mtb_addict

Hi
I was planning to visit close relatives in NY this Summer for a few weeks.
Instead of flying out there and paying for a rental car for 3 weeks...I am contemplating driving my 96 Nissan up there. Gets 30 mpg. Estimate $300 in gas.

The trip is 1,600 miles. We (3) plan to stop along the way to sightsee...like Nashville, Wash. DC, etc...and camping in Nat Forest along the way to save money if possible.

The thing is my car has 270,000 miles. But it is in tip top shape. Still on the original engine and transmission. Does not burn oil. THe thing worry me though is the transmission...it runs like a Rolex now but I know automatics tranny can fail without warning. If it craps out while we are 500 miles from civilaization. I guess it's hitchhiking time.

My backup plan is to (1) apply for AAA and (2) bring the car's title with me...so if the car has serious break down that is more than $500 to fix...I can just sell the car on the spot to anybody willing to buy and continue on the journey in Greyhound or something. Then, fly back or something. I think the risk of break down ought to be extremely low. Wat do you think?

Btw, any must see sites along the way?

ridelikeaturtle

I've a bit of experience driving old vehicles across the US (and a bit more experience with old motorbikes across France).

I'd recommend not forgetting your tools. Bring enough stuff to do simple emergency maintenance on the side of the road - and a big hammer.

But also bring your AA card, insurance details, and emergency phone numbers, and the vehicle reg (title) and be ready to walk away. As you've probably found out, you could buy another car (like a mid-90's Cadillac?) for the price of a rental car for 3 weeks.

This is a great adventure - have fun!

mtb_addict

Is it a good idea to just abundon a car on the side of the highway if the tow cost is too high?

noisebeam

I drove a '76 Impala from Houston to Vermont in '92 and on the way I replaced the mechanical fuel pump in a parking lot near Baton Rouge. Then the transmission went out in Atlanta where I picked up a rental car and the man from a savage yard paid me $50 to take the Impala. The rental car transmission went out in Tennessee and I got a fresh one there.

mtb_addict

You were very unlucky.

308jerry

AAA would have it towed off the road But there are no guarantees I have a 2013 Dodge Ram, it has 40k miles and the water pump went out fifty miles from anywhere just last week. Turbo went out on my wife's VW Passat with 30k miles. Even newer models are a crap shoot today. Check yer belts, watepump, alternator and yer fluids before heading off down the road. Check your wheels when at the rest areas or when filling with fuel, touch them to see if the bearings are getting hot, front may be a little bit hotter because of braking. If you just kind of coast in without undue braking they'll just be slightly warm. Pop the hood and listen for squeaky or rattling noises as the engine is idling. Just a few tips...


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79pmooney

My first thought - is it OK for the other two on your trip to have to go through this? Ask them. You don't the option of leaving them on the roadside.

Ben

1nterceptor

We were having cabin fever during last year's winter. Told my wife we should drive south for a few days.
She said our 1998 Honda Civic(160K miles) may not make it. I said that's fine; we'll take a plane, train or
bus back if the car breaks down.
So off we went; New York City to Greenville, South Carolina. Had a blast. nice place; nice people. Oh; the
car made it just fine.

bark_eater 

Dude? Is the question "Should I go on a road trip?" Hell ya! If the question is should I take a toddler and the 8 months pregnant wife across country in a half dead jalopy? Don't be a Dumb ass!

In between is a cost benefit analysis requiring a clear eye on the worst case scenario. Risk mitigation by planning and preparation is highly recommended. Bong hit's work for some.

Since this is a bike forum. Bring bikes and take nothing that won't fit on the bikes.

I can also suggest following Vigors Black Box Theory.

John Vigor's Blog: The Black Box Theory

no motor?

When I was younger road trips often involved bringing tools for repairs enroute if needed. But I'd think twice about that with bringing the family along, .

