Let me start by saying I am 52 yo, 6 - 02, and 230 lbs. As most of you know I have had my car for about 3 weeks now.

After my Warriors lost the championship and my depression stated to get the best of me, I decided I needed to leave the house and went for an extended drive yesterday for the first time to bond with my car. Five hours up and down highway 1, voted by many as the most beautiful road in the world, sweeping twists and turns running along side the Pacific Ocean. Living in the inner city, I finally got a chance to really get to know my car, using sport mode, playing with my active exhaust, accelerating around turns with different suspension settings, playing with the two steering modes etc...

What fun I had and truly love what this car has to offer.

Midway though the experience, on my way back home, I started to notice an issue that's been nagging me non-stop since that drive.

Visibility. At 6-2, I have a hell of a time seeing my environment around me and I feel like I'm peeping though a blindfold. I also honestly felt a bit boxed-in after an hour or so of spirited driving on the open road. Entering back into the city, it's also difficult for me to see my surroundings with the small windows, both front and back. Stop lights are yet another issue. Upon receiving the car, I played around with adjusting the seating and I found with my long legs the best placement was to elevate the seat up high. Most comfort but at the expense of two things. Visibility as well as needing to bow my head so as not to hit it on the roof edge. For this drive, I decided to lower the seat and I adjusted my seat down as low as it would go and that helped a bit but then the issue became entering/exiting the car. With the seats in their lowest position (best visibility) I literally have to "plop" down into the car. In terms of the visibly, I was making a left turn on my way home and almost hit a pedestrian not paying attention, fumbling around with seating position!

Although I think the coupe looks far better, coming from an XJ and being 6-2, I'm starting to wonder if I would honestly would have preferred a vert. Growing up, I always loved and have owned verts. Something happened to my aesthetics several years ago when studying the lines of a Ferrari 355 and comparing the raw image of the Berlinetta as compared to the Spyder. I saw them both side by side in the local horse stable and from that moment on, I said to myself....I am now a coupe guy. Something about a sexy roofline that appeals to my hunter / gatherer instincts. I also appreciate cellos, wine bottles, and yes females the curve.

Wondering if i'd be happier in a vert. Living in California, theres really no reason not to have one and at my age and size, it now seems to make a ton of sense.

Am I simply having a case of silly buyers remorse or is there really something to this I'm going through. Of course, since I bought my car, it would take my selling and finding and rebuying a vert to make this switch but I would be willing if it means me finding total happiness in this car.

I'm feeling i'm a bit too big for this coupe. Do I really need the vert?

 

Drive one, and find out. With the top up, the vert visibility is probably worse than the coupe. But my top is seldom up - it's a great experience with the top down.

 

I suspect you'll just get used to it. All my driving-age life, I've driven XJs all different vintages, up to and including my current X350, which is an enormous car, but the driver is very coddled inside, which makes the car feel smaller than it is. I started driving an Infiniti M45 as a second car, and compared to the XJ, it was like driving in a glass house. I had to get the windows tinted asap because I felt like I was on full display. But whenever I drove the XJ again, it suddenly felt very claustrophobic in comparison. The point is that its all relative and you will get used to it, especially if you love the car.

 

1) You're probably still depressed about your team losing.
2) IMO, you're over-thinking it all. No one other than you can determine what would make you happy/happier; assuming either a coupe or convertible would.
3) As the same size and weight as you - and I have to do something about the latter - and with a 2015 V6S coupe and after a year and a half of ownership, and many pleasurable miles, I've never felt boxed in or claustrophobic or uncomfortable in any way. I keep the seat at a height where I can just see the vents on the hood (and my head doesn't touch the headliner).
4) Every car, in some regard, might pose a challenge of sorts, and IMO it's quite early in your ownership experience to be exhibiting buyers remorse. Happiness is relative, but at this price you should be.
5) You've come off here in this Forum as a confident young man - younger than me at least - and I would think, or hope, that you know yourself above all. As The Bard of Avon has said, "this above all, to thine own self be true".
6) See #1).

