3960 Miles! What a Ride!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 108
Likes: 3
3960 Miles! What a Ride!
Clearwater to Birmingham to Nashville to Inidanapolis back to Nashvville (Stones concert) to Northern Virginia to Blueridge area of North Carolina to Atlanta back to Clearwater!
Never missed a beat ... the car - not me.
It was hot enough in Nashville to literally melt the emblems off the car.
Lost a lug nut cap somewhere along the way.
Learned that the Secondary Air Induction System fan also runs if my car is hot - not above spec hot, but all day on the freeway hot. Not sure this is supposed to happen. Maybe a sensor issue or maybe I run a bit rich under those conditions. Will chage plugs and wires just in case.
My missed beat was in Blowing Rock NC when I exited a parking lot not noticing the elevation difference between the lot and the road. Scraped rocker panel bottoms on both sides. Wife says "you can't see them." Tell her "I see them in my sleep."
The Novistretch Bra and Mirror covers did ... okay. Maybe too much bug guts got thru - no issues other than that.
Learned that the "stuff" in the back gets hot from the mechanicals beneath.
A little disappointed with the road noise made by the new Potenzas. The Continentals I put on my '93 Vert. were a better road tire, not made in the 2002's size, unfortunately.
Changed all fluids and seals where necessary before leaving. Though oil life is +75%, think I'll change oil and have tech confirm everythng we did before is still good.
Nothing like a nice summer road trip to make you feel like the car you just purchased is now officially yours.
What a ride.
Never missed a beat ... the car - not me.
It was hot enough in Nashville to literally melt the emblems off the car.
Lost a lug nut cap somewhere along the way.
Learned that the Secondary Air Induction System fan also runs if my car is hot - not above spec hot, but all day on the freeway hot. Not sure this is supposed to happen. Maybe a sensor issue or maybe I run a bit rich under those conditions. Will chage plugs and wires just in case.
My missed beat was in Blowing Rock NC when I exited a parking lot not noticing the elevation difference between the lot and the road. Scraped rocker panel bottoms on both sides. Wife says "you can't see them." Tell her "I see them in my sleep."
The Novistretch Bra and Mirror covers did ... okay. Maybe too much bug guts got thru - no issues other than that.
Learned that the "stuff" in the back gets hot from the mechanicals beneath.
A little disappointed with the road noise made by the new Potenzas. The Continentals I put on my '93 Vert. were a better road tire, not made in the 2002's size, unfortunately.
Changed all fluids and seals where necessary before leaving. Though oil life is +75%, think I'll change oil and have tech confirm everythng we did before is still good.
Nothing like a nice summer road trip to make you feel like the car you just purchased is now officially yours.
What a ride.
1/4 mile/AutoX
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,443
Likes: 2,189
From: Buffalo Texas
Clearwater to Birmingham to Nashville to Inidanapolis back to Nashvville (Stones concert) to Northern Virginia to Blueridge area of North Carolina to Atlanta back to Clearwater!
Never missed a beat ... the car - not me.
It was hot enough in Nashville to literally melt the emblems off the car.
Lost a lug nut cap somewhere along the way.
Learned that the Secondary Air Induction System fan also runs if my car is hot - not above spec hot, but all day on the freeway hot. Not sure this is supposed to happen. Maybe a sensor issue or maybe I run a bit rich under those conditions. Will chage plugs and wires just in case.
My missed beat was in Blowing Rock NC when I exited a parking lot not noticing the elevation difference between the lot and the road. Scraped rocker panel bottoms on both sides. Wife says "you can't see them." Tell her "I see them in my sleep."
The Novistretch Bra and Mirror covers did ... okay. Maybe too much bug guts got thru - no issues other than that.
Learned that the "stuff" in the back gets hot from the mechanicals beneath.
A little disappointed with the road noise made by the new Potenzas. The Continentals I put on my '93 Vert. were a better road tire, not made in the 2002's size, unfortunately.
Changed all fluids and seals where necessary before leaving. Though oil life is +75%, think I'll change oil and have tech confirm everythng we did before is still good.
Nothing like a nice summer road trip to make you feel like the car you just purchased is now officially yours.
What a ride.
