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I’ve been driving an XJ6 series III as a daily driver for 3.5 years with an XJ-S for the weekends and my wife’s 1995 X300 for long trips. Having the old timers as “my” cars has been fun, but I’ve started wishing for something I could drive long distances that wouldn’t require quite the same degree of owner involvement (aka maintenance) as my XJ6 and XJ-S.
About a month ago, I lucked into a very clean 2004 S-Type 3.0 for my “new” daily driver. While I miss the XJ6 terribly, the S-Type feels like a tremendous upgrade. I realize it’s not fast in the modern sense but that 235 BHP mated to the ZF 6 speed auto feels zippy enough for day to day needs if shifted manually (and then some!) and I find myself *really* looking forward to driving it. I love the interior and the exhaust note, appreciate the handling and like somewhat smaller size.
The styling, with its C-Type-meets-Mk2-meets-Taurus amalgam is growing on me. Maybe it’s like the XJ-S, where we needed to see the future to realize what a beautiful car it always was?
Pre-purchase inspection showed that rear tie rods and an a/c system repair are in my future, but they work for now and it’s a lovely car. An S-Type wasn’t on my list of Jaguars to own, but now that I have one, I see how wrong I was not to include them on my list sooner. What a delightful car. I can absolutely see myself owning more of them, over time.
Thanks for this thread. It’s nice to read pleasant things about the car, rather than just complaints. Thanks again.
Last edited by Rhett; 03-24-2018 at 12:54 AM.
Reason: Forgot something
Have always had a Jag since the mid 70's. Too numerous to list but they never let me down and were always used for long distance, high speed highway cruising. After selling the XJS was looking for a replacement. Was going to buy an XJ8 but wife insisted on the S as I had a 62 MK II when we met and she liked the resemblance. Best run in it was 1000 km, generally respecting the speed limits through the mountains from Banff to Vancouver in 8 hrs, 20 minutes. It is fun to drive! It is also the only Jag I have ever owned that I did not have to carry a large tool box in the trunk! My normal habit was drive a Jag for a year or two and replace it. I still have this one 15 years later.
Forgot to mention the obvious - like all the other Jags I have had, when you need to (or just want to), it takes off like a scared rabbit! Most fun I had with it was a 100 km run playing cat and mouse against a Bentley Continental GT through the mountains. He was ahead, I was ahead, we were both having the pure enjoyment of just being there!
I like that the S-type brought back at least some of the styling and themes found in the pre-XJ Jaguar sedans without the long list of problems and idiosyncrasies that pervaded the old Jags.
The view over the hood is almost traditional Jaguar and the ride is very controlled over most surfaces. In my car there is some traditional body rattle and steering wheel squeak, which makes it very much a Jaguar in the old sense.
I hope that people will tire of the new styles quickly because I can't stand the new Jags, even having driven them. They have a slight edge in handling and performance, but they have almost completely lost the the sense of being a Jaguar styling wise.
I predict that if Jaguar is around 10 years from now, that the newer models will once again look more like their early ancestors than they do right now.
Go to the Jag Dealer and ask for that little $10 bottle that took my squeek away..
I have only had one other car that people came over and asked me about it and expressing their liking of the car.
People on foot smile when they see it. I get them pointing at the car and giving it the thumbs up. I do keep the car clean and shiny.
Its grey so it blends in with 90% of other cars on the road. I like anonymity on the road.
It fits both my partner and my physical sizes and that's an achievement.
My partner loves the car, she says it puts right her mistakes when she's driving.
I don't feel any need to rush in this car, its a superb cruiser. People who want to rush don't have a jaguar.
The 2.5 base model is ok generally for performance, but there are times when it needs more focus and quicker response/reaction times, the sport mode button fixes that which I need in city traffic or in the office commuter hours when all the crazies are out on the road.
We both love the comfort and the robustness of the car.
It doesn't track all over the road, its not bothered by truck tyre ruts on motorways or trunk roads. The car sits rock solid and I don't have to constantly adjust the steering wheel to keep a line. The car feels rock solid on the road and in bends.
I like the dashboard's simplicity and as a fan of the TVR brand as well.
I don't need complex or messy lights or messy finishes on the dash because they are tiring to your eyes day or night. The Jaguar dash simplicity is good for focusing on the road and the traffic conditions. Its got a radio and CD with steering wheel controls for goodness sake !
I don't need a satnav because its on my phone and my partners phone.
I like the way the car is so quiet especially at very low speed and low revs.
Like around town, or crawling through busy places. I don't need to be noticed, that's the young man's premise. The car is still very quiet at motorway speeds.
