It's a long story all in all, so I'll get right to the point; I need to get from Portland, Maine to Cleveland, Ohio - by car. Now I'm vaguely aware there are certain things I should check in and around my car before setting off, but could anyone give me a bit of a concise list? I know I can manage it energy-wise, I'm just a little worried about something packing up mechanically - it's nearly eight hundred miles, after all. I've got everything else sorted out, from sustenance to accommodation, it's just the car that needs a good look-over before I leave. Any mechanics or road-warriors out there have any tips or advice to offer me? I'd be really grateful [img]smile.gif[/img]

as a passenger
#1 priority- food
as a driver
#1 priority- road map :D

sorry, im not familiar in long road driving

<font color = lightgreen>Just check your oil and antifreeze/coolant levels, just to make sure they are ok. Also, make sure your tires do not have worn threads and are inflated to the proper pressure (look on the inside panel of your door for correct pressure). Make sure your spare tire is properly inflated. Finally, keep a couple of gallons of water and a flashlight in the trunk. With all this (which really isn't that much) you should be just fine.
Once you head out, stop every 2 or 3 hours just to stretch your legs and avoid road hypnosis; for drowsiness swallow half a No-Doz with some coffee and turn up the volume on the radio a little.</font>

800 miles a long drive pah [img]graemlins/blueblink.gif[/img] down here in a proper sized country, why we have bigger driveways [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img]

1) Tyres....correct pressure measured cold, and do not forget the spare.

2) oil..present and correct

3) Water.. Radiator, bug wash, and very important plenty to drink in the car. a/c or more probably heater (up there brrrrr :D ) dries you out on a long journey. Causing fatigue and lack of concentration. Please drink lots of water, not coffee, tea or salty snacks. *important*

4) Belts... just check your fan belts/oil pump belts are not frayed or to sloppy

5) Enjoy the journey. :D this is not a cliché, but from someone whose passion for many years was riding VAST distances on my motorbike. A destination is just an excuse for an adventure. Stop of and see obscure sights. Toss a coin at a junction to decide which way to go. Give yourself time to get there. Throw your map away. Buy a copy of Steinbecks "travels with Charlie"

Also make sure you will need a large cooler filled with beer and ice. For 800 miles I estimate you'll need around 2 cases (48) of beer. Also a catheter will be helpful so you wont have to stop often ;) Good luck, hope that helped! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Lovely! :D :D

Two cases ? I'm a little dissapointed in you now. :D

Two cases ? I'm a little dissapointed in you now. :D </font>[/QUOTE]Hope I'm not downwind with my visor open :D or should that smily be [img]graemlins/1puke.gif[/img]

Adding to Wellards comments, make sure all your lights are working and your brakes are in good condition. Now's a good time to get an oil change and have a mechanic look the car over for you. (Most will do this for free in hopes of getting some work off you)

Also make sure that your windshield washer fluid is full and that you have extra in the trunk to re-fill it if you need. On long trips especially in the winter, you'll go through a lot of it because of road-spray.

Take a swiss Army knife with ya (I have the special ed. Black one--bought it in 1989) has a SAW and 25 other things (it's over an inch thick)

That knife has gotten me outta so many jams, it isn't even funny! :D Used it to cut the hose on the car and jerry-rig the hose to work and tons of other things!

:D

PS: Check all the Hoses and hose rings. Belts.. make sure all the liquids are topped off.. ect.

I can't believe no-one's mentioned this, but make sure you have basic tools in the boot (or trunk as you call it ;) )

It's no good having a spare on you if you remember at the crucial moment that you left your jack in the garage!

Also get some radiator sealant just in case, the most likely thing to happen to an older car on a long journey is your stressed radiator or hoses will spring a sudden leak. Remember, if you overheat, let the engine cool down before removing the radiator cap.

Spare headlight bulb may be handy (unless your headlights are sealed units which can be a pain in the arse).

Now is the time to sort out any odd rattles or knocking noises you've been wondering about for a while.

Check oil, water, tyre pressure, fan belt, that sort of thing.

800 miles is it? Did road-trip (as a passenger I hasten to add) of 4000 miles each way once - London, England to Alba Iulia, Romania - and back again a month later. Was great, I love travelling!

Above all, have fun.

A few different things to add in...

