Driving from Florida to California

[cjm41]

I've been missing from the forums for a few months (although I've been relatively active on the E9X M3 Facebook group). I've been busy with work, traveling a lot, dealing with some issues that arose in my personal life and my car has been in storage.

I drove a friend from Tampa to San Diego about a month ago in her car (helped her move with her cats) and the deal was she'd put me up for a month instead of paying for my plane ticket home. While I was out here I'd explore a business opportunity and just take a semi-vacation. I'm a self-employed web developer with a hosting and maintenance business + a consulting (retainer-based) side of my business, so I can work from anywhere, but I must work (always on call).

What ended up happening is... I fell in love with Southern California. The geography, the weather, the scenery, the roads, the national parks, the weather, the roads, the food, the weather, and the weather. The people... are growing on me a bit (I'm originally from NY and there is a noticeable lack of urgency here which can be frustrating). In light of being positive, we'll avoid mentioning the state government, gas prices, etc.

I'm thinking of staying for a few months, maybe longer, I'll be staying with my friend another month and I'd ultimately like to find a month to month corporate rental or a townhouse with a garage.

Anyway...

I'm flying back to Tampa in 3 days and will be there for about a week. I was going to ship my car but the lowest quote came back at $1,630. I've opted to take this opportunity to drive, what I believe to be, a pretty special car across America. I did the drive in a Kia a month ago so I'm not thrilled, but I think I'll ultimately look back at the drive and appreciate it.

Here's my scenario, I'd love some input regarding special considerations I may not be thinking about or going about the wrong way

The car has 81,000 miles. I bought it a year ago with 76,000 miles, fresh off a warranty from the previous owner.

In the last 3,000 miles I've done:

- New driveshaft
- DCT pan and flush
- Brake fluid flush
- Alignment
- Wheels balanced

1,200 miles ago I did:

- Rod bearings
— Oil change
— Motor mounts
— New x-pipe

Before leaving I'd do (items I have on hand):

- Valve cover gaskets
- Spark plugs (and tubes)

Questions:

- Am I missing anything? Anything that really needs to be done before a 2500 mile trip, where the car is running for 12 hours at a pop? The car has about 60% front and 30% tread left on the Hankook Ventus V12s, I'm thinking of doing another road force balancing and alignment before leaving (there is a slight shimmy at 80MPH and I raised my suspension up about .25 inches recently). Only known issue with the car is a small leak from the valve cover gaskets, which I am addressing. I'd like to put new PS4Ss on the car but I've got curb rash on two wheels. Thinking I'd like to powdercoat and install the PS4s once I get to California.

- Car has no cats and an Alpine Stage II tune for 93 octane. Should I put cats on the car before leaving and tune to a stage I for 91 octane? I'm not worried about the cats in CA unless I plan on making this permanent and switching to CA plates, but the car is a bit stinky and loud, I was gonna re-cat at some point anyway.

- the front bumper needs a respray as it's pretty pitted, the hood could prob use it too. I do plan on taping off some high-rock/bug areas anyway.

- I'm considering storing the car at The Vault in San Diego when I get it here. I'll be making the most of my weekends with the car but won't mess with it much during the weeks since I'm staying downtown.

- Per usual, I'll be traveling with a small bag of tools, couple quarts or 10w60, coolant, code reader, laptop with tuning software and cables. I am not loading the car down, I'll have a backpack and a desktop computer. A lot of my clothes are in CA right now and I'm leaving most of my belongings in FL. Am i missing anything crucial?

I know these cars are bulletproof, but let's not pretend it's not a decade old German car. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit stressed about putting 2500 miles on the car in 3 days.

Any input is greatly appreciated!

[Siajoon]

This sounds like a friggen awesome cross country road trip with an amazing car. This will give you some sweet bonding time with this car for sure...

I think you have all the bases covered, but I'm sure others will chime in and point out a few things.

Beautiful ride btw!

And good luck!

[SAMM3Y]

A cooler full of west coast brew's, ballast point maybe since your in SD.. not for the drive but for the stops along the way. That and sugar free Red Bull's...

[Blindside_137]

I say hell yes you should do it.

I have done a couple road trips in some of my dad's corvettes before.

The first was in 2012 when I graduated college. I went to Kentucky with my dad to pick up his new C6 Z06 at the factory. We took it out west to Montana hitting as many states and parks as we could before trekking back to NC. It was a freaking blast. We put over 4,000 miles on his brand new lease, and made some memories that will last a lifetime.

