2000 Jaguar S-type.. should I buy it? (1 Viewer)

[Jimi C]

Hey guys, Im seriously considering trading in my Taurus towards a 2000 Jaguar S-type with 55k on the clock. Car is in immaculate condition and drives great. I love this body style and I love the interior. It is absoloutly fully loaded, and the sticker price new was 48,000. It has a 3.0 V6 (Fords duratec?)I know that it requires premium gasoline, but besides that what sort of things should I be worried about if I decide to buy this car? How reliable are these things? Are repair bills and parts going to be rediculously high like they would be with a "pre ford" Jag?

I was looking for a new used car to replace my Taurus, I started out looking at Mazda 6's. But the going price on those is only slightly less than for the Jag. Same with most other makes and models I was considering.

If anyone is willing to try to talk me out of this that would be great. If you think this is a good deal and a good car to own, let me know that too.. I want your opinions.

Oh yea, they are asking 13,200 and said they would take my Taurus in as a trade.
KBB lists the trade in value on my car as $4,000.

I typically only put about 8,000 miles a year on my car.

This isnt the exact car (same color though), but so you know what im looking at..

 

[Christ Reynolds]

based on this, it seems like a pretty good price, based on the amount of miles on it.

CJ

 

[Alf S]

Personally I think these look like boring Fords..have zero Jaguar flair at all...looks like a boring sedan basically.

For what it's worth, Consumer Reports says to avoid all S-Types from 2000-2004...TERRIBLE reliability ratings from 1999-2004...200 being the absolute worse year since that was their first year as a Ford.


I'd avoid it and look at something more reliable.

 

[Alf S]

What other cars are you looking at?

I know CR says the Lincoln Town cars have great reliability (piss poor resale though) and they say the 2000 model is a best bet for a used car for under $14,000.

Here's their Best Bet list:

 

[Jimi C]

Well, for what its worth, I wont be trading in my Taurus on whatever car it is I buy. My friends father wants it and will give me $4,000 for it. That consumer reports ranking is pretty dissipointing, you might not like it, but I love the looks of this car. Admitidly it was much more appealing before the korean car makers started ripping off Jag's designs.

How can you not like this car?

 

[Alf S]

From that angle it looks like the millions of newer Ford Taurus' on the road...very boring and uninspiring looking for a Jag...that and poor reliabilty make for a bad choice IMO.

Taurus:

 

[Jimi C]

Well.. The picture you just posted is the car I own right now, except mine is navy blue. Beleive me, Ive been driving my 01' Taurus SE with the 3.0 v6 pushing 145 hp for a few years, and it has nothing in common with this Jag. Looks included. Nothing on that list is really comparable. I am still unsure though. Mostly due to the mileage and the fact that Its RWD (I live in Buffalo). I owned a RWD van a few years ago and it was awful to drive in the snow.

Im seeing alot of great deals on used SUVs. Maybe I should reconsider them..

 

[Alf S]

Can't go wrong with an SUV if you need the space....just be prepared to pay out the nose when ya fill it up....I know I dread filling ours up.

So what are you looking for...a certain brand of car/suv...or more of a "look a me" type car/suv?

What models have you considered as far as car alternatives or SUV's?

 

[Jimi C]

All I know for sure is I want a leather interior and 4 doors! Ha. 15k Is my ceiling. I just came across the Jag and fell in love with it. I fill up my Taurus everyother week. $40 is usually the damage. I dont keep track of gas mileage though, I doubt its very good. I kinda have a led foot. My family is big on Fords for some reason so I usually buy those to make the old man happy. I havnt been dissipointed so far, except im not a fan of any of there new sedans (500 and fusion). I started off searching for a Mazda 6 but they seem to be a rare breed when it comes to the used car market around here. As far as SUV's, It would probably have to be an explorer, or despite my fathers advice, Ive grown fond of the 03' Jeeps Cherokee and they seem to fit within my budget (leather and all).

Im weird when it comes to cars, I dont tend to hang on to any of them for very long.

 

[DanielKellmii]

Great car!!! I want one. But first, I want to upgrade my sub, get a front PJ, expand my patio, get granite counter tops......
Nuts, I should have married for money.

I just spent two weeks driving around in a '99 XJ-S that I borrowed from my friend. ( I lent him a car a long time ago and helped him out. Since then, he has become very sucessful and he was returning the favor. ) That was a fantastic car. I am six feet tall, and too big for the car, but it was still fun to take the top down and ride around.

 

[Dennis*G]

you could probably just find a 2000 Lincoln LS, same car, but the Lincoln should make your dad more happy and keep an extra $2-3,000 in your pocket

 

[Jimi C]

My dad owns an 02' LS. Dont want to own the same car as him..

 

[Andrew Pratt]

From all I've read and heard about newer Jag's avoid them at all costs due to their horrible reliability. What's wrong with the Mazda 6 you were looking at...its party a Ford so your dad will be happy

 

[Scott L]

If getting some extra speed is on your checklist this car may not be for you:

2000 Ford Taurus SE
Obtained from R&T January, 2000
Transmission: Automatic
0-60: 8
1/4 Mile: 16.1
1/4 Speed: N/A

2003 Jaguar S-Type 3.0
Obtained from C&D March, 2003
Transmission: Automatic
0-60: 7.9
1/4 Mile: 16.1
1/4 Speed: 89

I'm sure the added weight from being a luxury car has something to do with it, but for anyone to pay close to 50g's for that car is mind-numbing imo.

For something in the same class I'd look at an Infiniti I35 or I30. A used I35 can be had for about 4 grand more than that S-Type but you get Japanese reliability and better performance. I prefer its looks too, but everyone has different tastes.

