Travel

Travel & Preparation

Our members are participating in a number of events/activities each year which involve driving large distances with the final destination many miles from our garages in the Phoenix area. We take part in "Sunday Drives," B.E.A.T., Tours to Alpine, Bisbee, Grand Canyon, Monterey, and Southern California. Some of us venture to PCA Parades and Zone 8 events. Years ago, when my family began making some of these long distance treks in our Porsche, I was always paranoid about what mechanical catastrophes were lurking along the way, and what tools, spare parts and trouble shooting items should be included in the limited space available after or before
passengers, luggage and other necessities. In the early 70's, some paranoia was justified when traveling far in our air-cooled machinery!
Allan Caldwell, PANORAMA Technical Editor, and, Pacific Northwest Region Technical Editor assembled a travel equipment list several years ago which he has updated several times as the technology of our Porsches advances. Another source of an equipment list for automobile travel is the AARP 55 Alive/Mature Driving course workbook. Following is a summary of the items I have included in a small duffel bag carried on every long distance trip we take in our Porsche and our other vehicles as well.

Tire Gauge: The Ford/Firestone debates have certainly made it crystal clear to everyone how important proper tire pressure is for each tire on every vehicle, as if we ever had any doubts. A $25. to $30. digital tire gauge should be a basic item in every Porsche road travel bag. An analog tire gauge was part of the factory tool kit in Porsches prior to the 90's. I'm not sure that item is still included. Check your "cold" tire pressure per your owner's manual each morning as part of the startup ritual.

Road Flares: Two or three emergency roadside flares should be included in your travel bag which can be utilized to alert oncoming motorists of your Porsche should you become disabled on the road. Follow the directions on the flare packaging for proper usage.

Tow Rope/Strap: A nylon strap with a hook on each end is a good item to include for the purpose of towing your Porsche to safe harbor if it becomes disabled on the road. Long distance towing is not recommended.

Wood Block: A 6 or 8 inch piece of 1 x 6 makes a good base for your Porsche car jack if you need to raise your car while off the roadway.

Dropcloth: A six foot square drop cloth is a great clothes saving device if you ever have to change a tire or get under your Porsche in inclement weather.

Trash Bag: A regular trash bag or two can come in handy for several emergencies including storage for the removed full sized tire when you must mount the inflatable spare. Remember the normal size road wheel will not fit into the recess which held the blowup spare wheel/tire. Some clever/careful repackaging will be necessary and a dirty tire in a baggie is a lot easier to deal with.

Fan/AC Belt: An owner should not drive any air cooled Porsche with the fan belt missing. It is critical to engine cooling and proper electrical system performance. In many cases, the failure of the air conditioning belt (which is not uncommon) will take out the fan belt as well. A spare fan belt is included in the tool kit of most if not all air cooled Porsches, but the A/C belt should be added. I don't think Boxster and 996 owners are going to have any problems with the serpentine belt on their Porsches, nor would they attempt a change in the unlikely event of a belt failure. A call to Porsche Roadside Assistance is the answer.

Masking Tape: A roll of 2 inch masking tape is a useful solution for many roadside problems and emergencies both inside and outside your Porsche. Carry a roll and write down all the uses you find.

Flashlight: A maglite aluminum case flashlight is another multiple use addition to your travel bag. Be sure you check the batteries occasionally, so you won't be left in the dark.

Glass Cleaner: Wurth Glass Cleaner in a 19oz. spray can is the best glass cleaner available to any Porsche owner. It is available from Performance Products/Automotion (you have to ask for it) for about $4.00 per can. It is a great product and smells nice as well. You can also carry your own favorite window cleaning product. I like to clean the windshield/front surfaces at the end of each driving day as the accumulation is much easier to get off then as opposed to after an overnight.

Paper Towels: A roll of paper towels are invaluable in keeping your Porsche presentable while traveling.

Torque Wrench/Soft Socket: A proper torque wrench with a protective socket will allow an owner to remove and install Porsche wheels without damage, fuss or bruised knuckles. Use the torque setting specified in your owner's manual for installing wheels.

Tool Roll: A small tool roll with items not included in your Porsche tool kit can be useful in emergencies. This kit should contain an adjustable (Crescent) wrench, applicable fuses, ice scraper, halon fire extinguisher, small hammer, spark plug socket, channel-lock pliers, a small volt-ohm meter and any other owner's favorite tools.

Towels/ShopRags: An assortment of shop rags and a couple of towels will come in handy for many cleanups and provide cushioning for the above items in your travel bag.

Spare Parts: Porsche problems on the road are most often fuel related. I have always carried a spare fuel filter in every Porsche we have owned, which has proven to be a wise investment and solution to a poor running engine.

These are the items I found in the duffel we carry in our 993. Each owner will add his/her own favorites and tailor their items to the needs of their particular model Porsche. I hope this list is useful to our members and makes our travels to events in our Porsches less stressful.