The time I bought a Jaguar S Type R and got rid of it in 4 days.

"LJ909" (lj909) 01/30/2015 at 00:03 • Filed to: None

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I dont know if some of you remember the post I had a few days ago regarding my purchase of a 2004 Jag S Type R. But suffice to say, I don't have the car anymore less than a week after signing the paper work on it. Hell less than 4 days after signing the papers. The car basically had early last decade Jag problems that were just starting to show their head. Here's what happened.

The day I was going to pick it up was pretty damn exciting, but bitter sweet. The fine people of the net had my mind going a mile a minute on the good and bad aspects of the car. My mind was just focused on the good. The performance and luxury. The rarity of the car. But everything happens for a reason, and in my experience, when there are bumps in the road early on that's signs of something else coming. I go to get the insurance for the car at a local broker. They shop around of course for the best prices. Out of 5 different companies that we gave my info too, only 1 would take the car because of the type of car it is and how rare it is. Basically I would be shelling out almost 160 bucks a month for this car. Ok bump one.

I get to the dealer early to get all the shit handled because we all know how the car buying process is. I sign all the papers or whatever, and go to the car. Seat belt wont buckle. And the seat belt is torn like a small dog has gotten a hold of it. I let them know this fact. They tell me "we didnt know the seat belt was like that. Take it down to this upholstery shop 2 blocks away. Tell them to fix it we will take car of it". Bump 2, but ok cool they will take car of it.

When I get down to the shop, Im waiting there for like 20 mins before someone comes up and helps me. I tell them that the dealer sent me and go into the problem with the seatbelt being torn and not latching. "We will take a look at it". So I wait again for 25 or so minutes. While im waiting, I notice a small crack in the windshield of the car. Bump 4. Ok.... im thinking. The guy comes and tells me " I dont know if you would want to wait because we would have to go into the B pillar and take the seat belt mechanism out and restitch it. Your looking at a half a days work". Now ive had the car for less than 4 hours and they already want me to leave it to have work done on it? No I tell em. I rather come back so I can enjoy my car with me first getting it.

So I get back on the phone with the dealer to tell them what happened with the seat belt situation and with the windshield. "Bring the car back so we can take a look at the windshield." I take the car back, they tell me they have this guy that can fix those kinds of chips or whatever. Call him and make me an appointment I say. They do so. No Big deal to me. So I leave to finally head home. Halfway home while on the phone with my mom, a red light on the dash catches my eye. The display screen between the gauges says high engine temp. Im screwed already im thinking. And I was at a red light. The car got so hot, the temp gauge went as far as it could go to the right, above the H. I hurry and pull into the gas station that was right by me and quickly turn the car off. Big ass bump 5.

Im pissed and worried at this point. I get on the phone to the dealer. They send me a tow truck and bring me back to the dealer. They are as perplexed as I am. So I let them keep the car over night to see what the problem is. Next day rolls around, I get a call saying that everything is fine, the car runs perfectly with the sales man himself telling me her personally took it home and it was fine. Alright cool Ill be there later to pick it up. Later that night I get home, pull it up outside at the curb so I can show it off to my family. I go to start it, it doesn't want to start. I try again it starts. Hell no, bump 6. I turn it off, head inside for 30 mins and I come back out to move it. I go to try and start it, and again it doesn't want to start. It starts on the second try. Sad.

I hope you guys can see where I'm going here. To make a long story short so I wont drag it out, abs error lights flashed 3 times across the dash, the tranny took a few seconds to engage in reverse, he check engine light came on ( the dealer told me that it was an O2 sensor and that they would change those and that should solve the problem. Sensors don't cause a check engine light to be on one day and off the next.) heard metallic jingling noises going over bumps that could mean there's something up with the control arms in the rear, passenger side tail light was out I found out, and the passenger side vanity mirror cover fell off in my sisters lap. All this was found out or experienced within 24 hours.

