as we are moving, I am consider to drive the speedster to our new home. On the highway it is 2.5 hours with a regular car. I can take the old road (no highway) on nice little backroads. The challenges is there are some spots with no cell phone and no houses in the area for a 1 hour drive. I think the trip will take 5 hours driving on a slow tempo, with some stops.
What do you all recommend if I take the back road? How do I best prep for the road or it best to ship it?
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Is your car normally super reliable?
No clue. It is brand new...
Spirit of Adventure!
Tell somebody your exact route and when you think you'll get to your new place. Not there within 2 hours, come lookin'!
Put together your travel tool bag. Ask Gordon for his list.
Give the car a once over to make sure everything is tight and operating and have at it.
You will be fine unless the chupacabra comes after you, then, who knows.
Do you have tow vehicle? A VW tow bar can be used to flat tow it. I flat towed mine 1k miles from N. VA to NW FL behind a 4 cylinder Toyota Camry - no issues at all.
Being the car is new, I would take a few trips like 50 mile radius a few times to get to know your car and then check for leaks etc. Do so until you have 300 miles on it. If you haven't encountered any problems in the first 300 miles, I would say you are good to go. Change the oil and gas filter along with a once over on all the bolts and screws and go for it. If you have problems with the car at all, get them fixed first before you hit the Hwy goes without saying ..... Never leave home without a cell phone, credit card, AAA towing card and your tool kit. Second that, ask Gordon for his list of what to take. If you drive them, they will break down sometime. Better to be ready than not. Have fun with your new car.
Do not trust your gas gauge 100 miles stop for gas.
I would run it for at least an hour somewhere as a pretest. What state are we driving this car in? do you have to worry about things like torrential rain? sometimes, that is just as important for a newbie. if the weather looks good & the roads are manageable, and the car is running well it should be an adventure. The exact reason you bought the car
If driving is your only option, I'd take the freeway. If you have the right gear ratio, it will probably do well..... Unless you want to take the 5 hour trip.
If not, you could flat tow it, rent a trailer or rent a car dolly. I have a Spyder so rain and my visibility to other cars (sits low) arey primary concerns. That, and being hit by a rock in the forehead as I sit well about the windshield. You probably don't have two of those to contend with. Get Gordon's list and the number to a flatbed towing company and take the drive.
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Long trips on back roads are what these cars are all about.
Unfortunately, unreliability when they're new and unsorted is what they're all about, too.
Most of us would love a five-hour trip on nice, back roads, but it's usually only after a few months of ownership that we're confident enough to try.
I think a good test drive would be an hour at steady, high speed on the highway. Go out 30 minutes, turn around, and return home. Surviving that with no hiccups would make me a lot more confident about doing a long drive away from civilization. Sustained, high speed stresses these cars where they're most vulnerable and will also show you how comfortable you'll be doing a long drive.
For the long road trip, could you have a friend or family member caravan with you in another car?
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^^^
This.
Warm it up, go out, come back, then check everything for tightness, drips, squeaks, chafes, etc.
Thanks for all the advice! I think i will drive the backroad. First drive myself with our regular car to scope the road conditions and mark gas stations. When I drive up a friend will join and another friend will drive behind us.
Or, if you hire a company to ship the car. What is the advice around that?
Carlos
