A few weeks in to my research and it is becoming increasingly clear that I will probably not be any where local to a used F Type R that I want. I have bought cars out of state but never ones that were this expensive. That being said, I was wondering if anyone bought their F-Type unseen and if they had any tips/lessons learned from the experience to help me have more confidence in my potential purpose. Thank you in advance!

 

I've just bought mine sight unseen. Very pleased with it apart from a few minor blemishes to the paintwork.
I got the dealer to go all round the car with a video camera while I was live online so I could say "point it there" etc
I checked the service history.
I got them to start the car so I could see no service/error lights stayed on.
I got them to promise to rectify any faults not seen, and recorded it, but an email would have sufficed.
I then paid for a 2 year warranty as the car was out of warranty.
Got them to trailer the car to me rather than drive it.

I knew what model and spec I wanted, so was pleased with my car.

 

I bought mine sight unseen but thankfully I had a little help since a relative was a sales manager at the dealership when the car got traded back. I don't think he is as particular as myself but helped take pics from every angle I asked and also dropped the price to the point I was happy. I will say the car showed up and I saw some scuffs that were on the front facia I didn't see in the pics-I was extremely unhappy. Since NO USED car is perfect I just had it touched up and covered with Xpel. Now it cannot be seen and looks new.

 

Yep, my R is probably the 12th vehicle I bought sight unseen. Arrived better than described and no issues, I’m super picky and was told the car was mint and it didn’t disappoint. That said, you can expect issues because not everyone’s “nice” or “great” is the same as yours and the only cars that can be reasonably expected to be defect free are called new cars and they are significantly more expensive. Of course, I have several stories about new cars being less than amazing from my years working in the car business, good luck

 

Similar to Dibby, I bought a car via pics, conversations, and correspondence only. After the preliminary initial pics (car not cleaned or detailed) were posted, I contacted a very helpful salesman who believed I was a very real buyer and not a Looky-Lou (important) who took Initiative. He took a lot of extra, hi-res pics for me, and zoomed in on some items I wanted to check. He also answered my many pesky questions. I was concerned someone would walk in and buy the car out from under me, so I felt I had to act quickly - I had been searching about 7 months. It was a 2-year old CPO P380 with <11K miles on it and 3 years on the warranty, so I felt pretty confident that if there was a non-cosmetic problem I could have it addressed under the warranty. I paid for the car and it was mine, without seeing it in person first. Yes, I was a tad nervous but I felt I had done as much diligence as I could, and the CPO would protect me. But full disclosure - I did fly (DC to Dallas) to inspect and drive the car before it was shipped because if there was a problem, I preferred it be handled by them prior to delivery.

Lol - and before folks ask - commitments at work prevented me from driving it back to VA, much as I wanted to!

 

Bought my '14 V8S in Dec '19 sight unseen as I was out of the country on business. As others mentioned above, let them know you're a serious buyer, as for additional pictures and video. Had mine trailered (enclosed) from dealer in Charlotte to my driveway in Jacksonville for $300. Arrived as expected with no complaints. Lots of call time with the salesman though to establish a good relationship.

 

I understand the reluctance to travel right now. I've more or less suspended my latest search for another classic (looks like we're not going to get to have any more car shows till late summer or next fall anyway). If I were looking for an F-type, I might take a chance buying one sight-unseen from a Jaguar dealer, but in my classic car hunt, I've got to see it and drive it, or at least get somebody I trust to inspect it for me. Its a little different buying a late model car and particularly buying a used car through a new car dealership. Just be cautious in general and extra careful about buying from individuals or 3rd party vendors and here's why...

Right before the pandemic hit I'd been trying to buy another classic car, something unusual that would be a hit at our local car shows. Much to my dismay, cars at the top of my list tend to be on Bring-a-Trailer. I've bought one classic car through an online auction but it was local so I got to see it before bidding. However, with BAT, I can rarely make it across country to see it or get somebody to inspect it for me within the seven days. If the stars and planets align that I can travel, the seller often seems to go dark or make scheduling impossible. But I have inspected enough to learn not to trust my computer screen.

Ten years ago, I traveled to see a 67 Mustang that was supposedly freshly repainted in the original Dark Moss Green. The seller sent lots of pictures which all looked great, but upon arrival I could tell something was not right. Upon pressing the seller, he admitted that he'd instructed his painter to use a larger metal flake than the oem specification to "make it pop" he said. Burst my bubble anyway. He wasn't intending to deceive, just that he didn't think it was a big deal and I did. Either his camera or my screen didn't pick that up or I wouldn't have wasted the trip. You're not likely buying an F-type that's been repainted, but if its one of Jaguar's rarer, premium colors, be absolutely sure you're going to like it before you buy.

And don't trust driving videos either. The last car I inspected on BAT, the seller posted a video narrating how well the car drove. But when I got in it, every time I'd press the accelerator pedal, the engine would hesitate. Watching the video, you see and hear the car accelerate, but you had to drive it to "feel" what the engine was doing for two seconds before it finally reved up. I bid low, not knowing what repairs might be needed and of course it sold out of state for a record price as if it were the best one on the planet. Again, buying a late model Jaguar with an extended warranty from a reputable dealer, you shouldn't expect serious mechanical issues, but certainly insist on reading the service and repair history.

