With winter now upon us, Jaguar XK owners might be thinking that they need to park their speedy grand tourer in the garage until the snow melts. Thankfully, Jaguar dealers offer a range of safety-related accessories that will help pave the way when the mercury drops.
As temperatures dip below the freezing point of water, traction between tires and roads can rapidly fade to nothing. The best option is a full set of winter tires that are optimized for driving in snow, slush or icy conditions. If snow only falls sporadically or the area where you live gets a surprise cold snap, the Jaguar safety accessories list provides too choices depending on your needs.
If you’re heading out to play in the snow, you may opt to wear some thicker socks or put on an extra pair to keep your toes warm and dry. You can do the same for your XK with the Snow Socks winter driving aid. Snow Socks are designed for temporary low speed use if you just need to get a get out of a driveway or neighborhood side street that hasn’t been completely cleared yet.
Snow Socks are lightweight, textile covers that can be slipped over the tire tread to help the tire hang on to the slippery stuff. The socks can be applied in about two minutes and used at speeds up to 25 mph. Once the XK is clear of the nastiest stuff, the socks can be folded up and stored back in the trunk.
If you have to deal with more difficult conditions such as steeper grades or snow up to six inches deep, you may want to opt for a pair of Spike Spyders. Spike Spyders bring the old idea of snow chains into the 21st century to make them easier to use. When bad weather is expected, a steel hub can be attached to the wheel by removing the lug nuts, sliding the hub over the studs and putting the nuts back on. A decorative cover goes over the hub to keep it clean.
The Spike Spyders consist of a central frame that clamps to the hub. The frame has four arms that reach around the edge of the tire with a studded chain that bites into the even the slickest ice. The Spyders can be be attached to the wheels in about a minute and can be used at speeds up to about 30 mph. Even if you use winter tires on your XK, Spike Spyders can provide a traction enhancement for the worst conditions.
Both Snow Socks and Spike Spyders are available in several sizes to fit whatever tires are on your XK.
Once you overcome the traction conditions, and get to the office, you can pull out the custom-fitted, all-weather cover to protect your XK from any additional snow or frost that may fall during the work day. This cover which has been tailored specifically to fit the contours of the XK, is also great for protecting the finish when the car is parked in blazing desert sun or dusty conditions.
Inclement weather usually means reduced visibility either from falling snow or rain or just shorter days so good lighting is critical. A burned out headlamp makes it significantly harder to both see and be seen by other drivers so it’s a good idea to keep a spare bulb handy for the Bi-function HID Xenon headlamps. Bulbs are easy to swap out in just a minute or two in your garage or driveway.
No matter how careful you might be, sometimes the lack of traction just overcomes the best efforts of the driver and the electronic control systems. Whether stuck in a snow bank or simply fixing a flat tire, it’s important to be visible to other drivers so a reflective warning triangle can help prevent the situation from becoming worse.
Driving a Jaguar XK can be a viscerally exciting experience in many ways but when Mother Nature turns against you, a few simple to use accessories can make getting to your destination a whole lot easier and safer. XK safety and car care accessories are available from the parts department of every Jaguar dealer.
