What's up guys. I'm thinking about getting one of those cars but I'm not sure which one. For the people who have it. Is there anything you guys don't like about the car? Hows the reliability? I don't want to have the car costing me alot after 2 years. I love the look of the F type R and the exhaust note is just amazing. Let me know what you guys think. I also save $30,000 in if I buy the F Type R. Even though that probably isn't much considering the F Type is already a 120k car.

 

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/f...g-gt-s-155975/

 

http://mbworld.org/forums/showthread...=610296&page=1

 

Thanks!

 

Haha I'm the one that made that thread. Its hard to choose between the 2 because I'm not going to track either car and I love the GTS but the F Type just looks so good. There is something about it that I like. Let's not compare it to the GTS for a sec. How do you feel about the interior and fit and finish? Does anybody who bought it regret getting it? I know its a great car and plan on test driving it soon. The closest dealer to me is like 3 hours away which sucks.

 

Having 5 years maintanence and a 5 year warranty now included means you shouldn't have to pay anything at all for those 5 years. Unless you plan on driving over 60k miles rather quickly.

Personally I don't think you can go wrong. Both have their strengths; the jag sounds better, looks better (imo), is cheaper and faster in a straight line, while the Benz handles better and is probably more refined. But both are awesome...

 

Given the warranty, the cost of repair and maintenance on the R is a non-issue for 5 years.

 

I absolutely love my F-Type R. Since you asked for dislikes, here are mine, which may or may be things that would matter to you:

The Nav is horrible. Think 1 second+ response times, out of date maps, etc.

The audio system is questionable. Some people like it. Coming from the perspective of someone used to high end aftermarket audio I hated it and replaced it almost immediately.

On the whole though, I'm very very happy with my F-Type.

 

Does Jaguar plan to fix the nav issue and I've seen the interior and it looks nice but since you own the car how is the ride and everything. Is the interior comfy and nice? Sorry about the questions but its better to ask someone who has had the car for a while instead of reviews who only have the car for a week. I already know its fast and everything. I want to know how it is to drive and does it handle good. Okay for a weekend ride around some curvy roads. Anything I should know before buying? What option should I go with. What do you recommend? I might get CCB just because the rims that come with them look amazing.

 

I personally regret getting it. I am a the kind of guy who likes a quality over-engineered product. The Jag isn't that product.

It is a really nice sports car. The designers really captured the essence of the sports car both in the shape, the sound and the engine response. And that is why I had a long and enjoyable honeymoon with this car. If you want something raw, powerful but not too precise, then this is your car. It's like a British version of an American muscle car, dressed in a Savile Row suit.

However after a year of ownership you quickly realize that this is no Porsche/Mercedes - and you see where they took short-cuts to bring to a price well below the Mercedes. The suspension gives too much body roll and the cornering grip is also not great - which I learned is because it uses the same anti roll bars as the XF and the same control arms as the S-Type. The navigation system is diabolical. The sound system is the worst of all my cars despite the fact that the cabin has the best acoustics. Some elements of the dashboard are cheap in finish and it bugs you after a while.

Finally it depreciates like a brick in water. When I bought mine everyone on this board was waiting 3-5 months for their cars. Now they have months of unsold inventory on lots. It's a shame - I really think Jaguar should have managed the supply of this car to make the ownership value proposition more compelling. As a flagship product they shouldn't be dumping the market - I think this is very shortsighted of Jaguar and it will hurt the car in the long-run because no one will want to take the risk of buying a new one.

I would recommend buying a 2015. It will be a steal, and at the price you pay for a low mileage 2015 you can't buy anything close in performance or quality.

 

I don't have any problem with the NAV. It seems pretty responsive to me. Ride comfort is OK. Don't expect your father's Oldsmobile. It's stiff but I have yet to split my spleen. It accelerates and handles way better than you'll likely ever need on the street which is why the passenger has an "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Shitttttttttttttttt" handle.

Gripes? Sun visors don't move to cover the side window. Severe lack of storage, meaning probably less than my MR2 had - and that had a spare tire. No traffic attorney included with purchase. Inability to get the smile off my face when driving it.

 

Gursy, what a horrible position you find yourself in!

The long version:

As is often mentioned, buying cars at any level over $30k is a purely emotional one. You will not get $100k more car for your money, so you need to decide which one will give you $100k more enjoyment to live with. You really need to test drive both the F Type R and the AMG GT S before you can decide. (And please post back with your experiences!)

I've not looked at the Merc in any detail past a few reviews and I've not yet seen one in person. As an observer it has a nice German fit to the cabin, and the in-car and driveline tech will be of a much higher spec than on any current Jag model, but externally it looks like one of those posh plastic shoes people wear because sandals are out of fashion. Highly subjective, obviously, but it doesn't make my eye linger and undress its lines in the same way the F Type always has. It's a driving machine and very much styled inside-and-out for German car buyers who want to feel like they are piloting a highly polished feat of engineering. Would I like one? Hell yes; of course. If you loan me the money I'll even let you borrow it on weekends...

The F Type in all trim/engine models though is a beautiful thing. It turns heads absolutely everywhere because it is so beautiful. The R is so blisteringly fast in any everyday situation that it is almost difficult to drive at legal limits because 30mph feels the same as 100mph, and both are obtainable with very little effort. It requires you to hold back control of it like riding a lion through a chicken shed. Hardly wrestling; more firmly holding it to the legal limits. In interviews Ian Callum describes the design of the door handles as a handshake, something that seemed a bit “arty” until I opened, and closed, my first one and then I understood what he meant. It’s an entirely unique experience from the moment the car greets you to the moment you say goodbye.