P.S. Maybe I missed something but you do have the panoramic roof, yes? That's makes a big difference and while I fit quite nicely in the coupe, not having that roof might make me feel different about it (but I doubt it).

 

Hope this is a temporary thing and you get use to the nuances associated with the coupe. I have never sat in one yet alone spent several hours behind the wheel or as a passenger. And my experiences so far with the vert don't really apply since I have yet to put the top up or even the windows for that matter. But at 6'4" the overall driving and passenger experience are wonderful. Great visibility, plenty of room. I have the seat all the way down and getting in an out sucks but it's something I just have to deal with. I don't think raising it a few inches would help me- even getting in and out of a sedan sucks for me. That's why my DD is a Jeep Wrangler.

Let's hope the warriors loss just put you in a bad mood and the car was somehow associated with the negative experience. I know it put me in a bad mood last night. Was hoping for a repeat.

 

Good advice. I know I can and will get used to it but with a vert version out there, perhaps that would be a concession that I wouldn't have to make.

Cali weather would allow the top down 10 months of the year. wouldn't be too worried about the few times I would driving in bad weather

 

1) Ricky - this...+1!
2) Good point
3) How tall are you?
4) Yea, I know I love the car, just thinking the vert version would be perfection. I could literally trade my coupe for a vert and not take a hit as they both have similar values. Do you think going from my 8 to a 6 would lend to regret? Here is the identical very as my coupe with my fave wheels and half the miles but a year earlier (less warranty)

Cars for Sale: Used 2014 Jaguar F-TYPE in S, San Diego CA: 92106 Details - Convertible - Autotrader

5) The local Jag dealers only allow 30 min chaperoned test drives in which I did twice. Never had an extended drive. I certainly made the mistake of never comparing to two.

6) I am sick to my stomach. Had Lebron nightmares last night.

 

I'm 4 inches shorter than you and I can just about see around the car by moving my head, but it is restrictive with large blind spots given the seating position. I found I got used to it after a few weeks and now have no issue with the visibility or judging the width/position of the car and it is not my daily driver. I fitted a panoramic camera system to mine to aid with low speed positioning which helps significantly with our tiny British car parks.

Regarding the claustrophobia feeling - I believe your car has the glass roof, so I assume you have the blind open? It makes the coupe feel considerably less claustrophobic. It really makes a night-vs-day difference to the feeling of space in the cabin, and after driving both I could not have bought one with a solid roof even though IMO they look nicer.

As to entering and exiting the seat - there is no elegant way to do it with this car. It's too low, and the kerb offset too great. I adjust all my car seats to give full leg support and my eyeline with the rear view mirror, which usually means the back is down low and the front is up high. It is necessary to fall into and climb out of that position in my F Type, but the loud groaning noises I make every time I transition to/from sitting down usually mask any embarrassment from looking like a prat. I'm twenty years younger than you too!

 

You're 6-4?

I would love to hear your coupe driving impressions. Do you know someone with a coupe? Drive it for 30 mins and tell me could you deal with not having the vert version.

 

Good info. I once had a 85 Vette that I sold because I hated the entry / exit procedure along with the heavy doors (not an issue). And to think I was 20 years younger then.

 

My advice is:

Take a breath. As far as the rest of your "questions", and after re-reading your OP, you've stated that you prefer the look of a coupe over a convertible (and I agree with you, although that doesn't matter at all here). That to me, however, says a lot (and we all know that the "lines" are clearly drawn here [re] coupe or convertible) and carries considerable weight as far as I'm concerned. I love a convertible - and have one, a Miata - and GOD knows I'd love hearing that exhaust with the top down but it was clearly coupe for my F-Type. Any "argument" [re] V6 vs. V8 also takes a back seat IMO as they are both sublime if very different animals. Yet again, more +/-'s to contend with. You mention in your OP that considering your age and weight and climate a convertible "makes a ton of" or what I interpret as perfect "sense" but nothing really is perfect (sense? who said anything about sense?) and I suggest that you also might find [some] fault with the convertible (and start you back to "chasing your own tail").

