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Moving on!

8K views 69 replies 22 participants last post by  OzXFR 
#1 ·
So after nearly 8 years of fantastic XF ownerhip it's time to move on. Fortunately I'm staying with the brand and yesterday I traded in my XF 3.0 S/C AWD for an F-type as my new combined daily driver, fun car and road trip car.

It's been a long research and search process and I was actually going to get an F-type only in a few months. Then this incredible example showed up at a dealer over in Germany only half an hour from home and I realised it was the kind of unicorn I was looking for. I wasn't interested in ordering a new one and have scanned the western European market (mainly Germany but also Benelux) for a couple of months, gradually realising that what I was looking for was rare as hens teeth: a relatively new high spec V6S/P380 coupé, not black or white, with the pano roof and with a non black interior.

Engine wise I really tried to like the P300 - test drove both a pre-facelift and facelift - but had to conclude it wasn't for me. As much as I love the AJ133 I've never been interested in having one in an F-type. The 400 was a no go because of its interior. I wanted as much driving tech and toys as possible so it had to be the V6S/P380.

So here's what I ended up with - a loaded late MY18 380hp V6 RWD R-Dynamic.

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Bought as approved with 2 years warranty from a JLR dealer nearby. Immaculate car with an immaculate history. The same dealer sold it new to the previous owner, who apparently now has moved over to an AMG GT and regrets the change. :)

Exterior: British racing green with the design black pack, pano roof and my favourite F-type wheels - the 20" carbon blades.

Interior: the full fat extended leather spec in siena tan with the heated/cooled performance seats, interior black pack, carbon trim, flat bottom steering wheel, the sport pedals etc.

It has the 8" ICTP which is exactly what I want because it has the physical buttons and I can add CarPlay. In terms of toys it has everything you can get in an F-Type except four things: AHBA, DAB (usless in Europe), the surround stereo version and the secure tracker ICTP add-on. None of which I would want anyway. Not sure I'd have specced some of the other kit it has like homelink, parallel park assistant and interior black pack but consider them as a bonus.

Being a loaded RWD V6S it has all the driving kit you can get in an F-Type (except ceramic brakes): active exhaust, adaptive dampers, LSD, launch control, configurable dynamic mode, upgraded big 380/376 mm brakes (thankfully specced in black and not red!) etc.

The first small mods I did was to remove the engine cover and to move over LED footwell lights and the aluminium paddles from my XF. Next is to install the mirror/indicator lights from my XF and probably a rear debadge.

I've been on the road for most of the day today and think the car is bloody brilliant. :) That said I'll be spending less time over here and more time over at different F-Type forums but will definitely still keeping an eye on this place.
 
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#3 ·
Thanks Gav. Thoroughly enjoying it indeed. I'm obviously biased but do think BRG is one of the best colours for the F-Type.
 
#6 ·
Wow! That is one beautiful motor car! I'd be lying through my clenched teeth if I said I wasn't envious.
Enjoy!!
 
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#10 ·
Congratulations, that does look like a great car and colour combination. Enjoy it!

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk
 
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#12 ·
Only two years to wait (for the warranty to expire) before you start on the mods!
The essentials are lowering springs, spacers, pulley and tune.
 
#14 ·
I forgot two more even more essential mods that don't need to wait until the warranty expires:
1. If it has Pirelli P-Zero tyres dump them asap and fit something decent such as Michelin Pilot Sport 4S.
2. If it has OEM brake pads dump them and fit ceramic or similar pads such as EBC or Porterfield R4S - waaaaay less brake dust!
 
#16 ·
Beautiful Tom, even the inside colour works! Well done on finding exactly what you wanted spec wise and with extra's!! Two tail time I'll bet.
 
#18 ·
Thanks! Yeah, the interior has actually always been my pet peeve with the F-Type, given that most of them are all black and I have an odd allergy to black car interiors. This one is just wow, especially since the whole centre tunnel with cubby lids etc also is in siena tan. I haven't figured out why yet, maybe it's MY specific, but in most other F-Types with the same top of the range seats, trim and colour the centre tunnel is still black.
 
#17 ·
Tom, gorgeous, simply gorgeous [emoji106]

You may get eyes in the back of you head so you don’t bump into anything while you’re constantly looking over your shoulder at it [emoji6]

Health to enjoy it!
 
