Just out of interest, S Type Rs - any good?
Discussion
Dear golfers,
Been noticing these babies falling aggressively in time honoured feline fashion and since the lure of expensive sweaters is only a matter of time before final, shocking manifestation, just wondered how much consternation the sight of something this pedestrian-looking screeching arcularwards might cause the appalling libery wibbles?
One of the Evo scribblers had one but experienced trouble: are they crap and how do they fare dynaimcally against the default kraut alternatives?
Is there any room in the boot?
Finally, will that chump Cameron be ousted by that wonderful fellow from UKIP, Nigel Le Favre or whatever he's called?
See you on the 19th!
Been noticing these babies falling aggressively in time honoured feline fashion and since the lure of expensive sweaters is only a matter of time before final, shocking manifestation, just wondered how much consternation the sight of something this pedestrian-looking screeching arcularwards might cause the appalling libery wibbles?
One of the Evo scribblers had one but experienced trouble: are they crap and how do they fare dynaimcally against the default kraut alternatives?
Is there any room in the boot?
Finally, will that chump Cameron be ousted by that wonderful fellow from UKIP, Nigel Le Favre or whatever he's called?
See you on the 19th!
derestrictor said:
Dear golfers,
Been noticing these babies falling aggressively in time honoured feline fashion and since the lure of expensive sweaters is only a matter of time before final, shocking manifestation, just wondered how much consternation the sight of something this pedestrian-looking screeching arcularwards might cause the appalling libery wibbles?
One of the Evo scribblers had one but experienced trouble: are they crap and how do they fare dynaimcally against the default kraut alternatives?
Is there any room in the boot?
Finally, will that chump Cameron be ousted by that wonderful fellow from UKIP, Nigel Le Favre or whatever he's called?
See you on the 19th!
Been noticing these babies falling aggressively in time honoured feline fashion and since the lure of expensive sweaters is only a matter of time before final, shocking manifestation, just wondered how much consternation the sight of something this pedestrian-looking screeching arcularwards might cause the appalling libery wibbles?
One of the Evo scribblers had one but experienced trouble: are they crap and how do they fare dynaimcally against the default kraut alternatives?
Is there any room in the boot?
Finally, will that chump Cameron be ousted by that wonderful fellow from UKIP, Nigel Le Favre or whatever he's called?
See you on the 19th!
Mr Derestrictor,
You simply need to drive one. It was (until recently, and in my opinion), the best driving Jaguar on the market. It feels extremely composed on the road, handles beautifully and is pretty quick too.
In terms of reliability, I personally haven't heard of any major issues. The S-TYPE now is a fantastic motorcar and is highly regarded by most of the motoring press. The AJ-V8 engine is a proven, award winning engine. Coupled with the ZF 6-Speed Auto gearbox, it really is a winning combination.
Would it beat an M5 or an E55? I'd definately have one over the E55. The M5 on the other hand is legendary and the mark by which all competitors are judged.
The M5 would kick the S-TYPE R into next year in a straight race. That said, i'm one for rooting for the under dog which is precisely the reason why i'd buy an S-TYPE R over the M5. It's the ultimate Q car, subtly styled, car enthusiasts will wink at you in a knowing manner whilst civilians will give way and furnish you with the respect deserved for driving a beautiful British motorcar.
You'd also pick up a decent previously cherished example for the same price as your little flight of fancy, the Evo.
Edited by Phil Hopkins on Monday 28th August 12:00
Phil Hopkins said:
The M5 would kick the S-TYPE R into next year in a straight race.
Phil, you're refrring to the E60 M5, not my prev gen E39 style, right?
Phil Hopkins said:
You'd also pick up a decent previously cherished example for the same price as your little flight of fancy, the Evo.
Yup, I know...
I just seem to recall contemporary tests of S-Type R v (E39) M5 would, as oft as not, place the Jag before the Beemer: that compact design mated to an excellent auto with a similar power quotient, well - it was a recipe for Morse to morph into The Equalizer!
How substantial is/n't the boot, btw?
derestrictor said:
Phil Hopkins said:
The M5 would kick the S-TYPE R into next year in a straight race.
Phil, you're refrring to the E60 M5, not my prev gen E39 style, right?
Phil Hopkins said:
You'd also pick up a decent previously cherished example for the same price as your little flight of fancy, the Evo.
Yup, I know...
