F Type owner experience
Discussion
He broke traction and lost the rear end, which could have been too much power or more likely when he changed gear. Either way he was accelerating too hard for the conditions. If plod see this they'll probably press charges. There would have been a serious accident if there had been a car coming the other way.
Phil. said:
He broke traction and lost the rear end, which could have been too much power or more likely when he changed gear. Either way he was accelerating too hard for the conditions. If plod see this they'll probably press charges. There would have been a serious accident if there had been a car coming the other way.
I would agree, probably on a gear change and we don't know what the tyres were like etc. Glad the bloke was ok. p.s. Must say, I've owned my Griff 500 for 15 years and never had this happen but then I treated it with kid gloves for the 12 months, took it on the track several times which is a good way to get experience and had 30 years history of driving RWD cars.
Poor sod. It is most common for these events to happen on the gear change where they effectively either brake with the rears or over accelerate.
Sadly seen it lots of times on the approach to roundabouts when people use their gearbox as a braking system and seen it in slip roads when accelerating and the snap change breaks the traction and combined with the angle the car turns.
It's definitely an argument for all the driving tech that is added to Granddad's pile warming device.
There just isn't upside to 'playing' with a Tiv in those conditions.
I also bin all the tyres when one gets down to 3mm. Nothing helps a Tiv better than a set of well matched tyres with lots of tread. Can't see the upside to running them to the bone on cars like this.
Sadly seen it lots of times on the approach to roundabouts when people use their gearbox as a braking system and seen it in slip roads when accelerating and the snap change breaks the traction and combined with the angle the car turns.
It's definitely an argument for all the driving tech that is added to Granddad's pile warming device.
There just isn't upside to 'playing' with a Tiv in those conditions.
I also bin all the tyres when one gets down to 3mm. Nothing helps a Tiv better than a set of well matched tyres with lots of tread. Can't see the upside to running them to the bone on cars like this.
RichB said:
Phil. said:
He broke traction and lost the rear end, which could have been too much power or more likely when he changed gear. Either way he was accelerating too hard for the conditions. If plod see this they'll probably press charges. There would have been a serious accident if there had been a car coming the other way.
I would agree, probably on a gear change and we don't know what the tyres were like etc. Glad the bloke was ok. p.s. Must say, I've owned my Griff 500 for 15 years and never had this happen but then I treated it with kid gloves for the 12 months, took it on the track several times which is a good way to get experience and had 30 years history of driving RWD cars.
Yep, I removed it as I figured the TVR driver might get in to trouble and although he wasn't speeding it was his fault. He could get a bill for the damaged wall as well as a few points for something.
I didn't put the video up for that reason, the guy suffered enough with the damage to his car.
I didn't put the video up for that reason, the guy suffered enough with the damage to his car.
chrisb0 said:
Yep, I removed it as I figured the TVR driver might get in to trouble and although he wasn't speeding it was his fault. He could get a bill for the damaged wall as well as a few points for something.
I didn't put the video up for that reason, the guy suffered enough with the damage to his car.
Fair dos. The chap will have had a bad enough time without American teenagers calling him a "noob" on Youtube comments.I didn't put the video up for that reason, the guy suffered enough with the damage to his car.
Back to F-Types - the announcement of the 3.0 manual has pushed this car right back to the forefront of my mind again. That really would be a tickety boo way to pass the milage each day
chrisb0 said:
Yep, I removed it as I figured the TVR driver might get in to trouble and although he wasn't speeding it was his fault. He could get a bill for the damaged wall as well as a few points for something.
I didn't put the video up for that reason, the guy suffered enough with the damage to his car.
There's a lot to be said for electronic stability aids. Definitely didn't look like he did much wrong, unfortunately a torquey light rear wheel drive car can very quickly get away from you in less than ideal conditions.I didn't put the video up for that reason, the guy suffered enough with the damage to his car.
My dealer is starting to really wind me up with sorting out the Vantage so starting to investigate possible replacements.
I went and had a look at the F Type coupe yesterday, didn't have time for a drive but was very impressed with cabin fit and finish very close to the Vantage for a lot less money. Also impressed by the fact that the salesman at Marshalls Cambridge was not pushy.
robm3 said:
I've not had a chance to drop it in yet. Been travelling in Asia a fair bit. Next week hopefully.
I've had this on mine, spoke to the Dealer, its a software fault that there is an update for at the dealer, basically just don't select a gear the very second you start the car. if you leave it just one second its fine. if you have the problem switch it off wait 20 seconds and and it clears.dave_Sw1 said:
robm3 said:
I've not had a chance to drop it in yet. Been travelling in Asia a fair bit. Next week hopefully.
I've had this on mine, spoke to the Dealer, its a software fault that there is an update for at the dealer, basically just don't select a gear the very second you start the car. if you leave it just one second its fine. if you have the problem switch it off wait 20 seconds and and it clears.chrisb0 said:
Well just picked up my F type R coupe on friday, swapped my trusty XKR charger for it.
After owning the XKR for 3 years it was 5 years old and it was time for a change.
I had zero problems with it and up to this point possibly the best car i have owned, and as i am now in the "silver hair" club thats quite a few cars.
