[Ritu_o0o]

Hello Experts,

We are going on a road trip (Los Angeles to Seattle) starting next week (March 30 til Apr 6). My X7 2023 has around 9500 miles on it and the first service was done recently (3 months ago).

Any suggestions or tips that you guys can share based on your past experience?

TIA

[AvGeek]

I presume you already are given the week timeline, but consider this route instead of coming up I5. https://www.roadtripusa.com/pacific-coast/

[ledphut]

I just did the opposite direction last month. Best to have some tire chains just in case. Even the cheap wheel socks are better than nothing.

[mitch65]

If you have the OEM 23's and don't have All Season Tires I would rent a 4WD Tahoe or Fly. They have chain requirements on 5 up near the CAL/ORE border quite often. Also, a Tahoe or Expedition has a full size spare. Even if you have the OEM Mini Spare where are you going to find a 23" tire near the CAL/ORE border.

[RSouthern]

Check the weather report and the road conditions!

I've done the San Jose to LA trip many times in the X7 and it's a great cruiser for that drive. Single tank of gas and about 5-6 hours, depending where you actually start in So Cal.

i've also done the San Jose to Seattle drive a few times and you probably want to break that into 2 days. I stopped in Roseburg Or a few times and there's a decent hotel right off the highway and the drive from there to Seattle isn't too long, maybe another 4-5 hours. There's a coffee place right outside the hotel and it's a quick turn to get back on 5 in the morning. Some of their rooms have a nice view of the river too.

We have gotten caught in weather going up that stretch of 5 and it can be pretty dangerous. We stopped last year on Christmas eve. It was snowing and we decided not press our luck. The next morning we passed 7 jack-knifed big rigs and too many cars to count that got caught up in the truck action. It was carnage. The fog and snow/rain made it treacherous.

So check the weather before you leave as there may be road closures over Shasta, or dangerous conditions forcing you to slow way down.

BTW, you can make very good time from LA to the SF area and maybe up to the Oregon border! Keep an eye out for CHP but many cars travel in the triple digit speed range (i.e. 100-120 mph). Stay to the right if you aren't comfortable keeping up or watch your mirrors to make sure you don't block someone traveling fast! Treat it like the autobahn and stay right unless passing. Just watch out for potholes/rough surfaces in the right lane, the trucks really destroy the roads along that stretch and there are some wheel-breakers there! Look ahead and don't tailgate so you can plan to avoid the bad stuff.

When you get to Oregon, you really need to watch your speed more carefully, and don't forget, in Oregon, you can't pump your own gas. The station attendants do it for you (yes, it's weird, but it's Oregon).

Have a safe journey!

Edit: I should add that the above works if you're just trying to get to Seattle in 2-3 days. If you're looking to make it a week long road trip, consider the coastal route! Nice scenery from LA up to Monterey CA, then get through the SF Bay area any way you can unless you want to stop for some SF tourism... then get back on the coast in Oregon and stop at the little fishing towns along the way or do some White Water rafting, then cut inland to see Crater Lake, then cut back over to SunRiver to hike on the Lava Flows and float on the river, then stop in Portland and take in some of the museums before heading up to Washington, stopping in at the Boeing Museum and in downtown for the Fish Market and Space Needle and some of the islands for the small town breweries and coffee places. That takes about a week to do all that, but it's a great drive!

Edit 2: removed incorrect memory of RADAR detectors being illegal in Oregon. But watch your speed anyway, the limits are lower!

[Ritu_o0o]

Originally Posted by RSouthern

Check the weather report and the road conditions!

I've done the San Jose to LA trip many times in the X7 and it's a great cruiser for that drive. Single tank of gas and about 5-6 hours, depending where you actually start in So Cal.

i've also done the San Jose to Seattle drive a few times and you probably want to break that into 2 days. I stopped in Roseburg Or a few times and there's a decent hotel right off the highway and the drive from there to Seattle isn't too long, maybe another 4-5 hours. There's a coffee place right outside the hotel and it's a quick turn to get back on 5 in the morning. Some of their rooms have a nice view of the river too.

We have gotten caught in weather going up that stretch of 5 and it can be pretty dangerous. We stopped last year on Christmas eve. It was snowing and we decided not press our luck. The next morning we passed 7 jack-knifed big rigs and too many cars to count that got caught up in the truck action. It was carnage. The fog and snow/rain made it treacherous.

So check the weather before you leave as there may be road closures over Shasta, or dangerous conditions forcing you to slow way down.

BTW, you can make very good time from LA to the SF area and maybe up to the Oregon border! Keep an eye out for CHP but many cars travel in the triple digit speed range (i.e. 100-120 mph). Stay to the right if you aren't comfortable keeping up or watch your mirrors to make sure you don't block someone traveling fast! Treat it like the autobahn and stay right unless passing. Just watch out for potholes/rough surfaces in the right lane, [...]

