Have an 03, considering giving in up for just maintenance cost. Love the car, but compared to 03 Infiniti I35 M45, Acura RL, Lincoln LS. What the repairs on these run? Also, whats the mileage life expectancy on these? Had a financial set back and thinking on trading it in on something more reliable?

 

Wow, really a lot of things unsaid here... I wouldn't call it "unreliable". They are actually pretty good in that area.. I mean if you are looking to go to a generic front drive box, well yea, you'll save a bunch in service and maintenance costs. Honestly, about the only "inexpensive" rear drivers out there are maybe a Chrysler LX platform car (what I ended up with). The Lexus and Infinity's may be inexpensive to maintain, but I don't know..Everything is a risk.. And there really aren't many cars that compare to the STR.....

 

Thanks, I got 74k on it, just scared as if something were to go wrong I would be stuck with a massive repair bill in comparison to the cars I'm considering. It has been a Sunday driver, don't know if would be reliable enough as a everyday driver, plus I got a road trips planned for summer. Just a lot on my plate right now, and don't want to give up car.

 

I have 126,000 on my 03...same 4.2 motor (though N/A) and ZF gearbox...no major problems, only minor repairs due to leaks in coolant, oil, and power steering. Max I paid for any of those individually was $350 for parts and labor. There's been a fuel vapor recover leak, and other 'long term' repairs along the way also like suspension bushings and shocks at 110,000. I've had the transmission fluid drained and filled, along with a new filter and pan at 75k miles however, and plan on doing it again at 150k. Engine runs strong, transmission shifts the same as when I purchased it with 45,000 miles on her.

That's just a comparison.

 

Great, what about timing belt? Anything I should be expecting coming up with having 74K miles on it?

 

I've had my 03 for 6 months. There hasn't be a single reliablity issue since I got it. I did spend quite a bit of money initially on a lot of preventative maintenance items. If you source the parts from vendors here, ebay etc you can save a fortune over dealer prices, and the same goes for finding a competent private shop or mechanic that charges $40-60 an hour for labor instead of $120 at the dealer.

 

STR's dont have timing belts. Its a timing chain setup. I believe since Acuras use Honda motors timing belts will have to be factored in for maintanence. I daily drive mine and everything is all good. Its all in how you maintain it. If your at 74K I would say trans service, plug check, and just standard filters then just drive it.
As with any car any major problem that comes up is going to be expensive.

I would find some forums of the other cars you might be considering and see what kinda things people complain about. If you see a pattern of a common problem you can see what the problem would likely costs to fix. Even though a car gets good consumer report rating etc. I still guage my decision on what actual owners who live with the car everyday is experiencing. Also since I'm a DIY'er I always check common parts costs when look at cars, ie filters, brakes, thermostat, plugs, pads, gaskets, etc. So if you dont once you find out some common problems call around and see what a ballpark figure would be to fix them locally to you and that might help you guage what car to switch to or if just keeping would be a good idea.
Also if you have had the STR a while you are going to know the history of that car better then any other used car you decide to trade in on. Just another thing to think about.

 

Maybe it isn't the actual reliability aspect, but the cost of repairs for the same problem from one car to the next.

There are parts and supplies which have a certain rarity in addition to lack of information. For example, even in fluids, a vendor will surely note compatibility with a major make, but there is limited space even on a gallon jug label. Instead, you have to go dig in the product monographs. Pricing? A BMW headlight bucket for a specific model is $300 list, but can be had as new OEM for $35.

Then there is labour, the less competition there is, the costlier it gets.

And of course, knowledge. Some makes have a vast body of knowledge that has made it into public view. Jaguar, less so.

 

If he isnt a DIY'er this right here I totally agree with and think he should maybe look at a Big 3 car. You are just gonna have better luck getting it repaired at a reasonable price for when something goes wrong. Plus parts are way more accessable so it will most likely be repaired faster getting you back on the road.

 

I love my car, but if money was super tight I would probably look at getting something cheaper and easier to maintain as well. But like I said before unless you live in the middle of nowhere it should be pretty easy to find a private mechanic or garage that charges 50% less (or more) than a dealership for labor.

 

I've been there, happened to me about 6 months after I bought my STR. The practical thing for me to do at the time was sell it and purchase something else for a couple grand. But I've kept it and don't regret it.

I currently have a 113k miles on my '03 and it's my daily driver, and I take it back n forth between many states. Aside from the water pump failing at around 65k when I was 700 miles from home, none of the problems I've had (and there's been a few) have left me stranded anywhere.

 

I am another STR owner (2005) that uses it as a daily driver. Got it with 32K miles now at 66K miles. The best car I have ever owned. Least amount of problems, best build quality and so far it has held up the best.

Add in superior braking, acceleration and handling. The luxury aspect was not really what I was looking for initially but have now become a fan of the Jaguar compromise. Fast AND smooth!

The real key as several others have already posted is this list and just DIY. The car itself is built very well but it is a premium luxury brand and if you decide to drive a car like this then you will pay.

Example-I have had no problems with my HID lights. But when I upgraded the high beam bulbs the flimsy adjuster mechanism broke when installing the new high beam bulbs. Jaguar's answer is about $1300-$1600 per side to fix-new headlights. Brutal's screw method is pennies and takes about 20 minutes to do. Without that kind of resource and knowledge I would have been looking to get rid of the car. Just stupid to pay sky high repair bills!!

We are seeing the problem on this list (growing daily too!) of people getting the car because it's cheap (mainly due to steep depreciation) and then are unhappy to pay the price of ownership!

Jaguar simply did not make a huge number of these cars so parts will always be more expensive than they should be. We can hang on the Lincoln LS group for some things but at the end of the day it is a Jaguar!
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A few random, I'm-on-my-first-cup-of-coffee thoughts......

High end luxury cars are not generally known for inexpensive repairs, no matter what the brand. So, if repair expense is a concern you're in the wrong class of automobile entirely, IMHO. God knows I could never still be driving Jags after all these years were it not for DIY labor.

Anyhow....

I doubt that you'll be facing any major powertain problems (internal engine, transmission, differential) until you're well over 100k miles, if you face them at all. Since yours is a Sunday driver it'll take years to get into the really worrisome mileage range.

That leaves less serious work that a person might expect as age and miles creep up: brake jobs, shocks, water pump, climate control, electric/luxury gizmos, etc. I'm guessing that such repairs on your Jag are in the same ballpark, cost-wise, as Lexus, Infinity, etc. That'll be an expensive ballpark no matter where your seated.

Broadly speaking I'd say that the high-end Japenese luxury cars are more reliable than the Jags but I've seen enough exceptions that I'm compelled to use the "broadly speaking" disclaimer :-).

Cheers
DD