S Type Diesels - Worth a punt?
Discussion
Having test driven a 2.7TDI Sport recently, I am seriously considering buying one but there are a few questions. If anyone can help, please do, it's much appreciated.
1 - Are there any major issues with the engines? Most I'm looking at are 80K+ miles on them and a couple on Autotrader are advertised as having a replacement engine - a bit worrying.
2 - The 2.7TDI is post facelift so I am assuming most quality issues about gearboxes / axles / interior trim are non-existent in them?
3 - Most advice for Jag S-Type buying says to avoid high milers. Is this only for pre-facelift and / or petrols?
4 - Can anyone advise a good Jag specialist in Northants (around Wellingborough) as I'll be
ed if I'm going to pay the £800 for a service at a franchised dealer.
1 - Are there any major issues with the engines? Most I'm looking at are 80K+ miles on them and a couple on Autotrader are advertised as having a replacement engine - a bit worrying.
2 - The 2.7TDI is post facelift so I am assuming most quality issues about gearboxes / axles / interior trim are non-existent in them?
3 - Most advice for Jag S-Type buying says to avoid high milers. Is this only for pre-facelift and / or petrols?
4 - Can anyone advise a good Jag specialist in Northants (around Wellingborough) as I'll be
ed if I'm going to pay the £800 for a service at a franchised dealer.I ran an 05 from 28k - 98k, over a 2 1/2 year period.
I have to say, it is probably the best car I have ever owned, but I did have a few problems in that time.
A rear parking sensor failed, dealer fixed FOC
Air bag warning light kept flashing, dealer fixed FOC (replacement of wiring loom in the steering column)
The above were in the 1st 3 months of ownership, everything then went well for about another 12 months / 30k miles, then I had a few issues all at once.
Both Turbo's failed at the same time, luckily I had AA warranty so they picked up the bill for apparently best part of £3k
Had a major service done whilst the car was in and in addition to the service the hand brake motor was replaced (hand brake didn't work before it went in), and 2 suspension arms on the rear suspension, total bill just short of £2k.
6 months later when it went in for an MOT (which it passed), I had an advisory of a 'chuffing injector', which cost £130 to have the seal replaced, as apparently the repair kit came with fuel line etc, can't buy the seal on it's own.
I was always worried about the gear box, mainly due to what I had read on this forum, 'gear box sealed for life' says Jaguar, many say it is sealed for the life of the gear box, which is generally a shorter life than the car!
I part ex'd the car just before 100k due to the large service bill looming for cam belt / major service etc, but I wish I hadn't!!
I have to say, it is probably the best car I have ever owned, but I did have a few problems in that time.
A rear parking sensor failed, dealer fixed FOC
Air bag warning light kept flashing, dealer fixed FOC (replacement of wiring loom in the steering column)
The above were in the 1st 3 months of ownership, everything then went well for about another 12 months / 30k miles, then I had a few issues all at once.
Both Turbo's failed at the same time, luckily I had AA warranty so they picked up the bill for apparently best part of £3k
Had a major service done whilst the car was in and in addition to the service the hand brake motor was replaced (hand brake didn't work before it went in), and 2 suspension arms on the rear suspension, total bill just short of £2k.
6 months later when it went in for an MOT (which it passed), I had an advisory of a 'chuffing injector', which cost £130 to have the seal replaced, as apparently the repair kit came with fuel line etc, can't buy the seal on it's own.
I was always worried about the gear box, mainly due to what I had read on this forum, 'gear box sealed for life' says Jaguar, many say it is sealed for the life of the gear box, which is generally a shorter life than the car!
I part ex'd the car just before 100k due to the large service bill looming for cam belt / major service etc, but I wish I hadn't!!
I have an 06 model, bought at 70K miles, now on 88K miles.
The a/c failed which cost a few hundred to fix, and it failed an MOT on suspension - another few hundred. Windscreens seem to crack easily - I'm on my third in two years.
I was getting random 'restricted performance' warnings but this proved to be from mouse activity under the engine cover! When the nest was removed it was OK again.
In short, it's a great car, feels solid and well built, 40mpg average, plenty of power although be ready for the turbo lag pulling away.
The a/c failed which cost a few hundred to fix, and it failed an MOT on suspension - another few hundred. Windscreens seem to crack easily - I'm on my third in two years.
I was getting random 'restricted performance' warnings but this proved to be from mouse activity under the engine cover! When the nest was removed it was OK again.
In short, it's a great car, feels solid and well built, 40mpg average, plenty of power although be ready for the turbo lag pulling away.
