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Dave, well said!
Your excellent photos save me a lot of editing my own. It was such a thrill to drive your F-type! Thanks for your great company & for sharing the ride.
One of the Best Events Ever and an eventful trip after
I've waited a few days to recap my thoughts around this event as my wife and I had an interesting departure route adventure which I can only describe as nerve racking and hopefully never to be repeated.
First the Lobster Run Itself: Just wonderful on all counts. Truly one of the best experiences we have ever had. Jay and his lovely wife Liz were absolutely the best. Jay is modest about what he did to set all this up but it was truly a work of love, passion, friendship and fun. The events have been well chronicled already but they were just wonderful and entertaining. The food....well let's just say, I'm still FULL!
Scarborough Jaguar. Above and beyond the call gentlemen! Wonderful people hospitality and the bags were a most unexpected surprise.
The Restaurants: the food was fantastic Blueberries, Scales and the Union chefs are I masters. Oh yes Archers as well.
The post event adventure: After 3-1/2 wonderful days and nights we departed Maine to visit my mom on Cape Cod. While north of Boston on I-95 in heavy 3 lane traffic we suddenly saw a the car in front of us swerve to the right and still managed to hit an larger black object in the road which they basically flattened. We had cars immediately on both sides of us and behind and I had no where to go but directly over he now flattened object which straddles my entire lane. Bang.
Airbag sensor light goes on but no bags deployed. No other warning lights come on so I moved quickly to the right and got off at the next exist onto a pull off area off the exit. It's raining. I turned the car off to see if the airbag light would reset and thankfully it did. I got out of the car to look around the outside and saw no damage to the body jog the car, but did notice the small stone chip we had gotten the day before from a guy mowing his lawn and throwing stones across the road in Rockland had managed to spider. Prior to that we had a glass company meeting us the next morning to resin the small chip up....but well no longer it spread and the windshield would need replacement.
But back to the car. As I looked to see that all was well with tires, body etc I decided to look under the car to make sure all was well there. Loe and behold what did I find but a 6-7 foot long piece of metal longitudinally stuck under the car attached somewhere between the rear wheels and up towards the front of the car. Try as a I might I could not pull it out. Time to call Jag roadside assistance.
Jag Roadside: This is a Sunday afternoon and Mother's Day to boot. They picked up right away, were friendly professional and quick to determine my needs. I told them I needed a tow truck to help me get the car high enough off the ground to see what we could do to remove the metal. No leaks or apparent problems as it looked like the metal was stuck in a bracket. They told me they were dispatching a technician and it would be about 45 minutes. The rain continued. Well about 15 minutes later the exact truck they said would arrive did so more than a half hour early......and the rain just stopped. Out stepped a man who could only be described as kind, considerate and helpful to the core. He was traveling with his son, a single father, to his mothers house for Mother's Day dinner. He had me drive the front end of the car onto his flat bed and he proceeded to lift the front of the car off the ground high enough for him to be able to look under. There it was sitting up under the bracket which he removed with four bolts, took the piece out, and then restored the bracket. He said he really didn't see any issues under the car which helped ease my mind a bit. He lowered the car, shakes my hand and wished us the best in our journey. I made sure I gave him a few bucks as a thank you . He is with Allstar Automotive Towing. He was wonderful.
We got on our way, the windshield continuing to spider. Made it to my Mom's with little drama from there. Now the hard part was two fold. Setting up the windshield replacement, calling insurance and the second part was getting the Jag on the lift with a JLR dealer to see what actual damage had been done. I dreaded the worst. Problem with JLR is that they only have a Landrover dealer on cape cod. The closest Jag dealer is in Norwood, MA 90 minutes from the mid cape. After several discussions with the land rover folks who were nice but really couldn't help, I called Norwood. They jumped right on it, told me they would clear a spot this morning get it on the lift, check the whole car and make sure that if something needed to be fixed they would have it done before we depart for home on Thursday.
