Jaguar S Type R and BMW 330
Discussion
A lurker here and with a bit of a strange first post as most of it is about a car I have just sold, my Jaguar S Type R. I had been meaning to make a post about the car for quite some time but never actually did so. Now it’s gone I thought I’d really should post about it, at least for myself as a record.
I wasn’t really sure what sort of car I was looking for and went to view the STR as it was for sale for a good price and only up the road from me. After a quick drive I knew I wanted it. It instantly felt special.
After a couple of weeks with it I thought the car was lovely to drive however a little ... boring? It took quite some time to fall in love with it but it’s a car that really grows on you. It's definitely one of the best cars I have owned.
You would think the engine would dominate the experience however it’s just such a well rounded package it just becomes part of what makes it great. In many ways I think is almost perfect (though there are some bad bits!)
The looks are probably the most controversial part of the car. It just looks… weird. Over time I got used to them however and eventually grew to like it. It does look smart when it has been cleaned.
The S Type is quite a big car on the outside but not so much inside. It doesn’t wrap around you like in a sports car but equally doesn’t have a great deal of room in the cabin.
You sit fairly low. The seats are excellent. They are 16 way adjustable and are some of the most comfortable seats I’ve used in a car. I don’t know if it’s just that they suit me but I found them fantastic. The heated seats take ages to warm up though.
A funny feature is the pedals are adjustable and using the controls on the steering wheel you can move them backward or forwards. The headrests are motorized too.
The interior is dated but of excellent quality. Even though my car was almost 18 years old there were no squeaks, rattles or other noises inside. One annoying ‘feature’ of the R models is a built in strut brace at the back of the car meaning you can’t fold the seats flat.
The car had the factory fitted Alpine stereo installed which was reasonable but not amazing. The radio and phone are controlled by a small touch screen in the dashboard. Everything on the screen is large, simple and easy to control which I like. It’s simple and works well. Considering the age of the system it’s also very responsive. The auto lights and wipers are good too. On older cars auto wipers can be really hit and miss but the system on the Jaguar seems to work quite well.
It has Sat Nav also which I have used a few times. It’s actually quite usable though doesn’t have any traffic system built in which is a shame. It has a heated front screen also which I will miss. The headlights are also quite good for an old car. It has voice control which is amusing but useless. Once I hit the voice control button and said ‘Help’ and the car began reading out commands for what seemed like an eternity with no way to stop it.
I loved the car for many reasons, the top two being the engine and ride quality. The ride is superb. Maybe the suspension has gone a bit soft in its old age but it’s incredibly comfortable. Unless you hit a large pothole you hardly feel a thing even on bad roads. I don’t think I’ve been in many cars that ride as well as this one.
It does have CATS adaptive suspension which unlike more modern cars isn’t user controllable. When it senses more sporty driving it switches to a firmer mode and then back to normal afterwards. I didn’t think it made that much difference until one time after having some bushes changed it got stuck on the hard mode and at low speeds it was like having no suspension at all!
In normal mode it’s definitely set with comfort in mind however.
The handling isn’t anything special and it’s not in any way nimble but the sheer amount of grip the car has is fantastic. It’s best in open sweeping corners. There is some body roll and as you turn in and the car rolls a little but then settles in and feels planted to the road. Driving in rubbish weather, high winds and heavy rain the car is rock steady and reassuring. It makes you feel very relaxed and in control in almost any conditions.
The engine is so impressive. I haven’t been in any really fast cars so I don’t have much to compare with however in terms of drivability it’s almost unbelievable to me that it’s a 20 year old design. It has so much grunt. Day in day out it always impressed me. Anything much over 1,000rpm and you get acceleration that you can really feel. The top end of the rev range isn’t partially exciting as it just builds and builds in a very linear fashion. Unless you are in 6th gear the car rarely changes down once moving and doesn’t go into first unless you completely stop.
While I find it most satisfying riding the wave of torque it is fun to floor the throttle at 50mph as it really pushes you back in your seat. I had an E39 M5 in the past and while the M5 has an amazing engine and was much more fun at the top end of the revs I never remembered it pushing you back in the seat like the Jaguar does, neither the consistent thrust you get. Aside from the slow gearchanges it’s almost like the sensation of an aeroplane takeoff.
In terms of engine and exhaust noise apart from the initial few miles after a cold start it’s very quiet. I did think about getting a sportier exhaust but in the end grew to like the fact that it wafts along quietly and didn’t really want to modify the car. When you accelerate hard you hear the supercharger more than anything else. It is quite raspy from outside however you don’t hear that inside.
The gears are very long and it suits the car. It can do motorway speeds in second gear and once up to top gear it revs well below 2000rpm at 70mph making it a very relaxing cruiser. There is quite a lot of road and tyre noise though which is a shame. Probably would have benefited from a bit more sound insulation.
The gearbox is definitely tuned for comfort and not speed. It’s beautifully smooth and in the normal mode you can almost never feel it change. It is amusing when you floor the throttle though and the car accelerates hard before slowly and smoothly changing gear then returning to full force. If you are at full throttle feels like the engine and gearbox are a bit at odds with each other however most of the time it feels like a good pairing.
