So I recently purchased a 2005 G500 with 58k miles on it. I plan on road tripping around the US throughout 2023 and want to hear from anyone that has taken their G on extended trips!

- What kind of highway speeds did you do? (Is it dangerous to go over 80 mph for hours at a time?)

- What did you get maintained and checked throughout your journey?

- Regarding gas mileage, I was told about an octane extender for better mileage, has anyone used something like this in their tank on their G?

- Safety/Security, what dash cam or security measures have you installed?

Im open to any other suggestions or pointers as well!

 

Congrats on the purchase! Your G looks really clean and has really low miles being a 2005.

I take an annual or bi-annual trip from NJ to FL, ~1200 miles each way. Done it 4 times now I believe, and plan to continue to do so (and other longer trips)

1. Keeping true road tires on it would probably make more sense, but the KO2's I have aren't that bad for road noise and/or loss of as mileage.
2. Upgrade the shocks to something softer. The OE G500/550 shocks aren't bad, but changing over to something softer will help overall ride quality (I have Fox 2.0 adjustable, but they are completely unnecessary - maybe Koni Raid would be a good choice)
3. I usually average around 13mpg with my M113k, running around 75mph on cruise control. Your M113 may do better.
4. The G really eats up the road with great visibility with the high seating position, but the seats are generally uncomfortable - maybe an additional seat cushion or something will make sense here.
5. I installed one of those rear view mirror screens with front and rear cameras. Makes vision out the rear 100000000% better. I installed my rear camera in side the rear glass under the 3rd brake light. This way you can pack the rear as high as you want and still have a clear picture out the back. Plus recording dashcams are a bonus. I purchased a cheapo one off Amazon, the Vantop H610 and it works great.
6. My G really likes cruising in the 70-80mph range. Anything faster for extended periods is too loud, which knuckling, any slower is just impeding traffic. Your results may vary.
7. A radar detector may help, but I don't think is necessary unless you like cruising >80mph all the time.
8. I always check engine oil, coolant level, and the basics every gas stop, which ends up being every ~3 hours/~250ish miles which is about the range limit. I've squeezed out 300 miles a few times but that was running the tank pretty empty.
9. Vent cup holder - get one. The severe lack of cup holders is killer. I have 1 on the driver's vent and it works out great. They're expensive but really the only real option.
10. Good view on your navigation. If you use your phone, get a mount that you like and is solid. If you use the infotainment, (upgraded of course), make sure you're comfortable with the viewing (low placement)
11. If you get a chance, get the extended 90 degree door checks for the rear doors. This will make loading stuff/people infinitely easier. (I still have yet to do this but am always annoyed by how narrow the rear doors open)
12. Organized storage solution for the cargo area - whether it be bags, plastic bins, full drawer system, have a good plan for how you want to organize the back. It fills up fast on long road trips with all kinds of junk, and having a method to the storage madness is key.
13. Tools - I always carry a full array of tools to work on my G when we go on long trips, including an air compressor. Basically everything minus a full sized jack (bottle jack works well overall)
14. Octane booster - Wouldn't hurt to carry some around as the M113/M113k isn't all that happy with regular gas, which you may run into in some out of the way gas stations.
15. Extra Gas Cans - Also not a bad idea if you plan to push the G's range to the llimit.
16. ODB2 scanner - great to have when you really need one.
17. Organize the plugs/cords/etc to be out of the way and everything has a place. I've tucked all my wires away so that nothing is dangling. Drives me crazy during long trips.

I'm sure there's tons more, but this is a good start. I'm sure others who do long trips will also have lots of suggestions.

 

Wow, so much of this I never even considered. This is an exceptional list and I can’t thank you more for taking the time to be this detailed. Thank you so much! I’ll post periodically with updates on the road or upgrades that I implemented from these suggestions.

 

For a little more context, best roadtrip mod by far has been the rear view camera. It's cheap and easy to install. I've had mine for almost 2 years now without any issues, and I've been running another model (same concept) in my other car for 4 years now.

Load up the back as high as you want and you still have perfect visibility.
The G's rearward visibility is terrible anwyay so this is a massive improvement
The camera being inside maybe hurts the IR capabilities at night, but always keeps the camera clean and at the optimal height - brighter Reverse bulbs or a full transplant is a good idea
Rear wiper cleans the area right in front of the camera so visibility is always good

Below is a split front/rear view, but you can go full rear.

 

did it few times, too and didn't prepare anything other than tire pressure and water in the windshield washer reservoir.
these cars are tanks and doesn't make any difference whether 100 or 1,000 miles -on- the road.
have your favorite CDs and put the AC on and enjoy.
when thinking about gas consumption you bought the wrong car anyway.

 

We did a 5k roadtrip from TX to OR to see friends and pick up a puppy when we first got the G63.... planning a TX to VA/NC ME trip next month in the G55.... a few spares, tools, and fluids etc... and should be good to go.

congrats on the G !