The visit to JLR of Norwood was almost as great as the reception I received at Scarborough two days before. Friendly, professional, comprehensive review of he whole car. I even inspected it while it was on the lift with the tech and the service director. Get this....almost NO damage. Tiny surface scratch in the plastic engine protection tray under the engine bay and nothing else until where the metal part had lodged itself in e cross bracket under the exhaust pipes near the rear wheels. The metal heat shield on one side had been crinkled about 2 inches back. They were able to bend it back into place and make sure that no heat could get to anything being protected underneath. They finished the 140 point inspection and concluded that all was well ( they offered to do the O2 sensor re-flash and I told them not to...they had not heard of the sound problem but said in the future they would look out for it) and then they washed the car and retuned it to me 90 minutes after I brought it in. To Dave at Norwood Jag, thanks your a pro!
Then drove the car to the glass place. Safelite in Hyannis, MA. Jeff Souza and his team were excellent. They were fascinated by the car, loved it and had the two top techs and Jeff himself work on it. They removed the old windshield with skill and let me watch them do the work the whole time. They explained each step of the process as they did it. Along the way they managed to find a potential problem in the making. Apparently the robots (if it was done by a human I'd be even more disappointed) at the Jaguar factory did not completely lay down a full adhesive gasket seal. At the bottom center of the windshield surround were it stopped and started was a gap that was at least introducing noise and potentially moisture into the cabin. We checked the whole area and found no damage thankfully. They full cleaned the whole area, laid down a good bead of sealant and then completed the installation process perfectly. They were even able to transfer my PA inspection stickers. They cleaned the entire area, made sure the seal was complete and tight and then cleaned every inch of the car they touched, vacuumed the floor of both sides and checked that everything worked. They sent me on my way 90 minutes later fixed, happy, with renewed confidence in my FTYPE's soundness.
But most importantly, they, the Norwood folks and the man from Allstar towing gave me something else...a renewed faith that there are still people in this world who care about what they do, about being kind to those they encounter, and being professional and fair. I see that so little elsewhere.
This trip has provided my wife and I with several wonderful thoughts. New friends like Jay and Liz and all the Lobster Runners have enriched our lives. Second the events which precipitated the meeting of so many wonderful automotive professionals noted above, can only be describes as wonderful kismet, fate, God's grace, and even luck that it was not worse than it turned out to be. We were blessed by all we met.
As for the guy who's bed cover caused damage to half a dozen cars took off as it all happened never to be seen again. Well, karma will someday fix his ***. Or the Mass state police whichever comes first.
We still must travel home to PA on Thursday and may that trip be uneventful and joyous. Thanks to all. If you encounter these companies in your travels please let them know you heard good things about them.
Oh and here is a photo of the offending piece of metal on the tow truck flat bed....
About 7ft long. The right side of this means wedged in the under bracket, the rest just dragging behind the front wheels.
Quite a story, Marko. Glad there doesn't appear to be any damage. (I destroyed a tire on my other car by hitting an aluminum extension ladder on Rt 3 in NH.)
Hope the rest of your time in MA is better, now that we have some decent weather.
Will Haynes (Jaguar Scarborough) provided this Dropbox link with his pictures. He copied my Dropbox folder into his, so you'll see my pictures plus his pictures here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lmz07ts04...MZVv89HXa?dl=0
Will Haynes (Jaguar Scarborough) provided this Dropbox link with his pictures. He copied my Dropbox folder into his, so you'll see my pictures plus his pictures here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lmz07ts04...MZVv89HXa?dl=0
awesome collection of pictures. Thank you for sharing the experience with all of us.
What an awesome event!!! And thanks for sharing the pics and details.
Jay, you really did go above and beyond! Wow, simply wow! How are you going to top that next year?!?!?
BTW Jay, all that time you and I discussed the TPMS, I never knew your car had the upgrade brakes with the propeller wheels--look great. The pics of your car give me a great vantage of how mine will look during the winter months.
Again, thanks everyone for sharing the experience!
