Old Peter

Don't mention speed cameras. Coming back from RAF Waddington on the A5 I was apparently caught by a speed camera. I was on a dual carriageway with a normal sped limit of 70mh. As there were Road Works [no-one actually working] I made sure that I was going at 50 mph. I saw no signs limiting speed and no camera warning signs. Yesterday I get a letter saying I was doing 50 mph in a 40 mph area. No point in arguing so I just filled in the form and sent it back. The other annoying thing was that my wife never saw any signs either.

Welcome to the Club, Stevie. Lot of friendly people here. Hope you enjoy the club as much as you enjoy your Jaguar. Regards, Peter.

Welcome to the Club, Paul. I have not experienced your problem, and I just wondering if something in the mechanism is sticking. I always start with the cheapest solution which is a good shot of WD40. Try that and see what happens. Regards, Peter.

Hi Colin, What is the mileage on your car? Jaguar say that the gearbox is sealed for the life of the car, but there are many well experienced owners who say that they have changed their gearbox oil around 75k. I think that these experiences show that gearbox oil does need a change and that 75k is a good mileage to have it done. Experience is better than handbooks. Regards, Peter.

Hi Cameron, I suggest you go on to one of the comparison sites. I got a good quote from both Tesco and SwiftCover, and I went with the latter. I would also suggest that you omit things like a courtesy car after a claim, as you would not miss the car if you are away quite a lot. Regards, Peter.

Hi Scott, There are diesel lovers and there are petrol lovers, and a lot comes down to personal choice. Before I bought my S Type I had already done quite a bit of research both as to cost of running both the 3.0 litre petrol and the 2.7 litre diesel. The advantage of the diesel is both the Road fund licence at £285 and the fuel cost. The best fuel consumption I have had on a 95 mile journey with only 22 miles on a motorway was 49.2 mpg and currently with much local running around I am getting between 32 and 36 mpg. I do use Shell Vitro generally. The 2.7 D engine has superb performance and the acceleration from 30 mph is tremendous as the twin turbo get the car moving really well. The things to watch out for on the diesel are the DPF which needs regeneration periodically, so a longer run every few weeks or so, and giving the Jaguar a bit of welly every now and this also comes easily when you are driving an S Type. The other thing I have experienced is a sticky EGR valve, which can be cured by a bit of welly also, but also a treatment with Millers EGR Valve cleaner if you are experiencing this issue. I have seen cars with well over 100k on the clock and although the belts need changing at 105k, I think that you will probably find that most cars will show when they have been changed if you get a full service history. My model is an SE but there is no difference in engines with the Sport version, and performance is the same. I hope this is helpful. Regards, Peter.

Hi Martin, I was able to get a 2012/13 disc for my S Type from a company called SatNav Updates. Just £30 + p&p. Worth trying. Regards Peter.

Welcome to the Club, Eddie. There are some knowledgeable members who will be able to help get the Old Cat purring again. Regards, Peter.

Welcome to the Club, Andrew. Two great photos. Regards, Peter.

Glyn, The S button is something that is really enjoyable to use. The technical bits have been explained, but the pleasure bit is something that only the driver can tell you about. Regards, Peter.

Welcome to the Club, David. I am not a mechanical expert, so I would suggest that you look for an independent Jaguar Garage to diagnose the issue rather than go to a main dealer who have been known to overcharge a bit. But there might be someone who has experience the same problem and could offer their advice. Regards, Peter.

My X type had tyres 225 - 45 - 17, and I agree that the wheels should cause no problems.

Welcome to the Club, Glyn. Ome of my part hates is anyone who who does not comply with the Highway Code. Sadly, and as a former cyclist who did conform, I must agree with you that 99% do not. I enjoy my Jaguar, and have just returned from a 50 miles round trip to Sudbury Hall, gently through the lanes and enjoying very minute. Regards, Peter.

Hi John, The Jaguar brake pads are not that expensive, and there are several good companies locally who can supply regional parts. The David Manners group [just off the M5 near Halesowen] are good and you can also get them online from them Regards Peter.

