mtl911sc

I just returned home Friday from a 7260-mile vacation from Montreal, Canada to Lake Tahoe - SF - Monterey - Grand Canyon and back...achieved with my wife in our C4S. Wondering if anyone here has topped that distance in a single journey?

This wasn't my first road-trip experience in a 911, as I had bought my 911SC in Nebraska in October 2006 and drove it home 1600 miles. But that trip was a solo mission and not a vacation.

The car began the trip with almost 71K miles on it - no special prep other than fresh oil, new tires for the job (BS RE760 Sports), rear rotors, and a complete Zaino workover & interior detail. So prior to departure I was a bit nervous about something going wrong en route, like the AOS, water pump, or coolant reservoir, but decided not to stress over it and let the chips fall where they may. End result was absolutely zero complaints from the car, nothing but gas and an oil top-up halfway through. So me & the C4S have now officially bonded

Managed to hit 130 mph for a short stretch on I-80 in Wyoming (or was it Nebraska?), otherwise we were cruising very comfortably between 85-95 for much of the way out to CA, with a V1 up & running the whole way. It was highway heaven: we only got rained on twice during the entire round trip and encountered a stretch of fog booting down Hwy 1 from Carmel.

Other points of note:

1) I-80 through Iowa & Nebraska is great - love their roads & higher speed limits;
2) The Bonneville Salt Flats are absolutely DEAD in mid-May, we were the only ones there;
3) Hwy 50 through Nevada is labeled the "Loneliest Road in America", but it's not quite that lonely;
4) Hwy 50 west from South Lake Tahoe rivaled CA Hwy 1 for enjoyable driving;
5) The 49-mile scenic drive around SF is not very well-marked in places;
6) Hwy 1 south from Big Sur is an even better drive when it's foggy and you're not distracted by the awesome coastal scenery;
7) Hwy 46 from Cambria, CA inland is a really nice stretch of road;
8) Passing cars & RVs on Hwy 64 between I-40 & the Grand Canyon can get real interesting
9) I-70 through Ohio is NUTS for speed traps, never seen anything like it

Overall this trip was something I had wanted to do for a long time, and I would do another one in a heartbeat - no regrets!

I hope that any of you who decide to do a similar trip have the same good fortune with your 996 that I did - just let her rip!

maci911

wow that must be one long journey- 7260mi ,hey Phil what do u think about that?

Phil G.

I think it makes my 150 mile trip today seem like a hop to the grocery store. I should reach 7260 miles on my car when I'm around 75.

Macster

took 20 over to Bend, then Eugene, Sacramento, SF bay area, down to southern CA, across into to AZ, across NM into Texas and back up to KC.

Don't recall the number of miles, but probably not 7200. 6000 or maybe a little more though.

Didn't start out with fresh oil/filter but with oil with just several thousand miles on it. Was going to have oil/filter serviced in Bend but dealer refused. Had it done at Sacramento dealer instead.

Car ran just fine and even though ran into 116F heat in AZ (trip was in mid-July!) had no problems.

These cars love long distance trips. Oh, mileage at time of trip? Can't be sure of exact miles on car but it wasn't up to 80,000 yet, that I know.
.
My memory of I-80 across Neb. -- not this trip but other trips -- not as good as yours. One crosses the Platte river about a zillion times and the stockyards keep one bathed in that odor for it seems the whole distance. Wyoming is simply beautiful. Heck every state and every view's beautiful. We live in a beautiful country.

I haven't driven too much in Ohio but there are a lot of speed traps on any freeway On a drive from CA to KC I'll encounter at least one huge bear trap and sometimes two, going and coming. Funny but one can drive to 1000 miles (nearly) and not see bear #1 then run into 3 or 4 or more in the space of just 10 or so miles.

I use in addition to V1 a hand held CB radio to listen on channel 19 (in west anyhow) for bear reports from big rig drivers.

Still one has to be very very careful. 10 over will get you pulled over in no time and even worse is because a Porsche sticks out even if you're going limit or even a few miles under if another car is behind or beside you cop can pull you over for the speeding infraction cause with all the attention on your car he didn't even see other car. (Happened to me in Cisco Tx one night. I *argued* with officer (politely of course) cause he was so horribly mistaken and managed to get away with a warning. But I think I was lucky.)

You had right attitude. When I head out I head out with car in good condition -- local Porsche dealer will do a free road worthiness inspection before I go if I ask -- and with cell phone and 800 number for AAA roadside assistance and towing. At $109/year auto club dues best insurance one can have.

My attitude is if car breaks down I'll either tow it to Porsche dealer for repair or replacement.

Have not had to replace it yet. Had to have it repaired once when I busted radiator in KS -- hit some road debris (tire carcass) and another time when AOS gave up in MO.

Oh, '02 Boxster 5-speed with 219,000+ miles and counting.

Sincerely,

Macster.

redridge

WOW....Im jealous.... You have to post some pics!

mtl911sc

Sure will, once I sort through them for a few which are worthy of this forum

Car was spotless when we left but didn't stay that way for long - the tight mountain curves & hills in Nevada & Tahoe made for much brake dust before we even got to the west coast.

Orient Express

My road trip last year from San Jose Ca. to Dayton Ohio and back.

Nevada Desert




Kansas in the Summertime


Dayton Ohio


Nebraska Cruise night


Bonneville Speed Week


Back home again


Average MPG for the trip was 29.7. No problems, no issues, just a great trip!

Chaos

Ohio : Worst roads,most police and the infamous "Ohio Right" turn(Swing left to turn right).

russo

On my to do list.

Barn996

Now that's what it means to really drive your Porsche!!!

ivangene

looks like you got home just in time, you are out of gas!!!

haha

Nice trip ! (both of you)

Orient Express

The stretch between Indianapolis and Dayton was the worst road and traffic I have seen in a while. Wall to wall trucks, pot holes galore, and highway patrol every 2-3 miles. Not a nice time on that part of the road.

mtl911sc

That was my experience too! If I remember the majority of the way through MO was similar or worse...tight quarters, too many trucks, & too much stress. Was glad to get past there.

People can say what they want about KS, NE, IA interstate being boring, but I really enjoyed it - excellent cruising on smooth highways, easier to spot speed traps, and much less traffic - trucks or otherwise.

Lotsa roadkill in KS though, my wife was rather nervous at night.

wwest

Seattle to Daytona Beach, three laps around "the" track (no, don't know the top speed), return via Memphis, Texas and Fresno. An 87 MPH speeding ticket, in a 75, east of El Paso. Justice of Peace threw out the citation based on troopers (inadvertent) "admission" on his own video.

mtl911sc

At the abandoned Bonneville Salt Flats


At the Golden Gate Bridge of course


Oceanside in Pacific Grove, CA


CA Hwy 1 heading south towards Big Sur