reliability and interior quality
 

Hi folks,
I am new to this forum so please excuse me if I may be in the wrong line up.
Considering buying a 2021 face lift F-type convertible.
I love the design and the looks. However the interior is very “plasticy” and do not match the quality of the design.
Compared with a new Z4, the bmw seems lightyears ahead in interior features and build quality.
I am also told stories about the poor mechanical build quality.
Anybody any experience with the facelift build quality over the last 2-3 years?
thank you for your guidance!
Peter

While I can't speak to the new BMW, the F-Type is definitely a bit long in the tooth, and the electronics are a bit dated.
On the other hand, IMO there is nothing wrong with the interior quality or appearance.
You are not clear whether you are looking at 4. 6 or 8 cylinder car.
You should be aware that there are different interior grades.They can all be different.
I have owned a 2021 V6 vert since new and have had no quality or reliability issues, apart from an initial problem with the reverse/blind spot monitor.
My car has the "interior luxury pack" with Windsor leather seats and extended leather upgrade.
Looks pretty damned good to me!! And I am pretty sure other forum members agree.
I would make sure you are comparing the Z4 to the appropriate finish level on the F-Type.

Let’s see, stunning design, powerful (very) engine - and yes the engines are reliable - super fast, a sound that is intoxicating, a full leather - real leather, interior (seats, door panels, dash, grab handle, even headliner…) .I have never thought, not for a moment, that the interior was “plasticky” but that can be a personal assessment.
Every time you get into a Jag you smile and every time you park it you turn back to admire it. Jags have something indescribable that others don’t…they get to be an addiction (a confession of the addiction on my part). You will very often find that Jag owners have more than one (and no, it isn’t because of the 70’s idea that you need at least two to have one on the road while the other is in the shop).

I am a recovering BMW and Mercedes owner. The recovery period is very long.

I kept my old Nissan when I embarked on my Jaguar journey and in the last eight years the Nissan has usually done 14 miles a year, to the annual testing station and back. My F-Type has never been off the road for repairs, only for maintenance and parking. :)

thanks guys. I appreciate all the comments.
to reply to the first comment: I am looking at a 2L 4 cyl. Road taxes are a killer in Belgium and based on CO2……

why did Jaguar cancel the yellow paint option? it looks smashing.

To upset john Finnemore's "Yellow Car" game? :D

I would not waist my time with a 4 cylinder. Get an older R if it’s a budgetary concern. We have 85,000 miles on our ‘16 with no concerns other than a leaky diff seal delt with at 50,000 miles under warranty.

The first F Type I test drove was really cheap looking inside, I was very unimpressed. The second one looked fantastic inside, and I bought it and still have it. For me, extended leather makes a big difference, as well as the good seats, interior black pack, and some of the nicer trim prices. I like the dark hex trim, and am not a huge fan of the brightwork finishes, but they are easy enough to replace.

Build quality is very good, I've had mine 7 years now - longest I have owned a car. And we have a p300 XE as well, the engine in that is reliable and quite lovely to drive. My wife definitely gives it a workout.

Fully agree. Have the full/total leather and the performance (sort of harness hole seats) in brown leather...simply amazing. There is only one "suboptimal" part to me: the cup holder door. I suspect if I put carbon on that aftermarket it woudl look pricey....something I have thought about....

The rest is equal to current cars....frankly, best bang for buck is not a z4, it is a current volvo. Not sure if the 2.0L has less nice stuff, but my S is a V6 with all the bell's and whistle's and the British know how to do leather as well as anyone in the world....some woudl say better. My seats have "worn in" just right. No wear but they are soft and on the road are amazing. The steering wheel is nice. The buttons on the wheels are B+...

I also put alloy SVR paddles on the car...solid metal...am a happy camper. My experience with BMW is "in the shop, all the time"....Jaguar, not an issue in 4 years (bought it then).

Best,

jb

I am confused when I read the interiors seem cheap on these cars. Now, the tech is somewhat meh, but the materials are superb. Coming from an Audi RS6 with Executive Pack in the interior (extended leather, etc), I'd say it's honestly an equal or even perhaps slightly nicer with regard to materials and coverings. The newer Audis at the top end are bathed in glossy black plastics with consumers told it's luxurious "piano black."

In my estimation, better seats, nicer dash (ignoring the tech is less capable), equal door panels, better headliner (first two years in North America the RS6 headliner wasn't available in Alcantara/Dinamica), and real metal trims rather than the fake "dry carbon" Audi used on the RS6s.

I'm considering an F-Type as well, but to look special, it needs to be a fully-loaded one, meaning full and/or extended leather. Not sure if it's latter or both, but there's an easy way to tell: The door panels need to have the diamond pattern (not available in Oyster, for some reason). Otherwise, it's not full leather, but vinyl (or 'leatherette') instead. Both the C8 and F-Type don't look horrible with the stitched vinyl dashes and doors, but no way they look or feel special. At least not when you can easily tell the difference. And even with full/extended leather, the Alcantara headliner is a separate option. Also a deal-breaker for me is the Meridian Surround, which is acceptable... but the stock non-surround system sounds like crap by comparison. But unfortunately, it wasn't available in 2024. At least not until very recently, and maybe just for special orders. Another deal-breaker option that should be standard is heated and ventilated seats.

