04-01-2021, 02:32 PM | #1 |
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Road Trip the M35i
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Nearing that time before age 50, and one of the items I wanted to do is some type of road trip. I haven't had the pleasure to do one in the past because I always opted for planes but I do have an upcoming opportunity this summer to do 1400+ miles each way and then hundreds in-between within an approximate two week or so period of time. I'm very much considering this with my M35i, low miles, maintenance on point and should be very comfortable. Just my ASK is if there is anything I should be concerned with based on any of your experiences?! Or tips? Many thanks in advance! |
04-01-2021, 02:52 PM | #2 |
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check out the X7 forum, a gentlemen did a PCD then cross country down south then up to Seattle on the way to Alaska. lost of pictures, places to stop etc. great read and yo should be able to glean some ideas. Personally have always wanted to something like that.
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04-01-2021, 03:24 PM | #3 |
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Well.. that spare tire is something I'd really be concerned about.. whether you're going to jam in a full sized tire or try to get a spare. A scissor jack at minimum and a tire patch kit (or slime even) with an air compressor.
Otherwise.. advil for a sore back, sunglasses for the glare, and have fun I only complain because I often do a big spurt of driving in a day to get to my relatives.. it's about 620 miles. I'd hope you break up your driving into a few days each direction to have fun. The rest of the packing is really food and clothing wise Oh.. keep in mind, BMW also has free road side service for the first few years (which your car will certainly cover). Usually this means 24hr tow to the nearest dealer to your location. Still.. AAA is kind of nice. With COVID at least in MA you cannot ride in the cab with the tow driver, so that forces you to call a cab. So in that case it might not hurt to setup an uber account on your phone ahead of time. |
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chowser512038.50 |
04-01-2021, 04:02 PM | #4 |
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I drove mine relocating from San Diego to Texas about a month after I bought it. Nearly a year ago now. Went from 70-100+ degrees, sea level to a couple grand over. Fairly loaded trunk. About 1400 miles. Did just fine.
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04-01-2021, 09:38 PM | #5 |
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We bought our M35i specifically to make road tripping more enjoyable, and it hasn't disappointed at all. Personally I love the hidden trunk compartment where the spare would normally go. Anytime we park some where remote or at trail heads, we put all our valuables and personal information in there. I just leave the glove box and center console empty and open when I leave the car, so anyone looking inside can already see there's nothing there.
The Eco Pro drive mode is nice if you're just doing long miles on boring roads, put it in cruise and save a ton of gas. Though I pretty much only drive it in sport anyway because I'm weird like that. It has a big gas tank too, which is nice for a car with this much power.
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04-02-2021, 09:44 AM | #6 |
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I am getting ready in June to take a trip from Fort Lauderdale up to Philadelphia about 1100 miles each way to see my brother. I’ve done it before and the only thing that I always do is add a layer of 1 inch memory foam to the seat ..it is cut slightly bigger than the seat it’s just a little bit extra cushion for my back side against the side bolsters that are somewhat vertical and abrupt,In the X2. I also carry plenty of windex and scrubber , I will use 2” wide masking tape on the mirrors and a few wide pieces on the front grill. I also will burn 89 as the weather will be temperate and I’m not concerned about losing a bit of power.
There is also a product called track wrap that you can put over the front of your car to protect against bugs that easily comes off, it is not a permanent product but just made for the one trip type situation. Before I leave, I apply two coats on the total front end of the car of 303 graphene spray coating. I also use a locking coffee mug by Contigo, the only one I found to be absolutely waterproof tight in case it gets knocked over I also mix up a bottle of diluted Rinseless and a few 360 GSM microfiber towels that I can use to clean off bugs if I run into any summer swarms. I also have a concealed carry license, so I will keep my Glock in the glove compartment, just for the trip.
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Ft Lauderdale '23 228i GC Last edited by Glen e; 04-02-2021 at 10:56 AM.. |
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04-02-2021, 02:44 PM | #8 |
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That tracwrap is great..sure beats painter's tape I know they also at one point made spray on film too.. I got the actual PPF film put on, and so far it's definitely saved some big rock chips. On my older and used cars I never had a choice, and boy is the paint all pocked up and chipped..
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04-02-2021, 05:27 PM | #9 |
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I recently did two trips back and forth from Ohio to NC and the only precaution I took was the spare tire, scissor jack, impact wrench and inflator. I did not know about tracwrap or that new 3M product, I did five layers of plastidip on the front as my bugshield and ripped it off when I got home.
Planning a trip to KY for summer with the kids, they want to see dinosaurs and mammoth cave. i'll try the tracwrap for that trip. |
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04-02-2021, 05:29 PM | #10 |
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I am building an emergency kit more than I normally have for the under rear storage area In preparation for this trip.
I picked up a scissor jack, torque wrench, 17mm lugs removal, slime x2, Ryobi inflator and batteries as well as auto charger, and a bunch of other stuff. What is the stock torque settings? |
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04-03-2021, 12:42 AM | #11 |
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Enjoy! The m35i gets great gas mileage on the interstate, even with juvenile driving habits.
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04-03-2021, 08:27 AM | #12 | |
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04-03-2021, 05:24 PM | #13 |
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I hate to admit this but my torque wrench has been set at 100ft/lbs for years and I use it on different cars (bmw, subaru, chevy, buick)
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xcelir8bmw405.50 |
04-04-2021, 12:06 AM | #14 |
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It's 103 ft-lb.
They even have an oem torque wrench preset to that. https://www.schmiedmann.com/en/produ...1-12-6-769-683 |
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04-05-2021, 02:59 PM | #16 |
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My wife did a few days getaway, a short road trip you may say. I covered roughly 1050 round trip.
Here is what I took with me. 1. Tire pressure gauge and air pump. 2. General blanket, for a picnic or changing tire. 3. Flashlight and flare stick 4. Two gallons of water 5. I went with my 18" wheel/tire combination instead of stock 20". I averaged 26.3 mpg. Since we left really early in the morning, I was able to stretch M35i legs on Interstate 5 quite a bit. It may have been just me but a 3hrs straight driving was my maximum before stopping. Good luck and travel safe. |
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04-05-2021, 04:22 PM | #17 |
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Oh yeah, one more thing about road tripping the M35i, it will frequently ask you if you'd like to take a break if you've been driving more than 2-3 hours. Which I personally find super annoying, but the wife thinks is "cute".
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04-05-2021, 05:18 PM | #18 |
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my subaru did that every two hours. my daughter's subaru does it too. first time i saw it on my x2 i just ignored it.
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xcelir8bmw405.50 |
04-09-2021, 08:36 AM | #19 |
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Received the BMW torque wrench and tried it out. Nice.
I did also have to use it with: Sunex 284317 1/2-Inch Drive 17-Mm Extra Long Thin Wall Wheel Protector Impact Socket https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006L23AFS...UTF8&psc=1 |
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04-09-2021, 08:42 AM | #20 |
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I have my roadside kits complete.
Home Depot Rigid 30 dollar containers with inside top removed fits perfectly under rear lower stowage. https://www.homedepot.com/p/205440492 In one I have towels, three Ryobi 4 Amp Hour batteries, 12v charger, air inflator, and shop light. In the other I have everything else needed. Slime, flares, tools, flashlights, gloves, jumpers, medical, tire gauge, knee pads, towels, garbage bag, and more! Between both Rigid cases I have scissor jack, pads, torque and lug tools. Moving that is large blanket goes across on top nicely and still closes. |
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04-09-2021, 02:27 PM | #21 |
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One small tool that I've found to be a big time (and back) saver for tire changes is a wheel stud alignment pin (example: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FYG6AJ4...V0FXK7MGEYN8DS). With BMW's wheel lug bolt design, removing and mounting a wheel can be annoying and difficult when trying to line things up to get a lug bolt started.
I've included an alignment pin in my emergency kit for the car to make spare wheel installation (and general tire rotations) quicker and easier. |
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xcelir8bmw405.50 |
04-10-2021, 08:26 AM | #22 | |
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