It does have a sport mode but it’s still very slow compared to a modern auto and unless you are really on it there doesn’t seem to be much benefit using on the revs.
I did borrow a ‘draggy’ performance meter off a friend and timed a couple of 0-60 runs. It was still getting about the same as when new (5.3 seconds) which I thought was impressive. The 0-60 definitely doesn’t do the performance justice though as not only is the gearbox slow it also short shifts in the first two gears, never getting to full power.
Despite the huge rear tyres the car is really difficult to get moving quickly from standing. It doesn’t have an LSD and the ancient traction control system completely cuts power if the wheels spin. If you turn it off it’s very easy to do a massive one wheel wheelspin and considering the cost of tyres is not something I am fond of doing ! Gently feeding in the power works well enough though I do think it’s a shame a factory fit LSD was not an option.
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[url=https://ibb.co/ScSVq33]
The R models came with brembo brakes which I have found are excellent. They give you so much confidence and no matter how hard to you are braking there always seems to be more in reserve. I doubt they would last more than a couple of laps on a track day due to the weight of the car but for road use the stopping power is fantastic. They can be a bit snatchy though at very low speed and do sometimes squeal a bit but I didn’t find it too bothersome.
The worst part about owing the car has to be the running costs. I’ve never really worried too much about fuel costs before, just put petrol in when needed as I don’t do a lot of mileage. With this car though it’s the first time I’ve really taken notice. The fuel consumption is atrocious.
I do a lot of town driving and short journeys. If I am above about 14 MPG at the end of a tank I feel I have done well. On a gentle longer run it can do 30 MPG but any stop start traffic and it nosedives. Also the tank is small for the size of car and only takes a bit over 60 litres. This means filling it around ever 150 miles if doing a lot of urban driving which is a pain.
It’s an old car which was expensive when new so I did expect fairly high running costs however there is always something not quite right, a fault code, a light, something not as it should be.
Luckily nothing major has gone wrong in the time I have owned the car and it’s flown through its MOT tests. I did made the mistake of totalling up the various minor repairs I have done over the 3 years and 12,000 miles I have done on the car. Excluding tyres, brakes and fuel it comes to over £4000. With everything included I must have spent about £1/mile which ends up making it an expensive car to run considering it was all just little bits and pieces. The previous owner spent an awful lot more than me also so I guess it could have been a lot worse !
In the last week the drivers window regulator has gone dodgy and one of the headlights has started to flicker so I have decided now is probably the time to move on. I have loved my time with it but now want something that will cost a little bit less to run. I don’t like the car not being perfect so end up spending more than I probably should. I feel it’s such an overlooked and truly fantastic car and is a bit of a hidden gem if you can live with the looks !
I didn’t really have any idea what to replace it with. My only requirements were that it be (relatively) cheap to run, four doors and with Xeon lights. Ideally automatic also but not a deal breaker.
I found a clean looking E90 BMW 330i auto locally with a good service history so decided to go with it. I know it’s going to be a very different car to the S Type but hopefully still enjoyable and markedly cheaper to run. I test drove it twice and it reminded me of my previous E46 M3. First impressions are that is pretty much directly the opposite to the Jaguar. It's light on torque, fairly loud and very bumpy! Hopefully it will be as fun in its own way though.
I wasn’t really sure what sort of car I was looking for and went to view the STR as it was for sale for a good price and only up the road from me. After a quick drive I knew I wanted it. It instantly felt special.
After a couple of weeks with it I thought the car was lovely to drive however a little ... boring? It took quite some time to fall in love with it but it’s a car that really grows on you. It's definitely one of the best cars I have owned.
You would think the engine would dominate the experience however it’s just such a well rounded package it just becomes part of what makes it great. In many ways I think is almost perfect (though there are some bad bits!)
The looks are probably the most controversial part of the car. It just looks… weird. Over time I got used to them however and eventually grew to like it. It does look smart when it has been cleaned.
The S Type is quite a big car on the outside but not so much inside. It doesn’t wrap around you like in a sports car but equally doesn’t have a great deal of room in the cabin.
You sit fairly low. The seats are excellent. They are 16 way adjustable and are some of the most comfortable seats I’ve used in a car. I don’t know if it’s just that they suit me but I found them fantastic. The heated seats take ages to warm up though.
A funny feature is the pedals are adjustable and using the controls on the steering wheel you can move them backward or forwards. The headrests are motorized too.
The interior is dated but of excellent quality. Even though my car was almost 18 years old there were no squeaks, rattles or other noises inside. One annoying ‘feature’ of the R models is a built in strut brace at the back of the car meaning you can’t fold the seats flat.
The car had the factory fitted Alpine stereo installed which was reasonable but not amazing. The radio and phone are controlled by a small touch screen in the dashboard. Everything on the screen is large, simple and easy to control which I like. It’s simple and works well. Considering the age of the system it’s also very responsive. The auto lights and wipers are good too. On older cars auto wipers can be really hit and miss but the system on the Jaguar seems to work quite well.
It has Sat Nav also which I have used a few times. It’s actually quite usable though doesn’t have any traffic system built in which is a shame. It has a heated front screen also which I will miss. The headlights are also quite good for an old car. It has voice control which is amusing but useless. Once I hit the voice control button and said ‘Help’ and the car began reading out commands for what seemed like an eternity with no way to stop it.