By the way, still have to drive one. Went to the Boerne, TX dealer, and the creeps didn't let me drive the P450 RWD they had there, since I wasn't going to buy their black car (the only deal-breaker exterior color, plus no Meridian Surround). Without being able to drive one, it'll probably lose to the LC500, even if I have to pay more for that. Will attempt to drive both in Austin in December... if dealers get one, since neither dealer has a P450 RWD or LC500 Coupe. I was considering the C8 Coupe, but still has serious issues (especially the transmission), and I swore never to buy another after 2 defective ones, so decided to pass on it. I want something reliable. The supercharged Jag might not match the NA Lexus on that, plus I don't have a local dealer anymore, so the Jag would have to woo me more than the LC to get it... if I can ever drive one, that is.

thanks for all your comments.
it seems that most F-types in Europe have the standard alcantara seats. The sport seats with the “slot” are crazy money.
How comfortable are the standard seats? Alcantara is NOT leather either….

also, most second hand F-types are fully black inside which is a color that I find depressing. Can the seat belts be exchanged to yellow or red?
Anybody has any experience getting the standard brake calipers painted yellow or red?

thanks again!

Peter.

In terms of reliability, I can only speak from my own experience of ownership from new of a UK-spec MY21 P450. Aside from a fault with the rear quarter glass external trim coming loose (I'm far from alone in experiencing that, but was done in an afternoon by the local Jag dealer), the car has been absolutely flawless.

As for interior quality, one of the first things a few of my car-loving friends said, when sitting in it, was "yup, this is nice, lovely fit and finish". One of those guys has driven nothing but BMW for the last 20 years. Yes, I have the 'extended leather' pack (not the FULL leather) but that came as part of the performance seats option.

There are things that annoy me, but that's true of every single car I've ever driven - I still find the lack of voice controlled dialling, without plugging my phone into Android Auto, quite baffling. Fortunately, any small annoyances I have are very quickly forgotten the moment I stab the loud pedal for the first time in a drive, and that's something no amount of luxury interior or super modern features can replace :). And, for what it's worth, I don't find the 'Incontrol' system lacking in any manner, nor am I at all bothered by the quality of the standard 380W audio, they do what they need to do, whilst my mind is focussed on the act of driving.

[QUOTE=I am looking at a 2L 4 cyl. Road taxes are a killer in Belgium and based on CO2……[/QUOTE]

I bought a slightly used P300 (296 HP 4 cylinder) F-Type three years ago and I love the car. Other than a weak battery, replaced under warranty, it has been rock solid. The P300 has plenty of power for my style of motoring. It is 300 pounds lighter than an 5.0 liter car, the ride is firm but not punishing, and the steering feel is the best in any car I have driven. The seating is very comfortable. I have gotten as much as 40 MPG on premium fuel. The inline 4 allows good access under the hood, and it has an actual oil dipstick! Step hard on the go pedal, the turbo kicks in, and hang on!

Cluck: You can add a dongle to the center USB that will allow voice control without the need to plug the phone in.
Did this on my 2021, works great (most of the time!). Automatically connects to carplay.

Aye, I've thought about it, but I'm not bothered enough to have done so. I suspect it's something I'd do if I drove the car every day, but it's a very minor quibble in an otherwise excellent package :)

But then you miss the opportunity to have Siri open your garage door!!

Thank god for that ;-)

( I don't have a garage, or an Apple phone, so that would be a neat trick anyway! )

The base seats are called "sports" seats and the upgraded seats with the slots are called "performance" seats.
I have the performance seats and they are very comfortable, can't speak for the sports seats though as I have never tried them but from all reports they are also very comfortable, just less side bolstering and not as wide a range of adjustments as the performance seats.
I think yellow or red seat belts were an option only on the SVR but don't quote me on that, but any half decent upholstery/seatbelt shop can supply and fit coloured seatbelts for you. Not cheap though.
No need to "get" the brake calipers painted red or yellow as it's a fairly easy DIY job using rattle can caliper paint, I have done both colours red first then yellow a few years later. Plenty of posts around here about DIY caliper colour change.

Seating in the F
 

I have a 2017 Base 6 cylinder Premium manual trans. It came with the sports seats (Alcantara, which is like a synthetic suede). The seat side panels are vinyl, as they don't pass my test for hide leather. I could be wrong. The seats are very comfortable, with all manner of adjustments possible (rake, height, etc) but I'm 5.6 so a really tall person may have issues. The seat memory works well, you only have to press the memory number you want once, rather than press and hold as it is on our 2018 C7. The seat controls are right next to you in the door, easily seen, rather than along the side of the seat bottom where you are just guessing. The seat heaters work wonderfully, heat up quickly, as does the steering wheel heater. I would say these seats are as comfortable as anything else I drive and are easy to care for. I have passed on cars that did not have seats that felt comfortable at test drive... the discomfort would only get worse.