Traveling with high mileage vehicles

tblt44

tblt44

Joined
Jun 10, 2019
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1,833
Location
FL
Just want to see what others do, Am I too paranoid ?

Traveling to Helan Ga in a few weeks from Tampa 550 miles one way.
Truck is a well maintained 2006 Tahoe with 248k on the clock, owned since new.
I'm paranoid I already have my old belts and a pulley.A few old plugs and wires. Breaker bar. I bought a heater core bypass just in case. I will be buying a new belt tensioner before I leave. I will have my OBD 2 reader with me.
I have a battery jump starter. Tire pump.
I always try to think of the what if.
New water pump just 1500 miles ago.
I bring all the tools needed to change alternator and other could be issues.
Gear oil, trans fluid, oil all changes recently.
Break fluid flushed 2 years ago
 
The stuff you think will be a problem, won't, and vice versa.

My wife drove my kid from Maine to Buffalo NY in a 275k mile Prius with bladder-shaking snow tires in January and it all worked out perfectly.

Don't do any elective maintenance during the week just before you leave. Sometimes stuff just goes screwy like that.
 
Typically I keep fluids in the car, air compressor, flashlight and a small tool set. I would bring, but don't install the belt tensioner beforehand in case it is a defective part. Really I have found with all my preparation and "what-if's" a AAA card is just good peace of mind.
 
I drive old junk, most of which has probably been worse than your vehicle, and in the past have done over 40,000 miles a year. the most important lessons I have learned to avoid breakdowns are-

Preventative maintenance, fluids of course, but minor leaks can become major in short order, that slight howling noise? Might be a wheel bearing that lets go 500 miles into a trip, might be an idler pulley about to seize and take out the serpentine belt etc...check not only radiator hoses, but trans and oil cooler lines as well, they should be soft and pliable, not rock hard. take care of minor problems in the cooling, drivetrain, brake, lubrication systems before you venture far from home, to make sure they dont become a major problem.

Make sure the charging system is good, which comes down to the alternator, does it look old? Is it original? I like to get a fresh one in if I don't know the history on it, purely for piece of mind. There will be no warning for when it fails.

The fuel pump, this is a part that often gives no warning before failing, on a GM product at 250k, i do it if it hasn't been done yet, id probably wait till 300k or a little more on a Toyota.

Thats pretty much what I use as a metric for if a vehicle is trustable, but use your instincts as well, does the vehicle seem trustable? If not, why not? Be objective. There's no reason an old vehicle can't do many more miles if it's in good shape.
 
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i don’t blink at hopping in any of my vehicles and taking a road trip. double check engine oil level, transmission level and send it.

I of course keep my vehicles in good/better mechanical condition but you’re talking about an LS powered Tahoe, jump in it and run.
 
What's most likely to happen? flat tire? bring a couple of spares. Otherwise... can't predict the future.

Pretty sure this is a common vehicle? so parts availability should be decent wherever you go. Unless if you are headed someplace where gas stations are a hundred miles apart, I'm not sure I'd worry too much. Any breakdown is a pain, but there's only so much you can do--and with low quality replacement parts all around, proactively replacing things seems unwise, at least with corner store parts.
 
I drive my 236K mile, 2003 Jaguar on 1300+ mile trips. I don't sweat it. I simply bring the basics, a few tools and go on my way. The worst thing that happened to me was the clutch pedal's pad came unscrewed 1000 miles from home. It is a 5 speed manual transmission. Took 20 mins to fix.

I carry a very basic tool kit, a can of fix a flat, some zip ties, oil and a gal water (really for the windshield squirter) and a leatherman.
 
If you are concerned about the belts, have a set with the car. That way there should be no issue getting on the road if one does break.
 
AZjeff said:
Understandable but it's likely harder on the Tahoe to drive 1100 miles around town and short trips than an 1100 mile cruise under light load. Does it break down frequently in normal use?
Click to expand...
Nope been 100% reliable
Besides breaks. Battery steering gear box shocks watwr pump ect no problems
 
We took an 8+ hr trip 1 way in our FJ a few years ago. It hit 200k on the way there .

For my wedding in oatman,Az I drove my f250 from Apple valley,ca to oatman then after the wedding we went to Williams,Az to catch the train to the grand canyon.

We also drove that truck to Bodie,ca.

Never skipped a beat.

A few years back we took the f250 to see my brother in Prescott valley,AZ. On the way back I did have to buy a voltage regulator in bullhead city ,Az.
 
When considering a car for a long road trip, for me at least, it is less to do with the miles on the car and more to do with how well maintained it is. Some of your planning shows you think the same, but others suggest you are extra cautious.

For example, if the spark plugs are not going to be overdue for a change, while you are on your trip, then why bring extra plugs. If you have inspected the belts, and they are in good condition and aren't too old, then why bring extra belts? Have you had issues with this car shredding belts? When is the last time you have changed the belt tensioner? Is it overdue? Is it prone to early failure, without warning? If yes, change it before you leave.

It's always good to be prepared for tire and battery issues, as they can crop up any time. So can other items, but if they are maintained properly, the odds are in your favor.

It sounds like you are going to be overly prepared. But you know your car better than the rest of us.
 
Maintenance wise, just a jumper box, jumper cables, plug kit, and an air compressor. I used to bring my husky tool set on 3000mi+ roadtrips but I stopped since I don't plan on working on the car on the road. IMO, if I did not have confidence my car would not make it there, I would not drive it. In other cases, I got tow on my insurance :P
 
Chris142 said:
We took an 8+ hr trip 1 way in our FJ a few years ago. It hit 200k on the way there .

For my wedding in oatman,Az I drove my f250 from Apple valley,ca to oatman then after the wedding we went to Williams,Az to catch the train to the grand canyon.

We also drove that truck to Bodie,ca.

Never skipped a beat.

A few years back we took the f250 to see my brother in Prescott valley,AZ. On the way back I did have to buy a voltage regulator in bullhead city ,Az.
Click to expand...
Road trips tend to be easier on a car than the daily driving around our homes. There are exceptions to that, such as extreme weather conditions. But for the most part, if a problem crops up on a road trip, it is because something was neglected before leaving home.
 
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