I told them yesterday that I didn't feel comfortable with car and don't want to be paying for a car that should have been looked over before being offered for sale. Today I took the car back. Of course they tried to make it seem like the car was running perfectly since it wasn't overheating anymore. And as luck and God would have it, less than 20 minutes after I get there the sales man that was helping me and the owner of the dealership tried to get the car started again for over 15 minutes. They just couldn't believe there was something actually wrong with the car.

But basically, the sales guy gave me 2 choices: I can either get into another car with them which he currently has me thinking about this gem of a 2006 Saab 9-3 Sport Combi, or we could just wash our hands of the contract and they give me my money back. Hell of a deal if you ask me. I told him Ill make a decision by Sunday when hes supposed to be back. But basically That's my story of how I lost a car I have always lusted after. But what do you guys think? Should I get another car with them, or take my money elsewhere?

(Update. Im getting my money and going elsewhere. My car search continues..)

Dsscats > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:08

16

"We told you"

-Oppo.

And I'd take the cash if there's no penalty.

Cherry_man1 > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:12

2

Go else where man. Take the money and RUN!

Cherry_man1 > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:13

1

Take the Money and RUN!

CB > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:13

3

Money elsewhere sounds like a good idea. The dealer doesn't sound the most reputable after this.

Also: in before everyone says "I told you so".

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:14

6

What fun!

Is there really any way they did not know about any of these problems beforehand?

Also: Jag? Saab? I'm not insisting you look into a Corolla or something, but you seem to have a taste for brands with notorious reliability issues.

Who knows what they've overlooked with that Combi.

I would just take the money back. If you really want the Combi, you can always come back for it... But I say walk away.

SlickMcRick > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:14

2

Hmmm may I ask about how much you're getting back? Personally I say take the money and shop around. Ask if the deal for the Saab could at least stay on the table til the end of business Sunday. It gives you time to weigh other options and won't force you into a situation. Who knows you may find something else more interesting that's also cheaper.

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:15

5

This here's a story 'bout Billy Joe and Bobby Sue. Do what they did.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:18

6

Would you still want to buy any car from them after they clearly did not inspect the Jaguar?

PushToStart > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:22

3

take the money and run like hell.

Also, did you not/was it not possible to inspect the car thoroughly before you bought it? Why would you sign the papers before you even test drove it, which would've probably demonstrated to you the shitty seatbelt, chipped windshield, and possibly the temp warning light?

bootstrap > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:25

1

Take the money and move on. Hopefully you can find a more reputable dealer.

AnalogDialog > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:27

1

I have a search saved on my Cars.com app for the XKR and XJR — good modern examples are so damn affordable now, but it's just for kicks because I know the asking prices are just the tip of the iceberg of ownership costs.

That said, I owned a Saab that I loved dearly until I discovered the joys of RWD. Also, a similar list of expensive ailments to the ones you listed above and the steering column snapping while I was driving on the freeway helped my decision to move on and never look back.

Take the dough and keep on looking. Might I suggest a slightly lighter shade of pain ?

AnalogDialog > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:28

2

On the same note, for the same pain, but far greater pleasure quotient, there's this .

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:31

1

Wow that stinks, thanks for taking one for the team.

Übel > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:32

5

Did you not inspect/test drive it first?

bryan40oop > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:33

5

"Sensors don't cause a check engine light to be on one day and off the next.)"

Yeah, they can.

signintoburnerlol > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:36

2

Sounds like a shit dealership and a shit car. I still love me A Jaguar S Type R though, i think i'll buy one from a forum though...

Take the money and run. I don't know how much you paid, but if you want Luxury Performance, look into older B6/7 Audi S4, E46 M3, etc.

Steve in Manhattan > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:37

1

If they're willing to void the deal, that's a good sign (unless they have to under your state's laws). If you want the Saab, make them give you a written warranty. It. Could. Work.

