Las Vegas to Lynchburg in a 2004 Hyundai Accent?
November 27, 2011 4:36 PM Subscribe
I plan to drive from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Lynchburg, Virginia, in my good-condition 2004 Hyundai Accent. My husband thinks the car will blow up on the way.
The car has ~75k miles on it and is in good condition (all regular maintenance, new tires, oil change, just inspected by a mechanic, etc.). It will be slightly loaded down with stuff that I am moving (e.g., computers, clothes, etc.), but not excessively so. I plan to complete the trip over 2 or 3 days (i.e., 12-to-18 hours a day).
My husband is having a fit because he thinks that driving that kind of car for more than 8 hours at a time over that cumulative distance will almost certainly result in either my death or the destruction of the car. I am a veteran of long road trips in crappy cars and think he is being silly.
MetaFilter, please be our marriage counselor! Thank you. :)
The car has ~75k miles on it and is in good condition (all regular maintenance, new tires, oil change, just inspected by a mechanic, etc.). It will be slightly loaded down with stuff that I am moving (e.g., computers, clothes, etc.), but not excessively so. I plan to complete the trip over 2 or 3 days (i.e., 12-to-18 hours a day).
My husband is having a fit because he thinks that driving that kind of car for more than 8 hours at a time over that cumulative distance will almost certainly result in either my death or the destruction of the car. I am a veteran of long road trips in crappy cars and think he is being silly.
MetaFilter, please be our marriage counselor! Thank you. :)
He is being silly. I did San Diego to North Dakota in my fifteen year old Corolla two summers ago (mountains in August! with a fully loaded car! my family was sure I'd be found in a ditch somewhere) and it suffered exactly zero ill effects. I would imagine your car, which is newer, will also be fine. I would also imagine he might be stressed out about more than the car.
AAA (Roadside Assistance, not insurance, though that's nice too) is always a good idea (and so cheap!) and might reassure him. You can and should get your car checked from top to bottom before you go. This might also reassure him. But he is being silly, so you might want to figure out what he's being silly about--I really doubt it's the car.
posted by librarylis at 4:45 PM on November 27, 2011 [3 favorites]
AAA (Roadside Assistance, not insurance, though that's nice too) is always a good idea (and so cheap!) and might reassure him. You can and should get your car checked from top to bottom before you go. This might also reassure him. But he is being silly, so you might want to figure out what he's being silly about--I really doubt it's the car.
posted by librarylis at 4:45 PM on November 27, 2011 [3 favorites]
Unless there is something wrong with the car you can drive it pretty much 24 hours a day and nothing will happen. Thinking that you cannot drive the car more than 8 hours in a stretch is simply an old wives husband's tale. I do ST. Alia's suggestion of getting AAA. That's just cheap insurance - don't just get the minimum membership but the middle one that allows a tow for 100 miles. That's cheap insurance and peace of mind.
posted by Poet_Lariat at 4:45 PM on November 27, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by Poet_Lariat at 4:45 PM on November 27, 2011 [4 favorites]
Had a friend recently do Lynchburg -> Further West than Nevada in a Hyundai from around that year. No problems aside from one blown out tire somwhere in Wyoming
posted by TheTingTangTong at 4:47 PM on November 27, 2011
posted by TheTingTangTong at 4:47 PM on November 27, 2011
I think he's being silly too. I don't have any facts to back this up, but any car, crappy or not, could go south at any point, on a long roadtrip, or coming back from the grocery store.
Also, as librarylis suggests, I think this anxiety is less about the actual car, then his general worries and issues with your taking a trip without him. He just worries about "bad things", outside his control happening and then comes up with seemingly concrete reasons to angst at you.
It took me a while to figure out why my mom always started picking fights with me the week before I would drive back to college, it seems it was primarily a displaced anxiety issue.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 4:49 PM on November 27, 2011 [2 favorites]
Also, as librarylis suggests, I think this anxiety is less about the actual car, then his general worries and issues with your taking a trip without him. He just worries about "bad things", outside his control happening and then comes up with seemingly concrete reasons to angst at you.
