Going on a roadtrip, need advice - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

funwheeldrive · 03-19-2014, 01:21 PM

Hey guys, I'm going on vacation to the Grand Canyon in about a week. It's going to take about 10-12 hours of being on the road. I'm excited to take my car, but I want to try and protect it from the elements as much as possible.

I was thinking about putting masking tape, or whatever people use for the track, on my headlights and bumper to prevent chips. Does this sound like a good idea? Is there anything else I can do aside from putting a bra on my car? Thanks

Eurasianman · 03-19-2014, 03:18 PM

Avoid roads that you know will have debris and do not get behind dump trucks, semi trucks, etc.

I took my BRZ for a about a 7 hour drive (round trip) and had no issues

If you are going to use tape, I believe painter's tape is what you are looking for.

retoocs · 03-19-2014, 03:35 PM

Good luck. Last time I drove back from Vegas, went through a huge sand storm.

Ec1990 · 03-19-2014, 04:09 PM

Bring some quick detail spray and a glass cleaner and a couple towels for each. Specifically to remove bugs and bird bombs that you may encounter on your way. Keeping you car with a solid layer of wax or sealant is all that's really needed for daily driving and short road trips like this.

roflcopter · 03-27-2014, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ec1990

Bring some quick detail spray and a glass cleaner and a couple towels for each. Specifically to remove bugs and bird bombs that you may encounter on your way. Keeping you car with a solid layer of wax or sealant is all that's really needed for daily driving and short road trips like this.

^This. I went on a 10 hour road trip and when I reached my destination I hit up a drive through (touchfree) wash and used some detailing spray on a microfiber to deal with the bug carnage. Do a real wash when you get home, it's like it never happened!

SloS14 · 03-27-2014, 11:48 AM

GhostShield · 03-27-2014, 12:05 PM

If you guys had clear bras you wouldn't have to fret

But I'd painters tApe it up and bring micro fibers and cleaning supplies like recommended. Drive safe!

chamourian · 03-27-2014, 12:13 PM

That should protect it...

MTCRX · 03-27-2014, 12:16 PM

You can buy the 3M Defender spray on bra at an auto parts store (Autozone has it) and do it yourself. You can leave it on on or peel it off when you are done with the trip. Make sure you get several coats on so it is thick enough to peel off. I had it on my car all last year and it worked great, streets, autocross, road-trips, track days, no chips. You wont even see it unless you look really close.

TOZER · 03-27-2014, 12:30 PM

$10 at walmart and 15 minutes of your time

zinzan · 04-01-2014, 10:30 AM

To each his own, but no way I'm driving my car around looking like that by choice. I want to enjoy my car and want it to look nice on the road. Yes, it might be susceptible to paint chips on a road trip, but it is at risk of paint chips any time I drive it.

I agree with the idea of just driving smart and sealing/waxing the car before the road trip. Maybe both, and/or an extra thick layer of wax.

-Z

P.S. I also removed the plastic from my sofa and my toddlers get it dirty sometimes.

P.P.S. I have no experience with 3M Paint Defender, but I would consider that over painter's tape.

subiestyle · 04-01-2014, 02:28 PM

If you normally wouldn't have installed a clear bra, I would just let it be.

It would get rockchips anyway from normal driving on the highway anyway.

But I would apply some opti-lens on those headlights. Grand canyon sun can do a lot of UV damage. And apply a coat of paint sealant on the front. When you get back, the bugs should wash off fairly easily.

chas3wba0 · 04-01-2014, 03:05 PM

I would put the tape on more for easy removal of bugs than anything else, as there will definitely be more bugs out in the remote areas, especially if you're driving past farms or ranches at 70+ mph. As for the windshield, clean it every time you stop for gas.

Protection against rock chips is a plus but, as it's been said, you'll get more rock chips driving locally than on a long empty highway. Just don't tailgate any trucks

FriedRicr · 04-05-2014, 01:49 AM

What are good sprays to easily wash off bugs?I'm in the middle with finding good bug spray for the car then putting on painters tape.. i'm moving from Mass to Tx .. roughly 27-30hr drive .. So it will be a massive cemetery on my front ..

