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Hello,
I got back from a roadtrip starting from LA to Grand Canyon to Hoover Dam to Las Vegas and back to LA, covering over 1,200 miles in 4 days. I've been a little concerned due to mileage on my car before the trip (119K miles) with recent gas-tank replacement.
Average highway speed was about 80-90 mph.
Pros:
The ride on the highway was very smooth and seats were very comfortable.
Unique car considering that everyone seemed to drive Pontiac G6 rentals or Chevy Suburban SUVs.
Gas mileage was 28 mpg including Vegas strip and some pockets of traffic on 15 freeway as compared to my daily local commute mpg of 18.
Strong acceleration on the highway as well as mountain canyons.
We felt safe around all these suburban SUVs and we came home alive.
Cons:
I usually get blue smoke in the morning once a week.
During the trip, three straight mornings of huge blue smoke. First morning in Grand Canyon at 29 degrees (cold weather), my car blew so much blue smoke that the travelers at the hotel parking lot thought my car caught fire (very embarrassing).
Next two mornings, I made sure nobody was at the parking lot when starting my engine.
Second night in Vegas, my wife and I were on my way to Vegas Premium Outlet nearby. As I was getting on the freeway onramp, I was tempted to catch up with a Porsche 911 by making a sharp right turn while accelerating.
Big mistake. It felt like my new gas tank made a "pop" sound and the check engine light came right back on again. Immediately, for the first time, the check engine light started flashing about five times and once again, quickly elevated my blood pressure. The light stopped flashing but the light was still on so I drove gingerly to the outlet. While my wife was shopping I called Walter Wong (Saab Indie in W. LA) for advice. He told me to make sure all the fluids are full and go to a shop following morning to get the codes read and if the light doesn't flash it should be ok to drive back to LA.
Disappointed that the engine light came back on so soon after the gas-tank replacement, we drove home no faster than 75 mph to make sure we don't get flashing engine light and to keep up with the traffic.
LIght at the end of the tunnel:
Six hours after arriving back to LA and with the gas thank almost empty, we went to the local gas station for a fill-up. Voila!!! Check engine light disappeared!!! What the ffjdlfjdfd? But relieved.
My love/hate relationship continues with my 9-5.
'99 9-5 lpt
120K miles
posted by 24.49.1...
, Mon, 27 Nov 2006 13:46:16
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