It took me a while to figure out why my mom always started picking fights with me the week before I would drive back to college, it seems it was primarily a displaced anxiety issue.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 4:49 PM on November 27, 2011 [2 favorites]
I'd have no problem contemplating doing that trip in my 2000 Windstar with 120K on it, so I think he's being a little silly, at least about the car making it.
OTOH, he may have a point that 12-18 hours of driving per day for three days is a bit much. Not for the car, but for you. Especially driving solo into the more developed/heavier travelled cities of the east, where you really don't want to be road-zoned. Take an extra day or two, keep the daily drive at 10hrs or less, and you'll be much happier when you get to Lynchburg and he may be less concerned about the trip.
posted by jlkr at 4:51 PM on November 27, 2011 [6 favorites]
OTOH, he may have a point that 12-18 hours of driving per day for three days is a bit much. Not for the car, but for you. Especially driving solo into the more developed/heavier travelled cities of the east, where you really don't want to be road-zoned. Take an extra day or two, keep the daily drive at 10hrs or less, and you'll be much happier when you get to Lynchburg and he may be less concerned about the trip.
posted by jlkr at 4:51 PM on November 27, 2011 [6 favorites]
I drove a POS 1990 Honda CRX with a radiator leak, blown rings, and in bad need of a valve adjustment from St. Louis to New Hampshire - straight- and then turned around and drove it back a day later. All at 80MPH.
I also regularly put 5000 miles on a car in a week, in the mountains. During the summer.
You will be fine.
posted by notsnot at 4:57 PM on November 27, 2011
I also regularly put 5000 miles on a car in a week, in the mountains. During the summer.
You will be fine.
posted by notsnot at 4:57 PM on November 27, 2011
I have a Hyundai with around 110,000 miles on it. It is more reliable than our Honda. We've taken it on 3,000-mile road trips and we regularly visit family members in another state (800 mi-round trip). It always runs flawlessly. They are very reliable cars.
(That is a lot of driving for you, though.)
posted by Ostara at 5:00 PM on November 27, 2011
(That is a lot of driving for you, though.)
posted by Ostara at 5:00 PM on November 27, 2011
Yeah, I'd have no qualms. I've driven my 1999 Sunfire, with over 100,000 miles on it, on many thousand mile road trips over the last couple years, in the mountains of Montana, Wyoming, Washing state, and Colorado.
If it will helps ease his fears, have a trusted local mechanic look over things and let them know what you are planning. They may spot a brittle hose or belt, or something that needs a little tightening that will prevent a lot of headache on the road.
On the road, be sure to check your oil at every gas stop. A small amount of oil burning during around-town driving may not be noticed between oil changes, but putting a thousand miles on a car in one day could put you down a quart of oil pretty easily. Just a couple days of that can put you into engine-ruining territory.
And YES, add road service to your insurance or get AAA, which I recommend even with a brand new car.
posted by The Deej at 5:02 PM on November 27, 2011
If it will helps ease his fears, have a trusted local mechanic look over things and let them know what you are planning. They may spot a brittle hose or belt, or something that needs a little tightening that will prevent a lot of headache on the road.
On the road, be sure to check your oil at every gas stop. A small amount of oil burning during around-town driving may not be noticed between oil changes, but putting a thousand miles on a car in one day could put you down a quart of oil pretty easily. Just a couple days of that can put you into engine-ruining territory.
And YES, add road service to your insurance or get AAA, which I recommend even with a brand new car.
posted by The Deej at 5:02 PM on November 27, 2011
In 2007, I drove from Washington, DC to Phoenix, AZ in a well-maintained 1990 Camry (17 years old, 120k miles at the time). The car did great; I did oil changes before and after the trip and otherwise left it alone. I've since sold it, but the trip itself did not cause any problems.
posted by Alterscape at 5:09 PM on November 27, 2011
posted by Alterscape at 5:09 PM on November 27, 2011
The car will be fine. However, if my wife told me she was planning to drive 18 hours a day I would be unhappy, too, and would probably start making up stuff about the car overheating to try and encourage her to choose a safer driving schedule. Especially in the winter, with short days and bad weather, driving is tiring, and it just isn't safe to push it that long.
posted by Forktine at 5:09 PM on November 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Forktine at 5:09 PM on November 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
In the pre-cell phones are everywhere era, I took a 15 year old Oldsmobile station wagon with 150,000 miles on it over 10,000 miles in less than three weeks. No one asked about the car, they only asked about how I would stay mentally sane. The car hard no problems.
