OK time for honest opinion after owning a 2016 awd R coupe. Im in like but not in love.


The sound was intoxicating to start but soon became tiresome I find I elect to turn it off when in dynamic.


The power is indeed impressive and the car disappears with the slightest pinch of the right pinky toe, but its brash and dramatic. Keep in mind I came out of 6 carreras in a row, they seemed to effect the same speed but with less drama.


Fit and finish isn't german and things like that radio surround are sometimes cheap and plastic. I would have expected better. Seats are nice but seriously no ventilation option???


The freaking passenger side rattles are driving me crazy. Im putting shims in all over the place with little net effect. Im only 5 k limes into this car it will only get worse, metro NY streets aren't kind.


Granted this car is 20k cheaper than a 911 and 30 k more than a vette and I think it is in many ways more "vette" ish. perhaps I should look at it as a step up from the vette but not the 911 or MB gt type competitor.


BTW I rarely see f types and that's probably its best feature. It is a gorgeous car and stands out nicely and 911 are endemic to NY now


Im thinking already what Ill be looking at in 2 1/2 years - not a good sign.

 

Sorry should have said "6 months of ownership"

 

I can't / won't comment on the other issues, as much of that is based on individual perseptions, but regarding the rattle I would have taken it straight back to the dealership.

I have a 2015 R that has done 12.000 km now, and it's absolutely rattle free - as it should be. And built quality seems absolutely on par with the German cars I have previously owned.

 

Yep, I can't relate to the OPs experience either. My 2014 convertible is as tight as a drum, rattle free, and I've experienced no issues whatsoever. I couldn't be happier with it.

 

+1. 4700 miles and no rattles. Occasionally hear a mild creaking/chafing sound from the upper left corner of the driver's window, but that is resolved by rolling down the window about 2 inches and back up again. A dab of plumbers grease on the rubber gasket would probably permanently resolve that noise.

 

I have some sympathy with the problems in the OP as it relates to build. The build quality on my F Type is not as good as the build quality on my XJ (and not as good as my two 911s). I've suffered from rattles and one of the causes of the speaker vibrations in my car was a mis-assembly at the factory where screws were missed on one of the door speakers.

 

'14 vert,8800mi, no squeaks or rattles, or radio problems,or any problem. I wanted it because it wasn't German, not that German is bad but after 11 years I wanted something different. Same story with wife who got Maserati.

 

Hmm I am 5k miles into a 2016 R and I have owned many 911, MB, and some exotics and I am still very impressed with the jag..it just has soul which I felt the 911 were lacking...have no rattles, and the sound is still amazing...my only gripe is I wish it had a little more cabin space...but I knew that from day one..to the OP I would get the rattles checked out..

 

I'm about 1.5 years in...for context I don't daily drive...for me:

- the sound is still intoxicating. can't really use all the power on the street, but at least I get to enjoy the sound while cruising around on weekends

- haven't had any real fit and finish issues

- the interior/infotainment I do wish was better

- the weight does get to me...I can feel the almost 4000 pounds even just driving casually around town

The last 2 points is what will ultimately get me to jump cars (but in fairness I like to try new cars out regardless). still don't see too many F-Type arounds, which is nice and does make me feel special like my mom told me I was :-)

 

All I can say is that people like you are a boon for people like me who can't quite stretch to the new price but are very happy to pay for a near new low mileage with the initial depreciation wiped off by someone else

I live everything about my lightly used F type.

 

I notice that many here are holding this car up to the 911 on a variety of aspects. I find this as unfathomable as the US military comparing the A-10 and an F-16.

911 is a great car. Uncle had one for a long time and he loved that thing. I guess in my book it works out like this

911 - German Go-Kart
F-Type - British Rocket Sled

Pick your outcome.

Orkney

 

The comparison being made is in relation to build quality - and in that regard the 911 is better.

 

Build quality is bellow Porsche levels, but with a Porsche badge on it, price would have been $175K.

I realized about 2 weeks into doing so, that the F-Type is not a daily driver in my opinion. Driving few times a week i enjoy the sound, the power and do not mind the sometimes rough ride quality.

Went at an exotic car dealership with a friend over the weekend and given a 200k budget i think i would still keep the F-Type. Coming after many 911's, M6, M5, etc, it still puts a smile on my face every time i drive it.

 

I agree, in the sub $200K price range the F-Type is still probably the car I would get. My criteria:

- new (I like the new car smell, don't want to deal with maintenance, out of warranty issues, etc.)

