Road trip in NSX

[TigerNSX]

I am planning to drive across the country from coast to coast over a period of 2 weeks or so.

I would love to do this in my NSX, but worry if it would attract too much attention, especially in rural parts of the country, to be safe. I will travel alone and will likely to stay over night in many random places.

Please kindly share your thoughts. My main goal is to explore the country, but come home safely to my wife and daughters.

 

[Aircooled]

I did something similar in a MKIV TT Supra and had a blast. Stopped in at around midnight-1am every time I needed a hotel to crash at, one of the cars parked maybe 3 spots down got it's windows smashed in which had me worried. Other then that, had a few compliments at gas stations, a handful of people that wanted to race but left alone for the most part. As far as parking it for the night, the best you can do is gauge a gut feeling. The only part that really got me was where to park the car. Do you put it in back where it will attract less attention but might be more open to people roaming the lots for a 'hidden' car to steal; or do you put it up front where everybody can see it and risk some punk kid screwing with it?

Like I said, I didn't have any trouble, but it's kind of the thing you think of. As far as when you're driving, filling up, or just going around with the car, you shouldn't have any trouble. Stay out of certain parts of Chicago :wink:

 

[Dtrigg]

I've done it twice in the NSX. Both times were great road trips. All I ever received were thumbs up and cell phone photos on the freeways, lots of conversations at gas stations and "Park it up front because someone will be here all the time."

Do it!

 

[captngaryr]

When I bought my NSX this past summer in Chicago, I drove it back east to RI. We stopped to visit old friends along the way and also at Niagara Falls. We had a blast. As mentioned in a previous post all we got was thumbs up on the highway and cell phone pictures at the rest stops. Did I worry at times? Heck, yes! But we had no problems at all. When we had to park her in a public lot at Niagara Falls, I just slipped the attendant an extra $5 and he found a nice spot for me to park it where he could keep an eye on it. No problems at all. Your NSX was meant to be driven. Do it, and enjoy! :biggrin:

Gary

 

[heySkippy]

I've gone on several 3000+ mile road trips in my NSX. It does get lots of attention in the back country, but I never felt unsafe. It's a great car for long solo trips.

 

[greenberet]

I've taken a road trip in my NSX from the east cost of the US to the west coast, and then back to the east coast again over the course of about six weeks. I stayed at random motels, visited national parks, etc. and never felt unsafe. It was a great trip.

 

[TigerNSX]

Thanks so much for sharing your experience!

 

[Moses]

I've done it twice in the NSX. Both times were great road trips. All I ever received were thumbs up and cell phone photos on the freeways, lots of conversations at gas stations and "Park it up front because someone will be here all the time."

Do it!

+1

Exactly how my trips have gone.

 

[IBCOOL]

I drove my previous Blk/Blk 95 NSX-T NSX cross country three times. I really enjoyed the incredible comfort and ergonomic ease of the cockpit setup. It is probably the most comfortable sports car ever produced IMO as far as long drives are concerned.

I also loved all the thumbs up I would get, as I had Beautiful shiny 19s on back and 18s on the front and the taitec exhaust wailing would leave people pointing and watching as I would get back on the road after getting gas.

I would also come out of restaraunts and have people taking photos of the car, which kinda tripped me out.I really love the rednecks and cajuns between California and Baton Rouge. I was pepperred with questions like "What in the hell kinda Honda is that, is that the new Prelude?", as I had the JDM rear Honda "H" dark tailights, and a black H on the front.

BUT, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO ENJOY THE NSX TO ITS FULLEST THOUGH GET A VALENTINE ONE RADAR DETECTOR, NOT AN ESCORT OR ANY OTHER BRAND.THE VALENTINE ONE RARELY GIVES A FALSE SIGNAL AND IT CAN DETECT THE "SMART COP" PULSE RADAR, BUT, MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT TELLS YOU WHERE SMOKEY IS, HOW MANY SMOKEYS ARE OUT THERE, AND WHAT TYPE OF RADAR OR LASER THEY ARE USING. VALENTINE ONE CALLS THIS ABILITY "SITUATIONAL AWARENESS." The other radar detectors go off and leave you wondering where in the flip the smokey is.