I loved the car for many reasons, the top two being the engine and ride quality. The ride is superb. Maybe the suspension has gone a bit soft in its old age but it’s incredibly comfortable. Unless you hit a large pothole you hardly feel a thing even on bad roads. I don’t think I’ve been in many cars that ride as well as this one.
It does have CATS adaptive suspension which unlike more modern cars isn’t user controllable. When it senses more sporty driving it switches to a firmer mode and then back to normal afterwards. I didn’t think it made that much difference until one time after having some bushes changed it got stuck on the hard mode and at low speeds it was like having no suspension at all!
In normal mode it’s definitely set with comfort in mind however.
The handling isn’t anything special and it’s not in any way nimble but the sheer amount of grip the car has is fantastic. It’s best in open sweeping corners. There is some body roll and as you turn in and the car rolls a little but then settles in and feels planted to the road. Driving in rubbish weather, high winds and heavy rain the car is rock steady and reassuring. It makes you feel very relaxed and in control in almost any conditions.
The engine is so impressive. I haven’t been in any really fast cars so I don’t have much to compare with however in terms of drivability it’s almost unbelievable to me that it’s a 20 year old design. It has so much grunt. Day in day out it always impressed me. Anything much over 1,000rpm and you get acceleration that you can really feel. The top end of the rev range isn’t partially exciting as it just builds and builds in a very linear fashion. Unless you are in 6th gear the car rarely changes down once moving and doesn’t go into first unless you completely stop.
While I find it most satisfying riding the wave of torque it is fun to floor the throttle at 50mph as it really pushes you back in your seat. I had an E39 M5 in the past and while the M5 has an amazing engine and was much more fun at the top end of the revs I never remembered it pushing you back in the seat like the Jaguar does, neither the consistent thrust you get. Aside from the slow gearchanges it’s almost like the sensation of an aeroplane takeoff.
In terms of engine and exhaust noise apart from the initial few miles after a cold start it’s very quiet. I did think about getting a sportier exhaust but in the end grew to like the fact that it wafts along quietly and didn’t really want to modify the car. When you accelerate hard you hear the supercharger more than anything else. It is quite raspy from outside however you don’t hear that inside.
The gears are very long and it suits the car. It can do motorway speeds in second gear and once up to top gear it revs well below 2000rpm at 70mph making it a very relaxing cruiser. There is quite a lot of road and tyre noise though which is a shame. Probably would have benefited from a bit more sound insulation.
The gearbox is definitely tuned for comfort and not speed. It’s beautifully smooth and in the normal mode you can almost never feel it change. It is amusing when you floor the throttle though and the car accelerates hard before slowly and smoothly changing gear then returning to full force. If you are at full throttle feels like the engine and gearbox are a bit at odds with each other however most of the time it feels like a good pairing.
It does have a sport mode but it’s still very slow compared to a modern auto and unless you are really on it there doesn’t seem to be much benefit using on the revs.
I did borrow a ‘draggy’ performance meter off a friend and timed a couple of 0-60 runs. It was still getting about the same as when new (5.3 seconds) which I thought was impressive. The 0-60 definitely doesn’t do the performance justice though as not only is the gearbox slow it also short shifts in the first two gears, never getting to full power.
Despite the huge rear tyres the car is really difficult to get moving quickly from standing. It doesn’t have an LSD and the ancient traction control system completely cuts power if the wheels spin. If you turn it off it’s very easy to do a massive one wheel wheelspin and considering the cost of tyres is not something I am fond of doing ! Gently feeding in the power works well enough though I do think it’s a shame a factory fit LSD was not an option.
[/url][url=https://ibb.co/ScSVq33]
The R models came with brembo brakes which I have found are excellent. They give you so much confidence and no matter how hard to you are braking there always seems to be more in reserve. I doubt they would last more than a couple of laps on a track day due to the weight of the car but for road use the stopping power is fantastic. They can be a bit snatchy though at very low speed and do sometimes squeal a bit but I didn’t find it too bothersome.
The worst part about owing the car has to be the running costs. I’ve never really worried too much about fuel costs before, just put petrol in when needed as I don’t do a lot of mileage. With this car though it’s the first time I’ve really taken notice. The fuel consumption is atrocious.
I do a lot of town driving and short journeys. If I am above about 14 MPG at the end of a tank I feel I have done well. On a gentle longer run it can do 30 MPG but any stop start traffic and it nosedives. Also the tank is small for the size of car and only takes a bit over 60 litres. This means filling it around ever 150 miles if doing a lot of urban driving which is a pain.
It’s an old car which was expensive when new so I did expect fairly high running costs however there is always something not quite right, a fault code, a light, something not as it should be.
Luckily nothing major has gone wrong in the time I have owned the car and it’s flown through its MOT tests. I did made the mistake of totalling up the various minor repairs I have done over the 3 years and 12,000 miles I have done on the car. Excluding tyres, brakes and fuel it comes to over £4000. With everything included I must have spent about £1/mile which ends up making it an expensive car to run considering it was all just little bits and pieces. The previous owner spent an awful lot more than me also so I guess it could have been a lot worse !