The XK was never a sports car but as a GT it was unbeatable for the money.
So how about the F Type then, well its an ex demo 14 plate with 350 miles on the clock.
Fitted options
Glass roof
Carbon pack
Visibility pack
Heated seats
Duel climate control (why is this an option)
Parking pack with rear camera
Power tail open close
Keyless open start
First up is the way it looks.....
Truly stunning in white with glass roof and carbon kit, standard wheels.
The inside is just standard grey, but i think this works well as a contrast to the white on the outside, with the glass roof its a very nice place to be, and not at all dull as it appears in photographs. The XK was finished in cream and black, it was very nice but a bugger to keep clean, and after 5 years is showing its age.
The F type is a little smaller but it feels right, sitting in the F type after the XK it feels like home but with a modern makeover.
Having owned BMW, Audi, Porsche and a ferrari it holds its own in form and function, and the initial impression is of high build quality.
The media screen looks a bit clunky at first, and the impression is that it needs updating to something a little more modern, but as you use it you realise that the big buttons that make it look old are in fact very practical. In the old XK and some other cars i have driven the touch screen whilst looking nice and modern the buttons are small and not easy to use on the move.
The standard 300w Meridian sound system is way better than the B&W in the XK and more than adequate.
Little bits i like:-
The groovy door handles and the way you just give them a nudge and it locks.
The way the internal lighting and clocks turn red in Dynamic (childish but i love it)
The way the screen and instrument lighting auto dims as it goes dark.
Loving the switches
Little bits i think need work:- (notice i didn't say don't like, as i can easily live with them)
It would be nice if all the lights in the cabin could change colour, some stay blue.
Silly, but on the passenger side sun visor there is a big printed warning about the airbag, it looks bad but you cant remove it.
Who thought plastic gear change paddles was ok, even if they are gold (should have fitted alli)
Ok driving it.
As i have only had the car for a couple of days this is going to be primarily based on first impressions.
The sound it makes is epic, in normal mode its just enough to be interesting without being intrusive, in dynamic mode you just want to keep slowing down just so you can accelerate again.
Every time i press the loud peddle it brings a smile to my face.
Compared to the XK its in another league and i liked the XK.
On motorways the car is not as comfy as the XK, its a little harder and the seats are not as comfy. Its not the out and out GT car the XK is, but its somewhere i can spend a few hours without any problem, and to be honest i expected it to be worse than it actually is when you consider the way its set up.
There is considerably more road noise on some motorway surfaces than the XK, not sure if this is down to the P Zeros but its not so bad that its going to give you a headache.
The ride is a little stiff and in dynamic the car can jiggle a little as cars with hard suspension do, but switching to normal fixes this, and there is no need for dynamic on motorways.
On A roads i haven't fully explored its limits yet but driving it on roads i liked to push the XK on its a much more capable sports car. Its sharper on turn in, you get way more feedback from the wheel and through the seat of your pants, you feel much more connected to the car than the XK.
The gear box is not bad at all, in normal its smooth and almost seamless, in dynamic its a little more aggressive with sharper changes but its still an auto. But put it in sport and using the paddles it very close to anything i have driven, with almost instant response on up and down shifts.
The only criticism i have is under heavy acceleration the back end squirms quite a lot, like the diff is having trouble keeping up, its not unmanageable but its something that feels a little unsettling.
The standard breaks are very good, plenty of feel and progressive retardation, i suspect they would fade after a few hard laps on a track day, but the car is not really designed for that.
however it has the most ridiculous sized fuel tank, i did 180 miles of quite gentle driving and it showed i had around 50 miles range, i filled up an only managed to get 50 litres in.
Parking is a little difficult as rear visibility is very limited, it would be hard to park in a tight spot without the camera and thats not standard.
But in general after 2 days i am on my third tank of fuel, and for the first time in quite a few years i got up this morning and went for a drive for no reason at all..... Loving it.
Little bits i like:-
The auto stop start in normal mode, great in traffic and works well once you get used to it.
The way the auto stop start is disabled in dynamic.
The boot spoiler popping up in the rear view mirror (another childish thing, but love it)
The noticeable difference between normal and dynamic mode.
Little bits i think need work.
The boot spoiler popping up at 70 and you can't put it down.
Comparing it to the XK
XK is a better GT car with a much more relaxed driving experience, a more comfortable ride and generally quieter. If i was to spend a lot of time long distance driving i would favour the XK.
F type is a far better sports car and not a bad GT, its much stiffer, faster and fun to drive, as an every day car its a joy, as a weekend hooligan its mega, as a long distance GT its acceptable. As a posing tool its the dogs especially as there are not many about yet. I have a bright yellow 360 and the F type gets more attention.
So far swapping the XK was the best decision i have made but time will tell, if its as reliable as the XK (no issues at all in 3 years, and the car was 2 years old when i got it) the F type will be the best car i have owned.
Brilliant write up .. thanks Chris. I parked next to a left hooker R coupe yesterday at a motorway services with trade plates on and liked the look of it so much I've decided I need one. Decided on the R and a coupe but whats best an AWD or RWD??After owning the XKR for 3 years it was 5 years old and it was time for a change.
