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Best Long distance road trip car?
- Thread starter silbeej
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All I can advise is, in your pursuit to find the best vehicle, make sure you use a vehicle from the origin of the country that you're driving through.
That way, if you do breakdown, and parts need to be replaced, they won't be parts that need to be shipped from abroad.
I'm not sure about the States, but diesel is cheaper than petrol, so maybe look into getting a diesel engine vehicle.
If you're going to buy a used vehicle, make sure you buy breakdown recovery insurance, so if you do get any problems, you'll be able to sort it out straight away with a quick telephone call.
I know I haven't completely answered your question, but I hope these pointers will narrow down your search.
It sounds like you need a 'Winnebago' (with maybe a trailer for the gear).
That way, if you do breakdown, and parts need to be replaced, they won't be parts that need to be shipped from abroad.
I'm not sure about the States, but diesel is cheaper than petrol, so maybe look into getting a diesel engine vehicle.
If you're going to buy a used vehicle, make sure you buy breakdown recovery insurance, so if you do get any problems, you'll be able to sort it out straight away with a quick telephone call.
I know I haven't completely answered your question, but I hope these pointers will narrow down your search.
It sounds like you need a 'Winnebago' (with maybe a trailer for the gear).
How much gear? Obviously gas is your biggest concern if you have to get a bigger vehicle and pull a trailer. Four people can ride comfortably in a decent sized sedan if you can fit all your stuff in the trunk.
I also forgot to mention the Mercedes R-Class. That's pretty much the best sports-tourer/crossover on the market.
I also bet you could get a great deal on a Chrysler Aspen.
Are you looking to rent or buy?
I also bet you could get a great deal on a Chrysler Aspen.
Are you looking to rent or buy?
Superslab or blue highways? Four friends or two couples? Stop every couple hours or a Cannonball-type endurance run? How much and what kind of "gear"? Hotels or camping in-vehicle?
Crown Vic is a great choice for a sedan. Fits four very comfortably for hours at a time, easy on gas (25+ mpg highway), little need for sudden repairs but easy enough to obtain in a pinch. Fairly bulletproof, proven platform. Relatively low initial cost (new or used), 300K mile car with basic maintenance, many are run 500k+ in hard service.
Crown Vic is a great choice for a sedan. Fits four very comfortably for hours at a time, easy on gas (25+ mpg highway), little need for sudden repairs but easy enough to obtain in a pinch. Fairly bulletproof, proven platform. Relatively low initial cost (new or used), 300K mile car with basic maintenance, many are run 500k+ in hard service.
For 4 people, get a Chrysler 300 or Escalade - the first will have less room but be stylish and better on fuel; the second will have room a-plenty, suck the gasoline and be equally stylish.. Or rent a limo.
EDIT: ^^ Just saw your suggestion of the Crown Vic. Them are good cars; Very roomy, with a cushy ride. They can be very, very sleepy to drive though.
EDIT: ^^ Just saw your suggestion of the Crown Vic. Them are good cars; Very roomy, with a cushy ride. They can be very, very sleepy to drive though.
I will second your choice. I have a 2001 Lincoln Town Car, basically a fancier version with air shocks. It is fantastic on road trips, much smoother on smooth roads than a Lexus (but not on bumpy roads), gas mileage is decent at 25+ as you said, and it is overall the most reliable car I have ever owned (and that includes 2 Japanese cars and various other foreign cars).
Save your money, ditch the Escalade idea unless you have some burning desire to roll on pointless dubs and pick up a Ridgeline. Honda ... can't really beat their overall reliability, in-bed storage and dirty storage and seats 5 ... 4 more comfortably. Decent gas mileage for a truck that rides almost identical to a car.
Yep, and yep.
There is a reason why almost all airport limos are big Ford sedans.
Then he might as well get an Odyssey as that is what the Ridgeline is.....
I would suggest the Acadia. Size of the Tahoe, but won't suck as much gas.
Well, allowing for sleep, it's been 12 hours, and no further info from the OP.
Perhaps he's at work/school??
Perhaps he's at work/school??
Um, thanks for all the info, but as far as Lexus LX 570, Escalade, and Merc R-Class, those are damn expensive for a road trip. I was thinking more along the lines of a civic or something lol. Was just seeing who has done a trip before, and what vehicle.
A new (06+) civic sedan can comfortably seat four people and hold a fair amount of baggage in the trunk.
I've done coast-to-coast something like 8 times, in compacts, small and full-size trucks, sedans & coupes. On top of that, tens of thousands of miles in all sorts of rental fleet stuff from Jeeps to Town Cars. If I were to do it again today, I don't know what I'd pick, because given a choice, I'd still have to know the particulars of the trip.
That's the whole point, really. The trip needs dictate the appropriate vehicle, not the other way around. Four folks in a Civic for 6-8K miles wouldn't be in my top 100 list, though. Fuel economy isn't going to be that much better (if at all) than a modern full-size sedan, as that four-banger is going to have to work that much harder with the same load. I've done 800-mile trips in Impalas where I got 31 mpg average on the highway, and Toyotas that got closer to 25-27 in the same circumstances. Lot more comfortable doing it, too.
Are you planning to buy a car for the trip? or buy a car because you will do many trips?
Why not rent? How long are you planning to be on the road?
Why not rent? How long are you planning to be on the road?
I had a '93 Chevy Lumina that was great for road trips. Big land-yacht, strong motor, big trunk. Just set the cruise control and fly down the road. It was basically the same car for it's entire run so even the last year (around '04) would be the same thing. You could probably even buy one for as much as renting a newer car for several weeks.
BTW, are you buying, renting, borrowing?
BTW, are you buying, renting, borrowing?
Sorry, I just had to laugh at anybody calling a Lumina a "Big land-yacht"; it was a mid-size car even for it's time. I once had a '59 Lincoln Premier. Now THAT was a "Big land-yacht".
As ugly as they are, rent a mini-van. Lots of room and gas isn't $4 a gallon so drive away. The more you and your passengers can spread out on a long drive, the better. Minivans have better gas mileage than most sport utilities and have tons more room.
I would say Sprinter Van with the passenger arrangement and the diesel engine.
Should get decent MPG and handle a bunch of people or stuff.
A big reason they are used as the basis for the multi $100k limos/rolling offices.
Edit: probably really hard to rent or buy used cheap with the passenger van arrangement, since most ended up work vans. Unless you are in one of the big resort/conference town areas of the US.
Should get decent MPG and handle a bunch of people or stuff.
A big reason they are used as the basis for the multi $100k limos/rolling offices.
Edit: probably really hard to rent or buy used cheap with the passenger van arrangement, since most ended up work vans. Unless you are in one of the big resort/conference town areas of the US.
Here's the best vehicle for a cross country trip:
Maybe not American Airlines, and maybe not a Boeing 757, but you get the idea
Maybe not American Airlines, and maybe not a Boeing 757, but you get the idea
Diesel costs considerably more than gas (at least around here), so it would have to get much better mileage to even break even, and then where is the advantage?
Here's the best vehicle for a cross country trip:
Maybe not American Airlines, and maybe not a Boeing 757, but you get the idea
Yeah, this is probably what it's going to be. Or a combo of that, bus, rental, something along those lines. Just checking out possibilities for a future trip, haven't planned it yet.