In the last week the drivers window regulator has gone dodgy and one of the headlights has started to flicker so I have decided now is probably the time to move on. I have loved my time with it but now want something that will cost a little bit less to run. I don’t like the car not being perfect so end up spending more than I probably should. I feel it’s such an overlooked and truly fantastic car and is a bit of a hidden gem if you can live with the looks !
I didn’t really have any idea what to replace it with. My only requirements were that it be (relatively) cheap to run, four doors and with Xeon lights. Ideally automatic also but not a deal breaker.
I found a clean looking E90 BMW 330i auto locally with a good service history so decided to go with it. I know it’s going to be a very different car to the S Type but hopefully still enjoyable and markedly cheaper to run. I test drove it twice and it reminded me of my previous E46 M3. First impressions are that is pretty much directly the opposite to the Jaguar. It's light on torque, fairly loud and very bumpy! Hopefully it will be as fun in its own way though.
Nice write up on the Jag - not usually a fan, but it does look quite smart.
I also ran an E90 330 auto for three years - it was a great car and probably my most reliable second hand purchase. Other than servicing / consumables the only issue I had was the VANO actuators was c.£300 to fix. Fuel was about 23mpg on short trips / around down and mid-30's on a run. I escaped the electronic fuel pump failure but did have a split fuel tank vent pipe (it was only noticeable when the tank was full).
Mine wasn't all that well spec'd - no xenons (the halogen lights were crap), no folding seats, privacy glass etc. It did have cruise, Bluetooth phone connection, sunroof (brilliant) which was fine. It was my favourite colour combo too - Le Mans blue and Lemon Yellow leather.
I also ran an E90 330 auto for three years - it was a great car and probably my most reliable second hand purchase. Other than servicing / consumables the only issue I had was the VANO actuators was c.£300 to fix. Fuel was about 23mpg on short trips / around down and mid-30's on a run. I escaped the electronic fuel pump failure but did have a split fuel tank vent pipe (it was only noticeable when the tank was full).
Mine wasn't all that well spec'd - no xenons (the halogen lights were crap), no folding seats, privacy glass etc. It did have cruise, Bluetooth phone connection, sunroof (brilliant) which was fine. It was my favourite colour combo too - Le Mans blue and Lemon Yellow leather.
My back, shoulders, arse, hips and legs just too wide and they’re so small inside, such a shame Thanks for all the kind replies. I haven't been able to add any messages as the forums seem to have been on lockdown for new members.
Court_S I love the Lemans blue. With a sunroof too I think I would forgive the rest of the spec being low to get that combo! Mine is a much more boring silver with black interior and is also quite basic, though as previously it has the Xenons which I wanted.
I've had a few drives of the BMW now and I really like it. I'd had the Jag for about 3 years so really got used to it and of course it's quite a contrast.
The 330i engine is fantastic. I think it's actually smoother than the v8 in the Jaguar ! I am so glad I didn't get a diesel. I have only done around 75 miles so far and all around town but it's only used 1/4 of a tank so it looks like it's going to be quite reasonable on fuel as well.
I managed to get out early on Sunday for a short drive and I was being extra careful as I get used to the car (and the terrible weather) but it actually feels quite fast. Years ago I had a 135i as a pool car and I wasn't too keen on it. It was fast and smooth (and probably a better car!) but so linear that you had to be going really quick to actually have fun with it.
The 330i seems fun without actually going partially fast. It makes a great noise, it feels light and nimble to drive and it really encourages you to rev the engine.
One thing that surprised me is the road noise on the motorway. It's really loud to the point where you have to raise your voice to have a conversation. I think it's coming from the tyres as there doesn't seem to be much wind noise. It has Bridgestone Potenza runflat tyres which I think might be causing it. Two of them are relatively new so there are likely to be on the car for a while but I will definitely look at dropping the RFT when I come to change them.
The other thing I was surprised about is the gearbox. The mapping in the standard D mode is bizarre. I assume it's done for emissions purposes but it seems determined to change up a gear at any possible opportunity. This ends up with the engine below 2000rpm almost all the time where there isn't much power and makes it feel like you are driving around slipping the clutch.
I'm sure if it was a turbo car it would work well but with the free reving na engine it doesn't make any sense to me at all!
I must admit at first I was a bit gutted and was regretting my decision to not hold out and try a manual car however after having tried the car in S mode it I am much happier. It uses much more sensible gears, is more responsive and feels much less spongy.
There is some sort of rubbing noise on a cold start, hopefully nothing too serious. It goes away after a mile or so of driving so will have to try and find out what it is. Apart from that though the car seems like everything I was hoping for.
I haven't driven it in the dry yet so hoping the rain will stop soon !
Court_S I love the Lemans blue. With a sunroof too I think I would forgive the rest of the spec being low to get that combo! Mine is a much more boring silver with black interior and is also quite basic, though as previously it has the Xenons which I wanted.
I've had a few drives of the BMW now and I really like it. I'd had the Jag for about 3 years so really got used to it and of course it's quite a contrast.
