Old Peter

Hi Paul, I use Autoglym and also Mer and both appear to be good leather feeder and smell quite good. Peter.

Hi Graham, The tyre pressure seems to be the same as the with a recommended 31 psi all round. For high speeds the Jaguar recccomndation of 38 psi means at speeds over 100 mph. I would stay with the 31 psi. I keep to that & my tyres never get warm, which is a reasonable test. Regards Peter.

Hi Colin, I sometimes have problems with the egr valves [the OBD Scanner gives Code P0402] which is an indication that the valves are sticking shut. Wynns EGR Diesel cleaner - a can costs less than a Tenner - usually cures it when a good blast on the motorway doesn't. I had a look at cleaning the EGR valve, but being as I don't get oily hands any more, I opted for the easy option. Trust me, it works. Regards, Peter.

There are many people who think that the make of the car means that the engine is made by the same company. When Rolls Royce started to build cars again after WW2 they used a Buick engine for years, in fact until they were sold to BMW. Since then they have been using BMW engines. Gearboxes in the main now come from ZF and electrics mostly from Bosch. I am fairly certain that Jaguar will be supplying the engines now being made in Wolverhampton to many car manufacturers over the world. When Ford bought Jaguar much of the Ford technology was used to great effect. The Ford Duratorq engine as used in the X Type 2.0 litre Diesel is a fine engine, and the Gemini V6 diesel used in the S Type and the Freelander was designed by Ford and Peugeot. What makes a car is the design, the equipment used, the materials used and the way it is put together by the manufacturer. It would surprise many people if they knew how many different companies, mostly in Birmingham, Coventry and the Black Country make the bits that go into a car. I was visiting a Drop Forge in the Black Country some years ago - about 17 - while I was still working, and asked what they were making at the time. I was told that they were making push rods for the Hillman Hunter - a car that was discontinued in the mid seventies, but still produced in Brazil. The last Car Manufacturer to produce everything for the Car they made in the UK was Ford of Dagenham, who started off with Iron Ore, Blast furnaces, a foundry for the engine castings, Rolling mills for sheet steel, and metal mechanics and sheet metal workers to use various presses to make and put the car together. Iron Ore cam in at one end and a car came out the other. Now it is specialisation. Peter.

Hi Simon, The diesel engine can be much maligned, but preventative maintenance is a must for diesel engines which many drivers do not do. And when you buy a second hand car --- as many owners do --- you do not know what the previous owner has done. The diesel engine is a very sturdy one, and if looked after will last longer than the average petrol engine, and it is only the emissions issue that seems to be the problem. By emissions, I mean that the many things that Governments have done and are doing to reduce emissions. Using good quality fuel, and good quality engine oil with regular checks of things like air filters will make the car run without too many issues. Regards, Peter.

Welcome to the club, Stewart. The X Type is a much underrated car but even Jeremy Clarkson rated it. My first Jaguar was an x type which I really enjoyed, and I am sure when you get to know the car, you will, too. Regards, Peter.

That's great, Paul. That is more than half the battle! Best Regards, Peter.

H Nathan, and welcome to the club. I think all the club members look after their cars so that they do stand out in various ways. Some members do add a few smaller embellishments, and some members do much more. The Jaguar brand is quite iconic, and even keeping your car in tip top condition can still make it stand out. Regards, Peter.

There are not many people like getting old. I gave up playing Rugby first, Cricket second, Golf third, & Bowls fourth. Giving up work was not an option, though, as the Rules said 65 for my day job and 70 for my part time job. Getting under the car was not an option either -- I could get under but not get back! Peter.

Welcome to the club, Terence. Derek is quite right. -- There are so many electrical instruments on Jaguar cars that when the battery is low the car can switch off some of them. But what until you are 85 till you panic --- us old guys have to got to show example to the young ones. Regards, Peter.

Welcome to the Club, Andrew. I had a similar model [in Radiance Red] and would probably still have it if some people had not borrowed it and not returned it, and are forcing me to pay for their accommodation [for 8 years] in one of Her Majesties care home for scroats. A very nice car and does drive very well. Regards, Peter.

I used to work with a chap who bought a new car every 3 or 4 years. He usually bought Ford or Vauxhalls and always bought one when the new updated model was announced BUT he never bought the new one, always getting the one at the end of its run. The company car I had when I retired was a Toyota Avensis delivered to me in August 1998 and which I bought at a very good price. Terrible steering, no real power from the engine, poor petrol economy, and awful upholstery and trim ------ all of which were changed by Toyota in 2001. I retired in 1999 and at the beginning of 2000 I bought a Rover 825 Sterling with all the bells and whistles and a very low mileage. Hardly ever a problem. It had been the MD's car from a main dealer and the Rover 75 was already on the road. I kept it till 2011. My S Type is one of the last produced and I have not had a problem in the two and a half years I have had it. Rushing out to buy any new model is not always the best thing to do.

As do mine - always on auto. When they speed up, I can usually see the reason.

Thanks for that information, Bernard and Welcome to the club. Regards, Peter.

There we have it. Steve [Admin] was very quick! Peter,

Hi Keith, It is not compulsory to have an engine cover, but it is there for a reason, -- both for quietness and cleanliness. Cars without the engine cover do get quite a mucky engine bay and I think that caring about the engine bay is quite important. Regards, Peter.

Welcome to the Club, Tony. I think you will be able to give plenty of answers! The club is a friendly one and share experiences which is very useful indeed. Regards Peter.

Hi Paul [and Paul], I have heard that the EGR valves on the S type cannot be fully blanked off, and if a partial blank off is done, there has to be some ECU work, as Paul says. I have had a few issues with the EGR valves on my car, stuck in a closed position, though. The engine amber warning has come on and the OBD scanner gives me Code P0402 - exhaust gases not being dealt with my the EGR valves. Peter.

Hi Sam, The screw cap of the fluid container has a dipstick with min and max markings. Make sure you don't drip or get any fluid on your hands, Rubber cloves and a paper towel are useful. Peter.

HI Russ, Stan and Simon, Watch this space! Peter.

Welcome to the club, Dave. You will just need to google "Jaguar Specifications" and you will get the official Jaguar site. Just follow the menu. There are normally a lot of optional extras on Jaguar cars. I checked mine out using the VIN number to get the specification as when it left the factory on the 13th March 2007, and found that the optional extras would have cost £11,094 when fitted at the factory. So the important bit for you is to find a car with the optional specifications you want. Regards, Peter.

Hi John, and welcome to the Club. The S Type has two EGR valves, and I sometimes get a few lurches with the auto box which I find is a sign that the EGR valves need cleaning. I use a canister of Wynns Diesel EGR Cleaner which seems to work. It costs under a tenner, and very easy to do, just getting the engine up to normal operating temperature and taking out the air filter -- just follow the instructions on the can. The gearbox fault message has never come up though. Regards, Peter.

Hi Stan, We are both fit and well and looking forward to going on Saga Pearl 2 to Norway in May - just a few months away. Hope you and Betty are also keeping well and getting through the bad weather, Regards, Peter.

Hi Stan, I got that off the S Type gallery. I have asked Steve to put one one, and hope that it will be there soon, Regards, Peter.

Hi Stan and Russ, I have tried to put a picture on myself but my skills appear limited. I will ask Steve [Admin] to see if he can do the job. Something like that! Peter