Hello Chaps, Hope you are all well. I thought I'd put this thread together as a sort of pool of ideas, hints and tips for winter motoring in our big cats. After the "Big Freeze" we had in the UK last year many motorists were caught short and got into all manner of situations which otherwise could have been avoided with some simple preparation. I know some of you live in areas where deep snow is a regular thing, so perhaps you could offer some tips. Other Jaguar owners put their cars into winter storage, whereas chaps like me are out there all year round in their cars so perhaps we could all benefit from this thread.

Now is the time of year to get your car ready. Here are some of the things I will be doing for my XJ8 this winter:

1) Wash the underside of the car, remove any rust spots that may appear and paint over with fresh paint.

2) Underseal the freshly painted areas and other places where the old sealant may have perished. Also see Sean B's post about XJ8 rust spots: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...onsider-59153/

3) Make sure all your coolant hoses are in good condition, frost and cold will quickly dispatch the weak ones.

4) Check the battery condition, even though XJ batteries are inside the boot, cold will again eliminate any weak batteries.

5) Check tyres for tread and condition. If your tyres are approaching the TWI then it may be a good idea to replace these with fresh rubber.

6) Snow Chains, I will be keeping a set in the boot just in case, and it is a good idea to always be prepared.

7) Check the PAS fluid, Brake Fluid levels and top up if need be. Also check your brake lines for any suspect areas and run your eye over the electrics in the engine bay for any obvious signs of wear that will want a repair.

8) Wiper, I replace mine at least once a year and for winter you will want a good wipe. Make sure the rubber is in good condition, Clear Vision Safe journey.

These are just a few things I will be doing and a friendly guide. I'm not teaching anyone how to suck eggs, just trying to put together a useful thread.

Feel free to post your own hints and tips, and hopefully none of us will become stuck this winter.

 

Just to add to the checklist, coolant/antifreeze should be checked, Jaguar say at least 50% I did this last year with some sort of hydrometer from the local motor factors.

 

Nice one Stu and not a moment too soon as winter is just around the corner!

All common sense stuff that will hopefully help all to enjoy safer motoring!

 

This is a useful thread , you need to make sure your A/C blows hot air and heated seats as well

 

put mine to bed for most of winter. roads got to be realy dry and salt free before he can come out. nice and dry in garage withh dehumidifier on and battery on trickle charge. (c-tek charger)

 

Really? I don't I use mine 365 days a year! I notice you're in Sheffield? I used to frequently visit there to see my Girlfriend when she was at Uni. She lived in the Crookes area and I visited her once when the snow was bad . I am proud to say my XJ managed to climb the full length of Springvale Road without getting stuck and even managed to get in and out the Fox House car park at Hathersage without any drama . When driven properly these are capable winter vehicles, unlike the vast majority of BMWs I saw stranded last year

 

My car is from the rust belt (named for the fact that there used to be a steel industry, but it's also a good winter road indicator), namely Buffalo, NY, and everything except the body and wheels are rusted. The undercarriage all has surface rust, as do all the brake parts and exhausts. I was thinking about powder-coating the brake parts(in grey, not black), but until I can land some work during school there is no excess cash, ergo no powder coating.

How can you last a whole year on 1 wiper, Stu? I replace mine several times a year.

 

Well if you read what I wrote it says I replace it AT LEAST once a year. In Britain it doesn't rain as often as the rest of the world likes to think, and summers are dry. I use retrofit flat wipers on my car and they perform better and last longer too.

If the underside of your car is rusted as bad as you say it is you need to get it steam cleaned and then paint it yourself with some Hammerite and under seal. It is an afternoon's work if you have access to a ramp or inspection pit.

 

Allright I understand. You see, I used to live in colorado, where the freezing temps would ruin a wiper every month (before I had the XJ). In Florida, they just got cooked on the from the hot weather (the Jag was garaged, but still) .

Sadly, I have no access to a lift or a pit. I could probably drive it up on a kerb in front of my residence hall, but that's about it. The bodywork isn't rusted, just the exhaust parts, brake parts, and some of the suspension has rust that will come off on your hand, but is only like a mm thick. The exhaust is the only thing that really looks corroded, I know it is sound but it looks the worst.

And according to my friends from Robert Gordon, in Scotland it rains twice as much as England. So we can eradicate a negative assumption about England!

 

I have personal experience with #3. I had a hose blow when the temp dropped to -5 F degrees.


Have you had to use snow chains in England? I never thought of it snowing much over there. I have driven through unplowed snow deep enough to drag the bottom of the car with all-season tires. That was a mess.

 

LOL Yes we get deep snow, but its beginning to become more regular in the last few years. The snow was really bad in places and a lot of places in Britain were totally cut off from the rest of the world. I have not used snow chains yet, but have invested in a pair for this winter. Where my depot is located is deep inside the British countryside so no ploughs or gritters. If I want to get to work and back I'll need chains I reckon.

 

Make sure your electric coolant circulation booster pump is working. When it dies heat in the cabin is non-existent.

 

Nokian WR tires on all four corners will give surefooted traction on the snow and ice.

I use them from December to April because I must travel between Detroit and Milwaukee once per month for my job. The likelyhood of snow and ice on I94 is 100% if the temps are low enough and there is a wind off of Lake Michigan so I need a tire I can count on.

There are tires with more agressive tread but I've found that these give enough traction for my reserved style of driving when the roads are bad, yet they are also reasonably quiet when the roads are dry.