I learned the hard way that driving for 16 - 20 hours a day many days in a row is very hard. If it was for one day, that would be fine. If it is going to be two or three days of that, I would reconsider since that would make it hardest for you to drive and concentrate with what is on the road when you get to the busiest parts in the east. Also, driving in the Mid-West where the roads are dead straight and there are not many turns and curves for the entire day is only good at making you brain dead.
posted by Nackt at 5:15 PM on November 27, 2011
I learned the hard way that driving for 16 - 20 hours a day many days in a row is very hard. If it was for one day, that would be fine. If it is going to be two or three days of that, I would reconsider since that would make it hardest for you to drive and concentrate with what is on the road when you get to the busiest parts in the east. Also, driving in the Mid-West where the roads are dead straight and there are not many turns and curves for the entire day is only good at making you brain dead.
posted by Nackt at 5:15 PM on November 27, 2011
The car, fine. You should plan to drive fewer hours. Is there a University nearby? Maybe there's a student who needs a ride somewhere?
posted by theora55 at 5:17 PM on November 27, 2011
posted by theora55 at 5:17 PM on November 27, 2011
I drove from Santa Cruz, California to West Palm Beach, Florida and then back via New York City in a 1984 Chevy S-10 with 135,000 miles on it (this was in 2001 or 2002). I had no cell phone, no roadside assistance, and not really enough money to rent a car and drive it home. I was fine. The truck ran the whole way, and I drove 10-12 hours a day.
The car will be fine. 18 hours is a *lot* of driving in one day, though. 12 hours is a lot of driving in one day.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 5:23 PM on November 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
The car will be fine. 18 hours is a *lot* of driving in one day, though. 12 hours is a lot of driving in one day.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 5:23 PM on November 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
If more data helps: this August, my 2004 Hyundai Accent with 80k miles and I drove from Northern California to Arkansas, averaging 10 hours a day. The car did just fine.
posted by meese at 5:49 PM on November 27, 2011
posted by meese at 5:49 PM on November 27, 2011
I agree with everyone else, your husband is concerned about your safety and the long hours driving. I would not drive more than 12 hours because you will be tired and you will need to rest to be safe.
posted by sandyp at 5:51 PM on November 27, 2011
posted by sandyp at 5:51 PM on November 27, 2011
Response by poster: It was just inspected by a mechanic last week.
I've been trying to recruit a co-pilot for the road trip but so far all possible companions want to turn it into a leisurely vacation with lots of stops along the way whereas I don't even want to stop to eat (I'll be loading a cooler up with protein shakes and diet coke).
posted by Jacqueline at 6:03 PM on November 27, 2011
I've been trying to recruit a co-pilot for the road trip but so far all possible companions want to turn it into a leisurely vacation with lots of stops along the way whereas I don't even want to stop to eat (I'll be loading a cooler up with protein shakes and diet coke).
posted by Jacqueline at 6:03 PM on November 27, 2011
Just piling on with: Car, not a problem. 12+ hours driving, a possibly fatal problem. The first day you'd probably be OK, but the fatigue will accumulate. Be sane and schedule more time for the trip.
posted by bricoleur at 6:03 PM on November 27, 2011
posted by bricoleur at 6:03 PM on November 27, 2011
The car will be fine. That is so patently obvious to everyone within earshot that it becomes obvious that's not what this is really about.
So the real question is, what is this really about? What does he think you should do instead?
If it's really about his concern with driver fatigue (which he's deflecting slightly onto the car) then he has a point. Having taken three long-haul solo drives myself, I agree that 8 hours at a stretch back-to-back is very draining, and can result in impairment.
