[TwistNShout]

Sorry in advance for the long post, but I thought it was worth documenting the mileage in recent years.

I retired in February last year and less than a month later the turbo failed on my X-type, after doing a quick tot up of work that was required that car was consigned to the scrap yard and we were forced into an earlier than expected rethink over cars. As my wife has a Discovery for her daily drive and I also own an MG for fun, given that I no longer need to commute to work, we decided not to replace the Jag. To be honest I have kept looking at Jags whenever I see one and have missed mine, but I get my wife's comment about two people owning three cars is a bit wasteful - there is no way that the MG is going I might add.

Then today we drove past a car dealers and she commented on the nice Jag parked in front, to the extent that she asked me to turn round so we could look. The car is a 55 plate S-Type, 2.7D sport with an auto gearbox that has done 87K miles - looking at the mot history it looks reasonable
2022 87K
2021 83K (about 800 miles)
2020 83K
2019 82K
2018 80K
2017 79K
2016 76K
2015 73K
2014 70K
2013 67K
2012 63K

So as you can see it hasn't done many miles in the last ten years, the online MOT info shows only very minor fails or advisories (bulb failed or tyre wear getting low)

As the dealer wasn't open we haven't asked about service history and obviously haven't driven the car.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the low mileage in recent years, does a good service history negate that worry?

Is there anything that I should be particularly looking for on an inspection? Sills?

I believe that the cam belt interval is 100K miles, should it have been changed due to age? To be honest, if it hasn't been done, I'd be tempted to get it done quite quickly.

I believe the gear box oil should be changed at 70K miles, is that correct?

I should have said, dealer is asking just over £3000 for the car.

 

[MrKis]

You’ve mentioned most things. Presuming the car has had some oil changes, I wouldn’t be that worried about the low mileage.
Short journeys aren’t the best for diesels and low mileage suggests that but really low mileage also means fewer miles covered under those conditions.

Petrol engines cars are simpler and there’s less to go wrong but the diesel is turbocharged and feels powerful.

Cam belts are due on age as well as mileage. Every ten years I think, might be a little lower, can’t remember.
Gearbox service is the same, ten years or 70k mile ish. Budget £400 for that.

I’d just inspect carefully for rust and give it a decent, long test drive, using all the power. Looking at the sills really needs the covers removing.

 

[Victor]

the belts are 100/105k OR 10 years (whichever comes first), and plan for a waterpump while the front end is stripped down.

 

[Neilr]

Low mileage is not a worry as long as it isn't due to a lot of short journeys or includes very long periods of unuse, especially if stored outside. Mine is 22 years old and is sitting at around 55k miles. Sure after a winter of sitting it takes some time for the tyres to round out but it runs fine. Oil changes are done when I fancy doing it but it is still done probably every 2-3k miles max. simply because its turn for some care comes around. I wouldn't worry too much about mechanical details. Minor things can be sorted if the basic car is sound. However, the diesel is more complicated and more things do seem to go wrong with them but they tend to be used more too, I guess.

Rust/general condition is the main problem. Make sure that the bodywork is good or that you are willing to have it fixed.

These cars are pretty old now and you seem to get them for peanuts. They are at least double out here Parts can be quite expensive though, so drive it and check it out carefully. The less you need to do to get it correct the better. There are a lot of minor things that are known to have caused trouble. Make sure that the suspension is in good shape. Bushes and rubber covers deteriorate and replacing them all before the next MOT could be a major shock to the system even if the car drives well. Check the electrics such as window mechanisms, door locks, door mirrors, parking sensors (water in boot), headlight adjusters, parking brake, etc - check everything. Coolant header tanks crack, etc. Most of these things have probably been fixed if they went wrong, but still worth checking.

 

[TwistNShout]

Thanks for your useful replies. We've been kicking the idea around and I'll be calling the dealer later to ask questions and arrange a test drive. I think that my wife secretly misses the Jag

 

[supertrev]

Hi Twist N Shout,
From experience I strongly suggest checking the heater and air conditioning.
.
Heat;
Leave the air con and "auto feature" off and get the engine up to operating normal temperature.
Set the temperature to "HI" on the panel, full fan manual set speed and face vents open. Within a minute you should have hot air to your face.

Air Con;
Switch on the air con and set the temperature to "Low" again with the "Auto" off, face vents only and full manual fan speed set and within 2 minutes you should have ice cold air to your face.

I know this because my 2 x S-types, 2004 XJ 350, 2009 XF and now 2009 XJ TDi have all been plagued by poor heaters that take miles and miles to warm up but never to a satisfactory hot heat.
.
Supertrev.

.

 

[MrKis]

The blend doors have a habit of dying. Not expensive to fix, just awkward. Check heat goes exactly and only to the direction selected, such as ‘feet’.
The diesel has an aux heater but it will only fire up at 5 or below.

 

[nigelbb]

I bought a 2.7D over two years ago with 100K on the clock. I have now done over 131K almost totally trouble free miles. I recently drove down to the South of France & back a round trip over over 2K miles smooth motoring. At £3K I paid over the odds for the car but cosmetically it was perfect (sadly a few little scrapes now) & everything works perfectly including all the little extras like folding mirrors etc

I am astonished at how fast it is for a diesel the acceleration really pushes you back into your seat. I owned an Audi A6 Quattro 2.7T for a couple of years & the Jag seems just as fast. Fuel consumption is less than I would like at around 34mpg but I suppose that is the price to pay for the massive performance.

 

[TwistNShout]

Thanks everyone for your help and advice. Unfortunately we missed out on this car but we will keep looking, I think I'm decided on this model but the trouble is my wife loved the colour (metallic green) and I don't think that it is that common.

 

[04str]

A diesel really needs driving plenty and with the way things are going I'd get a petrol (or electric or hybrid) car unless doing stellar miles.

 

[TwistNShout]

Thanks for everyone's help/advice.

We test drove several cars, two 2.5 V6, one 3.0 V6 and two 2.7 Diesel to be exact. The one that we both liked, as it was absolutely pristine with a full Jaguar dealer service history, all the toys that we wanted and (most importantly) what we thought was a fair price was a 2.7 Diesel - so that's the one we bought.

 

[Red Cat]

I bought a 2.7D over two years ago with 100K on the clock. I have now done over 131K almost totally trouble free miles. I recently drove down to the South of France & back a round trip over over 2K miles smooth motoring. At £3K I paid over the odds for the car but cosmetically it was perfect (sadly a few little scrapes now) & everything works perfectly including all the little extras like folding mirrors etc

I am astonished at how fast it is for a diesel the acceleration really pushes you back into your seat. I owned an Audi A6 Quattro 2.7T for a couple of years & the Jag seems just as fast. Fuel consumption is less than I would like at around 34mpg but I suppose that is the price to pay for the massive performance.

I had one a couple of years ago for 11 years and had it re mapped which gave it another 40 bhp and 100 ft lbs of torque with no detriment to the engine.