[s-type] I Love Jaguars BUT

OK Guys and Gals

It is something that has bothered me for many years and I am just
curious if anyone else feels the same, and let me preface these
comments by saying I have been buying Jaguars for many years (since
the late 70’s)and have driven and worked on most models.
Why you may ask am I only putting this diatribe on the S Type
register, well its simple I have owned a 2000 S type for some years
now but there are a couple of things that REALLY bug me and the
fact that I live in Arizona where we get very little rain and it
hardly every drop below 70 has brought this to a head and I am
really directing my comments at the idiots that designed this car
(and yes I still do love my car)come on where were their heads up
their butts ??

The heater valve that is way more complicated that it needs to be
and is located in the MOST awkward place it could be (fortunately
being in AZ I vary rarely need it), also (and I believe this is
some sort of colonial revenge)the wipers stop at the end of their
sweep right in the drivers line of vision (at least on American
models) this usually leaves the grime there and the rubber smears
of course this is not the case if you are sitting and driving from
the ‘other’ side of the car like the British do it just blocks the
passenger view and no one cares about them (you may ask am I anti
British not really, but then again I am English).
Then some DO DO (extinct bird) decided it would be a good idea to
locate the power steering pump way down low and in order to remove
it you have to move the A/C compressor which because of bolt
location takes ages, and then I find out it�s a Ford part the same
as a Lincoln LS :(.

How do I know all these things are such a pain, simple these are
the ones I have had to replace or repair.

Then there are these other wonderful ideas, ‘sealed for life’
transmission, yeah right.

Electric hand brake, thank God I don’t have one on my model.

Plastic timing chain tensioner, what were they thinking.

PLEASE don’t get me wrong I am not down on Jaguars I love them in
fact I have 3 of them and if I include my brother we have a total
of 5 in the family.

I guess it amazes me that such a great company can allow such
things or maybe that is just what happens.

I am sure and hope to hear others thoughts on this matter and also
let me know what other ‘issues’ I can look forward to on my lovely
cars.

Gary

Certified Jaguar nut and complete Gear Head.

1964 MKII 3.8
2000 S Type 4.0
1964 E Type 3.8 (mine and my brothers)
1994 XJS (Brothers)
2005 S Type (Brothers)–
jagvette0_1
Queen Creek , Arizona, United States
–Posted using Jag-lovers JagFORUM [forums.jag-lovers.org]–

Visit the Jag Lovers homepage at http://www.jag-lovers.org for exciting services and resources including Photo Albums, Event Diary / Calendar, On Line Books and more !

In reply to a message from jagvette0_1 sent Wed 3 Apr 2013:

Bit of a burr under the saddle, have we? Welcome to the
world of modern cars. A drawback of all V engines is not
much room up top for ancilliaries, they end up all packed
together down below. I have Rhino plastic ramps but they
really aren’t tall enough. I think there’s a market for foot
high full car length ramps.
Its nothing new, my 1974 XJ12 is also packed in so full
there was no room for the horns, so they put them in front
of the radiator.
Could be worse, on my brother’s Porsche 928 to change the
starter you drop the engine and trans out the bottom.

I too have changed the heater valve, but I removed the top
hose and moved the AC canister out of the way first. It took
me awhile to figure out those clever quick connect hoses.

On the wipers, mine leaves about 1 inch of unwiped glass on
the left. That never bothered me, all cars are like that. I
believe on RHD cars all the wiper mechanism is reversed. If
yours is more than that one inch, you can remove and
reposition the wiper arm so it wipes where you want. Pop off
the round cover plug, then there is a nut, then the wiper
arm can be wiggled off. Be careful if it is tight, wrap it
in a towel because it may suddenly fly off and damage something.

I’ve put a transmission checking and filling procedure on
this forum, check the archives.

My beef is the inside mirror is too low, at first I had to
remember to look under it, nearly got hit by cars coming
from the right at intersections a couple of times.

Lets see, other hints for Arizona residents…
Never try to open the sunroof or door windows when they are
covered in thick ice. The motors are strong enough to break
the plastic parts in the mechanisms. Guess how I know. ;-)–
XK120 FHC, Mark V saloon, XJ12L Series II, S-Type 3.0
–Posted using Jag-lovers JagFORUM [forums.jag-lovers.org]–
–Support Jag-lovers - Donate at http://www.jag-lovers.org/donate04.php

Visit the Jag Lovers homepage at http://www.jag-lovers.org for exciting services and resources including Photo Albums, Event Diary / Calendar, On Line Books and more !