In Britain we have a perverse way of looking at our neighbour’s possessions. If we see someone driving an expensive car we belittle the owner and pour paint stripper over the bonnet to show our disgust at someone else’s good fortune. Car parks, petrol stations, even queuing for junctions – the F Type gets attention for the right reasons. No one wants to know how much it cost; everyone wants to know what it’s like to drive, and everyone grins when asking it. I’ve had school boys racing me on the pavement (sidewalk) to catch up and take selfies. I’ve had a dear old lady on a mobility scooter come up to me at home to talk about how her late husband used to test drive for Jaguar. I’ve had one chap pen me a letter asking if he could stop by for a coffee and chat. I’ve met and talked away many hours with all sorts of interesting people drawn in by the car. Those experiences are what the extra $100k buys you.

That and the Stealth button on the touchscreen. It exists solely to make you smile for the two times you’ll ever press it, but those two times you will be grinning like a little kid. Which is basically what the F Type is designed to do. If you want a raw, powerful precise machine where the beauty lies under the bonnet then buy the Mercedes and it won’t disappoint you. If you want to become 14 every time you get in the car and like your first girlfriend you don’t mind a few missing teeth and a strange smell because “OMG she has ***** which are AWESOME” then the Jag won’t let you down.

Pragmatically the F Type interior is nice, but the fit is not perfect. If you spend a few minutes you will find seams that are just out of alignment, and simple things like putting some felt on the rear of the seats to stop them rubbing when fully back has been left out. It has been built very precisely to meet a price point and as long as you understand that from the start I personally have not been disappointed by it. Mine is a daily driver for a 2 hour commute so I’ve spent a lot of time inside her and only twice have I noticed rattles (door trim and a missing seat trim clip – both warranty fixes). Outside the car I’ve had a slow leak from a faulty TPMS valve replaced and that’s it so far at 13,000 miles.

I don’t actually mind the satnav because it is a marked step up from the horrific finger-jabbing heart attack-inducing mess they fitted to their earlier XJ X351s. TBH though I barely use it as I rarely drive away from familiar routes, but when I do I’ve not yet found myself getting frustrated with it and it seems responsive and well designed. I like how they moved the heated seat controls to the AC knobs to remove the extra touch screen menus they use on their other models. All the “hard controls” in the F Type seem well placed and tactile. I can even operate the window heater switches by touch alone as you quickly learn their feel and positions. The stereo on mine is the top option for the build year and it sounds great to me but I don’t plug an analogue record player into it so my standards are just digital radio and MP3s.

Jaguar do two things very well in road cars - they are always beautifully designed, and they are usually grossly over-powered for their main use which historically was daily commutes by middle aged men who run family businesses. (The US market may be different.) 0-60mph times and such stats are pretty much meaningless at these levels and as you've said yourself you don't plan to track your car. The F Type R is more of a car than I can fully drive; and probably more than most owners can if they are honest.

The short version:

Test drive both the Jag and the Merc on a Friday and then buy the one you are still thinking about on the Monday morning.

Unless you want a spec that requires a custom order seriously consider pre-owned because Jags depreciate so quickly you can get 30% off list price for 12 month less warranty on a lease hand-back.

 

Extremely well done, XDAVE! You perfectly captured my view of the car.

 

+1 xdave... well stated.

 

Damn man. This was what I was looking for. Wish I had half your skills at writing maybe I could get A's on my essays. Will have to go and test drive the car. I plan on doing a custom order because I want to get the car exactly how I want it. Hopefully they let me test drive it. I'm only 18 so I'm not sure how the policy works because they didn't let my brother test drive his Cayman s when he got it. But we will see. I leaning towards the F Type R I love the looks and the exhaust from the videos I've seen sounds so mean. I would never use the audio system with that exhaust. Post some pics of your cars. I'm thinking White with black rims. That's probably my favorite combo.

 

If you are in the US, on 2016 R models you can't get white with black rims from the factory. You'll have to order them aftermarket (or have the dealer order them aftermarket). If you have the dealer do it expect to pay between $5-8k without tires. If you go aftermarket you can get them shipped to you from the UK for about $3k, with new tires.

It's unclear at this point as to whether or not they are bringing the option back for 2017. That's my favorite color combination too. I'm seriously considering powder coating my wheels to get the look I want.

 

Can you say "eloquent"? Completely agree xDave

 

Really!!? Can't get black rims from the dealer? Wow that sucks. Will probably find some better looking ones aftermarket if I can't get them from the dealer.

 

Yeah, I heard a rumor they are getting them back for 2017, but who knows if it's true. What's even more infuriating is that you can get them on the S or the base, can get them in the UK on an R. Just not in the US on an R. Madness.

I'm looking at buying the tornado or cyclone rims aftermarket or powder-coating mine. Figure the car will be easier to sell if I ever get tired of it if I have Jaguar rims on there.

 

I hope this doesn't offend you but it has to be said.

If you are 18 the F-Type R is the last car you should buy. It is a car which requires a skilled driver. It's not a car you can just chuck into a corner and it will stick, the throttle requires real finesse. When I lived in Miami we used to have young men your age die every month at the wheel of an M3, M5, C63, etc.

If you have been to a lot of driving schools and are a graduate of say the Advanced M School then go for it.

But otherwise I would recommend a car which is safer for building your skills. An F-Type V6 6MT would be ideal. It's a much more forgiving car and it would be great for you to learn chassis control without putting yourself in danger. You have a long life ahead and in a few years you can build up to an R Coupe or a GTS.

FWIW I drove a BMW 328i cabriolet when I was your age and worked my way up to an M3 by the time I was 24. I don't know if I would be alive if I started in the M3.