Does he have a counter-offer on the table? If you agree to break it down into smaller chunks, maybe sit down with him with a map and plot out your waypoints, would that make him feel okay about this?
posted by ErikaB at 6:13 PM on November 27, 2011
So the real question is, what is this really about? What does he think you should do instead?
If it's really about his concern with driver fatigue (which he's deflecting slightly onto the car) then he has a point. Having taken three long-haul solo drives myself, I agree that 8 hours at a stretch back-to-back is very draining, and can result in impairment.
Does he have a counter-offer on the table? If you agree to break it down into smaller chunks, maybe sit down with him with a map and plot out your waypoints, would that make him feel okay about this?
posted by ErikaB at 6:13 PM on November 27, 2011
Response by poster: His counter-offer is that I don't make the trip at all, but instead continue to get by without most of my stuff (and get scolded whenever I spend money to replace stuff left behind in Vegas) while living as a virtual prisoner in his mother's house (which is in the middle of nowhere with no access to public transportation and nothing that can safely/legally be walked to except a gas station), and that I should just remain in this state indefinitely until he has time to do something about it (possibly not for months).
His counter-offer is unacceptable.
posted by Jacqueline at 6:38 PM on November 27, 2011
His counter-offer is unacceptable.
posted by Jacqueline at 6:38 PM on November 27, 2011
It's not clear from what you've written why you can't take more like a week to do this, though (but you would need to bring more food than just protein shakes!).
There's a reason long-haul truckers are limited in the number of hours they're allowed to drive.
posted by leahwrenn at 6:47 PM on November 27, 2011
There's a reason long-haul truckers are limited in the number of hours they're allowed to drive.
posted by leahwrenn at 6:47 PM on November 27, 2011
Nthing the "take longer" crowd. I've done cross-country drives in old cars and new; SUVs and sedans; with other people and all by myself. I have learned two lessons:
1 -- Don't wait until the next exit to go to the bathroom.
2 -- No more than eight hours in the car per day.
posted by Etrigan at 6:52 PM on November 27, 2011
1 -- Don't wait until the next exit to go to the bathroom.
2 -- No more than eight hours in the car per day.
posted by Etrigan at 6:52 PM on November 27, 2011
whereas I don't even want to stop to eat (I'll be loading a cooler up with protein shakes and diet coke).
Bad idea. Very bad idea. I have traveled cross country half a dozen times in a car. You definitely do want to get out of the car for a half hour to an hour every five or six hours or so. Unless you have super-exceptional endurance, three days of 18 hour driving without breaks will raise your probability of an accident significantly in the second or third day. There is a reason why commercial truckers are restricted to 11 hours of driving a day. Perhaps this is what your husband is really worried about. Rethink your driving strategy to a more realistic schedule.
posted by Poet_Lariat at 7:06 PM on November 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
Bad idea. Very bad idea. I have traveled cross country half a dozen times in a car. You definitely do want to get out of the car for a half hour to an hour every five or six hours or so. Unless you have super-exceptional endurance, three days of 18 hour driving without breaks will raise your probability of an accident significantly in the second or third day. There is a reason why commercial truckers are restricted to 11 hours of driving a day. Perhaps this is what your husband is really worried about. Rethink your driving strategy to a more realistic schedule.
posted by Poet_Lariat at 7:06 PM on November 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
Rethink your 2-3 day plan to a 4-5 day plan and it becomes perfectly fine. The 18 hours a day thing is unrealistic and dangerous, not just to you but to the people you are going to crash into head first when you nod off.
The car thing is a red herring. The car will be fine. And you'll be fine too if you keep it under ~10 hours a day, with breaks every three hours or so. Bring music that gets you pumped and happy, an AAA membership with 100 mile tow, some extra water just in case for the radiator, some warm clothes juuuust in case, and money for motels.
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:15 PM on November 27, 2011
The car thing is a red herring. The car will be fine. And you'll be fine too if you keep it under ~10 hours a day, with breaks every three hours or so. Bring music that gets you pumped and happy, an AAA membership with 100 mile tow, some extra water just in case for the radiator, some warm clothes juuuust in case, and money for motels.
