Lately I've been catching up on the old Top Gear episodes. I'm amazed and intrigued at some of the trips they take with old cars. Granted there might be a few differences between here and there and what maintenance performed before hand is unknown. It almost makes me want to jump in one of my older cars and take a trip versus the Escape. In long trips I get fairly tired.. way to uneventful I guess. We have taken the Festiva to St. Louis, 300 miles or so one way, and it wasn't near as bad I thought and alot cheaper. I figure if I can get the Aspire in shape before we leave for Dallas on the April 11th it'll save us $150 on gas easy, it would be more comfortable versus the Festiva. It almost seems like it would make the trip more interesting. As long as it makes that is.. I'm fairly picky on maintenance and never had a break down before. What do you say BITOG does a older car make for a more interesting trip?
Long trip in a old car..
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If the belts, hoses and tires are in good shape, why not? I've taken the ciera on 5 hr runs.
Older cars tend to be more fun to drivr than nwe cars.
(unless they break)
(unless they break)
I forgot to mention that newer cars seem disconnected from the road versus the older. Not as comfortable but I like to feel a little of the road. Our Escape is about the same as the cars, actually it's rougher for some reason, but the new Sienna's they got at work you can't feel anything! I know that's what most people want but I'd fall asleep on long trips.
The episodes in Top Gear doesn't reflect what actually happens in real life.
They have a team of mechanics with them, and probably a heap of spare parts available. Bottom line is, it is a TV show designed to entertain.
They have a team of mechanics with them, and probably a heap of spare parts available. Bottom line is, it is a TV show designed to entertain.
Originally Posted By: chrome
The episodes in Top Gear doesn't reflect what actually happens in real life.
They have a team of mechanics with them, and probably a heap of spare parts available. Bottom line is, it is a TV show designed to entertain.
Question... just how many episodes have you seen?
The episodes in Top Gear doesn't reflect what actually happens in real life.
They have a team of mechanics with them, and probably a heap of spare parts available. Bottom line is, it is a TV show designed to entertain.
Question... just how many episodes have you seen?
Not really an old car but I take my '02 330ci to see my dad 200 miles from where I live and it's ways a hoot. Never a problem. 400 miles round trip doesn't really constitute a long distance I guess.
Kestas
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I used to drive my 71 Cutlass to all corners of Michigan up until 8 years ago.
I drive my 91 Mercury Marquis and 95 Mercedes daily. I have no other cars.
I drive my 91 Mercury Marquis and 95 Mercedes daily. I have no other cars.
In 2000 I drove my 81 Olds Omega from Vancouver BC to southern ontario. It was pretty uneventful and very comfortable. The car got over 30 mpg too, with a 3spd auto with no lock up.
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
In 2000 I drove my 81 Olds Omega from Vancouver BC to southern ontario. It was pretty uneventful and very comfortable. The car got over 30 mpg too, with a 3spd auto with no lock up.
I'm planning on taking my '00 SW2 to BC this summer. (From SW Ontario)
It's 3900 KMs.
In 2000 I drove my 81 Olds Omega from Vancouver BC to southern ontario. It was pretty uneventful and very comfortable. The car got over 30 mpg too, with a 3spd auto with no lock up.
I'm planning on taking my '00 SW2 to BC this summer. (From SW Ontario)
It's 3900 KMs.
As long as you can get parts easily for whatever you are driving I would not worry too much.
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There are "pro's and con's" here. Yes, some older cars get better MPG's, BUT they don't have the airbags, the ABS, the Traction Control, SAFETY EQUIP. So as I understand what your saying, I would still feel that even though you would save gas, you may be "safer" overall in the newer car.
What gets me is many new cars claim all these High MPG's and I laugh a little. Back in 91 when I was driving my 91 Honda Civic Hatchback, with a 4spd manual, I would get 46mpg's on the highway, in city mid 30's easy. My 98 Plymouth Neon on a trip to Vegas from San Diego netted 36mpg's with a full trunk of lugauge and 4 adults in the car with the A/C on.
