Moving car from DC to Jacksonville!!

[projectmaximus]

Hi all, brand new to the forums. Will be moving from DC to Jax and taking the car via Autotrain. But it's 113 miles from Sanford Station to relatives house in Jax (plus approx 20 miles to Lorton Station from DC home) so definitely must make several stops along the way.

We've charted a possible course which includes several options (Level 2 at a zoo, Level 3 at a Nissan Dealer, Level 2 at a restaurant, Level 2 at another Nissan dealer) but just wondering:
1) if anyone has any suggestions/tips/tricks
2) what might happen if we need to call roadside assistance

Should we contact the dealers ahead of time just to make sure they're cool? And remember the car will probably be packed as full as it can get.

TIA!

Max

 

[apvbguy]

I think that your mileage estimates are a bit low. I think that it is closer to being about 125 miles+ from the terminal to JAX, and JAX is a very big town so you could be off by many miles depending on exactly where you need to be.
you are on the right track about locating charging stations along the way, evtriplanner or plugshare should be in your phones apps. there should be a nissan dealer in Daytona, and there is one in St Augustine. good luck and welcome to JAX

 

[projectmaximus]

Thanks for the reply!

Well, google maps plots it at 113 miles from address to address, without the slight detours to charging stations. My parents are on the southside of town though. Yes, the dealerships I planned to stop at are Daytona and St Augustine, although reviews online for St Augustine dealer make them sound like they aren't friendly.

Also, I have split time between Jax and DC for the past several years and was born and raised in Jax too, so it's not really a move for me. Just moving the car...and my fiancee as well hehe.

I have seen you online before, apvbguy. I'm guessing either on city data or metrojacksonville...or both!

 

[Alex32817]

Hi all, brand new to the forums. Will be moving from DC to Jax and taking the car via Autotrain. But it's 113 miles from Sanford Station to relatives house in Jax (plus approx 20 miles to Lorton Station from DC home) so definitely must make several stops along the way.

We've charted a possible course which includes several options (Level 2 at a zoo, Level 3 at a Nissan Dealer, Level 2 at a restaurant, Level 2 at another Nissan dealer) but just wondering:
1) if anyone has any suggestions/tips/tricks
2) what might happen if we need to call roadside assistance

Should we contact the dealers ahead of time just to make sure they're cool? And remember the car will probably be packed as full as it can get.

TIA!

Max

Bill Ray Nissan at 2724 U.S. 17, Longwood, FL 32750 has a new Level 3 installed, working, and free of use. At least you can go from the Sanford area to this site (mapped it, it's a 9 mile trek South, but you'll charge QUICKLY), charge up to around 80-85% on the Level 3, and complete your 100% with the level 2's they have. Even if you have a packed car, it's flat. I am getting 5m/kwh, so roughly just over +100 miles stretch. From there hop on I-4 via 17-92, next to Sanford, by the St John's River, as you get off on I-4 and i-95, there is a Buffalo Wild Wings which has a Level 2 for free. Or drive a bit north to the Daytona Nissan, they have a Level 3 FREE also. And pull over to Nissan of St Augustine for your final charge before you reach Jax; this one is only a Level 2 though. You might be able to do the whole trip at $0 cost on electricity if you use those 2 Nissan dealers with Level 3's. Get on ChargePoint.com, download the app to your phone, there are several in the area.

Best of luck! Let us know how it went!

 

[projectmaximus]

Thanks for the awesome info, Alex!! You nailed all of our planned stops along the way except that I did not know about the Bill Ray Nissan!! Never occurred to me to go in the wrong direction but it makes all the sense in the world! I think this will work out very nicely.

BTW, as I was researching I got very jealous because of all the Tesla chargers that had been installed at the St Augustine Outlet Mall. That would have been an ideal way to pass the time. Also, my Nissan Dealer has the greatest facilities...free wifi, free popcorn, a movie theater, a computer station, video game consoles...it's pretty awesome. I don't expect to get so lucky with these other dealerships.

Thanks again for the Bill Ray tip! Exactly what I was hoping for.

 

[apvbguy]

the big news is the free L2 at buffalo wild wings, I may turn that into a regular stop on my rides from S FLA

 

[projectmaximus]

the big news is the free L2 at buffalo wild wings, I may turn that into a regular stop on my rides from S FLA

If I'm not mistaken, that one has been there for two years.

So you actually don't have trouble driving from Jax to S FLA? What's your route? How long does it take? I do see enough CHAdeMOs that I guess it does seem possible..

 

[apvbguy]

the big news is the free L2 at buffalo wild wings, I may turn that into a regular stop on my rides from S FLA

If I'm not mistaken, that one has been there for two years.

So you actually don't have trouble driving from Jax to S FLA? What's your route? How long does it take? I do see enough CHAdeMOs that I guess it does seem possible..

I bought a Tesla a few months ago, that is what I use for my trips, the LEAF is barely capable of getting me to the airport and back from the beaches

 

[projectmaximus]

Ah! That makes sense.

 

[apvbguy]

I really didn't mean to make it sound as if the LEAF is a bad car, it isn't! it just isn't configured for the driving here in JAX where everything seems to be a long drive away. the traffic outside of rush hours is rarely bad, you can easily zip around at 70+ MPH. that is the problem with the LEAF, in a more urban area with more stop and go traffic lights and lower speeds it would work fine, in suburban wide open areas the car is range challenged. for me the airport is about 73 miles round trip and if I am not extremely diligent making sure not to go faster than 65 MPH I will be in trouble trying to make that trip.
as you know, JAX is a great place to live and work, I hope the LEAF works well for you here.

 

[projectmaximus]

Yeah, Jacksonville in general isn't ideal for a Leaf, that's for sure. Should work for us though...would mostly be driving in and between San Marco, Brooklyn, Riverside.