The 330i engine is fantastic. I think it's actually smoother than the v8 in the Jaguar ! I am so glad I didn't get a diesel. I have only done around 75 miles so far and all around town but it's only used 1/4 of a tank so it looks like it's going to be quite reasonable on fuel as well.
I managed to get out early on Sunday for a short drive and I was being extra careful as I get used to the car (and the terrible weather) but it actually feels quite fast. Years ago I had a 135i as a pool car and I wasn't too keen on it. It was fast and smooth (and probably a better car!) but so linear that you had to be going really quick to actually have fun with it.
The 330i seems fun without actually going partially fast. It makes a great noise, it feels light and nimble to drive and it really encourages you to rev the engine.
One thing that surprised me is the road noise on the motorway. It's really loud to the point where you have to raise your voice to have a conversation. I think it's coming from the tyres as there doesn't seem to be much wind noise. It has Bridgestone Potenza runflat tyres which I think might be causing it. Two of them are relatively new so there are likely to be on the car for a while but I will definitely look at dropping the RFT when I come to change them.
The other thing I was surprised about is the gearbox. The mapping in the standard D mode is bizarre. I assume it's done for emissions purposes but it seems determined to change up a gear at any possible opportunity. This ends up with the engine below 2000rpm almost all the time where there isn't much power and makes it feel like you are driving around slipping the clutch.
I'm sure if it was a turbo car it would work well but with the free reving na engine it doesn't make any sense to me at all!
I must admit at first I was a bit gutted and was regretting my decision to not hold out and try a manual car however after having tried the car in S mode it I am much happier. It uses much more sensible gears, is more responsive and feels much less spongy.
There is some sort of rubbing noise on a cold start, hopefully nothing too serious. It goes away after a mile or so of driving so will have to try and find out what it is. Apart from that though the car seems like everything I was hoping for.
I haven't driven it in the dry yet so hoping the rain will stop soon !
idontknow said:
The other thing I was surprised about is the gearbox. The mapping in the standard D mode is bizarre. I assume it's done for emissions purposes but it seems determined to change up a gear at any possible opportunity. This ends up with the engine below 2000rpm almost all the time where there isn't much power and makes it feel like you are driving around slipping the clutch.
I'm sure if it was a turbo car it would work well but with the free reving na engine it doesn't make any sense to me at all!
I must admit at first I was a bit gutted and was regretting my decision to not hold out and try a manual car however after having tried the car in S mode it I am much happier. It uses much more sensible gears, is more responsive and feels much less spongy.
I had a love/hate relationship with the auto gearbox. I really liked it when you were just wafting and driving steady, but when pushing on I didn't think that the gearbox suited the engine that well at all.I'm sure if it was a turbo car it would work well but with the free reving na engine it doesn't make any sense to me at all!
I must admit at first I was a bit gutted and was regretting my decision to not hold out and try a manual car however after having tried the car in S mode it I am much happier. It uses much more sensible gears, is more responsive and feels much less spongy.
It was more responsive in sport but then I thought that it held onto the revs a bit too much. I had the car 4 years though so I couldn't have thought that the gearbox was that bad!
I wished I'd held out for a manual in hindsight and I presume that it matches the engines characteristics far more. I've not driven a manual so I don't know if it does or not though.
I think the engine is one of(if not) the most smooth engines I've had. I have a V6 3.7 Litre NA engine in my 370Z and it is seriously rough at the top of the revs in comparison to the N52 engine in the 330i.
I've owned my S-Type R for nearly 4 years. It has been a great car, if not cheap to run. Even though I've only averaged 5k miles a year so fuel costs haven't been crippling, it has had whatever it has needed in maintenance.
The wave of torque is so much fun. It accelerates like a rocket from any speed but is wafty when you want it to be, and so comfortable.
It may very soon be for sale because the stars have aligned in such a way that it looks like we may need to replace both of our cars and an estate will be required to replace the Jag. I have to decide whether to start down the road of refreshing suspension components and respraying those areas that need it to make it pristine again to achieve a good price from someone who knows, but spending money with no promise of getting it back, or head off to WeBuyAnyCar with their quote of £5k. They are very difficult to price, some are dirt cheap, others £10k+. Either way...sad times.
The wave of torque is so much fun. It accelerates like a rocket from any speed but is wafty when you want it to be, and so comfortable.
It may very soon be for sale because the stars have aligned in such a way that it looks like we may need to replace both of our cars and an estate will be required to replace the Jag. I have to decide whether to start down the road of refreshing suspension components and respraying those areas that need it to make it pristine again to achieve a good price from someone who knows, but spending money with no promise of getting it back, or head off to WeBuyAnyCar with their quote of £5k. They are very difficult to price, some are dirt cheap, others £10k+. Either way...sad times.
I was considering a 6. They seem really good value for what they are but really wanted four doors. That and the running costs are probably a bit higher than the 3 series with everything being a bit bigger and heavier.
That makes me think... a 550i would be lovely....
I'm sure I'll get used to the gearbox and really there is so much traffic here the auto is probably the better choice. I quite like the fact it's holding onto the revs a bit more in the sport mode and in D it's getting into 3rd at about 15mph and I think it's in 5th? by 30mph. I know it's not as it uses the torque converter to raise the revs when wanting more power but it feels like it's labouring the engine.
