Early Saturday morning I'll be leaving the rain and cold of the Pacific Northwest and spend three days on the road to arrive in Palm Springs, CA. I was going to leave the '99 XK8 home in the garage, but then thought, "why did I buy this car?" Certainly not to stay in a garage during the winter while I'm in the sun and convertible weather for the next three months. That would be silly. I purchased it April 22, 2014. It was in very good condition, 82,800 miles and benefited from three previous owners who apparently took good care, though the records after the 5th year are not complete. Did learn when I went into the shop in Bellevue the timing chain tentiners had been changed some time back. But, found a leaky power steering pump so replaced the pump and the hoses and replaced the original spark plugs. Other service since then has included the replacement of the transmission oil cooler hoses, removing the transmission pan and replacing the filter. Also replaced the engine vibration damper and the transmission mount, along with reinstalling a hose support bracket or two. Next the noise from the front-end was eliminated with the replacement of the sway bar bushings. Then a big job about three weeks ago replacing the radiator thermostat housing, the distribution pipe and added all new radiator and heating hoses, along with the new coolant, replaced the valve cover gaskets to stop some minor leaking. Not to mention new knock sensors and replaced the brake light switch. Over the New Years went up to Whidby Island to visit friends. Round trip about 200 miles. Everything seems to be running smoothly and there is nothing that I'm hearing, smelling, feeling, or imagining that would give me pause to haul my butt down to Palm Springs, enjoying the ride and then the next almost three months mostly with the top down. I'm looking forward to leaving Saturday morning, the tank is already full.

 

Bon Voyage Chuck!

I regularly take mine for 2,500 mile round trips to Florida destinations and back to Maryland.

You're attitude is spot-on: What the Hell DID we buy these wonderful cars for anyway?!

Bravo, my friend

 

Sounds like you have it all sorted out,time to use it. Enjoy the trip (and the weather) and maybe an update or two.

(just a thought for those of us reading your post,paragraphs make it a whole lot easier than reading the same lines twice) No Offence meant..

 

it is ganna be no warmer than 25 this week, lows to zero but will have the Jag out. We are to see some snow tonight so it may have to sit though.

 

Good luck and enjoy the trip. My wife routinely takes 1,500-mile round-trip solo jaunts in her 2006 XK8 to Tampa to visit her elderly mother, the last one about two weeks before Christmas. I had installed a new coolant outlet duct / thermostat assembly during Thanksgiving weekend to fix a miniscule coolant leak I had been chasing for a month or so. The car performed flawlessly. Here's hoping for a flawless SoCal trip for you as well....

 

When I got my first Jag, 97, I flew out to AZ from Ohio to get it. Drove it all the way back with white nuckles, timing chain tensioner went south about 2 months later. ECM acted up also, otherwise it was a good car. My current car, I need to have some front end work done otherwise I am getting close to trusting it for any driving range.

 

safe travels and enjoy the drive!!! Keep us updated

 

155,000 miles and counting on my 2002XKR, and I take it everywhere. Don't be afraid, and make sure you get plenty of golf in in the warm sunshine of the Palm Springs.

 

I thank you all for your best wishes. As I said, I am confident this will be a very enjoyable drive. However, lets just say, being prepared is the better part of valor, I have checked with a friend in Palm Springs who has a 26 year old Rolls and now have the name of an independent mechanic who does Jags. Same mechanic who works on his Rolls.
That being said, I'm prepared to this time make the trip down a part of the enjoyment rather than last year when the trip was just utilitarian as I was driving an Accord. This trip, I'm getting off I-5 at Bakersfield and going inland across the desert and then south to PS. A far more interesting trip than a freeway skirting the edge of Los Angeles. Over night stops will be Ashland, Oregon and then Stockton.
Pleased to hear from a fellow traveler in Ohio who is not putting the car away for the winter. Jaguars like winter, maybe not with the top down, but living all the time in the garage makes them tired. I lived in Cincinnati for 6 years and am aware of some of the winter days one deals with.
While I could make the drive in just two long days, I'm taking three so that it will not turn into an ordeal and the drive will be as much a pleasure as the destination. Besides, I want to be off the road early enough Saturday to have a good dinner in Ashland and then turn on the TV to see if the Seahawks can make it to the big show.

 

Right on! These are GT cars and need to be used as such. I longingly pine for the open roads in my XKR but life is too busy for a solo trip, or even with the wife, at the moment. The goal has always been to take her down for a weekend in the Hill Country in it.

Enjoy! I'm jealous.

 

Chris, anyone with a 2000 XKR needs to now and then hang up "to busy" and head out for a three day weekend. OK, two days if only that is possible. I believe there is a federal law that says just that.
I'm now at four days and a wake up before turning the key and seeing the rain of Western Washington in my rear view mirror. I just got a suggestion for the place to have dinner in Ashland, Oregon, my first stop. In Stockton I know of a cafe out on the river levy that has a menus from the family's origin, Trinidad. Food is great. And, when I get off I-5 just South of Bakersfield and if it's 70 degrees, the top is coming down for the rest of the day's trip.

 

Arrived last evening in Palm Springs after a great drive from Washington State. Just over 1,200 miles, using 47.7 gallons of fuel, averaging just over 25mpg. It never missed a beat. Turned off I-5, which when you get out of the Northern California mountains, is about as exciting as a freeway drive through Ohio. Got off just north of Bakersfield and went inland across the high desert and dropped into Palm Springs from the north, avoiding all the freeways of the greater L.A. area. Only thing amiss, a very difficult lane merger in Victorville resulted in the check engine light coming on. It stayed on for the rest of the trip as well as today. this afternoon after filling the tank, started the engine to leave the station and the light did not come on. Have no idea what that was all about as I do not have a code reader. Which I might ask: Does anyone have an opinion concerning a Bluetooth device that plugs in that is read by the smart phone app "OBD Check Torque"? It might be helpful for me to have this. Anyway, one could not ask for a better trip from a 16 year old XK8. Now, some day trips around this area in the weeks ahead. and, thank you for your best wishes as I headed out of town a few days ago.

 

Probably elm327, they're very cheap on ebay etc.

No lane merger should put the light on!

 

He doesn't have a hotel does he? I recall Wheeler dealers selling a 1980 RR in Palm Springs.

 

No, Frank has not been in the hotel business.

 

Probably a good thing.