Driving long distances at high speed

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Jun 18, 2004 | 07:36 AM

#16

Red Bar0n

Registered User

Joined: Nov 2003

Posts: 358

From: New England

Car Info: Red 04 WRX Wagon

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wutzdatbehindu

Red Baron...

The car is an 03 WRX. She already has 22000 miles on it. The commutes from Elk Grove, UCDavis and CSUS are adding up miles like crazy.

Do you regularly maintain the car?
I ask about the age of the car and this maintence question b/c older parts or an unmaintain car would have more of an impact on the wear of your engine.

Jun 18, 2004 | 07:50 AM

#17

Subaruski42o

Registered User

Joined: Jun 2003

Posts: 1,122

From: Rockford, IL

Car Info: 98 RS

Isnt that what cars are made for. To drive?????????????????/

Jun 18, 2004 | 11:18 AM

#18

meilers

VIP Member

Joined: Mar 2003

Posts: 2,023

From: Phoenix, AZ

Car Info: Subaru Impreza WRX 2002

Quote:

Originally Posted by qship

the rule of thumb in automotive engineneering is a motor can be run at 2/3's of it's redline for long periods of time with out any undue wear. boats and airplane motors will have their crusing speed set at about 2/3's of the redline. also see in the forester forum boston to oakland in 56 hours of driving.

To my knowledge this is correct. In fact, many engines run cooler and with less wear at mid- to high RPM than they do at very low RPMs or under heavy load (acceleration). As long as your cooling system is working well and your lubrication is optimal (clean oil and oil filter) you've got a far greater chance of damaging your engine by actually wrecking your car than by simply driving it at a constant speed. As someone else pointed out, you put MUCH more strain on an engine and drivetrain when accelerating than you do when cruising at a constant speed. I think 100 miles of "jackrabbit" driving (fast stop, fast start) would do much more damage to an engine than 300 miles of 75 mph with the cruise control on.

Now, if only the WRX (or any Suby) had a decent factory temperature gauge, and not these idiot gauges that will only tell you if you have a problem about 2 minutes before you actually overheat...

Jul 8, 2004 | 06:32 AM

#19

jriggs

Guest

Posts: n/a

i don't want to **** in anyones cheerios....but cars are nothing more than pieces of metal. you can do everything right, change your oil, swap your fluids, baby the car....and it could still break, that's just how it goes!!!!

cars are meant to be driven....beat the crap outta the thing and trade it in 4 years for something new

Jul 8, 2004 | 08:59 AM

#20

smithby

Guest

Posts: n/a

In the almost 34 years of driving. At high speeds, drag racing my 1970 Duster 340 back in the 70's, driving to VT from CT every winter weekend for the last six years, in Honda Civic in the mid 90's and Subby's since 1999. I have never had a oil related problem. I drive hard, I do jacket rabbit starts, my 1992 Civic Si has seem 500 rpm above redline more times then you can count on your body parts. I tend to be hard on my cars,. The one thing I always do is change the fluids on a regural schedule. If I have driven hard in the summer I may change the oil a little sooner.

The 92 Civic is now turbo charged. I did that at 192,000 miles. It was fine until we began to push the boost. Then we blew the rings out of it. Just got that engine back from the shop. They polished the stock crank and put it back in the block with standard size Honda bearings. That car has had the crap beat out of it since I bought it new.

Just change your fluids.

I know my 05 Legacy GT Wagon will chirp tires in second gear. Yea, I think I drive hard.