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How long before you do a long trip?

1K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  subiesailor 
#1 ·
Hey there,

I will be ready to purchase my first outback in either July or August.

My question for you guys is this....

I will be driving roundtrip from Ogden, UT to Hallsville, TX (3000 miles rt) at the end of July. If I bought my outback (I plan on the ltd version) in July then I'd only have around 300 miles on the clock before the trip. Is this enough before embarking on a long distance adventure? Or should I wait until I get home before buying my outback and just drive in the car I have now?

Any advice is appreciated.

Donna
 
#2 ·
Would it be practical to start the trip on slower highways and back roads, stopping from time to time? Subaru recommends, essentially, "take it easy and vary the speed" for the first 1,000 miles. It's in "Driving Tips", page 8-2, of the 2015 Outback Owner's Manual.

We started a long highway trip in our new OB with about 300 miles on it last January, taking old Rt 66 for the first couple hundred miles, stopping every now and then. Once we were forced onto the Interstate, we just took it easy and varied the speed as much as practical and safe (there wasn't a lot of traffic - unusual for I-40), and skipped off it back on to 66 when it ran parallel in towns and occasionally between. It was quite pleasant, except some of the dried-up small towns on the old highway were depressing, but significantly slower than staying on the Interstate. Most of old 66 we were on was 2-lane.

My wife was reading the (thick!) owner's manual quite a bit during the trip as we figured a lot of features out. It was a nice way to get familiar with the car, and it was very nice to drive, especially good in snowy northern NM.

Good luck and enjoy your new car!
 
#4 ·
Both our cars only had about 500 miles on them before a big road trip. I kept speeds down avoided cruise control or long periods at the same speed etc, and both cars have been great no issues.

What you dont want to do is set your cruise at 70-75mph and run a new car down the highway for a long stretch with no variation in engine speeds. Vary your speeds keep them down under 70 and your fine. Avoid hitting 4000 rpm till you have 1000 miles on it.
 
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