The other trip I did was with my wife and we cruised down to Fort Lauderdale in my dad's C7 Z06. This drive was a lot more boring being on I-95 but still a memorable trip with my wife. And there is something to be said about finding a perfect tunnel or highway overpass, dropping a few gears and hitting the gas. Both vettes were manual and made the most amazing sounds bouncing off of the surroundings.

It sounds like you know how to prepare for the trip, and are prepared if things come up. There will be tons of cool photo ops I think and you can look back on them when we all have electric cars that drive themselves and you'll say, "I can't believe how much fun it was to drive a German V8 race car across the country."

[6ixSpd]

Long highway cruising should be a breeze with all that maintenance already done. I would 100% carry a jack, electric impact and socket, and a spare wheel. AAA may not be enough if you encounter a flat in the middle of nowhere, at least being able to change it out and get to a shop would be easily doable then.

Ditto about wanting to be in SoCal as a car enthusiast, I don't think there's any better location (weather, scenery, beaches, amazing canyon roads a stone's throw away) in the US, period.

[PKL]

SoCal is the best. (not commenting on taxes or government, like you also did not)

And the people's lack of urgency is something that makes SoCal great. The NYC hustle attitude is a life shortener.

I think you'll also find the general level of education and compassion amongst the people you come across is a higher caliber than in FL. (no offense)

[spazzyfry123]

Sounds like a sweet ride.

Bring some extra oil, a jack and spare, some tools...you know the basics. Some of that ride will be far away from the next BMW specialty shop, so best be prepared for the unknown!

[cjm41]

First of all- Thanks for all the positive replies thus far. Definitely making me feel good about my decision!

Originally Posted by Blindside_137

The other trip I did was with my wife and we cruised down to Fort Lauderdale in my dad's C7 Z06. This drive was a lot more boring being on I-95 but still a memorable trip with my wife. And there is something to be said about finding a perfect tunnel or highway overpass, dropping a few gears and hitting the gas. Both vettes were manual and made the most amazing sounds bouncing off of the surroundings.

I have done the I-95 trip (NY to FL / FL to NY) probably 5 times. That's one of the most boring drives, the only way to do that one and have it be special is if you've got some good company.

Originally Posted by 6ixSpd

I would 100% carry a jack, electric impact and socket, and a spare wheel. AAA may not be enough if you encounter a flat in the middle of nowhere, at least being able to change it out and get to a shop would be easily doable then.

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

Sounds like a sweet ride.
Bring some extra oil, a jack and spare, some tools...you know the basics. Some of that ride will be far away from the next BMW specialty shop, so best be prepared for the unknown!

I don't have a spare tire, I do have a lightweight floor jack i'll bring along. I'm not 100% sure where I'd find a spare that wouldn't damage the car more by using it, although I'll dig around the forums for sure. Thanks for the reminder to add roadside assistance to my insurance policy!

I will definitely have all of the BMW dealerships and euro shops plotted along the way. Ideally I don't want to go to a dealership but if I'm in BFE New Mexico, i'd rather have the car towed to a dealer 30 miles away than Dirty Bob's Mufflers and Tires.

Originally Posted by PKL

SoCal is the best. (not commenting on taxes or government, like you also did not)

And the people's lack of urgency is something that makes SoCal great. The NYC hustle attitude is a life shortener.

I think you'll also find the general level of education and compassion amongst the people you come across is a higher caliber than in FL. (no offense)

The lack of urgency is growing on me. It's even rubbed off on me a bit. I'm 36 and I'm pretty tightly wound. Not in a bad way, I'm not aggressive, but if a line doesn't move in a grocery store I feel myself getting irritated. That's starting to fade. I'm starting to smell the roses, so to speak, for the first time in my life. It helps that I'm welcoming it, I suppose.

Fortunately, in Florida I've been mostly surrounded by other small business owners (clients and friends) who tend to be better put together, motivated, etc, but I'd be a liar if I said I didn't know precisely what you are talking about. So, no offense taken! I've never really felt "at home" in Florida.

[SAMM3Y]

The new Ed Sheeran album... don't forget that banger!

[spazzyfry123]

Originally Posted by SAMM3Y

The new Ed Sheeran album... don't forget that banger!

[Eja144]

I would definitely do it. Life is great at giving us excuses to NOT do stuff like that, but in my experience, there's always more regret in playing it safe (except when it comes to S65 rod bearings &#128556.

A few summers ago, my wife and I decided on a whim that we'd road trip from the finger lakes out to Colorado to visit a friend. I took two weeks off work, we loaded our Prius (unfortunately in between fun cars at the time) with our two kids and anything else that would fit, and drove south through Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Kansas, and finally landing in Denver.