The first trip I made I had no radar detector and the NSX was like a thoroughbred that wanted to stretch it legs badly, but, my fear of going anything beyond 20 MPH over the limit kept me from enjoying the car. I never went over 95MPH on the first trip.

The 2nd and 3rd trip I had the Valentine one and I enjoyed the heck out of the trip, especially blasting through spots of New Mexico and Arizona at 140 plus MPH and usually cruising between 90-100 on the interstate in Louisiana,Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and even Cali with no worries. I have had the Vallentine One for 3 years now, and, I ordered it online, and it is the BEST $399 I have ever spent. No tickets since I bought it.

One note of caution. In California the Highway Patrol like to sneek up behind you without radar and clock you using their certified speedometers, so during the day you must really watch your rearview especially when you pass on ramps( look to see who is getting on). At night in Cali, I just go with the traffic because if you speed the smokey will sneek up on you and you can't see them until they have their lights on, and then, my friend it is too late! Happy Motoring,and, obviously, don't drive over 100 unless you are out in a safe place with very few cars.

 

[nsxtasy]

I've done it many, many times, most recently for NSXPO 2009. I have never, ever felt unsafe in any way.

I should add one note. Many people are accustomed to spending $150+ for a hotel room and $40 for dinner. I'm the reverse. So the hotels I generally prefer to stay in are usually in the $35-40 range, often budget places like Super 8 and Days Inn (although occasionally I'm in upscale suite places like Homestead Suites and Extended Stay America, thanks to Priceline). I like to park in spaces that are well lit but also that have plenty of room around them where people are not likely to park and ding my doors.

Again, I have never had any kind of problem with my NSX at such places. So I've never needed to worry about safety.

The biggest worry in cross-country trips is making sure you leave home with enough tread on your rear tires to make it all the way there and back. I used up 4/32" of tread depth in the roughly 2500 miles of my trip to NSXPO, so I would not have made it on a 6000-mile trip, even if I started with new rear tires. This was with the OEM 15"/16" Yokos.

 

[mskrotzki]

I returned in late October from a 7700 mile, 33 day, 25 state road trip in my ’93 NSX. Never once did I experience any anxiety whatsoever (save from beating a snowstorm back home.) I wasn't hysterical about it, but I tended to avoid the Interstates and stay on the “blue highways,” which I personally find more interesting.

I stayed in a gamut of nightly accommodations, from more pricy than I want to admit, to a slew “Patel Motels” – 1950s vintage facilities now owned by (usually) Indian (of the eastern variety) families who live in and run the establishments. They are plain in the extreme, but always clean and satisfactory if all you do is sleep in your room. The owner (or teenage son) was usually excited about the NSX, and I was never concerned about it. I spent quite some time in very interesting conversations with many folks.

My feeling is if I don’t return from a trip of this extent without being changed, I’ve wasted my time. I will not get changed if I don’t take a certain amount of risk. Not crazy life threatening risk, but I find it pays to put myself on the line from time to time.
Travel on TigerNSX, and be sure to post your adventures here. If you are coming through Denver, PM me.

Mark

 

[greenberet]

The biggest worry in cross-country trips is making sure you leave home with enough tread on your rear tires to make it all the way there and back. I used up 4/32" of tread depth in the roughly 2500 miles of my trip to NSXPO, so I would not have made it on a 6000-mile trip, even if I started with new rear tires. This was with the OEM 15"/16" Yokos.

I forgot about that! I had pretty much new tires on the car in Philadelphia and by the time I got to Sacramento, a strange vibration started coming from the rear. The rear tires had worn down so far that the belts were exposed along the inside edges. Thankfully a tire shop in the area had the right tires.

Come to think of it, the same thing happened during a road trip to Italy. Those OEM 1991 alignment specs really chew through rear tires fast.

 

[Daedalus]

The 2nd and 3rd trip I had the Valentine one and I enjoyed the heck out of the trip, especially blasting through spots of New Mexico and Arizona at 140 plus MPH and usually cruising between 90-100 on the interstate in Louisiana,Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and even Cali with no worries. I have had the Vallentine One for 3 years now, and, I ordered it online, and it is the BEST $399 I have ever spent. No tickets since I bought it.

