Longest road trip with an XKR (or XK8)?
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#6
Bought my 97 off of Ebay. Other then pics and a carfax it was a sight unseen purchase. Flew from Cincy to Pheonix AZ, dealer picked me and the son up at the airport, drove to dealer lot, looked at car, started it, went in and did the deal, went out and got into car and drove back home to Cincy, WHITE NUCKLES the first hundred miles or so out of fear it was going to stop running or something based off the horror stories I reada about here. ha ha ha ha. What the hell was I thinking?
Last edited by brgjag; 04-06-2010 at 11:35 AM.
#7
Last summer - 4,100 Miles round trip from Phoenix, Arizona to Rapid City, South Dakota.
Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska and Colorado - No issues except for the bad gasoline in Yellowstone National Park. It threw the car into limp mode when it misfired which was easily remedied by pulling over and restarting the car but it severely hampered our enjoyment of the US 212 the "Bear Tooth Highway". A drive I would highly recommend to anyone. There are 88K miles on our XKR now.
Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska and Colorado - No issues except for the bad gasoline in Yellowstone National Park. It threw the car into limp mode when it misfired which was easily remedied by pulling over and restarting the car but it severely hampered our enjoyment of the US 212 the "Bear Tooth Highway". A drive I would highly recommend to anyone. There are 88K miles on our XKR now.
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#8
I have a very similar experience to brgjag's. I flew down on a one way ticket to the Bay Area and bought my XKR based on conversations with the private party owner, carfax, test drive, and inspection. I left at 1:45 in the afternoon and arrived in Portland at exactly midnight. It ran like a top the entire way--656 miles.
#9
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#10
Pinehurst NC to DC, last weekend. Aside from the traffic it was great.
I got into the habit of taking off my right shoe during long trips. Any kind of a boot or shoe with a heel is at an awkward angle in this car for that many hours. Maybe that's another reason why race car drivers have shoes with paper-thin soles....
I got into the habit of taking off my right shoe during long trips. Any kind of a boot or shoe with a heel is at an awkward angle in this car for that many hours. Maybe that's another reason why race car drivers have shoes with paper-thin soles....
#11
Those are some impressive stories!
I am getting close but no cigar folks ... The reason I asked the question is I plan to pick up an 03 XKR that I found on eBay and drive it back to TX. The car is a former Select Ed vehicle. I hoped that I would have a road trip to post.
I do have the presence of mind to have it inspected by the 'regular' dealer, the same one listed on the Carfax report. And boy, was I glad I did! The car has a slightly blown gasket - that's what the service advisor wrote on the report - and possible bushing issue.
I guess my XKR road trip story will need to wait for a while ... Oh well, back to Jag hunting .....
I am getting close but no cigar folks ... The reason I asked the question is I plan to pick up an 03 XKR that I found on eBay and drive it back to TX. The car is a former Select Ed vehicle. I hoped that I would have a road trip to post.
I do have the presence of mind to have it inspected by the 'regular' dealer, the same one listed on the Carfax report. And boy, was I glad I did! The car has a slightly blown gasket - that's what the service advisor wrote on the report - and possible bushing issue.
I guess my XKR road trip story will need to wait for a while ... Oh well, back to Jag hunting .....
#12
#13
OK, I'm upping the ante. Last year I replaced my 2000 XK8 after a 14 month search for my 2006 XKR. Bought it sight unseen in Philly and drove it back to Vero Beach, Fl. 1100. miles. 30 days later I called my girlfriend in Michigan and asked her if she wanted to drive to Phoenix with me as I was shooting in a rifle match. Of course she did.
I drove up to Reed City, Michigan, picked her up and on to Phoenix with a stop in Archer City, Tx for a visit at Larry McMurtry's book shop. My friends in Florida said I was nuts for a trip that long in a Jag. that I had just bought. On to Phoenix, then Cheyenne, and back to Reed City.
Trip took 3 weeks and we visited Grand Canyon and Canyon de Chelly, hit a deer just outside of Durango and knocked him down. He jumped up and scampered off with not a scratch on the car. That soft front end worked well.
Car ran like a clock with one problem. A restricted performance light twice that turned out later thanks to great help from a poster on Roadfly. It was caused by a blown intercooler pump fuse. Got stopped for speeding once in Ok. on an interstate with absolutely no other cars other than the state trooper hidden in the grass in the median. He said I gotcha at 79, flashing 80. 70 mph limit. He wrote up a ticket and returned to the car with it, a warning ticket. As I was leaving he said, hold it to 75 and by the way, "what year Jag. is that" Oklahoma gained alot of good PR from me from that encounter.
Total mileage for the 3 week trip was 7280.
I drove up to Reed City, Michigan, picked her up and on to Phoenix with a stop in Archer City, Tx for a visit at Larry McMurtry's book shop. My friends in Florida said I was nuts for a trip that long in a Jag. that I had just bought. On to Phoenix, then Cheyenne, and back to Reed City.
Trip took 3 weeks and we visited Grand Canyon and Canyon de Chelly, hit a deer just outside of Durango and knocked him down. He jumped up and scampered off with not a scratch on the car. That soft front end worked well.