We made overnight stops in Nashville and Kansas City, driving all night and pulling into camp grounds at 2am with just enough energy to pitch a tent and roll out some sleeping bags before passing out.

The whole trip was immensely difficult, mentally and physically exhausting, inconvenient, and illogical, but I look back on it as one of the best experiences of my life. Plus, there's a strange pride in winding out a Prius in the Rocky Mountains at 14k feet. Even the car knew it shouldn't be there 😂.

[Scrippy]

You've pretty much hit all the service items. I wouldn't stress it dude, I drive mine from LA to SF twice a month. Way shorter drive but it's usually 6 hours straight because of traffic in SF. My car has 188,000 and the thing has been great to me. As long as you stay proactive like you've been you'll be fine. I think the software and cable is a great idea because it's just good to have to get answers fast. The oil is also a must. I figure you'll be topping off after your 2nd day. Your tires sound fine as well. Sounds like an awesome opportunity to enjoy the car and I'm a bit envious of ya. I love driving my M as much now as when I picked it up. It's such a great car! Enjoy the drive and be safe!

[Dave07997S]

Do it for the experience not the savings. 10 tanks of gas is probably $500-600 plus cost of lodging, wear and tear. Still probably spending half the amount of shipping it. Would be a fun trip..

[roastbeef]

If everything is up to date, just bring everything to change a tire (and a spare) and a couple quarts of oil.

[SkiFly01]

If you plan on keeping the no cats, i'd say get the FL tags renewed, get the 2 yr sticker to avoid the SMOG testing for as long as possible. It's what I did when I had to renew after leaving St Pete going to Nashville. Other than that, just make sure fluids are topped up/fresh and sure do your plugs and valve covers. Maybe carry a tire plug kit just in case you get a nail while in TX. Otherwise just hit cruise control and enjoy the views.

[cjm41]

I think I'm going to grab a pump and patch kit. Should be easier than carrying and using a spare. If the sidewall gets damaged I'll have to wait for a tow, but I want to be cautious about packing with too much.

I also just realized my felt piece of crap is hanging down in the front. It happened the day I was driving it to the storage unit and i just put in storage and didn't mess with it.

As it is, this is an expensive month for me, I'll see if I can fix that, otherwise I may be contacting deansbimmer or (as a backup) Turner for a new undertray, which will have to be installed in my non-climate controlled storage unit in Florida in August.

[Pig Farmer]

Consider enrolling in AAA if you’re not already a member. Even their platinum coverage is pretty cheap and would pay huge dividends if you get a flat, run out of gas, or need a tow.

[drrust]

Having the extra quarts of oil is key. You may need more than you think. I've gotten the low oil notice on long highway runs, let the car sit overnight and then the oil level is higher the next day. There are several threads discussing this. If you do add oil, add 1/2 a bottle at a time.

If your looking for a spare Bimmerzone sells one that works well. Takes up space in the trunk though. I was glad I had it when I had a fast leaking tire.

[Scharbag]

Originally Posted by drrust

Having the extra quarts of oil is key. You may need more than you think. I've gotten the low oil notice on long highway runs, let the car sit overnight and then the oil level is higher the next day. There are several threads discussing this. If you do add oil, add 1/2 a bottle at a time.

Been there, done that...

My kingdom for a dipstick...

[Scharbag]

And for what it is worth, I did a long road trip in my M3 right after buying it. Was wonderful. The M3 is a great highway cruiser. Very comfortable and actually gets OK mileage if you are not beating on it...

Have a great trip!!

[SYT_Shadow]

You're going to have a blast. I did San Fran to Boston years ago in a E46M3. Didn't think twice about it

[cjm41]

Thanks for the continued encouragement, everyone! It's definitely a confidence boost knowing It's totally crazy driving this car across the country.

I just got back to Tampa this morning and went right to my storage unit to get my car. Started right up after 5 weeks like I'd driven it yesterday, so a little extra feel-goods about the the shape of the battery.

I've modified my route slightly:

THU: Tampa > Nashville
FRI: Nashville > Denver
SAT: Denver > Las Vegas
SUN: Las Vegas > San Diego

The Denver to Las Vegas leg will include the i70 through the Rockies and the Grand Canyon.

I'm flying my friend to Tampa from San Diego on Wednesday night so she'll be along for the ride.

I'm pretty stoked. I'll take a ton of photos and probably blog or do a forum post about it, since I'm a nerd. Hoping to be in San Diego by Sunday afternoon but planning as late as a Monday night arrival if we spend too much time not on the road.