Road Trip!!! Heading out West in the MPS

[Malicioso]

Well my Gf has just recently informed me her graduation will be taking place in Adelaide on the 29th this month, we weighed out the different options and because money is a bit tight atm we decided to drive rather than catch a plane. I have been told the drive is real nice and also very long (approx 9hrs) keep in mind the furthest I have ever driven is from Melb SE suburbs to Wangarrata and back.

I have also never driven the MPS further than up in the mountains with the rest of the MPS guys on here.

I know they say a long trek like this makes a car show it's true colors, and thought I'd ask who has driven their MPS on long distance journeys and also if you have any pointers and advice????

I've so far gotten a head start and given it an oil change, rotates the tyres and this weekend will be changing the coolant, and also might do the brake fluid while I'm at it...

I've also been thinking about stone chips and bugs, so I plan on using some of that blue 3M tape to cover the front end or perhaps some cling wrap and some of that mesh to cover the front nostril to avoid crap from getting into the cooler and radiator fins...

Would I get any hassles from the boys in blue if I drape my car in that blue tape stuff???

Alex

[kmh001]

I've driven my MPS to Brisbane and Melbourne numerous times. Also done several 900km day trips to the snowy mountains. The only problem I have encountered is that the 6MPS seats become extremely painful after about 11 hours.

Given that the car is always properly maintained I have never done any special preparation for any of these trips. If you're travelling between Melbourne and Adelaide I think you only need to consider your personal requirements, like accomodation/meals/music/lollies etc. If you stick to the highway you can do a trip like that without a map because the roads are well sign posted.

Travelling in a remote area is a different story and a lot of safety requirements need to be considered. But your trip to Adelaide is no different to just going out for a drive, except it takes nine times longer.

Enjoy the road and enjoy the car.

[SarcasticOne]

IBOMPS might be able to shed some light on the Q's about the boys in blue

as for long distance, ive done syd -> bris -> syd twice now, and syd -> melb -> syd once

pointers, stop every 2-2.5 hours... doesnt have to be much, a simple stretch of the legs + toilet break is all you need
i usually planned my trips in this fashion:
2.5-3 hours after i left, stop for breakfast/morning tea
2.5 hrs later, fuel
2.5 hrs later, food (larger break, ~40-45 mins)
2.5 hrs later, arrive at destination

use cruise control in 6th gear, and you can get decent fuel economy, once you get to 1/4 of a tank left, fill up, plan your stops wisely, it's better to fill up too often than run out of fuel

decent music + lollies + bottles of water are a must!

[WispRush]

Just a note. There is a cruise on the 27th of march in Adelaide.

http://www.ozmpsclub.com/forum/club-...ch-2011-a.html

[Malicioso]

Thanks for the tips guys, I'm thinking of leaving either Friday night and stop over somewhere along Horesham and then carry on the following morning and be in Adelaide by noon on Saturday.

Thanks for the cruise invite but would have to convince the Gf to come along, I think her parents are flying there on either Sunday or Monday till the event on Tuesday.

I think I'll still want to wrap the front end of the beast, dunn like getting stone ship and stuff like that, it seems to be in pretty good condition besides the scrape it has on the bottom of the front bar from the previous owner.

I think this weekend I'll go stock up on lollies and some tunes, might bring a pillow or two to make the trip somewhat more comfortable!

[IBOMPS]

no issues with putting something on the front of your car to protect it as long as it does not cover any of the lights or the number plate and does not create any sharp edges that could be dangerous to peds.

Just remember that a stone hitting your car at 100+km/h will most likely go through tape.

I have driven to adelaide before in one go (not in the mps) and its not that bad, just remember if you start to feel tired than you already are so pull over have a nap or a rest of some kind. It is not a very exciting drive going the highway but if you take the GOR its is a lovely trip

take it safe and easy...

remember better to arrive late than not at all!!!!!

---------- Post added at 03:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:40 PM ----------

and congrats to the GF on the Grad

[Malicioso]

no issues with putting something on the front of your car to protect it as long as it does not cover any of the lights or the number plate and does not create any sharp edges that could be dangerous to peds.