... first, I don't know enough. Is your car a new car, one with 20-30,000 miles on it, or the family hand-me-down that's had over 200,000 miles and keeps on going? The newer the car, the less likely there will be a problem. In any case, tell a mechanic what you're going to do and have them check out the car. They can point out any potential problems.

... second, get to mapquest or AAA and get a map of how to get there. You might want a couple of maps, say one for each major chunk of road (150-200 miles). Tossing another map in the back seat can be a real sense of accomplishment, and might be the high point of the next couple of hours (think Nebraska [img]smile.gif[/img] ).

... third, a general rule of thumb is that you'll cover fifty miles an hour, all told. That includes breaks for food, stopping for fuel, and so on. So if you drive straight through, that's sixteen hours of driving. I'd suggest doing it in two days, and map out where you plan to be at what times. IOW, scheduling to drive through Chicago (and I-80 takes you there) at 4:30 in the afternoon is not the best way to have a good time.

... fourth, and this is optional, if you want to make this an adventure, skip the normal places to eat. Eat at roadside shacks and local restaurant chains to get a taste of something different. You can eat at McD's at home -- why drive all over to do the same thing?

Planning is the key, IMHO -- and no, I'm not anal-retentive. Just detail-oriented [img]smile.gif[/img] If you know where you're going to be and do things, it will be a lot of fun.

A quick mention about the mapquest-AAA comment. I'd recommend actually going to AAA if you're a member and getting them to create a map for you instead of going online. I've had too many times that I got a map online and it took me to the wrong place (and once I was trying to get to the Buffalo International Airport, so you'd think they'd get that right, but it took me to the middle of nowhere and I almost missed my flight).

Very true about mapquest. I came back from a Nebraska to Memphis trip and found that by following the mapquest map I went 8 miles outta my way once I was in Memphis. Not to mention the Highway that didn't exsist that mapquest said did.

My wife and I, yes I was married recently, drive ALOT. She has a 2000 mitsubishi Mirage and it now has 90+ thousand miles on it. So some other things to do.

DO get an oil change. Have them check all the belts, hoses, fluids, air pressure and filters.
DO get an audiobook or two. They will really help for those long stretches with nothing but cows and corn in sight. (I live in Nebraska) They have tons of them at Barnes and Noble, Borders or any other bookstore and they will really help keep your mind alert.
DO get a First Aid kit. On our trip from Pheonix we saw a car flip end over end 300 yards in front of us on the Interstate. You really want that kit at a time like that. Good thing my wife is a Nurse.
DO take your time and if you get drowsy find a Hotel/Motel and crash for the night.
DO take along some Sinus Medicine, Motion Sickeness pills, IMODIUM !! and some antacid tablets. Too much caffine and Junk food can really give you heart burn.

Have a great trip!

[ 03-04-2003, 10:26 AM: Message edited by: Wulfere ]

Thanks a lot everyone, this has really, really helped. I'm ever so grateful [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 03-04-2003, 02:37 PM: Message edited by: Arledrian ]

To echo what everyone else has said on Mapquest, since I brought it up... I use it frequently for work, since I travel a lot. It always deserves a sanity check, no matter what. AAA will be better in most cases; I don't have the time to get a new trip-tik or three every week.

For things like interstates, it shouldn't be bad, but routing through and around towns can be crazy. I needed to get from Midway airport (southwest of Chicago) to a meeting that was northwest of Chicago. I got to Midway at 5:30 in the morning and was driving by six. The suggested route (that I didn't question) involved routing me through downtown Chicago, basically.

I figured it was 6AM, and who could possibly be on the roads at that hour?

I was wrong!

Two hours later, I made it to my meeting. Fortunately, I had arrived with a lot of spare time.

The trip back in the afternoon (through a different route) took about 30 minutes.

So, take the suggestions and make sure you agree. 'Course, for most things, you can follow the signs to your next big city.

When I recently drove up to NJ from GA, I went to my local mechanic (a Midas shop - good guy) and had him check the brakes, coolant system and tires.

Yes, get an oil change before you go if you haven't had one in a while. And have them check ALL the fluids in the car - oil/radiator/brake. Also, have them take a look at the belts and radiator hoses.

