Approaching mid-March, I’m starting to take stock in what I need for a proper road trip. I already have a list of repairs and maintenance I need to get through before I take the soul-sucking appliance on a 4,000 mile trip halfway across the country.
But this is more about the “stuff” I need to add to the car. Honestly, I could hop in with a suitcase and a box of tools and make it out there, but this dude does not travel that way.
Sure, I can read paper maps just fine, but having navigation with GPS and live traffic is a must-have for me. Plus, as I get older, I need all the reminders I can get, and having a navigation system nudge me before turns or freeway exits has saved my turkey bacon more than a few times.
To that extent, I am thinking of moving my Pioneer head unit from the CR-V to the Civic, and getting a slightly newer one for the CR-V (since the newer one has wireless Android Auto, can play DSD music files, and interfaces with the iDataLink Maestro to provide car data and integration I currently don’t have.
I also have a dead 12 volt lighter socket. Probably didn’t reconnect a wire when I had the dash apart years ago. But I bought an add-on pair of sockets I can install beneath the dash, and plug the 4-port USB charger into one of them, leaving another empty for the Radenso radar detector. I also need to wire in the add-on TPMS system.
My assorted “road trip stuff” will go along with me. First is a steering wheel tray that fits on the steering wheel for food, tablet (the computing type, not my “old man medicine” tablets/pills/capsules), or whatever I need. I also have a Stupid Car Tray, and some rain ponchos and umbrellas. Plenty of room on the passenger’s side floor for a cooler. For hydration and cold snacks (but only the road-legal kind).
Already replaced all interior bulbs with LEDs. Tempted by the LED high and low beams, but won’t be doing much night driving.
I may get an ergonomic seat cushion, although the seats in the Civic are firm and comfortable.
As for tools, I will bring the big impact, the wheel lug/torque stick set, and maybe a socket set or two with a ratchet. I’m not about to get a crash kit from Horrible Freight, but I’ll admit it’s tempting (provided I find an all-metric kit).
And like any road trip, I already know I’m forgetting something…