iiamchili

Hi zine!

Im planning for a long trip next month from NYC to Davenport, Fl (1,130 miles) im planing to move out there but i def goin to stay for atleast 3 or 4 month. i got a 3G 2005 Tl bout to hit 92k bought it 5 month ago with 91,300 miles. My question is would you make this trip and getting all this mile to your car knowing you almost hitting 100k plus is a 2,260k trip (going and returning) plus the miles you hitting over there ?

Sorry for my stupid question but im planning to stay with this car for atleast 3 years and i love my TL. Thanks!

nist7

Well if you're going to stay with the car for at least 3 years and you bought it with 91k then I don't see why not. Unless you have a 2nd beater that you can use.

Remember you're about to come up on the 105k mi service which is the big ticket maintenance item that include timing belt, water pump, spark plugs, and maybe others as well (depending on the car, coolant/drive belt/ATF/etc.) Be ready for $2000+ if you are doing this at a dealer. My 06 TL had its 105k mi done and they had to also do the ATF flush and change some broken motor mounts....to the tune of $3000 to the owner, yikes.

But if you're ready to keep the car for many years then go ahead and enjoy the drive!

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

Just departed for Florida (1,200 miles) last Friday with our '08 knock around car, 174,000 miles. Will probably put about 5k miles on the car before arriving back home and that little 4 cyl works hard, loaded down with luggage and passengers, and runs at 2500 RPM at 80mph. This is the 4th trip down there and the car has held up remarkably well.

The TL shouldn't have any problems at all as long as it's in good shape, it'll be just like an afternoon ride.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

unless you have been skipping on maitenenace, your car will make the trip with ease.

she's still a baby at 92k miles..

iiamchili

I have done some service now im doing the Radiator Flush, Motor mount... So when it hit 105k ill be cheaper lol. Thanks

iiamchili

Nice to hear that man! Love the TL.

NBP04TL4ME

As others have said you will be fine. The TL loves to run at highway speeds. You bought the car so now enjoy it............

flyromeo3

im at 161k and wouldn't hesitate driving to Miami.
Last trip I made I think my odometer read 122k.


but yeah,...you shouldn't have any troubles.

Jamie's 08 TL

Open the sunroof, set the cruise on 80, and ride!

iiamchili

Thanks everyone !

1995hoo

My 2004 TL has over 100,000 miles and I've driven it between Northern Virginia and Florida several times in the past few years, sometimes roundtrip and sometimes one-way when we use Amtrak's Auto Train in one direction. The most recent trip, this past June, involved around 2,200 miles of driving in large part because I didn't use I-95 on the way down. I never hesitate to take the car. The TL is a great highway car, put it in sixth gear and set the cruise control and you can easily pull 30 mpg at an average 70 mph. On our most recent trip I knew I'd be facing maintenance sometime after we got back (105,000, except I'd already had timing belt, water pump, and spark plugs replaced so it wasn't that expensive), so in the weeks before we left I primarily drove my wife's RSX. Highway driving is much less stressful on the car than city driving, and the car dinged "Service Due Soon" the day after we got home (drove south, looped around Florida to Venice, Fort Myers, Miami, and Viera, then Auto Train home after two weeks down there). I eventually got the service done almost a full month later when it finally said "Service Due Now."

If you are genuinely concerned about taking your TL on a longer road trip, or if you face upcoming maintenance you want to postpone, you could use the Auto Train if your budget allows it. There are two trains each day, one going northbound and one southbound, running between Lorton, Virginia (seven miles south of the Beltway), and Sanford, Florida (just northeast of Orlando near I-4). Both trains leave at 4:00 PM and are scheduled to arrive at the other end at 9:30 the next morning. Amtrak does a good job with the cars—when you check in they walk all around it with a video camera to document any damage. I put our luggage (aside from some carry-on bags) in the trunk, switch off the trunk release button, lock the glovebox, and give them the valet key. We usually spring for a sleeping-car room, but if you have a tight budget you could go in coach class. Dinner and continental breakfast are included in the rail fare.


As I think back, our trips in the past few years have been:

Summer 2011, Auto Train south and drove home
Christmas 2011, drove south and Auto Train home
Summer 2012, Auto Train south and drove home
Christmas 2012, drove south and Auto Train home
Thanksgiving 2013, drove south and Auto Train home
Summer 2014, drove south and Auto Train home
(planned) Christmas 2014, will drive south and Auto Train home
Also used the train round-trip for Thanksgiving 2005.

I've determined in the summertime, taking the train on the northbound trip is better due to summer heat. Driving north, the driver gets the hot afternoon sun beating down and it's much more fatiguing. Driving south, the driver's on the east side of the car. At Christmastime we decide which way to drive and which way to take the train based on which train fare is cheaper.

iiamchili

Nice experience men i see you travel alot, well im thinking to move to FL not 100% sure but i def going to stay for the winter.

Slpr04UA6

Just avoid end of April/early May & September! Lol!

Love bugs are out during those months!

1995hoo

I don't travel as much as I used to. Back in the 1990s when I was in school I drove a lot more, but you know how the "real world" intrudes on that. Our trips to Florida are to visit relatives. On one trip we added two days at Disney World because I never got there when I was a kid (my father refused to go). It's simply cheaper for two people to drive down than it is to fly and rent a car, and at Christmas it works out much better for my wife because we don't have to worry about TSA luggage limits and the like—she can do her Christmas shopping at home and put whatever she wants in the trunk.

If you do decide to drive from New York to the Orlando area, I can suggest several different routes. Other thing to consider is whether you plan to drive around Florida much on the toll roads. If you do, you should consider obtaining a SunPass. Your E-ZPass will not work on the toll roads in Florida. Since we visit often enough, I have a SunPass Mini attached to my windshield using scotch tape next to my E-ZPass. They do not interfere with each other. (SunPass claims you must peel off the backing and permanently attach the Mini to the windshield. That's not true. If you put it in the proper spot, it works fine if taped. But make sure you register your device and put your license plate number in your account so they can bill the proper account if there is ever a problem.)

As far as your TL goes, the main thing is to look at your MID to see what the oil life is before you make the trip. If it's less than 50%, the car will likely ding at you for service when you're down there. If it's in the 80% range, you can likely go roundtrip without it dinging you unless you do a lot of driving while you're down there. (I took my TL on a 2,500+ mile trip to Nova Scotia in 2008 when it had 80% oil life and it was still at 30% when I got home. As I may have said before, highway miles are much easier on the car than city miles.)

BTW, if you want to explore the Auto Train option I mentioned before, the station codes to use on Amtrak.com are LOR for Lorton and SFA for Sanford (the "A" denotes "Sanford (Auto Train only)" as opposed to the other station nearby). There's a 10% AAA discount if you're a member.

YeuEmMaiMai

CLS routinely made trips to MI and back totally about 2000 miles 140K and no troubles. drive it like you would any other car.

iiamchili

Thanks for the avise! yea im 80% (As mi oil life lol) sure going over there driving