Jaguar_World_Issue_186_July_2017

BUYING
£3K JAGUARS
S-TYPE 3.0 V6
Launched in 1998, this mid-sizeexecutive-class S-TYPE is currently
one of the cheapestwaysintoJaguar ownership
OT’d examples of the S-TYPE are
available from as little as afew
M hundred pounds, although you
won’t end up with anything
particularly special; up your budget to £3,000
and youcan pickupavery nicecar indeed.
The original S-TYPE echoed the retrostyling
trends of the time by taking design
cues from its Sixties forebear of the same
name, as well as the Mk 2. The choiceof
distinctiveovalgrille, twin headlamps and
drooping rear end were directly driven by
the brand’s heritage, and although it was
aimed at the smaller mid-sizeexecutive
class –adirect rival to theBMW 5-Series
and the Mercedes E-Class –the S-TYPE
wasn’t much smaller than the XJ saloon.
Indeed, it wasjust 20cm shorter and had a
larger,morepractical, passenger area.
Under the skin, it wasbased on aFord
platform that would also underpin the
parent company’s luxury Lincoln LS in
the States. This wasamovethat upset
the Jaguar purists, but at thesame time
afforded the brand the opportunity to
develop the car at a much-reduced price.
What’s more, the finished product showed
that enthusiasts had been worrying
unnecessarily – the S-TYPE had a good ride,
perfectly capable handling,and asteering
feel that had been refined by Jaguar’s
own engineerstogiveconsiderably better
feedbackthan the American chassis tune.
Wherethe car did come in forcriticism
wasits interior quality –the plasticky
steering wheel, Ford-derived switchgear
and fairly cheap-feeling leather detracts
from the exterior’s promise.
On a£3,000 budget, a
petrol-enginedversion of
this generation of S-TYPE
is well within your grasp
These were criticisms that Jaguar took
on board, with avastly improved cabin
from late2001-onwards, based on similar
design themes to the new X-TYPE, and a
more comprehensive facelift (along with
the arrival of diesel engines) from 2003.
The final facelifted models were also more
technologically advanced, with features such
as an electronic parking brake and a haptic
touchscreen, whichdelivered kinaesthetic
feedbacktothe driver’s fingers.
On a£3,000 budget, apetrol-engined
version of this generation of S-TYPE is
well within your grasp, and should be in
extremely tidy condition. They’realso much
betterrustproofed than the early S-TYPEs,
whichare prone to sill and floorpan
corrosion if not properly looked after.
The 3.0-litreV6isthe one to go forunless
youcover abig mileage, as it’s far more
reliable than the 2.7 TDV6 diesel. The engine
comes from Ford’s DURATECengine family,
but don’t let this put youoff. The 240bhp
unit is torquey and responsive, and has an
excellent reliability record.The best option is
to seekout apre-2006 SE model, as this is the
best combination in terms of running costs
and specification –anything registered from
March 2006 onwardsissubject to amore
punitivelevel of road taxof£535 per annum,
as opposed to £305 ayearfor earlier models.
That said, the last-of-the-line Spirit models
were well equipped and came with the
S-TYPE R-style alloys, so if you’relooking for
an occasional-use car that you only tax for a
few months a year, it has quite a bit going for
it. You’ll struggle to get one at £3,000 unless
you buy privately, but they are out there.
44 | Jaguar World /July 2017