Paul Carter

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

Acesanugal

iTrader: (5)

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.

lduley

iTrader: (1)

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

insightful

but its a little more prone to happen with these cars, but that's never stopped me from going on long trips anyways.

Rotary Alkymist

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.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

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.

Jager

iTrader: (10)

I agree with this man.

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.

Red95FD

iTrader: (3)

The Rx7 loves the highway!! Have fun and keep oil in it.

clokker

iTrader: (2)

J9 is correct.
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.

BenRX

If you're worried about the engine life, you could always have a compression test done for peace of mind?

Jager

iTrader: (10)

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.