Cross country road trip in MS3?
 

So it looks like I'm packing up my bags for a new life in the Pacific NW. I'll be driving from Austin, TX to Seattle or Portland. It should just be me and my lady in the MS3 with some of my meager possessions.

Do you guys have any suggestions for the 2000 mile trip?
Fresh oil
Maybe a roof rack with a cargo box so it's not jammed packed inside
Triple A membership?
Horrible beaded seat cover?

Adderall.
True story. Just logged 2k miles.

^ I turned into a robot behind the wheel on that. Never stopped only to gas up, eat, and rest stops.

I've driven from San Diego to Virginia Beach. Definitely check oil, fluids, tires, etc. I ran a conservative tune since 93 octane fuel is not available everywhere. Just throwing it out there if you're tuned or not. Happy trails!

Good thinking on the tune. I'm on an ots 93 octane tune.
And for the drug use. I'll be taking a drug screening as soon as I get to my new job, so that is most likely out of the question. That, and i'm a brown guy driving through since po-dunk areas.

When you get to Portland you'll have to come out to Cascade Cars and Coffee Portland where us Mazdaspeeders hang out.

Cascade Cars & Coffee Portland

Yeah, will do. I always meant to hang out more with other speeders in Austin, but right after I got my speed I left my job and went back to school. Seeing the more decked out ones always made me window shop for parts that I could not afford.
It's good to hear that speeds survive up there. I was contemplating trading in for a truck or suv.

When is your ETA?

My brother and I drove my MS6 from Ft. Lauderdale Florida to Orange county California in 41 hours packed full. We only stopped for gas and drove all through the night. My car made it like a champ, except I chipped my windshield and eventually had to get it replaced. it was real fun, Florida and Texas were so long.


Sent from my mouth

Just did that trip from Houston to Portland and back..6k mis. You're only going to get 91 after Texas..just take it ezy are find some ethanol when you can. I didn't and had no problem..added some octane boost but don't know if that helped. What route you takin. If you want some suggestions let me know..found some great roads to take. Just depends if you want to see nice country or just hall ass. Also went to the coffee and cars in Portland..nice people..a must do.
I was real comfortable but I stopped in NM and visited a friend and went flyfishing in Aztec NM then took the Million Dollar hwy from Durango to Uray then up to Utha to fish again o the Green river below the flaming Gorge dam...Ia is boring..as soon as you cross into Or it's a different world. Traveling along the river is really nice..When you get into Portland don't think you have a flat the roads suck from snow chains and traffic sucks.
Oh..my avatar was shot on 101 on way back.

Here's a thread when I went. also watch video of the Milliom Dollar hwy
http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/foru...rtland-115554/

Thanks for all the input guys.
ETA is looking like early october. So I'll have some time to plan.
I guess I'll be dropping to a 91 octane tune.
I'll have to do all the driving since my lady refuses to learn stick.
I'm hoping to turn it into an adventure, with fun stops along the way.
I have a road bike and a mountain bike to take, so I might get a hitch rack(bikes) and a roof rack(cargo box). I usually just toss my bikes in the hatch, but since I need to pack my life in there, room will be limited.

Nice country between here and there...plan wisely...keep us informed..send pics

Have fun!!

I moved back to the NJ area after xmas last year from Houston. I did my 1k oil change and hit the road by myself. Only stopped for gas and bathroom breaks every time i hit a new state. But be warned, these seats were not designed for long distance comfort. Good luck and safe driving.

I'm 64..I had no problem with the seats..loved every mile, all 6k!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's only in ur head the way you perceive it. LOL

Good to know. I injured my back paying football, so my disc acts up every now and then.

Just did Seattle to Laramie, Wyoming. 19 hours... Not too bad.

I drove from San Diego to Chicago to San Diego last summer. It was a lot of fun car is awesome for road trips. Definitely not designed for road trips but still fun. Oil change before and after. I loved every minute. I'm about to do it again in January. Moving to Chicago for school and work. This time it will be a little strange mods and suspension is going to be a different story. Good luck, have fun. I'm taking a little while to do my trip. Want to see parts of the country that I flew through before.

My advise to you is to not use the Economy Mode on your AP. That thing is crap. Don't worry about your MPG too much. Highway driving will get you decent MPG, but once you hit the city all that slow driving goes down the drain. Enjoy the open road!

I relocated from new york city to florida with my car packed with crap (the rear tires tucked in). Drove without issues, but had to be the most boring drive ever lol.

Oh I had one problem, my ass kept falling asleep and my foot lol

Me and my dog will be making the trip from Seattle to NC this Thursday. Got everything in check. Honing to be fun.

How many hours of driving do you guys usually try to fit into one day?
The way I have it planned, I'll have no more than 12 hours each day.

You might ask ur corider..My first day was 14, after that I averaged 8-10hrs between my planned stops. I spent atlease a whole day at my stops.

Pussy. ;) Depends on the distance, but I usually try and do 20 hrs before sleeping. In January '09 I was living in NC and bought an '08 Subaru Spec B in Los Angeles. Flew in to LAX and picked the car up and left at noon on a Sunday. Took the long way through Denver (to look at a few houses my realtor had for me to look at), and made it back to Greensboro, NC (2200+ miles) in 36 hrs of driving (I did sleep two nights for 4 hrs each). Great road trip. :)

Holy shit. I AM a pussy!
I drove for 3 hours and my butt went numb. The good thing is that I may have convinced my friend to pick up half the driving duties.
I'll be driving out there beginning of october.

I am about to embark on a 2100 mile trip from Colorado Springs to Hillsboro, Or (40m West of Portland...jic you didn't know). What is it that you guys were mentioning about the octane fuel?

You can get 92 easily in Oregon and Washington. 93 is hard to come by though. You'll probably want to run a 91 ots map. (if you don't run a custom tune)

drove from oklahoma to vancover washington... mapquest said 23 hours... did it in right under 19 only stopped for gas thats it.. had food and drinks in the car.. and did it all in a 07 STI... sorry wasnt a MS3.

How about an MSF VIP membership?

I might be driving from PA to Seattle in January / Feb, 44 hours, 2700 miles. I'm on a tuned 93 oct map. I imagine I should contact my tuner to work out a 91 oct tune before then?

@infektedx, just since you're doing PA west, I can definitely tell you all of the states along 90 at least through WI has 93. Did Rochester, NY to Madison a few times. The rest I'm not so sure about, but there is always E85 :)

Remove wallet from rear pocket to reduce ass cramps!

Hope you had fun, I am going from Goldsboro NC all the way to Puyallup WA during Christmas/New years lol

Should be some interesting mountain driving

you can visit @Lex in Van city up in Canada