Car Recommendation

I'm not sure on one point. What is the advantage of rear wheel drive for a road trip car? I would think front wheel drive would be more of an advantage, it's safer (handling wise) and usually gets better milage (no driveshaft). Usually rear wheel drive is an advantage for sport driving, where those two factors are not much of a concern.

And diesel is pretty common in most all states, but not as common as gas in California. Just from doing a quick survey of the five gas stations nearest my house (within 2-3 miles), none carry diesel. I'm sure there probably is a station close to my house that does, but if I didn't know the area, I wouldn't want to be driving around looking for a gas station that sells it. So depending on where you travel, that may or may not be a problem. Along the major highways I don't see any problem, but when you start getting into some out of the way places or even large cities, it may be a factor. That concern can be offset by the fact that diesels get better milage.

Anyway, the only reason I bring this up because I was thinking what would I want in a roadtrip car. And I think one of the most important things on my list was commonality. I would want something that is somewhat standard, takes standard parts, uses standard gas, easily fixed by any mechanic. The last thing I would want is a unique, one of a kind vehicle that I would need to haul around my own mechanic and special parts (no offense to Phoenix 1). I think that would be the only reason I would even think about getting a domestic pickup truck, i.e. Ford F150, because no matter where I am in the US, I am almost guaranteed that they will be common wherever I go. I just think about a friend that had to pay $300 for an alternator and wait a day for parts when he got stranded. Overall, I am still a fan of the import cars when it comes to reliability though.

My bias in favor of rear wheel drive is based on durability and reliability. My experience (as an owner and driver) has been that front wheel drive typically wears out quicker and is less "heavy duty." This becomes more of a factor the older the model you purchase, and since this person wants to find an older vehicle, I think a rear-wheel drive vehicle is a safer bet, if harder to find (one reason I suggested the import truck).

I'm not sure front-wheel drive is any safer. In the hands of a knowlegeable and practiced driver, either one can be driven safely. The problem is that most drivers, myself included, aren't knowlegeable and practiced enough in unusual, emergency maneuvers to USE any real advantage in handling (either front OR rear-wheel drive) when they need it the most -- and these are skills that MUST be regularly practiced if you want to retain them. In my opinion, this is the best argument there is for driving conservatively & keeping one's vehicle under control.

Well, I wouldn't give them an A+ just yet. The cold weather has brought out some buzzes, and when I first got the car, the driver's door was loose, so I guess the German assembly workers (wagons are made in Deutschland) have some work to do. The biggest problems with VWs aren't the cars, but the dealerships, though my experience with auto mechanics has been poor at best. Fortunately, there aren't very many maintenance items on the car.

The car starts even in bitter, icy, nasty cold (check the New England weather for the last couple of weeks, without plugging in, in fact, it doesn't have a plug), the fuel hasn't gelled, the heat comes on fast (plus it's got heated seats and mirrors). On my road trips, I have driven for four hours straight, and the hood isn't even warm (aka thermal efficiency). Steep inclines in fifth gear are no problem, which is pretty amazing considering the car only has 90 horsepower (but 155lb/ft torque at 1900rpm from 1.9 liters)...which is why I kept my 96 TransAm ;-) (no, I'm not a left-wing enviro-activist by any means).

I live in a small town, and finding diesel isn't a problem, it's at every other gas station...I drive about 300 miles weekly when I don't get to take any long drives, so I usually fill up every two weeks. At half a tank, I've gone 300 miles and still have 300 miles to find a station.

I made up my mind to go frugal when I saw people lining up 12 and 15 deep to save 5 cents a gallon on gas, which is insanely cheap in this country...in their $30 - 40,000 cars and trucks? No matter how hard I try, I can't figure that one out.

My chiropractor has a 1970 or 80-something Volvo diesel with about a trillion miles on it, and he's no mechanical genius. My brother has had two Dodge Rams with Cummins motors, and they have been rock solid reliable engines. He does about 50-60,000 miles/year.
I plan on driving this thing until the motor mounts have rotted away and the engine is strapped in with chains. From what I've read, this thing will probably be around forever.

Now, my PERFECT roadtrip car, no holds barred? A 2005 Vette.

Something to keep in mind whenever I 'graduate' to that type of vehicle!

Front wheel drive vehicles have a larger amount of weight above the driven tires giving you more traction. When the roads are crappy, this is definetly an advantage over RWD and has nothing to do with skill of the driver.

As far as durability is concerned, most RWD vehicles are built stronger because they are trucks or sports car. Both FWD and RWD still have a transmission, and differential. FWD simply combines the two in a single sealed package.

It has been my experience that when properly driven, manual transmissions tend to be more reliable, and afford the driver with greater control of the vehicle. But an inexperienced driver who constantly slips the clutch and mashes gears can quickly ruin a manual.

You also need to take into account what you intend to do with the vehicle. For pavement only ventures in nice conditions, FWD or RWD are both great. If you plan to drive in the winter, FWD certainly has an advantage. AWD is also nice year round, but reduces overall fuel efficiency, and adds complexity to the drivetrain inviting more opportunities for stuff to break. 4WD which tends to be found in trucks is usually built fairly tough, but nevertheless has the same disadvantages as AWD.

When searching for my roadtrip vehicle, I wanted something that was designed simple, would go well in all seasons, and get good gas mileage. I chose a FWD 2.5L 4cyl 5spd Dodge Caravan which came from the factory with no options.

Note: I would not reccomend the 3.0L or 3.3L V6 caravans with automatic transmissions (Which we also own).

Keep it simple and fuel-friendly with a 4cyl 5spd. Finding this combination in a minivan is tough though. It took me a year and a half to spot one in the regional advertisements.

I didn't think minivans still came with a manual-shift transmission! My parents bought a Plymouth Voyager in 1984 when they came out. It had a 4-on-the-floor. Nice tall shifter to boot.

My van is a 1990 Dodge Caravan with a 2.5 TBI 4 cylinder engine and 5spd manual transmission.

Unfortunately I don't know of any new mini-vans that can be ordered with manual transmissions. Like I said, they're tough to find...

For those who are mechanically inclined, chrysler vehicles such as the shadow, lebaron, daytona, and spirit all share the same motors. For all you mechanics interested in a 5spd caravan its simply a matter of swapping whats under the hood. The only things you have to do is get the correct axels, mounts, and shift/clutch cables for the dodge caravan. Many caravans used as cargo work-vans feature the 2.5TBI/5spd setup as well. The transmission you need by the way is a "New Process A523" 5spd. For turbocharged caravans you need the A568 which is a tough find.

i would vote for a VW as well.
i'm about to take my 97 Golf 2.0L gas engine from DC to PHX. it has 120k miles (all that i put on) and and automatic transmission that slips a little.

i have done all the maintaince myself and have had no problems with it. very reliable