Russ68

Yup, they changed the inlet manifold on the later ones, so I suggest you need the earlier type Eric The X200 was made from 99-02, which is what we both have. Mines a bit of a rolling restoration which I've had for 15 months now, helluva car for the money and coming on nicely

Good advice as always from Joe there! I've done my rear droplinks and they were easy and did stop a rear 'clonking' for awhile. But I've noticed a similar sound from the front and suspect I'll be doing all the suspension bushes before long. Having to press them out adds a layer of hassle, but I have a vice and sockets so should be OK. Previously I used to take press in wheel bearing to a local engineering place and they popped them out for me. I did have a quick look to see if changing the whole suspension arm was an option, but too expensive. But we have the advantage of a forged alloy assembly and not the pressed steel most cars cheaper operate with, so on balance, this is for the best

The painted Taiwanese jobby has been dispatched apparently and is expected shortly, I'll post pictures and comments on arrival / fitment

Sounds like good advice Lou, well done! I'll check mine out and grease her up if necessary

You've got a driveway, LUXURY! Ha ha, only joking Jon, we've had this conversation before and I'm now lucky enough to have 6500ft2 hangar at work I can bring cars into to work on. Up to then I really was a roadside mechanic hoping I was lucky enough to get a parking space outside my house and packing away tools (or have someone watch them) if I need to go to the loo! I'm now trying to justify getting a 2 post lift, which is much cheaper than I thought and really would be LUXURY!

Ha ha, well done Andy, good one! I suspect the initial crash is all about tyres and or tyre pressures, I could feel mine lurching into corners a bit like this before fitting matching rubber, luckily I always managed to hold onto it! Impressive how the S-Type at c1.30 shovels the pick up out of the way and still has enough momentum to knock back the minivan and it almost looks like the XF at 2.50 got out of shape as it was pulling a wheelie! I suspect this is impossible and just got a tyre on the kerb or similar, but this is what it looked like!

Wow! That is quite shocking Paul, to think of the poor thing struggling along for all those miles without even minimal attention!

I bet that's it Joe, can't do the pic from my phone, but will check clearance and post pics when I can

For interest, I've seen strut braces on eBay for an 04+ S-Type diesel. But they don't appear to be standard on the V6 or even the STR. Could this be a quick win for c£35, or not worth the bother?

Very nice Simon, subtle but finishes her off nicely, I look forward to receiving and fitting mine I may want to pick your brains about your ICE at some point, but I'll leave that for a PM or another post

Quite different from the X200, 98-01 then, the pic below is from Google, not mine. They don't quote a different power as far as I'm aware, so not sure if the changes made much material difference, but interesting to know the later V6's had this system and not just the STR. Thanks Simon

I think that's the same one I'm getting Simon, it's the later M3 type, not the early STR type which projects over the rear arches. Nice rear end BTW! Your badges look super shiny, are they replacements or original?

Interesting, perhaps they revised them on later models? Mine currently looks like this, with the other picture with arrow showing the 180 degree turn from the left (from front) of filter box to them exit through the inner wing (in the direction of the arrow) etc...

Awesome, well done Jon (and the car!). We both took a punt of our motors and having them both sail through the MOT's (mine did last year), validates our choices and proves we haven't bought lemons! So pleased for you, happy days

Thanks guys! Most helpful and just what I needed. As suspected the STR has a better system, particularly the intake which exits forward as opposed to turning 90 degrees and going though the inner wing. On the basis of your helpful pics, I've just bought one of these from eBay for £11.90, worth a punt! I'll then see about mating this to my filter box and potentially upgrading the piping from the box to the MAF and then to the throttle body with stainless pipe or large core Samco hosing. Complete STR filter boxes are available, but I'll see how I go with modifying my one before I commit to this more expensive and potentially unnecessary option. With you 100% on the cone filter in the engine bay Joe, I wouldn't go there! Quite prevalent with the MGF crowd who love the induction roar, but physics dictates that the colder the air the denser the charge and the more power. So while a cone may give a marginal gain on an MGF over the woeful standard MGF induction system, they are inferior to something like the Vader system and custom inlet I have on my F, which transformed the performance for the sake of c£300. The standard Jag stem is too good to expect a similar gain, but I can see a potential quick win with what I have in mind. If and when I get round to it I will report back with pics, you never know, it might even work . Thanks again, Russ