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:15 PM on November 27, 2011
I spent 30 years as a Teamster trucker. I've been retired for a couple of years and 2 weeks ago I decided to drive to Arkansas to see friends. 1325 one way from my house to my friends. I did 800 miles the first day. Speed limits were anywhere from 65 to 75 mph and I drove at least 5 over for the whole trip. Outside of a nagging pain in my side for sitting so long, I'd do it again. I was also in a 4x4 truck. I stopped every 300 miles or so to get some thing to drink and let some out and get gas.
You're in a 7 year old Hyundai and it's probably covered by the 10 year/100k warranty. There's Hyundai dealerships all over the place.
Tell your husband he's being protective but a little silly, if you're an experienced driver. I'd insist you drive no more than 12 and get plenty of rest between shifts. I'd also recommend you time your drive so you miss rush hours through major cities.
Good luck.
posted by JohnE at 7:18 PM on November 27, 2011
You're in a 7 year old Hyundai and it's probably covered by the 10 year/100k warranty. There's Hyundai dealerships all over the place.
Tell your husband he's being protective but a little silly, if you're an experienced driver. I'd insist you drive no more than 12 and get plenty of rest between shifts. I'd also recommend you time your drive so you miss rush hours through major cities.
Good luck.
posted by JohnE at 7:18 PM on November 27, 2011
Response by poster: Begin TL;DR backstory not relevant to car technical question
My father-in-law died suddenly four weeks ago and as a result my husband and I had to make an emergency cross-country move on six hours' notice. In the scramble to get us out the door I didn't do a great job packing for a multi-month stay (at least I had the presence of mind to bring our dogs with us on the flight!) and various expensive essentials were forgotten. Meanwhile, I *need* a car here but my car is back there, we have a couple thousand dollars worth of computer and office stuff that would be very helpful in the business, and we left our townhome in a pretty bad state of disarray (including a large and growing pothole / water leak in our driveway) and someone has to go deal with that.
So of course I realize that he has all sorts of other emotional stuff going on right now and is not thinking rationally. But when we argue, what he keeps falling back on is the car: "I know more about cars than you do and if you drive that car for that long without longer rest periods than the engine will blow up / the brakes will melt / the tires will get too hot and blowout / [whatever fanciful new "overdriving"-caused calamity he'll invent next to try to scare me] / etc. -- ASK ANYONE WHO KNOWS ABOUT CARS AND THEY WILL AGREE." So, having been challenged to "ask anyone who knows about cars" I am thus asking you -- MeFites who answer questions in the travel & transportation category -- to please call him on his bullshit.
I understand why he wants to keep me around as a security blanket right now. But while he's stuck here running the business, someone has to execute phase 2 of our move to Virginia (it's become obvious that we're going to be here a while) and the longer we put it off the more expenses, problems, and stresses we accumulate. The other time constraints are that he's said that if I'm gone longer than a week that he'll probably have a mental breakdown, I'm needed here to help manage the business, and I'm trying to snag both a cheap outward flight and a snow-free return drive.
End TL;DR backstory not relevant to car technical question
posted by Jacqueline at 7:31 PM on November 27, 2011
My father-in-law died suddenly four weeks ago and as a result my husband and I had to make an emergency cross-country move on six hours' notice. In the scramble to get us out the door I didn't do a great job packing for a multi-month stay (at least I had the presence of mind to bring our dogs with us on the flight!) and various expensive essentials were forgotten. Meanwhile, I *need* a car here but my car is back there, we have a couple thousand dollars worth of computer and office stuff that would be very helpful in the business, and we left our townhome in a pretty bad state of disarray (including a large and growing pothole / water leak in our driveway) and someone has to go deal with that.