Noah - Now with more boost. > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:39

3

Ouch! Sorry to hear that man. Sounds like a classic English electronic nightmare. I'd take the money and run, my friend. There are many beautiful automobiles out there! And they're most likely not at that dealer. A little patience and a lot of craigslist hunting will easily net you something fast and reliable. Since you're interested in performance, I'd recommend starting an "idea search" with http://www.autoscout24.eu/ where you can filter your options by horsepower. It's a great brainstorming tool!

My humble suggestions based on your interest in cool fast things with four doors:

- turbo subaru? WRX or STI of course, if you can deal with the interior. 2003-2009 legacy GTs are a more "mature" option with a far more aesthetically pleasing interior, with an engine you can easily tune beyond STI levels of performance if that interests you.

- 2006 330i/6-speed. A secret of the BMW nerds. For one year only, the most powerful non-M E90 you could buy was not turbocharged. They used the high-performance 3.0 Z4 motor instead, which is the last highly strung NA straight six BMW ever built. 260 horsepower, BMW driving dynamics, and a gorgeous modern interior. I've been considering one of these for my next DD. Can you tell? lol.

Big Bubba Ray > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 00:40

1

Wait, did you buy the car without looking at it first? This seems like a situation that could have been avoided with a couple of test drives.

Either way, that sucks. Take your money elsewhere if the dealer is willing to scrub the contract.

LJ909 > Übel 01/30/2015 at 00:52

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Of course I did. Just goes to show you that a test drive and Carfax dont always give you all the info.

LJ909 > Steve in Manhattan 01/30/2015 at 00:54

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Well whats assuring me on the Saab is a 3 month/3 thousand mile limited powertrain warranty, so, yea, theres that.

AnalogDialog > Noah - Now with more boost. 01/30/2015 at 00:58

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I can attest to your last choice. I've had my e90 330i for a few years now and I love it. I researched for weeks debating between that and the 335i, but I couldn't get past all the owner reviews about the turbo-related issues like the HPFP of the latter. Save for a few examples, BMW's NA setups are rock solid. I'm starting to eye e90 M3s now that they are starting to crest into affordable territory.

Steve in Manhattan > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 01:05

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Counter them with a bumper-to-bumper warranty and see what they say. Doesn't include bulbs and tires, but who cares?

Widget_Master > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 01:09

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I'd get your money back so you have options. Searching for a car is half the fun anyways.

V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 01:15

4

Find another dealership. If they let those glaring problems slide down to you one could only imagine what other issues would be in store with the SportCombi.

TAKE THE REFUND.

LJ909 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/30/2015 at 01:26

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I was thinking the same thing. But Like I mentioned to someone else, the Saab comes with a 3 month/3 thousand mile limited power train warranty if that makes things any better.

LJ909 > PushToStart 01/30/2015 at 01:28

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Thats the thing, I took it on a through test drive. I even took a list of things to look for that a wrong from a S Type R owner himself. None of what happened to me happened when I was looking over the car. Its weird.

Noah - Now with more boost. > AnalogDialog 01/30/2015 at 01:33

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Glad to hear your 330 has been treating you well! I feel like I'd have the same dilemma, I love e90 m3s and they are the natural next step up from a 330. And dat V8! 335s are such dogs, I need my next ride to last at least 5 years, and there's no way I'd have a good time maintaining one of those time bombs for 70,000 miles. If my recent '11-'13 5.0 obsession subsides (it might not... because cheap 400+ horsepower 8K rpm V8) I will be behind the wheel of an '06 330 too lol.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 01:35

6

Honestly, I don't think it does. 3k miles is nothing.

Captain of the Enterprise > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 02:05

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personally I would just take the money. I would never want to deal with that dealership again for trying to sell a car with that many problems.

Viggen9er3 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/30/2015 at 02:51

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My 2006 9-3 Aero runs like a charm. Besides breaking the front two coil springs (not overly expensive to replace) and an old coolant hose finally cracking open, its been really reliable with normal maintenance.

I say get the refund and see if you can buy the 9-3 combi cheaper.

All Motor Is Best Motor > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 03:00

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Get a refund and don't look back. That dealership sounds like a stealership.

