Well We just purchased a 2002 XJ8 Sport with 84,000 miles and are planning on driving back east and down to the gulf and over to Texas and back to Oregon, all in about a months time. I had the car checked over very well by a local jag mech. The only issues were some interior things and the bushings on the front sway bar. If You think I'm nuts or can think of any good tips that would make our trip safe and fun, I don't offend easily. In advance thank you all.

 

Bring along an ipad or laptop, so that members can help out with any issues on the road. You're not nuts, I'd like to do that trip myself. I'd bring a multimeter, jumper cables and some basic handtools including metric wrenches and sockets.
Check the spare tire and jack, bring an extra set of keys, and have fun! Take lots of pictures for the forum.

 

Sounds like a great trip!

 

Rob has some very good advice. I would add be sure and have an emergency fund set aside - it will give you peace of mind........ have a great trip !


Jim

 

I don't think you're nuts - the thought of doing such a trip makes me very jealous!

The vehicle is twelve years old with light use at 84K miles. As it has already been checked out, the main concern I'd have would be for rubber components (tyres, cooling hoses and drive belts) which deteriorate over time as well as mileage. You could go thousands of miles in short journeys and have no trouble but high daily mileages at high average speed adds additional stresses which will find any weaknesses.

Some preventative maintenance in the way of critical inspection and parts renewal before going or just live with the risk of a delay whilst parts are sourced if you do have a breakdown on the journey. Either way, enjoy yourselves and have a great time.

Graham

 

Graham, your mention of daily use versus a long trip reminded me of something.

I used to ride motorcycles extensively. Daily use was fine but when we made our annual holiday trips with hours of riding each day, we found that it was necessary to check the water level in our batteries.

The batteries never used water normally, only on long trips. This was seen on different makes and models and is a good example of what you're saying.

 

I like a good road vacation -- but what you are doing is driving ... a lot.

If I am going someplace for a long weekend and it requires a lot of long highway miles .... I go to Enterprise and rent a car. I'm not putting 800 miles on my Porsche to drive out to Pittsburg on the PA turnpike for the weekend ... not even a fun drive.

One issue and you have paid for the rental.

We had to go to Hartford last weekend and did a run to RI to check on something - had a great Volvo ..... cost me a bit over $100.00 for a long weekend. Never a worry .... the highways suck this year after last winter.

We rent them all the time .... Some insurance companies will only cover you for 15 days -- so you split the contract.

 

Sounds like a great trip!

I would probably pack an OBD Reader to read any potential fault/warning lights and possibly a spare ignition coil to have on hand depending on age of current coils.

 

Excellent idea! I have a couple of those cheap wireless OBD dongles, and I keep one in the Jag at all times.

 

Its an adventure, pure n simple, one I'd love to do too.


Your car sounds in good condition and you sound like a man with a plan. Take all the good advice and be as prepared as you can be, the rest is in the lap of the gods.


What will be, will be.


Go for it and have the time of your life, hopefully with no car trouble.
Looking forward to the pics

 

I don't know if you are nuts or not but sounds like fun to me. Usually when we take a trip we try to stay on US rtes. most of the time so we can enjoy the sights especially the smaller towns or cities. We stop at a number of shops and other interesting spots we think will be interesting. Antique shops for her and classic cars and historical sites for me. Anyway have a great time and enjoy the ride.
Dave

 

It certainly sounds like fun to me too... I have driven to Florida from Ottawa but not the trip you're taking on.

I would get the bushing fixed before the trip, an alignment, an oil change, a coolant change and possibly a transmission fluid change... but that's just me.

Happy motoring!

 

Go for it! I just drove mine to Ohio and back from Texas. Over 2500 miles. A small issue with shock bushings about 500 miles from home. No big deal. The car will turn 150,000 miles in the next month or so. I loved driving it all the way!

 

upgrade the auto club membership so that it covers long tows not just short ones

a laptop loaded with Jaguar diagnostics, jepc and the service manual ... and the dongle.

 

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ~ Mark Twain

and of course, take pictures!

 

Road trip. Drive it like you stole it. Enjoy the great ride. I am envious that I will never be able to go on a 7k drive...

Eon

 

The question is not ... should he go or not. He is going ... the question becomes:

At what cost?

Earlier in the summer I took a 3 week trip through upper new england and then into canada -- we took our better SUV for both fun in the twists and the ability to get to the out of the way fishing spots.... I needed that car.

On a long highway trip -- you need reliability and good AC. New sedans are big with 7 speed transmissions .. and get 30+ mpg on regular fuel.

Mine gets maybe 18mpg (xjr) if I baby it. Lets be generous with our numbers 7000 miles at 20mpg is 350 gallons of fuel .... at $3.50 for premium ... thats $1250.00 for gas. Plus, at 7K you have bought an oil change and 1/4 of you back tire tread on the Jaguar ... and your car is now at 91k.

The rental car at 30mpg on the highway using regular gas ... is $400 in savings ... using very unlikely numbers for the Jaguar. It is going to be more.

And if anything happens to the rental -- oh well .. get another.

And with kids ... this changes the picture even more.

 

Bring a gallon of water. You or the car may need it. A quart of oil. duct tape, obd2 reader, VOM, computer, small set of metric tools and torx bits, spare serpentine belt and radiator hoses unless yours are under 5 years old. rags and hand cleaner.

 

The flip side is, he may spend 7,000 miles thinking "I wish I was in the Jag right now". An accountant would choose a rental, a Jag enthusiast would take the XJ8.

 

What's the point in driving if you can't drive the car you love to drive?
Dave