I think the box tries to learn your driving style so perhaps it's behaving different to yours cerb ?
r44flyer
If I had space for another car I think I would have kept the STR. It's hard to know what to do isn't it? The car is worth peanuts but keeping it in top order (and especially if you want to refresh parts) you can easily spend the entire cost of the car and are not likely to get it back on resale. I looked at the price of new suspension for mine and while the standard v8 parts are really quite cheap once you look at the parts for the R all the costs seem to go up by a factor of three!
I thought long and hard about selling mine. It sounds stupid but took me a while to come to terms with the thought of doing so! Originally it was an impulse buy I never expected it to grow on me in the way it did. Just make sure you are absolutely sure before you do sell it so that you don't regret it later !
That makes me think... a 550i would be lovely....
I'm sure I'll get used to the gearbox and really there is so much traffic here the auto is probably the better choice. I quite like the fact it's holding onto the revs a bit more in the sport mode and in D it's getting into 3rd at about 15mph and I think it's in 5th? by 30mph. I know it's not as it uses the torque converter to raise the revs when wanting more power but it feels like it's labouring the engine.
I think the box tries to learn your driving style so perhaps it's behaving different to yours cerb ?
r44flyer
If I had space for another car I think I would have kept the STR. It's hard to know what to do isn't it? The car is worth peanuts but keeping it in top order (and especially if you want to refresh parts) you can easily spend the entire cost of the car and are not likely to get it back on resale. I looked at the price of new suspension for mine and while the standard v8 parts are really quite cheap once you look at the parts for the R all the costs seem to go up by a factor of three!
I thought long and hard about selling mine. It sounds stupid but took me a while to come to terms with the thought of doing so! Originally it was an impulse buy I never expected it to grow on me in the way it did. Just make sure you are absolutely sure before you do sell it so that you don't regret it later !
That's a great write-up of your STR. :thumbsup:
Strangely I always like the looks of the S-Type, and have wandered through the classifieds looking at them once or twice!
I'm glad you aren't disappointed with your 330i - I bought a manual one on April and really like it.
It's sparkling Graphite with Beige leather and wood trim, so not a great colour scheme. But it does have the Xenons, sunroof, split-fold rear seats and power-fold mirrors and they sort of made up my mind for me!
Strangely I always like the looks of the S-Type, and have wandered through the classifieds looking at them once or twice!
I'm glad you aren't disappointed with your 330i - I bought a manual one on April and really like it.
It's sparkling Graphite with Beige leather and wood trim, so not a great colour scheme. But it does have the Xenons, sunroof, split-fold rear seats and power-fold mirrors and they sort of made up my mind for me!
Very nice Mr Tidy. I don't think mine has folding rear seats unless I am not seeing it? Weird thing not to have as standard.
LC23 I'm not sure where that was, my phone doesn't save the location for some reason. I think it was on the way to Aylesbury but I'm not sure.
As for the 330. Had a bit of a glitch. Well a rather big one !
Went to Newbury to pick up a parcel and after coming off the motorway the car started steaming up so I put the AC on max to clear it. Turns out the recall was rather more more urgent than i had expected.
A few seconds after hitting the AC, just about every warning light possible came on and a few moments later the engine conked out and wouldn't restart. Luckily I was moving at the time so was able to roll to a safe spot.
I called the RAC and was told the wait time was approximately 5 hours due to local flooding. Not good !
I wasn't expecting much but called the local dealer and told them the situation. Pleased to say they were brilliant. They dispatched a recovery truck at no cost and it was with me in just over an hour. They also offered me a lift home as they didn't have any spare cars.
Got a call early the next day saying they were working on the car and that it would be ready in the afternoon.
I'd been thinking about servicing as according to the garage I bought the car from it had just been done, however all I had to go on was a hand written invoice and no idea what sort of work had been done. In addition I couldn't find any mention of the plugs having been changed in the history. I decided while it was at the dealer (and while I was skipping the month long wait to book in) it would be best to just get everything done so I would know where I stand with it all.
It was reasonably well priced and with them also replacing one of the sidelight/angle eye bulbs and fitting new wipers came to just over £500 which while quite a chunk of money seemed pretty good for a complete service. I had already got a quote at a local independent and the price quoted was very similar to the dealer price.
It half felt like wasting money but on the other side of things gives me the piece of mind it has the correct oil in and that I know the plugs and all filters are new. I knew if I didn't do it then it would always be on the back of my mind. Apparently there is a slight oil leak (which I think might be coming from the oil filter?) but aside from that they gave it a clean bill of health and a full page of green ticks on their checklist.
I still haven't had a chance to drive it in the dry yet, it just won't stop raining ! Hopefully soon though!
LC23 I'm not sure where that was, my phone doesn't save the location for some reason. I think it was on the way to Aylesbury but I'm not sure.
As for the 330. Had a bit of a glitch. Well a rather big one !
Went to Newbury to pick up a parcel and after coming off the motorway the car started steaming up so I put the AC on max to clear it. Turns out the recall was rather more more urgent than i had expected.
