Ok going on my first long trip this weekend. I leave tomorrow and have about an 11hr drive to my girlfriend's lake house on the Kentucky/Tennessee border. Other then the obvious checking of fluids anything else I should do??

Especially in reference to gas milage... high tire pressures right? up around 36? Suggestions! (I'll be going for gas milage so I'll try to keep my speed around 75 although its hard not to bump up in this car) I know I'm probably a little out of alignment which is a bitch but what are ya gonna do, I have to go to a performance place for an alignment cause I'm too low for a regular rack and I don't have time...

We are doing the drive all at once and the girlfriend isn't the best manual driver (I'm just teaching her.... yeah that's right, I'm TEACHING her on my car, talk about love) so I figure I'm gonna be doing most of the driving after working a half day. I already have some redbull packed away.

No internet connection down there so I will be without acurazine for 5 days... whatever will I do

 

dont' forget your acura roadside assistance card

 

Tire pressure at 35 or so worked well for me on my last long trip. Otherwise, just fill it an go. I got a solid 31+ mpg on my last highway trip so you should easily be able to attain that.

Enjoy the drive and let us know how you did on gas.

 

dont forget some green tape.

 

FYI....Fury...

you might want to watch out....Some gas stations here in Charlotte have begun to shut down b/c of Hurricane Katrina. They're all out of GAS?!??!!?


BTW...Gas jumped up about 50 cents here today....price gouging bitches....

There are lines for gas...

 

Also, don't forget:

1. The back seats folded down provides ample room to... umm... *squeak squeak squeak*

2. condoms.




(oh, and yeah, 35-36 psi is good for long trips but don't do this for TOO long or you'll wear the middle of the tires much faster than the edges...)

~Eric

 

damnnnnnnnn.....I just got back from the gym and drove by a gas station...they were lined up at least 60 deep...no shit!

 

 

Thanks for the info... that's fuckin wack

 

For gas mileage, I'd suggest waxing the car. It might sound dumb but I was watching CNN when they had the editor from one of the major car magazines on (can't remember which one) and she said that you could increase gas mileage up to 7% on a road trip just by waxing your car.
After that bold statement I had to try it and I have to admit I noticed a measureable difference in gas mileage, enough that I'll do it again before my next road trip.

 

by waxing your car?? what the hell? does that decrease your drag coefficient or something? i find that hard to believe.

 

to show you guys I ain't lying...

 

I believe it. Since wind resistance goes as the square of velocity (2x speed requires 4x power), the gains to be had on the highway are significant. At highway speeds, nearly all of your energy is going to fight the wind. I would wager that waxing or at least washing would help more than 4psi added tire pressure.

I know that on a road bicycle, a $70 lycra skinsuit (rather than shorts/jersey) will help your time trial speed more than a $1000 pair of aero cross-section spoked wheels. There's a lot to be said for smoothing out your exposed surface area.

 

Not a bad idea to put a nice protective coat on in anticipation of all the bugs about to be killed.

 

Gas prices have jumped up here by 20 cents in the past two days.........

 

You may want to check your spare tire air pressure as well. Take a few basic tools, extra quart of oil, cordless air compressor, flash light, first aid kit, food, sunglasses, etc.

 

bring a bottle of meguiar waterless car wash, and some towels. u want those to get the damn bugs off your bumper...

say. just u and ur girlfriend on the road for 5 days no internet? hm... u might want to start saving for that baby thats gonna come!

 

lol shhhhh not until we are married...

 

Ok... just got back, I'm tired as shit so this is gonna be quick. I was only really scientific on the way out there so here are the results. I filled up and got straight on the highway (it was approx .5 miles to the highway from the gas station) My average speed for the tank was 72.3 miles an hr. I averaged 33.4 mpg on the way out there and went to 527 miles on the first tank. I kept the climate control within 2 degrees of the external temp (eg it was 77 outside the climate control was at 75 etc.) I drove straight (no stops for anything) for 7 hrs and 13 mins and after the first hour never shifted out of sixth. I will post pics later on.

The second tank was screwed becuase of drivin around when we were there but I averaged 33.7 (although it was at 35.2 for a while) on the way back and went over 500 again. I'm finally in the 500 mile club

 

Thats pretty darn good. Sauceman will be so proud.