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Platinum 2007 coupe - 174,800. Still looks great. A few nits to pick on the inside, but the valet attendant's still park it next to the Bentley's and Ferrari's :-)
2008 XK base Coupe, Lunar Gray over Charcoal & Ivory. Just turned over 100,000. A few projects in the works, but mechanically she is as reliable as any car I have ever had.
Last edited by SWCofer; Jul 9, 2019 at 05:53 PM.
Reason: adding colors
UPDATE: it's now my third year in a row doing a cross-country-and-back. I just rolled over 60K miles on my 2010. So if I take those out I'd be just over 40K. Don't regret a single mile of the Long Rides.
UPDATE: it's now my third year in a row doing a cross-country-and-back. I just rolled over 60K miles on my 2010. So if I take those out I'd be just over 40K. Don't regret a single mile of the Long Rides.
So about 7K miles per round trip? Or 3500 one way? About how many days did you take each way? (considering a long road trip myself, just curious)
So about 7K miles per round trip? Or 3500 one way? About how many days did you take each way? (considering a long road trip myself, just curious)
Oh I could talk for days about this. I've done the round trip nine times.
First, you're lucky: you've got the perfect car. Let us count the reasons why:
- the "rear seat." It knocks most convertibles out of the running for this ride to begin with. That storage will prove invaluable. And yet you're in--- well, an XK.
- the relative size and comfort (and distance between the seats) of the main cabin. Allows two people to be comfortable for loooong stretches of time.
- it's really chill and comfortable on the highway at 90mph. In Utah (80 mph limit) you can set the cruise control at 90 and forget about it. And you really want to have stretches where you're just chewing up the miles.
- But when you want to wind it out....I'll attach a photo, taken in Utah.
Anyway-- the flight from LAX to Boston lists the straight-line air miles as 2,655. So expect a little over 3,000 on the roads. My standard route comes in at 3,160. Any meandering (HIGHLY recommended if you've never done the drive) will of course add to this.
From LA to either NYC or Boston, my Just Get There route is as follows: I-15 through Vegas and into Utah; to I-70 which takes you through Denver, St. Louis, Indianapolis; I-71 up to Cleveland; then either I-80 (NYC) or I-90 (Western mass and Boston).
There are lots of alternatives: after Vegas, you can split off onto I-40 which takes you further south, through New Mexico, nothern Texas, Memphis and Nashville, then, of course, the Smoky Mountains. Etc. Tons of variations.
West to East, the drive breaks up as follows:
LA - Vegas: a thrash. Two lanes each way, and traffic. Just get through it.
Vegas - Denver: The Mountain West. The bast part, no matter which route you take. If you don't love America after this there's something wrong with you.
Eastern Colorado through Indiana: Cows... then CORN. Our heartland, which you will learn is dominated by CORN. Sure, there's cattle and wheat as well, but every time you think you've driven past all the corn on earth, you will crest a hill to see MORE CORN.
You do get St. Louis and Kansas City in there. I always end up spending the night in Kansas City and I think I've developed a little crush on the place. It's really an awesome mid-sized city.
Once you cross into ohio, especially after you pass columbus.... I, for one, am done driving. But you've got 600 miles to go. The two-lane interstates become overcrowded, and you enter the HATED 65-mph speed limits. You will spend HOURS ON END alternating between wishing the person in front of you would pull the hell over, and worrying about cops when you finally have open road. Good times!!
Anyway: if you're going mainly to get someplace, expect 40 hours of driving. Can a solo driver do that in three days? Sure. You will hate it. Four days is doable, BUT: while ten hours on the road doesn't sound like much, that's actual driving hours, so it's more like 11 hours a day, at least. That's a lot, four days in a row. And no sightseeing at that pace.
I do five days, which allows for late starts, etc.
Also: I'm blessed that my night vision is still fine, but even at that, I find I'm really only good for an hour, 90 minutes of highway driving after it's fully dark anymore. Something to factor in if you go in the fall or spring.
Whichever route you take, it's a great drive. It should be on the Bucket List of everyone on the forum.
.....................
- it's really chill and comfortable on the highway at 90mph. In Utah (80 mph limit) you can set the cruise control at 90 and forget about it. And you really want to have stretches where you're just chewing up the miles. - But when you want to wind it out.... well, I'll attach a photo, taken in Utah...................
Originally Posted by Ngarara
I'll trade you one taken in Germany:...............................
CeeJay.... well that IS impressive.
I usually get a little above 140, but that's the limit of my comfort zone. (And I really can't do the "drive with one hand, cell phone pic with the other" much above 125. Two questions:
Aren't you worried about some kind of catastrophic failure while in Mexico?
And aren't these cars limited to 155?
I can't actually read yours - mine is showing 184 MPH on the GPS.
Germany doesn't count. Besides, HOW would a person know if you had your GPS set on kph? I used to trick my kids by going about 85 mph but set on kph. They'd tattle to their mom that I went 140.
My pic is at 174, but with a Speed Limiter of 155.
Just turned in 15,000 on my '08 XK
Still going strong
