Cruising across country
 

Your thoughts on cruising speed. (2007 xj8L) Having high frustration of trying to get my car transported by enclosed transporter finding very very difficult. I am now considering driving the car cross country 1700 miles. Just curious what would be the optimal cruising speed for less wear and tear on engine? I’m not concerned about best mpg but rather best / least wear and tear on vehicle. Also considering renting a truck and car trailer. Cost is about the same as a high and enclosed truck but again my frustration is the delay waiting for transport truck . Reliable wants upfront funds, I don’t believe in that, who knows when I’m going to have my car delivered. I am now booked with Passport but again long wait. Horseless carriage and intercity are not on that path from west to east track.
(hold-in Tucson) Rich.

I would say least wear would be the speed that the transmission engages 6th gear, maybe a bit higher. I imagine that would be around the 55mph. You'll be getting passed by nearly everything else including semis so perhaps 65mph would be a good compromise.

65-70 should be about where my guess is.
Just little over idle speed in O D.

Why would you ship a car that was made to drive long distances at high speed. Drive it as fast as you can get away with. Not going to hurt anything.. Enjoy!

I can't see what the conflict here is. Your car can achieve 150 mph. Cruising speed is whatever is safe and legal (or not!) I was in Wyoming a couple of years ago and rural freeways have an 80 mph. limit, perfect for our cars. You aren't going to wear out your engine in 1,700 miles. Even in my short experience with Jaguars, it seems that they are happiest when they are being used and exercised. Just enjoy the trip!

Have to agree with Rivguy, 80 M P H is about 2,000 r p m's.
That's just past the fast idle speed, of when you start the motor.
As long as your Jag's in decent shape, running wise, have fun on the ride home.
These big cats do love to run

Jaguar XJ8's are high performance vehicles that are specifically designed and engineered for ultra high speeds and endurance. Hypothetically speaking, I can't imagine that the car wouldn't be capable of maintaining 100 MPH + on that long trek.

Rickkk said;


Jaguar XJ8's are high performance vehicles that are specifically designed and engineered for ultra high speeds and endurance. Hypothetically speaking, I can't imagine that the car wouldn't be capable of maintaining 100 MPH + on that long trek.

No argument with the ability, of the car to oblige!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A not so friendly patrol officer will surely object to that plan in 1700 miles.:icon_spitball:
Unless you are VERY, VERY, LUCKY!!!!!!!!!!
Good luck on the ride home,
Chances are you'll be going faster than you realize.
At least once, on your journey home.:icon_lol:

Wingrider wrote: "A not so friendly patrol officer will surely object to that plan in 1700 miles".


Well yes, and that was why I wrote "hypothetically speaking". At the speeds that I described, one would naturally want a good radar detector on board (Whistler will suffice), preferably W rated tires and the vehicle maintained in excellent electrical and mechanical condition.

Have you tried The Waggoners for transport...they are enclosed...no personal experience, but my boss had a chevelle sent from texas to California...he was very happy

Currently I daily drive to a project 50 miles away, almost 2500 miles per month.

Where there's no speed limit I drive 120 mph on a daily basis.

My car is a 2003 XJ6 with 120,000 miles on it and shows no sympthoms of engine wear whatsoever.

No speed limit, what area do you live in???:icon_hunter:
Only place like that, i ever heard of, is the autobahn.:icon_denk:
Can't get THERE from HERE.:mad:

Ever wonder why you see sellers advertise high-mileage cars as "mostly highway miles?" Its actually because those highway miles are much less wear and tear on a car than city driving. (That's why you have to look for signs like the corners of the brake pedal pad worn down which would indicate it was really a whole lot of short trips instead of a few long ones.) But while I understand shipping a classic or show car across country, worried about paint chips or irreplaceable old parts breaking or just the cost of cleanup after driving it through a rain puddle, I suspect that the depreciation from an additional 1,700 miles on the odometer would be much less than the cost of shipping in this case of a fairly late model sedan. Heck, most of us on this forum would be looking forward to such a trip. Not often enough do we get to take our Jaguars out of the city traffic and open them up.

I agree on the drive...furthest i have driven in one day round trip was 450 miles....nice, but car was just getting it's appetite going....long trip planned for this fall....700 miles a day probably

If it is informative, I can say that every year for about 7 years I have gone on holiday to Germany and end up doing about 2500-3000 miles drive-way to drive-way. 1700 miles is not a lot really, it's the driver that will need resting, not the car !

Lot like riding a motorcycle, not the destination, but the journey's, what its about.
Except this time its new home, IS the journeys destination.

XJ8s were made for high speed cruising
 

Some of my friends are local law enforcement officers and a couple of state troopers. They tell me on the highway they set their radar, LIDAR and laser devices for 15mph above the posted speed limit, ie, reckless driving. Exceptions (and rightfully so) are school zones, construction zones and entering towns, villages and burgs along the way where the posted speed limit IS the speed limit. I generally set my cruise control 5-8 MPH above posted speed on the highways. 8 makes my wife nervous, so 5 is the general rule of thumb. Don't trust the 'flow of traffic speed' excuse. Officers will tell you 'I was not timing them, I was timing you.' Ask me how I know this.

Northern Germany

Hmmm...I see no mention of "no speed limit" in my post. Example: if posted speed limit is 65MPH I run at 70-73MPH. Faster if my gal is not with me. Heck 18 wheel trucks will do 80MPH in 70MPH zones on our Interstate highways.