Driving from Lakeland to Denver: how will it effect my car?
Right now I drive a 87 rx7 gxl, It has never failed to surprise me and continues to be one of the most reliable cars in the family, and that's saying something.
Everything is in good shape, every single feature works, and it has 106k miles. I have an event I need to go to and I really hate flying, at the same time I love driving. So here is my question: from Lakeland Florida to Denver Colorado, can I do it with my rx7? What should I prepare for? Anything I need to look out for when driving other than the usual (oil check at every fill-up, temperature, tires, etc.)? What should I do to prepare my car for the trip? any advice is appreciated :) |
It's just a car. An old one, however.. all you really must do is check that everything is in order before you leave... brakes, tires, belts, hoses, etc.
Could the engine blow? Yes. Could the alternator die? Yes. Could you develop an electrical problem? Yes. Could the fuel pump die? Yes. Will they? Probably not. Just be willing to accept that you may either be stranded for a few days if something simple but essential fails.. or having it shipped all the way back home from wherever it leaves you if the engine lets go. |
Originally Posted by Acesanugal
It's just a car. An old one, however.. all you really must do is check that everything is in order before you leave... brakes, tires, belts, hoses, etc.
Could the engine blow? Yes. Could the alternator die? Yes. Could you develop an electrical problem? Yes. Could the fuel pump die? Yes. Will they? Probably not. Just be willing to accept that you may either be stranded for a few days if something simple but essential fails.. or having it shipped all the way back home from wherever it leaves you if the engine lets go. My personal opinion, if your having to drive that far, rent a car. It saves the miles on your car(s), and if something happens, you make a phone call, have them come tow it and bring you another one so you can continue on |
but its a little more prone to happen with these cars, but that's never stopped me from going on long trips anyways.
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I say live on the edge and take the 7. If you break down even better, makes for a better story haha. Think about it... rent a Hyundai Elantra or take the Rx-7? Just be prepared as mentioned above. Also, drive it like you're far away from home. No burnouts at Walmart.
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freeway driving is about the easiest thing to do to a car. since its a long trip, you should start with fresh oil. and you do want to look at the stupid stuff, like tires and belts.
you want to make sure the cooling system is at 100%, if you watch the old top gears, most of the failures they have are in the cooling system. |
Originally Posted by lduley
(Post 12257794)
And this goes for ANY car, i don't care how new, used, babied or butchered it is, anything can happen
My personal opinion, if your having to drive that far, rent a car. It saves the miles on your car(s), and if something happens, you make a phone call, have them come tow it and bring you another one so you can continue on When I do sales calls, I never use my own vehicles. I rent one for $80 a day (typically for 3-4 days at a time), and let them burn up their brakes, miles, tires, etc. Plus if something comes along as Iduley has stated, you just get a new one. |
The Rx7 loves the highway!! Have fun and keep oil in it.
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Originally Posted by j9fd3s
(Post 12257977)
freeway driving is about the easiest thing to do to a car.
You say your car is in good shape, so it shouldn't even break a sweat on a long highway trip like this. Mine has made several trips of 3500+ miles in under 2 weeks and the worst that ever happened was a blown turnsignal bulb. My theory has always been that if you treat it like a baby, it will act like a baby. The second gen is primarily a GT car and you'll be using it as intended, so gas her up and go. Be prepared for how slow it'll feel at Denver's altitude, I always enjoy the extra friskiness I feel when at sea level. Also, once you get up here you can run the lowest octane fuel at the pump. I run 85 octane year round here in Denver. |
If you're worried about the engine life, you could always have a compression test done for peace of mind?
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I don't think these cars just blow up on a whim. Check fluids, give yourself a pat on the back and take a drive.
God damn. |
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