Best Long distance road trip car?

[silbeej]

What car would you all say is most suited for a cross country style road trip? About 4 people plus gear, about 6-8k miles. Reliability? Running Costs? Any suggestions.

[Keniff]

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).


http://www.travelizmo.com/archives/2007-winnebago-itasca-impulse.jpg

[Mr. Giver '94]

Probably a Lexus LX 570 or Cadillac Escalade ESV.

:)

[maestro55]

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.

[Mr. Giver '94]

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?

[JNB]

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.

[Melrose]

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.

[danny_w]

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.
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).

[jessica.]

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.

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.

[iJohnHenry]

Crown Vic is a great choice for a sedan.

I will second your choice. I have a 2001 Lincoln Town Car

Yep, and yep.

There is a reason why almost all airport limos are big Ford sedans. :)

[charlesbronsen]

ford fiesta:p

[quagmire]

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.

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.

[iJohnHenry]

Well, allowing for sleep, it's been 12 hours, and no further info from the OP.

Perhaps he's at work/school??

[silbeej]

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.

[adk]

A new (06+) civic sedan can comfortably seat four people and hold a fair amount of baggage in the trunk.

[Peterkro]

In Amerika this:

[JNB]

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.

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.

[iShater]

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?

[Thanatoast]

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?

[danny_w]

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?
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".

[NC MacGuy]

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.

[Sun Baked]

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.

[yg17]

Here's the best vehicle for a cross country trip:

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/jetliner/b757/b757_15.jpg

Maybe not American Airlines, and maybe not a Boeing 757, but you get the idea :p

[danny_w]

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.
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?

[silbeej]

Here's the best vehicle for a cross country trip:

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/jetliner/b757/b757_15.jpg

Maybe not American Airlines, and maybe not a Boeing 757, but you get the idea :p

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.

[Sun Baked]

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?

For a full sized van, it gets about the best mileage, 22-25mpg might not seem like much on the highway. But compared to a loaded gas van with a V8, it is decent.

There is a reason those Fedex, UPS, and delivery vans are using the diesel Sprinter van.

And if you've seen those vehicles, the passenger van will definitely carry 4 people and all the luggage for a long trip. Unless you want to go to a full-sized SUV and eat it in the wallet for the gas.

[timerollson]

The Pretentious Prius

[Peace]

I am the roadtrip master. I toured with The Grateful dead a few times. Even after Jerry Garcia died. Went cross country at least 3 times.

I rented an Isuzu Trooper (http://www.allautoreviews.com/auto_reviews/isuzu/isuzu-trooper.htm).

It got crappy gas mileage but if your bring friends and a lot of stuff this is it.

Very comfortable to drive or ride in..

I still own one and it's now got 102,000 miles on it but it is very reliable.

[steve2112]

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 was going to recommend the R class with the BlueTech diesel. It's the size of a minivan, with Benz luxury. I was a bit shocked that it only gets 24MPG on the highway, though. The Honda Pilot is nice, too. My brother has one, and they manage to fit 5 people plus baggage in theirs, and it gets in the mid 20s on the highway.

I also just want to mention that I hate flying, although I would probably do it for a cross country type trip. My usual rule is if I can make the drive in 8-10 hours, I will drive. Only beyond that do I considering flying. (Well, for personal trips. My employer doesn't see things this way.) I'm not afraid of flying, in fact, I would love to get my pilot's license one day. I hate flying in modern-day USA. I hate airports and all the hassle. As the late, great, Douglas Adams once said: There is a reason no language in the world has ever come up with the phrase "As lovely as an airport". :D

Plus, at 30,000 ft, you miss a lot of good things. One of my long term goals is to take a vacation by picking a direction and just start driving. No destination, no goals, just drive the backroads and see the country.

[Watabou]

Actually, me and my friends are planning a roadtrip from California to New York after we graduate (that's about 3 years) so we still have lots to plan. But not taking a plane is what makes it fun!

We are probably going to take my friend's Prius. Good mileage+plenty space for three people and plenty of space for at least two people to sleep while the other one drives.

[Mr. Giver '94]

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.

Air fare is so low these days it'll probably be cheaper to fly cross country than drive.

[Mr. lax]

I would think a diesel Jetta, they get great fuel economy and are well priced.

[Demosthenes X]

]We are probably going to take my friend's Prius. Good mileage+plenty space for three people and plenty of space for at least two people to sleep while the other one drives.

Hybrids don't get great highway mileage. Their fuel savings are derived from turning the gas engine off under low loads/when stopped. The gas engine isn't going to turn off doing 60 mph. Diesels are far better suited for highway economy (and diesel hybrids are just all around awesome! but not yet commercially available! :()

[Abstract]

http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/features/cars/34.jpg



'Hey, wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world?'

[NC MacGuy]

Air fare is so low these days it'll probably be cheaper to fly cross country than drive.

