How do you know if your car can handle a long trip?

[jwill911]

My car has a history of long trips. I bought it in May 99 with 15,552 miles on it, from a guy in Seattle, I live in the SF Bay area. That was a nice get acquainted trip. The guy I bought it from bought it in Sarasota, FL with ~9K miles on it and he drove it back to Seattle from Florida.

Last year my wife and I drove to Parade in Milwaukee and took some site seeing side trips through Denver on the way home for a total of 5400 miles (averaged 26 mpg too). Car ran like a top. This year I broke down 100 miles from home on the way to Parade and I thought it was just as prepared this year as last. I'd say make sure everything is in good working order, have a complete tool kit and a positive attitude if something does happen, and have a good time.

[RickC]

Took my new to me '87 Targa on a 1200 mile trip last autumn through Illinois and Missouri on mostly winding rural roads. Nothing bad happened, and to be in the autumn air on winding roads by rivers, with autumn colors in full force - well, I started planning my next trip before I even got home.

As a kid I took trips from Chicago to SoCal in a 1974 Fiat 124 Spyder (twice), a 1981 Triumph TR-8 Convertible (once), and a new at the time 1988 Yamaha FZ600. The Fiat broke in all sorts of interesting ways - from eating an alternator to losing its brakes on the downside of the Rockies into Denver (thank God for manual gearshifts!!!). The Triumph was flawless. The Yamaha boiled a little gas from the carbs on a hot-day stop in Kansas, but was otherwise perfect (that was the summer Yellowstone burned and the Mississippi dried up).

As a kid who didn't know enough about cars, I learned fast, and found help in all corners. The Fiat was fixed by friendly hands, across the country - about half the time for free (!!!). It gave me a crash course in what does what in an automobile. People with car knowledge seem keen on helping out a fellow car nut from some far end of the earth. Now that I'm older and more solvent, a long flatbed tow is the only likely outcome. Make sure you have a day or two extra if you need it, and everything else will take care of itself.

I recommend US 50 - "the lonliest road in the land" from San Francisco to Washington DC. It is what everyone says Route 66 used to be, through beautiful country and wide open spaces almost the whole way.

I too have a grandfather who travelled from San Francisco to Ohio for college in a Model T - he's 100 next week, so that would put it at about 1919 or 1920 - perhaps those stories were what made me love the open road. I can still see my grandmother and grandfather (then in their mid-80's) asking to take a ride with my brother in his 1974 914!!

"A civilized person who can renew themselves in the wild is what makes Americans different and more fortunate than other world citizens." By all means, take your machine into the wilderness. Whatever goes wrong will be worth it.

[Jamie79SC]

These cars love to drive and drive. My wife and I did a 6,500 mile road trip this summer in the 79 SC and the three of us loved it. Many driving days exceeded 800 miles.

I have an odd-ball suggestion to go along with the usual preventative maintenance and spare part recommendations. While I don't concourse my car, I treat it as if I did. Before we took the long trip this summer, I put the car up on stands in my driveway and detailed the bottom. Guess what? That's when I found a freshly ripped inner CV boot - just in time to replace it before it caused a problem.

A detailed engine compartment and undercarriage go a long way in helping spot problems before they occur.

[47silver]

drove to indianapolis with a friend. took very long inspection drive. purhased vehicle. checked oil, tires, battery, spare fuses. had cb's in each vehicle, left indianapolis about 3pm est arrived pittsburgh about 9:30 350+ miles as we took a wrong turn in indianapolis. friend drove it back did not let me drive it. no problems, i was amazed at 27+ mpg. attribute to good luck and knowledge of cars. the engine and transmission were strong, carry jumpers, jumper wire some tools and lots of dough as tow truck drivers like a tip.

[Rick Lee]

I've taken many 500-mile wkd. trips in my 911 and it has always been fine. On one such trip I noticed my broken rear sway bar mount, but that was no biggie. I did, however, break down about 17 miles from my house a few wks. ago and that shook my confidence a bit. There was just no way I was gonna be able to do a fuel pump R&R on the roadside in the middle of nowhere, even if I had gotten the part delivered to me. Towing insurance at about $30 a year is quite a bargain. I may take the 911 to the Outter Banks in two weeks. I'm still debating that one.

[Sunroof]

Took my 73T from Atlanta to JFK Space Center a few weeks ago and back.................No big deal. All interstate, so if I got stuck I would get help one way or another. Helps to carry a copy of PANO to get the names and phone numbers of PCA members in the various districts to seek help with shop locations.

Hell, when I was in college (60's) and driving either my Austin Healy or Triumph back and forth I had an emergency survival kit complete with "C" rations, flares, blanket, tools, fire extinguisher and enough ZAP Comic books and contraband to keep me content for awhile until I could get repairs done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When it rained BRITISH CARS JUST STOPPED..PERIOD.

Don't get so freaked out driving long distancers in 911's...they love to travel...............have confidence fellas.

regards
Bob

[wdarner]

I had similar concerns last weekend. I wanted to take my 87 911 on a 600 mile R/T trip to Watkins Glen for the vintage races, but was hesitant. It made the trip just fine, and as was noted above, provided some great "bonding" time. Damn I love this car.

http://members.rennlist.com/dennis/911.html

[Moses]

AAA plus card, cell phone, VISA card...

If you have all three, you likely won't have a problem. Our cars sense it when we are not prepared.

[Doug Zielke]

Woe to the poor fool who doesn't believe in the Porsche Gods. If you have enough positive Karma accumulated with them, you and your car will endure and survive all.

[David McLaughlin]

I have to second the comment about just making the trip.

A friend bought a '73 914 1.7 form a guy in LA. We flew out, bought some spares and tools and took the 65 hour, 3100 mile road trip back to Boston. Sure, it take a few too little brain cells and big... um.. you know, but it was very exciting. So much so that what was supposed to be a once in a life time event will more likely happen again and soon if I have my way. I plan to by my 911 in CA or vacinity for the only reason of just making the trip again, just faster!

You're only going 6 or so hours. Get in, take the keys, and go on your way with little to no thought.

Good luck,

I drove my '77 home from Florida to upstate NY about a year ago. Put on fresh tires and wiper blades and was on my way.
Ran on 5 cylinders most of the time (occasionally # 6 would chip in). Buggered the timing part way home, too.
Forgot that between Florida and home were the mountains of West Virginia - it was damned cold at 2AM (did I mention there were no hoses from the engine to the heat exchangers? ) It was hot in NY and I was going to Florida, so I had packed only shorts.
Not long after getting home, the clutch cable mounting ear on the front of the tranmission broke off as I was adjusting the free-play. It had been cracked years ago, judging by the grease on the newly-exposed face.
Looking back, I think I was lucky to have made it. These days she's running beautifully, but I still haven't been more than 2 hours from home. (And when I got home from that trip I shut the car down in the street in front of the house to move the other car out of the driveway. Had to push it into the garage, because that's when the starter motor finally quit.
Adventure calls.

[Doug E]

My wife, son and I just took a 600 mile round trip in the SC. Granted it was mostly highway driving until we got to our destination but all I worried about having handy was a cell phone and credit card.

Turned out to be a great trip and we all had a good time in the car together.

I say roll the dice and hit the road!

[carreradpt]

If your car has been running well, just do it. Do the normal service of course, pack the basic spares, cell phone, AAA plus, snacks and jams and hit the road. It is such a great adventure. Though 6 hrs hardly qualifies as a real road trip. Chances are you'll have a trouble free trip and you'll plan to do it again soon. [What you you recommend I check before I leave ...] Make sure the stove is turned off! Enjoy the drive!!!