Be careful with that. They use instant-on and will nab you just as you start to wonder if that SUV that just came into view is a cop. I had a real close call (UT or AZ, can't remember) where the V1 just lit up all of a sudden from a cop in the oncoming lane. The cop slammed on his brakes, crossed the median, and then pulled the guy behind me over. I'm pretty sure he was clocking me, but I changed lanes right after the V1 went off, and the guy behind me sped up and went around me--just before getting pulled over. I'm pretty sure the cop got us mixed up due to our cars switching places while he tried to cross the median. Those guys can be pretty tough from what I've heard.

 

[TigerNSX]

Thanks so much for your feedback, everyone!

I am more encouraged to do this in my NSX.

My remaining question is how to map the route from Boston to LA. I want to hit all the scenic (curvy) roads rather than just driving on the highway...

If you could please share your experience on planning your trips, I would truly appreciate it.

Thank you.

 

[Liquid]

If the destination is for driving pleasure, I would highly suggest the SF area over SoCal. When are you planning to take the trip? If it isn't going to be the summer, you may have to be very careful about picking your route through the Rockies. Some roads are closed except for a few months a year and you don't want to be caught in a freak snowstorm on a mountain in your NSX I'm sure. No matter which way you cut it, there are going to be some boring parts to the drive when you go through the Great Plains.

One idea I saw on Prime that I think is a good one in your situation would be to try to coordinate meeting up/stopping over Primers along the way. It might be a better, safer, more interesting option than Motel Six in the middle of nowhere.

 

[heySkippy]

My remaining question is how to map the route from Boston to LA. I want to hit all the scenic (curvy) roads rather than just driving on the highway...

Be sure to investigate the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive through Virginia and North Carolina. Beautiful ++

 

[TigerNSX]

Be sure to investigate the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive through Virginia and North Carolina. Beautiful ++

I just took a look at various pictures of those roads on the web. They are breathtaking. I will definitely check them out!

Is Tail of the Dragon worth it? I heard mixed views about it.

Also, I would love to stop by Colorado and Utah on the way. It looks like there are different ways to get to Colorado from North Carolina. Do you have any recommendation in terms of states that I should go through?

Too many places to visit!

 

[heySkippy]

I just took a look at various pictures of those roads on the web. They are breathtaking. I will definitely check them out!

Is Tail of the Dragon worth it? I heard mixed views about it.

I've drove the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway twice now. 450 miles plus another 100 for Skyline Drive. It takes days. I can never get too much of of the scenery. But it's not a place to drive fast. More a place to just cruise and soak it up. I like it, but many others would have their fill in less time.

The Dragon, on the other hand, is a place to drive fast and there are a TON of roads in that area where you can hear the tires squeal if that's your thing. I like The Dragon, too and have been a half dozen times.

So, both are great but for way different reasons. If I was making your trip, I'd try to do them both. If time becomes an issue, do the Skyline Drive and maybe the rest of the day on the Blue Ridge and then jump off to a faster road to skip a bit.

Quite a few pics of my travels in that area in the albums in my sig.

 

[TigerNSX]

Thanks so much for your suggestion once again!

 

[docjohn]

pop the terms cross country trip in the search, you'll get 2 pages and there are about 4 threads scattered in the list that may add some info.

 

[TigerNSX]

pop the terms cross country trip in the search, you'll get 2 pages and there are about 4 threads scattered in the list that may add some info.

Thanks so much. Didn't cross my mind that this topic would've already been addressed.

I guess we really are running out of new topics on NSXPRIME after all these years!

 

[docjohn]

Kenji has a foto album linked in one of those threads about his cross country trip in an 1800$ car

 

[PoKnow]

I'm am in the same boat... I am contemplating on doing a 2500x2 mile Houston to Calgary. Still trying to figure out whether it's worth it or not...

 

[Lazarus]

Some of my Porsche friends and I (in my R8) are contemplating a summer trip around North America. Good to see NSX owners are just as adventurous.

 

[davidf]

Wow, not a single negative comment. How can you "not" go now! Makes "me" want to go somewhere. Have a happy/safe journey. BTW, since no one has mentioned it, your wife is a keeper for letting you do that.:wink: