is it possible to drive an fd from florida to california without killing it?

 

dont do it !

 

Just spend the money and get a plane ticket and have your car frieghted out there to you.

 

Sure, why not. This car isn't that fragile for christ's sake. Just take the normal pre-cautions -- check oil and coolant (bring some extra), check tire and suspension condition. Anything you would normally do for a cross-country trip.

Personally, I would rather put 3000 miles on the FD on a nice road trip than pay a lot of money for people to haul it out here (plus I know what's happening to the car).

 

Personally, I've driven from Illinois to Pennsilvania a couple of times: No Problem!

Great road trips, great scenery, country roads, letting the car rip at high speeds....I wish I could do it more often.

 

if you a cruising there is no problem. i can cruise at 80mph and not even be boosting, so why not drive it.

 

Its a car for crissakes. Drive it.

 

Cruise Control is nice. I hope you have it.

 

I drove from MA to NY to NJ to PA and back to MA w/o any problems.
It's not as far as CA to FL though.

 

Running any car for 3500 miles is a big thing. If it is in good running condition just make sure you top off all of your fluids, change the oil, and keep off the boost.

 

Cange your oil a few days before you go. Then when you get here change it again.. you'll have a great ride to tell your friends about.

 

Hell... When I bought my FD last June, I drove back from Atlanta, Georgia to NJ in one night... Distance you ask? 905miles.... I bought a new set of tires before setting out, checked the oil and coolant and away I went. Now, around 2:OClock in the AM I rounded this nice curve at 120 and there in the middle of the road was the biggest possum I'd ever seen. Before I could think about it I heard this baruuuummmpp under the floor boards. I stopped a little later at some rest stop on top of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia and some country mechanic named "Deeeeee" took a look under neath. He pulled out my heat shield from the mid-cat, drawled, there's fuuuurr on this here thing.... did ya stooop? Hell no... I was doing 12O.... Why the hell would I stop?... Weeeellll, he said, They'rrrre Goooddd Eatin!

Anyway, me and the 7 got home safely without further incident... So, Hell yeah... go ahead and have a ball. Drive the thing.. that's what they're designed for. Besides, Road trips are great... ceptin when the local wild life decides to play on the freeways at Oark30!

Good luck,
Rich

 

Why not? Get in turn the key and drive. It is not a fragile egg. It is a car. It is made to be driven and not just in 1/4 mile increments.

Too many people think these things cannot take distance. I sometimes drive mine for days on end.

 

didnt mazda win the 24 hour le mans or something like that with the FD?

 

thanks for the advice. i wanted to do it but i was just seeing what others thought. i figured it was a car and it could handle it if it was driven right and properly prepared for the trip.

 

I'm planning on going from Arizona to Ohio in a few months... and my car is hevaly modified..

 

if you do it, tell us about the trip! It's a route I might take some time (central FL-San Diego).

 

I bought my FD from Florida and drove it to SD with no problems at all.

 

I drove to PFS (near DC in Virginia) from Atlanta and back so it sounds alot like Rich's road trip. Never had a problem whatsoever and had a blast driving. I had cruis control back then but have since taken it out since its my toy car now. I'd put it back in if it was a long trip though.

Tim

 

Drive it there, it's around the level for a new oil change, so change it before you go, and when you get there. I would bet that cruising all day is much better for the car than stop start city traffic for 3000 miles.

Just remember to check the fluids and stuff when you stop for gas/overnight.

BTW. Anyone know how much gas an FD would use to cruise on a big road trip? (Not too much boostin')

 

Figure anywhere from 22-26 mpg with stock injectors, porting, etc.

120 to 140 gallons of gas to get across country.

 

I drove my FD from Michigan to California when I moved (2500 miles). It was great and I had no problems with the car.

-Max

 

When I first bought my 7 I took a bus from pa to arkansa (sp?) bought the car, back to pa drove down to fl and then back again to PA. This was all within a week and I never even seen or looked at the car before I bought it. I don't think you'll have any problems but just check all your coolent hoses, belts for dry rot or cracking and make sure you don't have cords showing through your tires.

Quick question. If your going on a road trip and just crusin at 85 mph, do you really need to fill up with premium? If not it might save you a few bucks.

 

Mmmm. Not a good idea. The few bucks you would "save" would be quickly forgotten about when that damn Camaro won't get off your ***!

"oh I'll shake him in 3rd...." Bye bye engine.

 

id do it!