Jump LinksThe Last, ICE-powered Jaguar Sports CarJaguar is still currently in the midst of a rebranding situation, with its plan to transition to an all-electric, premium lineup no stranger to criticism across the board. But for those who find it difficult to stomach seeing the new direction this British marque is taking, this makes previous sporty Jaguar models on the used market ever more attractive if you feel nostalgic for its earlier days. Many Jaguar sports cars, including those that are still fairly new arrivals to the secondhand market, have depreciated into very attractive price points, with the brand’s final two-door, internal combustion-powered sports car, the F-Type, an alluring prospect. While it appears to offer great value for money nowadays, is owning this Jaguar sports car worth the additional expenses that come with ownership?All information and figures has been cited by the manufacturer and is accurate at time of writing. Background: What Is The Jaguar F-Type? The Last, ICE-powered Jaguar Sports Car 2024 Jaguar F-Type side profile The Jaguar F-Type first debuted for the 2013 model year, with its naming serving as a direct reference to the famed Jaguar E-Type model. Replacing the preceding Jaguar XK, the F-Type was positioned as Jaguar’s flagship sports car, with a body and lines heavily inspired by the C-X16 concept car.2011 Jaguar C-X16 Concept Top Down Shot DrivingInitially launched as a two-door soft-top convertible, the F-Type gained a fixed, hardtop coupe variant not long after, which also added a rear hatchback design. Engine choices were limited to a supercharged 3.0L V6, before a 5.0L supercharged V8, and a 2.0L turbocharged inline-four was added. For the North American market, most were equipped with an automatic transmission, with a six-speed manual also made available (though in much smaller numbers), with power sent to the rear or all four wheels. The overall design remained unchanged for most of the Jaguar sports car’s production run, with minor updates added to the cabin tech, before it experienced a facelift post MY2019 that significantly changed the front fascia with a much slimmer grille and front headlight designs.2014 Jaguar F-Type Project 7In addition to the standard F-Type convertible and coupe models, a high-performance variant under Jaguar’s ‘SVR’ division was also launched, alongside the limited edition, bespoke ‘Project 7’ that utilized the F-Type platform; reportedly, just 250 units of this Jaguar D-Type-inspired ‘road-legal racer’ were made globally, and at its time, it was the most powerful ICE-powered Jaguar production model ever made. Production of the Jaguar F-Type ended in 2023, with the launch of a final run model for MY2024 that also saw its supercharged V8 engine note immortalized in the British Library archives to sign off Jaguar’s ICE-era of production sports cars."As Jaguar prepares for an all‑electric car future, the distinctive notes of the Jaguar F‑TYPE V8 have been recorded for future generations to appreciate.... Selected for the recording was a 2024 Model Year F‑TYPE R 75 Coupé, a special edition created to mark the final model year of F‑TYPE and 75 years of Jaguar sports cars."- Jaguar Land Rover What Makes The F-Type Attractive? Jaguar When compared to other luxury sports cars in this segment, including within the secondhand market, there are several factors that make this sporty Jaguar a very attractive option among modern enthusiasts. Below, we list some of the F-Type’s key selling points:Potent engines with thrilling soundtracks: the turbocharged 2.0L inline-four cylinder is one of the lesser powertrains out of the ones made available for this Jaguar, but focus on the supercharged V6 or V8, and many compliment these more potent engines choices as perfect choices for this Jaguar sports car’s platform. Both engines’ carry impressive output numbers and acceleration times on par with rival sports cars from American and European brands, with the supercharged V8 being a signature element of Jaguar sports cars up until its all-electric era, which we highlighted in prior reviews of the F-Type’s final model. "The F-Type isn't just the end of an era for Jaguar sports cars, it signals the sun setting on one of the greatest engines ever produced. BMW's 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 is a more powerful and efficient replacement, but it lacks the full-throat bark of the supercharged V8 JLR engine."- Jared Rosenholtz, Editor-at-Large, CarBuzzLightweight, striking body and construction: the striking body and chassis by which this Jaguar rides on is constructed entirely out of aluminum, allowing for its weight to be kept fairly low. The key advantage of applying this lightweight material means the F-Type delivers a driving experience with agility and speed as its strengths, which make pushing its rear-wheel drive platform even more thrilling. Sporting aesthetics (that are proving to age gracefully): though its design, penned by former Jaguar designer Ian Callum, is more than ten years old at this point, many praise this Jaguar sports car's design for aging well when compared to modern, equivalent high-end sports coupes. The lines and front fascia remain fairly minimal and not too aggressive at a glance, but its status and appearance as a modern-day Jaguar are easily distinguished, with its aesthetic features more prominently defined between the SVR or Project 7 variants, and were further improved in the post-update facelift. Pricing: How Much Does This Sporty Jaguar Go For Secondhand? Jaguar Do some research on the used market, and