Car Recommendation

i've been planning this road trip across America since i was 7, now that i'm getting closer and closer to the date i find that i may need a car! being 17, i can't afford a car right now, but was wondering if anyone has suggestions on what kind of car i should buy. i won't have enough for a brand new one, so keep in mind it has to be used. and something small.

also! i plan do go all over America seeing as much as i can, does anyone have some fun suggestions on where to go? tourist traps, cheap thrills, great historic sights, lets me know.

My recommendation is for a late model Japanese car. Civic, Accord, Protege, Corolla, and Camry all come to mind. Savings on gas is great compared to an SUV or large car.

Make sure you test drive a bunch of cars to see which one feels best to you. After all, long hours in the saddle can be torturous even in a $50,000 car if it's not comfortable to you.

I may be a little biased, but my vote would be a VW Jetta TDI (esp. wagon) - comfortable seats, awesome mileage (avg. 50mpg), decent room up front, good cargo space. Some maintenance costs are relatively higher, but the intervals are longer. Diesel fuel is available anywhere. As far as reliability, do your research when buying a used car (maintenance records, etc). Any web search can get you started in the right direction learning about these cars. They are a little hard to find, though.

If mileage is less of a factor, a used Civic or Corolla would be your best bet. They've shown they're remarkably reliable cars, running for years without any major repairs.

Just don't make yourself car-poor at such a young age. Good luck and happy auto hunting!

TimboTA, do you have a Jetta? How reliable has it been? There was a time in the recent past when VW cars were NOT as reliable as they once were -- I am interested to know if they've gotten better. What about the quality of fit and finish? Bob

Diesel is great, very reliable, gets great milage, but is still not a common as gas in California. I don't know about other states. The only places I see diesel are along trucker routes, not at neighborhood gas stations. So if you're the type who's always looking for a gas station because you're car is about to run out of gas, then that might be somethign to keep in mind.

If you're looking for a car specifically for a road trip, you might want to consider something a little larger than the economy compacts, especially if you plan on driving with other people. A civic or corolla is fine for one or two people, but if you have friends or are carrying camping equipment you'll want the added room. You'll pay a little more in gas money, but the extra space and comfort is something you can't make up. Also, once you start adding on rooftop carriers and other stuff, you're milage might drop up to 20% (at least on my car). Plus, if you can ever have to sleep in your car, you'll be thankful. If you plan on doing a solo trip, it's not as big of an issue. Just get a car you really like and something that is reliable, don't worry about having the perfect roadtrip car. As long as it moves, you can take a roadtrip in it.

I could have fun thinking about this all afternoon, but not in keeping with the point of the original question in this thread. I have done road trips in everything from old VW beetles to 65 ft semis. Yes, I'm probably the only (former)truck driver in the universe that considered OTR trucking to be a VACATION!

My dream is when I am finally free (of the work world), I will hit the road in a motorcar exactly fit for that purpose, and not come home for many months. So what would I drive, if money was no object? A Jaguar XK-8 perhaps. Or a Cadillac Eldorado Northstar. Maybe a new T'Bird. New Mazda RX8? Something that's made for driving and the open road. Maybe something with no top for those perfect sunny days. If none of the above, I still favor the V8 Mustang Convertible over most all others. My present vehicle is a big Dodge pick-up -- and it works just fine, although better gas mileage would be nice. But there's trade-offs in everything.

Now, in answer to the above PRACTICAL question posed by Whoo, I'd have to agree with Darrell & Timbo -- a small 4-cylinder machine with a history of reliability. My own first choice would probably be the Corolla, but no slight is intended toward the other choices, that's just my own personal preference.

For road-tripping, the attributes of the diesel machine might make one of those a great choice, and along the highways where roadtripping happens, obtaining fuel is no problem anywhere trucks go, and THAT'S everywhere. Diesel cars typically have a longer range, so worries about fuel would be even less of a problem.

Whoo, you might also consider a small, older import pick-up, like a Toyota or Nissan. They can be very reliable and economical also, and they have the added advantage of rear-wheel drive, which is a major plus in my opinion. Plus, it's easier to camp! The only extra you need is a plastic tarp to cover up your stuff.

And for the where to go part -- come to the southwest! It's vacation and roadtrip paradise out here! Anytime after March and the weather is guaranteed perfect! (No promises, though).

http://www.earthroamer.com/

But probably not practical for this kind of roadtrip

We have our "eye" on one of these too!

Pretty impressive.

i just wnat to tank you all for your input!!!!

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