Due to the large blind spots on the F-Type Jag, how helpful is a rearview camera when backing up or parallel parking? How about blind spot monitors? I am getting close to “pulling the trigger” for my first F-Type and don’t know if I should eliminate cars that don’t have the above features. So many decisions!!
Thank you in advance for your thoughts.

 

100% they're likely the most needed option. I've had mine for 3 years and know I would have hit something by now without them. Look for cars with the vision pack. I wouldn't consider a car without it

I believe all F types have the rearview camera, the sensors are very helpful for avoiding hitting curbs because of the low clearance.

Because of how far the glass slopes back, I find visibility fine on the driver's side (if I'm merging left) from the right. But the blind spot monitor is crucial for merging right. Even without a passenger, there's a big blind spot off the rear quarter of the passenger side.

 

I also believe these to be normal safety functions for any modern car.
Unfortunately JLR sees things differently and charges extra for this basic option which is standard on vehicles costing less than half the price of an F-Type.
They are even more critical on the convertible which has even less rear quarter visibility, especially when reversing out of a parking space.
Reversing without rear view cameras is a major challenge IMO given the poor rear view.
Be aware that many cars are imported to US without this capability.
Needless to say they do come in with upgraded stereos and various optional tweaks while still missing the basics.

 

Thank you so much for your quick reply. My “gut feeling” has been that the vision pack is a necessity but wanted to confirm before making such a large purchase. It really is a no brainer.

 

I bought a car without the vision pack, because I wanted and manual transmission and they are scarce. Here is my assessment.

Front (for parking) and rear cameras are essential, and I had them installed by a local quality audio installer. They are tied into the infotainment screen and work great, auto on for reverse, and press a button for the front. The rear camera is wide angle so I can see cross traffic coming behind me as well as what is directly behind me. Cost about $2,500.

In a coupe you don't have any blindspots if you adjust your mirrors correctly, tilted out a lot more than most folks do. You have to learn to trust your mirrors, and maybe lean your head a bit, but you really do get full coverage. Personally I don't think I could ever learn to trust a blind spot monitor more than my own eyes and mirrors, but I'm an old dude.

For me, with this experience, the Vision Pack is a big plus but would not be a show stopper if I found a car I really wanted.

 

Any new car sold in the US on or after 05/01/2018 is required by federal law to have a rear back-up camera. So all JLR cars after that date sold in the US will have at least the camera. Cars sold outside the US and later imported here are a different story. Used cars sold after that date do NOT need to be retrofitted to comply unless the vehicle was sold after that date and already had one (in other words, you can't disable or remove a mandated federal safety device).

While I think the BSD and cross-traffic are very useful features I consider them optional for the coupe but mandatory for the convertible. Visibility in the convertible with the roof up (especially for tall drivers who sit far back almost into the roof) is tricky from the rear corners of the vehicle.

 

I have no vision pack in the F-Type, so no cameras or blind spot monitoring. I did add a rear camera for convenience and could have added a front camera, as well, but didn't bother. Admittedly, I'm in a 'vert, so visibility is usually VERY good. Meanwhile, I DO have the vision pack in the F-Pace (at wife's request). I find it nice to have, but not essential.

Overall, if I found a car/deal I really liked, I'd take it as it comes. If I were custom ordering, I'd probably get it on a coupe and maybe a 'vert, if it was going to be a daily driver.

 

Short answer: yes you do.

I second the comments about there being no blind spots once your side mirrors are set. Also, not having door pillars helps a lot in that respect as well. About the front sensors, as has already been mentioned elsewhere, it doesn't mean that you can drive right up to a curb or parking lot bump stop. The sensors are maybe 12" off the ground and the curb passes out of its field of view once you get close. Learned that one the hard way but was careful and barely tapped the front spoiler.

 

+1.

 

I need them a lot...agree with all of the above...get this option for sure. And even then, don't assume the sensors are working perfectly. It is a big car in front and back and I take it very, very slow in tight spots.....very.

 

What it does mean though is that my car thinks I'm about to crash every time I approach my slightly sloped driveway.

 

I liked the rear camera so much that I added a Garmin GPS with a rear camera(license plate mounted) to my XK8. I think they are invaluable for any safe driver. I just wish a front camera was included to aid in parking, checking front of the car. I have seen a writing for someone who has added a front camera to their F-Type, and would like to find one for my 2020.

 

Check out NAV-TV. I only installed the rear, but their unit supports both cameras.

NAV-TV

 

My 2021 Coupe has the $500 optional Blind Spot Assist Pack which consists of the Blind Spot Assist feature in the exterior mirrors and the Rear Traffic Monitor. I have the mirrors properly adjusted but I find the execution of the Blind Spot warning system to be poor. It does not show the warning icons on the mirrors until the approaching vehicles on either side are about one car length short of parallel with my car.
It is also supposed to have some kind of warning that triggers sooner when vehicles are very rapidly approaching from the rear on either side. I have only seen that work a couple of times even when I can see the approaching cars rapidly closing from quite a distance back in my rear view or side mirrors.

I have a Mazda CX 5 that has the blind spot monitoring as a standard feature and it is also adjustable for sensitivity. I have it set to start to show the warning icons on the mirrors when approaching vehicles are about 3 car lengths back. And I also get the warnings on the HUD. JLR is behind the times regarding those kinds of driver assist features.

So I try and keep a constant awareness of the vehicles around me and look over my shoulder and then look again before making lane changes. It's unfortunate that for $500 the Jaguar system is poorly calibrated although it would still be careless to rely on it without visually confirming before making any lane changes.

 

I've seen this comment before, so when I got my 2015 R, I assumed that it was a feature that wouldn't work properly, but surprisingly, at least on my car, it functions very well. That said, I 100% agree that such systems should never be counted on.

 

My BSM works fine after spending a total of 4 months in the shop to get it fixed (on new car).
My only gripe is that it is only a visual flashing signal and there is no audible warning as in my Jeep.
These types of options cost next to nothing to install and should be standard features.

 

I think the theory is that you see the blinking light from the corner of your eye, but yes, having it beep as well would certainly be better. Actually, that's not hard to implement... adding a beeper in parallel with the same wire feeding the mirror LEDs.

 

I was fortunate enough to find an F with manual transmission and the vision pack. There would be NO way I could safely drive (including backing up) this car without the rear camera. I wish I had a front camera, and the Fs front plastic center 'lip' received the brunt of getting too close to front parking barriers from its previous owner, but I do religiously use the parking sensor in that situation. The car also has the amber blinking light in the sideview mirrors when another vehicle is in the blindspot, but I still always check my mirrors and check visually and use my turn indicators when making a lane change.

 

I think you'd get tired of hearing "beeps" all the time. Remember, it wouldn't just go off when you're using it to change lanes; it would also be alerting you every time a car passed you (or vice versa) as you drive along in traffic. For all the users that commenting about the sound system and/or extolling the exhaust notes, I don't think "beep beep beep beep beep beep" is what they'd have in mind.

 

It does not work that way, Uncheel.
The "beep beep beep" on my Jeep only goes off if I inadvertently start to change lanes in front of an approaching vehicle, or a vehicle cuts in suddenly from the rear.
Does not intrude on the normal driving experience. But it has certainly been helpful a a few times.
Of course if we were all perfect drivers 100% of the time we would not need any driving/safety aids at all!!