My wife and I are now in Maryland after driving across the country.
Total miles: 4800
Total time from EVIC: 81 hours
Average: 59.26 MPH
Departure city:
Monterey
Stops:
1. Las Vegas - 2 nights at Hard Rock Hotel
2. Grand Canyon - took the helicopter tour, awesome!
3. Sedona, AZ - took the jeep tour
4. Albuquerque, NM - I-40 closed 30 miles from Albuquerque, which resulted in a 2-hour detour
5. Dallas, TX - snowing most of the way
6. New Orleans, LA - we had reservations at Days Inn by the French Quarter. This was a nightmare. The parking garage had a very, very steep staggered driveway to get to the upper floors. It was so steep that my cutouts were grinding horribly every step of the way. I thought the exhaust was going to be ripped off. Anyway, we finally get to the third floor and unload. The glass was shattered on the windows. We enter the room and it's about 100 degrees because the heater had been left on high. There were no windows that could be opened and the A/C refused to blow cold air. I figured there was about a 99% chance that my car wouldn't be there in the morning or we would be dead. We checked out within five minutes and drove a few hundred miles to Pensacola, FL.
7. Pensacola, FL - we decided to stay at the Navy Lodge on base after fearing for our lives in New Orleans!
8. Orlando, FL - spent five days at Disneyworld. Holy crap that place is huge! We did two water parks and the four main parks.
9. Miami, FL - hot & humid! There was a black 300 SRT8 at the Mimosa hotel we stayed at.
10. Savannah, GA - I had just passed 6000 miles since the last oil change so I decided it was time to change it. There was only one Chrysler dealership in the city and it had 5-stars. It looked like a decent size but no SRT-8 in the inventory. I ask the service writer outside how much it's going to cost. First he says $29. Then I tell him it's an SRT-8 to which he replies $39. Obviously this guy doesn't know jack so I go into the office where there are three service writers. I ask one of them what kind of oil they're going to use. He immediately says 10w30. I say no, that's not right. He calls someone and then says 5w20. I say no. Finally, he says 0w40. With all the people present I figured the word would get passed to the mechanic. The car comes around when it's done and I ask the mechanic if he used 0w40. He says, "no, this is the special Hemi engine that needs 5w20." Before I could correct him he entered the office and handed the paperwork over. Another mechanic comes out to the car within a minute and says he just needs to check something as he pops the hood.
I inform him they used the wrong oil. Anyway, they take it around again and do another oil change. When it's all over I look at the paperwork and it doesn't indicate they first used the wrong oil. I asked the service writer to write it down just incase the engine blows up. She says that won't happen. I tell her I still want her to write it down and she finally did.
Arrival city:
fort Meade, MD
Overall it was an excellent trip. No problems with the car. The Nitto Invos in back provided great traction.
your engine won't be damaged because it had 5w20 oil in it for 10 minutes; but the real question is do you think it's really got the correct oil in it now? If it were mine I'd change it myself right away and be sure!
your engine won't be damaged because it had 5w20 oil in it for 10 minutes; but the real question is do you think it's really got the correct oil in it now? If it were mine I'd change it myself right away and be sure!
Yeah, it was probably only 2 minutes, but the engine could fail for many reasons and now I have something that says they installed the wrong stuff.
Also, the receipt indicates only 6 quarts. I remember it requiring 7. I just passed 30k miles and will be taking it in for the 30k service in the next few days so I'll be sure to have them check the oil level. Anyone recommend a dealership near Ft. Meade, MD?
Had my oil changed last week or so and he said he put in 5w20, said it was Mopars very own "Semi-Synthetic" I asked him what he meant by Semi?? He kind of chuckled and said its the same as synthetic. Now Im wondering. Just a note Im on a free 3yr oil change plan but if this stuff is crap there gonna hafta use Mobil One. Any opinions?
__________________ 2006 300C SRT8 - All options, All stock (and a few other toys that come and go!)
Congratulations on a very successful road trip! So you managed to come to the great state of Florida….thanks for leaving your tourist dollars at the state line. I imagine all those fun parks weren’t cheap.
Sorry to hear of your ordeal with the oil change. At least you were knowledgeable about what the proper oil was. Just imagine how many other SRT8 owners out there, who don’t frequent this forum to read of these horror stories, get fed the wrong oil and never know it.
Glad you made it home safely!
__________________ 2008 Challenger SRT8 #672-Black with all available equipment 2005 RAM SRT-10 RC Black-all available equipment/ tint 5%
So you managed to come to the great state of Florida….thanks for leaving your tourist dollars..
Yes, we Floridians make great hosts!
(slight drift) I really don't like that new advertiser box in the first post of any thread. If the first post is lengthy, as this one is, it makes it annoying to read such short lines of text.
Congratulations on a very successful road trip! So you managed to come to the great state of Florida….thanks for leaving your tourist dollars at the state line. I imagine all those fun parks weren’t cheap.
With military discount, 2 4-day passes was FIVE-HUNDRED DOLLARS! That's US greenbacks! Then $40 total for parking. Probably another $300 for food and drinks inside the park. Disney World is impressive tough, and I think the entry is worth the price with all the shows and attractions available.
I couldn't believe how humid it was in Orlando and Miami. It's April for goodness sake and it already feels like the Philippines! Although, it wasn't quite as bad as the July through September I spent in Pensacola a few years ago.
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I imagine all those fun parks weren’t cheap. 
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