Plus, take along a can or two of fix-a-flat...just in case...you really shouldn't travel long distances or higher speeds (over 55mph) on a spare unless it's a full-size spare.

As to the refreshments...I went up (a 14 hour drive) in one go on Mountain Dew, water, cigarettes and a pack of Ritz crackers, lol. You should have no trouble. *Do* set out from the area you know well at night. Easier to traverse the places you know in the dark. That way, as you continue on the trip, you have full daylight when you are in unfamiliar territory.

As to a map...I'll join in that MapQuest SUCKS! I got specific directions on the end of the trip from Hiram and general driving directions for the interim from him and a couple others who lived along the way. I bought myself a NEW Rand McNally road atlas to keep myself on the straight and narrow and to help clarify directions. I'd suggest the same to you.

The flashlight, water and windshield wiper fluid are all good ideas, but also keep some oil on hand, some stop leak for oil as well as the radiator (which, I believe someone already mentioned).

That's about all I can add. Have a good trip and be safe! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Edited to add: I found that, when traveling the interstates, there are rest stops EVERYwhere...when I got a bit confused as to how to get through the tolls, I stopped at the rest stop before them and they had a premade direction sheet telling me exactly which way to go, which tunnel to take, etc.

Also, keep an eye on your gas gage. At about 1/2 a tank, start looking for a good place to stop and fill up. You may use another 1/4 tank finding a gas station with easy access back to the interstate.

[ 03-04-2003, 03:31 PM: Message edited by: DragonMage ]

Make sure you know how many miles you can do on a full tank of petrol so you don't end up in the middle of nowhere sputtering on empty ;)

And make sure to take pitstops every couple of hours or so - even if you feel okay. Like it says on my registration sticker, tired drivers die ;)

Have a fun trip babe [img]smile.gif[/img]

You might want to hit all your grease fittings with a shot of high quality grease, check your transmission fluid (that's a biggy if it's an auto. Red is good, light brown is really, really BAD!)
I think if you're unsure of what you need to do, pop in to your local mechanic and explain exactly what you're doing and get them to look it over. There are far too many minor details that really should be checked if you want to minimize the risk of a dead vehicle (or worse, the driver.)

For the car:

Bring along a small container of engine oil - along the way you can top up yourself if needed.
A large container (say 2 litres) of water for the radiator would be a good idea too.
Make sure all oil & fluid levels are correct, especially engine, transmission (for auto transmission), brake, steering, windshield wiper, etc
Check battery for correct water levels. Bring along battery water to top up if required along the way.
Tyres (including the spare!) - correct pressure, not worn out, balanced & aligned. Check the nuts holding the tyre to the wheel to see if any are loose.
Tools & jack - present & working
Check belts, hoses, etc.
Best to get a mechanic to do an inspection a day or so before you set off.

For the driver & passengers:

Drinking water
Map
Plan your route in detail before hand!
Snacks
Music tapes/CDs etc
Sunglasses
First aid kit
Medication if anyone requires them
Airsick bags or plastic bags - in case any one needs to barf.

Remember to stop every now & then even if you don't feel tired. Take a 15 min break, stretch your legs, have a pee.

Most important - DON'T SPEED! Keep to the posted speed limits. They are there for a reason. Exercise defensive driving, you never know when you may come across a nut who shouldn't be driving at all.

Have a safe journey!

Uh...How do you drive from London to Romania?

My advice? Take the advice already given [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Well.. There is this tunnel from Dover (UK) to Calais (France). You can take a train through that tunnel and even take your car with you and drive on when you reach France.

I agree with everyone here. There are only two things that no one mentioned that are additional options: Fully Charged (and turned off so you save that charge) cell phone. Also, if available, one of those portable emergency CB radios that plug into your lighter. (theoretically you could be in a cell phone dead zone, but State Police monitor channel 9.) And jumper cables (did anyone say them?) because you never know. And Road Flares.

Ok, I know this how? Because one year, as an additional Christmas gift, I got my then girl-friend a 'car safty kit'....a toolbox with a ratchet set, pliers, full set of screwdrivers...as well as a can of fix-a-flat, large flashlight, portable CB radio, jumper cables, roadside flares, T-spar lug nut tool, etc.... She was driving a beat-up Mustang at the time and I was worried she might get stuck somewhere (without me).