Older cars on road trips?

[Birchwood]

What is the oldest car you have taken on road trips? How long?

 

[Texas Proud]

The oldest car I have ever had was 11 or 12 YO.... so it would be that....

 

[aja8888]

I took my 1955 Chevy on road trips of about 250 miles back in the day. But that was 50 years ago or so.

 

[bjorn2bwild]

I use a 1988 F-150 pickup w/140k miles on the odometer (per the oldest/longest owned vehicle thread) to pull my 16' travel trailer along to loneliest roads I can find in the west. Trips can last a year or more.

 

[BBQ-Nut]

1998 Mazda MPV with 190K.


Have driven 3 times from San Diego to Arcata CA (HSU) to drop off/pick up oldest DS to college, about 1500 miles round trip.


Before each trip we take it to our trusted mechanic for a free AAA check-up, get any recommended service and off we go.


Not a single problem.

 

[CRLLS]

In 2002, I took a 1956 MGA on about a 1,800 mile trip. Prior year was a ~ 900 mile trip, same car. Car was a fresh restoration at that time, So don't know if it qualifies.

 

[Bamaman]

I've had over 100 new cars, so none have been very old. Of course, I worked for Ford Motor Company, and most were company cars.

Now that I'm paying, my oldest is a 2003 F250 diesel that has very low miles. At this rate, the engine's going to be worn out when I'm 97 years old.

The modern cars are built with much tighter engines, and they can still be reliable up to 200K miles. Of course the brand matters too. A Honda and Toyota will last longer than a 4 cylinder GM, Chrysler or Mitsubishi product.

 

[BBQ-Nut]

I've had over 100 new cars, so none have been very old. Of course, I worked for Ford Motor Company, and most were company cars.

Now that I'm paying, my oldest is a 2003 F250 diesel that has very low miles. At this rate, the engine's going to be worn out when I'm 97 years old.

The modern cars are built with much tighter engines, and they can still be reliable up to 200K miles. Of course the brand matters too. A Honda and Toyota will last longer than a 4 cylinder GM, Chrysler or Mitsubishi product.

Not my POS Toyota p/u - what a lemon.

 

[HF63]

Now that I'm paying, my oldest is a 2003 F250 diesel that has very low miles. At this rate, the engine's going to be worn out when I'm 97 years old.


This was the time when the FORD diesels where very good, the new stuff not so good.


I just took my 1995 Volvo wagon to near Mexico city and no problems at all. It is all about TLC for older vehicles. I do carry a nice inventory of spare parts because you just never know!

 

[RE2Boys]

In 2005 took our 1995 Ford Windstar on a 1000 mile trip to pass it on to a niece. It had 115K miles at the time. She got another 40,000 miles out of before selling it, reguarly made 100+ mile trips in it for her son's hockey games.

 

[Nunthewiser]

I have no meaningful input. Until recently , all my vehicles were 25+ years old, but we never went anyplace beyond range of a tow.

Ten years ago, I had planned (in my mind, not my wife's) to take us in our freshly rebuilt 67 F-100 on a cross country trip. I figured that if I took along a spare water pump, alternator etc I could always fix any problem. I think it would have worked as there is so little to go wrong in that truck. But, there's no way that truck is safe at highway speeds nowadays.

 

[Janet H]

A few years ago I drove my 1987 Nissan PU cross country and back. It was 25+ years old but had low miles (52K) and had been well maintained. (Usually reserved for dump runs and toting kayaks, dogs and inner tubes to the river). The truck was fine but many bits of plastic broke off or cracked - window cranks, knob on gear shift, trim around dash, etc. It was dry and brittle. The worst part of the trip was the miserable bench seat. I still have that truck (80K miles now). How long should I keep it?

 

[Nodak]

in 1968 3 friends and I pulled a 1955 Pontiac out of the bush on one of the guys parent's farm. It hadn't been licensed in 3 years so we ordered plates, bought 4 used tires for $20 and took off for San Francisco. It made the 1800 mile trip there and back again (3600 mile total) with no problems at all.

 

[MichaelB]

As a newlywed in 1976 DW and I drove from Chicago to Austin in a 1968 Chrysler POS station wagon. My folks gave it to us as a wedding present, later I found out why - DM hated the car, it was unstable on the highway and drank a quart of transmission fluid per week. Made the trip, though.

 

[Ronstar]

I've taken a 150,000 mile 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee (in 2009) and a 140,000 2001 Acura (in 2013) on 1800 mile Chicago-Phoenix trips. Both made the trip ok. Kept the vehicles afterward in Phoenix, so neither made the return trip.

 

[48Fire]

Drove our 13 year old car with 150,000 miles on a 1,000 mile trip.

 

[splitwdw]

Two years ago drove my '71 corvette about 2000 miles. No break downs but I can tell you driving a big block it sure gets hot. Felt like my feet were on fire by the end of the day.

 

[rodi]

My husband leaves Monday for a trip to Yosemite and Sequoia with his brother. They're taking his 95 Dodge truck.

Most of our road trips are in my 10 year old highlander... the "new" car in our household.

 

[chilkoot]

I've still got my '98 4Runner and have taken numerous road trips (Canada, Sierras, Montana, Utah, etc.) throughout its life.

 

[Sarah in SC]

1990 Chevy Thomas bus with over 300k miles on it on a 29,000 mile circumnavigation. No breakdowns, not even a flat tire.

Talk about hot floorboards though--we drove for 35 straight hours in Kazakhstan's desert without having turning off the engine during that run. Your feet burned anytime they were on the floor more than 15 seconds!

 

[brett]

We did a 4000 mile trip on our (at that time) 15 year old Camry. 190k miles on the clock.

The real issue is whether the vehicle has been maintained properly. Ours was and is still on the road. Never leaked or burned any oil. No major repairs other than the usual wear/tear. Just hope our Honda gives us the same great service.

 

[calmloki]

Did a 1250 mile trip wandering up from La Quinta Ca to Oregon at the beginning of summer using our pretty recent BMW 528it wagon, 2000 model year, but it does now have over 325,000 miles on the clock.

The iffiest trip was in a 1953 GMC longbed from Oregon to Santa Fe NM back in 1975. Truck had no speedometer, one wiper arm, about 80 degrees of free play from center on the steering wheel, giant split rim wheels with ancient tires - an absolutely absurd thing to run down the road. Survived the trip. Had one massive explosion in Salt Lake city when a tire came apart big time - ran across the highway to a junkyard and bought another ancient tire and wheel off an old panel milk truck and made it to Santa Fe.

 

[H2ODude]

Never took any long road trips but for first 3 years of marriage while in college only car was a 1930 original Model A Ford Coupe. Kept it for 20 years and finally moved on. Worst was the original mechanical brakes...it was instinct to reach for the hand (emergency?) brake when needed.

Anyone notice how incredibly dependable cars are today vs say the 50's, 60's and 70's? If you went on a road trip the highways were dotted with signs "mechanic on duty" or you saw people broken down all over. Admittedly we currently have late model cars, but even with DW's 13 yo Acura it was never even a thought that it might break down on a trip.

 

[Rick_Head]

Every 2 years I take my 50+ yo car on a long trip. Usually 2-3K miles. Usually I'm part of a convoy of similar cars. If they break we can usually fix them at the side of the road. So far the biggest jobs have been replacing a water pump and head gasket.

 

[tbilltubbs]

2003 Yukon, 180,000 miles, regular 1000 mile trips.
Way back, 1987 Chevy van, 200,000 miles, 3000 - 3500 mile trips to Wyoming and Montana (from Texas).