 

[Shane Martin]

A used Acura TL or a Nissan Maxima would fit the bill. I know I've seen them for about that price or less. The engine is quite potent.

 

[Jimi C]

"2000 Ford Taurus SE
Obtained from R&T January, 2000
Transmission: Automatic
0-60: 8
1/4 Mile: 16.1
1/4 Speed: N/A

2003 Jaguar S-Type 3.0
Obtained from C&D March, 2003
Transmission: Automatic
0-60: 7.9
1/4 Mile: 16.1
1/4 Speed: 89

I'm sure the added weight from being a luxury car has something to do with it, but for anyone to pay close to 50g's for that car is mind-numbing imo."

There is no way those numbers are correct. The Jag has a 3.0 v6 24v DOHC pushing about 240hp vs the Taurus SE's push rod 12v 145hp engine.

Curb weight on the Jag is Curb weight: 3816 lb
Curb weight on the Taurus: 3050 lb

I dont know how to do the math, but im betting the Taurus they test drove had the upgraded engine, Ford offered 2 different 3.0L V6's in the Taurus. Still though, that engine was only 200hp, I cant find torque numbers for either car.

 

[Ken Chui]

I found these numbers on the Jag from another site:

0-60 mph : 7.3 sec.(manual), 7.5 sec.(automatic)
0-¼ mile : 15.7 sec @ 91.0 mph (estimated)

C&D's numbers may not be too far off, as I've seen variations in 0-60 times from multiple automobile magazines (usually within 0.5 seconds of the best recorded time). The Jag is a bit of a porker at ~3800 lbs., so even with 245 hp. and 221 lb-ft. of torque, it's pushing a lot of weight.

 

[Jimi C]

Yea, even so. It feels a hell of alot faster than the Taurus. The Jag appears to be quite a bit shorter than the Taurus. Also, this car handles like a dream in comparison. I cant find any Infinities in my price range in my area, I would love a G35 sedan, but its just not possible. Same for the Acura, I think its just that the demand is higher for those cars.

The Jag dealer just got in a 2002 X-type in dark grey with 42k on it. They are asking 16k. It only has the 2.2L V6 and dosnt have all the options that the S has, Ill probably take a closer look at it tomorrow. Its a bit more than I wanted to spend but I do prefer the x's body style over the S.

 

[Chu Gai]

My son just bought a 2003 X series with about 35,000 miles on it. He went with the X series instead of the S because the former had all wheel drive and for where he lived, that was a saner choice. With the trade in of a 2001 Olds Alero with about 60 thousand miles on it, his final price came to about $12,800 with tax. He bought it 'certified' and it comes with a warranty of 5 years 100 thousand miles. This is all from the original date of purchase but as we'll see, having it was to his advantage. The car had several small issues, mostly of a cosmetic, something's rattling around in the dash, kind of thing. He also had them repaint the front doors since in his opinion there were just too many dings and what not. He also had them throw in a new set of Jaguar floor mats and an extra key. Something special and pricey about the keys for that car. All the various repairs he had done to the car were in writing on the contract. None of this gentlemen's agreement, you can trust me kind of thing.

During the first 15 days, the car developed a problem with the air conditioning. There was a loss of temperature and some bizarre noises coming from the compressor. When he brought it in, he was unhappy with their diagnosis and insisted that the compressor be replaced with a factory new one (maybe a rebuilt would've been a better choice?). When they balked, he told them he'd simply turn the car in and get his money back since it was within the 15 day grace period. So, rather then the dealership just taking a beating, they just did the work the way he wanted. Since then, he's had it for about a month, actually his wife has it, and it's been running fine. There is an occasional noise coming from the dash but it sounds like something's loose there. Maybe the ductwork? Driving wise, the car is a joy. It accelerates and handles well and there's no mistaking that you're surrounded in a rather nicely appointed vehicle.

Other than these issues, both he and his wife are very satisfied with the car. It does have a fair amount of luxury and quiet class. I know Alf doesn't care for it very much but in a way the car has that stereotyped reserved demeanor commonly assosiated with British manufacturing.

Alf is very correct in pointing out that the Jaguar doesn't hold its resale value very well. This has been the case for a number of years and is largely attributed to problems both mechanical and I guess what I'd consider some sloppiness or QC issues with assembling. This isn't so much like doors not lining up but rather things like that rattle I talked about earlier. Supposedly when Ford took them over they instituted some QC programs which were designed to improve the overall quality. IMO, things have gotten better but there's definitely room for improvement.

As to whether you should buy the car, that's tough to say. Despite the rather attractive drop in price which I suspect is making you give the car second and third looks, I recommend that you buy the car from a dealer that is willing to give you an extended type of warranty such as my son obtained. None of this 30, 60, or 90 day stuff. You need more time than that. Also, being able to buy from a dealer that has a reasonable, say 2 week, 'I'll take it back no questions asked' program is to your advantage. Whether you realize it or not, based upon the brand's general history and reputation, you've got a lot more, and I mean A LOT more leverage than you realize with the negotiations. I think you could probably negotiate an even more substantial discount off the dealer's asking price and have them throw in various freebies. You'll need to be prepared to walk away though, just leaving your business card with the dealer. Play hardball. However, unless you can get an extended warranty like you get in various dealer's 'Certified Pre-Owned' programs, then you should be prepared to open your checkbook. Car repairs these days aren't cheap and parts and service for Jaguars are most definitely higher than your average brand. I like the car. So do you. So does my kid. But don't let your love for the car blind you to the realities and need for protection that a robust extended warranty will give.

 

[Philip Hamm]

The Infinity I30 and I35 are a very good deal on the used market. And with front wheel drive they'll be good in the snow as well. Very nice car.