03-19-2014, 01:21 PM	#1
funwheeldrive Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Drives: BANNED FOR TELLING THE TRUTH Location: MODS ARE ON A POWER TRIP Posts: 3,447 Thanks: 7,830 Thanked 3,022 Times in 1,409 Posts Mentioned: 38 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Going on a roadtrip, need advice Hey guys, I'm going on vacation to the Grand Canyon in about a week. It's going to take about 10-12 hours of being on the road. I'm excited to take my car, but I want to try and protect it from the elements as much as possible. I was thinking about putting masking tape, or whatever people use for the track, on my headlights and bumper to prevent chips. Does this sound like a good idea? Is there anything else I can do aside from putting a bra on my car? Thanks

03-19-2014, 03:18 PM	#2
Eurasianman Chief Join Date: Feb 2012 Drives: 2013 DGM BRZ Premium 6MT Location: USA Posts: 573 Thanks: 145 Thanked 178 Times in 126 Posts Mentioned: 8 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Avoid roads that you know will have debris and do not get behind dump trucks, semi trucks, etc. I took my BRZ for a about a 7 hour drive (round trip) and had no issues If you are going to use tape, I believe painter's tape is what you are looking for. __________________

04-01-2014, 03:05 PM	#13
chas3wba0 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Drives: Yes Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 1,052 Thanks: 1,629 Thanked 813 Times in 407 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I would put the tape on more for easy removal of bugs than anything else, as there will definitely be more bugs out in the remote areas, especially if you're driving past farms or ranches at 70+ mph. As for the windshield, clean it every time you stop for gas. Protection against rock chips is a plus but, as it's been said, you'll get more rock chips driving locally than on a long empty highway. Just don't tailgate any trucks __________________ "If thy pleaſure be in Underſteere, thou art Weird." - Distraxi

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03-19-2014, 03:35 PM	#3
retoocs Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Drives: BRZ Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 168 Thanks: 2 Thanked 63 Times in 43 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Good luck. Last time I drove back from Vegas, went through a huge sand storm.

03-19-2014, 04:09 PM	#4
Ec1990 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Drives: '14 BRZ Location: NV Posts: 183 Thanks: 14 Thanked 53 Times in 38 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Bring some quick detail spray and a glass cleaner and a couple towels for each. Specifically to remove bugs and bird bombs that you may encounter on your way. Keeping you car with a solid layer of wax or sealant is all that's really needed for daily driving and short road trips like this.

03-27-2014, 11:48 AM	#6
SloS14 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Drives: 2013 FR-S whiteout Location: United States Posts: 726 Thanks: 381 Thanked 652 Times in 256 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)

03-27-2014, 12:05 PM	#7
GhostShield Banned Join Date: Dec 2013 Drives: 2013 silver FRS Location: Thousand Oaks Posts: 156 Thanks: 26 Thanked 26 Times in 25 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	If you guys had clear bras you wouldn't have to fret But I'd painters tApe it up and bring micro fibers and cleaning supplies like recommended. Drive safe!

03-27-2014, 12:13 PM	#8
chamourian Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Drives: White Aozora BRZ Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 76 Thanks: 1 Thanked 28 Times in 19 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	That should protect it...

03-27-2014, 12:16 PM	#9
MTCRX Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Drives: Whiteout FRS- autocross ready Location: Montana Posts: 283 Thanks: 136 Thanked 109 Times in 68 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	You can buy the 3M Defender spray on bra at an auto parts store (Autozone has it) and do it yourself. You can leave it on on or peel it off when you are done with the trip. Make sure you get several coats on so it is thick enough to peel off. I had it on my car all last year and it worked great, streets, autocross, road-trips, track days, no chips. You wont even see it unless you look really close.

03-27-2014, 12:30 PM	#10
TOZER Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Drives: 2013 Whiteout FR-S Location: Brantford,Ontario Posts: 271 Thanks: 32 Thanked 93 Times in 61 Posts Mentioned: 10 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	$10 at walmart and 15 minutes of your time

04-01-2014, 02:28 PM	#12
subiestyle Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Drives: 2014 Monogram FR-S White MT Location: San Francisco Posts: 433 Thanks: 62 Thanked 106 Times in 68 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	If you normally wouldn't have installed a clear bra, I would just let it be. It would get rockchips anyway from normal driving on the highway anyway. But I would apply some opti-lens on those headlights. Grand canyon sun can do a lot of UV damage. And apply a coat of paint sealant on the front. When you get back, the bugs should wash off fairly easily.

04-05-2014, 01:49 AM	#14
FriedRicr Woop Dee Woop Woop Woop Join Date: Mar 2013 Drives: Raven 6MT FR-S Location: Boston, Ma Posts: 285 Thanks: 434 Thanked 63 Times in 54 Posts Mentioned: 4 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	What are good sprays to easily wash off bugs?I'm in the middle with finding good bug spray for the car then putting on painters tape.. i'm moving from Mass to Tx .. roughly 27-30hr drive .. So it will be a massive cemetery on my front ..

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