F type wasn't even on the radar until a good friend mentioned I test drive one. I was sold as soon as I saw/heard it.

I can resist no longer and am now in market to buy a 2015 f type r.

Anything specific to be on a look out for? Any options a must have?

Appreciate the input and cant wait to have my own.

 

The R comes pretty fully loaded, not too many options. Things I **really** like

- Black Pack (gives it a more aggressive/mean look, IMO)
- Pano Roof (love how it opens up the cabin)
- Electronic Lift Gate (hand when you have your hands full)
- Depending on your use, parking sensor/camera is handy (vision package)

If I really had to choose, it'd be Pano roof, then vision package.

 

If I were going for an R, I would pop for the Ceramic/Carbon brakes. Would have on my V6S if the option had been available with the manual transmission.

 

This surprises me coming from you. Why is that? Seems like an excessive and unnecessary option for anyone other than a race-car driver.

 

As an ex-race car driver, I came to understand that the fast guy around the track was the one that could out-brake the next guy. On most tracks, the races are won in the turns, not the straightaways.

All the reasons for: much less brake fade, less dust, much less unsprung weight, lower routine maintenance costs. Reasons against: cost, cost, cost.

As is, I got the super high performance brakes. Very competent. Are the CC brakes needed on a street car for an extra $13k?... no. But then neither is a 550 hp V8 for an extra $30k. Is there a value for each to different sorts of people, absolutely.

(I personally would want ceramics on an R to spool it down from the 186 mph top speed)

 

Something important to specify, not knowing if he would track it or not. $13k is a pricey option for something that would have no benefit on the street.

Also I would argue only RWD V8 is unusable on the street, but of course no one wants to hear me blabber about that any more than i already do

 

Coupe or convertible you need all of the vision and sensor options from and rear that you can get. Visibility is not great.

I have rear camera and reverse sensors, this is really just the bare minimum, I wish I had the cross traffic rear sensors as well as front camera and front sensors very hard to see out the front over the nose and if there are low obstacles you are really quite blind.

 

The front and rear park sensors are invaluable. I use the front sensors when pulling into parking spaces with high curbs and works great. Blind spot and cross traffic detectors are very handy too. I really like the black pack. I don't use the pano roof as much as I would have liked and maybe would have gotten CF roof if it was an option for 2015. One thing I do recommend is to get Xpel Ultimate clear-bra installed (by 3rd party and not dealer for best price).

 

The R comes standard with every performance option available, other than the carbon ceramic brakes.

So to me the must have options on the R:

1. Convertible Roof (well, maybe not must have, but makes it feel more like a real sports car to me, and nothing beats the open top on a nice day.)
2. Vision Pack (this is the only must have option IMO.)

Aside from that, the rest of the options are just for flavor. What body color do you like best? Do you want your vents/skirts/etc. black, silver, or body color? Which 20" wheels do you like best? What color brake calipers do you like best? Which roof color do you like best? Which seats/interior color of do you like best? What seat belt color do you like best? Do you think you may track the car? If so you probably want the carbon ceramic brakes.

 

Aside from the black pack and the vision pack, I believe the rest all come standard on the 2016 Coupe models now. For sure on the R, but I believe the S as well... not sure about the base model.

 

I thought the same when I test drove the car. I have always set my seats to the lowest setting. Moving the seat up just an inch makes all the difference in the world, and I now have no problem seeing the entire length of the bonnet and having a view of what's just ahead of the car. Raising the seat also makes unaided rear visibility much better.

 

My R does not have any options and I don't find myself missing anything

 

I got Vision Pack because the active headlights on my C30 really make a difference. I haven't driven at night yet with the F-Type but am hoping for similar illumination. I've never had a car with parking sensors or a rear view camera before, but have grown to like them almost immediately.

 

For my 2016 S AWD, the Premium + Vision Pack was a must have. The rear camera and especially the rear cross traffic detection is great to have.

