Well, I have had my car one month and my thoughts are redundant to other posts, but in a good way.
This is a great car! I love looking at it, I love driving it. I really cannot comment much on the audio system as I do not really use it; I prefer to listen to the exhaust notes. I seem to drive all of the time in dynamic mode, although I have given my wife a break on rougher streets.
I just do not know how I missed this car when I got the Porsche back in 2014. This suits me much better.
I would only give it 3 negatives, very minor. A sports car this expensive should come with a HUD. I do not like having to remember to push the autostop button(other manufacturers remember that you overrode it) and I also do not like having to remember to push the button for the front parking sensors. As I said minor stuff.
Also, the great salesman that I gave kudos to has departed the dealership so I hope I can repeat the great sales experience in 3 years when this lease is up.
Glad to have this car and be a part of this community!
Larry

 

+1 spot on!
Regarding the autostop, my sales guy upon delivery told me starting MY 2017, folks won't have the option of disabling autostop, it will remain active all the time. But you know how sales people know very little about the products they sell. Besides, I can't imagine Jaguar leaving a "dead" button where the autostop button currently is located--might be the next generation.

I'm also just one month in and have yet to touch dynamic mode. Trying to break her in (or "run in" as they like to refer to it) gently.

 

Non-overridable auto/eco stop will undoubtedly become mandatory on every car in the short future. With ever reducing emissions targets and most people driving cars in stop-start city traffic it makes a lot of sense to use it, and saves money so will be popular for most car drivers. It should always remain selectable though, on all cars not just sports cars where it makes even less sense to have it.

I don't mind it so much on the F-Type because it is very fast to come back on and with city driving when I use it I'm looking for smooth gentle pull aways not drag strip starts. It feels controllable with the brake pedal - apply firm pressure and it will stop, apply gentle pressure and it doesn't. (I don't know if that is actually how it behaves or just coincidence.) It can still be a bit annoying at times though if it stops the engine when you are not expecting it to.

I wonder how it behaves if you use your left foot for braking? I've never driven like that but some automatic drivers do use that technique for road driving, particularly at slower city traffic speeds when the eco stop is most likely to be activated.

I drove a 2016 diesel XJ loaner a few months back and it took a good second to start the engine again after stopping, which is long enough for you to enter into the "have I stalled the engine" mind-set and start checking gear knob positions and whether the ignition is still on. That intrudes too much on the driving experience and makes it a very frustrating car to drive until you turn eco stop off. I was getting control rage by the time I handed it back, on an otherwise fantastic car to drive.

Back to Larry's other two points -

I've never driven a car with a HUD to compare to but the F-Type dash layout is good enough for me. Satnav instructions would be the only think I can think of that could be improved with a HUD. The digital speed reading on the dash is nice and visible and makes it very easy to drive along with the limiter in speed restricted zones, and I can't think of any other information that I need to have visible all of the time. What would you have displayed on the HUD?

The front parking sensor button is annoying. On the older XJs (X350) they were on by default and had to be turned off, which was very useful for slow speed manoeuvres like pulling into parking garages or shuffling up on the car in front to clear people across a junction. Also as motorbike exhausts will sometimes set them off it is useful as a warning you have one approaching. With the terrible corner visibility on the F-Type I find myself pressing that damn button at least a couple of times on most trips.

 

The front parking sensors seem to default to ON in my 2016...

 

On my 2016 they only default on immediately after I have been in reverse. Otherwise, I have to press the on switch after I've been moving forward at speed.

 

You are right, once you go in reverse all of the sensor are activated so if you are parallel parking, the front sensors will be active since you normally reverse first. However, when you are approaching one of those blasted parking lot curbs, you have to remember to push the button.
I had a HUD on a previous car and it is very easy to like it. Anything that you would look down to see on your inst panel, you could display in the HUD and not have to look down. In fact, an aftermarket guy provided a mod that allowed the Valentine One display to be in the HUD as well.
Larry

 

So true, Larry. If you've never had a car w/ HUD, it's hard to understand, but I really got dependent on it in my C6 Z06. It took me a long time to stop instinctively looking at my windshield, and get used to looking down again.

 

I always option my vehicles with HUD if it's available. I think of it as a safety feature... it really helps keep your eyes on the road. It has been a bit of a shock having to go back to looking down to see speed and such in the F-Type after being spoiled by HUD for the last few years.

I'm planning on getting a Navdy (if they ever start shipping) or a good quality aftermarket HUD for the FTR at some point.

 

I agree start stop is inevitable. I had cylinder deactivation on SLK55 and never noticed it. Probably only makes sense on a V8.

 

also 1 month in and loving the car. When I drove it off the lot a light went on that said 'SOS limited functionality'. Dealer picked it up and gave me a loaner which I had for a week. They said they'd never encountered this problem before and were awaiting instructions from England which went back and forth, hence the week long repair visit. They think it was a loose wire and it's fine now. Only other minor complaint (from the wife) is lack of lighted vanity mirror on the visor.

 

How could I forget my wife as well! She made a sarcastic comment about the small vanity mirror. I just rolled my eyes and decelerated resulting in snap, crackle, and pops to drown her out!

 

that's great, so now my new name for the button that makes the exhaust louder--the drown out button!

 

I sure hope not. My 2017 manual is on order. I'll let everyone know if it can't be disabled.

 

From what I understand just unplug the second batt and bye bye auto stop

 

Starting in 2016 (maybe sooner), there is only 1 battery. (But same principle: one wire needs to be disconnected)

 

 

Glad you're liking your car Larry, I'm at 2.5 months and still loving mine tons!!

 

Glad to hear things are going well, Larry.

I'm at 4 months. The only problem I've had is enduring the stinking winter and not being able to get the great and powerful OZ out of the garage! (my name for my BRG R)

OZ has been out a bit, but the Emerald Dream wants to explore!

 

Water will not hurt the almighty OZ. BRG looks even better in the rain.