Good idea, Trevor. When I did a course on Auto Maintenance, we had the pleasure of working on a side valve engine, plus a sick Hillman Minx. There could also be a technical college that does auto engineering who could borrow it for a term and work on the mechanical bits. The traders know how to make money and we both know that an offer of £500 means that they will stick 4 cheap tyres on it, put on a new battery, and then with a MOT on it they will look around for an enthusiast to buy it for about £5k. Regards, Peter.

Hi Brian, O have just found out how to do photos. Click on to "More reply options" ---- then "Attach files", then photos or something like that. And there you have it. Peter

Hi Trevor, That car that Jim mentioned is just run in. A good service by an expert mechanic will be the medicine it needs. It will then get, in my opinion, the kind of owner it needs. The car has also lots of goodies in it, too, and all the sat nav needs is £30 spent on an up to date disc. My car has the same goodies and with 48k on the clock cost £9,500. Regards, Peter.

HI Brian, Glad the car is fixed. Also I hope the bad news turns good, and quickly. Regards, Peter.

Welcome to the Club, Jim. I m inclined to agree with Trevor. An early S Type with such a low mileage is a good investment. Personally, I would have the car serviced, and a good bodywork detailing, new tyres, and get an MOT. I have had a good look round on various sites and in my opinion the traders are looking at a gift horse. They know that they can get a good price for a car that must have been very early in the series, and with a mileage that says the car is in mint condition. Some offers for cars that old are under £1000, but they have big mileages. However there are some out there with asking prices of over £5,000. I think that with an MOT and new tyres you could advertise it in a Jaguar Magazine and ask for £6,500 and see what replies you have. Regards Peter.

Welcome to the Club, Chris. When I bought my first Jaguar [an 05 plate X Tyoe 2.5 AWD in Radiant Red], the salesman told me that I would never drive another make. He was absolutely correct. When it was stolen -- I was carjacked -- I never even thought of getting any other make of car, and found within 3 weeks my S Type 2.7 Diesel auto in indigo Blue with 48 k on the clock. Jaguars are beautiful cars, and look good in any colour. Just enjoy, Regards, Peter.

No! Quite right. But with some cars it seems to disappear before it lands on the drive, as does mine. But I was told it could be because the odd condensation drips could be landing on the engine shields underneath the car. Peter.

Things I hate most when I am driving. Tailgating is the obvious one, and a similar hate is when overtaking a line of traffic at a reasonable speed - and within the speed limit, -- the idiot who comes up fast behind you flashing his headlights, when he can see that I can't pull in because of the line of traffic inside and when there is nowhere to go because of the line of traffic in front. Using a mobile phone while on the move. Unneccesary. What happened before they were invented? Throwing things out of the window -- usually cigarette butts, often still burning -- while on the move. Very loud music with the windows down. Hogging the driving lanes when the inside lane is empty. People who stop two yards over the halt line at traffic lights. Drivers who go round islands very fast. They are also the same people who drive quickly through car parks. And there are probably more. Peter.

Welcome to the Club, Robert. There should be no problems, other than the battery becoming discharged. There are several members who lay up their cars in the winter. If you leave the battery in the car and give it a charge every now and then you will have no problems, not even resetting the settings on radio, satnav etc. Regards, Peter.

Glad you are a bit more comfortable, Chrissy. Getting the seating position right is something that takes time. I am still fiddling around with mine after a year. Regards, Peter.

When they were closing Gartcosh, 9 0f the workforce plus John Reid the them MP marched to London to lobby the Governmen to keep the works open. I was rung up and asked if I could find somewhere where they could park their caravanette when they got to Corby [very Scottish town], a good place to get mince and chips, and somewhere to clean up. I though I could do it and after a few 'phone calls, I rang back and told my contact that I had arranged for the town baths to be closed for an hour, accommodation was found, and there Council would put on a Civic Reception. Add to that I also arranged for a pipe band to meet them at the town boundary to march into the town. When I asked what kind of band it was, I was told that it was a good band. "Not enough" said I, and eventually I got the information that they would not wear their Orange sashes, and that Canon Dinny Collins had ruled that he would march behind the very devil himself to save jobs. Peter.