S-type buying advice
All you need to know about how to avoid the pitfalls – and bag a spectacular bargain
Ever since the demise of the original S-type in 1968, Jaguar had just two relatively costly models to sell – a big saloon and a grand tourer. What it needed was a high-volume compact saloon, but there wasn’t the cash to develop one – until Ford took control in 1990. However, this new saloon wouldn’t appear until October 1998, just before Jaguar became part of Ford’s Premier Automotive Group.
Built on an all-new platform, the Nineties S-type came with new manual or automatic gearboxes, fresh suspension systems, plus a new steering setup. Despite all of this technology, the S-type’s suit was unashamedly retro, and it was a design that polarised opinions like few cars of the time.
Now, if you do your homework, you could land the executive bargain of the year, but you must be very careful. Many examples are afflicted by electrical and electronic glitches that can be hard or even impossible to fix. But the S-type will happily rack up huge mileages if it’s exercised and maintained regularly, and as a long-distance tourer it can provide exceptional value.
Which one?
The S-type that provides the most fun and is already the most collectable is the Type R. With its 400bhp supercharged V8 you might think the bills would be crippling, but as long as you don’t mash the pedal to the metal at every opportunity, fuel economy is actually pretty palatable.
If you’re expecting to cover a lot of miles it’s the 2.7-litre V6 diesel that will have the greatest appeal. However, from 2005 a clog-prone diesel particulates filter (DPF) was fitted, so these later cars tend to be more problematic than their predecessors. High-spec S-types are in the greatest demand, so it’s worth seeking out a car with desirable extras such as front parking sensors, adaptive cruise control and Jaguar’s CATS electronically-controlled suspension system, the latter coming as standard on the Type R.
In terms of colour schemes, black paint with ivory trim is always popular, as is Aspen or Emerald (dark metallic green) with Oatmeal hide. However, any car with superb paint
and an excellent leather-trimmed interior will always find a buyer.
Bodywork
Many of the earliest S-types are now suffering from structural corrosion, but cars on a 52-plate or newer don’t tend to give problems. Stone chips are common inside all four wheelarches and on the bonnet. The former is what causes the most headaches as the stone chips turn to corrosion and the panels rot from the inside out.
Repairs at the front aren’t possible as the metal is so thin – new front wings are the only solution at £250 apiece and they bolt on. At the rear, items must be repaired, but doing this cost-effectively isn’t cheap. If looking at an early car, check for repairs in the quarter panels towards the back of the rear wheelarches. Rot here is often patched up to sell the car on but the rust will be back within six months. Proper repairs are possible though.
The boot seals can fail, allowing water into the luggage bay. This wreaks havoc with the electrics as the battery is in the boot, and the parking aid module if parking sensors are fitted. Used modules are £50 and new sensors are £70 a throw.
Oily bits
Jaguar’s pre-2001 V8 4.0-litre has a reputation for destroying itself, thanks to its Nikasil-lined bores being eroded by petrol with a high sulphur content. However, the troublesome V8s have invariably been low-mileage units which have been run cold much of the time. Be wary of starting issues or hazy emissions after start-up. Horror stories of new engines being required are common, but in reality few cars have needed a replacement powerplant.
Matthew Norbury of North Wales Jag Centre (NWJC) has his own theory: ‘It’s not a fuel issue. The problem is down to the way the software is written to cope with an engine flooding. The symptoms are a lack of compression with the crank spinning and the engine failing to start.
‘A simple two-hour procedure should see the engine running happily. Using the incorrect oil