I'm gonna be taking a road trip in a week and a half when school gets out. I'm heading from here (New Hampshire) down to visit my brother in Melbourne, Florida. My X has 142,000 miles on it and has never had any major problems. What should I get done to it before I take off? My brakes were replaced in the fall and I'm going to be getting an alignment (I lowered it with a torsion twist), and I'm also getting new shocks to make it a more enjoyable ride. Anybody have any advice or suggestions? Thanks!

make sure all fluids are good....... and dont speed to much ;) cops dont like it :)

I good idea for a trip is a cooler (preferably electric) and a supply of granola bars for those highway munchies. Also, learn to time your bladder with gas stops ;)

Seriously, if you don't have any regular problems, don't worry you should be fine. I always carry jumper cables and some tools though.

Yep your V8 and 4R70W tranny are pretty dang solid together. You shouldn't have anything to worry about. But PLEASE pull over if you get tired during your drive.

Originally posted by Jason_25
But PLEASE pull over if you get tired during your drive.

i agree.... 6 of my 7 most recent accidents were due to falling asleep behind the wheel... the latest accident (my rollover) was when i was wheeling and the ground gave out under the right side.....

2 of those accidents from falling asleep totaled the vehicle and the other 4 were fender benders......

Well, for questions: why are you leaving New Hampshire (where it is just getting nice) to go to Florida (where it is just getting HOT)?

Advice: Drive speed limit (or within 10 of it), turn off radar detector in VA (it's illegal), between Petersburg, VA and Rocky Mount, NC haul a$$ (no cops), change oil (it's cheap), check all fluids for volume and color, buy cup holders, understand where all the equipment needed for tire change is (it's embarrasing to sit on side of road reading manual), plenty of water, and check tire pressure.

That's a good trip, how many hours are you expecting?
If splitting the trip, and need a place to crash in VA or NC, let me know.

Robb

PWI

One rule of thumb I always do is never let my gas go below half. Too many people notice 50 miles away from any town that they are empty.;)

I usually do a quick check/replace (fluids, hoses, belts, filters) before I go anywhere too.

Jim,
Time to take all the money you spend on repairs and get a chauffeur!

repairs? what are those? ;)

its ok, i lose my license soon for sideswiping an ambulance without insurance

Jim, go to sleep man!

Well this was helpful for me. I am taking a trip from Alaska to Oregon in two weeks. Gonna run down the ALCAN highway. A trip of 3300 miles in 2.5 days. I am currently trying to get my X looked at for an oil leak. Put in a center console with vertical mount auto vcr and 9" audiovox so my son can watch movies and play Playstation on the trip. That should keep him busy.

My wife and I will trade off on the driving and we have about 20+ hours of sunlight for most of the trip down.

I will take it easy on the way back maybe 4.5 days with rest stops and sightseeing.

That's 20+ hours of sunlight per day. It's now about 11:22 pm and still light outside. Unfortunately the GIANT mosquitos are out now and working on my X is somewhat painful and itchy.

Cd, Driving down south should be a breeze. I assume you are taking I-95 for the most part. Like everyone said, just make sure your truck have fresh fluids, especially coolant and transmission. Check the tire pressure and balanced them if you have to. Oh, check that A/C and wiper blades! Sorta humid here...okay!..it pretty humid in Florida. Right before you hit the state line. Stop in Ga, the gas is little cheaper there. I don't know if you want to see or go thru big cities, usually interstates with 3 numerals will take you around town but if you don't to when you get by Jacksonville(where i live), then take I-295. That will take you around the city and take you right back on I-95. Another thing, for fun go to Orlando, it like about an hour from Melbourne. I am sure you will enjoy your road trip, I just love road trips.

Thanks for all the advice. I took the same trip last summer with my dad...towing my brothers truck down there. I will be taking 95 the whole way, except to go around the cities. I'm hoping to do the trip in a little under 24 hours. I'm going with a friend so we'll be switching every few hours. I don't know if we'll be stopping along the way for the night or not, we'll decide based on how we're feeling. Hopefully when we get there the waves are good, the girls are out and it's HOT. Can't wait :D

I guess its "take a trip week" during the Memorial day weekend. I going from Reno,NV to Grand Jct, Co. Its only about 12 hrs.

Lessons learnd from earlier trips were:
1. watch the fuel gauge and get fuel when its 1/4 tank
2. check your fluids often during every fuel stop and rest break!!
3. make sure you are well rested and take breaks often.

Have a good trip
Roger

Originally posted by ahhjaws
One rule of thumb I always do is never let my gas go below half. .

On a long highway trip, you will get better gas mileage as the tank empties; just don't go to low.

Good luck and welcome to the Sunshine State.....

I will be taking 95 the whole way, except to go around the cities.

When you get to Richmond, unless it's between 7-9 or 4:30-6, go smack through the city. 295 is a long, boring road and will suck up an extra 30-45 minutes of your life which you can't get back.

Good luck, have fun, BE SAFE!

Robb

hey CD you know kev (dirtkevnh)? he's from up around there and lives next door at school to me.

the truck should make it easy. I took a 92 sport to columbus GA and back in 99 and last year i took my 98 down to atlanta.

YOU CAN NOT SPEED!!!

I got 3 tickets on my last road trip...

NJ: my cell fell under my gas pedal. i put on my flasher and drifted into the yellow median to stop and disloge it. I was able to yank it by the earpice cord and signaled back into the fast lane. I was pulled over for obstructing the emergancy lane and weaving. A asked the cop point blank why that was wrong and he said "NJ law requires any breakdowns, movable crashes or emergency stops to pull to the rightand median" $44 dollars, 0 points

NC: going to visit a friend at fort brag after leaving atlanta. doing 91 with radar and laser detector. Cop swoops in with an overhead laser. Thing didn't go off in my car till he already clocked me. I'm dumb, no one was on the road and it was flat. $120, 0 points (as of now)

VA: just outside richmond. I passed a white SUV because he was driving erratically. pulled behind a simallerly red colored comaro which was burning up the pavement (85 to 90 i figure). I was warned about this area so i was looking at my spedo while i was passing. i never reached above 78. Cop spins from wooded median after the comaro. pulls her over then waves me down. tickets me for recklass driving because i was going "84 mph". when i told him that i wasn't, he threatened to raise it to 94 and arrest me. He gave me a summons for the next month. when i drove back down to contest, with evidence (my spedomiter was actually high by 2 mph, which means i was doing 76!) i was robbed in NYC. had the police report faxed down to the court house and the prosicuting officers barrocs. i also called the state police barrocs in the county of the court so they can notify them. they told me to call the cort the next morning before trial. I called every 10 minutes from 7 am till someone picked up at 913 am. they said my papers were brought into court 30 seconds ago and i was found guilty. i asked if i could appeal and they said i could, but it would be in superior court where if i was found guilty i would serve jail time. $190 fine, kicked outa va till july, 0 points so far.

AVOID VA. i'm a criminal justice major and i have NEVER seen such a blatent disregard for the justice system by the justice system. I admit that i was dumb in NC, the NJ was streaching it, although it was videotaped, so the officer would get in troble if he didn't pull me over, but the VA dabacle was so far out of bounds with what actually happened its scarry to think that people have that much power.