I had a 54 plate for 50k miles, I've written about it on here before. Before I had the car it had two new turbos fitted under warranty at about 100K. While I had it I had to have the automatic gearbox and torque converter replaced and an EGR valve. I also had persistent intermittent problems with the parking sensors, the washer pump died and needed masses of work to drill out all the crap quality corroded fittings for the bumper and undertray to get at it, the suspension was coming up for needing a serious overhaul and the rear diff was getting a little bit grumbly.
You also get comedy billows of filthy stinking diesel smoke from the nearside front of the car when the weather goes below 5C, courtesy of the fuel fired heater that warms the car up faster. It still takes an eternity to get hot on a cold day.
Nice enough car, felt like it needed more power and the lag from a standstill was very annoying. I would consider a V8 late model S-Type or a manual V6 petrol but not another diesel - take the engine cover off and look at the packaging and then imagine how much even the simplest job is going to be. Lots and lots and lots of gearbox problems with these cars, and the diesels seem to destroy their torque converters at around 100K.
ETA - fuel economy wasn't great either, best I ever managed on a sensible motorway run was about 38-40mpg but it averaged 30 ish generally. The laters cars with DPF filters have some changes that give about 10% better economy, but you can read lots of stories about destroyed engines from fuel contamination of the oil with those.
You also get comedy billows of filthy stinking diesel smoke from the nearside front of the car when the weather goes below 5C, courtesy of the fuel fired heater that warms the car up faster. It still takes an eternity to get hot on a cold day.
Nice enough car, felt like it needed more power and the lag from a standstill was very annoying. I would consider a V8 late model S-Type or a manual V6 petrol but not another diesel - take the engine cover off and look at the packaging and then imagine how much even the simplest job is going to be. Lots and lots and lots of gearbox problems with these cars, and the diesels seem to destroy their torque converters at around 100K.
ETA - fuel economy wasn't great either, best I ever managed on a sensible motorway run was about 38-40mpg but it averaged 30 ish generally. The laters cars with DPF filters have some changes that give about 10% better economy, but you can read lots of stories about destroyed engines from fuel contamination of the oil with those.
Edited by dme123 on Thursday 3rd November 10:52
Hi. I owned 3 S-Types but all petrol 3.0L V6's. However I did have the same 2.7L diesel engine in the Peugeot Coupe that we bought after the last S-Type.
The first S-Type wasn't brilliant as it was from the first year of manufacture - interior was a bit flimsy in places but the third one - on a 53 plate - was excellent. A very 'grown up' feeling car. We took it from 54,000 miles to just under 80,000 and the only problem was a failed fuel pump. As I recall that was the only thing - bar tyres and the header tank (a known fault) on the first car - we ever replaced. Must have chalked up 60,000 miles in the three cars.
The 2.7 diesel engine was a little bit slow off the line but you learn to drive around this. Otherwise no issues at all and on a long motorway journey we were seeing 45mpg. Seems very refined and in the Peugeot you couldn't really tell it was a diesel at all.
So, thats my experience with the car and the engine just not both combined.
The first S-Type wasn't brilliant as it was from the first year of manufacture - interior was a bit flimsy in places but the third one - on a 53 plate - was excellent. A very 'grown up' feeling car. We took it from 54,000 miles to just under 80,000 and the only problem was a failed fuel pump. As I recall that was the only thing - bar tyres and the header tank (a known fault) on the first car - we ever replaced. Must have chalked up 60,000 miles in the three cars.
The 2.7 diesel engine was a little bit slow off the line but you learn to drive around this. Otherwise no issues at all and on a long motorway journey we were seeing 45mpg. Seems very refined and in the Peugeot you couldn't really tell it was a diesel at all.
So, thats my experience with the car and the engine just not both combined.
dme123 said:
I had a 54 plate for 50k miles, I've written about it on here before. Before I had the car it had two new turbos fitted under warranty at about 100K. While I had it I had to have the automatic gearbox and torque converter replaced and an EGR valve. I also had persistent intermittent problems with the parking sensors, the washer pump died and needed masses of work to drill out all the crap quality corroded fittings for the bumper and undertray to get at it, the suspension was coming up for needing a serious overhaul and the rear diff was getting a little bit grumbly.
You also get comedy billows of filthy stinking diesel smoke from the nearside front of the car when the weather goes below 5C, courtesy of the fuel fired heater that warms the car up faster. It still takes an eternity to get hot on a cold day.
