I have finally given up my dream car. It was an S-Type 2.7 Diesel, purchased brand new in September 2006 and was going to be the car that would see me to the end of my driving days having retired in 2004. Wonderful performance, great to drive and with those elegant looks which were the hallmark of Jaguar in the past. My dreams started to fade in January 2009 at approximately 20,000 miles when a chirping noise like a cage full of canaries developed in the engine bay. Fixed by fitting a new aux drive belt. August 2009, a month before the warranty expired. A badly fitted speaker box in the front passenger door had leaked a substantial amount of water into the foot-well following a rain storm. I had a feeling that it was not uncommon as the garage fixed it very promptly. March 2010 at approximately 31,000 miles the chirping noise returned and was fixed by fitting another aux drive belt, this time at my cost as the vehicle was out of warranty. At this time the rear suspension had developed an annoying squeak which was repaired by fitting a number of components including both rear wishbone arms at a considerable cost. I found it very surprising that these components should have failed after such a short service life and considering that the vehicle had been driven on good roads with only the front seats occupied most of the time. When challenged, Jaguar agreed to pay half of the costs of the repair. September 2010 - Another substantial water leak, this time through the speaker box on the driver's door. The dealer took no notice of my advice that it was probably the speaker box seal and instead adjusted the door striker, which had no effect on the leak. They wouldn't listen to me and insisted that they would have to perform a complete water integrity check, at some extortionate cost. I got my money back for the unnecessary cost of adjusting the striker and fixed the leak myself. It was a badly fitted seal around the speaker box, as I had suspected. March 2011 at approximately 41,000 miles the squeak reappeared in the rear suspension. During the subsequent investigation with an independent garage I discovered that the left rear brake pads were worn out and the disc was very badly worn. This appeared to be the result of a badly fitted calliper carrier which caused the pads to be at an angle to the disc. The dealer was the last to work on the brakes when they fitted new pads in August 2009 at 25883 miles (just 15000 miles previously). Not being able to identify the source of the noise from the rear suspension I took the vehicle back to the dealer. To say I was surprised when they fixed the noise by fitting yet another set of rear wishbone arms would be an understatement. I challenged the dealer, but I did not have the old parts. When I said that the 12 month parts warranty should be applied, both the dealer and Jaguar refused on the grounds that the invoice for the work was issued one day after the warranty expired. April 2011 at approximately 42,000 miles the chirping aux drive belt made its self apparent once again (less than one year and 10,000 miles since the previous replacement). This time the dealer changed the tensioner as well as the belt. Following some correspondence complaining about the rear wishbone arms, the dealer agreed to some compensation which I accepted. I hoped that I now had a vehicle which would give me some trouble free motoring for a couple of years. WRONG During one of the few hot days we have had this summer, I discovered they the two centre air vents in the dashboard would not blow air, cold or otherwise. The problem appeared to be in the air distribution box. At almost the same time the rear parking sensor system began to malfunction. Having had enough, I got rid of my beautiful S-Type. It was a bit like having a beautiful but fast lady on you arm. HIGH MAINTENANCE AND UNRELIABLE. NO MORE JAGUARS FOR ME.