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#24 ·
Cheers, feels great to be in the F-Type party. You seem to have found a fantastic one too in another of the best F-Type colours. Ultra blue, IRR and BRG FTW IMHO. :)
 
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#32 ·
Yep, I have the same wheels as well, Blades.
My front left is a bit kerbed now and maybe due for a refurb, but at least it's only the outer rim. The carbon fibre inserts (and yes they are real carbon fibre) are rare as hen's teeth and cost an absolute fortune if you can find one.
I check on line now and then for replacement new or "used but as new" wheels, especially the fronts (different size to the rears) and the cost is astronomical, over $2,000 AU each!
 
#31 ·
Stunning! Just stunning. I hope you have many, many happy miles in her!
 
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#33 ·
Yeah I’m almost a bit intimidated by the blade wheels knowing how expensive they are. I think they look absolutely epic and had a bit mixed feelings about them since they were the wheels i wanted most but also knew that the consequences of kerbing them probably would be much worse than with more normal wheels.

They do remind me a bit of the dark dracos which IMHO are the best looking X250 wheels.

So far I’ve also noticed that they’re pretty good at hiding brake dust, being all matte.

They’re all mint and I dread the day I’ll kerb one. I think skrrt, that YouTube chap that made quite a few F-Type vids mentioned that the carbon blade inserts are 100$ each. [emoji33] I’ll need to be able to deal with multi story/underground car parks at some point so I’m planning some veeery cautious practice parking runs especially keeping the front splitter and wheels in mind.
 
#36 ·
Yeah I’m almost a bit intimidated by the blade wheels knowing how expensive they are. I think they look absolutely epic and had a bit mixed feelings about them since they were the wheels i wanted most but also knew that the consequences of kerbing them probably would be much worse than with more normal wheels.

They do remind me a bit of the dark dracos which IMHO are the best looking X250 wheels.

So far I’ve also noticed that they’re pretty good at hiding brake dust, being all matte.

They’re all mint and I dread the day I’ll kerb one. I think skrrt, that YouTube chap that made quite a few F-Type vids mentioned that the carbon blade inserts are 100$ each. [emoji33] I’ll need to be able to deal with multi story/underground car parks at some point so I’m planning some veeery cautious practice parking runs especially keeping the front splitter and wheels in mind.
Same here but the CF inserts in particular come up looking much better - nice and glossy rather than dull - after cleaning.
Just a quick wipe with a MF cloth and your favourite quick detailer is all it takes.
 
#35 ·
Mine has adjustable auto passenger mirror dip when in reverse and I have it set so it shows the left rear wheel and kerb at the same time.
Great for ranking and tight manoeuvring so as to avoid kerbing the left rear wheel when in reverse.
No such function on the driver's side mirror and even if it did I wouldn't use it.
Tom - yours may or may not have the same, I think I read somewhere that that function may have been removed from later model years maybe 2018 onward. Either that or it's only RHD F-Types that have it and LHD missed out.
 
#40 ·
Yep, purely for looks I’d say. Otherwise I think the spoke design is quite similar to the 400 Sport wheels. I think these blade wheels are also supposed to be forged and a little bit lighter than other F-Type 20” wheels.
 
#41 ·
I changed the wheels on my last X-Type to some genuine Jaguar ones that turned out to be forged, they were lighter without a shadow of doubt.. but the difference when driving the car was remarkable!!

The improvement in the way the suspension then worked without anything coming through to the body of the car was amazing, lighter steering when hooning it and bumps and thumps relegated to you being aware of but not 'feeling'.

Less un-sprung weight makes a big difference, if you borrowed a set of 'normal' wheels they'd probably feel like wet clay encrusted clogs in comparison.. :D
 
#42 ·
Yes the Blade wheels are forged but they are still fairly heavy and nowhere near as light as "racing" two piece forged wheels. IIRC they are a whopping 2kg or thereabouts each lighter than F-Type OEM cast 20" wheels.
As I said before the CF inserts are real CF, I know coz I have taken one off (two little Torx screws holding each one on) and had a good squiz at the back of it and the CF matrix is obvious.
Yes they save a little weight but bugger all really considering the weight of the rest of the wheel.
I also read somewhere that JLR deliberately made all the OEM F-Type wheels fairly heavy so they would be more robust and less prone to buckling.
Here's a pic of the back of one of the CF inserts:
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