Car ran like a clock with one problem. A restricted performance light twice that turned out later thanks to great help from a poster on Roadfly. It was caused by a blown intercooler pump fuse. Got stopped for speeding once in Ok. on an interstate with absolutely no other cars other than the state trooper hidden in the grass in the median. He said I gotcha at 79, flashing 80. 70 mph limit. He wrote up a ticket and returned to the car with it, a warning ticket. As I was leaving he said, hold it to 75 and by the way, "what year Jag. is that" Oklahoma gained alot of good PR from me from that encounter.
Total mileage for the 3 week trip was 7280.
#14
#15
Picked up my 2003 XKR Wed. evening in Phila, left next a.m. to attend the Berkshire Hathaway sh meeting in Omaha, Neb. then returned to NY via Missouri. 3500 miles more or less.
Couple of weeks later, NY to Charleston, SC.
Just back from NY to Halifax, Nova Scotia via Adirondaks, Vt, NH, Maine, not sure how far.. and don't care. THIS CAR IS GREAT!
Rider
Couple of weeks later, NY to Charleston, SC.
Just back from NY to Halifax, Nova Scotia via Adirondaks, Vt, NH, Maine, not sure how far.. and don't care. THIS CAR IS GREAT!
Rider
#16
Join Date: Sep 2010
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OK, I'm upping the ante. Last year I replaced my 2000 XK8 after a 14 month search for my 2006 XKR. Bought it sight unseen in Philly and drove it back to Vero Beach, Fl. 1100. miles. 30 days later I called my girlfriend in Michigan and asked her if she wanted to drive to Phoenix with me as I was shooting in a rifle match. Of course she did.
I drove up to Reed City, Michigan, picked her up and on to Phoenix with a stop in Archer City, Tx for a visit at Larry McMurtry's book shop. My friends in Florida said I was nuts for a trip that long in a Jag. that I had just bought. On to Phoenix, then Cheyenne, and back to Reed City.
Trip took 3 weeks and we visited Grand Canyon and Canyon de Chelly, hit a deer just outside of Durango and knocked him down. He jumped up and scampered off with not a scratch on the car. That soft front end worked well.
Car ran like a clock with one problem. A restricted performance light twice that turned out later thanks to great help from a poster on Roadfly. It was caused by a blown intercooler pump fuse. Got stopped for speeding once in Ok. on an interstate with absolutely no other cars other than the state trooper hidden in the grass in the median. He said I gotcha at 79, flashing 80. 70 mph limit. He wrote up a ticket and returned to the car with it, a warning ticket. As I was leaving he said, hold it to 75 and by the way, "what year Jag. is that" Oklahoma gained alot of good PR from me from that encounter.
Total mileage for the 3 week trip was 7280.
I drove up to Reed City, Michigan, picked her up and on to Phoenix with a stop in Archer City, Tx for a visit at Larry McMurtry's book shop. My friends in Florida said I was nuts for a trip that long in a Jag. that I had just bought. On to Phoenix, then Cheyenne, and back to Reed City.
Trip took 3 weeks and we visited Grand Canyon and Canyon de Chelly, hit a deer just outside of Durango and knocked him down. He jumped up and scampered off with not a scratch on the car. That soft front end worked well.
Car ran like a clock with one problem. A restricted performance light twice that turned out later thanks to great help from a poster on Roadfly. It was caused by a blown intercooler pump fuse. Got stopped for speeding once in Ok. on an interstate with absolutely no other cars other than the state trooper hidden in the grass in the median. He said I gotcha at 79, flashing 80. 70 mph limit. He wrote up a ticket and returned to the car with it, a warning ticket. As I was leaving he said, hold it to 75 and by the way, "what year Jag. is that" Oklahoma gained alot of good PR from me from that encounter.
Total mileage for the 3 week trip was 7280.
I think the furtherest I drove in my XK was about 250 miles from Boca Raton to Key West. What a drive for an XK with the roof down!!!!
#17
Trip planned
Just in the planning stages for early to mid-October
1. Camden, NC (home) to Harrisonburg, VA- nephew in college at JMU
2. Harrisonburg, VA to Canton, NC (just west of Asheville) via Blue Ridge Parkway as much as possible - nieces and nephew home.
3. Canton, NC to Chapel Hill, NC - niece in college at UNC-CH
4. Chapel Hill, NC home to Camden, NC
Google maps says about 1,000 miles via the interstate but I'm not taking much interstate except possibly from Chapel Hill to home. I used to go to school in CH so I may take a more scenic route home depending on how tired the wife and I are of driving and riding
2000 XK8 convertible, by the way.
1. Camden, NC (home) to Harrisonburg, VA- nephew in college at JMU
2. Harrisonburg, VA to Canton, NC (just west of Asheville) via Blue Ridge Parkway as much as possible - nieces and nephew home.
3. Canton, NC to Chapel Hill, NC - niece in college at UNC-CH
4. Chapel Hill, NC home to Camden, NC
Google maps says about 1,000 miles via the interstate but I'm not taking much interstate except possibly from Chapel Hill to home. I used to go to school in CH so I may take a more scenic route home depending on how tired the wife and I are of driving and riding
2000 XK8 convertible, by the way.
#18
Isn't it interesting how the interstate isn't the most preferred route anymore? Sure, it may be more 'direct', with the top down (sometimes even up), I'd much rather go the longer route with twists and turns (and not 70mph speeds) to really enjoy the drive, not just endure it. I make this 'alternate route' all the time if I can manage the extra time.
Thanks for sharing the stories guys. This car is very comfortable on long trips.
Thanks for sharing the stories guys. This car is very comfortable on long trips.