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Jaguar S-Type

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tony barnhill

tony barnhill

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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Just learned at my local dealer that this is the last year for the S-Type...that new Lexus-looking Jag is coming out to place it...should be at dealers in March 2008 all the 2008 S-Types are being delivered to dealers now & by March they'll be pretty much phased out!

Its time to buy Jerri a new car since her C280 will be 10 years old in 2008...I'd planned on letting her choose between the Jaguar S-Type, the Cadillac CTS, and the Mercedes equivalent to her C-Class (she's not interested in BMW's)....looks like her choices are getting slim since she's slow to make a choice for a new car (she always plans on keeping them 10 years)!
 
hehehe...Last night I was showing her photos of the originals against the new & she could actually see the likeness! Step 1 complete...hehehe
 
Just spent some time reading consumer guides on the C-Class Mercedes, the CTS Cadillac & the S-Type Jaguar....CTS is designed to compete with the C-Class, the 3-Series BMW & the X-Type Jaguar which isn't even an option; the S-Type is designed to compete with the 5-Series BMW, the E-Class Mercedes & the Cadillac STS...so, its sorta apples & oranges comparing the Jaguar to the other 2 options.

The S-Type is the longest of the 3 (CTS the 2nd & C-Class the shortest). That's important to my 5'4" wife!

BMW isn't an option right now as she owned one before & didn't like it (I've had 3, a 2002, a 320is, & a 323i Euro & loved 'em all - but this will be her car)

S-Type got the worst ratings for reliability & maintaining value....unbelieveably, the C-Class got average reliability ratings but great value retainability ratings while the CTS beat them both (however, that was the 2007 CTS, not the redesigned 2008 version). The 2008 CTS was rated "more fun" (power, braking, handling) to drive than the C-Class or S-Type but I'm into fun driving & Jerri isn't.

CTS has more "creature comfort" items than C-Class while Jaguar matches or beats the CTS. However, US car manufacturers are notorious for changing car designs more often than European manufacturers; and this is the first year for the redesigned CTS & C-Class but the last year for the S-Type.

I think I'm just thinking out loud as we start the process and may actually be talking myself into broadening the options. But, Jerri isn't interested in Volvos, Japanese cars, Chrysler, Buick or any other US manufacturers....hmmm, the option may be C-Class or C-Class or C-Class.

Right now she drives a 1998 C-Class; her car before it was a 1992 190E that a drunk totalled for her; and before that was the 1984 5-Series BMW. She picked out & bought the 190-E on her own without input from me & together we bought the C-Class to replace it. However, if I left her to make the decision by herself, she'd continue driving her present car (with almost 200,000 miles on it!) for several more years.
 
I'm of no help. Your conversation cost more than I can spend on a vehicle. Guess that's why my TR is still in pieces. hehehe
Ya need to hire a wrench?
Seriously, good luck.
 
Banjo - when you amortize the cost over the 10 years she'll keep it, its not as expensive as it appears.
 
tony barnhill said:
Banjo - when you amortize the cost over the 10 years she'll keep it, its not as expensive as it appears.
Click to expand...


/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gif Providd you don't count the repair bills.--Keoke-- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif
 
ya got me there Tony. But my budget forces me to string a series of $100 junkers out over that same 10 years. I average about 3 or 4 years before they're just an economically unfixable pile of rust. Sometimes I get a nice car with power goodies, but usually crank up windows are a luxury item in my bombs.
kinda like the "cobblers shoes" syndrome
Repair bills never amount to much with me. a new engine, on average, sets me back $200. I know what I can get away with used, and were to get low cost new. But I still tend to stay away from cheap junk parts.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Providd you don't count the repair bills.--Keoke-- [/QUOTE]
& that's what bothers me about the S-type...& I don't have any history with Cadillac repair costs...but I do have plenty of history with Mercedes repair/upkeep costs.
 
Hi Tony, these days with all the complexity in the modern automobile the cost of repairs are about the same. What can really run up the cost though is the overall lack of reliability in some models. The older Mercedes are more reliable than the newer models and the German built cars are still the best. However, I can't help you with the current Caddy costs as I gave up on them in 1973.---Keoke
 
Out of those three I'd go for the Merc. Repairs on the Jag will kill you, and I'm prejudiced against the built in obsolescence that seems to be the lot for American cars. Sadly MB dropped the free 4 years maintenance - but interestingly BMW still has it.

If the 3 series BMW is out, but you aren't prejudiced against Japanese cars, take a look at the Infiniti G35 and the Acura TL.

You might also want to try a loaded 3.6l Passat - we picked an up a 6-month old ex VWoA one for 10k off list (we needed a wagon), and it's way better than I expected. 1st year depreciation is ferocious though, so this is one to buy second hand.

One other surprisingly good car is the Avalon - the leather quality isn't up to MB standards, but for a big car it isn't a bad drive.
 
I'd consider a BMW but right now Jerri won't...neither of us are fans of Japanese cars though I did drive my daughter's new Lexus SUV this weekend & my son-in-law's Lexus sedan is very nice...Jerri prefers the feel of European cars and their classic look (that's quickly disappearing).

I agree with you about American car built-in obsolescence.

Next dealership to visit is our Mercedes dealer - man, I really don't want to go talk with them! I've stopped taking my 380SL & her C280 there for service because of their repair department...to buy a new one from them means being locked to their yoke again! Maybe I'll visit the dealer in Birmingham for literature.

...& possibly I can get her to let me drive by the local BMW dealer (its the same as the Jaguar dealer).

I can buy a car for me at the drop of a hat - buying one for my wife is a year-long process! Plus, we're both gonna be 62 by the time we buy this one - it might be the last one we need to buy!
 
tony barnhill said:
Plus, we're both gonna be 62 by the time we buy this one - it might be the last one we need to buy!
Click to expand...
Tony 3 out of 4 of my grandparents were still driving in their upper 80s one was still driving at 90. You planning on keeping that car until it is an antique or something?
 
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