Having to move to L.A. I was considering having the Z shipped, but with the shipping costs + airfare I *might* just drive it..although I have never done such a long drive in the Z. The furthest I have been is Seattle>Portland.

Any tips for doing such a long drive in the Z, things to be cautious of? Is there enough gas stations along the way or is some careful fuel planning needed? Good stopping off points? Any suggestions appreciated!

 

i drove my car from Vancouver BC to San fran and it wasent a problem. As for the gas station, yes there is enough gas stations and no fuel planning is needed. however when i drove my car that distance i taped (body tape) my entire front bumper and fenders to prevent rock chips and bug specs that usually get engraved into the paint. In my experience it was really helpful because it prevented this, and let me tell you there was a lot of bugs on the tape when i came home. I have pictures but i dont know how to post them. And another thing, the 350z is not a really comfortable car to drive such a distance, so be ready to feel the pain afterwards

 

music...

google some planned stops, tourists stops if any...

and of course rest up before the trip...

 

Body tape

 

I find the Z fairly comfortable for long trips. Have fun and be safe. Body tape is really the only suggestion I can think of, but thats a little redundant at this point.

 

assuming you will be taking I-5, its a nice,curvy drive. From Portland till Sacramento there is much out there, so yeah music is a must. BUT from Sacramento til LA, take RT 101, you will love it.

 

I've made the trip a couple of times from San Diego up to Seattle and then from Seattle back down to Los Angeles.

I was in a SUV with 1800 pounds of stuff - including a wife, a dog, and a handful of birds in a cage.

The trip was about ~20 hours if I recall correctly and I just did it in two eight hours days and a half a day the final day. I had a computer with streets & trips and a GPS so I knew how far I was going each day, where the nearest food and gas was at any one time and how much longer to go before the day was done.

I found Oregon to be trouble - lots of radar traps and you can't pump your own gas there. Lots of trucks in narrow highways - I don't recall Oregon having truck lanes.

Take your time and know your limits. Travel during the day when you're most alert. Don't drink afterwards and get a good night rest. Eat sit down meals rather than eating over the steering wheel.

 

1.) tape up your whole front end, unless you like bug tar and rock chips galore on your whole front bumper...

2.) if you feel like you're tired, MOST LIKELY YOU ARE.. so pull over and nap.

3.) RED BULL & STARBUCKS ESPRESSO COFFEE SHOTS are your best friends
stock up on them for your trip...

Can't you get one of those vehicle carts and hitch it to the moving van???

 

First of all, my condolences for having to move to LA.

Secondly, I get the feeling that you have never made a road trip before, so you must be rather young.

As others have mentioned, just be careful about driving while sleepy. Behind alcohol and speed, driving while sleepy is one of the leading causes of accidents. Enjoy the trip and if you have the time, taking 101 is a great idea. Also, watch the weather carefully. Winter driving over the Siskyous can be a bit dicey at times.

Have fun.

 

I've done the opposite SF to BC.

Nothing to complain about really. Tho we didn't drive non stop (hotels and scenery stops) .


OP:
Can't really add more tips than those already posted. Though Imo always bring someone else along on long road trips. You'll have company(and safety), a second pair of eyes and relief driver all in one.

 

maybe a lumbar pillow, my back was killing me after 4 hours.

 

Awesome advice thank you all!!

As for the 'body tape' what kind are you referring too for the front bumper and where did you get it from?

 

If you get tired, pull over.

If you get hungry, eat somethin'.

 

WildOne...

Driving: The key is to stay alert. If you feel tired, pull over at a rest stop and stretch. Gas is no problem if you fill up at about a 1/4 tank when you stop to eat. Realize that this is a long endurance drive and you don't care about those speedier cars. Try to use the cruise control to hold a steady speed. Let the speedsters by. When you are in the left lane and a car in the right lane is coming up on a slower car, speed up _early_ and pass them so that you don't jam them into the slower car.

Damage Control: Keep your eye on the rear view mirror and if you see a car coming up fast watch how the other cars react. It could be a cop. If you see a cop in front that pulls off the highway, watch to see if he/she just pulls back on as you pass the onramp. Some cops will sit in the divider zone and hit you with radar, so don't be in hurry to lead a line of cars, and try to stay in the right hand lane in light traffic.

Road Conditions: Portland to Medford is good except near Roseburg, OR where you get into the mountains and there are lots of curves. Even there you are fine in a Z, UNLESS it is raining or there is ice. Summer tires can be a problem in OR in the winter. Past Medford, OR you will climb over the Siskiyou Mountains which can be closed or require chains in winter. If there is any snow, slow down. Near Yreka the road straightens and the speed limit goes to 70. Once you start descending into CA, there is a long downhill stretch with lots of curves, beware of the speed traps well before Redding when the speed drops suddenly to 55. Past Redding the road straightens and there is a long run back to 70. If you stay on I5, as you get to LA you will hit the Grapevine. This is a long climb and the Z will have no trouble, but some cars will overheat there. All I can say is keep your ego in check at the Grapevine and realize that some cars are going to have a hard time climbing it unlike the Z. Try not follow the crowd and go crazy on the descent.

California Driving: If traffic is light, which is more common these days, you will have no problem by staying in the right hand lane and passing in the left hand lane. (What a concept). If traffic is heavy you will learn to drive the California way, which is to stay in the left lane and keep up with traffic which will slow and speed up constantly.

See the Coast: Another alternative is to make this a fun trip instead. Cut over at Grants Pass, OR to the Redwood forest at Jedediah Smith, on the way to Crescent City, CA and then down the coast. Or cut through San Jose to the Monterey Bay area, Carmel, and the Big Sur.

Have fun, but drive safe.

 

blue masking tape works well, you can get it at Home Depot.

 

Thanks very much for all the tips I appreciate it!

 

Great thank you!

 

I drove Modesto CA to Silverdale WA and back . No problems. If you take 5 unless you run yourslef stupidly low on gas before looking to fill up you should have no problems. Car wise I adjust my seat and get comfrotable the biggest complaint I had from the long trip was road noise.

 

Don't tape it up and look like a wannabe trackstar...get a clear bra or a leather one. Just my 2 cents.

 

Getting a radar detector wouldn't hurt since driving 80-90mph is the norm on I-5 and highway patrol are always on the hunt.

I made a trip from LA to Santa Cruz (and back) 2 weeks ago and there was a plethora of speed traps on the way.

And I dunno how to prep for this but there was a lot of dead skunks.. dunno if its the time of the year for them to commit suicide but it stank.