So of course I realize that he has all sorts of other emotional stuff going on right now and is not thinking rationally. But when we argue, what he keeps falling back on is the car: "I know more about cars than you do and if you drive that car for that long without longer rest periods than the engine will blow up / the brakes will melt / the tires will get too hot and blowout / [whatever fanciful new "overdriving"-caused calamity he'll invent next to try to scare me] / etc. -- ASK ANYONE WHO KNOWS ABOUT CARS AND THEY WILL AGREE." So, having been challenged to "ask anyone who knows about cars" I am thus asking you -- MeFites who answer questions in the travel & transportation category -- to please call him on his bullshit.
I understand why he wants to keep me around as a security blanket right now. But while he's stuck here running the business, someone has to execute phase 2 of our move to Virginia (it's become obvious that we're going to be here a while) and the longer we put it off the more expenses, problems, and stresses we accumulate. The other time constraints are that he's said that if I'm gone longer than a week that he'll probably have a mental breakdown, I'm needed here to help manage the business, and I'm trying to snag both a cheap outward flight and a snow-free return drive.
End TL;DR backstory not relevant to car technical question
posted by Jacqueline at 7:31 PM on November 27, 2011
I don't think there's anything technical that will go wrong with a car after 8 hours that wouldn't happen after 1 hour - once the car's warmed up, the engine's running at the temperature it's designed for, and it's going down hills that's hard on brakes.
My condolences to you and your husband and his family.
It sounds like a rough time. Below some response to the "be our marriage counselor" bit of your question. IANAMC, of course.
[armchairheadshrinker]
So what you're saying is this isn't really about the car. He wants you to wait to make the trip until he's available, and you don't want to do that because he won't/can't identify a time when he's available. It's an inconvenience for him to make a 2200-mile trip to go get your car and stuff; it's no inconvenience for him to live without your car and stuff, and he is simply pretending the hole in the driveway isn't happening. So you argue that you are so inconvenienced by your present situation that you will make that trip solo to save him from dealing with it, and it's no big deal.
And he's saying, "Your car is too old for this trip it's going to take forever what you're going to sleep in the car if you sleep at all and wear astronaut diapers just to get your dress coat and that monitor with the failing flyback transformer you're crazy BE REASONABLE." And so you go to the beanplates of supreme reason to reassure him that you can make this drive safely (maybe also a little because of his incorrect insistence that he's the light of reason when he's clearly wrong.)
Still not about the car! And only barely about your potential fatigue in doing an eight-state trip solo, as fast as possible. This is really about how unhappy and powerless and trapped you feel, and the lengths you'll go to make your husband understand he needs to compromise - to give you this, really - or you're going to go insane. Except you maybe can't say that in so many words because the man just lost his dad and you totally understand why you're both there and you want to be there for him. But you have to, or you're going to go around and around on this. Because although he's wrong about the car exploding, the human factor makes it really unsafe for you to do this drive this way, and although it's fairly reasonable to project future success based on past success, this is an area where there's loads of data suggesting you've succeeded mainly because of luck, and as anyone who's survived Vegas intact should know, relying on luck is really stupid.
Maybe you need to tell him that it's not just about what's best for the business or the move or the townhouse, but what you need to keep you sane enough that you can keep him sane. In so many words.
[/armchairheadshrinkery]
posted by gingerest at 7:57 PM on November 27, 2011
My condolences to you and your husband and his family.
It sounds like a rough time. Below some response to the "be our marriage counselor" bit of your question. IANAMC, of course.
[armchairheadshrinker]
So what you're saying is this isn't really about the car. He wants you to wait to make the trip until he's available, and you don't want to do that because he won't/can't identify a time when he's available. It's an inconvenience for him to make a 2200-mile trip to go get your car and stuff; it's no inconvenience for him to live without your car and stuff, and he is simply pretending the hole in the driveway isn't happening. So you argue that you are so inconvenienced by your present situation that you will make that trip solo to save him from dealing with it, and it's no big deal.
And he's saying, "Your car is too old for this trip it's going to take forever what you're going to sleep in the car if you sleep at all and wear astronaut diapers just to get your dress coat and that monitor with the failing flyback transformer you're crazy BE REASONABLE." And so you go to the beanplates of supreme reason to reassure him that you can make this drive safely (maybe also a little because of his incorrect insistence that he's the light of reason when he's clearly wrong.)
