For those of you without the parking sensors or camera, have you been able to master backing up and parallel parking despite the extremely limited rearward visibility?

 

Yes. The mirrors and rear window are all I need, and I don't have the "vision pack." Perhaps the convertible has slightly better rearward visibility than the coupe, but I've never driven one.

 

Hi Lance.

While I have a coupe and the Vision Pack, I must say I rely on my own vision 99.9999% of the time. Nice to have? Sure. Necessary to have? Surely not.

Best regards,
Jay

P.S. Perhaps in my absence I missed it but did you make a final decision on color? I seem to recall reading, recently, you were still undecided?

 

Yes, even with the top up on the vert, it seems to me much easier to park than the coupe. I should probably have qualified my question to specifically address the coupe owners. I'm hoping to get by without buying the premium pack, and just opt for the climate pack (less weight and money). For a moment I was even contemplating switching my order to the base model since I can recreate (or better) an S tune. However, I really want the locker, larger rotors and the additional dynamics features.

 

No firm decision yet on the color. It will either be BRG/Camel/Camel or IRR/Camel/Jet. That consideration will have a lot of time yet to ferment.

 

I've never been a fan of kimchi. But if I had to choose between those two colors - not that I should have a say in the matter - I vote for BRG. For that matter, the only option I would strongly suggest for anyone getting the coupe is the Panoramic Roof.

That being said, this F-Type is so delightful that in my opinion the only necessary option is the car itself, without any options. If that were an option.

Happy decision making Lance, hold the kimchi.

 

No question the pano roof is the way to go. JLR figured that out and now offers it as standard for '16. The only offered option is the CF roof.

 

+1 for the pano roof.

I have the vision pack and am very grateful I've got it.

Parallel parking is pretty straightforward in the coupe, although the wide body takes a bit of getting used to. What is a challenge is backing out of angle parking when you have cars parked either side of you. I live in an area that is populated with a lot of what you would call "soccer moms" with huge SUV's that never go off road once in their life. Trying to get out of an angle park with a Range Rover, Q7 or ML63 next to you in a busy shopping strip is a bit unsettling if with the gadgets. What I like about the sensors is that they don't just tell you there's a car/pole in front or behind. They also pick up cars coming at you from the side as you back out, even if you can't see them clearly in the camera (which is pretty average).

The blind spot monitor is also very effective in traffic.

In this sort of car, I would buy every parking aid and sensor you can afford.

 

I'm tending to lean in that direction. I had a Tesla dealer remarking how massively wide the Model S sedan is. It,however, is only an inch and a half wider than an F-Type but a full 20 inches longer. In fact, the F-Type is an inch wider than my full-size K1500 GMC pickup. That's easy to park since I've got 350 degrees of visibility in the cab. The coupe doesn't appear to have much more than 225 degrees of visibility.

 

And you're sitting several feet higher in your pickup, so you see over/through just about every car next to you.

 

They always tell you when taking tests:The first answer is usually the right answer. That would make it the BRG. Seeing some of the IRRs on this forum, however, undermined my resolve for the BRG.

 

All excellent points...and which I concur. Having said that, even with the sensors beeping - helpful though it is - I always end up trusting my own two eyes.

 

You'll figure it out. (And then, harbor visions of the color you didn't get ). And, as RickyJay is fond of saying, you already know there is no "right" or "wrong" answers, or colors, when it comes to the F-Type.

 

Clearly, the only answer is for you to get one of each.

 

That ain't goin' to pass muster with the spousal unit.

THANKS FOR THE COMMENTS EVERBODY!

 

Lance, I'm going to get all the aid packs whenever the 2016 info gets published.

 

That's what I'm currently planning on as well. I just didn't want to purchase the complete premium pack, which appears to be the only way you can get those visual aids on the MY16.

 

No offence but if you need a camera to parallel park, you really need to learn how to park. Take a lesson. Its not rocket science.

 

How often have you tried parking an F coupe without the techno wiz stuff? You can actually see out the back of the convertible. (roof up or down)

 

One nice little feature I do like is the way the side mirrors turn themselves downward when you go in to reverse so you get a better view of the rear wheel arch area. Is that standard on all models?