I just seem to recall contemporary tests of S-Type R v (E39) M5 would, as oft as not, place the Jag before the Beemer: that compact design mated to an excellent auto with a similar power quotient, well - it was a recipe for Morse to morph into The Equalizer!
How substantial is/n't the boot, btw?
Yep, I was referring to the E60. Perhaps not a fair comparison to make.
The boot isn't particularly large, it's rather long but quite shallow.
I guess the best thing to do is show you:
nb. No split fold seats on the S-TYPE R. It's to do with the torsional rigidity or something.
Blimey, Phil, what a star! 
Looks a tad on the small side - I'd need room for 2 suitcases plus peripheral bags of Space Raiders, sports bag or two and the ability to wedge a compactish 'buggy' (urgh, dreadful yankerism) across the rear transmission tunnel to be jammed in by the boss's reclined seat.
It's a struggle enough in ze staff car and no way am I using that infernal roof rack again - nearly as bad as a bike rack - and an absolute aerodynamic slaughterhouse.
P.S. Can you remove the limiter and...
Back, Satan!
Looks a tad on the small side - I'd need room for 2 suitcases plus peripheral bags of Space Raiders, sports bag or two and the ability to wedge a compactish 'buggy' (urgh, dreadful yankerism) across the rear transmission tunnel to be jammed in by the boss's reclined seat.
It's a struggle enough in ze staff car and no way am I using that infernal roof rack again - nearly as bad as a bike rack - and an absolute aerodynamic slaughterhouse.
P.S. Can you remove the limiter and...
Back, Satan! derestrictor said:
Blimey, Phil, what a star!
Looks a tad on the small side - I'd need room for 2 suitcases plus peripheral bags of Space Raiders, sports bag or two and the ability to wedge a compactish 'buggy' (urgh, dreadful yankerism) across the rear transmission tunnel to be jammed in by the boss's reclined seat.
It's a struggle enough in ze staff car and no way am I using that infernal roof rack again - nearly as bad as a bike rack - and an absolute aerodynamic slaughterhouse.
P.S. Can you remove the limiter and... Back, Satan!
Looks a tad on the small side - I'd need room for 2 suitcases plus peripheral bags of Space Raiders, sports bag or two and the ability to wedge a compactish 'buggy' (urgh, dreadful yankerism) across the rear transmission tunnel to be jammed in by the boss's reclined seat.
It's a struggle enough in ze staff car and no way am I using that infernal roof rack again - nearly as bad as a bike rack - and an absolute aerodynamic slaughterhouse.
P.S. Can you remove the limiter and...
Back, Satan! The thing to do would be to try it! If you're local to me i'll lend you an S-TYPE for a few days so you can see how you get on with it practicality wise.
You can remove the limiter, Racing Green should be able to sort that out for you.... then you can let the fun commence
I currently have one of Jaguar's press S-Type Rs sat outside my house. It's been here a week and I'm sad to say it'll be returning home tomorrow evening. What an astonishing car it really is - in fact, if I had to choose just one car to meet my requirements, this would be it. It rides as though it's on air and obliterates almost anything else on the road. Sure, an M5 might be faster but it won't have the glamour or the soul of the Jaguar.
For now, this is the best Jaguar I've ever driven but I'm off to Spain next week to drive the XK-R, so my opinion might be swayed slightly...
For now, this is the best Jaguar I've ever driven but I'm off to Spain next week to drive the XK-R, so my opinion might be swayed slightly...
My lord!...the perfect post for me!....
February 2003 to April 2006 I owned a e39 M5...a 1999 model with 47k on the clock when I bought it, and 130k when I PXed it for an 2004 S Type R. As you can tell I do 25-30k a year, mostly on a route that is 1.5 hrs rally stage (A and B roads between Derbyshire and Birmingham) then the M42/M40/M25 to Heathrow-ish)
2 yr old S Type R bought 4 months ago with 9.5k miles on the clock - main reason for sale was BMWs change on their warranty policy, so I couldn't purchase the extended warranty anymore....and the Jaguar dealer offered me £10k PX
The S Type R has just gone in for a service with an additional 12k miles since I bought it (new rear disks and pads, front pads)
M5 - Great car, very fast. Fantastic chassis for such a large car.
S Type R - Automatic!...wasn't sure if I could live with an automatic, but it's a very clever automatic, and you soon learn how to change (down) gear by increasing the accelerator pressure by a certain amount - wierd if you've never done it, but you can soon get into it. It's a very clever gearbox, and if you've got the sport button pressed and put your foot to the floor it will rev all the way to the limiter in every gear. A good trick.