Still not about the car! And only barely about your potential fatigue in doing an eight-state trip solo, as fast as possible. This is really about how unhappy and powerless and trapped you feel, and the lengths you'll go to make your husband understand he needs to compromise - to give you this, really - or you're going to go insane. Except you maybe can't say that in so many words because the man just lost his dad and you totally understand why you're both there and you want to be there for him. But you have to, or you're going to go around and around on this. Because although he's wrong about the car exploding, the human factor makes it really unsafe for you to do this drive this way, and although it's fairly reasonable to project future success based on past success, this is an area where there's loads of data suggesting you've succeeded mainly because of luck, and as anyone who's survived Vegas intact should know, relying on luck is really stupid.
Maybe you need to tell him that it's not just about what's best for the business or the move or the townhouse, but what you need to keep you sane enough that you can keep him sane. In so many words.
[/armchairheadshrinkery]
posted by gingerest at 7:57 PM on November 27, 2011
The difference between a nasty and maybe dangerous drive and a routine and fairly pleasant drive is just one day. Three days on your route is almost 800 miles per day, but four days means only 600/day, which is no big deal.
So if you have a week, that's one day to fly, two days to pack, and four to drive. Easy peasy. If you can add a couple of days to that you'll have a much more relaxed time packing and a more leisurely drive, but a week is workable.
posted by Forktine at 8:14 PM on November 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
So if you have a week, that's one day to fly, two days to pack, and four to drive. Easy peasy. If you can add a couple of days to that you'll have a much more relaxed time packing and a more leisurely drive, but a week is workable.
posted by Forktine at 8:14 PM on November 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
The only significant risk between 800 miles in a day (assuming your butt can handle that) and 800 miles over two weeks is tires. A problem with your tires can easily develop and lead to failure on a long high way trip that you'd notice much earlier at 50 miles a day. So check your pressures every day before starting and at a minimum do a quick visual inspection every time you stop.
Also I'd check my oil and rad fluid (level in the overflow reservoir not by removing the cap) at every fill up.
Jacqueline writes "I don't even want to stop to eat (I'll be loading a cooler up with protein shakes and diet coke)."
At a minimum also include some fresh fruit and water. Also I'd take at least one sit down meal break in the middle of each day. Even if it is only for half an hour the chance to stretch and change of pace will be good for you and safer for the people you are sharing the road with. That kind of schedule will also make it easier to get a drive share. Even if you can handle two days of straight back to back 18 hour drives the vast majority of people are going to be in significant discomfort if not out right pain by the middle of day two if they don't get a chance to stretch every once and a while.
Finally, and I can appreciate that money wise this might not work, how about this for a compromise: You fly both ways and hire someone to drive your car across country. That'd give you a more time in Las Vegas and in the unlikely event your car ends up dying a firey death you aren't hurt. Heck find some relocating student willing to do it for the cost of gas and snacks and it might be cheaper than two or three nights of motels.
posted by Mitheral at 1:50 AM on November 28, 2011
Also I'd check my oil and rad fluid (level in the overflow reservoir not by removing the cap) at every fill up.
Jacqueline writes "I don't even want to stop to eat (I'll be loading a cooler up with protein shakes and diet coke)."
At a minimum also include some fresh fruit and water. Also I'd take at least one sit down meal break in the middle of each day. Even if it is only for half an hour the chance to stretch and change of pace will be good for you and safer for the people you are sharing the road with. That kind of schedule will also make it easier to get a drive share. Even if you can handle two days of straight back to back 18 hour drives the vast majority of people are going to be in significant discomfort if not out right pain by the middle of day two if they don't get a chance to stretch every once and a while.
