"Michael Cohen" (hofmeisterkinky)
12/03/2019 at 15:40 • Filed to: None | 1 | 18 |
Yesterday Jaguar announced a facelift of its F-Type, introduced in 2013. With used !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , it’s a seriously great used car bargain and probably the best choice for most sports car buyers. That is not to say it is the best sports car. It’s not. It does deliver what most really want from their sports cars.
At nearly two tons the F-Type isn’t a nimble autocrosser or canyon carver like a Miata. It won’t match the lap times of any Corvette or Camaro for the same price. And it won’t have the all-around competence of a 911. I don’t want to put down the performance of the F-Type too much. It may lack the precision of the best sports cars but it does sport double wishbone suspension front and rear and a limited slip differential. I’ve driven about 1000 miles on my dad’s F-Type S Roadster and I can confirm it’s a far better handler than any Mustangs I’ve rented. It’s not the most powerful thing but even the supercharged V6 can scoot—about 4.3 seconds to 60. I don’t think this car is about the numbers so that’s the last I’ll mention them.
When it was introduced, Jaguar billed the F-Type as a spiritual successor to the legendary E-Type. While they do share a long nose and short rear deck, typical of front engine rear drive sports cars, I think the similarities end there. Where the E-Type is low and sleek, the F-Type is muscular. Jaguar’s lead designer at the time, Ian Callum came from Aston Martin where he co-designed the DB9 with Henrik Fisker. The F-Type feels more than in that vein but as if designers from Dodge had been briefed to do their version of an Aston. I mean this as the highest praise. I’m not sure there’s a better-looking car made in the last ten years. (I’m pretty sure the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .)
The exhaust on the V6 and
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. (I’m unfamiliar the four cylinder but with prices for the larger displacement cars so reasonable I’m not sure why anyone would bother.) The
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deserves special praise because so many V6’s sound like garbage [cough: Nissan]. The F-Types sound the business when you are getting on them and go quiet when you aren’t. Best of all, unlike most aftermarket exhausts they don’t drone at low rpm. There’s a lesson here about modifying cars. No aftermarket company is going to put in the time and money that OEM will. When an OEM sets their mind to something, it’s not often the aftermarket will do better. Sadly few OEMs put in the effort Jaguar did with this exhausts. Purists may complain that the burbles on overrun are fake, and they’re right, but most buyers don’t care. They just want something that sounds cool.
I’ve been testing driving used M3’s lately and I said to myself that they may not have the most luxurious interiors, but I couldn’t imagine that a better interior would do anything for me…and then I drove my dad’s Jag again which is just on another level. There’s fine leather everywhere. The switch gear feels special. There’s an !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . The latter might be silly, a piece of theater but I think that most sports car buyers want to feel that driving their car is an occasion—even if it has nothing to do with how the car drives. My dad’s was optioned with the sports seats and I think they are some of the best I’ve used. With 14 way adjustment including lumbar and side bolstering, they can fit just about anybody snugly and comfortably. There’s none of the one-size-fits-most or just-for-skinny-guys sizing you get from most sports cars. Three memory buttons make them valet proof.
The Meridian sound system is fantastic and gives lie to the claim that two-seaters lack the room to create good acoustics. The best stereo offered in a BWM E90 3-series is no comparison. I’ve mentioned the specs in my dad’s car (leather, sports seats, stereo) so this is a time to talk about one of the neatest things about buying used luxury cars: at resale, non-performance extras depreciate almost completely. If you care about luxury—and if you are considering a used F-Type you probably do—then it’s worth looking for a model with lots of options.
I have not mentioned the transmission yet and for me the ZF 8-speed automatic would be a deal killer. (Some of the V6’s did come equipped with proper manual.) This transmission gets a lot of praise for being near as good a dual clutch, but at least as its implemented in the F-Type I don’t think so. There’s a solid one-Mississippi between downshifts. In auto mode it does well enough so I prefer to let the computer does its thing. I don’t bother with the paddle shifters. Having said that, I’m not really the market for sports cars. Most buyers want automatics and the auto here is perfect for them.
So the Jag F-Type looks great, sounds great, goes fast enough, handles ok, is comfy and is luxurious as fuck. Whether they’re buying Mustangs or 911s, this is really what most sports car buyers want.
MrDakka
> Michael Cohen
12/03/2019 at 15:46 | 1 |
I've always thought of the F-type as the British version of the Mustang. But for the same price, why not Cayman?
Tripper
> Michael Cohen
12/03/2019 at 15:55 | 0 |
“So the Jag F-Type looks great, sounds great, goes fast enough, handles ok, is comfy and is luxurious as fuck. “
Sounds like an unreliable Lexus to me,
Michael Cohen
> MrDakka
12/03/2019 at 16:01 | 0 |
I agree it’ s like a Mustang, except for the back seats and the big trunk. The F-type roadster trunk is really small . A t $35k , I would prefer a Cayman among a lot of other sports cars. The public doesn’t share my taste . I don’t think most buyers care about weight, handling or steering feel or the easy availability of a manual. The Jag looks and sounds better than a Cayman. The interior is a lot more luxurious. Its a better GT or daily.
fintail
> Michael Cohen
12/03/2019 at 16:03 | 1 |
I was lucky enough to get one of these as a rental the last time I was in Germany. I definitely liked the engine and the noise (switchable exhaust volume - loud for in the city, less noise for Autobahn), but I have to say the ICE seemed a generation or two behind, and surprisingly, top-up visibility irked me, maybe as I am relatively tall. I also worry how long the retractable vent will work, knowing history, but everything in the rental was still working fine anyway.
Top down on a cold day:
Top up has a strong Aston Martin vibe:
Michael Cohen
> Tripper
12/03/2019 at 16:04 | 0 |
Haha. I don’t think any Lexus looks and sounds like an F-Type. Definitely none at these prices.
