I posted a road trip report in the picture post thread, and realize that's not the right place, and people genuinely interested in some of the comments might miss it in that behemoth of a thread.

So, knowing other summer trippers are abounding, and I want to hear about Unhingd's Easy Coast to Colorado run.... anyone have comments on the car in regards to long drives/trips, let us know.

Pics of the car during the trip (and a few more): https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/f...8/#post1514379


Here's my Road Trip Report:

4206 miles traveled in a 6cyl base manual.

I suggest you do it. I highly recommend it.

Here it literally is: https://roadtrippers.com/map?a2=t!99...ource=copy&z=5

For what it's worth, I am 40, 6'6", 225lbs. Relatively bad upper back and pinched shoulder nerve. Very active tho, so healthy otherwise.

I drove the whole time. 3 weeks, 9 states, 10 national parks (maybe more... I've yet to count)

I took far to few photos of my car, and I didn't snap that many great ones. They're pretty jumbled, and post a bit out of order.... (some are from near my house or Tahoe trip)

Thoughts:

Oh how poorly the cupholders are placed for a manual transmission (I found a steel cup that works tho!). A cup with a straw *will* draw blood. Also, the armrest is the shifting area, and long armed men will have an elbow nearly in their passenger's face. I tried to give wifey the armrest, but I would always bump her off, accidentally.

There's an extremely interesting amount of random hidden spots to put things, namely behind the seats, you can get a lot of stuff stowed away. We got 3 weeks of luggage in the custom for the vert luggage, it worked really well, but it was wildly tight a fit. My wife didn't complain once, but she also had some stuff in her footwell. Tight like the cockpit of a spaceship tight. We had a custom "Summer 142" trunk rack, but I never got it installed in time, and we made due. The idea that we could do 3 weeks and no rack just astonishes me.

It's not particularly safe... but when in cruise control, you can extend your feet under, and past, the pedals to actually *FULLY* stretch out your legs. It's almost like a bulkhead compartment in a boat... you could literally fit and store stuff in there (I know NEVER EVER). But, there is SO MUCH SPACE from the pedals to the end of the cab space. Of course, that's only for uneventful roads in cruise control, but still... surprising.

(I just realized the seats have destroyed/damaged the bulkhead, and both my dry cleaning hooks have the rubber ripped off. I've got Performance Seats... I'll check that thread)

We (I) drove 5 to 10 hour days and they were fun, the car was so much happiness (grinning like an idiot), and it felt too quick, frankly.

My wife and I basically just talked and looked around, most of the drive days.... it really was quite amazingly fun. I would run out of superlatives if I tried to explain it. But I thought it would get boring and we'd have to force silly road games or something. That never happened. I'm on a trial of Sirius, and the comedy channels are great. If you find yourself down or frustrated, turn it on and laugh like a lunatic. But we had a blast.... driving it and being in it are an experience unto itself. The convertible, especially for the Parks, was just mind blowing and expanding.

I can only remember getting tired on the last day's drive on the 15S out of Vegas, up the I5, the most horrifyingly dull drive in history. I never had any back problems or fatigue (but for the last few hours of the whole trip, actually)... the car is way too fun for that, apparently. I was always worried my back would spasm, or something random would happen... my wife doesn't drive a stick at all, yet. But it went off without a chipped windshield or lost key. Everything, for once, went according to plan, with only delightful surprises along the way.

Drive days were all driving, not much lookie loo beyond gas or grabbing something to eat. This doesn't include all the driving around all the parks, etc.

