Cross-country trip preps -- what to carry?

[ClayW]

Then we can give you phone numbers if we're on your path. I doubt you'll roll through Lubbock, TX, but shoot me an email if you might. Clay (dot) Weiland (@) gmail (dot) com.

[giusto]

• air compressor

• bottle jack

• elastic cargo ties

• flashlight & batteries

• funnel

• gas container

• hammer, ball peen, 10”

• jumper cable

• knife/leatherman

• leather gloves

• maintenance manual

• multimeter

• pliers, adjustable, 12”

• pliers, needle nose, 6”

• side cutters, 6”

• pry bar (small)

• safety goggles

• screwdrivers (flat, Phillips)

• shovel

• socket set, 3/8 drive

• tire chock

• tire-pressure gauge

• vice grips

• wire strippers/cutter

• wrench, adjustable

• wrench, spark plug

• wrenches, combination 6-17mm

• car duster

• hex key for mirrors

Shouldn't the car duster be at the top of the list?

[JsnPpp]

Work? Family? Not being nosy, just curious. I always like to hear the motivations for such a dramatic change as where you live...

:-)

-Jason

[Ray-2002tii]

ALWAYS carry a spare fuel injection drive belt, even when driving locally. This will ensure you will never need it. One other item I always take on trips is a tape called "Rescue Tape". It is a tape the when you wrap it around an item like a hose and stretch it, it bonds to itself making a permanent seal. Pretty cool stuff.

http://www.rescuetape.com/

[rogerspeed]

fire extinguisher (should always be in a gas car) and coil.

[BeEmVeh2002]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it, but I would carry a spare guibo/flex disc with me, just in case it cracks or fails along the way.

-Cyrus

[robspeed]

I agree with c.d. about doing the tuneup and maintenance before you leave, but keep the old parts in the trunk just in case! or you could forget all that and just tow a honduh civic behind you the whole way... ;-p

[dubois]

fire extinguisher (should always be in a gas car) and coil.

A big fire extinguisher! Anything else can be solved with a cell phone and cash!

I am also a big fan of GPS, bought a Magellean for $125 last December, and now I can't read maps!

[robspeed]

fire extinguisher (should always be in a gas car) and coil.

A big fire extinguisher! Anything else can be solved with a cell phone and cash!

I am also a big fan of GPS, bought a Magellean for $125 last December, and now I can't read maps!

I have and always will navigate with my internal direction finder.... it gets plenty of practice on the confusing roads of bham, al. there are no numbers on buildings and the street names rarely match the names on the maps anyway. excellent workout for the ol' internal compass! ;-p

[shipm_8]

If Elvis were alive, he would write a song about all of you. Thanks for the replies! Work is taking us back, but that's ok...as much as we love San Francisco, and we are settled here, we are looking forward to the adventure. And meeting new '02ers! I will miss the Bay Area '02 gang, but we'll be back.

Bill: Thanks for the welcome and for encouraging me on my English (not my first language). Also, I have been admiring your cars from afar, so look forward to a closer look.

We haven't planned the route yet, but when we do, we'll post it. We would love to meet some of you along the way.

Thanks, Mike, on reminding me about the wiper relay. A story I have been too embarrassed to share before: I was driving with my wife from San Francisco to San Diego last January during the heavy rains and managed to lose the left wiper. Cleverly, I took the passenger's side and put it on the driver's side. Got back on the road, all proud that I had demonstrated my resourcefulness to my bride. Sixty seconds after I thought "Wouldn't it be terrible if I lost this one too?" it flew off. A bottle of RainX got us to the Double02Salvage in Hayward where I learned about retaining clips. Well...I'm from Southern California, and we seldom use wipers there, but now I know.

For GPS we use a Garmin zumo, the same one I use when riding the beemer. I've had an extinguisher mounted for a while, and replaced the seat belts last year. And got tunes, although I like the sound of the engine better.

The car has done fine on several San Francisco-SoCal trips, and I have had it regularly serviced. I'm planning on one last checkup before we go, and also have to wire the gauges. Got a panel from Parker Performance, but those gauges are not connected yet.

Which brings me to the question: Which would you have on top and which on the center console? Now I have Oil Temp, Oil Pressure and Volt on top (line of sight), and water temp, outside temp, clock on the center console. Thinking about moving water temp to the top, and the Voltmeter to the bottom. Thoughts?

Thanks,

William

[Mike Self]

Oil pressure is paramount--by the time your warning light comes on, you've already lunched the engine if you're at highway speeds (it illuminates at 7 psi on the stock sender, 14.7 on the VDO dual gauge/light sender). Oil temp is a good indicator of accumulated engine heat, and the voltmeter is a good thing to glance at periodically. You already have water temp in your OEM instrument cluster, and outside temp and clock are in the "nice to have" category; leave 'em in the console.

Good luck on your trip--and if you are passing thru Dayton on I-70, let us know ahead of time and we'll plan a getogether. We're a day's drive from DC, incidentally, and have the AF museum (best collection of military aircraft in the world) here, among other things...

cheers

mike & the SW OH '02 gang

[BillWilliams]

When you get here we can drive old cars or ride bikes, always up for a ride in either.

The wife's slow heavy HD may be able to keep your Beemer in sight.

This is a friend's Beemer "garage".

[jgerock]

Welcome to the East Coast! I took more than enough tools and spare parts on my 700 mile drive to the V@V event last month. Luckily, I didn't use anything. Some useful items:

Good spare tire with proper lug nuts

1/2" drive breaker bar with 15,17,19mm sockets

plastic zip ties

Duct tape

Cell phone charger

Sunscreen lotion

Change of clothes for lying on the ground

Folding wheel chock

Bungee cords to secure the boxes in the trunk

Looking forward to meeting you.

[shipm_8]

Thanks, Jim, for helping me tweak the list.

We look forward to meeting you too.

Best,

William

[jgerock]

Here are two more: box of disposable gloves and a roll of paper towels.

All of the tool and spare part listings are good for any older car. There was a great listing in a Hot VW's article written by VW collector Bill Collins -can't remember how long ago that was.

Where are you moving to in Northern VA?