Then drove the car to the glass place. Safelite in Hyannis, MA. Jeff Souza and his team were excellent. They were fascinated by the car, loved it and had the two top techs and Jeff himself work on it. They removed the old windshield with skill and let me watch them do the work the whole time. They explained each step of the process as they did it. Along the way they managed to find a potential problem in the making. Apparently the robots (if it was done by a human I'd be even more disappointed) at the Jaguar factory did not completely lay down a full adhesive gasket seal. At the bottom center of the windshield surround were it stopped and started was a gap that was at least introducing noise and potentially moisture into the cabin. We checked the whole area and found no damage thankfully. They full cleaned the whole area, laid down a good bead of sealant and then completed the installation process perfectly. They were even able to transfer my PA inspection stickers. They cleaned the entire area, made sure the seal was complete and tight and then cleaned every inch of the car they touched, vacuumed the floor of both sides and checked that everything worked. They sent me on my way 90 minutes later fixed, happy, with renewed confidence in my FTYPE's soundness.
But most importantly, they, the Norwood folks and the man from Allstar towing gave me something else...a renewed faith that there are still people in this world who care about what they do, about being kind to those they encounter, and being professional and fair. I see that so little elsewhere.
This trip has provided my wife and I with several wonderful thoughts. New friends like Jay and Liz and all the Lobster Runners have enriched our lives. Second the events which precipitated the meeting of so many wonderful automotive professionals noted above, can only be describes as wonderful kismet, fate, God's grace, and even luck that it was not worse than it turned out to be. We were blessed by all we met.
As for the guy who's bed cover caused damage to half a dozen cars took off as it all happened never to be seen again. Well, karma will someday fix his ***. Or the Mass state police whichever comes first.
We still must travel home to PA on Thursday and may that trip be uneventful and joyous. Thanks to all. If you encounter these companies in your travels please let them know you heard good things about them.
Oh and here is a photo of the offending piece of metal on the tow truck flat bed....
About 7ft long. The right side of this means wedged in the under bracket, the rest just dragging behind the front wheels.
Crazy Marko! Glad everything worked out well. And thanks for reaffirming there are still good people in this world!
Do you happen to have the heated windshield? Curious what the price damage would be for a full replacement? Not sure if the heated windshield can even be repaired?
What an awesome event!!! And thanks for sharing the pics and details.
Jay, you really did go above and beyond! Wow, simply wow! How are you going to top that next year?!?!?
BTW Jay, all that time you and I discussed the TPMS, I never knew your car had the upgrade brakes with the propeller wheels--look great. The pics of your car give me a great vantage of how mine will look during the winter months.
Again, thanks everyone for sharing the experience!
Crazy Marko! Glad everything worked out well. And thanks for reaffirming there are still good people in this world!
Do you happen to have the heated windshield? Curious what the price damage would be for a full replacement? Not sure if the heated windshield can even be repaired?
I do not have the heated windshield but they do have it available. Safelight originally had that one in the shop but needed to get mine from the warehouse without it. I saw the two connectors. Also there is one with the antenna in the windshield which I also don't have. Insurance covered it so I'm not sure what the real price was. I'll check my paperwork to see what it says. It's a fascinating process to watch them do it.
Final coda to the trip. We just returned from Cape Cod to Pennsylvania today. Just a fantastic ride today top down most of the way. No traffic to speak of the whole way. The Cat purred the whole time and I let it growl a lot on the last hour's worth of roads. Well for my wife and I the Lobster Run has concluded. So sad it needed to be over. Even with all the drama I'd do it again in a heart beat! A final picture from New England.....
The 2016 Jaguar Blueberry Blast. I'll get the design made, you get the decals ready. The Maine wild blueberry season is from the last week in July through mid-September. Tell Tamela.
All of you Lobster Rubbers are home by now, but we are still enroute, so for us it's not quite over. Ha! Actually we are in the White Mountains of NH tonight staying at the Mt. Washington Hotel, simply gorgeous. The valets have parked the car in front and it is being admired and commented on by many as they come and go. We're just amused by all the attention. The car is parked next to a newer model Cayman, and side by side, there is no question as to which is the clear winner on style and emotion, and which is the subject of discussion.
Marko. What a scary experience, but good to hear you are home safe now without major damage from what could have been serious. As for Blueberry Blast, I may have to consider what it would take....
slojotaa, so your a part time clamdigger then. We must have passed each other on the streets of Toms River. I'm in the boating business and May is a very busy time but I'm sold on this run. I'll know in the next week if I can clear my schedule and not miss any business.
Jaguars, Lobsters and Wayne, oh and a martini or two. How could this be bad?
Private messaget me p,ease and let's catch up in July. Thanks
