Long Distance Drive

[Steve-O]

I drove my unrestrored '84 Targa from Louisville, KY to my new home in the Florida Keys last week. I covered the 1,200 miles in 22 hours. The lack of AC was not a problem as long as the car stayed moving. About the only snag was Bonnarro music festival traffic in TN. I lost two hours getting though the 50 mile backup. Although the car did fine, I was not OK with putting that much wear and tear on the precious clutch and I was a little concerned as my oil temp approached 230 degrees. Although my wife thought that I was crazy for not trailering the vehicle, it was a total blast and I'd do it again, no problem. It wasn't until hitting the 1,000 mile mark at 4 AM that I even bothered to install the roof panel. I love my 911.

[dshepp806]

Cool,....shoulda' routed around the backroads, knowing Bonny was up and going. Sounds like all went well...how much oil did you burn?

I love mine, too, bro'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Doyle

[fbarrett]

Steve:

You have discovered one of the real joys of owning a 911: just getting in the car and driving it cross-country, driving it until you can't drive any more. Back in the Old Daze (1970s), we drove our 2.2E from Louisville to Denver, Denver to Minneapolis and back, Denver to Seattle and back, Denver to San Diego and back, Denver to Pennsylvania and back. Every enthusiast who owned a 911 did it, often with adventure but usually without mechanical problems. Even if we did have problems, overcoming them was usually an adventure.

Two years ago a friend and I drove his 289 Cobra from Minneapolis to Austin to run the Texas 1000. Another entrant had his near-new Ferrari trucked to and from Houston for the event. Sick!!

Frank

[Steve-O]

For fear that traffic would cut in line, they would not allow you to get off the freeway. They were routing eastbound traffic 25 miles beyond the festival site before alowing a u-turn to double-back 25 miles to the enterance. It was the worst traffic jam that I've seen in decades and it made a freeway closure resulting from a big rig fire north of Ocala seem like childs play. She burned perhaps 2/3 of a quart of oil on the journey.

[kidrock]

good on ya, Steve-o. These cars are just plain FUN.

[SAM DACOSTA]

I'm delighted when I read this post as wife wife is bugging me to take the 964 on a road trip (Los Angeles, Phoenix, Grand Canyon, Boulder, CO. onto Santa Fe, NM. and then back via Carlsbad, NM. and the southern route). I've always been hesitant due to the mileage and potential issues (not sure what, just paranoia I guess.) Glad to hear your Targa performed well. Sorry for the tuff life ahead of you and the wife residing in beautiful Key West, FL.

[darrin]

Originally Posted by Steve-O

She burned perhaps 2/3 of a quart of oil on the journey.

One can get a fair bit of moisture accumulation in the oil tank if much of your prior driving was for short trips. Thus, much/some of the 2/3 of a quart consumption could have simply been caused by the hot engine burning the moisture off your oil.

[Aurel]

Those cars can be driven all day long at 5000 rpms. Actually, this is what is best for them .

[Steve-O]

When I drive my 911 at 80% through the twisties, I feel like no car could be crafted that would provide a better experience. Well, I think the same thing when the car is turing 70 mph on a straight interstate. And after 1000 miles of buffeting wind, heat, and humidity, I am so engaged in the straight line experience, I hardly notice that the stereo does not work. And when I arrive at my destination, it is a victory for Porsche and her marvelous motor cars. I've not experienced this with any other vehicle.

[Vincent Hill]

Isn't that what they were made for? I went 1,000 miles round trip from Washington DC to Columbus Ohio a few weeks ago and between Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Southern Ohio, the trip was Fun! This Last Weekend I drove from DC to Virginia International Raceway near Danville Virginia about a 600 Mile round trip! More fun and when you have 25 Gallons of Fuel and get about 25 MPG "How" can it get better?

[Steve-O]

Originally Posted by SAM DACOSTA

I'm delighted when I read this post as wife wife is bugging me to take the 964 on a road trip (Los Angeles, Phoenix, Grand Canyon, Boulder, CO. onto Santa Fe, NM. and then back via Carlsbad, NM. and the southern route). I've always been hesitant due to the mileage and potential issues (not sure what, just paranoia I guess.) Glad to hear your Targa performed well. Sorry for the tuff life ahead of you and the wife residing in beautiful Key West, FL.

I too was concerned about a breakdown 200 miles from the nearest Porsche mechanic. Reading about potential problems before the trip in the 911 Buyer's Guide didn't help much either. But once underway for a few hours, my confidence grew and the fun kicked in. Perhaps part of the thrill is knowing the implications of a breakdown and then beating the odds upon arrival to your destination. Bad news, I'm not in Key West. Nope, I'm in the upper Keys in a paradise called Islamorada. Waterfront house with a pool and a boat dock, but no boat. My daughter enters college in the fall and I have one too many houses. I wonder if the 911 could double as a boat?