2000 Miles in my XJ-S last week

SimonR · Postby **SimonR** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 10:40 pm

My partner and I rented a cottage on the Scottish Malt Whisky Trail last week and took the XJ-S from Cambridge for a bit of a jolly. The autumn colours were superb as were the empty Highland roads. Scotland is a perfect place to take a GT like the XJ-S

The car performed faultlessly all week, covered over 2000 miles, averaged 25.5mpg and turned heads wherever it went!

I took some pictures for you to enjoy. Hopefully the slideshow here will work, if not then the pictures are available to click on here.

My Favourite picture - spot the Jaguar:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/W ... G_2670.jpg

greeban · Postby **greeban** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 3:30 pm

wow! I am going up to Perth tomorrow with the kids to see mum so have to leave the XJS behind and take the people mover

I have yet to take the jag up to Scotland - must be fantastic - especially when you get to those lovely quiet twisting roads where you can really enjoy the power the car provides. Ah well - may be next year!

dhdove · Postby **dhdove** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 5:28 pm

Simon

How lucky for you! It must have been great fun. It's a real joy to take the car on a run like that and the admiring glances and comments are the icing on the cake aren't they?
Loved the pics., quality looked excellent - as a matter of interest what did you shoot them on?

Best Wishes
Tony

steveww · Postby **steveww** » Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:35 pm

I did around the same mileage this summer going to the Dordogne and back, including an 8 hour stint on the autoroute. Again the car ran faultlessly with ice cold air-con. I believe cars are for using not polishing, well done for getting out there with yours.

I agree Scotland offers some great touring opportunities with empty roads and stunning scenery. Looking forward to taking mine up there next year.

Mr.Ian · Postby **Mr.Ian** » Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:50 pm

Oh dam, why did I read this ?????????
I've had my XJS for years n years and have still yet to drive one.

Been towed in it though

Jealous??????? not I

SimonR · Postby **SimonR** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 12:17 am

Cheers for the replies, chaps.

Tony - I've got a trusty and rather battered Canon EOS 300D digital SLR that I try and take everywhere with me. It's a great, if rather old piece of kit but gives good results!

Ian - You said you were looking for inspiration to finish your car didn't you?! Being towed doesn't count I'm afraid, unless it was by another V12 I suppose

I was really happy with the car's performance in every way - as well as the wonderful ride, it used almost no oil at all which is all the more amazing since it has nearly 100k on the clock and I did ask quite a lot of it up in the highlands.

The best demonstration of what a superb GT car it is was the way home - I drove 395 miles back from the cottage to Yorkshire via the A82, down Glen Coe and then battered down the M74. The car was going pretty constantly for about 8 hours over mountains and very quickly on the empty motorway but we arrived relaxed and happy, just ready for a pint of Black Sheep beer. What a car.

We're already planning next year's XJ-S jaunt and I've got a few little odds and ends to tidy up before next summer. Bring it on!

extratime1983 · Postby **extratime1983** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:10 pm

Living in Aberdeenshire, a lot of these roads are on my door step.

Took my XJS out on a run from Aberdeen to Braemar on the queens road to Balmoral. Lovely run.

I can also recommend the A940 for anyone in the area, Forres to Aviemore Route - the type of road made for the XJS.

almcl · Postby **almcl** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 2:29 pm

I can also recomment the A940 for anyone in the area, Forres to Aviemore Route - the type of road made for the XJS.

Is the 'Jesus Saves' stone still there on the bend on Dava Moor? Remember it well from my trips up to Cairngorm from Kinloss.

As you say, perfect Jaguar motoring country.

SimonR · Postby **SimonR** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 3:51 pm

Living in Aberdeenshire, a lot of these roads are on my door step.

Took my XJS out on a run from Aberdeen to Braemar on the queens road to Balmoral. Lovely run.

I can also recommend the A940 for anyone in the area, Forres to Aviemore Route - the type of road made for the XJS.

I'm so jealous! About 250 miles of the A1 is the only thing stopping me driving those roads a lot more often!!

The best bit of road that I found was the A835 then A832 between Contin and Kerrysdale, Google Maps Here. Most amazing scenery and a beautiful wide empty road with nothing to stop you really enjoying the performance of your car. It was a spectacuar drive and makes me want to sample more of the north west of the Highlands.

SimonR · Postby **SimonR** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 3:54 pm

I can also recomment the A940 for anyone in the area, Forres to Aviemore Route - the type of road made for the XJS.

Is the 'Jesus Saves' stone still there on the bend on Dava Moor? Remember it well from my trips up to Cairngorm from Kinloss.

As you say, perfect Jaguar motoring country. 

Haha - would that be the Jesus Saves sign tha was ammended to:

Jesus saves his dope
In Forres we smoke it

...?

I didn't see it this time but if it's the one you mean then I've seen it before!

extratime1983 · Postby **extratime1983** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:46 pm

I can also recomment the A940 for anyone in the area, Forres to Aviemore Route - the type of road made for the XJS.

Is the 'Jesus Saves' stone still there on the bend on Dava Moor? Remember it well from my trips up to Cairngorm from Kinloss.

As you say, perfect Jaguar motoring country. 

Not familiar with that stone Al.

extratime1983 · Postby **extratime1983** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:50 pm

Living in Aberdeenshire, a lot of these roads are on my door step.

Took my XJS out on a run from Aberdeen to Braemar on the queens road to Balmoral. Lovely run.

I can also recommend the A940 for anyone in the area, Forres to Aviemore Route - the type of road made for the XJS.

I'm so jealous! About 250 miles of the A1 is the only thing stopping me driving those roads a lot more often!!

The best bit of road that I found was the A835 then A832 between Contin and Kerrysdale, Google Maps Here. Most amazing scenery and a beautiful wide empty road with nothing to stop you really enjoying the performance of your car. It was a spectacuar drive and makes me want to sample more of the north west of the Highlands.
 

This road is very good. Open as far as the eye can see. Superb driving road.

I was up there with my wife and our four year old son last year in our Corsa. The road was so good I returned the following weekend in the XJS.

As somebody said, the XJS is for driving, not sitting in a driveway looking pretty, or locked away in a garage.

SimonR · Postby **SimonR** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:01 pm

This road is very good. Open as far as the eye can see. Superb driving road.

I was up there with my wife and our four year old son last year in our Corsa. The road was so good I returned the following weekend in the XJS.

Are there any other bits that you'd recommend?

For those who want to know what that road is like, here's a pic of a bit of it - this is near the beginning and it just keeps going!! The loch in the background is the East end of Loch Maree. Click for bigger...

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/W ... _2808e.jpg

extratime1983 · Postby **extratime1983** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:23 pm

Well captured in your photo Simon, nice touch with one of the many "OMG" corners in the foreground, which tend to catch me out!

The A82. Take it all the way from the north side of Glasgow up to Inverness. Passes the most beautiful part of Scotland (for me anyway), through Glencoe.

You then have the nice drive up the banks of the Ness

steveww · Postby **steveww** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 2:10 pm

There are also many great roads in France, although the strength of the Euro makes it quite an expensive trip at the moment.

An other great area is Northern Spain and you can visit the Rioja region which has obvious benefits