Nice enough car, felt like it needed more power and the lag from a standstill was very annoying. I would consider a V8 late model S-Type or a manual V6 petrol but not another diesel - take the engine cover off and look at the packaging and then imagine how much even the simplest job is going to be. Lots and lots and lots of gearbox problems with these cars, and the diesels seem to destroy their torque converters at around 100K.
ETA - fuel economy wasn't great either, best I ever managed on a sensible motorway run was about 38-40mpg but it averaged 30 ish generally. The laters cars with DPF filters have some changes that give about 10% better economy, but you can read lots of stories about destroyed engines from fuel contamination of the oil with those.
Good god that could be me writing about my 55 plate sport deisel dpf exactly the same apart, from the fact mine spent 6 weeks at a jaguar dealer and back at coventry trying to find out why when the gearbox kicked down it put the engine management into limpmode so no boost . It was dangerous to drive like this as junctions and roundabouts were a nightmare. They never did sort it and it had fault codes stored that they did not know what they meant .It transpired the electronics was supplied by peugeot?? it was eventually changed early as it was a fleet car and had been so unreliable.You also get comedy billows of filthy stinking diesel smoke from the nearside front of the car when the weather goes below 5C, courtesy of the fuel fired heater that warms the car up faster. It still takes an eternity to get hot on a cold day.
Nice enough car, felt like it needed more power and the lag from a standstill was very annoying. I would consider a V8 late model S-Type or a manual V6 petrol but not another diesel - take the engine cover off and look at the packaging and then imagine how much even the simplest job is going to be. Lots and lots and lots of gearbox problems with these cars, and the diesels seem to destroy their torque converters at around 100K.
ETA - fuel economy wasn't great either, best I ever managed on a sensible motorway run was about 38-40mpg but it averaged 30 ish generally. The laters cars with DPF filters have some changes that give about 10% better economy, but you can read lots of stories about destroyed engines from fuel contamination of the oil with those.
Edited by dme123 on Thursday 3rd November 10:52
it was one of the nicest cars in terms of ride but woeful reliability and too many clonks from the driveline to be refined.
My experience is the exact opposite of the above. I had 2 the first was a 54 SE & the second was a 56 Sport. I did (45-85K)40ish K in the first & (15-50K) 35K in the second. Issues were a heater valve, suspension bush & a turbo pipe on the first & a window switch on the second. 35MPG irrespective of how it was driven, although I could get 42mpg by driving like my gran! The second one was still for sale at Barn Car sales in Essex a while ago at £10,995. Great to drive, no lag to speak of, were bloody quick & cruised for hours at whichever speed you choose. Bloody great & if I did need the space & a 4 x 4 I'd still have it.
Simpo Two said:
Pity. If I like the look of a car I'll usually buy it, regardless of what people say on forums.
Thanks for the advice. I have let heart rulke my head before and in both cases ended up costing me a fortune. Now I tend to use a number of sources to balance the doom merchants and the fanbois - this forum is one of them.I haven't totally disregarded the S-Type but to find a 60k one with a good history form my budget is unlikely.
My wife owns an S-type in the last year of registrations (2007) and it's a cracking car. My buying guide was a good friend who happens to be an Aston/Jag technician. His advice, taken from the various repairs etc that he had seen over the years, was to avoid the diesel and choose a petrol.
Read into that however you want.
Anyway, we ended up with a V8S and it's excellent. Smooth, (too) quiet, handles very well, lovely interior, cheap to service (about £200 per year), and reliable so far, with just a rear park-sensor replaced under warranty. It does less that 10K per year, so we weren't really bothered about economy, but nevertheless, it averages 26mpg over the working week, and does 35mpg on long journies. Perfectly reasonable we think.
Read into that however you want.
Anyway, we ended up with a V8S and it's excellent. Smooth, (too) quiet, handles very well, lovely interior, cheap to service (about £200 per year), and reliable so far, with just a rear park-sensor replaced under warranty. It does less that 10K per year, so we weren't really bothered about economy, but nevertheless, it averages 26mpg over the working week, and does 35mpg on long journies. Perfectly reasonable we think.
The DPF issue has already been touched on here, but if not already aware, don't assume it only applies to Jags, there are well documented DPF issues on many different forums.
They may well be okay if your driving style/use suits. If buying new (which I appreciate an S-type won't be) I suspect that many manufacturers will now look closely at the type of use a car has had if DPF becomes a warranty issue.
They may well be okay if your driving style/use suits. If buying new (which I appreciate an S-type won't be) I suspect that many manufacturers will now look closely at the type of use a car has had if DPF becomes a warranty issue.
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