Jaguar S-Type (1999 to 2008)

The S-Type, coded X200, was the car that took Jaguar back into the mid-size executive market under Ford ownership. Ford invested heavily in the Castle Bromwich plant to build it, and it shared its rear-wheel-drive DEW98 platform with the Lincoln LS and Ford Thunderbird, although Jaguar engineers set the seating position, crash structure and suspension tuning. It was shown at the Birmingham motor show in October 1998 and went on sale in early 1999, with retro styling that deliberately recalled the 1960s S-Type and Mk2.

Launch engines were a 3.0 litre V6 and a 4.0 litre V8, followed by a 2.5 V6, a 4.2 V8, the supercharged S-Type R and, from 2004, a 2.7 litre twin-turbo diesel. A 2002 to 2003 update brought a much better interior and a six-speed automatic, and a 2004 facelift tidied the styling. The XF replaced it in 2007 to 2008.

The S-Type rides comfortably and handles tidily, and the R is very fast. The styling divided opinion and early cars earned a mixed reputation for electrical faults and quality, but the post-2004 cars are generally considered better built. Today it is an affordable, practical saloon for which condition and history count more than specification, and sill rust is the main enemy.

• Years: launched October 1998, on sale 1999, replaced by the XF from 2007 to 2008.
• Body style: four-door saloon only.
• Engines (Drives Today figures): 2.5 V6, 2498cc, about 200bhp; 3.0 V6, 2967cc, about 235 to 240bhp; 4.0 V8, 3996cc, about 280bhp; 4.2 V8, 4196cc, about 300bhp; supercharged 4.2 V8 S-Type R, about 390 to 400bhp; 2.7 V6 diesel, 2720cc, about 204bhp. Sources quote slightly different outputs.
• Gearboxes: five-speed manual; five-speed automatic at launch (Classics World describes it as Ford-sourced, Drives Today as ZF, and both may be right for different engines); six-speed ZF automatic from the 2002 to 2003 update, and on the R from its launch.
• Drive: rear-wheel drive throughout.
• Production: no reliable total found in the sources consulted. Drives Today notes the model helped Jaguar exceed 100,000 annual sales for the first time.

• 1999: 3.0 V6 and 4.0 V8, Standard and SE trims.
• 2000: Sport trim, with adaptive dampers on V8 Sport.
• 2002: 2.5 V6 added; V8 enlarged to 4.2; supercharged S-Type R launched with limited-slip differential.
• 2002 to 2003 model year update: redesigned dashboard and console, electronic parking brake, six-speed automatic, grille badge.
• 2004 (2005 model year): Ian Callum facelift with new bonnet, grille, valances and rear lamps; 2.7 diesel introduced.
• 2006 to 2007: run-out trims such as XS and Spirit; late cars took the R-style bumpers and grille.

Bodywork and structure

• Sills are the main problem and are hidden behind full-length plastic covers. Press along the sill and check MoT history for advisories. Rot can spread to the inner sills and floors.
• Under the rear screen seal, the trailing edges of the rear doors, and where the bumpers rub the body.
• Seams behind the front wheels, the boot floor and spare wheel well (boot seals leak, and the battery lives in the boot).
• Overspray on the chassis legs, inner wings or front slam panel suggests accident repair.
• Cloudy headlamps and broken beam adjusters; a clonking wiper linkage.

Engine

• V6 petrols: sump and cam cover gasket leaks, water pump failure, blocked breather pipes, coil pack misfires. Rear bank plugs on the V6 are awkward to reach.
• Early V8s (before about 2000): Nikasil cylinder bore wear, similar to other Jaguar V8s of the period; also noisy timing chains and tensioners on 1999 to 2001 engines.
• S-Type R: a coolant pipe under the supercharger can fail.
• Diesel: EGR clogging, injector and turbo faults, DPF regeneration trouble on cars used for short trips, and a cracking intercooler hose. Cam belt changes are due at long intervals, with a separate rear belt.
• All: the coolant header tank becomes brittle and cracks.
• A long crank before starting may point to a failing sensor. Check warning lights come on and go out.

Gearbox and drivetrain

• Manuals are heavy but robust.
• Automatics can be jerky, and some have failed at modest mileage. The six-speed benefits from a fluid change despite being described as sealed. A sloppy J-gate selector is common.
• On diesel automatics, a failed gearbox oil cooler can contaminate the gearbox with coolant.
• Differential seals can leak at the driveshafts.

Suspension, steering and brakes

• Worn front lower arm and reaction arm bushes cause woolly steering and shimmy under braking. Rear clonks are often worn linkage bushes.
• Early cars were recalled over front lower ball joints.
• Electronic parking brake units (from 2002 to 2003) can seize; there was also a recall for unintended application on some cars.
• Rusty brake pipes, seized calipers, and corroded ABS rings on the rear driveshafts, which may mean a new driveshaft.

Electrics and interior

• Test windows (cables fray), central locking, door latches, seat motors, mirrors and sunroof.
• Ticking behind the dashboard at idle suggests failing air blend motors; check the climate control delivers different temperatures to each side.
• Water leaks into the boot can damage electrics.
• Driver's seat bolsters wear.

Identity and paperwork

• Check open recalls with a Jaguar dealer: published recalls include seat belt buckles, front ball joints, an automatic gearbox issue and the electronic parking brake.
• R badges and wheels are easily fitted to lesser models. A genuine R has the supercharged 4.2, Brembo brakes and correct VIN details.
• Compare the mileage with MoT history.

Parts are generally easy to obtain and reasonably priced because many components are shared with Ford models. Jaguar specialists and independent garages can service them, and an OBD code reader is a useful tool. The Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club (https://jec.org.uk/) and the Jaguar Drivers' Club (https://www.jaguardriver.co.uk/) both welcome modern Jaguars and offer technical help and forums.

• Have the sills been checked behind the covers or repaired, and are there photographs?
• Have the recall campaigns been carried out?
• When were the automatic gearbox fluid and, on diesels, cam belts last changed?
• On an early V8, has the engine been replaced or checked for bore wear?
• Are there any warning lights or electrical faults the seller knows about?