Tips For A Long Drive

[sonnyg403]

Hey everyone, picking up an mr2 from the states and have quite a long drive back. I'll be driving 8 the first day and 12 the next day with a few stops in between every few hours. What are some specific mr2 tips i should know about. Anything i should bring along in case. All help will be appreciated
thanks!

[danny.ta]

Nothing about any mr2 driving but i do have some long drive tips.

Sunflower seeds really do help..... For me, a real goodie is having a play list of comedic performers or the comedy channel on satellite radio. Try not to get audio books or something that can zone you out. With comedy you don't have to think too much, you just get entertained and keep alert.

If your nerdy, counting and doing random math gets kind of fun. like calculating your mpg, how many gas stations in xxx kms, or how many red cars you see vs blue cars.

[zarge]

This is sort of bad advice.. but if i'm getting really sleepy I'll speed for awhile and make some fast passes... always seems to get me up.

[sonnyg403]

haha nice..pretty useful, ill remember those. the comedy idea doesnt sound too bad at all

[BenC]

for me, sunflower seeds work wonders
or listen to oldschool jams that you love and sing along
i have about 3 karaoke cds that i just sing thru.
good for a few hours

[gpomp]

red bull and howard stern keeps me awake during my long drives.

[sh0ko]

if ur like me.. i enjoy the windows down.. the wind in my face.. the music loud (i dont care if anybody thinks im "thuggin out" or w.e) some ppl just enjoy their music loud... and im a huge music freak

redbull = make u crash hard halfway through driving.. dont do it... just tough it out

[Kona9]

Female Passenger + Road Head = Staying awake. (unless you're weak & fall asleep post climax)

[ExtraSlow]

Originally posted by sh0ko
redbull = make u crash hard halfway through driving.. dont do it... just tough it out
Yes, it is a real danger when using energy drinks. it's possible to keep drinking them and keep yourself awake for a long time, but you will feel really bad once you finally come down.


What I like to do is just to take a half hour nap. Here's my program: Drink at least 1l of water about an hour before I plan on stopping, drive until I think I'm going to pee myself. Then stop, have a quick pee, and get back in the car, drink another litre of water, and stop for a nap. That litre of water will wake you up before long, so you won't oversleep. Wake up, pee, and drive onwards refreshed and hydrated.

Also, please make sure you stop somewhere SAFE, not just on the side of the road when you are taking your nap. Take the time to pull into a rest area, or at least onto a side road.

[A790]

I drove my MR2 from London, ON to Calgary- it's about 35 hours of driving. I found that the MR2 was very entertaining to drive, at least when the roads were twisty and something other than a dead straight line.

I loaded up the car with good CD's. It's important to have good tunes to jam to, especially when you're doing 20 hours of driving. If possible, take a friend with you. That always makes long drives fly by, especially if you get into a decent conversation. If you can't take a friend, make a habit out of prioritizing stupid details (ie- it's 400 km to the next town, and at 120 km/hr it will take roughly 3.25 hrs to get there, and that should use around 3/4 tank of gas assuming I maintain my current MPG... you get the idea). What's important is to give yourself something to do so you don't get bored of your skull.

Also, take the T-Tops off if you find yourself getting drowsy. I don't know about you, but wind in my hair makes it damn near impossible for me to fall asleep :)

Also, take pictures of stuff that you pass by that are interesting.

Have fun :)

[Thaco]

I just drive to and from LA, my advice would be to make the first day the longer day if you can, the second day will feel VERY long, even if it's shorter...

on the way down we stopped at salt lake (about 12 hours) he way back we stopped at idaho falls (12 hours from LA)

[sonnyg403]

I'm going to bring like tons of music and maybe eddie murphy's delirious.
A790 any specific mr2 problems with your long drive?

[n1zm0]

not really for MR2s but importing any car from even as close as vancouver, i went to pick up a lexus with a friend from Richmond and the seller said recently serviced bla bla bla, so just as a precaution i told my buddy to check the oil and fk me was the oil black as hell. so we stopped at a mr lube kinda place, changed the oil and drove back.

just a thought if you are buying a car that you have to drive back from wherever.

[kvanderlaag]

This is all good advice. Definitely keep an eye on your trip odometer and your gas meter, as well as the posted distance signs. That alone probably keeps me going the best.

I did Portland to Calgary in one day, about 21 hours total driving. (I took the long way.)

By Golden, I was falling asleep pretty bad. My solution was a great big bottle of water, and like someone suggested, either the comedy station on Sirius, or Radio Classics (old radio plays.) Basically, find yourself something to keep you interested. I find music doesn't really cut it when you're dead tired.

[A790]

Originally posted by sonnyg403
I'm going to bring like tons of music and maybe eddie murphy's delirious.
A790 any specific mr2 problems with your long drive?
Nah man, I had the fluids checked before I left and took off. It was around $65 to fill and I got around 650km to a tank of gas. Very clear sailing. The MR2 is a great car to drive.

[Grogador]

+1 for roadhead, makes time fly by (if she's good)
+1 for nap in rest area

Also, meth.

[badatusrnames]

Caffeine pills, I find Red Bull/Coffee makes me have to stop and go pee...

To keep yourself from crashing, instead of taking a single 200 mg pill at a time (for comparison, a Red Bull is 80 mg of caffeine), I found it better to split the pills into quarters and chew them with some strong gum. This way, instead of having a massive dose and a subsequent crash, you are getting smaller consistent doses, which prevents that crash. I also find that it keeps me from getting too jittery...

