road trip checklist? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

300SDLandRover · #1 01-18-2014, 04:31 AM

Planning a 3,200mi road trip sometime in immediate future. Already checked rear diff and trans fluid. Packed wheel bearings. Oil change and air filter/coolantflush done approx 2months ago, but only 300miles since then. Tires are like new.just wondering if. Theres anything i should specifically be worried about on these?.

Assault · #2 01-18-2014, 05:40 AM

Fuel filters plus tools required for installation.
Gallon of Engine oil
Windshield fluid
Power steering fluid level check

Enjoy your journey!

t walgamuth · #3 01-18-2014, 06:52 AM

Biocide in case you get contaminated fuel.

Treeman · #4 01-18-2014, 07:37 AM

All of the above, plus

brake fluid
Good spare tire and tire tools
1 Pistol and ammo in glove box
1 Pistol and ammo in trunk
$200 to 500 in $20-$50 in two seperate spots in the trunk, I like keeping xtra cash in firstaide kit
tire gage
I-pod or CD's music or books
phone and gadget charger
replace your wipers
extra key, concealed
Bible

Im still thinking, do you have a trailer hitch

Treeman · #5 01-18-2014, 07:45 AM

Flashlight

Shortsguy1 · #6 01-18-2014, 07:52 AM

Take Google.....

site:peachparts.com trip list
or
site:peachparts.com trip supplies

Skid Row Joe · #7 01-18-2014, 08:23 AM

Belts
Hoses

Mölyapina · #8 01-18-2014, 08:49 AM

Here's a list I generated a while ago in a crazy thread

. I would probably leave off the compressor and slime.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jooseppi Luna

Tools:

Jumper cables
Wire (Spool, coat hangers, whatever)
Duct tape and pantyhose
12" x 12" metal sheet (for jacking on soft surfaces)
Complete set of tire changing tools -- lug wrench, working jack of somesort
Metric & standard wrenches & socket set -- something like 1/4"-5/8 and 7 mm to 19 mm along with a 27 mm.
small emergency tire compressor^
tire gauge
Piece of pipe to use as breaker bar

Emergencies:

Fire extinguisher
Flares/warning triangle (bonus points if it's M-B)
Fully stocked first aid kit.
AAA
Cell phone car charger and charged cell phone

Spare parts:

Properly inflated spare. Make sure the spare is in good shape & well inflated.
Fuses
Inline & secondary filters
Set of belts (if you need to replace belts on your car, keep the old ones as spares)
Spare fuse for preglow relay
At least two spare glow plugs (if you change out the GPs all at once, test them all and keep the good ones as spares.)

Fluids and miscellaneous repair items:

Quart or two of oil
Bottle of power service grey/white (depending on the season)
Bottle of ATF
WD40 (ok as penetrating oil but also can double as starting fluid if your glow relay goes out)
Good penetrating oil
Green Slime^
Distilled water*
Kitchen sink
Paper towels and gloves (not rags, because you don't want oily rags sitting in a hot car

)
Duct tape
Electrical tape
JB Weld

Other miscellaneous needs:
Reading/listening material (for when you're stuck on the roadside for hours)
Snacks
Distilled water*
Maps if you will be in a rural area with no cell reception/don't have a smartphone
Booster (jumper) cables.
Flashlight
Common credit card and debit card

^These go together
*Serves a dual purpose

Snow driving:
Tire chains or treads
Length of tow chain
Come-along
Wool blanket(s) or equivalent(s)
Tube sand or equivalent
Some sort of shovel
Scraper/brush

rocky raccoon · #9 01-18-2014, 10:03 AM

know your own car. Take whatever you think it might need that cannot be obtained on the road.

toomany MBZ · #10 01-18-2014, 10:41 AM

Voltage regulator.

ah-kay · #11 01-18-2014, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocky raccoon

know your own car. Take whatever you think it might need that cannot be obtained on the road.

x2.

No one can predict the eventuality. You could bring the whole garage or nothing. I would just bring your normal tool box.

GregMN · #12 01-18-2014, 12:53 PM

Add roadside assistance to your insurance policy for free towing. It costs me about $5 / year.
Charge card.
Cell phone.

HuskyMan · #13 01-18-2014, 01:10 PM

After taking more than a few high mileage trips I know a few things about traveling with these older model benzers.

1. What can go wrong WILL go wrong. count on it. You can have the car serviced and gone over with a fine tooth comb and when you least expect it, 2000 miles from home, something MAJOR will blow up!

Sir, that will be $5000 to repair your transmission. Oh, and we have to wait for parts to be shipped to us before we can effect repairs. Do you have a hotel? Because you will be staying put for a few days or maybe a week or two. Once they spot your out of state tags, YOU ARE TOAST.

2. For a truly stress free trip, rent a car from one of the national car rental companies. Yes, you will pay a few bucks for peace of mind. Beats being stranded on the side of the road and getting robbed while you wait on a behind schedule tow truck driver.

3. Be sure and get the CDW (collision damage waiver) insurance coverage. If you are in an accident in a rental car, you walk away with no black marks against your OWN insurance. I know many on this forum feel that CDW is overpriced; perhaps, but in the event of an accident you walk away owing NOTHING.

THIS. Once you try this idea out, you will wonder why you ever traveled in your own personal car.

Pay me now or possibly pay me a lot later.

HuskyMan · #14 01-18-2014, 02:32 PM

Speaking of being broke down on the side of the rode:

Pregnant woman among 3 shot on Chicago expressway after SUV breaks down - U.S. News

vstech · #15 01-18-2014, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 300SDLandRover

Planning a 3,200mi road trip sometime in immediate future. Already checked rear diff and trans fluid. Packed wheel bearings. Oil change and air filter/coolantflush done approx 2months ago, but only 300miles since then. Tires are like new.just wondering if. Theres anything i should specifically be worried about on these?.

this is in your SDL?

what kind of trip are you planning? have you checked your axles? your flex discs? 4 wheel alignment? is your fan clutch new? how is the belt tensioner? spring? shock?
before I would make a trip like that in a car with so many known problem areas, I'd address every single one, or just get a rental car, and not worry about them until I was home.