Best Vehicle to Roadtrip

[Mark Sedenquist]

And I drive a 1995 Infiinity Q-45, (with a couple of minor performance enhancements...) It is a fun road trip car, as long as it never, ever gets near snow, ice or dirt. But dry, curvy roads are a second home to me and to it.

Drive what you enjoy --

Mark

[lnewman]

My NB is smaller so it can hold less and it has an odd-shaped trunk to deal with. And it has a much tighter suspension so it is a rougher ride than the Taurus. You feel every bump. But I like that. It's fun. I imagine I'm riding the rides at an amusement park. But other people like a smooth ride and would hate that. But I am able to get enough stuff in my car for a camping roadtrip. Depending on how many people are traveling, I can either get everything in the car itself or, if I need extra space in the car, I use the luggage rack on the trunk for my duffle bag with sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and pillows. Best $125 I've spent yet.

Second that: I have a New Beetle and I love it. It drives like a roller skate.
And I have a removable roof rack for it as well.

[Mass Tim]

I've basically set myself on getting a Subaru, either a Outback, Forester, or Baja. I like the look of the Baja mainly. Anyone else have any experience with these?

We have the TDI wagon (phenomenal mileage, very comfortable, not fast) that I've spoken of in the past, but we also have an '05 Forester XT that has become our main roadtrip vehicle. It is very comfortable, gets fairly decent mileage, and is a definite Q-ship with the turbo engine and all that traction - now I know why Car and Driver loves this car (and the newer ones have more horsepower, too). So far it has been very reliable, without a hiccup. Good room inside as well, good visibility with no real blind spots, good sized mirrors, good ground clearance. Wet and icy condition performance is phenomenal, too. I especially like that it has the cold weather package, with windshield wiper de-icer - which gets used on a regular basis. I am still up in the air about the frameless windows on the doors, though. I guess I just think that should be reserved for t-tops or convertibles.

Subarus are very popular in New England, anyway.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Forester XT that has become our main roadtrip vehicle.

Tim, I think you should drive this Las Vegas so I could "test it" -- seriously, sounds like a nice ride.

Mark

[PNW Judy]

Second that: I have a New Beetle and I love it. It drives like a roller skate.
And I have a removable roof rack for it as well.

Then you need to make plans to do Route 66 with us including a fun detour in Roswell! :-)

[lnewman]

Then you need to make plans to do Route 66 with us including a fun detour in Roswell! :-)

I'd love to. If only I could get that amount of time off from work! It'd be quite a hike for me and I would want to take my time.

[PNW Judy]

The Roswell gathering is every year and there are usually carabugs that you can join up with to go there. It's a real good time and worth the trip. Maybe you can go another year?

It's still up in the air if I can go or not but I'm hoping. I'm not doing the whole trip though if I do go. I'm thinking of doing a speed run to Chicago and just meeting up with the group at the Route 66 starting point. And then, after Roswell, doing a speed run home through Utah/Idaho. I'd love to do the whole of Route 66 but time/budget is a factor. So, I figure, doing the eastern half of the route with the group and then the western half at another time is better than nothing.

[Magnum 5.7]

I've read this string a couple of times and itt caused me to think about it. While most have talked about brands, my take is that it's the trip that counts. I've gone 2K miles in a Toyota mini van -- the original version front engine rear drive -- with kids. I've done St Louis to Seattle in a GMC conversion van. My next trip will be in my new Dodge Magnum, St Louis to SF. There have been other "road trips" with various cars and vans. While I do remember the cars, I remember the trip more. If your equipment is in good shape, you can have fun in anything. Just enjoy the trip and the scenery, it's what you're out there for anyway, right?

ROAD TRIP!!

Mike

[Robert Schaller]

That's exactly right! Couldn't have said it better. I can dream all day about the perfect motorcar or motorcycle to hit the road with -- but reality is whatever the means the trip is the thing.

Cunard used to say "Getting there is half the fun." Actually, it's ALL the fun. As soon as I am there, I prefer to be smack back on the whiteline to somewhere else.

[PNW Judy]

But I'm only 90% in agreement with ya. Since I think the journey is as much fun as the destination, I have definitely enjoyed the journey itself more in some vehicles than in others. In other words, if the driving experience is not as much fun in and of itself, it does detract a bit from my overall experience. But not enough to make the trip a bad trip.

I think back to our days of the truck/camper combo. We limited our trips to within the PNW with that and we also definitely took into consideration the road itself when planning our routes. Roads with sharp elevation gains and lots of twisty-bits were avoided whenever possible. In my current vehicle, I look forward to driving those types of roads.

And driving the truck/camper combo was definitely more tiring. We could do a lot less daily miles than we can now.

So, yeah, I think your philosophy is mostly right but I still think that your vehicle can have an overall impact on the trip itself. Just my 2 cents.