F-Type Short-Term Ownership Experiences

By Arison Knapp - December 10, 2015

jaguar_f-type_jaguarforums

Since the first production model F-Type was delivered, Jaguar Forum threads have increased with owner experiences. The F-Type confessionals in this thread are from a great batch of previous Aston Martin, Corvette, 911, and R8 owners, who understand the nuances of supercars.

Before we touch upon a few member confessionals, though, let’s dive into the general commotion. Positives I found throughout the threads were rich. Most of the owners love the styling, engine notes, tight aluminum construction, and British exclusivity. Members share thoughts that the design is what sparked their desire, which I have to agree with; it is a beautiful piece of Callum art. The driving experiences shared sound magical too, and I think that’s what’s keeping them in the driver’s seat.

JF member Shift says the sound is what’s so intoxicating. That sweet rip-roaring exhaust note is indeed legendary, but a small amount of owners have expressed their distaste for the exhaust. Perhaps some smart equipment for Jaguar to add down the road would be a fully-tunable exhaust sound system with dial feature to amp up or tune down.

Members also have conveyed a fair amount of forum space to other areas they feel Jaguar needs to update. Granted, this usually happens after they have complimented their F-Type. Some stated that the infotainment, cabin materials, fit, and cargo space need to be revised. Other members here have specific parts they think need attention. Take forum member Unhingd, for example, who shared with us that his manual transmission has too long of a shift throw, second gear is too tall, and the clutch is too weak for his driving style.

The gentleman who started the thread, plummd, is an avid Porsche guy. He says the styling and power are perfect for his taste, however the interior is rattling and he’s getting fed up. My suggestion, and the right thing to do, is to take your F-Type to the dealer for reassembly of the cabin paneling. Under Jaguar’s new 5 year, 60,000 mile warranty, it is proper practice. Any factory authorized dealer will get the fit quiet and better than factory, however it may take more than once. Let the dealer get the fit right before your warranty expires.

Another sensory detail plummd shares is that his last 911 attained the same speed with less of a theatrical exhaust. Sounds like he’s a into stealthy sleepers. From my experience, I would live with the exhaust note, for that is what Jaguar envisioned their animal to sound like.

Tons of positives outweigh the small amount of cons. From the sound of owner’s experiences, I feel that Jaguar did a good job with this first generation F-Type. But what do you think? What’s your experiencing with the F-Type? After owning an F-Type, would you buy another one or a different Jaguar?