Oddly, I found that I kind of like the intelligent highbeams. I never thought I'd need "help" with highbeams since I rarely use them except on truly dark roads, but the Jaguar system is pretty smart with when to turn them on and off. Pretty useful indeed since I wouldn't normally bother and the system basically suggests that I should. It also never blinds other drivers and always turns itself back to lowbeams whenever another car is near. Good stuff.

 

Blind spot/parking sensor/rearview camera has been crucial.

Not sure if the R would have these standard, but this was on my personal checklist when I purchased my V8S:

Flat-bottomed steering wheel
14 way sport seats
No roof (I had to have the pano roof open in the R to fit and that's a no-no in SoCal sun).
Switchable exhaust.

 

IMHO, the Vision Pack is a must-have option in the coupe.

The cross-traffic detection is crucial as the C-pillar creates a nasty blind spot while pulling out of parking spaces, especially those at an angle.

 

Well:

If I'm being sensible, the only really useful options are the vision and parking packs. Some floor mats are also a good idea. Everything else is to a greater or lesser extent superfluous, but some of it is nice to have. Buy the bits that you like. Hope this helps.

If I'm not being sensible, I would say that you should definitely get the carbon fibre engine cover(which only your mechanic will ever see), the most expensive stereo (because a moving car as loud as the F Type is one of the worst places to try and listen to music), the spectacularly uncomfortable (and heavy) wing-back armchairs, the flat bottomed steering wheel (unless your waist is bigger than your inside leg measurement), and the powered trunk lid (as there isn't enough space in there for more than one bag, so you're always going to have a hand spare to press the release button.

Bonus points for getting a pulley and tune. What the V8 really needs is more torque...

 

Looks like many folks are making suggestions based on the older model build options. In 2016 many of the old options are standard features, particularly on the R models.

To be clear, the only factory options on the R are as follows:

• Convertible vs Coupe
• Exterior color
• Convertible: Roof color
• Convertible: Roll over protection bars color: Chrome, Black, or Body color
• Coupe: Carbon Fiber roof (default is Panoramic Glass roof)
• Type of 20" wheels
• Brakes: Red calipers, Black calipers, or Carbon Ceramic w/Yellow calipers
• Interior Seat, Trim, and Headliner material & color
• Extended Leather Pack, Suedecloth Pack, or Red Interior Pack
• Round Steering Wheel (default is Flat Bottom Steering Wheel)
• Vision Pack
• Heated Windshield

Dealer Options:

• Black Pack (or individual parts)
• Carbon Fiber Pack (or individual parts)
• Space-saver spare tire
• Illuminated Tread Plates

Everything else is standard.

The Vision Pack is really the only factory option that is probably a must-have. It includes the following features:

• Headlights with adaptive front lighting
• Automatic Headlights with Intelligent High Beam
• Front park aid
• Rear park aid with touch-screen visual indicator
• Reverse park camera with guidance
• Reverse Traffic Detection with Blind Spot Monitoring & Closing Vehicle Sensing

Pretty much everything else is appearance. The dealer options can be added at any time.

 

Good info Merlin, but from what I read the OP was looking at a 2015 R, not a 2016 R. It's sometimes confusing since we are still in 2015, but the MY is 2016.

The spare tire is an interesting option...suppose it might be worth it if you are very far away from serviceable tire shops.

 

When I see people say 2015 model and ask about build options, I assume they are looking at the 2016 model given you can no longer buy a 2015 and have it customized. A number of people I know refer to current model cars as 2015 since that is what year it is now.

In any case, if you want last years model, you either get what is left on the floor or you search other dealers until you find someone that still has what you want. That or you find a used one with the options you want, but he didn't indicate used.

Either way, the R comes with a ton of default options regardless of year, there are just more "free" options in the 2016 model.

Honestly, I wouldn't think about buying a 2015 R at this point unless they were offering it well below invoice. I'd go for the 2016 since the price difference is minimal (you can get around invoice on 2016 models if you negotiate well) and you get much more for the money. Plus you can get the JCNA discount on 2016 models now.