I am not keen on the rear wheel arch and side cill corrosion, a throwback to the Ford lineage perhaps or just poor design detailing to anyone else.
I am not overly impressed with the ZF 6 speed gearbox, its has too many glitches, issues, characteristics, weaknesses or fragility?
The car is the absolutely perfect model for gentle cruises in the Cotswold's on warm sunny days or for picnics at the side of slow winding rivers. There is something quintessentially British about the Jaguar and it fits so very well with our picture postcard countryside.
My X200 is a 4.0 litre with the 5R55N gearbox, which I believe suits the vehicle very well.
I purchased her from a person that did no maintenance, so she was in very poor condition with a worn gudgeon pin on the number five cylinder that made the engine sound more like a diesel. The heater and air conditioning didn't work and the MIL was on.
After an engine overhaul that included fitting the latest timing chain tensioners, she is a joy to drive any distance and can still turn heads. The 4.0 litre engine is very powerful for the size car and makes getting onto the freeway/motorway quite easy. She can also do the tonne with little difficulty and can hold her own with a 3.0t XF.
Handling on bends is very good with the CATS struts, but the ride is never harsh. Last weekend a friend and I took her through the California Central Coast to El Paso de Robles for the zinfandel festival covering 525 miles return with little effort.
Despite all the negative comments in the press, I find the interior to be comfortable and the controls well placed. The clock and heater screen are difficult to read in bright light, but that is really my only complaint with the interior.
I find the styling to be in many ways, timeless and typically Jaguar. Not sure about her replacement: the very Honda-esque XF. I don't anticipate selling her any time soon!
The V8, So Smooth and sounds Superb with after market silencers, mine has Adamesh silencers.
The Power, STR goes every where effortless.
Had mine 3 years now, Never had any issues, Never missed a beat, though its been looked after
cheers
Joe
One additional item....if you look carefully at a profile view, the body (skip the roof line), is curved...years ahead of the extremely expensive Mercedes S550.
Footnote: Today's vehicle styling comes in clusters. An Audi A6 or S7 looks like an Impala. A Honda Accord resembles an Infiniti G series....the list is endless. Meanwhile, older Jags were 100% unique.....including S-Types.
Besides, if you look at some of the examples posted here, do any look like almost 20 year old vehicles?
Last edited by Warspite; 03-27-2018 at 10:12 PM.
Reason: Spell check
The front of the car is the best feature, hands down!! the grill, headlights etc. What I don't like is the rear of the car, it should have been extended a bit... this applies to the pre-2005 MY.
The radio/ac, panel looks too much like an economy car's cluster, from back in the day.
Grace, pace, and space of course, the S Type lives up to all three. Smooth as silk, as they say too. Besides the looks and interior, the smoothness of the ride continually impresses me the most about the car. I also prefer buttons to a touch screen too.
I had to go from Birmingham (UK) to Felixstowe yesterday for business, so me and my Director in my 2001 4.0L V8 s-type. Although I use it regularly I jumped at the chance to get it on a long run for a change.
The boss was impressed, and not because he didn't have to drive for a change. He commented on the amount of space for his legs, the comfort of the seats, the huge boot space, and at how quiet it was even with the roof open.
A 368 mile round trip, in comfort, and the best thing for me......................the car returned 27.4 mpg at 70mph average.....................and of course, I didn't have to pay for the fuel
There are so many I just will list two.. one common and one maybe not so common..the common one is the performance with all that word covers..the not so common one is the amazing amount of space where the spare tire and battery are...i have quite a lot of goodies in there from basic tools to a first aid kit to emerency stuff to spare diapers and wipes for my granddaughter and then some...plus the spare and road kit...and it is not a packed mess..if you have not really checked it out do so...you will be surprised
I was suffering my mid-life crisis: my Dad used to have V8's; why couldn't I? I started looking at V8 Holdens and Falcons and ultimately decided that, at the end of the day, they were just Holdens and Falcons with big engines. So then I started looking further afield and discovered the S-Type. Why did I pick it? (1) I liked the shape, (2) I could just about afford it, (3) it felt a bit special. Why do I still love it seven years later? (1) It has proven to be within my skillset to do most of the maintenance and repairs (the gearbox defeated me), (2) if I behave myself it is very economical, (3) If I don't feel like behaving myself it is a lot of fun, (4) to my eye, it still looks good in a world of bland boxes (Callum's boxes included). Mind you I am not saying the car doesn't from time to time cause me to tear my hair out, but I love it because I still like being inside it.