Thanks for great tips and inside scoop!! We will be going to Seattle in 2 days. LA to Redding and Redding to Seattle next day.

I do have a radar detector, I will take out in Oregon. Never got a chance to cross 105 MPH, will try this time in US autobahn.

[Ritu_o0o]

Originally Posted by mitch65

If you have the OEM 23's and don't have All Season Tires I would rent a 4WD Tahoe or Fly. They have chain requirements on 5 up near the CAL/ORE border quite often. Also, a Tahoe or Expedition has a full size spare. Even if you have the OEM Mini Spare where are you going to find a 23" tire near the CAL/ORE border.

I have all season tires and will carry chains just in case!!

As of now weather is showing cloudy and no rain, but weather these days changes in no time. Will keep eye on it.

Thanks!!

[Zer00]

Originally Posted by RSouthern

BTW, you can make very good time from LA to the SF area and maybe up to the Oregon border! Keep an eye out for CHP but many cars travel in the triple digit speed range (i.e. 100-120 mph).

Yeah so what is up with this? I do 15-20 over speed limit and was struggling to keep up with traffic. I pushed to 25 over speed limit and still wasn't passing anyone. When I finally started passing cars I was pushing > 100. Kept wondering at what speed CHP would pull me over.

[AvGeek]

Originally Posted by Ritu_o0o

Thanks for great tips and inside scoop!! We will be going to Seattle in 2 days. LA to Redding and Redding to Seattle next day.

I do have a radar detector, I will take out in Oregon. Never got a chance to cross 105 MPH, will try this time in US autobahn.

You're good in Oregon.

https://www.bestradardetectors.net/R...ctor-Laws.html

[ledphut]

Originally Posted by Zer00

Yeah so what is up with this? I do 15-20 over speed limit and was struggling to keep up with traffic. I pushed to 25 over speed limit and still wasn't passing anyone. When I finally started passing cars I was pushing > 100. Kept wondering at what speed CHP would pull me over.

Remember that BMW speedos are typically 2-3mph under what it says on the dash.

[RSouthern]

Originally Posted by AvGeek

You're good in Oregon.

https://www.bestradardetectors.net/R...ctor-Laws.html

Thanks for updating it! Maybe I was remembering the law wrong. I'll correct the post. I do remember a lot of Oregon is 55mph, which seems like a crawl! I also seem to remember some discussion on unmarked Oregon highway patrol, so be careful when driving there!

[RSouthern]

Originally Posted by Zer00

Yeah so what is up with this? I do 15-20 over speed limit and was struggling to keep up with traffic. I pushed to 25 over speed limit and still wasn't passing anyone. When I finally started passing cars I was pushing > 100. Kept wondering at what speed CHP would pull me over.

No idea, but 100 is pretty average in my experience for 5. I travel at a comfortable pace and I'm never the fastest on the 5. I pull to the right when I see people coming up behind me, and I know I'm moving quickly, so yeah, some cars are traveling in excess of 120 mph. I sometimes see a CHP pulled over with someone but I think budget cuts are removing the number of officers on patrol and I have only once or twice seen CHP aircraft pacing cars. You'll see the large white stripes perpendicular to the travel along side the road surface. I think these are timing stripes, but I don't know how far apart they are. If you see them, watch for airplanes! also, at the top of the Grapevine there's a CHP station, so there tend to be more officers out on the highway around there.

Be careful out there and use your brain when driving.

[RSouthern]

Originally Posted by Ritu_o0o

I have all season tires and will carry chains just in case!!

As of now weather is showing cloudy and no rain, but weather these days changes in no time. Will keep eye on it.

Thanks!!

If you need chains for an all wheel drive with all season tires, you might want to consider turning back. I use this strategy with my Jeep Wrangler. If the road is that bad, the destination will probably be closed or without power, unless it's just over the summit. Highway patrol will likely be running traffic breaks in that case and the road may be closed if the storm isn't dying already. Be ready to find a hotel and wait out the storm.

BTW, do you put chains on both front and back axles with the X7 since it's all wheel drive? I've never looked into that but would think traction on only the back (chains on rear) would cause the computer to freak out and/or cause clutch problems in the transfer case.

[Ritu_o0o]

Originally Posted by RSouthern

If you need chains for an all wheel drive with all season tires, you might want to consider turning back. I use this strategy with my Jeep Wrangler. If the road is that bad, the destination will probably be closed or without power, unless it's just over the summit. Highway patrol will likely be running traffic breaks in that case and the road may be closed if the storm isn't dying already. Be ready to find a hotel and wait out the storm.

BTW, do you put chains on both front and back axles with the X7 since it's all wheel drive? I've never looked into that but would think traction on only the back (chains on rear) would cause the computer to freak out and/or cause clutch problems in the transfer case.

I just have 2 chains, I am keeping them with me but, I rather follow your strategy! If I have to put chains, I will take a decision to wait overnight or turn back!!

Thanks