And the last thing I've noticed some online auction sellers do is they "volunteer" a few close-up photos of minor flaws to give the illusion that they are being very honest about the condition, but they don't include photos of more serious flaws or indeed, comprehensive photos that would give you a true sense of the total quantity of flaws. And I've noticed that small dents usually look much worse when you see them in person. For context though, I'm usually looking at cars 30+ years old with a lot more potential for problems than a late model F-type.

I remember Ronald Reagan liked an old Russian proverb that translated as "Trust, but verify". Just be sure to verify through some offline channels and don't get over excited about what may appear to be the perfect F-type on your computer screen. Good luck in your hunt.

 

I technically bought my F-Type unseen. I ordered my F-Type without ever seeing one in person or driving one.

I bought my 4C without seeing in person. I requested that the dealership record a video for me. I had researched about the car and had them slow down passing over specific areas of the car that had been reported as possible problem areas. Most dealers will offer a 30-day return policy. When I looked at the 4C's, there were two on the market that fit my criteria. One dealer had a 30-day return policy, the other one didn't. I ended up going with the second dealer or other reasons so there was some concern I would receive something misrepresented. I did research the dealership and they were a high-end luxury car dealership (not that the 4C is a high-end car). With that, I knew they wouldn't risk their business over a single car so I felt comfortable buying the car. The car arrived and had no issues. It was exactly as represented.

Do your homework on the car and the dealership and everything should be fine.

 

I bought my 2016 F-Type sight unseen. Still had more than 2 years warranty remaining. I got sent lots of pictures, videos and carfax. Any dealer worth their salt will provide what you need to make you feel comfortable with your decision buying process. If they refuse reasonable requests I would look elsewhere.

 

*raises hand*

Buying sight unseen gives you a little more leverage in reasonable price disputes.

 

Sight unseen?
- F-Type: Check
- F-Pace: Check
- Acura TL: Check
- Mitsubishi VR4: Check
- 911 Targa: Check
I've also sold several unseen to the likes of WV, CA, MI, and BC.
General advice - lots of pictures and get a PPI done by an independent shop, although I made exceptions on the F-Type, since it was from a JLR dealer, and the Mitsubishi which was on eBay with a private seller with a high/perfect feedback score. (And, technically, I did SEE them both after flying in to pick them up.)

 

Just got home yesterday after buying mine blind and then doing a fly / drive.
It went pretty well but like many, I bought from a Jag dealer and have 12k miles on a 2016 and extended the warranty.
Biggest issue I’ve had was when I asked about the tires - P Zero Pirellis, brand new. All Season? I asked. Yup.
They were standard Summer P Zeros so my snow blizzard -24f drive home was a nightmare. Looks like I’m going to have to either store the car till spring, or dig deep for new tires.
Otherwise all good.

 

Keep in mind - Michelin says a car with the PS4S summer tires should not be moved at 20F, as tire damage can result. Don’t know about the Pirellis.

Edit:

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...reModel=P+Zero

 

Don't know if the OP has a certain color in mind, but looking on BAT about an hour ago I noticed a one owner 3500 mi 2016 white over black R just came up for auction in Oklahoma (no affiliation).

 

Yes, I bought mine from SoCal after finding the ad on CarGurus last February (2020). I had never ridden in one, driven one, and maybe had seen one in person within the past couple of years. So I was very excited to get into a car that was very "new" to me. I had it shipped from California to Minnesota in March just before the first national shutdown, so I was lucky to actually get it at all.

Hey Munky. What tires are you buying?

 

Yes. I'd offer the details of the car, and who's offering can be significant. I live in Va, found the right car in Chicago (Orloff Jag). Fortunately, the car was at a Jaguar dealership, and had complete documentation. Also, the sales staff was straight-forward and transparent from step one. Finally, the dealer's ratings were strong and corroborated what my experience with the staff experience suggested. I did have the salesman do a real time walk around and I had few questions as we did so. All that said, is it my preferred way to buy...nope. But I do believe the key points here are to get a feel from several vectors; and I'm a big believer in buying specialty cars from a branded dealer. My car, once it arrived, absolutely met or exceeded all my expectations.

 

I did this summer- I had multiple conversations with the seller, got about 50 pictures, and had it fully inspected by a third party before having it shipped out. It was actually better than i expected. The thrid party inspection is a MUST.

 

Phil,

Thank you for these tips. I am very glad I created the thread with my question after reading everyone's replies but I feel that yours will really stick with me through the buying process. I will have to warm up to committing to buy a car without ever seeing it but I knowing how to avoid some of the obvious surprises is the first start. Of course, there is always a risk with buying used but I just can't stomach the massive amounts of depreciation on these new. I definitely will temper my expectations on this process, I see many others have been searching for a very long time already..

 

Thanks.
Frankly, I’m really disappointed with the tires. It won’t be long until there are some all seasons on it. Just a bit annoyed that the dealer told me they were P Zero all season tires. Why would Jaguar sell a car with AWD into the US with such poor tires wrapped around such expensive wheels? WITH A SNOW SETTING no less.

 

Lots of great advice in this thread. I bought my F Type R last month from JLR Bethesda, completely sight unseen other than pictures. I relied on the word of the sales manager and if anything, he undersold the condition of the car. It showed up every bit as nice as I hoped it would. Good luck.