Buying advice ... help!
 

Looking at two different F Types. One is a 2016 S coupe with 60,000 miles ... a lot of miles but the Jaguar dealer says it was a Jaguar corporate car and is being sold Certified thru early 2023 or 100,000 miles. New tires, brakes, etc. Asking price $45,000.

The other is a 16 R coupe with 17,000 miles, under factory warranty thru sometime next year being sold by a non-Jaguar dealer. Asking price $62,000.

I'm thinking there ought to be a little negotiating room on both but not counting on it. In any event, to me this is a tough call. I'm not swimming in money but can afford either car. Part of me wonders if it's really worth the extra bucks for an R. I won't be tracking the car or doing anything crazy with it. Having said that, I did really appreciate the growly giddyup I experienced on the test drive. Have not yet driven an S.

Any advice from veteran owners?

Too many miles on the S.

+1. If the S isn't a manual, go for the R.

Condition is more important than miles.

A lot of condition would be needed to overcome a 43,000 mile differential.

FYI the CPO '16 S coupe that I bought a month and a half ago was $49.5k with under 19k miles. I felt I could have done better if I was more patient.

Between the two, I'd probably keep looking... but I didn't feel the need for the V8, and I really wanted it to be CPO. Your priorities may be different.

I had a similar decision when I bought mine and went for the S which was newer and better tech. I love my car. Unfortunately now after 3 1/2 years I have the wandering eye and am considering spending a crapload to go up to an R or an SVR (or a manual Vantage), really only for the engine note because the performance of the S is plenty for me. You might not be as fickle as me, but if your head is gonna spin off when you hear that v8 bellow past, go for the R.

Do you see any F-type enjoyed enough to reach expected end of life at 250K? You'd have to do a severe commute for many years to get there.

These are not commuting cars.

Being an R owner, I am biased toward the R, but the lower mileage on it is also a plus. I wouldn't give up my V8. I think you can get it for less than $62.

I suspect a lot of us use it as our primary vehicle. Otherwise, what's the point of having it? I find it's the perfect commuter car. Allows you to unwind both before and after work.

I agree, though, if you don't plan on using the car as your regular driver, find the cheapest one regardless of mileage. Just consider condition (with a thorough pre-purchase inspection).

Last month I purchased a 2015 R with 17k miles for 47,900. I also purchased an extended warranty 3/36 with a 100 deductible for 4,000. Keep looking 62k is outrageous. IMO

It is a year newer and AWD, basically a different car compared to a 15'. 62k is a tad high but after all it is just the asking price, I'm sure he could negotiate something south of 60k. I just picked up a 17' R with 6500 miles for 63.5k for reference.....

Hawkeye, drive em both, or two from a dealership. Personally I wanted the V8 power, sound and AWD. Have never regretted that decision. Good luck.

My advice, don't necessarily chase deals. Some people do get really good deals, some don't.

Is it better to wait for a deal that may come several months later, or never? or just get a car you like and enjoy it instead of spending endless hours of searching and bargaining?

That being said, while I do think the Type S price is a tad high for the mileage, I also don't want it to be lower as the prices keep my own car valued. ;)

100% go for the R, the S should be listed for under 40,000. I got my 16 CPO V6S AWD Convertible 8 months ago, with a $100,000 sticker price, the 7 year warranty, for 53,900. Now I wish I went for the R, I love my S, but if you can for the R, go for the R. You can find CPO R for under 60k. My dealer has a black on Red R coupe CPO for 61k, with 13k Miles. Awesome spec, drove it yesterday.

Some great responses here. Thank you all!

Full disclosure: My conundrum has me a bit paralyzed. As a lifelong "car guy," the garage currently houses a Boxster S (daily driver) and a Triumph TR6. Love 'em both but am ready to drive something different.

Either the Boxster gets traded for a newer 911S/4S cab or I sell the TR6 (spouse doesn't feel safe in it) and modernize to an F Type. With airbags!

The F Type is drop dead gorgeous and seems like more car for the money than a 911, despite the slight (meaningless for me) performance differences ... brash British bad boy with possible long-term quality/depreciation issues vs. elite clinical German-style precision with better long-term value/reliability. I'm leaning F Type (I get to keep the beloved Boxster!) but after driving a friend's 911 Turbo S, the Porsche bug keeps pulling me back.

Wife says I'm nuts. She's absolutely right!