If it is fake, I'd almost be happier, it's monstrous! I thought it was interesting enough to post though

Hi all, I had a look at the air filter casing and intake for my 2001 3.0 Sport and it's one of the best standard systems I've come across, but still capable of being improved I suspect. Does anyone (Joe, Jon?) know if the STR uses the same casing and intake as the V6? A websearch was a bit inconclusive. The intake appears to disappear into the inner wing area, not sure where after that. It does turn a hard 180 degrees before entering the filter box, and my thinking is, if it's the same design on the STR, it won't be restrictive for the V6 and I can park the idea of modifying it, apart from a panel filter perhaps. But if the STR uses a different one, I wonder if it's possible to fit an STR housing and filter for improved performance? Or can the V6 system be improved with STR or aftermarket parts? Or what do the STR boys do? (That doesn't include sticking a cone filter on the edge of the pipe into the hot engine bay and actually decreasing power!). If systems have been designed to improve the breathing on a 400bhp+ engine, they'd probably work very well indeed on a 3.0 Sport . Also, I suspect the throttle body and other fuelling parts have already been optimised and would not benefit from being played with? Thanks in advance for an information or insight! Cheers, Russ

Check out what I found online with this link. Pic below: Can't say I like it even if it appears well executed!

Hi Kathy, Nice to hear from a lady S-Type enthusiast, welcome to the club! I can't help materially with your faults, but £4K is bonkers and would write off many older cars. Sounds like you need to find a trusted local specialist who will look after you without taking advantage. Unfortunately I can't help with this also being that I do my own mechanics and I'm on the Isle of Wight! Perhaps one of the chaps can recommend a garage service in Warwickshire if this is where you are. Or search online and check reviews? A decent independent should hopefully sort you out . All the best, Russ

Sorry to hear that Peter, hopefully she'll be good as ever after Monday!

Order placed, delivery later in the month, £34.99 inc painting and delivery from Taiwan. They answered my questions in English by return, what a world we live in now!

Hey Steve, thanks for that, I agree! I sent the eBay seller my paint code and they have confirmed they can spray it so decision made I think, as you say a £40 punt that I just stick on, nice and easy, I'll order one off! Interestingly as you say, the newer STR in the link you sent appears to have this smaller, M3 type spoiler, not the larger one that overhangs to the rear wings. This may be inline with the facelift that included the staggered alloys. She looks pretty great TBH, Pacific blue like mine with the staggered Vulcan's. I prefer she doesn't have the 2 tone STR interior that some have, all in all a lovely car for not too much money. Cheers, Russ

Hey all, and especially Steve Foxton! I thought I'd do a quick search before starting a new thread re rear spoilers and noticed this recent one from June. I'm very interested in this and wonder how you got on Steve, did you or anyone else order and fit an aftermarket rear spoiler? Being that they were standard fitment on the STR and certain special editions, it's not like I'm looking to change things extravagantly or turn the Jag into a boy racer machine. But inspired by Malcolm's Sport 200 in another post, I suspect a subtle rear spoiler will look great on my Sport! The links Steve (Claws) sent directs you to both a custom painted M3 type from Taiwan, which appear to offer to paint to the Jag paint code, and at that price (£34.99) is exception value all the way from Taiwan. But there is also a primed but not painted STR one from Poland which looks to extend a bit further, but will need painting and is £57.90. Not sure how this one fits either. There is UK supplier, but they only offer a few colours and not mine, guessing I could respray this. So to assist my decision, I thought I'd see if any club members had any experience or strong opinions about it? The stick on, painted Taiwanese option is the easiest, but the easy options aren't always the best

Thanks Malcolm! Although I like the way she goes as much if not more than what she looks like! 3.0 Sport with a manual box and constantly exceeding my expectations I'll start a new post re spoilers so as not to hijack Colin's post

I agree, but I've always thought the rear view of mine was less than inspiring, which is why I've gone for the staggered STR rims and I'm considering the spoiler. Below it has the standard 185/40/18 Vulcans, but she will soon has 275/35's which will fill the arches out nicely