Russ68

Thanks Joe, I knew this was the right answer, must be getting lazy in my old age

Hey guys, I have a leak from my expansion tank area, but it looks like I have to remove the wipers to get the trim panel out to even inspect it. If I'm taking all this out, I'd rather have the new tank ready to put in TBH. Mine is the 2001 V6 but I understand the tank is a known issue with many variants. Is it worth me buying a new tank without inspecting the old one with the trim panels removed or a should I have a look first in case it's a split hose or something? Cheers, Russ PS. The spray bay I'm setting up at work has been delayed so I'm tempted just to fit my new wheels and tyres without spraying them, they're nearly perfect with only 1 slight kerbing on a backs one, I could fit this on the offside. PPS. I've also not gotten around to the induction mods I mentioned before, but this is our busiest time at work and I hope to get some time over Xmas and the New Year!

That would indeed be a good plate for the STR, not so much for the V6. I've had a bit of as look and nothing jumps out, well done on yours though

Awesome! Looks great Jon! I'm considering a personal plate, but like yours for the car not me i.e. Jag related, not Russ related! If anyone comes across anything interesting and cheap, please let me know

Have you tried a cheeky £500 offer? This is only a bit more than a decent set of rear boxes and would constitute a bargain in my book . I want to go for a full stainless on mine, perhaps next year. I love the throaty, raspy sound of my rear cans but the Mrs thinks they're too loud, so I'll stick with them until I can replace with something better. There's no benefit in us looking at having a small batch made I guess? I know Joe had a plan, and being in manufacturing (or a sort) myself, it's the 1st one that's expensive to do, after that it's often much cheaper to run off a few more, so I'm happy to consider this if anyone else was interested? Mind you, if you get a good deal on the Miltek, you won't need this

Good call, the Vulcans are the best wheels for the S-Type IMHO, maybe as I have a set and really like them I've heard of people swapping 19 and 20" wheels back to 18's for ride quality and you just spent money and time on your rear tyres, so good to stick with them. You can spend your money on refurbishing the Vulcans or on exhausts instead

Right on brother! Preaching to the converted here so you will get no arguments from me

Should've gone for it when originally discussed Tom, values on the 4.2 seem to be rising fast! Hopefully something will come up nearer the time, or if the right one comes up, I'll have it

Interesting that re the Racing Green, they're still being listed for the XKR, I guess the STR is a different system...

Forget about market value, she's gonna look a million bucks when she's done! I bet you don't regret taking the decision to do her now! Just be careful in those carparks once she's done, I'd park at the end of the row, far from anyone else

Not sure about your car specifically Jorge, but replacing injectors in original positions is normally good practice, but they are generally identical, so you should get away with it if he doesn't remember. I'd be suspicious of his quality of work or experience if he's made such a basic mistake though. I don't think there is specific programming for injectors, but I could be wrong. Good luck, Russ

Hi Jason, Bad luck, looks a nasty one that, but could look worse than it is. It appears the trim is FUBAR but the alloy underneath is not too bad? I'd keep an eye out for a second hand rim or rims. It took over a year for me to find a spare set of 18" Vulcans for my S-Type, but I ended top getting the staggered ones I was after, save a search on eBay etc. In the meantime, I'd seek advice online and in person, there should / must be alloy repair specialists out there, search and call. If I had to continue using the rim, I'd have it balanced. Good luck, Russ

Hi Stuart, Thanks so much for your detailed response, just what I was looking for I would have said it's a case of when not if now as I was determined to get my hands on one! Ideally like yours a 2002 or later with the 4.2 and 6 speed. I've spoke the Anthony at Berkshire Jag Spares, who has been excellent re the S-Type bits, and they support the XK's as well, so this will be my go to source for major bits. Except it appears the prices are already rising sharply. A quick search suggests there doesn't seem to anything much under £10K at the moment, and many are around the £15K mark for the 4.2. If it carries on like this, it may need a rethink, although for this money, it'd have to be a good one! If I miss out I'll be gutted, I came very close to picking up a 2002 4.2 for £5K earlier in the year, I had the money but the misses talked me out of it. If I miss out or have to spend 2-3 times the money, she will never heard the last of it! The 4.0 is cheaper, but it's the later 4.2 I really want Thanks again, Russ

Couldn't agree more Joe, underrated and such a lot of bang per buck, particularly with an R like yours PS. Don't suppose you've ever considered the Racing Green sequential steering wheel shifters? Or does the J gate auto work well for you? I hoping to get an XKR fairly shortly and this would be a mod I'd consider...

