Road trip from Toronto to Atlanta - preparing the 1er

[Lucky1]

I'm planning on taking a road trip from Toronto, Canada to Atlanta, Georgia in late June. Hoping my fellow 1Addicts can make suggestions for me on two things:

1. What is the most scenic route to drive?

Is there anything to see along the way? What route would you recommend?

2. What should I do to prepare my 1er?

I'm getting the battery terminal cable recall done hopefully next week. Since I also recently changed out the run flats to non RFTs I'm thinking about buying a spare tire but I'm not sure I'll have room because I'm taking passengers and luggage with me. I'll be bringing the spare fob and entrusting it with one of the passengers (just in case). The only other concern I have is that I've past 60,000 miles on the odometer and I'm still on the original water pump and thermostat. Its going to get a workout down in the hot south I'm sure I wonder if I can convince BMW to replace the pump pre-emptively under CPO warranty.

3. Will BMW Roadside assistance support me in the U.S. ?

The back of the card I received when I bought my 1er says the phone number is available throughout the U.S. and Canada. Does that mean the tow trucks are too? Will phone to find out.

Any other thoughts are welcome. I might have access to an Infiniti G35x to take but only if the fuel meter is fixed beforehand. We shall see.

[vertebra]

Not the most scenic trip... once you get down to Hotlanta there will be a lot to do.

[Cemoto]

I'd go through the finger lakes of NY (wine country) then the PA/NY/NJ Delaware water gap area then onto the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Bring her to the dealer and tell them about your trip, get them to inspect the car.

Don't think they will replace anything that is not broken.

Good luck and have a great trip!

[drcollie]

Blue Ridge Parkway is great if you don't mind taking a LONG time to get there. Its slow (45 mph) and takes 3x as long to get there, I've done it many times on a motorcycle. I'd say take i-81 and bypass most of it, but DO go into the Smokey MTNS and do Deal's Gap (Tail of the Dragon) and there to The Cherahola Skyway to Tellico Plains. Those are the best roads on the East Coast. From Tellico Plains take the backroads into Atlanta. Have fun!

[tccox]

+ 1 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Beautiful road but very very low speed limits and very very agressive park rangers handing out tickets.

[dorkdog]

Last summer I did a cross country trip in my 128... from PA to WA. Before the trip I did exactly as a previous poster suggested; took it to the dealer and had them check it over and do an oil change (on my dime even tho under maint package).

I set my GPS to 'shortest distance' rather than 'shortest time' and it took me thru every little scenic fiefdom along the way.

Only mishap I had was a headlight went out. Stopped at a dealer along the way; they swapped it out and did ANOTHER car check and I had the oil changed again (6000 miles after the oil change I'd had done a week or so prior) and headed home.

Have a lot of fun, and stay safe!