A few seconds after hitting the AC, just about every warning light possible came on and a few moments later the engine conked out and wouldn't restart. Luckily I was moving at the time so was able to roll to a safe spot.
I called the RAC and was told the wait time was approximately 5 hours due to local flooding. Not good !
I wasn't expecting much but called the local dealer and told them the situation. Pleased to say they were brilliant. They dispatched a recovery truck at no cost and it was with me in just over an hour. They also offered me a lift home as they didn't have any spare cars.
Got a call early the next day saying they were working on the car and that it would be ready in the afternoon.
I'd been thinking about servicing as according to the garage I bought the car from it had just been done, however all I had to go on was a hand written invoice and no idea what sort of work had been done. In addition I couldn't find any mention of the plugs having been changed in the history. I decided while it was at the dealer (and while I was skipping the month long wait to book in) it would be best to just get everything done so I would know where I stand with it all.
It was reasonably well priced and with them also replacing one of the sidelight/angle eye bulbs and fitting new wipers came to just over £500 which while quite a chunk of money seemed pretty good for a complete service. I had already got a quote at a local independent and the price quoted was very similar to the dealer price.
It half felt like wasting money but on the other side of things gives me the piece of mind it has the correct oil in and that I know the plugs and all filters are new. I knew if I didn't do it then it would always be on the back of my mind. Apparently there is a slight oil leak (which I think might be coming from the oil filter?) but aside from that they gave it a clean bill of health and a full page of green ticks on their checklist.
I still haven't had a chance to drive it in the dry yet, it just won't stop raining ! Hopefully soon though!
Hi Idontknow.
I like the write up on the STR and my brother and I are both Jaguar petrol heads.
I had a 330 msport diesel until he took me out in his STR.
I was baptised into the world of the STR instantly, his jag is also immaculate and been looked after.
It threw me into the seat on take off along with handling as his suspension has been upgraded already.
I purchased one literally a few days later which turned out to be YOUR one here on the forum.
When I viewed her and took her out for a test drive she wasn't running at all well, hesitation, no power, gearbox confused.
I got her from a dealer near Ascot November last yr.
Got her for silly money, had another look under the bonnet and discovered an ill fitted air filter and a couple of loose connections to the air intake, after tightening these it picked up a bit.
I was a mechanic 40 yrs ago and so knew she was a good egg.
I've had the exhaust done and am working my way through a list of things that I've noticed.
Exhaust done by Longlife and is straight through 1k but money well spent.
She has a right growl to her now and increased performance.
Pulley upgrade next along with stage 1 mapping.
Gearbox service this month.
I noticed a lag on pulling away and found a bad repair to the fuel sensor where it had been snapped at the hose connection and glued back but a bodge job,so sucking in some air.
I've ordered a new one along with a new throttle body and sensor as some wear in the butterfly spindle.
I took off after the repair at a set of lights after having a 70 plate Mercedes AMG pull up along side me eyeballing me as he could hear the rumble from the exhaust.
He tried to keep up and I think somewhat amazed at an old 19 yr old jag leaving him standing.
This car just keeps on surprising me and puts a smile on my face every time I drive her.
I'm going to lower the suspension by 30mm as it feels like a hovercraft on the bends.
The boot seal needs replacing as a bit damp in there which will upset the electrics, apart from that nothing else needs doing.
What a brilliant car!.
The seals are in perfect condition which is a common problem with these cars.
They appear to have been treated and they are just fine.
I'll add your write up to her history, not that I'm planning on ever selling her.
Hope your enjoying your BMW.
Kind regards
Andy.
I like the write up on the STR and my brother and I are both Jaguar petrol heads.
I had a 330 msport diesel until he took me out in his STR.
I was baptised into the world of the STR instantly, his jag is also immaculate and been looked after.
It threw me into the seat on take off along with handling as his suspension has been upgraded already.
I purchased one literally a few days later which turned out to be YOUR one here on the forum.
When I viewed her and took her out for a test drive she wasn't running at all well, hesitation, no power, gearbox confused.
I got her from a dealer near Ascot November last yr.
Got her for silly money, had another look under the bonnet and discovered an ill fitted air filter and a couple of loose connections to the air intake, after tightening these it picked up a bit.
I was a mechanic 40 yrs ago and so knew she was a good egg.
I've had the exhaust done and am working my way through a list of things that I've noticed.
Exhaust done by Longlife and is straight through 1k but money well spent.
She has a right growl to her now and increased performance.
Pulley upgrade next along with stage 1 mapping.
Gearbox service this month.
I noticed a lag on pulling away and found a bad repair to the fuel sensor where it had been snapped at the hose connection and glued back but a bodge job,so sucking in some air.
I've ordered a new one along with a new throttle body and sensor as some wear in the butterfly spindle.
I took off after the repair at a set of lights after having a 70 plate Mercedes AMG pull up along side me eyeballing me as he could hear the rumble from the exhaust.
He tried to keep up and I think somewhat amazed at an old 19 yr old jag leaving him standing.
This car just keeps on surprising me and puts a smile on my face every time I drive her.
I'm going to lower the suspension by 30mm as it feels like a hovercraft on the bends.
The boot seal needs replacing as a bit damp in there which will upset the electrics, apart from that nothing else needs doing.