Marin to Crater Lake - 10 hours
Crater to Portland - 5.5hrs
Portland to Spokane - 5.5hrs
Spokane to Glacier - 4.5hrs
Glacier to Three Forks - 5+hrs
Three Forks to Yellowstone - 3.5hrs
Yellowstone to Jackson - 2.5hrs
Jackson to Moab/Arches - 9 hours
Moab to Amangiri (Arizona/Utah border) - 4.5hrs
Aman to Las Vegas w/ North Rim Grand Canyon - 6.5hrs
Las Vegas to Marin- 10.5 hours (had to pick up our dog in Petaluma, which added 1.5hrs)

It wasn't until the last 4 hours of the very last day my back was sorta painfully twinging and tightening up. I never, EVER had to stop once because of back pain or exhaustion. We stretched when we needed to get gas, but I was getting 22.8mpg on the freeway, with the final trip ending around 21.6mpg, and sometimes I could go 350miles on a tank. I never let it get too close to empty, though. Didn't want to test that one. I guess down to 25-30 miles a few times, honestly. Close enough. I wish we had access to our car data to read everything it knows and remembers. =)

I will find other pics... my wife took some of me in the car, for sure. But here ya go.... hope it isn't too many.

OH... this road trip ends with the shot of the Silver Coupe by valet, in Vegas. The only other F-Type I saw the entire trip, but once we got into Vegas, you see everything, anyway. I saw a few saloon Jags on the trip. I saw 4 Porsche the entire trip... 3 modern ones, one classic. But man....

mustangs, corvettes, camaros, chargers, and challengers. ERRRRYWHERE


So... the pics past that Vegas one are just a few bonus pics from Tahoe, my commute, etc.

Okay, back to normal posts. Pardon that.

 

Great thread!

I've taken a five different, multi-day road trips with my 2015 V6 Coupe, all down and up the Californian coast.

Here are things that made a positive difference on long drives:

• The coupe trunk is plenty big for road trips. My fiance and I usually take two cabin-sized bags and there's plenty of room for more. I'm a bit of a luggage nerd so I usually take an LV 65 Keepall, LV Roadster or a Rimowa Stealth Cabin...all of which fit elegantly into the trunk.
  
  
• I highly recommend these VW cargo organizers. The blocks velcro themselves onto the carpeting in the coupe trunk, so you can organize luggage and other stuff inside to prevent things from moving around or rattling while driving. You can reposition them easily.
  
  
  
• The F-Type Performance seats make long drives a LOT more comfortable. The side bolsters and adjustable lumbar support really help reduce back strain, particularly given the hard suspension.
  
  
• Unlike other posters, my climate control has worked exceptionally well. The weather on the California coast can vary by over 40 degrees in less than an hour as the sun rises or you drive through fog, elevation, coastal wind, etc. I've driven my coupe from 48F to 105F and the climate control has been exceptional. I usually latch the climate control recirculation to always-on so I can avoid truck fumes, fertilizer odors, etc....I'm pretty sensitive to smell :-) This also helps a lot with maintaining climate control efficiently.
  
  
• I use the Proclips custom dashboard mount for my phone. It's a low mount but I like it that way. I use Waze to track for speed cameras, and have a Valentine One installed clearly inside the field of view for driving. So far, no tickets.
  
  
• I have a ScanTool OBD reader which I use with the Torque app on my phone. This is particularly useful for looking at stats like coolant temperature (especially in 100+ degree weather), since the F-Type has a crippled oil temp display which will warn you too late when the engine is overheating.
  
  
• After trying out a few different driving gloves, I've settled on Under Armor Flux fingerless gloves for long drives. They're thin enough to preserve steering feel while wicking sweat. They have pull tabs to make it easier to remove. And they're fingerless so I can use Waze/cellphone easily. I'm pretty happy with them but am still looking for a thin 3/4 finger glove that might work better.
  
  
  
• Don't forget to put jumper cables behind the driver's seat rather than in the trunk (since the trunk cannot be opened if the battery is dead).
  
  
• This is an awesome umbrella for a road trip. It fits nicely on the driver's side of the cabin, between the seat and the door sill. Unlike most other umbrellas, it opens up HUGE so it'll fit you and your hot girlfriend underneath. I also have a larger foldable one in the trunk which also is highly recommended for prolonged rain.
  

Generally I've found the F-Type to be amazing on long trips, especially on the inimitable Pacific Coast Highway, one of the most beautiful winding coastal roads in the world.








There are some annoyances:

• The limited rear view window (especially with spoiler up in the coupe) is a pain when looking out for cops.
  
  
• The V6 suspension is pretty harsh...that's been well covered by reviewers. Great in corners, but slightly annoying on long cruises.