Hi Joe, Thanks mate, I appreciate there is a massive difference between the STR and 3.0 Sport, about 160bhp worth and nearly double the torque! Plus I've experienced the supercharged AJ8, albeit in a Rangy Sport, which was flung down the road at an amazing rate for such a big car. Although because of the weight difference between the Sport and R, which is c150kg, all over the front axle, plus the manual vs auto box, I was musing how this could translate in terms of track times? The Sport has stiffened suspension too, but 5.3 to 6.7 0-60 and all that power and torque speaks for itself. The R is a supercar challenger and the Sport isn't and I'd be a fool to suggest the Sport was a better or even comparable performance machine. Mine still goes pretty well though . No offence taken I hope? Cheers, Russ

Really good review that Joe, contemporary and interesting, overtaking Ferrari's indeed! Here is the Honest John review for the 3.0 Sport that sold me on mine. This was before the R had been launched when the manual Sport was the way to go, I particularly liked these lines: And the engine pulled our car to an indicated 146mph on a German Autobahn with commendable ease. Fuel consumption worked out at 23.9mpg overall, which wasn't bad for the speeds plus a lot of stop-start town work. Which sums the car up for me, faster and more capable than you'd think, as well as being not too uneconomical. I wonder if there are any track or performance comparisons between the R and a manual 3.0? I bet the R would have it but I wonder by how much...

Hey Tom, Good call, in what type of crazy world is that car worth £1300! Must've been £30K when new and she looks tidy! Not a time to sell or PX an S-Type I think, and I'm sure Peter is right, they'll be appreciating soon . Cheers, Russ PS. I'm still hoping to add an X100 XKR coupe to the 'fleet', could be as early as the end of 2017, to coincide with my 50th in 2018. So hopefully these won't be appreciating to madly before I have a chance to get one!

Hi there, Can't say i have this issue on my 3.0, but I don't do the mileage you do. TBH a litre every 2-3K is not too bad so hopefully doesn't point to a big problem, which I'm sure you'd be aware of as you seem to know your stuff and be doing the right things. Apparently the A series as in the old Mini was designed to burn a pint every 800, from new, which is shocking! I had a 850 that used a gallon a week and I was spending almost as much on oil as I was on fuel, before it blew up anyhow! Luckily things have come on since then! All the best, Russ

Hey Baudinot, I just Googled this, which may help: http://www.jaguarforum.com/showthread.php?t=40304 Not done the job before myself, although I have taken off the door cards and they're easy and well put together. Good luck, Russ

I don't suggest this will work for you Jon, but as Joe suggests removing the the pipes will give you an idea how load it will be. I did this on the V6 and believe me it was very loud! My new rear cans are pretty minimal and just on the right side of too loud IMO, but my better half disagrees and would like them quieter. I plan on swapping these out at some point, either with a some Adamesh, or ideally a complete stainless system. The V8 may be different but I doubt if it's quieter than the V6...

If I recall, and I did it a week ago so I should! The 4 numbers on the stereo relate to the 4 digit code, 1st button is 1st number etc. Hence if 1234, press the 1st button once, the second button twice etc, 3rd 3 times etc until the correct code is shown. This was in the audio supplement of my owners handbook, if you don't have one of these you can pick up the complete leather wallet from eBay. Hope this helps!

At £700 they're hardly giving it away and I agree with Joe. For £500 you could get some brand new Adamesh tail pipes which sorts the sound out, the rest of the system is pretty efficient, so the advantage of the Milltek is that it's stainless. Plus if Joe has a plan for a custom build next year, perhaps this is something a few of us could go in on to help spread the costs? I'd certainly be interested in stainless system for mine despite her being a humble AJ6. What is the condition of your current exhaust? Part of the reason I went for my stainless rear cans is that my original ones were pretty shot!

Thanks mate! Given the other money you've spent, I'd keep my wallet in my pocket and focus on having the Vulcan's refurbed perhaps? More on the exhaust in the other thread. All the best

Ha ha, why not stick with the Vulcan's then? You have the new rear tyres and they're awesome wheels. I know what you mean re costs escalating, I keep a spreadsheet for mine and I've spent more than the original purchase price (which wan't that much TBH) on her this year. But I don't regret a penny of it, I've just taken advantage of when spares and parts have come up, and she's had wheels, tyres, brakes, and exhausts, not to mention a bunch of other sundry odds and sods. The car is really coming together and when I think of what she offers for the money, I can't imagine there's anything else out there that can get close for the price We shouldn't be losing a penny in depreciation and I don't imagine either of us have any finance charges. Plus yours has a supercharged V8, need I say more!

That is not a big worry! Providing the price is good, nice thing to have, summer and winter tyres perhaps? Although that said, they'll take up a bit of space if it's a small garage