planning a long trip, need some advice

[imported_andrew]

hey, im 19 and my best friend justin (18) are going to be driving from seattle, WA to new jersey, then from new jersey to nevada, we need to be in nevada on the 21st of august and don't have a really good idea on how long it will take to drive to jersey, and then jersey to nevada, and how much we should set aside for gas

[Mark Sedenquist]

Andrew,

If you know the mpg for your vehicle and the distance we have a handy tool on this site for working out how much the fuel is going to cost. <a href = "http://www.roadtripamerica.com/index.htm">Go to the home page<a/> and click on the Fuel Price Calculator link.

About the fastest you can do that drive (safely) is 8 days.

[imported_andrew]

how long for just seattle to new jersey?

[Mark Sedenquist]

Andrew,

If you drove the fastest and shortest route the distance is still about 2900 miles. If you drove at the highest posted speed limit wherever possible it would still require nearly 52 hours of driving. If you drove 11 hours per day, it would take nearly 5 days to reach NJ.

It could be done faster, I have driven that distance in just over 3 days, but I had a co-driver and we only stopped for fuel --

Now, assuming your car gets 22.5 mpg and fuel costs 2.25/gal you would need a minimum of $290 for gasoline.

Mark

[scuci]

we're driving across country from CA - VA. Is there a link or tread on what to check for on the car before driving long road trip. We'll be going to heat, mountain driving, etc.

[Robert Schaller]

First, try the search function on this forum. Search for "cooling system" and/or "tires" and you'll find threads where your topic was discussed. Also, try www.Google.com, and run "Preparing a car for road trip" and you'll find links to some expert advice.

At minimum, have your cooling system, tires, brakes, transmission, charging system function and battery, belts hoses and wiper blades all checked by a competent technician -- he or she will be worth every penny you pay if you find the right one. Also check the air conditioning if you have it. I recommend listening for odd or unusual noises that might indicate a water pump, power steering pump or something similar may be about to go.

REPLACING your tires if they are close to the end of their service life is an important thing to do -- thin tires will pick-up more sharp pointy objects, and don't glue you to the road as well as new, sticky, thick tires. Remember that everything that's most important to you is riding on four little 4" square rubber patches -- where the rubber meets the road surface. Same with your brakes -- don't take chances.

Finally, use Google again and run "car emergency kit." You'll find information on what to carry with you in case you have problems -- and don't forget to carry water in hot climates. Your life can depend on it and don't think for a minute I'm being overly dramatic! Some folks can develop heat-related illnesses within minutes, especially those who aren't used to hot climates or those that are weak from other causes already. Bob