Old Peter

Hi Adrian, David is quite correct. The ZF gearbox 6 speed is in all Jaguar S types between 2002 and 2008, as well as BMW, Rolls Royce and Bentley. Ford indeed made their own version, and even though they owned Jaguar at the time did not use it on the S Type or the XK and other Jaguar models. As an aside, ZF made this gearbox in Germany from 2000 but I have certain knowledge that they have bought a large piece of land formerly having been a Lucas Factory not very far from where I live and only about 25 miles from the new Jaguar engine plant, 6 miles from Castle Bromwich and 18 miles from the JLR works in Solihull. Regards, Peter.

Hi Martin, I have the same model as you, and although I am not in North Herts you are welcome to have a look under the bonnet on my car, which is quite undisturbed. [i don't get oily hands and more]. The engine was replaced by Jaguar whilst owned by Stratstone at 21k, and now with 60k on the clock it has only done 39k. Regards, Peter.

Hi Andy, I used to have one that thought I was driving a boat. It gave me a right turn into a canal on one occasion. Peter.

Hi Adrian, Go to Vindecoderz and you will find the gearbox details of you car. Google around and you will be abe to source a similar one. Good Luck. Peter.

Welcome back Phil. Your car sounds as if it has been looked after well. I used to live in Flintshire during the good days of John Summers and Sons/aka British Steel - Shotton Works in which I had gainful employment. Regards, Peter.

Hi Paul, I have had a good look around, and while I can find out a lot os information about the auxiliary heater, I cannot find that specific bulletin. I think that a covert action involving infiltrating a Jaguar main dealer and being armed with a spy camera might be the answer. Regards, Peter.

Welcome to the club, Jonathan. I have also lost two and a half stones since buying a Jaguar. If you get to drive round Galway & Co.Mayo in June look out for an old bloke with a smile on his face driving an S Type. We can't resist Irish Holidays! Regards, Peter.

Hi Mac, Jaguar recommend that you keep the climate control in auto, which I do, and find that it does its job very nicely. See how it works for you. Regards, Peter.

Hi Mick and welcome to the club. Have a look at vindecoderz which will tell you the exact spec of your car when it left the factory. Then look up n the Jaguar cars site to find the standard spec and see what the add ons where. I have managed to work out that my s type cost just over £40 k in 2007. Regards Peter.

Hi Paul, When I said old engines, I was thinking about the side valve engine that was the engine we first had when I did some night school courses 50 odd years ago. I was quite proficient in cleaning carburettors, replacing bits like water pumps, fan belts, plugs etc, changing oil and filters, but 29 years of company cars which had to go to a main dealer for servicing got me a lot out of practice. Modern engines need experts, and nowadaysI don't get my hands dirty. Regards, Peter.

Hi Paul, and welcome to the club. It is very good to have a mechanic as a member, and you will be of great assistance to many older members who know a bit about the older type of engine but much less about these wonderful new fangled electronically controlled ones. Regards, Peter.

Hi Kenny, Some 30 years ago I was going from home to Lichfield one Sunday, and saw a lady and a small child in a lay by with the bonnet open. I stopped and went back to see if I could help. What had happened was the she had just picked up the car from being serviced and the mechanic had not connected properly the accelerator cable. Carrying a small toolkit I was able to connect it, and they were soon on their way. No mobile phones in those days! Meanwhile, enjoy your Jaguar today! Regards Peter.

Hi Joe, Most European Countries now insist that all motorists carry a fire extinguisher, and a warning triangle. That is to prevent accidents when a car is stopped. The AA and RAC take time to get to the scene, during which time fatalities can occur. Some European countries also insist on a first aid kit. I do not use the AA or RAC [too expensive], but I am a member of the Guild of Experienced Motorists [GEM] who have a very good breakdown service and have been voted the best service over the past 7 years. The full cost is roughly £75 a year cheaper than both the AA and RAC. There is nothing wrong in being prepared. Regards, Peter.

Hi Joe, In the USA many major cities have very high - Los Angeles, in particular, have very high pollution levels, higher in fact than London. They have very few diesel cars in the USA. In London, the major cause of pollution is static traffic. Vehicles stopping and the engines ticking over -- buses, taxies etc are the biggest causes of pollution. A well serviced diesel engine causes for less pollution than many petrol engines, and with the regulations from Europe most engines are getting better in the respect. The Engine manufacturers [TATA, Ford, Mercedes, BMW, VW and Peugeot] have all invested huge amounts of money on the new generation of diesel engines, which they would not have done if they thought that diesel engines had no future. Regards, Peter.

Fuel will get cheaper when Euro 6 regulations are fully implemented.

But when you break down, or get a puncture, or if your smell smoke from the engine, a 4 Iron is no substitute for a warning triangle, or a fire extinguisher!

Hi Christian, I echo Kenny's thoughts. I did a check with the DVLA -- you have probably done it already -- but it returned a nil result. A car like that has probably been shipped abroad, possibly to the USA. It would be possible via Google, to find an American contact and ask the question. Goodluck. Peter.

I find it surprising that there is so much variance in prices. The people who charge the most must be aware that they charge the highest prices. There are good honest workmen who charge a fair price, and they are worth noting for future reference. Peter.

Apart from the spare wheel [i have a proper one], jack etc, I have found a car booster seat for my grandson, shopping bag, first aid kit, warning triangle, fire extinguisher, high viz jacket, blanket, bungee clips, window cleaner, leather cleaner, bird dropping remover, sponce for removing dead flies, a bottle fill with screen wash water, OBD2 code reader, spare spectacles, one pair of binoculars, ice scraper, various microfibre cloths, tyre pressure gauge, tyre tread gauge, two spanners for disconnecting the battery, a roll of duct tape, tyre inflator, a large roll of kitchen towels, handbooks for English Heritage and the National Trust, several pens, 'phone charger, a bottle of water, and the papers for GEM breakdown service. What have I forgotten? Peter.

It is my birthday on the 6th June --- I would have liked to go otherwise. My children are insistent on a party!

Hi Mike, It is a massive problem. Sadly, I know very little about electrical problems, other than the basic ones. Hopefully someone will be able to assist. Regards, Peter.

Hi David, "Mayonnaise" on the oil filler cap is something us older drivers have seen before. I have had it before on a Viva HC which my wife used for short trips. It is probably condensation build up, but if here is no oil in the coolant I would not think it too dangerous. It was in the VIVA for 8 years without a problem. Regards, Peter.

Hi Mark, Try the fusebox in the boot - fuses ----- F20, F27, and F33. Other than that, a bad connection/earth could be the fault. Regards, Peter.

Hi Warwick, and welcome to the club. i was going to say that there are a lot of helpful people in the club, but your first post has just prove it! Just enjoy your Jaguar, and having a rag top in the summer makes me long for the boy racers Escort EFI - that used to sit in my garage in the winter and come out in the summer! Regards, Peter.

Hi Mark, Andy has pointed you in the right direction. I got a few bits for my ancient Rover Sterling from ____ BreakerYard ____ who will source the part from a choice of breakers and will tell you where they are. The company which has the part will call you back or email you. Regards, Peter.