Not true for a party of four.;)

[SLC Flyfishing]

I'm driving an 07 Nissan Pathfinder. Seats 7 and if only 4 are required, the third row folds flat into the floor and there's a lot of cargo space. Good leg room, average gas mileage (good if you're willing to go 65 and set the cruise control) I'd say that on the highway you can plan for 20 mpg, and maybe 25 if you use the cruise control like I suggested. It's got a fuel economy calculator in the overhead console, I've seen it go as high as 38 mpg on even a very slight downhill, which in some parts of the country can last for hours.

Anyway, we got it for a steal last summer, $17,000 with 13,000 miles on it, we payed about half what the same trim level would have cost us new. But gas was like $4.50 a gallon back then so I'd expect that the prices have creeped up again.

Anyway, it's a fabulous vehicle and we've done a few longish road trips in it very comfortably, usually Salt Lake to L.A. and back.

SLC

[zagato27]

My .02. Thought of a Honda Fit? Great mileage. Lots of room up front. Believe it or not, lots of room for two in the back plus you'll still have room for stuff. Might be a tad underpowered for four plus stuff but hey, just gives you more time to enjoy the ride;) Cheers

[Nukemkb]

Hybrids don't get great highway mileage. Their fuel savings are derived from turning the gas engine off under low loads/when stopped. The gas engine isn't going to turn off doing 60 mph. Diesels are far better suited for highway economy (and diesel hybrids are just all around awesome! but not yet commercially available! :()

For the past year plus, I've averaged between 56 and 58 mpg with the cruise set at 60 mph for trips in my hybrid. With the cruise set at 65 mph, my FE is 53 to 55 mpg. No hypermiling - strictly cruise control.

[NightFlight]

I'd say a Honda Oddessy. Hands down the winner in this one...

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?

The Mercedes/Dodge/Freightliner Sprinter gets MUCH better mileage than anything in its direct class in the US.

[danny_w]

The Mercedes/Dodge/Freightliner Sprinter gets MUCH better mileage than anything in its direct class in the US.
I'll just have to take your word for it, since I never even heard of the Sprinter before. Diesel costs about 40% more at current prices than gas around here, so it would have to get 40% better to break even. Since a Chrysler Town & Country (or similar) minivan gets about 25mpg highway, that would mean about 35mpg highway in US gallons. A quick Google search (admittedly it could be wrong or outdated) showed the Sprinter in the 25-30mpg range highway.

[michael.lauden]

anything bigger than a civic :)

i have gone many places while touring in a sprinter - but i prefer a 3 row SUV or whatever (especially if i'm not driving).

tethered and was surfing the internet for 10 hours on the way to West Palm Beach, FL last week!

[Love]

tethered and was surfing the internet for 10 hours on the way to West Palm Beach, FL last week!

Enjoy your cellphone bill.

[FX120]

If you're planning on renting, you're looking at classes of cars, not specific cars, as they vary from location to location.

Mid-size sedans like a Pontiac G6 would probably be OK, but you're better off going for the full size "luxury", something like a Buick Lucerne/ Ford Crown Vic/ Lincoln Town Car. Comfy seats with plenty of leg room, and a smooth suspension, that is the biggest benifit of the "luxury" class cars.

It will cost you less than renting a mini van or SUV, and will also be easier on fuel.

Hint: If you think you're going to be OK with a Mid-size, go a head and reserve it, but when you get on the lot to pick it up, ask to see if you can get an on-site upgrade to a "luxury" class car, usually they will do it for very little additional cost, well below the cost had you reserved that vehicle normally. Of course I wouldn't count on the upgrade, it is possible that you will get there and they'll have nothing else but the mid-size car you reserved, so keep that in mind.

[Demosthenes X]

My .02. Thought of a Honda Fit? Great mileage. Lots of room up front. Believe it or not, lots of room for two in the back plus you'll still have room for stuff. Might be a tad underpowered for four plus stuff but hey, just gives you more time to enjoy the ride;) Cheers

I'm picking up my new Fit in April and driving it from British Columbia to Toronto. I'll report back on the Fit's capabilities as a long-range tourer when I'm finished the trip. :D

For the past year plus, I've averaged between 56 and 58 mpg with the cruise set at 60 mph for trips in my hybrid. With the cruise set at 65 mph, my FE is 53 to 55 mpg. No hypermiling - strictly cruise control.

What sort of hybrid? That's impressive highway mileage - generally hybrids really shine in city driving, and suffer comparatively on the highway.

[danny_w]

I'm picking up my new Fit in April and driving it from British Columbia to Toronto. I'll report back on the Fit's capabilities as a long-range tourer when I'm finished the trip. :D

I'd be interested too. My wife just bought a Scion xD after comparing the Nissan Versa SL, Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, and Scion (all on the same day). She thought the Versa was nice but too bland, the Fit was OK but nothing special, and the Yaris was an ugly toy (can they really be serious with this car?). She immediately fell in love with the Scion (and she has always thought that the Scion xB was ugly). I think it has the best ride of the bunch, and certainly is better equipped for the price.