Let me add that I'd also choose the R for that price difference. Low miles and significantly more power are worth the price. I know if I went fo the S I'd always wish I'd bought the better car. (I'm all about avoiding regret).

What a wonderful “conundrum” to have. And as far as your wife saying you’re nuts, show me one guy - on this or any Forum (or anywhere) - whose wife thinks differently and I’ll show you a bridge I have for sale.

Whatever car you purchase you surely will enjoy it immensely. I wouldn’t be too concerned over the 6 or 8....at no time will you think, “yeah, but I wish it were a bit more exciting.”

YMMV.

Good luck!

I went to a dealer to look at an S. While there, someone started an R. I test drove it right after the S and there went my budget, right out the window.

Full disclosure, I'm an idiot. I have had a series of V8 cars and I often let my inner 12 year old out. I had every intention of getting a V6 and being a bit more sensible, but as I said to the cop who pulled me over for accelerating around a slow moving truck when he asked me if that was really necessary, 'This whole car is unnecessary'.

You ARE nuts, but so are the rest of us. I perfectly understand the draw to the Germans-Porsche in particular. One of my other partners (not the BMW guy) has a 05 Boxster S. He just bought a '15 9114S GTS. Beautiful car. He believes the Boxster actually handles better, but wouldn't go back from the 911. I think you get a lot for the F type and if you put the dollar difference in certain areas, you could get a Porsche or better. I'd love to have a Porsche in the stable along with the F type. I support your madness 100%. Get the F type and the 911. TR6 goes for new British bad boy.

Porsche appeals to me, as they are still making cars made to be driven, unlike modern BMW that seem to exclusively go after poser crowd. However, the vast majority of new Porsche drivers are posers and not the car guys. This also translates to unfavorable public image (i.e. rich asshole) if you drive one.

Three months ago I purchased a 2017 F type S AWD and from what I can tell has most options including the 20 " carbon insert wheels. But not the full leather or brake upgrades. I am in the Chicago area and the car was a returned corporate lease with 27,000 miles. It is still under warranty but I did something I never do and purchased an extended warranty to 2024 and 100,000. I question the reliability of extended warranties but in this case I decided to spend the money as this is my first Jaguar. No trade in. The Jaguar Certified Car Price was $45.900 plus tax and the extended warranty cost. The only work I needed done was to have the dealer polish out a small curb mark on one wheel.

I purchased from a long standing local dealer. To me it was important to do this to keep the chain of ownership entirely within the Jaguar family. That might not be important but all the service and warranty work was documented to be done by Jaguar and I could review what was done.

I feel this is about as safe as I could be in purchasing a used car. So far I have had no surprises and could not be happier with the car. It is beautiful and a pleasure to drive. It is my daily driver.

PS :I am an old American big block guy and appreciate nothing more than the sound of a thump-er cam in a big block, but I have to say I don't miss it when I stand on the Jags V-6.

If your priorities are sound (not that the 6 is bad) and power go for the R. I bought my 2015 S knowing that I wanted an R but it just wasn't in the cards at the time. A week now with my 2020 R and must say I find the extra torque and power intoxicating. I do not track the car but enjoy the extra push on vacant country roads. The quad pipes really look great but again it is about your own personal priorities.

If you just want a mad car, buy the V6. If you want a hooligan, V8! :D

Lotsa good advice, Hawkeye. Tell me abt the TR6, I owned one in early marriage -- loved it with European delivery, OD, wires, etc. Perhaps this Hoosier boy and the Hawkeye can work a swap of sorts, whilst I move into the more gentle phase of the TR6 vs the Hooligan stage I so much now enjoy in my 4th decade of Jaguar ownership = 11 to date!

I just got my 2016 convertible black with red interior two days ago. She Also has the active exhaust and dynamic mode (not sure if the dynamic is additional) but what I loved about the car, is she only had 20,400 miles. Certified Pre Owned for only $43,500. If you can afford the R go for it but personally for me I think the Supercharged 6 is perfect .... if your crazy about horsepower and mods I just learned you can program/tune the ECU with a pulley and crank out 400+hp.

Actually, 450+hp.

Sorry about my punctuation and grammar. Typing on my phone I’m not very good with

I dictate into mine, once it gets used to your voice the conversion is spectacularly good, though sometimes it will type "comma" or "period" instead of the symbol.