Incidentally, you can keep the sport mode permanently engaged, which you couldn't in the M5 - you had to select it every time you turn it on
Chassis-wise, the S type R inspires slightly more confidence that the M5. Pushing it, you the rear of the M5 felt twitchy. The S type R feels more planted and more progressive.
Traction control much more intrusive on the M5.
I could go on all night, but I think (after 80k miles in the M5 and 12k in the S Type R) overall the S Type R is a slightly better car...the chassis is (suprisingly) better...in the real world it's (suprisingly) a little bit faster...if you can live with the (very clever) auto gearbox
Default S Type R Tyres (contis)last 20k, rather than 7-13k for (GoodYear) for M5 as well.
Happy to answer any E39 M5 v S Type R queeries as I've lived with them for so long
Cheers
Guy
February 2003 to April 2006 I owned a e39 M5...a 1999 model with 47k on the clock when I bought it, and 130k when I PXed it for an 2004 S Type R. As you can tell I do 25-30k a year, mostly on a route that is 1.5 hrs rally stage (A and B roads between Derbyshire and Birmingham) then the M42/M40/M25 to Heathrow-ish)
2 yr old S Type R bought 4 months ago with 9.5k miles on the clock - main reason for sale was BMWs change on their warranty policy, so I couldn't purchase the extended warranty anymore....and the Jaguar dealer offered me £10k PX
The S Type R has just gone in for a service with an additional 12k miles since I bought it (new rear disks and pads, front pads)
M5 - Great car, very fast. Fantastic chassis for such a large car.
S Type R - Automatic!...wasn't sure if I could live with an automatic, but it's a very clever automatic, and you soon learn how to change (down) gear by increasing the accelerator pressure by a certain amount - wierd if you've never done it, but you can soon get into it. It's a very clever gearbox, and if you've got the sport button pressed and put your foot to the floor it will rev all the way to the limiter in every gear. A good trick.
Incidentally, you can keep the sport mode permanently engaged, which you couldn't in the M5 - you had to select it every time you turn it on
Chassis-wise, the S type R inspires slightly more confidence that the M5. Pushing it, you the rear of the M5 felt twitchy. The S type R feels more planted and more progressive.
Traction control much more intrusive on the M5.
I could go on all night, but I think (after 80k miles in the M5 and 12k in the S Type R) overall the S Type R is a slightly better car...the chassis is (suprisingly) better...in the real world it's (suprisingly) a little bit faster...if you can live with the (very clever) auto gearbox
Default S Type R Tyres (contis)last 20k, rather than 7-13k for (GoodYear) for M5 as well.
Happy to answer any E39 M5 v S Type R queeries as I've lived with them for so long
Cheers
Guy
Thanks Phil
Sorry - got carried away there....
Some other points mentioned in the thread....
Golf - never played it, used to race a Westfield
Sweaters - never worn one
Boot - 2/3 size of an M5, but adequate
No split rear seats...(bugger!)...but mine has a ski pouch thingy....important thing is that you can use it to put a 12 pack of 6ft 1x2 timber protruding into the cabin with no problem
"M5 (E39) kick the S Type R into next year in a straight race?".....I think both 0-60 times are quoted by the manufacturers at 5.2 secs, but the M5 is often quoted at 4.9. For all but the best drivers I think the (as stated before) clever auto gearbox and slightly better (?) chassis in the real world will make them very similar in 0-60 IMHOAE (...And Experience).
Other stuff:
Cup holders (Clerk of the Kitchen's benchmark on cars) M5 feel flimsy. S Type R's pop coke bottles upwards, so I must assume Jaguar driver's drink from cans....which I never would have imagined....what with the sweaters and golf....(!)
M5 wheels curb much easier...the tyres on the S Type R seem to bulge out a bit more (!)
Oil consumption of both vehicles has gone down under my ownership (never really understood this)....M5 at 46K took 15K to go from 1 litre every 2500 miles to 1 litre every 6-8000......S Type R has already gone from a similar starting point..to about 1 litre every 4000 miles. Very odd.