Finally, and I can appreciate that money wise this might not work, how about this for a compromise: You fly both ways and hire someone to drive your car across country. That'd give you a more time in Las Vegas and in the unlikely event your car ends up dying a firey death you aren't hurt. Heck find some relocating student willing to do it for the cost of gas and snacks and it might be cheaper than two or three nights of motels.
posted by Mitheral at 1:50 AM on November 28, 2011
I once drove from Santa Fe to Philadelphia in 33 hours (with just one 4 hour stop in Memphis, no overnights) in a similar vehicle and everything was fine. Do stop often to get snacks and stretch your legs and give your eyes a break.
posted by Aubergine at 8:57 AM on November 28, 2011
posted by Aubergine at 8:57 AM on November 28, 2011
You can probably get your car shipped for under a thousand bucks. The car will probably be fine if you drive it, but there's no guarantee that your something won't fail. I blew an engine in Missouri once in a Mercury Topaz with less than 40k on the clock. Just had it serviced, too. Effin' pushrod broke, went through the engine block, leaving a silver dollar size hole and that was that. I had the good fortune to be just coming up on an exit, so I was able to coast off the highway, go find a phone book, and call a mechanic.
In hindsight, it would have been better to sell the car for scrap and have someone take me to the nearest bus station and take the bus home, but I didn't know that at the time.
On a one day trip, I'm good up to about 13-15 hours worth of driving. Once it gets over a single day's drive, I have to split it up into no more than 10-12 hour stretches. My SO and I usually take 2-3 days to drive the 1400 miles to her parent's place and it's super-easy, despite rarely using the Interstates or other controlled access highways for longer than absolutely necessary so I would think that 3 days from Vegas to Virginia would still be OK, if a little long.
posted by wierdo at 10:47 AM on November 28, 2011
In hindsight, it would have been better to sell the car for scrap and have someone take me to the nearest bus station and take the bus home, but I didn't know that at the time.
On a one day trip, I'm good up to about 13-15 hours worth of driving. Once it gets over a single day's drive, I have to split it up into no more than 10-12 hour stretches. My SO and I usually take 2-3 days to drive the 1400 miles to her parent's place and it's super-easy, despite rarely using the Interstates or other controlled access highways for longer than absolutely necessary so I would think that 3 days from Vegas to Virginia would still be OK, if a little long.
posted by wierdo at 10:47 AM on November 28, 2011
1000 miles of nothing-but-highway driving is far better for the car than 100 10 miles days. The car's engine spends all of its time in its 'happy place', as opposed to cycling from cold to operating and back down again. I've driven Montreal-Calgary and Montreal-Yellowknife (65 hours of driving, not including stops) multiple times in total beaters as anecdotal proof of this. Yes, I would strongly suggest check fluids and tire pressure (and I did, because the cars I drove were often worth less than the gas in the tank) regularly. Your car is *not* the problem, no way.
I do agree with the keep the drive to around 12 hours a day concensus that seems to be forming, though I myself typically did the cross-continental drives with a far more punishing timetable: once, driving Ottawa to Calgary solo in 50 hours (of which 42 was driving, 8 were naps and impromptu roadside repairs). The last solo cross-country drives I did, however, were Boston - San Francisco and back, done in a leisurely five days each way. A bit more humane, I suppose.
Some suggestions: a significant break in the middle of the day, including some napping / reading. Eating vegetables and fruit. Drinking lots of non-caffeinated drinks to supplement the energy drinks, coffee and tea. And: books on tape (or the digital equivalent). They are amazingly better at keeping you awake and paying attention than even the loudest most thumping music.
posted by bumpkin at 12:04 PM on November 28, 2011
I do agree with the keep the drive to around 12 hours a day concensus that seems to be forming, though I myself typically did the cross-continental drives with a far more punishing timetable: once, driving Ottawa to Calgary solo in 50 hours (of which 42 was driving, 8 were naps and impromptu roadside repairs). The last solo cross-country drives I did, however, were Boston - San Francisco and back, done in a leisurely five days each way. A bit more humane, I suppose.
Some suggestions: a significant break in the middle of the day, including some napping / reading. Eating vegetables and fruit. Drinking lots of non-caffeinated drinks to supplement the energy drinks, coffee and tea. And: books on tape (or the digital equivalent). They are amazingly better at keeping you awake and paying attention than even the loudest most thumping music.
posted by bumpkin at 12:04 PM on November 28, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 4:37 PM on November 27, 2011