Take a breath, take two aspirin, and call me in the morning. Oh yes, stay away from reading newspapers or watching any sports channels the next few days!

 

I guess being short helps quite a lot with this car

I'm 5'4"

 

Perfect for you.

 

I wanted to thank you publicly for the sage advice you gave. Although I know how crazy it sounds to swap a coupe for a vert, I actually think it can be done without much of a hassle should I choose to move forward. I was at the dealership and my car drew the crowd, over a lot full of F's. I think its about the color scheme. Just seems to work with the F. Should I choose to sell her and buy a vert, I think I can do it financially painless.

 

My pleasure and anytime! I would go so far as to say if swapping over to the convertible will make you happy/happier, even a little [financial] pain will make it worthwhile. I would never let $'s stand in the way of my happiness...so why should you?

Good luck and happy motoring whatever you decide to do.

 

I found that the coupe feels a little confined with the blind closed (much moreso than the XKR), maybe because the roof curves down to the windscreen and you sit further back from the glass. And also with the black lining. But with the blind open, I find it just awesome, far better than any car I've had with a sunroof. I have set the seat as high as it goes, so my head nearly brushes the roof, but I prefer it that way.

 

I don't have access to one although I could test drive one when we bring ours to the dealer in July for the state inspection.

But it would only be an opinion coming from me. You may be better off getting into a vert for half a day to compare to your coupe.

 

F type for the weekend as you know, this was in Rag top guise and a little beauty she was too....
Re the question at hand, from my limited time perspective........

I'm 6'3" and a large framed guy, around 300lbs I guess. I was really impressed with the space, especially for my long legs and my large frame really didn't feel cramped.
Maybe because of the 2 seat smallish space coupled with black headlining I could see how over time it could be perceived as a little claustrophobic for someone my height / size.
Ok so visibility wasn't particularly great out the sides, but the door mirrors were large enough and helped quite a bit.
My head did rub on the headlining even with the seat way down in its lowest position, and yes, I too plopped into the seat and was grateful to do so....lol

The Saturday was full of sunshine enabling me to get the top down and it was a fantastic experience and one I could really get used too, I really preferred it in top down mode and bemoaned the weather as the rain came back on Sunday and the top was up.
In all honesty I was probably just too busy enjoying that beautiful engine and listening to that gorgeous soundtrack to care. If I was to live with it long term it probably would be an issue for me with a coupe and would want the convertible for top down motoring.

 

I'm 6-1 and change and over 230 lbs. When I went to test drive, the dealers I visited initially only had the V6 in coupe form with only V8 verts.. I drove the V6 coupes first and loved the feel,of the coupe but not the engine. After driving the V8 verts on two occasions I almost was going to give up on the car as the vert gave me a claustrophobic feeling. (It was still winter here, so top up only driving). I had this lingering feeling of being closed up in the verts. It was only after driving the R coupes on 3 different test drives at different dealers was I convinced I was only feeling the effects of the vert.


I have no feeling of claustrophobia in my car and never did in the coupe. I like the way it wraps you. I sometimes drive with the roof shade closed. Maybe if you get the vert and can drive with the top down most of the time you will enjoy the car more. I love the look and feel of coupe, but this is about what you think. I think you need extended time in a vert to see if you really like it. It's taken 3 weeks for you to come to this point, I'd wait it out and see if the feeling passes. There are plenty of verts out there if you want to switch or get the vert and keep the coupe.

Yes getting out is a bit clumsy at times, and seeing stop lights, but who cares.

 

I find the Coupe with the pano blind closed to be extremely claustrophobic. I never close it. Problem solved. I almost always leave both windows wide open and turn on the climate control system if the environmental conditions are unacceptable (high temp, high humidity, low temp). It can create a perfectly climate controlled breeze through the cabin. Even in the winter down to the low 40's, the heated wheel makes for pleasant open cockpit cruising. And having some shade to prevent the sun from beating down on you is an added benefit. Just my perspective (and I too was previously a vert guy :targa top Vette, 280SL, Sunbeam Tiger, and an elvene of Bugeye Sprites).