GRM Roadtrip

Doing a fly'n'drive to pickup a 95 miata. Boston->Austin, route undetermined. Trying to cover 2000 miles in 2.5 days (8/14-8/16).

Route advice? Any tricks to add long-distance comfort? Anyone heading the same way and want to roadtrip?

edit: no cruise control, and the tape deck doesn't work. It's gonna be a party.

You're flying from the land of 60 year old rust free cars to the land of 5 year old cars with holes in the floor?

If you're covering that distance that fast then just do it all on the highway. Bring earplugs. The lack of cruise should be a non-issue, it's a Miata, just keep the pedal flat to the floor

No cruise control ---> No Big Deal. In a Miata, there's no place to put your right foot that's not the gas pedal anyway.

In reply to Woody:

The brakes?

Ummm....That is a good solid 30 hours of driving. I hope you already have a co-driver. My co-worker did that over the course of 4 days. Only advice I have is avoid NYC area at all costs.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote: You're flying from the land of 60 year old rust free cars to the land of 5 year old cars with holes in the floor? If you're covering that distance that fast then just do it all on the highway. Bring earplugs. The lack of cruise should be a non-issue, it's a Miata, just keep the pedal flat to the floor

Well my 37 year old RX-7 that has been in Massachusetts its whole life doesn't have holes in the floor. Not every car in New England is rusty, you do realize this, right? Miata's are not every day drivers for the masses here in Snow England. I'm sure the car is just fine as far as rust is concerned, and the plastics/interior should be fine as it probably lived in a garage like most Miata's around here.

In reply to Mazdax605:

Whoa, no need to get defensive! My home state of PA is just as bad if not worse- I just don't understand rolling the dice on a northern car when you live 2k miles away in an area where you won't pay a premium for lack of rust.

Does the AC work?

I'd grab a stereo harness and go to the nearest Walmart and snag a cheap radio for that thing. Tunes are of the utmost importance, especially on a trek like that!

Or, just bring a Bluetooth speaker....

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote: In reply to Mazdax605: Whoa, no need to get defensive! My home state of PA is just as bad if not worse- I just don't understand rolling the dice on a northern car when you live 2k miles away in an area where you won't pay a premium for lack of rust.

No big deal man I just get defensive when everyone assumes that a car from the northeast/New England has to be a rusted hulk. It just isn't true.

Get a CB radio for trucker entertainment, traffic and Smokey reports.

If you're planning on driving with the top down, I highly recommend long sleeves. Not to avoid the sunburn, but the windburn (she says, cringing at the memory of the windburn she got driving from NC to Atlanta one summer...)

bmw88rider wrote: Ummm....That is a good solid 30 hours of driving. I hope you already have a co-driver. My co-worker did that over the course of 4 days. Only advice I have is avoid NYC area at all costs.

Yeah, that's my main concern. I've driven Austin -> L.A. in 22 hours, but this trip is another 700 miles on top of that.

The miata in question is owned by a family friend, garage kept, never seen snow, yada yada yada. Mechanical reliability I'm not concerned with; keeping my sanity however, is a major concern.

iPod, noise canceling headphones, does anyone make a more comfortable arm rest? Tried recruiting co-drivers, but doing it on 2 weeks notice is a little dicey.

Noise canceling headphones while driving is quite a terrible idea, radios are cheap, and so long as you have charging ports, a wireless speaker, and an iPod you will be okay, just spend the rest of the two weeks downloading books and music.

As far as the route yes avoid NYC at all possible costs, expect a E36 M3 load of unfinished construction in PA, cops everywhere in Ohio and I would suggest leaving the New England area early as you can (say around 2-3am) to avoid any rush hour traffic.

Good luck!

buy one of those fm transmitters you can plug into the headphone jack of said Ipod. that way you can get music through the speakers. get a good one though not a cheap unit.

Although visibility is better with the top down, you do not want to do a trip that long with the top down. I did a 700 mile drive with the top down once, well I should say I tried to do a 700 mile trip with the top down. I gave in and put the top up with about 200 miles to go. The fun wore off after the first couple of hours.

Print out the on-the-road assist list?

I've got a bluetooth or aux-in to FM adapter that also has a USB charging port in it which works pretty well. GoGroove FlexSmart X2 is what it's called, I think. As long as the radio can receive FM and you have something that will play music over bluetooth or out of a regular headphone jack, you'll have tunes. It works even better if you don't have an antenna, actually -- less interference.

Maybe stop at a parts store or HF once you touch down and pick up one of those generic X-hundred piece mechanics tool sets, some oil, and some gloves? Maybe also take that opportunity to put fresh wiper blades on?

Definitely a good hat. There's something satisfying about having a good hat when you're driving long distances.

sergio wrote: Get a CB radio for trucker entertainment, traffic and Smokey reports.

And be sure to bring the proper mounting equipment.

Who's going to feed the snake while you're gone?

Clearly you must find a karaoke bar to perform "tricky" by run dmc at every overnight stop along the way as well.

wae wrote: Print out the on-the-road assist list? Maybe stop at a parts store or HF once you touch down and pick up one of those generic X-hundred piece mechanics tool sets, some oil, and some gloves? Maybe also take that opportunity to put fresh wiper blades on? Definitely a good hat. There's something satisfying about having a good hat when you're driving long distances.

Solid advice. Though I have no delusions about Thelma & Louis'ing it across half the U.S.A.

Is it possible to install aftermarket cruise control in less than an hour?

calteg wrote:

wae wrote: Print out the on-the-road assist list? Maybe stop at a parts store or HF once you touch down and pick up one of those generic X-hundred piece mechanics tool sets, some oil, and some gloves? Maybe also take that opportunity to put fresh wiper blades on? Definitely a good hat. There's something satisfying about having a good hat when you're driving long distances.

Solid advice. Though I have no delusions about Thelma & Louis'ing it across half the U.S.A. Is it possible to install aftermarket cruise control in less than an hour?

Probably not a problem. Just follow these instructions:

My recommendation is just plan out stretching ever 2 hours. I've done 24-30 hour drives in less than ideal cars before and the hardest thing is the cramping. Have a few bananas, maybe some potassium pills, and plenty of water with you.

Sun screen is often overlooked but I'm sure the windows are not tinted. You will burn faster than you realize.

Some way of getting some tunes. Either a bluetooth speaker or put in a stereo quickly. The midwest is a cruel mistress with no music or having to listen to the farm reports. You can only listen to the sale price of hogs so many times before your sanity is stretched.

Double check before you leave where the construction is. I-40 was ripped up for a long time and caused major delays out of Memphis across AR. You can route plan around that.

Of course, the basic mechanical supplies. I wouldn't worry too much though stuff like oil is available all over.

iPad and noise-cancelling headphones. Ensure power supply. A good billed hat for when the sunvisor isn't in the right place. Some snack you can munch on to keep bloodflow to your head (I know, it sounds wierd, but it works). My favorite is shelled sunflower seeds; popcorn also works well. Keep in mind that caffeine without food just makes you jittery. High-quality sunglasses with polarized lenses. Good windshield wipers.

It's easy to do 1,000 miles a day out here in the West but I know it's much worse in the Northeast. Radar detector? I only miss my Valentine in construction areas.

Now we're talking.

I wonder if a hardtop counts as my one carry on item...