I had zero problems with it and up to this point possibly the best car i have owned, and as i am now in the "silver hair" club thats quite a few cars.
The XK was never a sports car but as a GT it was unbeatable for the money.
So how about the F Type then, well its an ex demo 14 plate with 350 miles on the clock.
Fitted options
Glass roof
Carbon pack
Visibility pack
Heated seats
Duel climate control (why is this an option)
Parking pack with rear camera
Power tail open close
Keyless open start
First up is the way it looks.....
Truly stunning in white with glass roof and carbon kit, standard wheels.
The inside is just standard grey, but i think this works well as a contrast to the white on the outside, with the glass roof its a very nice place to be, and not at all dull as it appears in photographs. The XK was finished in cream and black, it was very nice but a bugger to keep clean, and after 5 years is showing its age.
The F type is a little smaller but it feels right, sitting in the F type after the XK it feels like home but with a modern makeover.
Having owned BMW, Audi, Porsche and a ferrari it holds its own in form and function, and the initial impression is of high build quality.
The media screen looks a bit clunky at first, and the impression is that it needs updating to something a little more modern, but as you use it you realise that the big buttons that make it look old are in fact very practical. In the old XK and some other cars i have driven the touch screen whilst looking nice and modern the buttons are small and not easy to use on the move.
The standard 300w Meridian sound system is way better than the B&W in the XK and more than adequate.
Little bits i like:-
The groovy door handles and the way you just give them a nudge and it locks.
The way the internal lighting and clocks turn red in Dynamic (childish but i love it)
The way the screen and instrument lighting auto dims as it goes dark.
Loving the switches
Little bits i think need work:- (notice i didn't say don't like, as i can easily live with them)
It would be nice if all the lights in the cabin could change colour, some stay blue.
Silly, but on the passenger side sun visor there is a big printed warning about the airbag, it looks bad but you cant remove it.
Who thought plastic gear change paddles was ok, even if they are gold (should have fitted alli)
Ok driving it.
As i have only had the car for a couple of days this is going to be primarily based on first impressions.
The sound it makes is epic, in normal mode its just enough to be interesting without being intrusive, in dynamic mode you just want to keep slowing down just so you can accelerate again.
Every time i press the loud peddle it brings a smile to my face.
Compared to the XK its in another league and i liked the XK.
On motorways the car is not as comfy as the XK, its a little harder and the seats are not as comfy. Its not the out and out GT car the XK is, but its somewhere i can spend a few hours without any problem, and to be honest i expected it to be worse than it actually is when you consider the way its set up.
There is considerably more road noise on some motorway surfaces than the XK, not sure if this is down to the P Zeros but its not so bad that its going to give you a headache.
The ride is a little stiff and in dynamic the car can jiggle a little as cars with hard suspension do, but switching to normal fixes this, and there is no need for dynamic on motorways.
On A roads i haven't fully explored its limits yet but driving it on roads i liked to push the XK on its a much more capable sports car. Its sharper on turn in, you get way more feedback from the wheel and through the seat of your pants, you feel much more connected to the car than the XK.
The gear box is not bad at all, in normal its smooth and almost seamless, in dynamic its a little more aggressive with sharper changes but its still an auto. But put it in sport and using the paddles it very close to anything i have driven, with almost instant response on up and down shifts.
The only criticism i have is under heavy acceleration the back end squirms quite a lot, like the diff is having trouble keeping up, its not unmanageable but its something that feels a little unsettling.
The standard breaks are very good, plenty of feel and progressive retardation, i suspect they would fade after a few hard laps on a track day, but the car is not really designed for that.
however it has the most ridiculous sized fuel tank, i did 180 miles of quite gentle driving and it showed i had around 50 miles range, i filled up an only managed to get 50 litres in.
Parking is a little difficult as rear visibility is very limited, it would be hard to park in a tight spot without the camera and thats not standard.
But in general after 2 days i am on my third tank of fuel, and for the first time in quite a few years i got up this morning and went for a drive for no reason at all..... Loving it.
Little bits i like:-
The auto stop start in normal mode, great in traffic and works well once you get used to it.
The way the auto stop start is disabled in dynamic.
The boot spoiler popping up in the rear view mirror (another childish thing, but love it)
The noticeable difference between normal and dynamic mode.
Little bits i think need work.
The boot spoiler popping up at 70 and you can't put it down.
Comparing it to the XK
XK is a better GT car with a much more relaxed driving experience, a more comfortable ride and generally quieter. If i was to spend a lot of time long distance driving i would favour the XK.
F type is a far better sports car and not a bad GT, its much stiffer, faster and fun to drive, as an every day car its a joy, as a weekend hooligan its mega, as a long distance GT its acceptable. As a posing tool its the dogs especially as there are not many about yet. I have a bright yellow 360 and the F type gets more attention.
So far swapping the XK was the best decision i have made but time will tell, if its as reliable as the XK (no issues at all in 3 years, and the car was 2 years old when i got it) the F type will be the best car i have owned.
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