3000 mile one-way trip, suggestions?

[Erick]

Good suggestions guys, keep them coming if you got them. I might have to sell a few more things to raise some extra cash to buy a bit more tools and other things before I heard otu.

[nando]

one way trip? are you leaving sunny FL for cloudy, rainy WA? ;)

[Erick]

Well, the trip back wont be for a month. So if anything serious breaks, I have time to fix it :)

[aaron.j]

whats up with all the spare parts? You guys wait for shit to break before you replace it or what?

[DEV0 E30]

Don't leave home without it.

AAA Premium Membership ~ $150.00 or less annually.

(4 or 5) FREE 200 Mile Tows per year. No you don't even need to have AAA as your car insurance company. Seriously this is a MUST for people who go on road trips. Hell I've helped 2 E36 friends when their cooling systems exploded, tow truck came, I flashed my card, they got towed home free.

I have the Plus plan right now. Allows (4) 100 Mile Tows. Get the Premium.

[DarkWing6]

I'm with Jon on the CCA directory. I'd also try getting the cell numbers for a lot of the guys on here that live along the way.

[PiercedE30]

Erick,
Here is my list of spares:
Waterpump, thermostat, cooling hoses, 3 coils, 6 spark plugs, guibo, tranny mount, motor mount, crank sensor, tire, wire, zip ties, crimp fittings, heat shrink, belts.

Here are my tools I am taking:
Every torx socket I have (about 20 different sizes), allen sockets, 8-19mm gear wrench, 3-12mm 1/4" deep set sockets, 10-19 3/8" sockets, 12-24 1/2" deep sockets, electric impact, butane powered soldering iron, jump box, battery charger, breaker bar, 1/4" 3/8" 1/2" wrenches, wire cutters, flat head screw driver (one short, one long), phillips head screw driver (one short, one long), and various other tools that I have in my tool box that I decide to bring.

I am always cautious when I go on long trips. I would rather break down and have tools to fix it than to rely on somebody else to possibly bring the tools that I would need. I know I may be bringing a little too many spares/tools, but that's how I roll.

[Van Westervelt]

Better to run prepared, a heavy trunk is a happy trunk! Looks like I will be along for the ride on this trip. If you guys dont have one already, I can bring the needed elecctrics, IE, GPS Nav, V1, and 2-way radios! :)

[M42Technik]

Wow good luck Erick, I am headed to California next summer and I'll be taking the long trek too.

Try and have some scenic routes planned too.

Have fun!

[Magilla]

If you find yourself going through Nebraska, I can save you money on a hotel room and provide you with a place to work on your car if you need it... PM me and I'll provide you with contact info.

Same offer goes to you, m42technik.

[M42Technik]

If you find yourself going through Nebraska, I can save you money on a hotel room and provide you with a place to work on your car if you need it... PM me and I'll provide you with contact info.

Same offer goes to you, m42technik.

Thanks man, it will be another year until I leave but I guess I should start planning now!

[Magilla]

Thanks man, it will be another year until I leave but I guess I should start planning now!

This offer does not expire...:D

[PiercedE30]

Magilla, if you look at the PNW Picnic section of the regional gatherings there is a sticky about our caravan with a map of the route we will be taking.

[Magilla]

Magilla, if you look at the PNW Picnic section of the regional gatherings there is a sticky about our caravan with a map of the route we will be taking.

I won't be of any help for that trip. If you look at that map, you can see a town called Scottsbluff,NE. I'm 4 miles south of there...

[BrewCity11]

4 years ago i did the opposite, Seattle to Fort Laudedale. Besides running over a rotting cow carcas in South Dakota, it wasn't that bad.

Besides all of the above:
-Take advantage of rest stops. Stretch as much as possible, get the heart up to speed for a couple minutes, and just walk for a few too.

-Don't pass up an exit for gas cause "ehh, i can make it to the next one" will not fly when you don't know when the next one is.

-Tape, lots of tape. Once you start hitting countryland, bugs will take over your grill. I'd even consider zip-tying window screen mesh to your entire front end. (not to mention rocks,too)

-And lastly, if your route takes you through Montana, yes, they give out speeding tickets. On that 52 hour trip, only time i got pulled over was in MT. 80 in a 65 and the ticket was $40 and cop says "you can pay me cash here and now if you want"