Audio: M5 Very good. S Type R: Better
Leather: M5 Much Better. S Type R - Plastic look
Personal opinion on colour:
Black, or possibly dark green or dark blue are the only colours the car looks good in...all turquoise-esque colours look horrible
Q-Car?....yes, I think so...the traffic clears in the outside lane and you're up to 90ish again, and anything that thinks it's fast that has been on your rear disappears in your mirror (very similar to the M5 - but more puzzled looks - when they catch up - in the S Type R)...the difference with the S Type R is that people expect it less...a cherished ferrari who's in front of you at the lights buries the throttle at the lights, looks in his rear view mirror 400 yds later and you're as close to him as you'd want to be...he'd expect it from an M5, but not from any Jaguar...but you can do it in an S Type R...and possibly tye "Morse" look suprises him even more....it's a great game. If it was you, in Macclesfield, 4 weeks ago, I'm really sorry for doing it 4 lights in a row - it was lovely car!
Oh...I've done it again...got carried away...Sorry
Guy
Sorry - got carried away there....
Some other points mentioned in the thread....
Golf - never played it, used to race a Westfield
Sweaters - never worn one
Boot - 2/3 size of an M5, but adequate
No split rear seats...(bugger!)...but mine has a ski pouch thingy....important thing is that you can use it to put a 12 pack of 6ft 1x2 timber protruding into the cabin with no problem
"M5 (E39) kick the S Type R into next year in a straight race?".....I think both 0-60 times are quoted by the manufacturers at 5.2 secs, but the M5 is often quoted at 4.9. For all but the best drivers I think the (as stated before) clever auto gearbox and slightly better (?) chassis in the real world will make them very similar in 0-60 IMHOAE (...And Experience).
Other stuff:
Cup holders (Clerk of the Kitchen's benchmark on cars) M5 feel flimsy. S Type R's pop coke bottles upwards, so I must assume Jaguar driver's drink from cans....which I never would have imagined....what with the sweaters and golf....(!)
M5 wheels curb much easier...the tyres on the S Type R seem to bulge out a bit more (!)
Oil consumption of both vehicles has gone down under my ownership (never really understood this)....M5 at 46K took 15K to go from 1 litre every 2500 miles to 1 litre every 6-8000......S Type R has already gone from a similar starting point..to about 1 litre every 4000 miles. Very odd.
Audio: M5 Very good. S Type R: Better
Leather: M5 Much Better. S Type R - Plastic look
Personal opinion on colour:
Black, or possibly dark green or dark blue are the only colours the car looks good in...all turquoise-esque colours look horrible
Q-Car?....yes, I think so...the traffic clears in the outside lane and you're up to 90ish again, and anything that thinks it's fast that has been on your rear disappears in your mirror (very similar to the M5 - but more puzzled looks - when they catch up - in the S Type R)...the difference with the S Type R is that people expect it less...a cherished ferrari who's in front of you at the lights buries the throttle at the lights, looks in his rear view mirror 400 yds later and you're as close to him as you'd want to be...he'd expect it from an M5, but not from any Jaguar...but you can do it in an S Type R...and possibly tye "Morse" look suprises him even more....it's a great game. If it was you, in Macclesfield, 4 weeks ago, I'm really sorry for doing it 4 lights in a row - it was lovely car!
Oh...I've done it again...got carried away...Sorry
Guy
guy10 said:
Cup holders (Clerk of the Kitchen's benchmark on cars) M5 feel flimsy. S Type R's pop coke bottles upwards, so I must assume Jaguar driver's drink from cans....which I never would have imagined....what with the sweaters and golf....(!)
Not at all. Have you tried a champagne flute? I think you'll find it fits perfectly.
We don't have cigar lighters as opposed to cigarette lighters in a Jag for nothing don't you know.
NST said:
i'm also thinking about getting gthe S-Type R also!some questions..
1) what is the fuel consumption like at a steady 80 (ish!)
2)servicing costs?
3)any known issues?
cheers
1) what is the fuel consumption like at a steady 80 (ish!)
2)servicing costs?
3)any known issues?
cheers
Get the new shape, far better car. The 4.2ltr V8 is the biz, should get easy 28mpg. jag servicing ain't that bad actually, every 12mnths/10k: £300ish norm, £500ish major (3 yrs)
Jags rock!
G
Can anyone on here understand Clarkson and Co's hatred of the S-type front? I think it's the shape of the grille that is the problem, but strangely they love the old MK2 grille. Personally, I think the S is one of the most handsome modern saloons on the road, only my opinion ofcourse.
Gassing Station | Jaguar | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff