OK, so my friends and i are supposed to go on a trip to Los Angeles, but we're driving there in my xB.

The distance from San Antonio to LA is close to 1400 miles. I just had the 5000 mile maintenance done on it with the oil
change and all that other good stuff. I'm a little worried about what is typically seen as a urban car making a cross country trip.

Anyone done something similar with or without issues?

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It will be fine. Plenty of people have done it.
Don't worry about it. The car isn't some wimpy city only car.
It got that classification due to its size more than anything else.

Admittedly, it can be a bit fatiguing to drive long distances, but if you switch drivers every once in a while, you'll be fine.

 

The xB is a good road machine in my opinion. I go from Florida to Texas back and forth plenty of times.
Approx 1300 miles. Never a problem. Now with such high gas prices. Makes it even better.

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When i take long trips I always coat the front of my car with "shield" temporary bra. it keeps the paint from getting torn up from road particles and bugs. It sprays on and comes in clear so you barely notice it's there and when you get back home just wash the car with soap and it will wash away. I think that this is a better solution than covering the front end with painters tape like lots of people do.


http://www.duplicolor.com/products/shield.html

 

Yea, but painters tape gets all the looks from people.

 

i drove from illinois to denver, and had no problems. except a little power loss driving up the mountains.

 

There shouldn't be any "issues" with a road trip. I made a 2500 mile trip in my xB from KY to NH last Fall.
For a high-speed, all-day blast down the Interstate to Florida, our 2003 LeSabre is more comfortable. However, unlike the xB, the LeSabre did have an "issue" on such a trip -- a manifold gasket that was leaking coolant, and it took a day and several hundred $ for a dealer to fix. And before that, an ignition module failed.
I think the xB is super-reliable compared to many other cars.

 

I drove from Dallas, TX to Savannah, GA and back and it was fine. I don't even have cruise control.

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I figured it would be fine, i just don't want anything to happen to it either while on the road or after we came back to San Antonio since i have another road trip a couple of days after that.

On another note, where can I get the iPod cable for the stereo system? I've read on here before that it is pretty card to come by and when you do they're pretty expensive.

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Like the others said, the car should have no problems with a road trip. I'd just double check the tire pressure and fluids.

I carry a small toolbox with some essentials on my road trips (and most other times)- duct tape, wire coat hanger, flares, fix-a-flat, tow rope, clothesline rope, flashlight, quart of oil, pliers, crescent wrench, box cutter, a few trash bags, jumper cables, folding shovel, and some rags. I also usually carry spare wiper blades (or inserts). Ever drive in the rain and have one of them start tearing at the end? It's even more annoying on a road trip. And a roll or two of paper towels. And a thing of fuel injector cleaner. I'll carry a spare headlight bulb whenever I replace mine. All this stuff is pretty small- fits in the foot area for one side of the rear passenger seats. Several rolls of paper towels fit underneath the front seats.

I wouldn't worry about taping or the spray stuff. After all, how much have to done that during your regular driving?

 

i carry a real full size spare tire..........got a flat once .away from home that imtation spare doesnt get it

 

people really put painters tape on their front end on road trips...i have never heard of that...

 

I got a short one from Radio Shack for about $6. I think it is 12 or 18 inches. Don't get the 3-footer or there will be a mess of extra cable on the console.

 

yeah, mine cable is a foot long and got it at walmart for under 10 bucks.

 

Your only problem are crosswinds with the xB since it a box... If you're lowered, then no problem! the 1NZ will hold perfect for non-stop driving! (Synthetic oil will help a lot too!)

SUV's are a bad way of transport for long drives! We rented an Armada from a neighbor and drove the SUV to FL for 400bucks for 3weeks and free oil change and a full tank of gas when we go back home and we had to get them magnets or memorabilia for every state we passed trough...

Boy! was that thing a pain in the ___ with the headwind and crosswinds, also especially with the gas mileage of 20MPG! The xB is a much better way to go...

 

Just remember that Toyota/Scion say that the max sustained cruise speed is 93 MPH...

My box (automatic) has had zero problems zipping back and forth from the Seattle area to tiny places in Montana (several mountain ranges and some plains type driving involved there).

Tom

 

Rallying-the Scion went from Texas to Alaska and is heading back soon. He chronicled the trip to Alaska over less than ideally paved roads. I have made the haul from here to Las Vegas--about 300 miles over a pretty steep incline with no problem. If you have the time, you might want to look into an arm rest. Good luck. Where in LA are you headed??

 

If you have the time (and the money) I recommend you replace the rear shocks with the Monroe Sensatracs prior to your trip if you haven't already done it.

I replaced mine about a month ago and you can't imagine the difference in the ride. It was well worth the $120 for the shocks and having them put on.

You and your passengers will enjoy the trip a lot better with them.

 

i like that spray-on bra idea,,..

 

+1 for the Sensatrac shocks (Monroe or NAPA Sensatrac 5987 shocks for the
rear).

I got mine for $39 each, installed at Sears. (They look up by year and model
- you want the shock for the 2002 Echo sedan...)

Also +1 for SOME sort of protection on the front or the vehicle will have a
severe case of road acne by the time you get where you're going...

Tom