Hi,

I had put a deposit down on a UK 2014 (US 2015) F Type R Coupe, but on the way to part exchange my current car, someone decided to crash in to the back of me, long story short, they let that car go due to me not being able to get my own car sorted in time.

I am now back in a position where I am ready to buy.

Either of the choices will be a RWD F Type R Coupe, as in the UK, we can still get the RWD on any model year.

I have seen a red 2014 (US 2015) car for sale for £64,000 and a 2015 (US 2016) car for sale for £68,000. Both have pretty much the same spec, same interiors, in fact the cars are almost identical apart from the model year. They both have around 2500 miles on the clock.

Obviously the styling is slightly different, and I can't really decide which one I prefer. The side skirts on the 14 I think I prefer, but I like the rear of the 15 a little better. I really can't decide which one I think is the better looking car.

The 2 major factors in my decision are the following:

Is the hydraulic steering better than the electric steering? I'm not a huge fan of electric assisted steering, and usually find a hydraulic system to be much better, however most of the reviews say there is no difference?

The biggest factor is the infotainment. How much better is the later system than the earlier system? Is it worth an extra £4000 over the original system? This is my main concern. I know the system is bad in both, but how much better is the updated infotainment over the original system?

Thanks,

Sam

 

I certainly can't make this decision for you, but here are some considerations from my viewpoint:
1. I dare anyone to be able to tell much difference between the EPS and old fashioned hydraulic system on the F-Type. The feedback is equal, and the EPS version may actually feel a bit crisper.
2. The quality of the sound system is car specific. Some cars are good (not great) and some are real bad regardless of model year. You have to sit in each car that you are considering, listen to the sound system, and make a determination whether it is acceptable to you.
3. You'll be driving an F-Type. Do you really care what features are flashing on the touch screen? You do not need any additional entertainment.
4. The instrumentation graphics on the earlier models are not consistent between the gauges. Some folks find that a bit off-putting.
5. The car (IMO) looks best with no side skirts. The latest (& exaggerated) version of the side skirts really detract from the clean lines.

My 2 cents.

 

+1 to everything Unhingd says.

Regarding the power steering. I could tell the difference between the hydraulic and EPS when I drove them back to back at Monticello. The EPS is very good; however, I prefer the hydraulic system. But without an immediate A/B comparison I don't think you could tell the difference between the two.

Additionally the rear diffuser is painted body color on the 2016s

For me the perfect F-Type would be a 2015 RWD V8 with the updated gauges/infotainment. You could get that in the UK with a bit of paint on the 2016 model.

 

Thanks for the input! I think the main concern is the older gauges and infotainment.

I think I'm going to go for the 2016 model.

I had already intended on getting the rear diffuser and the bottom of the side skirts wrapped in black to match the front lip on the car, I wouldn't mind seeing one that has maybe had this done already?

And I have an obsession with Nardo grey Audi's so maybe get the rest of the car wrapped in Nardo. I think it would look good with the black bits contrasting it.

 

Have you seen Storm Grey?
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/f...ey-yet-143536/


Ammonite is also nice.

 

I actually really like the side skirts in that grey, they finish the car off nicely.

But I'm struggling to find Ammonite and Storm is a bit too dark.

I'm not a huge fan or red, white or black, and all the ones for sale are either red, white or black!

A good friend of mine does wrapping, so has offered me a very good deal, I think it will look quite good in Nardo.

 

It's been said already but honestly the differences are very minor IMO. I wanted the hydraulic steering specifically but the electric assist seems just as good and virtually every test says the same. Infotainment system? what infotainment system? LOL.....I think I've turned mine on less than a half dozen times....and usually not for long.


Dave

 

The infotainment system is very important to me. I listen to music all the time and have to use nav to find someplace at least a couple times a week.

The thing is... it's so incredibly awful in the F-Type (of any year) that I wouldn't let the changes from 15 to 16 sway you much. The '16 interface is very very slightly nicer, but you are going to be frustrated and angry at any of them.

That being said, the F-Type is an amazing car, so of course you should still get one.

 

This. I surprised quite a few people by asking them about steering after they drove my car. Usually I get "No F***ing way!" response.

 

I didnt realize they had a Nardo grey wrap?! I'm also a big fan of Nardo grey and other the similar colors like Grigio Telesto and Battleship grey.

It would be cool to see JLR develop a PTS program like BMW & Porsche.

 

+1


The system is practically identical in my 2013 and my 2017 jags.

 

I hate to disagree with some of the earlier posts, but the change in the info system was why I went with the new V6S instead of the older R (and I would have rathered have the 8 and more to the point, the 8 noise and quad pipes).

I had the black and white screen in my '12 XF and really I disliked it. I found it much harder to use than the earlier blue and white screen setup, even though that was a pain with all of the windows. The part I hated the most was that there is so much info up on the home screen I was constantly pushing the wrong thing when I was driving. And then it was monumentally slow to boot up. I wouldnt have access to the reverse camera until well after the car had idled down, and then the music would start after that again so all of the sudden it would be on when you were pretty much driving off.

I've found the new "tile" setup much, much easier to use. We had it in my missus' XE first, and when I then came to look for an f type it was pretty much a "must have", or more to the point the black and white screen system was pretty much a "must not have".

That said, I had one of the early versions of the black and white screen units and it didnt have meridian audio back then (meridian is much better than previous Jag stereos IMO) so I dont know whether it all had improved for the f type. But regardless, I'd give it a good try before deciding, it was one of the reasons that I got rid of the second XF so quickly.