Sn210 > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 07:10

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Did you have a pre-purchase inspection done by an independent shop? This would have been a car to do that with.

Sorry it didn't work out :(

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 08:08

3

If you thought the Jag was bad.... Run from the Saab! A) Saabs in General are not reliable. B) this doesn't seem like the best of dealers... 3000 mile warranty is nothing and you'd still be going to the dealer way too often with it.

If they want to give you cash back.. TAKE IT AND RUN! I got fucked on my Volvo and I wish I could return it like that! Please take your money elsewhere!

Master Chiefzilla Comes With Built-In Spartan Laser > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 10:29

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I just saw this on CL today and just so happened to find your post today as well.

Profound Sadness at your experience.

Master Chiefzilla Comes With Built-In Spartan Laser > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 10:31

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DOUBLE POST! ignore

Master Chiefzilla Comes With Built-In Spartan Laser > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 10:34

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I just saw this on CL today and just so happened to find your post today as well.

Profound Sadness at your experience. Take money and shop around some more.

Master Chiefzilla Comes With Built-In Spartan Laser > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 10:34

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TRIPLE POST!

Slave2anMG > LJ909 01/30/2015 at 10:48

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It's not weird. It's a Jaaaag.

LJ909 > bryan40oop 01/31/2015 at 18:51

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Yea but in a Jag, especially an R, that check engine light could be dozens of different things.

bryan40oop > LJ909 01/31/2015 at 21:07

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Wasn't disputing that.

superdave847 > AnalogDialog 02/01/2015 at 08:52

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Far greater pleasure. But dat VANOS...

superdave847 > Noah - Now with more boost. 02/01/2015 at 08:53

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I second your advice on the E90 330. I believe its also one of the few NA BMWs that DINAN will tune.

Noah - Now with more boost. > superdave847 02/01/2015 at 14:15

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I didn't know that! The want grows stronger... I assumed there wasn't much more power to be had!

superdave847 > Noah - Now with more boost. 02/01/2015 at 14:25

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Yep! Besides ram-air intake, DINAN makes a larger throttle body for the E90 330. I wish they would do that for the E90 328, but nope. This is why I went with an E90 335i.

clax > LJ909 12/07/2015 at 00:13

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Sounds like the initial problems were your own fault. Damaged seatbelt and cracked windshield, did you even look at the car before you bought it? The overheating issues sounds likely to be a sticky thermostat, a quick and cheap repair (if you do it yourself). As for the rest, welcome to the world of jags. Hence why I’m selling mine after 7 years of constant repairs. How many miles were on that car of yours anyway? I wouldn’t say this is a shitty dealership, after all they offered to buy the car back from you. Although, offering a saab in place of a jag I find a bit insulting.

LJ909 > clax 12/07/2015 at 00:27

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I wouldn’t have bought the car if I didn’t look at it. The windshield wasn’t cracked when I first looked at it. As for the seatbelt, that was assured to me by the dealer that it was going to be fixed by the time I came to pick the car up. The whole problem was that I was assured that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the car before I bought it. If they had admitted to whatever issues they had with the car beforehand then I wouldn’t have had a problem.

I even found out later that the owner and a few other sales people from the dealer were hooning the car and even taking it home when they first got it there. The car had 125k on the odo when I got it.

jackmahoney > LJ909 02/01/2016 at 18:07

1

I bought the same Christine monstrosity, but only had mine for 6 months.

Previous owner was an old lady who couldn’t handle the power, aka lots of little broken trim pieces from bumping poles (but you couldn’t see from a distance, so no one would know). Got a great deal, $2k below blue book. No issues on the test drive, car fax came back clean, no visible leaks (lower skid plate holds a lot of fluid it turns out...)

There were no issues for about a week. Then it started overheating. $30 bottle of coolant later, no issues. Hooning it on the freeway, feeling the supercharger do its work, I get another overheat warning. Damn thing had a slooow leak in the radiator that became a gush when you jumped it from the 1 hour of “abuse” that a 20 something does on the PCH in a 400HP car.

