Dear ftype owners, I'd like to share some valuable advice with you. If the roads are wet at all then please put your ftype in rain/snow mode.

This will improve handling a bit, force you to drive a bit slower and make you more safety minded. Sport mode is a joy to drive especially when you need a pick me up. However, last weekend, I wiped out into a median while taking a turn on a wet road driving in sport mode.

I should find out the damage by the end of next week but there is a possibility that the car may be totaled. The ftype is a beautiful car. Please consider following my advice above to prolong the life of your ftype.

 

Yikes! Hope you're OK.

 

I assume this was under a bit too much throttle, rather than just a turn at speed?
You mention sport mode.. do you mean dynamic?
And I must add that the experience must have heart breaking.. sounds like you are ok ?
Lawrence

 

I'm fine. No injuries. Yes it was dynamic mode. The car doesn't drive like a sportscar in rain/snow mode. It's more like driving in safety mode. Not fun to drive it that way but a good insurance policy for avoiding accidents.

Honestly, I've never had any slippage at all in the ftype. But during my recent incident the car slid out of control for a good 5 feet before smacking the median. Completely unexpected.

 

I don't think the issue was sport mode. The issue was you gave too much throttle. The throttle has to be handled with finesse in a powerful car.

With great power comes great responsibility.

 

I totaled my first F-type in less than three months. Hit a deer.

The cars can be fixed to nearly pre-accident status by replacing parts. I would not settle for anything less than replacement of every damaged part. I spent three months arguing with one shop before switching and quickly getting a total out of shop #2.

I had a new F-type in less than 24 hours after getting the payoff check. Came out fine but oh what a hassle.

Glad you are ok. I might even take your advice on the snow mode switch.

 

Yes I agree, I came to the conclusion early on, fortunately without incident that the car was way to skittish on cold Tyres in the wet and now always use the rain ice snow mode when the roads are wet.

 

Yep - I offered the same advice a a month or so ago... Couldn't agree more!

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/f...isited-134808/

 

Although this may not apply to areas that get a lot of rain during the year.. around here (not winter) we can get a few weeks without rain and I find the first rain makes the roads really slippery even when its really hot... once it rains hard for awhile, it becomes more of a normal wet road.

Of course cold road, with wet, with cold tires is another problem all together which is more in keeping with this thread.
Lawrence

 

Good news that you are OK - It dents the pride, but it's a piece of metal that can be replaced; you cannot.

One thing that I find very misleading from your post though:

Nope, you can still drive like a loon in WET/SNOW mode. It merely makes you feel like you are towing a caravan!

Gents remember, this is a sports car with lots of ponies and big, fat rubber. - You have to learn to treat it with respect. One way to do that is be disciplined with your right foot, and don't drive beyond your means.

 

@Tel, in dynamic mode, the car is more exciting to drive so it's easier to end up driving in a more sporting way without thinking about it or really intending to. In snow mode, I'm much more aware of the linear performance and have no desire to push the car like a sportscar.

 

The fat tires are not good for clearing water. They present a square tire patch. The oval tire patch of a minivan is better on wet roads.

What was the temperature when you had the mishap, jag_guy_2020?

 

the temp was prob around 50. another factor was that it was the first rain that had happened for a few days so the roads prob had more surface oil.

another factor was that this happened in portland and the driving dynamics are different than most big cities that I've been living in for the past 15 years. for example, posted speed limits for highways are often 45-50 and posted speed limits for non-highways are often 20-25. best to be sure to stay within those limits I've learned.

also, I'm new to portland and I've been using my iphone a lot for directions. oftentimes the directions have a delay and will instruct you to take a turn at the last second. accept the fact that you will lose some time when learning a new city. don't take an exit at the last second because your iphone tells you to. it's not safe.

 

I have to ask. Did you go to the authorized Jaguar Collision facility?

 

Nobody should rely on any of the electronic safety devices on a car to keep them from having an acident. Sorry, I am going to get scolded for this again. I am pushing fifty and grew up in Germany until I was 28. Cars did not have any electronic safety devices. It is too easy to buy a powerful car nowadays. Take an auto cross class and learn to handle your car with all electronics turned off. They NEVER interfere in my driving unless I want to. With 500 lbs of torque on tap at under 2,000 rpm you can NEVER use full throttle. What I mean by that is to just floor it. With more power than the car can handle you have to ease in to it and when you are around 4,000 you can floor it.

Full throttle is only possible when you know you can handle it and you are playing, letting the rear skid out a bit so to speak.
Yout can floor a 911 or an R8 with low 300 lbs of torque at something like 4,500 rpm because it is not really enough power for the rear to break lose until your reach higher rpm and speeds.

Sorry, anybody recommending that the electronics may save you does not know anything about driving a powerful car. They may, they may not, they are at the very least not reliable enough to guarantee preventing an accident. If they do, only because ... and let's get real ... of the pedestrian speeds we are driving here in the US.

 

I don't think anyone here is suggesting that the electronics will save you alone. The recommendation is that you use the rain ice snow mode when itis wet and slippery. This limits the throttle response and makes it more like what you describe above with regards the 911 and R8. This helps prevent inadvertant heavy footedness. In my experience witn this car with a newly wet road and cold tyres it can be very difficult to leave the line without spinning the wheels and it gets tail happy very easily In Those conditions. If you have electronics available then itbis smart to use them.

I take you point about not over relying on the electronics and about learning how to handle your car within its and your limits, but is not true to say electronics never saved anyone, they have clearly saved thousands. I am here to say that I can give you several instances where ABS has saved me.

 

The vettes and high powered rear ends, have a tendency to spin out, whether from a start or through curves, I've done them both in several cars, but managed to stave off any damage except to my ego and that's ok, just drove my Ftype to see family in Ny and by the time I got into Va. it started snowing, I didn't do bad but she stayed in rain mode most of the time. Glad we are all here to share our stories.

 

Yes, both shops were authorized Jaguar shops with the aluminum body certification.

I am currently trying to open a dialogue with Jaguar on what I perceive as some major problems with the accreditation process and may post the whole story if that does not produce results.

I can heartily endorse the second shop that got me the total loss. PM me if you want their information.

 

[QUOTE=jag_guy_2020;1188923]the temp was prob around 50. another factor was that it was the first rain that had happened for a few days so the roads prob had more surface oil.

another factor was that this happened in portland and the driving dynamics are different than most big cities that I've been living in for the past 15 years. for example, posted speed limits for highways are often 45-50 and posted speed limits for non-highways are often 20-25. best to be sure to stay within those limits I've learned.

also, I'm new to portland and I've been using my iphone a lot for directions. oftentimes the directions have a delay and will instruct you to take a turn at the last second. accept the fact that you will lose some time when learning a new city. don't take an exit at the last second because your iphone tells you to. it's not safe.[/QUOTE

Nope it sure isn't. I hope you get it resolved.

 

Moderator - I edited a post after it was quoted again. Please correct the quote. Thank you. 😊