I mean some guys I know that drive "Hybrids" don't even get the MPG's that I got 20 yrs ago!!! So are we going a s s backwards here or what??
I see your point, raise the safety question and agree that old cars are more fun to drive
Jeff
What gets me is many new cars claim all these High MPG's and I laugh a little. Back in 91 when I was driving my 91 Honda Civic Hatchback, with a 4spd manual, I would get 46mpg's on the highway, in city mid 30's easy. My 98 Plymouth Neon on a trip to Vegas from San Diego netted 36mpg's with a full trunk of lugauge and 4 adults in the car with the A/C on.
I mean some guys I know that drive "Hybrids" don't even get the MPG's that I got 20 yrs ago!!! So are we going a s s backwards here or what??
I see your point, raise the safety question and agree that old cars are more fun to drive
Jeff
I drive my 4 Runner up and down the East Coast of the USA a few times a year. NYC to Florida, NYC to South Carolina and NYC to Alabama. It's only a 1997 but still rides like a charm.
If you really want to do your vehicle some justice....give it a nice long 3,000 mile round trip run.
These machines need to be run for a long drive to keep them in tip top condition. Everything gets heated up....Fluids etc....and you get to clean your engine with a good dose of MMO in the crankcase and some Chevron Techron Fuel System cleaner with a mix of TC-W3 in the gas. I like to run my gas tank down to almost empty and add the mix of CTFSC and TC-W3 on each fill up. Keeps the fuel system spotless and well lubed.
If you really want to do your vehicle some justice....give it a nice long 3,000 mile round trip run.
These machines need to be run for a long drive to keep them in tip top condition. Everything gets heated up....Fluids etc....and you get to clean your engine with a good dose of MMO in the crankcase and some Chevron Techron Fuel System cleaner with a mix of TC-W3 in the gas. I like to run my gas tank down to almost empty and add the mix of CTFSC and TC-W3 on each fill up. Keeps the fuel system spotless and well lubed.
I drive my 94 Corolla all over the country every year, usually when I go storm chasing. As long as the basics are in good shape like someone mentioned above - belts, hoses, tires, charging system, battery etc., I see no problem. For me it almost makes it less interesting. I've had shingles fly out of a semi trailer and dent my hood. I've hit a fox, skunk, and a pheasant on my travels, all of which scratched my paint and did minor dents. Driving an older car, I don't even care as long as it doesn't affect the ability of my car to get me down the road. If I had a newer car in which the front ends aren't as tough/reinforced and the above mentioned hits did serious body damage or pierced the radiator, I'd be mad as heck!
I took my 95 saturn wagon to ohio a couple years ago at 199k. Uneventful. Gas started its rapid fall from $3.89 to $2 shortly thereafter.
Repeated the trip in my olds silhouette. Hit a bridge expansion joint a hundred miles in and broke a wire to a wheel speed sensor, triggering an ABS light. Looked around underneath, discovered the rear air-ride suspension pump bracket rusted through and the thing was hanging from its wiring harness. Threw the greasy rusty heavy thing in a truck stop trash can after thrilling the wife by showing her. But, van made it and back pulling a great 26 MPG at 75+ MPH with decent handling.
Repeated the trip in my olds silhouette. Hit a bridge expansion joint a hundred miles in and broke a wire to a wheel speed sensor, triggering an ABS light. Looked around underneath, discovered the rear air-ride suspension pump bracket rusted through and the thing was hanging from its wiring harness. Threw the greasy rusty heavy thing in a truck stop trash can after thrilling the wife by showing her. But, van made it and back pulling a great 26 MPG at 75+ MPH with decent handling.
Originally Posted By: chrome
The episodes in Top Gear doesn't reflect what actually happens in real life.
They have a team of mechanics with them, and probably a heap of spare parts available. Bottom line is, it is a TV show designed to entertain.
+1
The presenters never seem to check oil or gas levels. Jezza had a camaro with known bad gas gauge that wouldn't start in the motel parking lot. If a car is overheating they'll run it until it makes steam and the needle can get buried on the gauge.
The episodes in Top Gear doesn't reflect what actually happens in real life.