A grand later, after a great deal to replace the radiator and the water pump, it starts giving me issues with shifting. A real hard lurch half of the time when accelarating from a stop. Another grand worth of small BS work, front window motor going out, spark plug and boots being changed because the tubes were filling with oil (the spark plug tube seals alone, a small rubber ring that’s $0.50 for a set on any other car were $15 EACH x 8...)

At the $2k repair mark I know I cannot afford another issue. Then when driving through the pass in the rain, the engine gave me a shudder and slight loss of power for 10 seconds of terror. Water coming in through the seal between the windshield and engine bay? Torque Converter? Who knows. Parked it same day, bought a used Mazda.

I posted the Jag on CL, advising the prospective owner of all the maintenace work I did, and to have a Jag certified mechanic review before buying. He took it to a regular import mechanic who found no issues. Signed the papers, handed over the keys.

2 days later I get a call from the buyer, asking for the contact info of the other prospective buyers I had; looking to sell it for parts.

And that is why you don’t buy a unique used luxury car without a an expert specialized mechanic inspecting it first. Hopefully it’s rotting in a San Diego junkyard.

LJ909 > jackmahoney 02/01/2016 at 23:20

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Damn. You story is worse than mine. Sucks it was a money pit for you. You sound local to me too. I’m glad I got lucky and got out of mine a week into it. Having an S Type R though ruined used Jags for me. I had been looking at used 04-09 XJ’s and XJ R’s and memories of this made me think no. What makes me moe mad is the fact that these cars ( im sure yous was as well) wee one owner cars. I know mine was. They paid alot of money for these new and to just let the cars go like that, especially with their performance potential is horrible.

jackmahoney > LJ909 02/02/2016 at 00:24

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Surprising silver lining. I bought it $2k under blue book. Put $2k in. Posted ad with blue book price, expecting buyer to negotiate. He said, “done deal.” Didn't even haggle on price

LJ909 > jackmahoney 02/02/2016 at 05:19

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Oh yea so you pretty much came in and left it with little harm done. Safe to say though never again. What do you drive now?

jackmahoney > LJ909 02/02/2016 at 17:02

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I’m in grad school so I needed something reliable, and not prone to expensive break downs. I bought a cheap first gen Mazda6 that needed some work, (tires, brakes, plugs, axle, shocks) and did most of it myself. But every so often I drive past the Jag and Euro import dealerships and and tell myself, “one day... but with a bumper to bumper warranty!” Owning a luxury car without a warranty is like going to a “den of ill repute” without a condom. Or like buying a rental car...

Bad > LJ909 05/12/2016 at 14:59

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hmm; and so it seems you have never had an european car. (no pun intended) My advice is to buy something japanese or made in US, european cars are either for people who can turn a wrench or people with $$$. I own an S-type R and have owned amg's and M5's, M3's before none of them is trouble free not even the famous E39M5 but hey they are fun to drive. The STR is a great car a car that is both elegant and quick yet if you can't turn a wrench you'd be better off with a chevy or a ford at times I think a drunk brit engineer designed it but with eough calm and skills it can be a very reliable car. Ignore jags issues and it'll bite you back ...HARD... My dad used to say that cars are like women if you don't give them what they need when they need it they'll let you in the middle of the street and boy he was right! If you ever decide again on an Euro car don't relay on dealer for fix sh1t, find a good mechanic or learn how to diy. Lastly, no matter what car you'll get you're not going to be trouble free, an old car will have its issues, just remember they're made by humans so a human can fix them ... :)

LJ909 > Bad 05/12/2016 at 15:06

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Thanks. You were right about that. Luckily I was able to get rid of it when I did. Everyone said I dodged a major bullet. I currently have a Chevy Sonic. Thinking about replacing that though with an FR-S here soon.

dogisbadob > LJ909 05/21/2016 at 17:00

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Consider an LS430. A top quality luxury car.