Studies have also shown that caffeine is more effective when taken in smaller doses over a period of time as opposed to in a single large dose.

[Ek9Max]

Which mr2 did you end up getting?

[mekeni]

do the rest stop (only in well lit areas) when you are tired, a 45 minute nap will do wonders.

and as someone else said, do the longest drive the first day.

[QuasarCav]

See how long you can go without stopping for a bathroom break.

[mr2mike]

So I'm probably the only other person here who has bought an MR2 from the US and drove it back.

Here's what might help you out...

A passenger, would be good but if no one goes with you, its fine too.

Sleeping at a rest stop in an MR2 is outta the question. I tried it, I was exhausted and it was not comfortable, I tried moving the seat 100 different ways, don't bother. I left about 10min of attempting a nap and drove to the nearest town and got a hotel room.
At 4am, it wasn't too bad, they might give you a reduced rate if you explain what you're doing. I mean for the 4 hrs I slept, they gave my 50% off. Not too bad.

Bring water and a hat, it gets hot with those t-tops (my t-top shades were broken so it wasn't an option to put them on). T-tops fit behind the seat but 9hrs of the wind at 120-140 gets to be a little too much.

Bring lots of CD's, there's lots of areas with crappy to no radio stations in the US. But hitting a new city and cruising the stations is a good change. Then ride it out till it gets fuzzy and go back to CD's. Make sure the deck the guy has, can play burnt cd's or you'll be sorry.

Take a paperclip and instructions on checking the check engine light. I broke my knock sensor while bagging the car when I first got it and had to pay $80 for a shop to run the codes since I had no idea where to find a code checker.

My MR2 had no spare tire either and I knew it going down there so I brought down a tire fix it kit and inflator unit.

Maybe tools to change sparkplugs before you rip it back and a tire gauge to check pressure since not all gas stations lend you one. An oil change might help mileage.

Remember all your paperwork and fax it to the border ASAP once you get the car.

A map of the area you'll be in. That helps, or a bb or iphone with google maps.

Oh and the MR2 does have a low fuel light. I didn't know this so I would always fill up close to empty.

If you're going through the Salt Flats, fill up before you hit it, there's NOTHING for 45min to an hour. NO gas stations, resturants, cell coverage, nothing.

Take a camera, you'll see a lot of cool things along the way.

[avishal26]

For comedy... you need some family guy sound clips :D

The ones with Stewie and Brian are my favourtie :nut:

I've driven from kingston to calgary.. 44 hours of driving and trust me.. anything that gives you a good laugh keeps you awake for a while.

[clem24]

Driving an MR2.. Bring ENGINE OIL.

[SI_futbol]

i had t o buy a pillow to put another my foot cause my mr2 didnt have power steering lol

but if u can have a second driver it makes it so much easier

[ryanallan]

i have done LA - Calgary a couple times.

some of my tips :

wet naps are a god idea
a cigarette outlet to 120V outlet is really useful . you can charge your laptop / cell / camera
satellite radio was worth it
and always have something to drink near by. i would stay away from redbull. water is a good alternative.

also, if your flying down, you cant bring bottled watter across the border. you will have to buy all you fluids down there.

[sonnyg403]

well thanks for the tips guys! i made it succesfully back from Sacramento. Even got the hit up chico race works which was great.

[Supa Dexta]

I've been coast to coast across canada a few times, with only me driving. Point I like to make is about speeding, some people go on about "oh if you only do 10 over, you won't get there any sooner".. maybe so, IN TOWN!... Highway driving, especially for days, that 10 over will realllly add up..

Also know exactly where you are going, and knowing which exits to look for etc in advance makes things much easier, you'll float right thru cities if you know how to get thru them.

Also about getting tired, when you first start to feel it, rather then trying to hold out, pull over get out and take a piss, or even just walk around the car a few times, you come right back when you get some air and get your blood moving more.

All and all, relax, and sit back and enjoy the view, theres lots of good country to be seen.

[alloroc]

Originally posted by clem24
Driving an MR2.. Bring ENGINE OIL.

If its a mk1 check the supercharger oil.
(use GM supercharger fluid - its a hell of a lot cheaper.)

Edit:
Doh .. just read you made it.

WTG.

[nj2Type-S]

i'm heading to saskatoon for the weekend and i just saw that 5 hour energy drink commercial. anyone try that before?

[schocker]

I tried 5hour energy on the way home from with my car. it depends on the person for how long it takes to kick in, took about 10mins for me, but it worked really well and is exactly like the ad describes, gives you a big burst of energy and no fall off. It is just the taste is awful.

[nj2Type-S]

sweet....so take 1 bottle and i should be good for the entire 5 hrs? should be just enough to get to sask, hehe. :D

[schocker]

yah, maybe get a second one just to be safe, dont know what kind of affect having one after another would have though, but one kept me awake at night driving through those boring states.

[Neil4Speed]

Myself and Arian_ma went on a spur of the moment trip to Going to the Sun Road in Montana - we were leaving at 3:30 in the morning and on the way back we got pretty tired/bored around 4. With both of us cruising on Highway 2 South I looked in my rear view and saw some sort of appendage sticking out of my buddys car. Sure enough, this is what I see

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n117/neil4speed/GoingtothesunS08118.jpg


Surprisingly enough - it actually really does wake you up! So I gave it a shot too!

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n117/neil4speed/GoingtothesunS08123.jpg