Should I drive my M3 on a 600 mile road trip?

[Poiseuille]

reluctantly, I have to go with the play-it-safe-and-rent crowd. be a different story if it was June.

[rarlyl8]

Are you going to have a ton of free time during the day to explore? If after Mid-March, I would personally drive the M but how much fun will it be driving straight busy highways in unpredictable weather in February? I drive from ATL to NW Indiana quite often to visit the family.

[ilia]

Originally Posted by rarlyl8

Are you going to have a ton of free time during the day to explore? If after Mid-March, I would personally drive the M but how much fun will it be driving straight busy highways in unpredictable weather in February? I drive from ATL to NW Indiana quite often to visit the family.

Unfortunately it's all work and no play. Driving down on the first day, then 7:30 am to about 6 pm for two days and leaving for home at around 3 pm on last day... it might be dark on my way home.

[Humdizzle]

rental.

1200 miles isn't the bad part. its all the rock chips, pot holes, salt that your car will have to deal with.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by M3PGH

Take a plane

This + Uber / Lyft, as necessary, to / from airports and while visiting.

[halfempty]

All good points above

I also consider parking issues when deciding between taking my car or the wife's beater for family trips. Valet only? Unsecured lot? On-street? I avoid these at all cost, including leaving the M at home.

[Darth One]

Yeah, you didn’t say why flying is not an option. O’Hare is a hub so i’m betting that you can find a cheap nonstop.

I travel frequently for work, and as you say, it’s not fun. It would be brutal with the drive and schedule you’re describing, and almost certainly not cheaper for your company.

[Vanc2408]

My vote is to go for the rental since the peace of mind seems totally worth it

[clutchdj]

Rental or fly. Would not drive that far in adverse conditions in an m3/4 if I had a choice. I think you’d be more tired in your own car by the time you get there. Most ppl try to get by on all season tires. Those are the folk to really watch out for in the winter.

[Vegetable]

The entire reason why I bought a M4 was so I could have fun at work. I drive a little under 100K/year as an independent life/health insurance broker. I couldn't imagine having to take a rental Altima or Mustang V6 every time I had to drive 300+ miles to help a client. The same also applies to all travel, even non-work related and most driving conditions (i.e. snow, rain ((ice I call in sick)). If I'm driving, I'm in my M4 or 435i.

[ando]

If you have a flexible corporate travel policy drive the M3. Most companies apply the lower cost method including travel time so I'd fly that and rent a car when I got there. But if you don't like flying a road trip in a M3 is a great thing.

[ilia]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I'm starting to lean towards a rental.

[ilia]

Originally Posted by Darth One

Yeah, you didn't say why flying is not an option. O'Hare is a hub so i'm betting that you can find a cheap nonstop.

I travel frequently for work, and as you say, it's not fun. It would be brutal with the drive and schedule you're describing, and almost certainly not cheaper for your company.

It will be more cost effective to drive. I ran the numbers for the dates I need. Plus I have a limited budget for travel expenses, so the cheaper the better for me. I also have the following week off to recover from the trip

[ilia]

Originally Posted by halfempty

All good points above

I also consider parking issues when deciding between taking my car or the wife's beater for family trips. Valet only? Unsecured lot? On-street? I avoid these at all cost, including leaving the M at home.

I did not think of that. You make a good point. It's all in the details. Thanks

[RoundelM3]

I took my M3 when we fled Hurricane Florence. Drove from Wilmington, NC area to Lexington, VA with wife and 2 cats (in carriers in the rear seat), including 10 miles of winding road on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Drove through some fearsome rain on the trip home (Flo's aftermath) a week later, but made both trips with no damage or stress.

[Sahbatage]

I drove Chicago to Atl at the end of Feb in 2016, of course every day is different but once I left snowy Chicago the rest of the drive was fun. I now live in Knoxville, the smokies are worth driving any day. Take the M, enjoy it being a luxury cruiser and have fun when you hit the mountains, better than what you'd get out of it driving in the city.

[nicknaz]

If it's for work and in the northeast in Jan, I would definitely rent an awd SUV so you can have more capability if snow hits.

For my own personal travel, when I can control when to travel and where to park, I'd totally take my own fun car (after all, having a fun car on a road trip is big part of the fun!)

[White340]

[QUOTE=SD ///M4;24254874]

Originally Posted by Tommy L Garage

One of my best trips with the M was when I picked it up and drove it back to NJ from Wisconsin - 1200 miles. Do it!!!
Just get a radar detector

Why didn't you custom order your car rather than pick it up from such a distance?

[knightarmor]

You say you love driving and road trips but it's not going to be a fun drive because you are solo. Those are the best drives I have ever taken because there is no on else there to slow me down or rush me. Due to weather concerns you have I would just fly.being in a rental car doesn't take away the "tired driver in bad weather conditions".

[Tommy L Garage]

[QUOTE=White340;24256734]

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

Why didn't you custom order your car rather than pick it up from such a distance?

Saved over $15K by buying a 6 month old car.
It had a comp package, manual and a sunroof and a yas - the exact spec I wanted (well minus the yas...that was wife's choice ;0 )

[boss2k]

Originally Posted by ilia

So,
I'm about to go on a road trip from Chicago to Knoxville (approx. 600 mi) for work. It will not be a fun trip as I will be driving solo, but I was thinking that taking the ///M ('17 M3 zcp, aka Pearl) would make it more enjoyable. I love driving and road trips, but I would just have to get there in good time with only a few breaks. Also, it will be in the beginning of February, so the road conditions might not be ideal. Pearl has snow tires on, but taking on the Smokey Mountains and a tired driver in the snow might not be ideal. Also, I would be getting better gas mileage and would not be putting 1200mi on my sweetheart during debris season. I have a rental car reserved, but should I cancel it and take my car? Opinions appreciated. Thanks

Obviously rental in winter months and i would fly instead of driving on a business trip.

[White340]

[QUOTE=Tommy L Garage;24257023]

Originally Posted by White340

Saved over $15K by buying a 6 month old car.
It had a comp package, manual and a sunroof and a yas - the exact spec I wanted (well minus the yas...that was wife's choice ;0 )

Wow nice. Congrats. Car looks great in your videos.