[Steve1496]

If you can afford the gas for an SUV, the utility would prove useful. Big, comfy seats are a plus. Another factor you might want to consider is roads--you are likely to hit a few big potholes on a trip like this. Having smaller tires makes a wreck more likely. I know if I were doing such a trip my first choice would definitely be my Ford Explorer SUV.

My second choice would be my Lincoln Town Car. Very soft air ride and extremely comfortable--and the gas mileage isn't too bad. Plus, these are reliable cars that shouldn't give you a problem. Seating is spacious and there's a lot of cargo room.

Good luck on your trip!
Steve

[Demosthenes X]

I'd be interested too. My wife just bought a Scion xD after comparing the Nissan Versa SL, Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, and Scion (all on the same day). She thought the Versa was nice but too bland, the Fit was OK but nothing special, and the Yaris was an ugly toy (can they really be serious with this car?). She immediately fell in love with the Scion (and she has always thought that the Scion xB was ugly). I think it has the best ride of the bunch, and certainly is better equipped for the price.

Sadly, Scion isn't available in Canada. Toyota say they have plans to start selling them here in 2010, though.

I tested the Fit, Versa, and Yaris as well, and the Fit comes out the clear winner. Agree with your wife on the Versa: well-priced and well-equipped, but nothing special about it and pretty ugly, imo. The Yaris is okay, but more expensive and less fun than the Fit. I found the Fit to be the best combination of fun to drive, price, and practicality: love the magic seats!

I did some ~3 hour trips in my old Civic hatch, and the Fit is quite a bit nicer than that, but this trip is also quite a bit longer. :D

[danny_w]

Sadly, Scion isn't available in Canada. Toyota say they have plans to start selling them here in 2010, though.

I tested the Fit, Versa, and Yaris as well, and the Fit comes out the clear winner. Agree with your wife on the Versa: well-priced and well-equipped, but nothing special about it and pretty ugly, imo. The Yaris is okay, but more expensive and less fun than the Fit. I found the Fit to be the best combination of fun to drive, price, and practicality: love the magic seats!

I did some ~3 hour trips in my old Civic hatch, and the Fit is quite a bit nicer than that, but this trip is also quite a bit longer. :D
I totally agree, if the Scion had not been available then the Fit would have been the clear winner.

[zagato27]

I'm picking up my new Fit in April and driving it from British Columbia to Toronto. I'll report back on the Fit's capabilities as a long-range tourer when I'm finished the trip. :D

Congrats on the Fit! My son loves his 08 Fit Sport MT. Hope that you are getting the Sport....the only way to go. The manual has the smoothest shifter I've ever driven. Fit and finish is really top notch. Utility is just plain awesome. Handling is nice and sharp. As I recall, his first trip (Savannah to Athens) he got 44mpg. He complains bout his mileage in Athens (lots of hills and traffic)...33mpg. Geeeeesh! You'll find that there is a BIG Fit community out there with answers to any and all of your questions. Hmmm, he just went on a trip with 3 friends...Athens to Destin, FL for Spring break. Have to ask him how the trip went when he comes home Friday. Cheers

[ErikCLDR]

How about a Volvo? Probably the most reliable of the european brands. You can pick up an S80 pretty cheaply, S60 holds its value a little more but you can still get an 06/07 with 20k miles for around $20,000. The XC70's also have come down in price now that the new model has arrived. Modern Volvos are really comfortable to drive, have good power, pretty good gas mileage, and have some of the best seats around.

[Quad SLi 295]

Start in Lisbon, Portugal. Drive until you get to either Beijing or Singapore.

Jimmy

[Demosthenes X]

Congrats on the Fit! My son loves his 08 Fit Sport MT. Hope that you are getting the Sport....the only way to go.

Thanks. :) Fit Sport MT, Storm Silver Metallic... which I'm pretty means "Silver" in regular English.

[NightFlight]

I'll just have to take your word for it, since I never even heard of the Sprinter before. Diesel costs about 40% more at current prices than gas around here, so it would have to get 40% better to break even. Since a Chrysler Town & Country (or similar) minivan gets about 25mpg highway, that would mean about 35mpg highway in US gallons. A quick Google search (admittedly it could be wrong or outdated) showed the Sprinter in the 25-30mpg range highway.

Ummm the Town & Country gets nowhere NEAR 35MPG. More like 24-25mpg.

Diesels typically have a longer range than their gasoline equivalents...

[Love]

Sadly, Scion isn't available in Canada. Toyota say they have plans to start selling them here in 2010, though.

I see Scions driving in calgary nearly every day.

[Demosthenes X]

I see Scions driving in calgary nearly every day.

And since it's physically impossible to drive from the United States to Canada... :rolleyes:

Yes, there are "grey market" imports, mostly xBs. Toyota Canada has never sold a Scion, though.

[danny_w]

Ummm the Town & Country gets nowhere NEAR 35MPG. More like 24-25mpg.

Diesels typically have a longer range than their gasoline equivalents...
If you read my note that is exactly what I said (although maybe a bit confusing). But 25 mpg on gas at $1.75/gal roughly equals 35 mpg on diesel at $2.40/gal, so it is a wash.