I'm seriously considering selling my XJ Supercharged and getting an F-Type V8S or R Convertible. Somebody please talk me out of it.

 

You came to the wrong place. Just do it.

 

Yeah, I won't talk you out of it. Take the plunge.

 

No, you guys are getting it all wrong! You're supposed to tell me that I'll hate having a convertible, the ride quality is worse, I'll miss having the backseats, no boot space, bad sound system, I'll have to change my screen name, etc etc etc...

 

Yeah, you sort of asked heroin addicts not to sell you Heroin. I love my convertible f-type and I was only looking for a coupe. Last couple of weekends with the top down listening to the V8 growl is the best therapy you can ask for.

 

You mean:

I'll hate love having a convertible, the ride quality is worse great, I'll [won't] miss having the backseats, no boot space, bad sound system, I'll [won't] have to change my screen name [but will], etc etc etc...

 

If you don't have another car, you might just want to keep the xj.

 

Ah, so it does have a bad sound system...good thing I don't really listen to a lot of music in the car anymore.

Blessedly, my wife has a G37 sedan and I've been driving our "beater" L322 Range Rover instead of the XJ most of the time. Otherwise, I most likely wouldn't consider such a change. Having 3 four-door vehicles is just a bit redundant now.

 

Well, here up north, the top is down the vast majority of the 8 months I drive it. It’s always possible that it’s too hot where you are to keep the top down a lot. Mine is down generally between 50-90F.

Yes, golf clubs fit in the trunk, with a stand bag or smaller.

 

I don't think I've ever actually even sat in a convertible before. I've always been an XJ man. But I just turned 40 and I think I'm ready for a mid-life crisis-mobile.

 

It also has a built-in holder for 8’ grounding rods.

 

I looked very seriously into getting an XKR-S instead of my F-type because it does have vestigial rear seats, a better sounds system, a comfier ride and a bigger trunk. The problem is I drove them both.

The F-Type is not a practical choice. I like to say it was the best bad decision I ever made. Sure, I've had to shove things in the spot the convertible top folds into after a long weekend with my wife as we ran out of room. The ride is stiffer on bumpy roads and the sound system is better on a Honda Civic, but it just works for what I want. If I need space, we take my wife's car.

When my Dad got into an accident, I jumped in my car and drove 900 miles straight, stopping only for gas. That was 13 hours of driving, which can be a little rough in any car. Then, a few days later, I turned around and headed back in one shot. Courtesy the strange weather last year, I even hit snow over the grapevine. The car did great. With the Cruise control set at the upper limit of I don't want to get a nasty ticket, but I need to get there fast, the car averaged about 26 mpg, I was comfortable enough and everything I needed fit in the trunk. This is not the normal use case for my car, but it did very well.

 

I was 49 when I got mine. I’m approaching 61, and buying it remains one of my better decisions.

I’ve tracked mine twice. It’s great fun, especially with the top down (both times).

 

Brilliant, but that's why I bought the Rover!

 

Yeah, I was considering an XKR coupe but I just love the F-Type. I always have. And then I got to thinking "why not get something REALLY different, and go for a convertible?"

Regarding the sound system, I think the Meridian system in my XJ is one of the best car systems I've ever heard. How is it the F-Type is so much worse? What's actually wrong with it? (besides there being a lot less speakers)

 

The last xj I had was an '86 [an entirely different animal, no doubt] but a F type is MUCH better than it seems on paper or when first trying it out. You have to become familiar with its "quirks and features" to really begin to appreciate what a truly wonderful car this is.

Go for it!

 

My first XJ was an 85, definitely a different type of cat.

I heard Doug DeMuro's voice when I read "quirks and features"

 

As a Jaguar lover, I get the allure of the F-Type, but the XJ Supercharged is a different breed, luxurious, refined, and comfortable, with that classic Jaguar elegance. The F-Type is pure excitement, but it’s a bit raw and lacks the XJ's daily comfort. If you're after thrill, the F-Type's amazing, but you might miss the XJ’s charm. Think carefully about what you want more: luxury or performance.

 

The Meridian system in my wife's Range Rover is pretty amazing, too.

I don't know all the reasons as to why the F-Type's is so bad, but you will find many threads devoted to people trying to make it better. It seems to be a mix of bad software, a lack of good sound damping, rattles and questionable speaker outputs. The results is bass that rattles and distorts, less than ideal mid range and highs that are a little tinny. The sound system in my 2008 Audi S5 (Bang and Olufsen) was light years ahead of the premier system in my SVR. Heck, the sound system in my 2016 eGolf was much better. Radio is OK, Sirus XM sounds horrible and CDs sound pretty good. Adding an aftermarket Android Auto gave me an EQ that allowed a little bit of improvement, but knowing how good Meridian systems can sound in other cars, I'm rather shocked that Jaguar decided this was good enough. At some point I;ll probably open up the doors and behind the seats to install dynamat. I just know that's a little bit of a project and I haven't allocated the time to it. It bothers me that the system is so subpar, but not enough to take the car out of commission while I try to improve it.

I've come across exactly one F-Type that had a good sounding system in real life. He had a shop completely bypass the infotainment and had the cup holder converted to be the controller for the system. It was next level. It was also about $10k. Others on the forum have reported to have made great strides by jumping the output and running them through some sort of magic. I haven't heard those in person, but I trust them when they say they sound great.

Finally some people say the F-Type system sounds just fine. To me, I just can't understand that, but I love my music and I know how much better it can sound.

 

All I will say is:

Everybody needs at least ONE convertible in their fleet!



The F is the nicest 'vert we have ever owned. Top actuates up to 30 MPH, no tonneau or top cover needed, and with heat ON and windows up, comfy down to 40F.