rebuilt car on an unsuspecting consumer but even that is hard to litigate. That is why I've always bought from major dealers. They have much more to loose in litigation and tend to play it safer with their used cars. Yea, you pay a little more, but ultimately it is safer.

 

Wow. Sometimes our legal / consumer protection systems are so different!

 

bertrandtray, this forum will allow you to take a learned approach to rectifying the window and warning light issues. The process will benefit you in the long run. In other words, we all have/had our "S" issues but are/were helped by others here.

 

I'm not sure if this is a shot at Fords parts in general or just these particular window regulators. I also have a 2001 Ford product with 140K miles on it that has been sitting outdoors all of it's life and it's held up remarkably well.

 

Buying cars is considered a blood sport here though when you're buying a new one there are quite a few protections but they're not so easily enforced. The inspection of automobiles for operation on the road here is a joke over here in most states. The same goes for obtaining a license to operate a motorized vehicle. It really is shameful IMHO. It all makes for a very fertile environment for lawyers. They're a major force in the world of TV advertising where I live.

 

You left out the immediately preceding part which is ONLY about window regulators and thus makes the context clear. They fail quite often, as I said. You can read about that here every few weeks.

My actual statement:
The regulators "don't fail" on the redesign cars - yours is about the first I ever heard of. (The original cars use Ford parts which fail quite often.)

 

Wow this forum is GREAT! I don't feel alone in this anymore! Thanks for your support.

OK, it is a new day and I am going to tackle the beast in my driveway. I am going to Jaguar of Solon (I will name drop - thanks Jeff O.) and have them to fix my baby.

Do I understand correctly that you have to pay for a re-flash of the transmission software? Shouldn't that be covered under some type of recall?

 

The reflash is covered under a tab which if you have a good extended warranty they should cover it

 

Yeah, we're all just as nuts as you! LOL

Not sure about the lurch issue and an official recall. It's worth a try but don't hold your breath. If it's not hard to do they make accommodate you. In spite of how some folks on here feel not all Jag dealers are "the enemy". I'm not sure there is a definitive fix for "the lurch". I believe it also affects other makes of cars using the same transmission.

 

Hold up one second.... Have them inspect first. Find out what may be wrong, if anything, at first. I said they are good folks, not necessarily cheap for service. Find out what is going on first. As part of an inspection they can and will see if there are any open recalls, but be sure to ask...And there is a recall out there that was supposed to address an emissions issue, but not sure what years it covers, and involved a re-flash of the software. The "lurch" itself is not a recall issue, and yes, a re-flash is done for a fee. They will also tell you if there are things that need to be fixed first before they program the trans. Expect limited success with the re-flash. It cured the down-shift "kick in the @ss" lurch but I still have the "are you sure you want to go" version where it hesitates to go. While annoying, there is nothing to say that it has any effect on the long term durability of the trans.

So, make an appointment, and let us know what they say....There may be some simple things that can be done DIY with a little help and coaching..Saving you a bunch of $$.

Don't forget to ask Lucas if the new baby is letting him get some sleep yet???

 

Yes the regulators can and DO fail on the redesigned cars.
There is a Big white plastic clip on the vertical track of the regulator. it has two "tabs" on it that hold the bar the window attaches to to the regulator. The bottom one has the most leverage and the tabs snap off, letting the window fall below the regulator.
I caught my passenger side inadvertantly. I had to change the glass due to an attmepted theft, they didnt manage to break the glass, but cracked the outer layer. When we took the door apart to swap the glass, one of the two tabs was broken. I changed it preemptively. You can tell if the bottom clip is half broken when you close the door with the window down, you can hear the regulator rattle a bit in the door.

As far as how it is here, yes if you buy a used car "as is", it means just that. AS IS. The dealer (trader in English English) is obligated to do nothing once you sign.

Personally I think that once again this new owner is going to have to learn to work on his own car if he wants to make owning a used Jaguar an affordable experience.

EDIT: My father had a used car business on the side of his repair business. My brother has it now. I remember my father trying to explain AS IS to people as the following.
He was like this car is AS IS, that means if you buy it and pull out of my lot and get to that light over there (and point to the traffic light on the corner), and it breaks in half, you own both halves.

Jeff, as far as rebuilt wrecks, there are a lot of state laws that are inconsistent. Very few require accident disclosure beyond a total loss event, which brands the car with a salvage title. It's just the nature of the business. Accidents happen, cars are repaired. In this country it's "caveat emptor" or buyer beware. I don't think you can even make a legal claim for existence of prior damage if there isn't a title brand.

Take care,

George

 

bert heres a name and number you might want to look up:

River Automotive Diagnostics Foreign Imports
1659 Falls St. (located in the flats)
Cleveland

216-298-4101

Dan Gerber is the owner and their specialties are import vehicles.
Be sure and mention the forum and he is awaiting your call!


BYW Jeff, this is who I mentioned to you about your transmission fill back at Thanksgiving.

 

I was trying to say: hardly ever. (Unlike the 1999-2002 cars.)
We have both dealers and traders. Traders tend not to have garage premises (shop fronts, forecourts etc) but the point is both count as trading in (i.e. doing business with) cars. Much the same laws apply to both and in neither case can AS IS actually mean AS IS (even if you sign, though signing would potentially partially undermine your otherwise strong position) - provided you're not yourself any kind of car trader. We have rogue traders who put TRADE SALE on invoices despite it not actually being a sale to a trader, and our law says such words and the like are considered void. (Cue innocent buyer suing idiotic badly-behaved trader.)

Used car salesmen of all types are tarred (not entirely unfairly) as more-or-less the dregs of business.

 

Good news!

I went to Jaguar of Solon and they re-flashed the transmission for me. Lurch = gone! They gave me a break/took pity as a new owner and a referred customer (thanks Jeff).

I forgot to mention that I bought the car from Mullinax Ford East and I went back to them and complained about the window; they are going to fix it free of charge and run a full diagnostic.

I now feel good about my Jag decision!

Thanks to everyone for their input and help.

 

@Bert- Glad it was a good experience. Told you they were good guys over there. If you don't mind... Who helped you... Lucas, Mike, or Rob?

Now, if / when you go back to them for a service or whatever, bring a couple dozen donuts... They love donuts... LOL...

Funny story there... I came in with donuts the day that Lucas's fiance went into labor..Mike had to go through his desk to find some customer information and found he had stashed some "for later".... LOL...

Keep the referal that Rick gave you, as well. That may come in handy. (I know I did)

 

Wow - good result!

 

That a boy!