over 1300 miles in a day

[Embraer]

made the solo trip to california from oklahoma in 24 clock hours. while this may not seem like that big of a feat, it was over 1300 miles in my $400 '88 BMW 325.

i think, hands down, that's the most reliable car i've ever owned. when i bought it, i figured it would be $400 to toss away, and play with a BMW. i even told my buddy when he took me to go pick it up, "hey man, if this thing craps out on the way home, we're leaving it." ....and i was serious.

...that was over a year and a half ago (i'm estimating that ive put 30K miles on since ive owned it). the odometer stopped working at 146K, and carfax has that mileage listed back in 2005. this thing probably has close to 300K miles on it.

when i bought it, i changed the timing belt and waterpump, and that's it. i had no records on it, so i did it to be safe.

anyway, back in september when i went from indy to oklahoma city, i was happy the car made it the 749 miles with nary a hiccup. i drove it everyday to work in OKC, and yesterday.....after being at work for 9 hours, i took off for california.

when i bought the car, it didn't have a radio in it, and i never bothered putting one in. well, to make the ride more bearable, i loaded over 7 gigs of music onto an SD card, plugged it into my GPS, and then, plugged that into a little ghetto blaster i bought at walmart. i bought 24 C batteries to power the boombox, and set out on my way.

last night, i drove from OKC to Grants, NM. i rolled in around 1230 at night, found some posh arrangements at the Motel 6. asleep by 0100, and then back on the road by 0600. in all, i put just over 1300 miles on the car in a 24 hour period.

it's time that i actually drive something respectable, but im gonna miss that car when it's gone....

[porsche4life]

Shame its all the way out there now, I'd give you your money back for it....

[Embraer]

like i said Sid....i said a prayer, danced a special jig for the BMW Gods, crossed my fingers, and carried my rabbit's foot.

"good bmw," embraer mused while casually surfing PPOT, "but certainly not a great BMW."

it's been a good car, but im surprised that it made the trek out here without any problems!

[porsche4life]

Keep it, talk schumi into helping you, and make a LeMons racer out of it! It fits the criteria.....

[kaisen]

I noticed you already changed your 'location'!

1300 miles in 24 hours is a feat. I had done a half dozen 800+ mile straight drives in 2010 (Florida, California, Nebraska, Pennsylvania). But always in vehicles I knew were mechanically sound. The fear of breaking down at 2am on a Sunday morning in BFE in a BMW would change things.....

[azasadny]

Excellent story! My most reliable used car was a Chevy Nova that I paid $400 for while I was in the Navy. You never know when those cars will come along...

[fred cook]

Did that once when I was in the Navy. Left Davisville R.I. at 8:00 Christmas eve morning and pulled into my parents driveway in Marietta, Ga. at 6:00 Christmas morning. This was in 1970 before most of the interstate was open in the south. Total driven miles was right at 1300 done in 22 hours with a 1 hr rest stop somewhere in North Carolina. The car was a 1964 Fairlane 2 Dr. hardtop with a tweaked 289. I slept good for the next 2-3 days!

[GH85Carrera]

I have driven my 85 Carrera from OKC to San Diego & to Charlotte NC. Both of those cities are about the same distance. 900 miles one day and the rest the next day. Of course I was in my car that I trust.

[Schumi]

I did Fontana CA, to Rolla, MO - 1676 miles, in 28 hours straight by myself, no stopping except for diesel, without sleep, pulling a 28 foot gooseneck trailer with a GMC dually diesel.

It was one of the most mentally demanding thing's I've done, considering the week of racing before it gave me little sleep on tons of stress to go ontop of it. It's a horrible drive.

I'm getting ready to do it again in my Boxster S, only this time starting is Los Angeles and going all the way to St. Louis- another 3 hours or so. I plan to cut a lot of time out of the center bit, out in the desert, however.

The truck and trailer would max at out around 80. The Boxster S- more like 175.

[porsche4life]

Mike, don't forget to stop for R&R when you pass through OK...