Never missed a beat ... the car - not me.
It was hot enough in Nashville to literally melt the emblems off the car.
Lost a lug nut cap somewhere along the way.
Learned that the Secondary Air Induction System fan also runs if my car is hot - not above spec hot, but all day on the freeway hot. Not sure this is supposed to happen. Maybe a sensor issue or maybe I run a bit rich under those conditions. Will chage plugs and wires just in case.
My missed beat was in Blowing Rock NC when I exited a parking lot not noticing the elevation difference between the lot and the road. Scraped rocker panel bottoms on both sides. Wife says "you can't see them." Tell her "I see them in my sleep."
The Novistretch Bra and Mirror covers did ... okay. Maybe too much bug guts got thru - no issues other than that.
Learned that the "stuff" in the back gets hot from the mechanicals beneath.
A little disappointed with the road noise made by the new Potenzas. The Continentals I put on my '93 Vert. were a better road tire, not made in the 2002's size, unfortunately.
Changed all fluids and seals where necessary before leaving. Though oil life is +75%, think I'll change oil and have tech confirm everythng we did before is still good.
Nothing like a nice summer road trip to make you feel like the car you just purchased is now officially yours.
What a ride.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 108
Likes: 3
PS: Just spent the last seven hours cleaning the 3960 miles of crud off my car. What a mess. So much rain along the way but surprised by how clean the engine bay remained. All in all (sans the rocker panel incident) a great trip in a great car. Saw Corvettes everywhere we went.
Ready to go again ...
Ready to go again ...
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Sounds like one heck of a trip. 
that everything went OK and the car did fine.
that everything went OK and the car did fine.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,509
Likes: 10
From: Bay Point California
Right on. Sounds like you had a good time. Pull your dip stick and see what the oil looks like. If you can still see through it you're fine. Glad you had a trouble free, safe trip. That's what these cars are all about. Some pictures would have been nice though.
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Racer
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 354
Likes: 3
From: Athens TX
I just finished a 3,000 mile trip myself! Had some tuning/idle issues due to recent upgrades and what I suspect is a vac leak somewhere, but otherwise it went great.
Did you get a bra before the trip? That was one think I was sure to get because my front end has already seen enough abuse from rocks and bugs. The bra was extremely easy to clean every 2-3 days, didn't leave any marks whatsoever, and actually looked pretty good. Definitely recommend one for anyone planning a long road trip.
Bottom line the cars are meant to be driven -- GO DRIVE THEM!!!
Did you get a bra before the trip? That was one think I was sure to get because my front end has already seen enough abuse from rocks and bugs. The bra was extremely easy to clean every 2-3 days, didn't leave any marks whatsoever, and actually looked pretty good. Definitely recommend one for anyone planning a long road trip.
Bottom line the cars are meant to be driven -- GO DRIVE THEM!!!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 108
Likes: 3
I just finished a 3,000 mile trip myself! Had some tuning/idle issues due to recent upgrades and what I suspect is a vac leak somewhere, but otherwise it went great.
Did you get a bra before the trip? That was one think I was sure to get because my front end has already seen enough abuse from rocks and bugs. The bra was extremely easy to clean every 2-3 days, didn't leave any marks whatsoever, and actually looked pretty good. Definitely recommend one for anyone planning a long road trip.
Bottom line the cars are meant to be driven -- GO DRIVE THEM!!!
Did you get a bra before the trip? That was one think I was sure to get because my front end has already seen enough abuse from rocks and bugs. The bra was extremely easy to clean every 2-3 days, didn't leave any marks whatsoever, and actually looked pretty good. Definitely recommend one for anyone planning a long road trip.
Bottom line the cars are meant to be driven -- GO DRIVE THEM!!!
Which bra did you use?
Racer
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 354
Likes: 3
From: Athens TX
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 108
Likes: 3
I just had the stock GM bra. I researched it and apparently the stock version works fine on the Z06 so I grabbed it because it's much easier to install. I had it on for a total of 10 days or so and after I took it off the front still looked like it did when I put it on. Definitely recommend. I wanted to get mirror covers as well but I forgot to order them in time, but my mirrors were relatively easy to clean so no worries.
