997at

Life is strange..............we moved out to the Boston area from the SF Bay Area a year ago and now work will be taking us back to the SF Bay Area. I will be starting the new job in the middle of May and was thinking of taking the opportunity to drive the 911 out there. I've always wanted to do the drive, and it can't get any better than doing it in a 911. For those that have done this, any sage words of advice besides "have a ball and try not to get a speeding ticket"? My one question was whether or not there would be an issue with snow on any of the high point mountain passes in early May...........I'll have summer tires on. Thanks for any thoughts on this.

MessyMarvin

Sounds like Fun!!!!!!

I never did it, but my advice would be to take your time, I would think planning the trip well will be critical.

Good luck!!!!!!!!!!

ecostellodo

https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...-tire-kit.html

At a minimum carry a tire plug kit.

Sorry, I can't comment on the mountains.

CORSASCHNELL

Sounds wonderful. Plan your trip with freeway and some twisty off the beaten path roads and you will have a blast. In May you should be fine with summer tires. Having a co-pilot will be helpful.

Enjoy!

n1gels

Did the Boston to Seattle trip 13 years ago, I-90 all the way - fast, but no fun. If you can, take the time to explore and make a vacation out of it. Highway all the way is no way to use a 911. I'd recommend a co-pilot too. Oh, and if you don't have a clear bra on your car, consider adding it. Your car will take a beating from bugs and road debris.

You'll want to find something to help avoid known radar traps, perhaps the Trapster iPhone app?

Have a great trip!

McCulla

I've done a number of trips 1/3-1/2 your planned distance over the years and even in boring surroundings, the car makes it fun. Collapsible spare tire, serpentine belt (and associated tools), AAA or some roadside assistance program, a quart of oil....that's all I can come up with at 6AM. I'm sure plenty of folks will have better ideas than I. I love doing XC in the 911.

larrytrk

Have done it several times. Have wifie limit herself to 2 bags and several bundles, if possible. Had a tire repair kit, never needed it. There is more room in the back than you think for bags and stuff.
Stay away from dirt roads at historic sites, esp. In Sedona.
Loads of fun on the road. Don't try to pet the Buffalo in national parks.
Resist taking the twisties with souped up Cameros, if you can.
Wave to fellow P cars, may be a few.
Just enjoy the ride!!!!
Do take extra oil and car washing stuff.
Get a sun shade for the inside windows.

Little Green

I do PA to Florida twice a year.
Battery jumpstart
Tire plug kit
Extra quart of oil
Belt and tools.
If your car does not have GPS built in get a GPS unit(Magellan is my favorite). I typically use my phone for GPS but when I am off the beaten path I have lost signal and that, my friend sucks as you have no idea how to get back to where you need to be.

Lots of music on the ipod as I hate having to search for stations that I like.

Find great twisty roads on the map prior to going with easy on/easy off interstate access. I can do my 1000 miles in 15 hours or it can take 2 days. If I am taking my time I will GPS a restaurant or stop in the boonies where it would be fun getting there and back. I don't want to get 100 miles away from the interstate either as that just takes too long.
Plan this with your co pilot as they may have heard of a cool restaurant/town/attraction or road you may want to visit.

If you are planning to just pound out miles then I would put the thing on a truck and save the mileage and wear on the car otherwise take your time, stop when you see something cool and enjoy as much as this country has to offer.

KLS

How do you guys keep your cars clean on a trip like that? I can't bear to go to a car wash and the motel may not offer an outdoor spicket.

mrhebert

We live on Colorado, so you will probably encounter the Continental Divide on I 70. Usually late May is ok, but you might see a little snow at higher elevations. Just take your time, it will be gone in a day's time or less. We have driven cross country and down the coast to San Diego in our 911's through the years to attend various Porsche Parades and I can truthfully say, the drives were some of our best vacations. I agree with others, take your time,enjoy the big sky country of the American West, see some sights along the way, open your sunroof or cab top, and be glad that you have one of the best cars ever made. Have fun!

Macster

Sign up for premium car club membership. There is a lot of open space and if the car breaks down -- though I don't expect it will -- you could be faced with a long tow.

Be sure you have a tire repair kit and know how to use it.

Be sure the tool kit is present and the special stud socket fits all 4 of the security studs. Also, I carry my Sears/Craftsman 1/2" drive torque wrench in the car when I'm on the road.

Be sure the air compressor works.

Before you head out the oil/filter wants to be fresh. All vital fluids at their proper level and of course you have given the car a shakedown and there are no obvious signs of engine trouble: A hard to start engine in town is (for a while) a minor nuisance but you have never had elation turn to desolation so quick as to get back in your car after a nice picture break to fail to have the engine start.