LJ909 > dogisbadob 05/21/2016 at 19:34

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I’ve been looking at those. I'm not sure how they are reliability wise with the miles I've seen on them. I'm talking about the LS460.

dogisbadob > LJ909 05/21/2016 at 20:11

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They are fine, even with high miles. Toyota makes the best cars.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > LJ909 05/25/2016 at 16:03

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A test drive so thorough that you didn’t notice a frayed seatbelt and a cracked windshield.

LJ909 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 05/25/2016 at 16:10

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Windshield wasnt cracked as you can see in the pic above. It was a chip, which can turn into a crack. And the seat belt was supposed to be fixed by the time I came to get the car. It wasnt, which was why I took it to the shop down the street.

misterk785 > LJ909 07/03/2016 at 13:27

2

Here are the problems I have with this story - any 11 year old car is going to have problems, and when you go to buy any used luxury or performance car, particularly one that originally cost over $60K new, you will inherit the problems of said car and should expect to pony up the dough to fix any issues as if you could afford a $60K car. If you want to spend $10K and have fewer issues, a Versa is a great option. Also, I’d only purchase a vehicle of this type from a dealership which sells this make of car. The mechanics are familiar with the model and the problems it has - I purchased a 2005 Jaguar S-Type R with just over 40K miles from a Jaguar dealership two years ago and have had ZERO problems, mostly because they addressed the necessary issues with the car before offering it for sale. Your average dealership knows nothing about a supercharged Jaguar from 10 years ago, and particularly if they purchased it at auction, will be unfamiliar with what could be a terrible vehicle. And, as always, take your potential new used car to a mechanic or a Jaguar dealership before you buy - you can generally pay them $50 to do a full inspection and it will probably uncover a lot. So, that being said - don’t trash the car when I read a story where 99% of the issues look like your own fault.

LJ909 > misterk785 07/03/2016 at 14:06

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How were the problems my own fault? You really didn't read the story. Where they got into trouble was the assurance that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the car. Even got it I'm writing that there was nothing with it. The mechanics looked it over and were looking it over when I got there. As you said, you can't expect much when paying sub 10 grand for a car. That goes without saying. But again I was assured that nothing was wrong with the car and had mechanics look it over. Nothing went wrong on the test drive. It's not like I left the dealership doing a burn out and then shit went wrong. It was just one of those instances where shit just so happens to go downhill after I signed the papers. It's great that you did that with your S Type R and I applaud you. They are great cars when they are in good condition. But don't use what you did with yours as a wrong judgement against mine.

Rich > LJ909 11/22/2017 at 17:09

1

I had better luck when I purchased a used 2003 Jag S type R in Nanaimo, Canada.

It had under 50,000 miles, looked immaculate inside and out and was/is a pleasure to experience. But, a couple of weeks after purchase it did have issues, some similar to your with the blinking error lights and worse yet the idle got very high, so much so I was scared to drive it. But, the folks I bought it from figured out the issues (not a jag dealer), and had to replace the throttle slide, which was sticking and a computer chip. That was 8 months ago and it runs just great now. I bought it for such a low price to begin with I figured that I would have to spend a few $K to get new tires and do some improvements. My gamble worked and I am pretty darn impressed - quite, great interior comfort and fast when need be. Runs on super and MPG is 17-20 in town, and I am thinking that on I-5 for a longer run it might get 25 MPG. Can’t wait to find out. Sorry your experience was so bad. I feel like I won the lottery though.

LJ909 > Rich 11/22/2017 at 17:58

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Congrats on not having to deal with shitty Jag quality (blame Ford for it moistly). It is a fantastic car. Rare and unexpected for some people. I just couldnt do it nor did I want to go through the hassle of repairing it. In certain circles some of the things I would have needed were hard to come by here.

Todd > Rich 03/09/2018 at 02:40

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Rick, I’m looking for one now. I agree that at least 1 grand after purchase is expected. New nav stereo at least. You still satisfied? Daily driver?

ChefTony > Rich 04/09/2018 at 18:47

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Lol what color is yours, I saw a black one in Auburn today.