so trading down from my 2007 xkr to an ftype v6. I thought i was going to be a good boy and get the v6..thinking it was sporty enough...but I'm at a 100$ month difference for an S? wallet says no...but gut says i will regret it... What to do?

 

I went through the same decision process, though the monthly difference was higher, and ultimately opted for a base V6 after driving both back-to-back on a couple occasions. The real question you need to ask yourself is the following: Is $1200/year worth it for a small amount of additional power, adaptive damping, active exhaust and a limited slip differential? For me the answer was no. The difference in power is imperceptible, you'll be at illegal speeds plenty fast with both cars. In terms of the adaptive dampers, I could barely tell the difference on a bumpy road I took both cars on. The car's dynamics are already damn good, and the adaptive dampers are probably only a real advantage when you're really pushing the car. Unless you intend to track it, I doubt you'll notice. Same with the LSD, though that's the one thing I miss most with some of the off-camber corners around here. As for the sound, there's been some debate on other threads as to whether there's a difference between the base exhaust and the active exhaust in it's open position. For me, inside the convertible, I could not detect a real difference in sound quality. Outside of the car may be a different story, but I don't spend much time there, so I don't care.

Only you can decide what's important to you, but I couldn't justify the difference in price for what amounts to bragging rights. For street driving, the performance difference in my opinion is imperceptible.

 

Thank you do much for that comprehensive answer....
very helpful!

 

I take the opposite view of the adaptive dampers - on really crappy pavement, I turn off dynamic mode to have a softer ride. The ride is never harsh, but on broken pavement, it's nice to have it a bit softer. I believe the base model now has dynamic mode, which still makes the steering firmer and shift points more aggressive.


I thought the climate pack was stupid, but I got it as part of another package (premium?) and I love it. Use the heated steering wheel all the time, and often the heated seats too. Lets me run with the top down in colder weather, which I enjoy.

 

Check with Foosh. I suspect he'll have a strong (albeit valid) opinion on this one.

 

I would get the V6S if the diff is only $100 a month and if it doesn't really affect your budget. The V6S has 19 inch rims standard, the active exhaust, active dampers, bigger brakes, and the lsd. It is much better suited when you want to push it.

Also the active exhaust when disabled makes the car super quiet which is good for a few situations and when enabled sounds wonderful. Although with both cars you don't have the real low end grunt the V8 has.

I was in a similar situation and took the V6S under a lease and am glad.

 

Actually, the discussion has been whether the base exhaust is louder than active exhaust with the valves closed, which it is--considerably louder! However, active exhaust on the V6S is somewhat louder than the base when the valves are open. My perception is that the base exhaust is one of the loudest on the market as it is, with a wonderful, exotic exhaust note. When you lay into the throttle it is very loud, and it crackles, and pops on deceleration just like the others.

I obviously can't answer your "will I regret" question, but I have no regrets about buying the base car. I drove the base, V6S, and V8S when deciding, and DUPREY26 summed it up pretty well. I simply couldn't feel any difference between the two V6s. There is essentially no torque difference between the two, and the 40 extra HP is only noticeable at high rpms, and illegal speeds. There was no way for me that the V6S was worth $15-20K more than the base, because I didn't want all the bundled options. LSD would have been nice, if it were available a la carte.

 

He should be checking in any minute...


While I love my S, I have yet to hear any base owner say that they wish they had more. They all love it, and I think a fair generalization would be that all F-type owners love their base, V6S, V8S or R. Except for the few who have problems.


Of course, we all wonder why anyone would buy anything other than what we bought.

 

Doh! He checked in while I was typing.

 

+1

 

Correct, the base always had dynamic mode, which on that model does make the shifts more emphatic, changes the shift points in automatic mode, and changes the steering feel a bit. It also makes the throttle mapping more aggressive. Most base owners I've compared notes with think the suspension on the base is firm all the time, so I don't think we get the somewhat softer ride you get with adaptive dampers by turning off dynamic mode.

The only option on my base was the climate pack (and Sirius/HD radio), and I do appreciate the heated seats and steering wheel this time of year. Fortunately it was only a $600 a la carte option in '14.

 

Actually, at launch, dynamic mode was only in the S models. Not sure when it was added to the base model. (I originally ordered the base model, but bumped it up to the S after the salesman told me the first builds would be V6S and V8S, and the base model would be a few months later. He may have been full of it, but I upgraded to the S partly based on that.)

 

DJS,

Thanks. I didn't know that. My '14 was an 11/13 build near the end of the MY run.

 

After 7 months of owning a base V6 I still have no opinion on the base vs the S. Which I guess means that Jaguar priced the spread just right.

This post may help on the inevitable power comparison:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/f...0/#post1000570

When I bought my car my decision was between the base and the R, and I'm still torn on that too since the pros and cons (fuel economy, cost, pareto performance etc) seem to offset each other also. If I was looking at the S I think the adaptive suspension would be the salient difference to me because the suspension on the F-Type base is pretty harsh.

So it definitely is a buyers dilemma. But another way of looking at it is, because the tradeoffs are so balanced, either choice will be great!

Also, note that the drive ratio is different between the base and the S, which will change the way the throttle feels.

 

No opinion is an opinion. In my opinion.

I fully intended on the base and it was only due to the fact that my local dealer only had two models on hand; one an R and the other an S, and made me an offer I couldn't refuse (I suspect that offer, off MRSP, would have applied on either car).

So my choice was easy; even if ended up with loads of options I hadn't intended on getting (paying for) but am now delighted I have. You, being in L.A., will have lots more options - literally and figuratively - and while for a mere $100 more per month I think I would opt for the S, I'm also quite certain that you would be in love with the base model equally as well...for all the reasons mentioned above.

In any event, why have any buyers remorse on something so wonderful?

 

Jay, I was thinking exactly that "no opinion is an opinion," but you took the words right out of my mouth. I agree with the rest as well.

 

I got my base model in June of 2013 and it has dynamic mode. I am very happy with having dynamic mode and the 19 inch wheels on my base. I will be putting the Quicksilver exhaust on it (once they finish making it this spring) and am really looking forward to having a very unique sound to my F-type that will be different than all of the other models.

 

how much does that $100 per month add up to? I think the V6 is a no brainer. Personally I think some of the S and R options are cool but no way worth the extra cash, unless you have money to burn which apparently some people here do.

 

I wouldn't be so quick as to judge other people's motivations for their choice of purchase by your own priorities or wallet.

 

Face it, everyone on this forum has discretionary money to burn. Otherwise we'd be yacking about basic transportation (e.g. a Honda Fit).