Taking a road trip - any ideas or recommendations?

[new2yukon]

I liked the Garmin for its simplicity, and it freed up the smartphone for my wife. The Garmin also has images of the freeway exits and the lanes you needed to be in. This itself paid for itself when travelling, especially with a trailer. We were able to travel through LA pulling a trailer without a lot of stress. One wrong exit and you can be in big doo doo!

A data plan with Google maps is better for traffic, so my wife would often peek at Google maps and I would then make a decision to detour if I felt it was necessary.

I got mine last year and I can have it show dining or fuel or whatever I want in real time. Shows them on my route or I can have it show me, for ex., each Wendys and how far, etc. Or the next rest stop, etc. It's awesome.

 

[Larryjb]

I got mine last year and I can have it show dining or fuel or whatever I want in real time. Shows them on my route or I can have it show me, for ex., each Wendys and how far, etc. Or the next rest stop, etc. It's awesome.

While other apps like Google Maps and OsMand can do the same thing, Garmin is very streamlined and uncluttered for this purpose. The moment you start typing McD...., it shows all the McDonalds restaurants in your area, with distance and direction away. And it is very easy to read. The results show up in large print that is easy to tap.

It will also show distance to rest stops along the freeway.

 

[headala]

I built a portable media center under the seat, and installed an overhead screen. They can watch on the screen and also stream to their tablets. Since they don't watch much TV at home, they now look at car rides as a treat.

 

[Geoffsfas10]

I just got back from a long trip with the truck...2000 miles give our take. Make yourselves a travel trash can. I used the largest cereal tupperware from walmart, and put grocery bags in it. Toss em at the gas stations and put a new bag up top. keeps stuff tidey and easy to use. I will second the lowering of the spare, meant to do that for mine but forgot...luckily I didn't need too.

Also, what REALLY helped with mine... CLEAN GLASS!! I cleaned all the windows, inside and out with the Stoner's Invisible Glass. Then went over and buffed when all with my Meguiars Hybrid ceramic wax. Had several rain showers pop up and the water just beaded up and rolled off. Made getting a clean windshield super easy and nice. Then we I got home, washing it was super simple and all the crap came right off. Bugs didnt even stick.

 

[Larryjb]

Do you know how Stoners Invisible Glass compares to Rain-x? I tried Rain-x once and hated it. It left a faint haze with each wipe of the windshield wipers, and made my wipers bounce and squeak.

 

[Geoffsfas10]

I had ZERO issues with the stoners + meguiars combo. I dont like Rain-X because of that same reason. There were times when the rain was light enough, I didnt bother turning the wipers on since the water was just shedding off

 

[new2yukon]

I use rain x washer fluid and would say that I like it. Works good to help rain bead up.

 

[ivin74]

I built a portable media center under the seat, and installed an overhead screen. They can watch on the screen and also stream to their tablets. Since they don't watch much TV at home, they now look at car rides as a treat.

Please post a pic of the set up

 

[RTLINGR2]

I second the Stoner Invisible Glass cleaner. I use it in all my vehicles and my wife uses in the house for windows and mirrors. As far as outside glass I use the Rain X washer fluid, the longer you use it the better it works. Summer time the jugs are green and formula is to help with bug removal. The winter time its orange and has has de-icers in it. Not that i ever need that here in Central Florida. The stores automatically change for the seasons. But overall works great for our daily afternoon thunderstorms in summer.

 

[AH64Medic]

Using an app like Waze shows you accidents up ahead and will automatically redirect you. Also shows hidden police looking to write speeding tickets. Something conventional GPS does not do.

Buy/bring a Garmin gps. Runs off satellite instead of towers.....rural areas are issues for cell signals.

And....imo its far better than silly phone app for gps.

Oh yeah baby...

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[Tozan]

We'll have 4 people...with the 3rd row seats removed. I do have a hitch mount carrier I was considering. That's definitely an option if space gets tight. Hadn't thought about an electric cooler. I'll check into that.

I have a refrigerator in mine my wife calls it the best thing we have done so far and I have done a lot.. Picked it up on Amazon for a couple hundred bucks. This can also be put in the back area and plugged into the rear power port. This is a 37 qt. Apicool

The neighbor did offer their roof carrier if we need it. Thankfully the dog is not coming so I don't have to worry about that taking up space.

With the rear seats removed you can also install a platform too make things easier to get to and keep things more organized. If you make one like mine it will only take an hour to install... Int this photo the left seat is folded down and the platform is fold forward to make getting stuff out from under it easier. These are just standard 24 inch deep and 4 feet wide steel shelves if you want to know how to install them check out my build thread in my signature.