All fluid levels should remain good with no having to top up say coolant with water every once in a while. This is true of tire pressures too. No way you should venture out with a tire with a slow leak.

There should be no signs of any fluid leaks.

In fact, do as I do and have the car road worthiness inspected at a local dealer. In the air the tech can check for nails in tires, leaks, signs of abnormal tire wear (alignment time), etc.

Pack some small throw pillows, a couple of blankets, water bottles, paper towels, TP, over the counter medicines and snacks. If you break down you can be in for a long wait on the side of the road.

I use a portable GPS unit suction cupped to the windshield along side a similarly mounted V1 radar detector.

I carry a hand held dry cell powered CB radio.

Driving in any area requires you always consider road conditions but out of town there differences. Livestock (open range or just a busted fence), wild animals can appear at any time. I've driven thousands of miles over the years and not seen a deer then one night boom! I met one head on, almost.

In the mountains there can be mud, sand, gravel, rocks and boulders on the road way. Almost everywhere you see bare rock above the road you can expect to see some of that on the road, maybe. Hit a TV sized boulder with your car...

Also, in the spring or the fall or in some areas all year round there can be icy or frosty patches on the road. A general rule of thumb is if there is snow on the side of the road there will be wet or even icy patches in places on the road.

Check the weather. Rain at lower elevations can be sleet, or ice or snow at the higher elevations. Instead of pressing on through the stuff pull up at a hotel for the night. In bad weather these can fill up quickly so do not delay. Even call ahead and reserve a room is a good idea.

Every gas stop check the oil level. That long of a drive you'll get a good picture of what the engine's level of oil consumption is.

While the above seems like over kill and many have gotten by with not being properly repaired I just feel better being prepared.

A modern Porsche in good working order is a modern marvel. But have it break down on the side of the road out in the middle of no where and it is not even a good tent.

Mind your speed. While the wide open spaces are wide open they are still patrolled.

Ten mph over is often cited as "safe" but not based on my experience in my Turbo.

Through towns always be aware of the speed limit. Freeway speed limits can drop from 75mph to 65mph or lower. Off the freeway on the highway a 60mph highway speed limit can drop to 35mph or even lower when passing through a small town. And you can bet your car will be eyeballed real good as you drive through town.

Be sure your speed is at the lower posted limit *before* you get to the sign, too. More than once I've spotted -- thanks to my V1 -- a speed trap set just inside the lower speed limited section.

You do not get time to bring the car to the proper speed once past the sign. If you are not careful you may not get much time before the speed limit sign to bring your speed down to the proper lower speed. This is wrong but it is a fact of highway driving.

While it seems a bit of a downer venturing out on the open road requires a bit of planning and forethought. We get spoiled driving around town with good lights, numerous gas stations, good cell phone coverage, a Porsche dealer a phone call and a short tow away.

On the open road all that changes. But still I much prefer to drive across the country than fly.

KeninBlaine

I drove from LA to the Canadian border last Memorial Day weekend, and encountered a little snow a the top of Siskiyou Pass near the Oregon border, so snow is always a possibility but shouldn't be a problem. I have a Colgan bra that I use on longer trips, as higher speeds on freeways can result in a lot of sandblasting on the hood and front bumper. I also incurred a windshield chip from a small piece of gravel on I-5 in Oregon. By the time I got to my destination, a crack had started and I ended up needing a new windshield. Another thing I've done on long trips (alone) where the road surfaces are coarse and therefor noisy, I've used foam earplugs to reduce the fatigue caused by high road noise over 12 or 15 hours of driving. They worked great. I think long trips are a great way to bond with these cars. Go for it, and enjoy.

mander

BOS to SFO by car presents a lot of possibilities for routes. An obvious one is I-80 including across Wyoming. I VIVIDLY remember a trip through the pass between Cheyene and Laramie on I-80 in my 91 318is with summer tires in six inches of slush during Memorial Day weekend in 1995. I would take a more southern leisurely route - southern colorado, utah and so on and then I5 up.

Peter_S03

we have done Fl to S. D Ca. 2x, in 2 2/3 days , never the northern rout. I like it . Good to have spares that u can't find on the way , in case of an emergency. rileys , belts, jumping cables, oil, , rags.
enjoy !!

s329

I understand that driving our 911 cross country is a romantic idea, but am I the only one that thinks this is bad idea? I trust the car a lot more than the unfamiliar surroundings on the way and think you're just asking for trouble. I'd rather do the trip in a beater SUV. I just don't want to risk beating up the car. It's bad enough when I have to drive on sub par roads locally in socal...since it's not my car I can encourage others that have made up their mind to do it, but honestly in don't see myself doing it in my car.