Going on a long road trip to Myrtle beach for vacation. Should I just wing it and not tape up my front end to protect from rock chips? I work for Acura, I can go to the new car department and take off the white tape they place on the new vehicle which protect them while being shipped to the dealership. Thoughts?

 

I do this trip all the time with either my Acura or the MR-2 Spyder. It's roughly 630 miles total depending where in NJ you are. I've never taped up my front end. I see lots of trucks on 95S as well, but try to stay out of their draft. I have some minor rock chips which are barely noticeable after 5 years and 67K miles, but it's not worth the hassle of taping it up.

Just my opinion.

 

Thank you buddy! This is my longest road trip with the TL. Not looking foward to all that driving..

 

Since your taking the TL I would imagine the driving would be fun.

Don't bother taping it up. I make that trip often and never tape/mask. Just don't get behind those trucks and you should be fine. I hope you have a great enjoyable trip!

 

you gonna kill lots of bugs . I just went to charlotte NC and back and wow i couldnt belive how many were on the bumper. But if you wax your car regulary it all comes off even with some good rain falling. So i wouldnt worry about it

 

I flew to NYC to pick up my TL and drove through philly D.C. ATL and ended up in panama city beach before driving to NM. 2700 mile road trip and it was a blast.

If you are that worried buy a nose mask from acura to keep on the hwy and put in trunk when you get there. best way to do it if you are really concerned. IMO i would say you will be fine but its not my car.

Good luck to you and hope you have a blast on your vacay. I talked the wife into going back to Florida in august for next vacation as well. Too bad won't be able to drive TL for that. gonna be stuck in the oddysey.

 

I wouldn't bother taping it up. Your front end will be full of bugs but the rock chips shouldn't be too bad, just try to dodge the trucks. In matter of fact I will be doing that drive this weekend also hopefully, just starting from Va instead of NJ.

 

One recommendation- when the trip is over (or even after getting down there) clean the car and use Honda Motorcycle Polish - this is great as it easily dissolves the bugs, is non abrasive, and doesn't require a lot of effort to get the bug guts off the nose (use a microfiber towel).

 

Whatever you do watch your speed in NC.

If you get caught more than 15 over (I think. Might be 20, or it might be more than 10 over in a 70), as an out-of-stater, you could lose your license instantly.

Generally anything less than 9 mph over posted speed and you won't even get a second look.

 

^^ Good advice- I always keep it right at the speed limit with the CC the whole way down 95 S. Virginia is pretty strict as well- I recall one trip through VA back to NJ- seemed like state troopers every few miles with radar guns in use (also, look for Dodge Chargers with window tint- these are the undercover cars in addition to the Crown Vics).

 

I drive a lot in NC (though not usually on 95) and set mine to ~73 in a 65 and 74/75 in a 70. Never have any trouble.

 

yes that is some great advice, im always careful going through there. Coming from NJ you shouldn't be going through it but if you do end up going through Emporia in Va, DO THE SPEED LIMIT EXACT. They are extremely strict there any will pull you over for anything more then speed limit. I think its either 60 or 65.

 

Been making this trip from VA since 1969. I don't take the "recommended/AAA trip tick" route because it is not to my liking. I look forward to this 438 mile trek several times each year. Some great restaurants down there if that's your thing.

 

In Virginia anything over 80 mph is grounds for a reckless regardless of the posted speed limit, so 81 in a 70-mph zone can get you a reckless.

If I were coming from New Jersey I'd probably go down the Eastern Shore, over the bridge-tunnel, and then across US-58. Too much construction on I-95 in DE, MD, and Northern Virginia. Or else I might go down the Eastern Shore to the Bay Bridge, then US-301 over the Governor Nice Bridge to pick up I-95 near Richmond. Either route avoids the roadwork and the DC and Baltimore traffic.

 

We live in western Prince William County and always leave around 4:15am on a Sunday morning. Very light traffic. For someone in New Jersey, they might try leaving around 2:00am on a Sunday. This should go a long way getting them through Maryland, around the beltway, and Northern Virginia, all on route 95 without much in the way of traffic. Planning the trip makes a huge difference.

I drove to Panama City Beach in '93 and we left just after 8:00pm on a Saturday evening from Arlington, VA. I made it to Florida in under; 692 miles in 9 hours, 55 minutes. The whole trip was 1025 miles and we did it in 16 hours which included the requisite stops for food, fuel, and the head. Funny thing is by the early evening of the first day, none of us liked it at all, so we decided to cancel reservations for the remaining six days, and left that night for South Carolina and the Grand Strand. In 36 hours we drove 1800 miles.

 

I drive from NC to NJ and back every few weeks (635 miles one-way) I stop at the Wawa in Fredricksburg, Va for a fuel filled up and bathroom break. I prefer the trip south from NJ alot more than the northern drive. I never tape the car but as careful as I try to be those rock chips travel far. Be careful of road construction areas in Maryland (especially the Baltimore area) They have speed cameras set up-It is a $40.00 ticket and you get a picture (very clear) of your car and one of your license plate. We live about 70 miles north of Myrtle Beach, also on the coast.

 

I'd do whatever it took to prevent damage to the hood, bumper, and mirrors. Enjoy the beach.

 

Ahh, so you're in the vicinity of Wilmington or South Port, eh? Nice area, too.

 

Holy hell, thank you for all that wonderful information!!. I plan on taking I95, I usually do about 5 mph over the limit around here because I know NJ state troopers all to well hahaha.

 

wilmington area-love the river front-
we drive to Myrtle Beach alot-go to shows at the Alabama Theater
My mom's neighbor is a is a sgt. of the NJ state police (Wall Township) He is a great neighbor to my mom-plows her driveway in the winter and checks on her.

 

Virginia and North Carolina are fine as long as you use common sense and run with the general flow. You can still make very good time doing this and it will be highly unlikely you'll get stopped. I have never been stopped making this trip in 43 seasons in any of the three sister states.

 

I have a cousin who lives in Carolina Beach. He has his own private dock for his yacht. I have been going to the Grand Strand since 1969 and my wife started going there with her family in 1962 (I think... or was it '63). We've seen a lot of change; some for the better and some not so much. But all and all, I dearly love the low country.

I've been to the Alabama Theater a number of times (last time was last September). We alternate between that theater and the Carolina Opry and always see a good show with good performers. I crave seafood and low country seafood is my favorite style of cooking it. Some fabulous restaurants down there. We were there the first week of last month and will go again during the summer and probably in the early fall. The drive is a piece of cake for me and quite pleasant. We generally skirt Wilmington around 10:30am on a Sunday morning and hit the motel in Myrtle around noon. That way we don't lose a day on the road.... we get to enjoy the first day on the beach.

I keep promising myself to visit the U.S.S. North Carolina battleship but at this point, I'm going to have to wait until both of my knees have been replaced (osteoarthritis).

 

while driving on 95 in VA I was near a truck that did not have it's cover on right. I wanted to get away from it and ended up with a speeding ticket. The state trooper said even tho they understood what I was trying to do I should not speed. I explained they should give the truck driver a ticket for being unsafe.

 

That's doesn't seem fair on their part. If I were a trooper and saw a driver do this, I would watch them and if the resumed proper speed after their pass, I would just let them continue on with their journey since it would be obvious why they did what they did. But then, I'm not a trooper.

 

honestly, a lot of cops lack common sense and consideration.

cops are aware that out-of-state drivers will more than likely pay the fine than to travel back and forth dealing with the courts.

Cops are no longer here to "serve and protect" they are revenue generators for their local municipality.