Just remember that a stone hitting your car at 100+km/h will most likely go through tape.

I have driven to adelaide before in one go (not in the mps) and its not that bad, just remember if you start to feel tired than you already are so pull over have a nap or a rest of some kind. It is not a very exciting drive going the highway but if you take the GOR its is a lovely trip

take it safe and easy...

remember better to arrive late than not at all!!!!!

---------- Post added at 03:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:40 PM ----------

and congrats to the GF on the Grad

Thanks mate!

Yeah I was thinking more along the lines of having the front bar sand blasted by all the little rocks on the rd and all the bug splatter on the front of it too, would mean I'd only have to clean the un taped areas and tare the rest of the tape off and presto!

[IBOMPS]

sounds like a good idea, with all the locusts that are up country areas!!!!

[Caffeine Fiend]

Audio books are another good way to break up the trip. There are a heap of them about and they're great for keeping the brain working on long trips.


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[IceValk85]

dont forget to tape your wing mirrors.... they cop plenty of bug splatts too!

[Malicioso]

Thanks guys!

Yeah will be going to Bunnings this weekend to stock up on the blue tape...

[ted]

If you can spare the time, make a trip of it down through Great Ocean Rd, and then across through the Coorong. Yes its longer, but if you break up the trip its quite easy and very interesting view wise. I have done this one a couple of times, leaving Melb CBD about 10am, making lots of stops, and into Adelaide by midnight. Come back the straight way through Ballarat etc. and it doesn't take long. Even did this in an MX5 once, and bear in mind we had driven down from Brisbane.

If you avoid the night time driving, you will have way fewer bugs. For bugs, I just apply quite a bit of extra wax to the nose and they come off pretty easily. And stone chips are rarely an issue these days actually. In fact, I just drove from Mel to Bne last week, and it got no stone chips in the whole drive. Hardly any bugs either, 18hrs of driving including going through Sydney CBD.

[Malicioso]

Well after 1853kms (round trip) worth of driving I'm finally home!

The car performed really well and it never kicked up a fuss, the fuel milage was great on the open roads and by the end of the trip I must have the cleanest internals since all I've been feeding it has been BP Ultimate, and the fresh air going through the Great Ocean rd gave it a nice cleanse.

Adelaide is one hell of a weird place, everything closes early and there is nothing much to do, by Monday night we were getting a little bit home sick and just kept winging how everything is so sloow and how we just wanted to be home already. The winery tour was real nice and the Barrosa Valley is spectacular, I so wished I would have taken the MPS out on that day but the $75 we paid each was well worth it being driven around and tasting some fine wine.

Back to the car and it is now at the front of my work looking at me with a sad face, it has sooo much bug splatter on it and in dire need of a wash, I also think that my front left shocker is gone or on its way out, we hit some real rough roads through Great Ocean as we made our way through the Oatway fly and a dirt road to check out some waterfall, short on cash now means I will have to keep an eye on it for now until I can fork out some dough for coilovers and also replace the TRZ mount with a Sure since I have a little theory I'd like to test with regards to vibes and what not....

Thanks for reading and I really look forward to a new adventure in the beast perhaps next time to either NSW for the world time attack later this year or QLD for a nice vacation...

Cheers!

Alex

[mech81]

Sounds like a great trip all around made better by the MPS

[Caffeine Fiend]

Prob a good time for a claybar Alex

[Malicioso]

Prob a good time for a claybar Alex

Yeah mate it sure needs it bad, on the way there it looked like I'd been Rally driving it, was all covered in dirt and what not. If I have some time this weekend I will try give it a nice detail.

Hopefully in a couple of weeks I will be ordering some new brake pads and other little bits I've been wanting to order....

see how I go...

[Malicioso]

Oh my just like I suspected...

My front right shock is dead!

Pulled the wheel off last night and the whole strut and wheel well is covered in oil, looks like I must have bottomed out on that dirt road and smashed the guts of it.

Gotta come up wish some $$$ for coilovers, I might as well since I've been wanting to replace the whole lot for a while now...

For now I have to put up with it till I fix it up....