Anyone taken a Jaguar XJS on a USA/ Canada road trip?
Discussion
Is it even possible to buy a car in Europe and drive it around? Surely the same or similar rules apply?
Can't you get your UK insurance to cover you?
That still leaves the title and tags to deal with. What would you do with the car when you're done? If you were going to take it back to England/Europe, it might be possible to get some sort of temporary tag, but you might have to find a more lenient state to temporarily register it, and that might only be for something like 30-45 days.
In theory the last facelift XJS should be a promising choice. I recently sold mine. It would take the miles with ease, and the 4.0 should be perfectly reliable, but make sure the AC is working properly for sure.
But I think the reality is this isn't possible sadly.
It may be worth searching for a classic car rental company here as another option?
Can't you get your UK insurance to cover you?
That still leaves the title and tags to deal with. What would you do with the car when you're done? If you were going to take it back to England/Europe, it might be possible to get some sort of temporary tag, but you might have to find a more lenient state to temporarily register it, and that might only be for something like 30-45 days.
In theory the last facelift XJS should be a promising choice. I recently sold mine. It would take the miles with ease, and the 4.0 should be perfectly reliable, but make sure the AC is working properly for sure.
But I think the reality is this isn't possible sadly.
It may be worth searching for a classic car rental company here as another option?
geeman237 said:
Is it even possible to buy a car in Europe and drive it around? Surely the same or similar rules apply?
Can't you get your UK insurance to cover you?
That still leaves the title and tags to deal with. What would you do with the car when you're done? If you were going to take it back to England/Europe, it might be possible to get some sort of temporary tag, but you might have to find a more lenient state to temporarily register it, and that might only be for something like 30-45 days.
In theory the last facelift XJS should be a promising choice. I recently sold mine. It would take the miles with ease, and the 4.0 should be perfectly reliable, but make sure the AC is working properly for sure.
But I think the reality is this isn't possible sadly.
It may be worth searching for a classic car rental company here as another option?
It is possible to temporarily import a vehicle (from anywhere) and run it on it's existing registration for up to 12 months, after which it must be re-exported, US registered or destroyed - I did this (into FL) with a C5 Corvette that I had in the UK. US registering my Vette was easy - but would be VERY difficult with a non-US manufactured car - it can be and is done - but it is very cumbersome, expensive and complicated. Being US compliant in terms of impact testing, emissions and lighting makes a lot of vehicles impractical or impossible to US register. Insurance, title and tag require a SSN, a US address and proof of residence in most states.Can't you get your UK insurance to cover you?
That still leaves the title and tags to deal with. What would you do with the car when you're done? If you were going to take it back to England/Europe, it might be possible to get some sort of temporary tag, but you might have to find a more lenient state to temporarily register it, and that might only be for something like 30-45 days.
In theory the last facelift XJS should be a promising choice. I recently sold mine. It would take the miles with ease, and the 4.0 should be perfectly reliable, but make sure the AC is working properly for sure.
But I think the reality is this isn't possible sadly.
It may be worth searching for a classic car rental company here as another option?
I have heard/read many instances of "My mate did it", but very little detail on the 'how' bit.
Well, though I live in London, I am thinking of moving to Canada (have a visa, just need to make the jump)...thing is, the weather in USA/ Canada is generally good from May to Oct, so there are a fair few months in which to do road trips....I always wanted an XJS but if that proves difficult, I might end up buying something else, such as a Lexus SC430...it would need to be a convertible car to take in the surroundings..
I shipped my 1973 Jaguar XJ12 to the States and began my lifelong dream of driving it across the US in 1999. Things may have changed in the intervening years but it sounds as if some of the rules remain the same. For instance, it was required that I re-export the car, scrap it or otherwise destroy(!?) it after 12 months. Insurance was tricky, but I did it - can't remember how, to be honest, but I know that it is possible, even with my British number plate and it being RHD.
Don't be put off too easily. Jaguars have a poor reliability reputation in the States, but that it is mostly just that - reputation. Remember that if a car has already done 80 000 miles, it is unlikely to brake down just because you take it on a 4 000 mile journey, unless it has been neglected or misused. Preparation is the key. My car was pre-fuel injection, had no AC and had precious little in the way of complex electronics to go wrong. Take a sensible amount of spare parts that could be hard to get in Idaho or Manitoba, for instance. I took a spare starter motor, distributor, fuel pump, brake master cylinder and a load of belts and bulbs and didn't need any of them. For a more modern car add to that an ECU (warranted) and an AC compressor. If anything more serious goes wrong, you're screwed anyway and can't allow for it.
I am planning another trip soon but will be buying a US-spec Jaguar of an age that most would consider foolhardy. One thing you may consider, if purity and having your own particular car is not of the utmost importance, is there are countless Chevy-engined conversions in Jags in America. It may be sacreligious but at least your average US mechanic will be familiar with the engine.
Be bold. You'll be fine
Don't be put off too easily. Jaguars have a poor reliability reputation in the States, but that it is mostly just that - reputation. Remember that if a car has already done 80 000 miles, it is unlikely to brake down just because you take it on a 4 000 mile journey, unless it has been neglected or misused. Preparation is the key. My car was pre-fuel injection, had no AC and had precious little in the way of complex electronics to go wrong. Take a sensible amount of spare parts that could be hard to get in Idaho or Manitoba, for instance. I took a spare starter motor, distributor, fuel pump, brake master cylinder and a load of belts and bulbs and didn't need any of them. For a more modern car add to that an ECU (warranted) and an AC compressor. If anything more serious goes wrong, you're screwed anyway and can't allow for it.
I am planning another trip soon but will be buying a US-spec Jaguar of an age that most would consider foolhardy. One thing you may consider, if purity and having your own particular car is not of the utmost importance, is there are countless Chevy-engined conversions in Jags in America. It may be sacreligious but at least your average US mechanic will be familiar with the engine.
Be bold. You'll be fine
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