Tripper
> Michael Cohen
12/03/2019 at 16:10 | 1 |
Yeah, I have to agree with that and I honestly think Modern Lexi are ugly as sin, but ya know looks are subjective and all.
The F-Type is a sweet car and you’re not wrong because most people that are “sports car” shopping don’t actually want what I would consider a sports car.
Michael Cohen
> Tripper
12/03/2019 at 16:23 | 1 |
There’s like 20 sports cars I’d have before it. Having said that I think they would make for a great daily or road trip car. I think it more like a GT than a sports car.
Michael Cohen
> fintail
12/03/2019 at 16:30 | 1 |
Visibility is weird. I’m average height. The doors seem high. My mom who is short won’t drive it.
The windshield is so short that the rear view mirror
blocks front visibility. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced that. Blind spots with the top up are bad.
By ICE do mean the navigation? My dad’s is a ‘15 and it seems old. He uses his phone when he needs navigation.
The black on black looks sharp.
Just Jeepin'
> Michael Cohen
12/03/2019 at 16:41 | 1 |
Via Autotrader, t here’s exactly 1 manual within 300 miles, and that’s just a technicality: it’s Carvana.
Not that I could afford one.
Michael Cohen
> Just Jeepin'
12/03/2019 at 16:52 | 0 |
There’s like 25 manuals for sale in the whole country. $35k is too much for me too!
fintail
> Michael Cohen
12/03/2019 at 17:16 | 1 |
I remember the pillars being a little iffy, and the top being a huge blind spot. More excuse to drive with it down.
Yes, ICE = navigation and screens/interface . Very much “welcome to 2010 ". I didn’t expect it to be cutting edge, and on that, it met expectations.
I am usually not a fan of black wheels, but they worked on this.
Michael Cohen
> fintail
12/03/2019 at 17:35 | 1 |
Lol welcome to 2010. My 2008 Infiniti has a better system.
I got all season tires for my dad. We’re in the Midwest and he plans to drive it down to around 40 Fahrenheit. If it’s not on the highway it does a great job of blocking wind. It has seat heaters and I think a heated stearing wheel iirc.
BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
> Michael Cohen
12/03/2019 at 17:38 | 1 |
A: will it kill me on maintenance, repair, running or insurance costs... I have heard that Tata/Jag/LandRover are not the epitome of long term reliability.
B: It is gorgeous, but can I fit... I am over 6' tall.
C: it may be more luxurious and sexier, but are you SURE it will out-handle a Mustang EcoBoost HPP with Handling Package Magneride that weighs 4-500lbs less, especially over the front end.
D: if we are talking used cars... 35-45K could be hefty to try and finance on a used car interest rate, depending on how far back the model year is...
E: if it has depreciated roughly 50% (mid-70s base price when new , to now mid 30s...) in just a few years... how far down does the depreciation curve go?
F : Porsche 981 Boxster/Cayman, or even late 987 . A thousand pounds ligh ter, and mid-engined, and has more cargo room between front and rear trunks.
Michael Cohen
> BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
12/03/2019 at 20:05 | 0 |
All good points. Thanks for reading and making a thoughtful reply
A/D/E Financially a new $40k car with warranty probably makes more sense than a used European semi-exotic. I would expect them to keep depreciating. A new car will depreciate a lot too. A lot of the used F-Type will still be under the original warranty or a certified warranty. Is that as safe as a new car? Obviously no.
B. I don’t know . The steering feel is really poor on all the Mustangs I’ve driven. They were all rental cars and not spec’d with Ford’s best handling packages. That said, I’ll lean back on my original point about what the typical sports car buyers want which is not incredible handling. I bet there aren’t a ton of new Mustangs spec’d with that package. Put it another way, the handling of the F-Type is more than adequate for most sports car buyers. It’s possible some Mustangs handle better.
C. The seats fit guys who are overweight (ask me how I know) and do go pretty low.
E. I think I addressed Boxster/Cayman a little to someone else here. They’re superior sports cars but I don’t think the lightness and handling matter to most buyers who would be happier with the look, sound, luxury and straight line speed of the Jag. I would prefer Box/Cay along with BRZ, Miata, 370z, SS 1LE, C7 Stingray and most of all my S2000 but my tastes aren’t the market’s.
fintail
> Michael Cohen
12/03/2019 at 21:06 | 1 |
I’m used to the HD displays MB has been using for a decade. Some brands still haven’t caught up.
I had the top down a lot on that German rental, with temps down to around freezing - enjoy it while you can. I’d raise it on Autobahn sections where I knew I’d be exceeding 100 mph. I remember it stayed fairly tolerable in the cockpit, and my 6'1" 200 lbs wasn’t too squished.
MrDakka
> Michael Cohen
12/03/2019 at 22:43 | 1 |
True enough, I suppose the F-type is much better as a DD. The seats are certainly much more comfy
BarryDanger
> Michael Cohen
12/11/2019 at 21:39 | 0 |
I know I’m late to the party but from what I gathered here, you’re saying I should buy this:
~ $35k, manual, coupe and GREEN
Michael Cohen
> BarryDanger
12/11/2019 at 21:48 | 1 |
I’m no expert on these but it has the Meridian sound system and the sport seats which are super adjustable and comfortable. I like the British Racing Green exterior on brown seats. I’m super curious what it would be like with a manual. Matt Farah from the Smoking Tire has taken over his mom’s automatic and says it’s the best daily driver for LA. Don’t expect the most nimble canyon carver but for everything else it’s wonderful. Personally I like a lighter car and would look at what Cayman I could get for that price. A BMW Z4M coupe is fantastic. They won’t look or sound or feel as luxurious as the Jag.