They have a team of mechanics with them, and probably a heap of spare parts available. Bottom line is, it is a TV show designed to entertain.
+1
The presenters never seem to check oil or gas levels. Jezza had a camaro with known bad gas gauge that wouldn't start in the motel parking lot. If a car is overheating they'll run it until it makes steam and the needle can get buried on the gauge.
I drive my 1996 Contour, 15 years old, to Key West from very Northern NJ every other year, 3,000+++ miles. Otherwise we usually travel 1,000+ miles on vacation. Every year we go some where. I keep up the maintenance on the car and have my mechanic give it a good inspection before we go. It's worth the money.
The car runs great, good power from the 2.0 Zetec 4 cyl & 5 sp manual. The trunk is cavernous and the ride is good. I almost bought a new 2006 Fusion but my Contour has more comfortable seats, a better feeling interior and ride quality. I cannot say about the power of the 2006 because it was an auto vs my stick. But the auto was much more of a dog with that 2006 4 cyl than my 1996 4 cyl with the manual. I know new 4 cyl Fusions have better 4 cyl engines than the 2006. If you can find a 2011 manual tranny car it would most likely be faster than the auto tranny. Though it is still heavier than my 1996 and might not be any faster.
Care for a car from the start and it should give you many years of driving pleasure. I don't get bored by my cars and itch for a new model
. It drives people crazy
.
Whimsey
The car runs great, good power from the 2.0 Zetec 4 cyl & 5 sp manual. The trunk is cavernous and the ride is good. I almost bought a new 2006 Fusion but my Contour has more comfortable seats, a better feeling interior and ride quality. I cannot say about the power of the 2006 because it was an auto vs my stick. But the auto was much more of a dog with that 2006 4 cyl than my 1996 4 cyl with the manual. I know new 4 cyl Fusions have better 4 cyl engines than the 2006. If you can find a 2011 manual tranny car it would most likely be faster than the auto tranny. Though it is still heavier than my 1996 and might not be any faster.
Care for a car from the start and it should give you many years of driving pleasure. I don't get bored by my cars and itch for a new model
Whimsey
ls1mike
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What is old. A 10 or 12 year old car is not really old, well to me at least.
However I towed all over for years in an old 89 GMC 1 ton. The last big trip it made was towing my 7500 lbs loaded 5th wheel to Yellowstone from Washington state last summer. Over Snoqualmie pass, 4th of July Pass, Lookout Pass and the Continetial Divide. A heck of a lot harder towing a trailer than just motoring in a car. That trip to Yellowstone the truck had 280,000 original miles on the motor, tranny, rearend and a bunch of other stuff.
Look out pass coming up from the Idaho side 8% grade. 50 mph 3800 rpm pedal almost to the floor. 7500 lbs 5th wheel, 7500 lbs of truck and cargo. 281,000 miles.
High mileage cars do not impress me. They are just moving, well basically themselves. Old trucks towing, that is a bit more impressive to me.
However I towed all over for years in an old 89 GMC 1 ton. The last big trip it made was towing my 7500 lbs loaded 5th wheel to Yellowstone from Washington state last summer. Over Snoqualmie pass, 4th of July Pass, Lookout Pass and the Continetial Divide. A heck of a lot harder towing a trailer than just motoring in a car. That trip to Yellowstone the truck had 280,000 original miles on the motor, tranny, rearend and a bunch of other stuff.
Look out pass coming up from the Idaho side 8% grade. 50 mph 3800 rpm pedal almost to the floor. 7500 lbs 5th wheel, 7500 lbs of truck and cargo. 281,000 miles.
High mileage cars do not impress me. They are just moving, well basically themselves. Old trucks towing, that is a bit more impressive to me.
Do it all the time in the Buick. It was the road-trip car for a while since we wanted to keep miles off of the Fit. I know it's well-maintained since I've been fairly nuts about maintaining it. Yeah it might make a few more creaks but it rides so nicely, has tons of power, super-comfy seats, and gets 30+ mpg on long trips. Plus common parts are available at about any parts store in North America since GM made millions of these things.
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