First road trip with the 200 (1 Viewer)

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Sep 8, 2021
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I finally took my 200 I bought last summer on it's first road trip this past weekend.

A few observations:

1- I got turned around several times in a city I wasn't familiar with (Toledo).
The factory navigation is indeed CRAP as others have stated.
This was my first experience really having to use it for an out of state trip and boy was I disappointed.
I ended up pulling into some random parking lot in the ghetto and whipped out the G maps on my phone to get me the hell out of dodge!

2- Damn this ride is smooth for longer road trips.
I have never driven a vehicle so comfortable on the highway with power to boot.
This thing sure as hell beats my lifted Tacoma I had previously in that aspect.

3- I did start getting the crunching gremlins sound from somewhere in my dash during the trip.
Turned the radio off to see where it was coming from (glovebox)?
Still not sure but the problem went away, so I will deal with it at another time I guess.

The gas mileage was around 14 MPG for the entire trip (300 miles), most of it being highway and a little bit of country roads.
This will be the first of many trips in the future and I just wanted to share my experience...
 
I just did my first "road trip" in the LX too. Denver to Steamboat and back. It's also just 300 miles, but the longest trip I've done with this vehicle so far. I remember the drive to Steamboat taking ages in my 60. Not so much in the 200 lol. 4 dudes, tons of ski gear, passing folks with ease on hwy 40 and about 1.5 hours of stop and go for the fawking tunnel on Sunday. 15.7 mpg :)
 
I finally took my 200 I bought last summer on it's first road trip this past weekend.

A few observations:

1- I got turned around several times in a city I wasn't familiar with (Toledo).
The factory navigation is indeed CRAP as others have stated.
This was my first experience really having to use it for an out of state trip and boy was I disappointed.
I ended up pulling into some random parking lot in the ghetto and whipped out the G maps on my phone to get me the hell out of dodge!

2- Damn this ride is smooth for longer road trips.
I have never driven a vehicle so comfortable on the highway with power to boot.
This thing sure as hell beats my lifted Tacoma I had previously in that aspect.

3- I did start getting the crunching gremlins sound from somewhere in my dash during the trip.
Turned the radio off to see where it was coming from (glovebox)?
Still not sure but the problem went away, so I will deal with it at another time I guess.

The gas mileage was around 14 MPG for the entire trip (300 miles), most of it being highway and a little bit of country roads.
This will be the first of many trips in the future and I just wanted to share my experience...
Yup, Toledo can be tricky with the river and odd traffic flow in many areas. It's really strange how hard it is to get on/off the toll road (I-80-90).

The behind the glovebox sound could be the notorious HVAC record/fresh flap broken. System working ok?
 
I just did my first "road trip" in the LX too. Denver to Steamboat and back. It's also just 300 miles, but the longest trip I've done with this vehicle so far. I remember the drive to Steamboat taking ages in my 60. Not so much in the 200 lol. 4 dudes, tons of ski gear, passing folks with ease on hwy 40 and about 1.5 hours of stop and go for the fawking tunnel on Sunday. 15.7 mpg :)
I love Steamboat.
My buddy and I took a trip to meet a friend when we were teenagers.

It's been 20 years and I still have yet to make it back...
 
3- I did start getting the crunching gremlins sound from somewhere in my dash during the trip.
Turned the radio off to see where it was coming from (glovebox)?
Still not sure but the problem went away, so I will deal with it at another time I guess.
You're going to think I'm crazy but your sound is coming from the plastic trim around the lower part of the windshield. In my case it's the lower passenger side. To fix it I stray it with graphite lubricant under the rubber molding. It's black so if you're careful you don't even need to wipe it off.
It only happens to me in the winter or when I twist the chassis like exiting or entering a steep driveway. At 156,000 my 2011 is amazingly solid with no creeks or rattles, unlike the wife's 2014 GL350 with only 100k.
 
Yup, Toledo can be tricky with the river and odd traffic flow in many areas. It's really strange how hard it is to get on/off the toll road (I-80-90).

The behind the glovebox sound could be the notorious HVAC record/fresh flap broken. System working ok?
I should have just stayed on the turnpike for another 30 minutes or so and would have been fine.

HVAC system works as it should.
There was a post here about this topic, I just haven't searched it yet as the problem went away.
 
You're going to think I'm crazy but your sound is coming from the plastic trim around the lower part of the windshield. In my case it's the lower passenger side. To fix it I stray it with graphite lubricant under the rubber molding. It's black so if you're careful you don't even need to wipe it off.
It only happens to me in the winter or when I twist the chassis like exiting or entering a steep driveway. At 156,000 my 2011 is amazingly solid with no creeks or rattles, unlike the wife's 2014 GL350 with only 100k.
I will take a look today before we get another foot of snow!

Is there a sure tail sign when I go to inspect later?
Will a spray lubricant do the job as well?
I think that is what I have on hand.
 
My first longer roadtrip was to Venice a month ago… had to remove the mudplates to get the clearance of 2,10m at the parking garages in Verona and Venice😅. Big car problems…
 
Almost 87,000 on my 2016, it's all stock aside from a few bumps and scrapes due to using it. Been averaging 15.5 overall since new. Will do 18 on the highway around the magical 63mph, but rarely do.

Someone called it a minivan yesterday---I felt proud.
 
Almost 87,000 on my 2016, it's all stock aside from a few bumps and scrapes due to using it. Been averaging 15.5 overall since new. Will do 18 on the highway around the magical 63mph, but rarely do.
i was wondering, has anyone done anything to improve the AERODYNAMICS of the 200 or LX?
it is basically a very high brick running down the highway....maybe an air dam under the front bumper?

i ask this because i used to drive an RX350, and i had a rear bumper hitch gear box i used from time to time. with the gear box in place i got 2 mpg more....it was deflecting the air somehow to reduce turbulence....
 
i was wondering, has anyone done anything to improve the AERODYNAMICS of the 200 or LX?
it is basically a very high brick running down the highway....maybe an air dam under the front bumper?

i ask this because i used to drive an RX350, and i had a rear bumper hitch gear box i used from time to time. with the gear box in place i got 2 mpg more....it was deflecting the air somehow to reduce turbulence....
I get the best aerodynamics when it’s parked in the garage…yuuuge mpg gains 🤪
 
i was wondering, has anyone done anything to improve the AERODYNAMICS of the 200 or LX?
it is basically a very high brick running down the highway....maybe an air dam under the front bumper?

i ask this because i used to drive an RX350, and i had a rear bumper hitch gear box i used from time to time. with the gear box in place i got 2 mpg more....it was deflecting the air somehow to reduce turbulence....
I brick on the highway is a 40 series Not a 200. Your enemy is weight with the 200.
 

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