sauceman

I've had the privilege a few weeks ago, on the occasion of one of my good friend's wedding, to be their official driver. This is something I had dreamed of doing for a good while, being the driving maniac that I am, especially on an event like a wedding. Then you get really classy, and drive luxurious cars, a concept which tends to please me, heheheh.

So, for this wedding, I was given a Jaguar S-Type 3.0, and though it happenned a few weeks ago, I promised myself I'd write a short review here, and compare it with the TSX, even if there doesn't seem to be any possible comparison.

The S-Type is a very elegant and classy car. When I got the car in the morning, the first thing I did was to go eat breakfast at Eggsquis, a good breakfast restaurant. It was packed with people, and the first thing I noticed was how many people who just stared at the car, and then me entering the restaurant. That quickly explained to me the importanceof looking as good as the car, which, obviously, is expected from everyone. Not a problem, I can handle myself, though I hate snobbism. But I took a kick in trying to look as good as the car, and I found it rather amusing.

Driving around the city, I got accustomed with the equipment and displays. Though not overly confusing, ergonomy is not what we have been used to. I was also very surprised to find out that there was little more equipment on this car than in the TSX: Reverse radar warning, right seat electrical adjustments, left memory seat, on board hands free cellular (which I never figured out, BTW). The car doesn't even have HIDs, which should be standard equipment with this level of luxury car. But the car looks good.

The automatic 5 speed is an example of smoothness, altough the stickshift is a joke; better not to use it, it is useless. I liked the sport program, though, which let the engine rev a little longer before shifting. Speaking of engine, I thought the 3.0 V6 would barely be up to the task, that it was too bad I didn't have the V8 version. Well, it was, but surprisingly, I found the engine to be very willing, especially from a standing start. This was probably the strongest point for the S-Type.

I had to go through some twisty roads to get the bride, since she lived out of town, and being a tad late just added to the fun... Well there was none. First, the speedometer was indicating at least 15-18% quicker than the speed at which I was driving, and I was not dreaming it, my calculations proved it. But then, and this is where I was most disappointed, the handling in the backroads, as well as on the highway was arduous. I had to fight to keep the car on the road. The handling was very sloppy, almost as if I was driving a Buick, and the car didn't cut well in the wind, which added to the almost perilous drive. But the S-Type being a Jaguar, it is an elegant car, and reminding myself that I was driving one almost made me forget that I was heading for the ditch... nah, just joking! But it was not the best handling car I got to try.

I was thinking that surely comfort would be one of its strongpoints, and it is, but the poor handling takes away a little from it. The seats are, well I must admit I am from another philosophy of driving, so I prefer firm seats like we have in the TSX to those softer, less wrapping seats in the S-Type. But the ride remains a smooth one, and I guess this will be especially true for the rear passengers. The suspension settings are definitely set up to hide the road bumps, not drive over them. I was also very surprised at how low I was seated, and adjusting the seat didn't get me to the height I am seated in the TSX. This did not help with comfort, and after an hour of driving, I could already feel the soreness in my back. But the S-Type is a classy car and does turn heads.

So here is my conclusion. The S-type is worth in the 60K's and the TSX is in the 35's (can$). Well, if I was given the choice between the S-Type, and the TSX, I'd take the S-Type, sell it, buy a TSX and make me some profit. The elegance and power of the car doesn't make up for its (surprising) latencies. Too bad, because it's many people's dream car, including my wife's.

OEMAcuraPartsTim

iTrader: (1)

I worked as parts manager of a Jaguar franchise for 5 years, and was actually one of a few people to see the very first pre-production S-types in the US at Jaguar's headquarters in Mahwah NJ. For some reason I was never "taken" with the S-Type as being a Jaguar in the Jag tradition.....in fact I remember that the first cars that we had in at the dealership we had issues with because there were as I recall 5 things that had a blue oval that stared you in the face the moment you popped the hood.

The S-type was pretty much the first car that Ford really had their hand in to the extent of using the Lincoln LS platform, with of course some changes in things like suspension damping, etc.

I could sit here and write a book with my experiences with Jaguar, but suffice it to say that even with Jag's advances in reliability in the recent years, Acura is light years ahead.

PS - I always thought the S-type seats were terrible as well. The lower power adjustments just didn't feel natural.

freeride149

i thought Ford f'ed up Jaguar pretty nicely. S-Type is a good example. to me, 3.0 s type is nothing but a taurus dressed up in jaguar sheet metals and int. trims. i drove my friend's dad's 4.0 s type, fully loaded, which he was paying about 800 a month for lease, and was slightly impressed, but i liked the 3.2 TL-S more.

design doesn't even screen Jaguar either. i hope to god they drop the s type line.

dom

"Have you Driven a Ford Lately"

sauceman

Yep, it's exactly what I was thinking when I started to fight with the car to keep it on the road: "Damn, I'm driving a fucking Ford!"