Hello,

As the title states I will be driving from Ohio to California at the end of the month and was wondering if there is anything I should look out for/plan to do to prevent unnecessary (other than the 3k miles : ) wear to my 8. I premix and will, of course, be checking the oil every fillup.

 

To prevent extra wear? No, not really. The long stable highway speeds is actually far more healthy for your 8 than the same distance with lots of on-offs, heat cycles, varying loads, etc...

I did RI -> CA -> OR -> RI 3 years ago in my 8, and have a thread to look through if are interested. https://www.rx8club.com/sevenstock-a...-miles-197270/

If you can ignore or deal with the ~20-22mpg (vs something 40+), the RX-8 is a fantastic long distance car.

 

While my distance wasn't as great, I've driven non-stop alone from Chicago to Daytona Speedway twice for a 2,700 miles round trip. Each leg took from 16 to 18 hrs. I wouldn't recommend driving for that long. On the return trip, my mind got real fuzzy in the last couple of hours. An interesting talk radio show or an audio book will help. Music will put you to sleep.
The stock suspension is the most comfortable on such a trip. Stiffer shocks and springs will tire you out. So will a loud aftermarket exhaust.

 

Also, for us older guys, we have to get out and stretch our legs every couple of hours.
Circulation in the legs is important.
I take an annual trip from K.C. to New Orleans, & 8-9 hrs. of driving with plenty of stops is enough for me. Day & a half trip.

 

I have driven from SE Ohio to New Orleans (960 mile) before in one stretch. That is one hell of a drive. Getting mentally prepped for about three of those in a row now. Will be nice doing it in the 8 as opposed to the beater neon I had before.

 

Check to make sure your license plate it tightened down haha. I lost mine on a trip and had to drive for 5 hours without one. Luckily I didn't get pulled over and have a replacement. The 8 isn't too bad for long drives. My drive was about 14 hours and I had no problem until the last 4 hours my back starting hurting a lot. I am lowered a great deal on coilovers though so that might of made the trip worse. I always bring a small tool kit, quart of oil, and zip ties with me on all long trips. Just be prepared for anything and have a safe trip.

 

Just have fun! And make plenty of stops; grabbing a hot coffee and walking around for a few minutes will do wonders for your long-distance comfort.
Oh, and this is cool: I've found that if you start to get sore, turn on your seat heater, if you have one. Even in the summer, a few minutes of dry warmth has a nice, positive effect on your muscles.

 

I've never really driven the rx8 on long trips, just locally driven. It's a 2005 with 39,000+ miles only...

 

I like to make 5-8 min stops for gas, bathroom and snack or meal on the go every 4-5 hours. However the fuel tank on the 8 isn't that big 12 gallons if I recall correctly and at low 20 mpg you will have to stop more frequently. With the short fuel range, you can easily get stuck between fueling stations. So I would recommend a gas can with a gallon or 2 ready to go. Also, always have small healthy snacks ready to grab and eat, try to avoid fast food and soda, not only the cost but the increase in bathroom stops.

I just did 2900 miles round trip from nor cal to nor kansas, in a Corolla, 32 mpg at 85 MPH. Each direction was done non-stop and took me 24 hours which included a 3 hour nap at a rest stop. 1 coffee 4 hours before my nap and 1 coffee in the last 3 hours.

 

Last fall took mine Dallas -> D.C. -> NYC -> Dallas. Nothing majorily different than other cars as far as prep. Rotate and inspect tires, check fluids, etc. Make sure you have a Qt or two of oil. Biggest thing you can do, if time permits, is look for a few side roads. Planning to stray from straight highway to fun alt routes can save on boredom and not add a ton of time to trip.