Old Peter

Welcome to the Club, Chris. My S type feels a bit out of date and slow compared with all the XKR's about. But, I don't mind southerners --- you make good use of all the things we make up here. Regards, Peter Lancastrian in exile.

Trevor, Diesel engines need to have more of their innards cleaning out. There are EGR valves and DFP filters for instance, which get some benefit from the process. But Terraclean was invented, if that is the right word, for us on petrol cars, and it does a great job on emission controls. Petrol engines with higher mileages will benefit also, but normally I don't think a petrol engine would need the service until it has done over 50k or if it has problems with emissions. Petrol engines run much cleaner than diesel engines, which is why the diesel engines has to have more additives in the fuel and much more emission control. Peter.

It was a very easy job on the S Type -- just 5 minutes.

Hi Kevin, I do less than 7000 miles a year, so I would be inclined to have the Terraclean every other year a week or two before the MOT, which will make sure the emissions are up to scratch. I think, and it is only a guess, that every 15,000 or so miles would be about right. Keeping an engine clean inside is just as important to me as keeping a car clean and tidy outside. Regards, Peter.

Hi Andy, As a Premium Member, there is a company which gives a 20% discount to Jaguar Owner' s club members, called Rimfurbish, which you will find by clicking on Membership and going from there. They also supply alloy wheels and do a part exchange service. They are based in West Bromwich, which is 12 miles away from me, but they will deliver, but that could be more expensive than driving down here and letting them do the job on their premises, if you decide on a set of new alloys. It is worth having a look at the site. Regards, Peter.

Hi Charlie, Pouring in an additive can make your tank of fuel just as expensive as buying Shell vitro. Terraclean is something that equates to the old de-coke of an engine, in a way. It removes carbon deposits and generally cleans the engine. Cars with a diesel engine benefit the most, although the procedure for diesels is more expensive. One of the things it does do is improve the engine emissions. That is the technical bit which can be seen on You Tube --- just google "Terraclean" and you will get a choice of videos to watch. The after effects for my car have been very noticeable. The car is quicker, quieter, and the fuel economy has improved by over 10%.The engine on my car was replaced by Jaguar at 21k miles and has only done 34k which is quite low for a 7 year old car. I am having it done to my son's immaculate 13 year old Skoda for his birthday present. The cost for my car was £114, and it was well worth the money. Regards, Peter.

Interestingly, Graham, on 5th Gear this morning, one of the presenters said that there are more computers on a modern car than on the Space Shuttle. Peter

Hi Trevor, I did some research about biodiesel and find that it powers quite a lot of trucks and there heavy vehicles. But I don't have a truck, I have a Jaguar, and I think the best car in Europe deserves the best fuel in Europe. Regards, Peter.

Chrissy, Any luck with the bonnet catch? Peter.

Welcome to the club, Kevin. Beware biodiesel. The 2.7 litre CRD engine in the S Type Jaguar is a performance engine and was designed by Peugeot and Ford for Jaguar and Land Rover. It might be cheaper, but a new engine can cost more than you think. I have been advised not to use supermarket diesel without adding additives, but rather to use the expensive diesel, which gives you better performance and better mpg. I had my car terracleaned a month ago and got 49.2 going up to Lancashire, and just knocking round the locality I am getting 32 mpg. I know the EU do insist that biodiesel is the way ahead and that a certain amount can be added to standard diesel [some goes into supermarket diesel], but the difference in performance I get from the dearer stuff is worth the extra I pay at the pump. Add to that the EGR valves don't stick any more, and the DPF filter gets better treatment. Regards, Peter. Lancastrian in exile.

Hi Andy, When I had an x type I had 17" Wheels which I found gave me a very good ride. I think 18" wheels would look a bit too big on the X type and I have heard that the smaller wheels give a better ride. I have 18" wheels on my S Type and they look about right for the car. Tyres are a different matter. They are more utilitarian than aesthetic. You have a performance car and you should not skimp on tyres. I have Pirellis which were on the car when I bought it, and I have no complaint. I had similar on my x type 2.5 AWD and I thought they were very good, too. Regards, Peter.

Welcome to the club, Tom There are quite a few knowledgeable members who will assist if they can. I hope I don't get the same squeak in my 2.7D SE, as my solution for squeaks is WD40. Regards, Peter.

Steve has said that Halfords discount cards will be on their way to all Premium members within a week or so. For the other discounts you will need the code. Peter.

I think you ought to get it to a Jaguar Specialist, Barry. It might be nothing serious but on the other hand keeping on running the car when the amber light comes on might cause something that you don't want to happen. Regards, Peter

I have asked Steve the same question, Charlie.

Yes Andy, for over 77 years. Sadly, however, I did not renew my season ticket this year, partly due to the distance, but due more to the change by the new CEO from Sunday afternoons to Friday nights. The M6 is stop start and the back roads are the same on Fridays, so Row 14 seat 93 South Stand Gold Section is vacant. My son and I go when we can on Sundays, but we haven't been this season due to other commitments. I am glad your battery problem is now sorted. My S type has a 95 ah as recommended by Jaguar. Jaguars are complicated as well as beautiful cars both to look at and to drive and batteries, when they are not the right ones tend to worry the ECU somewhat. And when the battery is on the way out, less important electrical functions [radio etc] are shut down by the computer. Regards, Peter.

Hi Phillip, Hope its gets sorted. Never mind punctuation --- the important bit of language is understanding the message. I understood it without any problem. Let us know how you get on, as all experiences are useful. Regards, Peter.

Hi Christine, I have just had a look at my S Type, and there does not seem to be a way of adjusting the height of the accelerator pedal. I believe that on some models, usually the "R" versions have an automatic adjustment mode. I have also had a look at the x type handbook and can't find anything there either. I have never had a problem of that nature, and think that your comfort while driving could be something to do with your seat adjustment. I am not a tall person - just 5'6' - and have to get the seat memory right for driving. It could be worth having an experiment. Regards, Peter.

Welcome to the Club, Christine. That sound a practical solution. My solution for years was just hit it with a lump hammer, but I think that might damage the body work, Regards, Peter. p.s. I am now going to see if my s type throttle pedal can be adjusted.

Hi Andy, I always try for a second opinion, so I walked round to the Car Accessory shop and spoke to the owner. He tells me that if it was the alternator at fault it would not charge the battery at all and the light would stay on when driving. When I told him what battery was on the car, he said immediately that it was the wrong battery, and that a modern car needs much more power. Let us know how you get on. Peter. PS --- I am originally from Widnes, and here via North Wales & Sheffield.

Welcome to the Club, Phillip. There are a lot of helpful members who will offer you their experiences. You can download an owners manual from the internet, and I am sure that there are some genuine ones out there that you could possibly find on ebay or Gumtree. The intermittent parking sensor could be which could be over waxing and could be cleared with some car shampoo and warm water. It could also be one of the four sensors or the way out, which happened to me on an x type over a year ago. A replacement will cost about £20. Finding which one is a bit more difficult. The air conditioning unit is a bit more difficult, and these days I do not get oily hands, so my inclination would be to look in the piggy bank for £40 and take the car to one of these places that advertise regassng the unit. Regards, Peter.

Hi Eric, There are quite a few fabric adhesives available, and I think that you willl find them in craft shops. I used one on a caravan seat some years ago, but I can't think of the name. Regards, Peter.

Welcome to the Club, Matt. And a very useful first post. Exchanging experiences is always helpful. Regards, Peter.

Euro Car Parts are supposed to be very good, and they are a national company with stores everywhere. Just Google them and put in your postcode. Very close to me is an Auto Accessory shop - quite independent -where I have bought batteries over the years, so I am a bit spoilt. I would tend to avoid the Kwik fits and tyre companies. Also google "Car Batteries 80ah 110A" and print off the results. There is nothing like knowing the answer before you ask the question. Let me know how you get on. Peter. PS __ What part of Lancashire are you from?

Thanks for the Photo's, Andy. It now becomes clear. The 64 ah 510A battery is extremely suitable for older cars --- those made in the 80's --- with far less electrical equipment on them. What should be fitted is a 80 ah 110A battery, I am no electrical expert but I do know that you need the correct battery for all the electrics to work properly. Peter.