BenzFanatic

1st, obviously, ask your usual mechanic for an inspection when you take it in before the trip. Some shops do it free, some will charge you for an hour of labor or a flat rate around that price. Buy a gallon of oil and coolant, maybe a serpentine belt. Of course a spare tire and roadside emergency kit are musts. A good flashlight and some PB blaster have saved my butt more than once. A basic tool kit as well. (10-20mm wrench sizes and a few screwdrivers will get almost anything done.) Something to use as a breaker bar or even a trolley jack would be luxury.

My biggest thing is comfort level. If you're comfortable with it, sounds like it could be a fun adventure. If the possibilities stress you or the people you'll be with, you're probably better off flying.

Mapping out your route in detail and keeping in touch with folks would definitely be smart as well.

Good luck!

bark_eater 

I did at least 7 full transcontinental bomb runs and all sorts of up and down the East Coast and out to Texas trips. Mostly in 70's junkers . Lots of fun. Any number of days spent fixing **** on the side of the road. Always ready to crawl out of a burning wreck with a backpack. The whole youth is wasted on the young thing only goes so far.

Squeeze

I owned two air-cooled VW Beetles (sequentially, not simultaneously) back when they were just common older cars and not yet collector vehicles or whatever they are now.

By the time I bought my second one, I had learned to keep certain tools (such as a feeler gauge, among others), a fan belt, and John Muir's book "How To Keep Your Volkswagen Alive For The Compleat Idiot" in the car instead of at home.

This was before cell phones, so a breakdown meant either fixing it where it stopped, or walking to find help and/or a pay phone.

OP, good luck with your trip.

jimincalif

All normal maintenance, no funny noises, you should be fine. But yeah, AAA and bring the title just in case. My daily driver is a 1993 Lexus.

One other option, forget about flying/renting. Rent a car near home and do the whole trip in the rental car. Depending where you get the car weekly rental rates can be amazingly affordable, much better than piling the miles on your own car, and you eliminate this concern from your vacation, road-side assistance is built in, and no worries about repair costs in unfamiliar or inconvenient locations. My business partner has been doing this for years, I've done it a few times as well. We last did it in 2014 on a one-week driving vacation, 1400 miles, the car rental was something like $105. Assuming you have a credit card with rental coverage so you don't have to buy their extra insurance.

mtb_addict

Wow....no idea rental car is so cheap nowadays.

jimincalif

Well not always. Depends on when/where. We were renting in a vacation area off season. But worth spending a few minutes online. We've ended up renting either Hertz or Enterprise, and their rates are surprisingly different at times for basically the same thing.

Zedoo

3 people in the car means you need 3 bikes on the rack. If it can't hold 3, drive something else.

RubeRad

Sounds to me like you've got your bases covered, a mechanic inspection before the trip is a good idea.

You ask for sights to see along the way, what is your way? Where from/to?

CliffordK

You should be able to do 1600 miles in 3 weeks by bicycle... with some time to spare.

CliffordK

My last transcontinental drive was cut short in the middle of Nebraska by a broken timing belt. I would have replaced it earlier, but it is a bit of a finicky job requiring the removal of the water pump and replacement of all the water pump gaskets... But... I should have done it.

Anyway, that may be one thing to look at on a car with a bunch of miles and quite a few years.

Seattle Forrest

What better way to strengthen your bond than sharing an experience like this?

308jerry

I've helped more people in that area of I 80 than I care to remember.. A lot of nice people and a few, was glad to see them rolling down the hiway out of sight....

genec

Shoot, I'm pulling a 3600 lb trailer all over the country with a 97 F150. I check the oil at every fill up.

bark_eater 

Knowing whether a timing belt failure is an inconvenience or fatal to the engine is worthwhile. Have had 2 break, one was a hassle, one was fatal. The engine that got killed was already on its way out so major maintenance had stopped. The car had the good graces to commit seppuku in the BIL's drive way.

ahsposo 

Yeah, just like the strong bond remodeling kitchens and bathrooms while you live in the house creates.