That's literally all that i've found wrong with the coupe on long road trips....the experience is otherwise completely intoxicating and for long stretches I drive without the sound on just to listen to that engine note!!!

 

Still mid-trip after about 3800 miles in 6 days. A blast on the twisties and enough talk radio on the satellite and tunes on the iPod to make even Kansas fly right by. That boat compartment behind the pedals is fabulous, particularly for the clutch foot. Will hit The Tail of the Dragon tomorrow. I feel rested after a 9 hour day in the car. Not looking forward to the end of this trip. You may have to call me Charlie (The man who never returned). This car was meant for road trips. I been driving, so not many pics, but I'll post a few when I get home (if I ever do return).

 

oh..I forgot the worst part. I discovered a new protective coating far superior to anything mentioned to date: dried bug guts. Properly fused to the leading edges at substantial speed, it'll never wear off. lol

 

schraderade, such gorgeous rear 3/4 view of the car

 

Let us know how you like "Tail of the Dragon" please. I want to do it but after watching so many U-Tube videos that I have concerns. To many police so you can only go 35 and the large tucks that get on there mistakenly. Not so worried about the motorcyclist as I am one part time.

 

Those cargo organizers look awesome. Very good rec. Thanks! I can't wait to read and hear more from people. Woot.

So funny. People thought I was vandalizing a stranger's car with some OCD thing. I was just aggressively trying to clear our windscreen prior to shoving off..... the bugs seem to hug the car tightly.

I also learned that wifey doesn't understand the importance of the navigator position and responsibilities, but she's far more important in all other areas for it to matter. Also first US road trip where I used GPS extensively. VERY weird to realize you don't know the name of the highway you are on, but we were loaded with atlas and paper maps, etc.

 

I was born in Carmel/Big Sur, and work down there a lot. Some of my morns are driving to Big Sur from Marin/SF through Pacifica and down the 1. Tough life. Truly not a road to be taken for granted, and it must be driven many times in one's life, if possible. The fires shut it down for a few days, sadly.... the backcountry is not going to look the same for a long time. A hotel we helped build and open, Post Ranch Inn, is always in trouble, but the flames have gotten FAR too close to both that and Ventana. It's so scary... all guests evac'd from both props due to Soberanes Fire. Plenty of landslides to come, this winter, too. I know my fave road to drive in a 4x4, Old Coast Road, won't be passable for some time. ANYHOO....

Gloves: Nordstrom has some great, affordable leather gloves
John W. Nordstrom® Leather Driving Gloves | Nordstrom

But the fingers wont touch your phone... so moot point I assume.

The seats are amazing, and that lumbar was huge for me.

The jumper cable is sort of dead. Sort of long live the jumper cable!

I've a Jeep that I leave the lights on all the time. This thing makes car to car jumping a thing of the past. Also charges... everything. All the things. It's amazing!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1


The temp guage in my car never moved... so interesting info on that overheating thing. I was doing 100+ in 120F and it *never* moved. Not once.

Thanks for all this info!!

 

Here's my road trip report. 2016 F-Type Base auto coupe.

ROAD TRIP: 6084 miles, 25-day trip, 22 states visited (12 first timers for my wife), top speed 116 mph, 29.0 mpg average for the trip. Drive from Colorado to Williamsburg, VA, to Portland, ME for "Lobster Run," and return.

We bought the car as a sports/performance car, and as a sports GT. We have a performance luxury highway cruiser in our Audi A7 which we love. This car adds a totally different dimension which we were seeking. We do many long trips: to AZ in winter, to CA for family visiting, to WY, MT, and TX, for visiting friends and all kinds of vacation touring; I'm retired. But the car is also a daily driver locally and to Denver, except when there is deep snow in winter. We drive the car at every opportunity. After one year, the car has more than measured up to every expectation and in spectacular fashion. I don't want a race car/track car, and I don't want a wimp. Where it has over-performed for me is in balance: great beauty, more performance than I can use, great sports blood, fully satisfies my desire for spirited driving, and in spite of some early reservations has proved to be a most comfortable GT road car.