you’ll find many Jaguars, even those barely ten years old as of now, have suffered major depreciation from their original values when sold new. Sources like CarEdge state that the average depreciation an F-Type will experience can start from 51% of its retail price, making it half of its original price when sold new. While that may be a major loss for those who purchased these new off showrooms, for enthusiasts shopping on the used market, it can be a great upside when looking at getting a lot for your money’s worth.Early, pre-update F-Type Convertibles/F-Type Coupes with high mileage typically go for below $20,000 among current examples (or even as low as $13,000 for certain ones). The majority, on average, from the 2.0L four-cylinder to the 3.0L supercharged V6 are priced between $25,000–$30,000, with those on the higher-end consisting of post-update models; either pre-facelift models that received the updated model naming (P300/380, P450, P575) or post-facelift that sport the redesigned exterior and more up-to-date cabin/drivetrain features. If mileage and condition are discounted factors, price differences between the hardtop coupe and convertibles are largely minimal, though they can vary depending on optioned equipment, color, and whether they are rear versus all-wheel drive. The factory manuals are observed to add a small premium over automatics, given their rarity for the US market.Premiums for the top-line F-Type SVRs remain fairly high compared to the standard F-Type range, which can start from $100,000 and top near to $120,000 for low-mileage, highly cared-for examples - though some are beginning to depreciate to as low as $50,000–$60,000, which in future years, may make them attractive prospects for those eyeing one of these special edition Jaguars.For the very bespoke, limited-production unit Project 7s, it’s worth treating them as a separate model altogether. The collectibility of these race-inspired sporty Jaguar cars, along with their rarity (reportedly, just 50 units were reserved for the US market), means they cannot be judged on the same standards as the normal production F-Type. How Much Does An F-Type Cost To Own? Jaguar Some speculate that the expenses of owning a Jaguar sports car can be quite costly, especially within the context of a secondhand example that has accrued use and mileage over time.Consulting sources like CarEdge shows that, on average, across an ownership period of five years, expenses to own an F-Type can be estimated to fall within these values: Insurance: $19,615 Fuel Cost: $17,670 Maintenance: $5,438 Expenses like these for a Jaguar sports car are estimated to be above average compared to a standard commuter car, like a Honda Civic, but this is expected, given that this is a product of a premium brand rather than a mainstream equivalent. It's also worth noting that these costs can vary depending on other factors like driving habits, how often the vehicle is used and maintained, and the primary region where the car resides. How Reliable Is This Jaguar Sports Car (To Own)? Jaguar Initial fears over how mechanically sound an F-Type is when compared to other Jaguars or sports car models can arise, but reviewing sources like NHTSA recall data and owners’ complaints finds that the F-Type doesn’t record a high number of either - largely because cars like the F-Type are premium cars that sell at low volumes, compared to Jaguar sedans or SUVs. This is true to an extent, as any premium model will ideally require more attentive care and upkeep to keep it in prime, working condition.Reviewing data on CarEdge, you can expect maintenance costs to consist of, but not be limited to, items like these at specific intervals (~150,000 miles): 60,000 miles: $281–$444, new air filter, engine oil and filter change 100,000-105,000 miles: $462–$609, spark plug replacement, serpentine/drive belt replacement, engine oil and filter change, cabin air filter replacement, battery service 120,000–140,000 miles: $310–$415, engine oil and filter change (every 10,000 miles), air filter and cabin air filter replacement 150,000 miles: $321–$871, spark plug replacement, serpentine/drive belt replacement, battery service, coolant system service CarEdge also reports that maintenance/service for the first ten years of ownership of an F-Type will start from $14,064, which is above average compared to equivalent luxury sports cars in this segment. Some may have reservations about the long-term reliability of models like the Jaguar F-Type; provided those interested go into it aware that costs for maintenance and parts will be higher than a typical vehicle, and ensure to be attentive to scheduled upkeep, one of these Jaguar sports cars can prove to be fairly dependable.Aiming for a later model or a post-update example can also improve the chances of running into fewer issues throughout the course of ownership, aside from other influential factors like average usage and driving style. We previously considered MY2023 F-Types to be the most ‘reliable’ model year out of all years available, by contrast to the oldest examples made before MY2015 that will more likely have accumulated more issues and usage (given the lack of quality assurance that benefited more recent examples)."We judge the 2023 Jaguar F-Type as the most reliable model year because it hasn't been recalled, it hasn't generated a single complaint with the NHTSA or any reputable car maintenance website, and it's one year older than the 2024 edition... Even so, there's no model year F-Type that we would call unreliable."- Gilbert Smith, CarBuzz