What a brilliant car!.
The seals are in perfect condition which is a common problem with these cars.
They appear to have been treated and they are just fine.
I'll add your write up to her history, not that I'm planning on ever selling her.
Hope your enjoying your BMW.
Kind regards
Andy.
Hi Andy!
Amazing stuff glad it's gone to such a good home. I do hope you got all the paperwork with the car? There was a whole folder of it.
Sounds like the car was sat for quite a long time. As you probably know if the battery is low it can cause all sorts of problems on these cars.
I bet the exhaust sounds amazing. It was always a bit too quiet but at the same time I did like the stealthy aspect of it.
Not sure if you have already done it but the gearbox service was done in summer 2019 with genuine sump/filter parts and the (can't remember which one) particular recommended long life oil so should be good already.
Also all the coil packs and spark plugs were done towards the end of 2019 with genuine parts (cost a small fortune!) so shouldn't need replacing for a long time.
Interesting about the fuel sensor and also the air intake. I wonder if it had been messed around with while it was sat with the dealer? It always ran very well for me. At one point I did a 1/4 mile test using a draggy tester which is supposed to be quite accurate and it came back with 13.3 seconds which the 0-60 being 5.1 seconds I think so was definitely very healthy, I think a little faster than stock. I rarely drove it quickly though just enjoyed the huge torque it had for cruising along.
I did have it dynoed as well a while after I had it and while I can't remember the exact result it was something like 367bhp at the wheels. I wasn't sure why it was so high as as far as I know the car was completely standard except for the intake pipe. The place that did the test said it was much higher than expected. I do remember It was on a freezing cold day though if that had anything to do with it I don't know.
The feeling like a hovercraft did make me laugh. It has adaptive suspension so make sure it's working before changing anything. You definitely feel the weight in corners but I don't remember it being that bad. It should go rock solid when you are cornering. You can test it by doing a bit of weaving and seeing if you feel the difference. It would cost a fortune but if you were to replace the suspension with fresh adaptive units you would still get the benefit of a super smooth ride when cruising along.
Look forward to hearing how you are getting on with it! I still miss it.
Amazing stuff glad it's gone to such a good home. I do hope you got all the paperwork with the car? There was a whole folder of it.
Sounds like the car was sat for quite a long time. As you probably know if the battery is low it can cause all sorts of problems on these cars.
I bet the exhaust sounds amazing. It was always a bit too quiet but at the same time I did like the stealthy aspect of it.
Not sure if you have already done it but the gearbox service was done in summer 2019 with genuine sump/filter parts and the (can't remember which one) particular recommended long life oil so should be good already.
Also all the coil packs and spark plugs were done towards the end of 2019 with genuine parts (cost a small fortune!) so shouldn't need replacing for a long time.
Interesting about the fuel sensor and also the air intake. I wonder if it had been messed around with while it was sat with the dealer? It always ran very well for me. At one point I did a 1/4 mile test using a draggy tester which is supposed to be quite accurate and it came back with 13.3 seconds which the 0-60 being 5.1 seconds I think so was definitely very healthy, I think a little faster than stock. I rarely drove it quickly though just enjoyed the huge torque it had for cruising along.
I did have it dynoed as well a while after I had it and while I can't remember the exact result it was something like 367bhp at the wheels. I wasn't sure why it was so high as as far as I know the car was completely standard except for the intake pipe. The place that did the test said it was much higher than expected. I do remember It was on a freezing cold day though if that had anything to do with it I don't know.
The feeling like a hovercraft did make me laugh. It has adaptive suspension so make sure it's working before changing anything. You definitely feel the weight in corners but I don't remember it being that bad. It should go rock solid when you are cornering. You can test it by doing a bit of weaving and seeing if you feel the difference. It would cost a fortune but if you were to replace the suspension with fresh adaptive units you would still get the benefit of a super smooth ride when cruising along.
Look forward to hearing how you are getting on with it! I still miss it.
I love these Jags, I had a 2003 XKR and I can empathise with all of the points from the OP: terrible economy, comfortable interior, storming performance, good reliability and fantastic value for money (excluding running costs!)
I always liked Clarksons analogy of driving a Jag XKR - it was like skiing through powder. It really does feel like that sometimes.
I fitted mine with some chassis cross braces and a K&N air filter. Other than that it was stock and I loved ced it with a bmw M6 which is awesome but lsxks the charm
I always liked Clarksons analogy of driving a Jag XKR - it was like skiing through powder. It really does feel like that sometimes.
I fitted mine with some chassis cross braces and a K&N air filter. Other than that it was stock and I loved ced it with a bmw M6 which is awesome but lsxks the charm
Sorry for the cliche but 'my dad had one.'
Actually he didn't.
But it was the 3 litre V6 version with cream leather and walnut interior as this one has. Fantastic car to travel in. He was commuting about 80 miles a day then, that would be diesel territory now but the fuel costs in about 2001 were evidently less prohibitive.
Actually he didn't.
But it was the 3 litre V6 version with cream leather and walnut interior as this one has. Fantastic car to travel in. He was commuting about 80 miles a day then, that would be diesel territory now but the fuel costs in about 2001 were evidently less prohibitive.
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