OBSERVATIONS:
- We first saw the car at the Denver Auto Show in Aril 2015. Very crowded venue; it was difficult to get a couple of minutes to sit in it. Wifey liked it, but I was pretty neutral at first look. First, I was smitten with the possibility of an Aston Martin Vantage, and second, the cockpit seemed way too tight. I am a short runt, 5'4" and 130 ponds and I thought it was tight, ha. A week later we went to the dealer where we really got to see the car and move around in it; still seemed tight in the cockpit. We were treated royally from the first, and within 10 minutes the GM came to introduce himself to us and welcome us to the showroom, No pressure at all. One week later we took a test drive, was able to adjust the seat in 2 minutes to a perfect driving position, and took off like a dream. Not too tight, but I still tell people I feel like I don't get into the car, "I pull it on." For a sports/performance car I want to feel snug and cuddled, and that it does well. It isn't too tight at all, but reassuring that I'm going to stay in my seat. Ordered a car in mid-May, and took delivery in mid-August 2015, a 2016 model year.

As for the road trip, we found plenty of room in the boot for our luggage for 25 days and in fact did not use all of what we took. The cubby below the boot floor is useful for shoes, extra towels, plastic sponge for bug touch up enroute, and other small items. The rear fender haunches have lots of room to stuff in soft items. We took two small soft side suitcases and had room on top for a garment bag with sports coat and dress shirts/ladies blouses. We closed the boot lid with the security screen in place. We shipped purchases home.

Inside I agree there is more room inside than first appears, but you have to be careful what you put in there. Water, small snacks, umbrella, rain shells behind seats, and lots of room behind seats on the floor for my laptop, etc. We found a cool small plastic clips to fit the sun visors to hold a pair of sunglasses, one each side, up out of the way. Perfect. I think the cup holders are fine, but then I'm shifting exclusively with the paddles.

As for driving, cruising the Base engine has plenty for power for me and for the twisties. I ran out of guts long before torque and power in keeping up with the other spirited drivers at Lobster Run, but I think I acquitted myself well enough and scared the hell out of my wife a few times... in a fun way. I love the steering; Jaguar got the steering right for me. Overall the car has been a thoroughly rewarding ownership and is way more car than I imagined. I can't believe that any other car can measure up to what this car has in what I want most: the overall balance in driving experience that this car represents in spirited driving and GT comfort/performance as well. It does it all so well that I have no interest in even looking at anything else. Probably my last car purchase.

 

Just a few more comments on our Lobster Run trip.

- I have the Performance Seats, they came in the package with the Leather Upper Environment I ordered. I find the seat bottom pretty stiff, but then I don't have much natural padding on my bottom side. Still by periodically adjusting/readjusting the bolsters and lumbar support, the seats were comfortable. However, because of my anatomy I also use a small cushion to fill the space at the small of my back. That has really finished the comfort trick for me.
- Stopping on long road trips every 2 or 3 hours for gas/food/stretching has taken care of other distance driving issues.
- Also the suspension seemed pretty stiff from the beginning, but maybe not so much for a younger man. I don't have the adjustable suspension on my base RWD. This is an impression after driving my A7. Actually it was easy to get used to and makes for the kind of sport driving experience that I want in this car. After driving it for awhile I have no complaints about this; I like it the way it is.
- I've got right at 12,000 miles on the clock after just one year. Loving it; it's been a great road car.

 

See this thread:https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/f...4/#post1519382

 

Good to read your trip report - and the others above.

I took delivery of a base 2016 last month and agree with your performance comments and relate to your comfort and ride trade offs. I took only the vision pack however. Sat in the performance seats (but didn't drive in them) and thought the standard seats might actually work better on longer trips for me, although I wasn't happy about the limited color choices.

Are you riding on 18"s or 19"s? I test drove both, didn't think there was enough incremental handling benefit to offset the greater stiffness of the 19s. With 19s you do get a choice of wheel style but the retro silver look was what I wanted anyway. Then were the facts of NE road conditions and desire to drive it year round (though not in snow).