crittertoo

My wife and I just bought a Boxster S...she has only about 200 miles on her. We are planning a return San Francisco- New York City road trip on her. This will be the first Porsche that we own therefore any assistance is greatly appreciated.

1) What kind of spares should I pack along ? (mandatory duct tape, flash lights and malboros)

2) What kind of oil and coolant should i pack?

3) Any clubs to join other than the AAA?

4) Suggestion for preventive maintenance ? (eg checking oil and coolant every morning, oil/water leaks on the pavement, tire pressure and temperature)

5) Looking at google maps, we will be using the I80 towards NY. Any suggestion for the return leg (nyc to SF)? Should we do the north west or south west return leg?

Your forth coming reply is greatly appreciated.

Guo6367

Funny,I just drove all the way from NY to SF last month.
I would suggest have the front end covered by protection film before a long trip.

il pirata

+1 on protection film for the entire front end.

Check your owners manual for the break in recommendations. Long periods at the same RPM have generally not been recommended.

Where ever you bought the car check to see what oil it currently has in it, then get a quart.

If your going out I80 definitely come back southeast.

When are you going? There are lots of Porsche events during the summer you could tie into.

cas951

Your Engine is not broken in yet and driving at. I start highway speed is not the way to break it in. Drive the back roads for your first few hundred miles and drive at various speeds. Schedule an oil change at about 1k miles.

Have a couple qt oil with you.
The best tools to take with ou is your AAA card. Don't sign p for the standard. Sign up for the best one they have. For me I do a lot of road trips. With AAA I have one 200 mile tow and Two 100 miles tow.

On your return do hwy 40 and take Route 66 whenever you can.

Archimedes

Coast to coast in a Boxster S. You and your wife are pretty young, I take it?

As another poster said, worst place to break in a new car is droning on a freeway at stable, low RPM. I'd put some miles on the car before you make the trip. And re: oil bring a couple quarts of the Mobil 1 it came from the factory with.

cas951

I just I'd a 3000 mile road trip over a 12 day period. The Bxster was more than confortable. My road trip was cut short and had to come back home on a moment notice from Flagstaff, Az. I drive 745 miles in under 11 hrs back to the Bay Area. That was a real blast driving spirited drive. My wife was sleeping half the time.

I am considering driving the Boxster to PCA parade next year. I'm definitely driving. It's just a matter of which car to take.

il pirata

That will be a haul…it's in Vermont.

Zeus993

Fantastic and welcome to the Forum! You've picked nut just a good car but a GREAT car. Other answers above have covered oil, front protection etc...

Clubs? Join the Porsche Club of America. It's an EXCEPTIONAL organization - I now sit on the local Board of Directors and am increasingly impressed with it and its members.

Here's the link: https://www.pca.org/user/join/membership

And here's what you can do - plan out your trip and stop in at local PCA Chapter events as you pass through. When I travel I now look up Chapter websites to see what they are having for events and stop in! Who do you meet? People just like you and a whole bunch of nice cars.

Macster

I'm a little leery about taking a new car out on an extended trip. There's the issue of driving the car at steady speeds for periods of a time which is contrary to the break in guidelines.

But a new car can manifest new car problems and I like to get some miles on a car before I take my first long road trip with it. Generally this means I avoid long trips during the break in period.

If you insist on going on the trip -- and I agree my concerns are probably just being overly cautious -- my advice would be to get the oil/filter service done *before* you head out. The factory fill oil and filter will be "filthy" with stuff -- which is normal for a new engine -- but I would hate to drive thousands of miles with that filth in the oil. While there is a filter there is the issue of at cold engine start the filter being bypassed and unfiltered oil being routed to the engine.

With my new 2008 Cayman S I changed the oil at 750 miles and the oil was filthy. The filter housing oil looked like some kind of bad metal flake paint with all the "glitter" in it. (I have a pic I can send you if you ask.) I changed the oil again at around 1500 miles and the amount of "glitter" in the oil was just barely visible.

Thus the least I would do is before I left get an oil/filter service.

Other than that, be sure you have the 800 number for the Porsche road side service handy and get a premium auto club membership.

Take a spare quart bottle of oil and a gallon of distilled water. Be sure you stow this so if the bottle leaks it doesn't flood the car's trunk. I carry water/oil in a plastic tub.

Be sure you have a full tool kit, jack and the security lug socket fits *all* security wheel locks.

Vary RPMs during your drive.

Keep a reasonably close eye on the vital signs of the car. You should do this for a new car or one that has a bazillon miles on it. Check the oil level every fuel, food or bio stop. Check vital fluids every day before starting out.

I don't believe in "spares". I carry some 2x4 pieces to use to chock the wheels if I have to change a tire and to use under the jack if the ground is not level or not firm enough.

Have a coupe of good flash lights in the car.

Keep your cell phones charged up.

I like to travel with a battery powered hand held CB radio. I tune it to channel 19 and listen to the truck driver reports on road conditions, bear trap locations, etc. In a pinch you can use the CB radio to ask for help. (I did one time when my Boxster broke down outside of Strong City KS and I had no cell phone with me.)

Keep a sharp eye out for road debris. (It was road debris that resulted in my Boxster breaking down in KS.)

Watch your speed. The car sticks out like a sore thumb and you will get pulled over while other cars are going as fast or faster than yours.

extanker

a drug dealers size wad of cash,2 credit cards ,cell phone and clean clothes . do not bother with any tools....billy bobs truck stop will have nothing part wise in stock. they will stock oil if needed. drive it anyway ya want and change the oil after a few thousand miles.end of hbo drama

TerrySmith

If this is a brand new car, you should have Porsche Roadside Assistance - the dealer should have given you a little card for this with the car. I used this service when my shift cable broke and it is better than AAA (I've been in AAA for 30 years or something). So, if you do have Porsche Roadside Assistance, I see no reason for you to join AAA. (AAA does have nice roadmaps.)

Also keep in mind that the 2015 Porsche is the top rated brand by JD Power for least problems reported in the first 3 months of ownership, so that should give you a little piece of mind for this trip.

I agree with others, though, get the car broken in before the trip.

ClintonM3

I did a cross country trip while in college, using I-80, connecting Bay Bridge to GW Bridge.

I-80 runs through Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, you should visit. Other than that, whole lotta nothing between Sacramento and Illinois other than sceneries. Nebraska is the most boring state.

Not sure when your trip starts/ends. I went north in Chicago to Milwaukee to go to Summerfest. Summerfest starts today, through July 5, I had a flipping awesome time.

As for car specific suggestion, get a tire patch kit and stay away from the potholes. Watch out for NJ drivers too, in NJ everyone has right of way.

masti99

I agree with most of the advise already posted, also recommend Chemical Guys waterless wash and microfiber towels. Works well on all paint. Also a radar detector for those spirited driving moments. Enjoy the trip and have fun with lots of pics!

Machog

Radar Detector!

Orange Leader

I'm probably too late but get yourself a good cup holder :-)
And your iphone loaded up on songs or Pandora.