- sports car (2 seater), this gets ride of cars like the M6

- can't be too common (911, Corvette)

- has to be "classy" / "elegant", so no Nissan GTR

The short list would be

- Aston Martin Vantage V8
- Audi R8
- 911 GT3 or Turbo/Turbo S

The Vantage I really like but just too old of a platform.
The 911 GT3 Turbo S just looks too much like the normal 911s, so even though they are amazing cars I can't justify $180K on a car that at a glance looks like every other 911
The R8 will probably be my next car.
The BMW i8 is interesting, but not sure if I'm willing to take the electric plunge on a sports car yet.

So between the R and the R8, it's just a matter if you think $50k is worth it....

 

I came from a Corvette and I'm so much happier with this car than the Corvette. I guess you can say the Corvette was a stepping stone for me. Get my feet wet with rear wheel drive and keep coming back for more. It was also very sloppy. Fast, but sloppy. It felt like it could get away from you instantly at any time. The F-Type on the other hand feels much more solid and controlled. The TR6060 6 speed gear box was absolutely awful in the cold.

I believe the only car I would have considered hard with the F-Type R would have been the Cayman GT4. If they had it in a PDK version (which they will), I might have considered it a little harder.

When I get bored with the retarded horsepower which is probably never, I'd most likely go with a little nicer interior and little less power.

 

It was rare I got people coming up to me and talking about my Corvette. This car is a whole other story, one that I was not quite fully prepared for. I can't pry people away from it. It's sickening.

The main reason? Nobody knows what it is.

I love it.

 

I agree with you entirely. I entertained the Vantage V12 idea, but then again it's a 8 year old platform.

The V8 R8 did nothing for me appearance wise and feel. The V10, while more reliable than a Gallardo, still has it's issues.

I love MB's all together, but i still like the F-type over the AMG GT. A loaded GTS runs you over 150k. I would like a coupe SLS though.

I plan to keep the F-Type for a while but on my future buys list i have the 15 Viper ACR.

 

While a great and reliable car, there are a lot of Corvettes.

Part of the F-type exclusivity are probably the "Legendary" reliability, dealer service and price drop after the first year

I love it though.

 

I'm not 100% satisfied either, but for slightly different reasons.

Here's my 1 year ownership opinion:

Positives:
1) Sound and acceleration. Really excellent. The differential is probably the best on any car at this price point and better than anything BMW has.
2) Looks - it still looks very special.
3) Build quality is very good. No rattles and it seems more solid than my BMW.
4) Generally very nice to drive - comfy cruiser.

Things I am not satisfied with:
1) Infotainment system is int if date. Navigation sometimes gives you illogical directions. There is no telematics. Graphics are poor. Speed is slow. There is no HUD.
2) Handling. The suspension on the 2015 R is too soft. If you drive this car through esses, it feels unstable - even compared with my 2014 M5 Comp Package, forget about comparing to Z06 or 911S. I talked to the mechanic at the dealership and he told me that the control arms are the same ones that were used on the S-type, and the suspension is largely same as XKR and XFR - so not upgraded for sports car versus grand tourer duty.
3) Interior materials and design seem pedestrian to me. Lots of cheap plastics, center console design looks Japanese. Yes there is lots of leather, and contrast stitching but most luxury cars have that these days. Also control panel illumination seems cheap. You get better backlighting in a 10 year old lexus.

Would I buy it again:
Probably not.
1) As Shift says - at its price point it is one of the best cars you can get. AMG-GT and 911 Turbo are much more expensive. Corvette is cheaper but carries the stigma of being a Chevy as well a lack of beauty. So there aren't many options that compare. But...
2) I wish I had bought a 991 GT3 instead. Would at least have held its value better. Unfortunately that is no longer an option with production on halt until the 991.2 GT3 comes out late next year as a 2017.
3) I think if I was to buy a replacement today, I would probably get a used 2014 991 Turbo, or a new Mercedes AMG-GTS. It would cost a little more, but it would be worth it. I think the GTS is most likely the winner since it addresses all my issues, while still having great exhaust sound, speed, and rear wheel drive handling.

 

Interesting info on the control arms and suspension. I think we all knew that the F-Type, while a brand new model, was borrowing a lot from the parts bin. This is where the F-Type loses to the AMG GTS and 911, where MB and Porsche can dump a ton of money into a new model with much more tech and R&D. Otherwise I think Jag would have to bump the price significant since they can't really sell on volume. But in the end, at its price point, it is a very good choice for those who don't want ______ (fill in the blank for mainstream 911/Corvette)