GerryJag,
I would take a look at rear wheel bearing and hub. After replacing a driver's side rear wheel bearing on my XKR convertible about a year ago, as I drove from the shop and got on the freeway and accelerated to the speed limit, I felt as if I had no control of the car, one of the scariest feelings I have ever experienced in an automobile. It felt as if the rear end of the car was coming up on the side of the front end. It would disappear below 55mph. I limped back to the shop and they discovered a damaged hub. Replaced and problem disappeared. I know it seems contrary to what you would think that the rear end would so severely affect the front end handling of the car, but it was frightening. Dealer wouldn't necessarily look at the rear rather trying to focus on front end problems.

 

If you want the manual transmission, you won't have hydraulic steering. The manual transmission came out in 2016, which has electric steering.

 

True. On the other hand, I've seen at least a half-dozen reviews highly complimentary of the 16 F-Type's implementation of electric steering, all of whom have said they really got it right and noting a negligible or no difference.

I recently drove a manual, and I honestly didn't notice any difference between it and the hydraulic steering on my 14. They felt equally "connected."

 

I find it slightly vague and lacking "on center" feel, but that's a really minor complaint. I've never mentioned it before because it hasn't really bothered me; it's just an observation. I don't have enough miles on the hydraulic version, just a few test drives, but perhaps I'd note the same for it.

I find all the controls in modern cars to be too light for my taste. Not that I need to wrestle with them, but I like the effort to be a little more deliberate.

 

Likewise, I only have a 45-minute test drive in the 16, and it is hard to compare without more experience. I certainly don't notice any vagueness or lack of on-center feel with the hydraulic set-up.

 

I have maybe 45 minutes total in the pre-16s, divided amongst 5 cars, and not recently. I was focusing on other aspects during the drives as well. I'm splitting hairs here, but going straight on the freeway I can't quite feel center if I'm steering with only a couple of fingertips. That's the level of my complaint, so feel free to dismiss it (and me) as you see fit :^)

 

I'm not inclined to dismiss it at all. I was totally focused upon the clutch and shifter action and the fun of rowing my own gears. I doubt I would have noticed subtle steering differences

 

Thanks Guys, all input greatly appreciated

I still have the "old" original tires in the rear 16K miles, but ran over a nail about four (4) months back and replaced both front tires, dealer also aligned the car then. Yet the problem didn't go away. The front set has a mere 3K on them.

Interesting that the rear, e.g. the hub, could impact the front so much. I'm going to pick a "heavy" tech and go for a ride, hopefully I can scare him enough on the freeway so they take me seriously.

In my fuzzy memory I think I remember that I had a clicking or clunking noise that the dealer worked on in the rear of the car, and I think maybe that's when my front steering drift issues started.

 

I drove a manual '16 and think that the steering feels great. I've marked that off my potential negative list.

 

Based on past experience, get your front axle tracking checked if you feel the front end is a bit vague about the straight ahead. All tracking specs come with a tolerance, if yours is at the outer end of the toe-out end of the tolerance, it's likely to feel vague in a straight line. If it feels fine straight ahead, but not that eager to turn in, its likely to be at the other - toe-in end if the tolerance.

 

When my P-Zeros were getting a bit low on tread, I felt the steering was a bit skittish at times. Made me think something was up with the alignment, etc. Someone recently mentioned tramlining (which I hadn't heard of), and I think that's exactly what I was feeling.