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How do you guys feel about taking your car on long trips?

Old Apr 5, 2009 | 06:25 AM
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Default How do you guys feel about taking your car on long trips?

So march 12th is the FSAE event, and id have to drive my car from where I live in philly to pittsburgh, about a 6 hr drive each way. Now my car is never really perfect, im always messing with one thing or another, which is why im afraid ill get halfway to pittsburgh and have something break. So other than bringing pretty much half my tool box lol, what else would you guys recommend? prolly the tuning laptop just in case..
Old Apr 5, 2009 | 06:43 AM
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Uhm yea, what sort of issues do you normally run into?
Do you have a friend with a truck and can you rent a trailer?
Old Apr 5, 2009 | 06:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Spookyfish
Uhm yea, what sort of issues do you normally run into?
Do you have a friend with a truck and can you rent a trailer?
oh the car is for transportation, not racing lol. im pretty much just asking if people have experiences with long trips with a DIY turbo kit.
Old Apr 5, 2009 | 06:53 AM
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Just dont drive like a maniac and take your breaks. During cruise you will be out of boost anyway so if your tune is correct and your cooling is fine you should be fine.
Old Apr 5, 2009 | 07:34 AM
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I've taken a shitload of long trips, but ran into problems a couple times. Things that were easy enough to pull over and fix every time but once.

3 ******* times now I've had the PPF bolts come loose on me! First I just heard a "clank!! draaggggggg" for a couple seconds and it went away. I pulled over and checked, nothing. I didn't think what it was at the time. Second time I had to actually pull half the car on the sidewalk to have enough space to pull out the damaged bolt and baby the car home. Last time the shifter was bouncing up and down like crazy.....what the **** right?

I knew what was wrong after the 2nd time but never got around to buying new bolts. Started to **** me off after the last time so I bought new ones and torqued all mine down so it'll hopefully never happen again.

Check for random things before you go. IC pipes, vacuum lines, oil, tire pressure, etc. Just poke around the car while you wash it before you take it out (m.net right here). And I always keep a toolbox with just about every tool I need and even **** like spare clamps, oil, rags. Too many times I've been on the side of the road with this car, but luckily every time I fixed the problem. Cant fix cops calling a tow truck though....
Old Apr 5, 2009 | 09:26 AM
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I've driven my turbo'd '92 from San Diego to Phoenix and back twice. Just shy of 400 miles each way. Apart from the fact that I was nearly paralyzed from driving 6 hours nonstop (except for gas) with no cruise control, and that I got a wicked sunburn one time from driving across the Sonoran desert with the top down and no shirt in mid-afternoon in August, no problems.
Old Apr 5, 2009 | 10:05 AM
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i drove my turbo 01 coast to coast...
Old Apr 5, 2009 | 10:29 AM
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I've driven mine to the Gap and back twice. 800 miles each way. Doing it again in July.
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Old Apr 5, 2009 | 10:37 AM
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I've driven mine from NYC to Tennessee ( about twelve hours one way), drove the **** out of it on Deal's Gap a couple times and came back. I've also driven from NYC to Arlinton and back cruising at an average 100mph+ the entire time. (Made it back in a little over 3 hours). I drive it every day. I have literally never had one issue with it. I do always keep a small bag of tools in the trunk though just in case. I also double check to make sure everything is kosher before I take a long trip, and take the tuning computer.

As long as you make sure there are no known issues before you leave and have the tools to tackle anything that might come up, go for it.
Old Apr 5, 2009 | 11:34 AM
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I finally got my car running in november and it has 6k miles on it. Its been from dallas to austin 4 times, san antonio 3 times, Houston/Galveston3 times. lol

Either everything is tip top, or its not.
Old Apr 5, 2009 | 12:55 PM
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As soon as it warms up a bit more, I'll be likely putting 800 miles a week on it.
Old Apr 5, 2009 | 10:25 PM
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Philly to the 'Burgh is only 4 hours, just bring some tools and hit the road.
Old Apr 5, 2009 | 10:32 PM
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I drove from tampa to Pigeon Forge TN on Friday, 4/3, and I am now in Huntsville AL. I think I have over well over 900 miles thus far. That and I am heading to Florence AL tmro, Birmingham on Weds, and heading home on Thursday. Friday night I hit the Gap. Saturday I took 441 over to Cherokee NC and back. So far no issues at all.
Old Apr 5, 2009 | 11:46 PM
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I took mine on a trip to deal's gap and back two weeks after I turbo'd it, ended up being almost 2000 miles round trip without a problem.
Old Apr 5, 2009 | 11:47 PM
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Drove mine on plenty of long trips. For FSAE competition we always got a handful of minivans from the school's motorpool and used those, though. The one I drove to Detroit and back had less than 7000 miles on it when I picked it up.
Old Apr 5, 2009 | 11:59 PM
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I planned on gutting my car and relagating it to track duty after the turbo install...but I fell in love with it and drive it every day that I can.
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