I road trip regularly in my 16 F250 with 184k on it. I’d honestly take almost any of my vehicles if I had to.
When does a car “age out” for long distance road trips?
- Thread starter Elkins45
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Sure. Some things age with time. Others wear with mileage. But it is still a matter of maintenance. Good maintenance includes inspection. Regular inspection would find seals that are starting to seep, before they get to a drippy leak. Timing belts should be replaced before they are suspect for failure. Any good maintenance schedule will include inspecting hoses for dry rot or mushiness.
Can things still fail on an older car? Yes. But no car, not even rolled off the showroom floor, is exempt from failure. Any long distance travel plan better have a contingency for car failure.
It still holds true that one can't judge the road worthiness of a car simply by age or mileage.
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
I always thought BF Egypt was a local thing where I grew up in Pa, there's even an Egypt road there. Then I saw it mentioned a couple of times here and thought either those guys have been in Pa or there are different BF Egypts around the country.I can't find BF Egypt on the map? Sound like somewhere between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean
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My wife owns a 2013 Hyundai Sonata with just under 100k and I agree. I'm slightly nervous about our 2 hour trip home when we get back from vacation (it's waiting at the airport), because it's winter so we don't drive the Cutlass and I booked my 05 Silverado in for an oil pressure sending unit replacement while I'm on vacation (because that means it's on vacation too).
The Hyundai has left my wife stranded twice when the stupid plastic lever broke in the starter (which is located under the intake manifold). The engine is also potentially a ticking time bomb though it's not burning oil like many of them do.
Wayyyy back in the 80's I worked for an auto driveaway company. I drove a lot of junk, and this was in the carbureted 120 HP V8 smog era. I rarely had problems. Sometimes we tend to overthink it. I'd just get in the car an drive and it usually would be fine. Even today, if I had to jump in any of my vehicles, I'd just change the oil and hit the road.
I would trust any of the cars in my signature to do a long road trip. I wouldn't allow a vehicle to fall into a state of disrepair to where it couldn't do so.
Does "a car" mean any car? Are all cars the same? This is like trying to predict when you'll be involved in an automobile accident. Nobody knows exactly when a component will fail in the future.
One would think that a vehicle becomes significantly less reliable after the warranty period expires. Manufacturers know the reliability of their own products more than anyone else and their warranty coverage reflects this.
One would think that a vehicle becomes significantly less reliable after the warranty period expires. Manufacturers know the reliability of their own products more than anyone else and their warranty coverage reflects this.
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ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2024
It is pretty close to East BF Egypt. I have been there, 1 Star would not recommend...I always thought BF Egypt was a local thing where I grew up in Pa, there's even an Egypt road there. Then I saw it mentioned a couple of times here and thought either those guys have been in Pa or there are different BF Egypts around the country.
One would think that but lately I think cars can be a bit like aircraft. I feel safer on a 10-20 year old Boeing 737 than I would om a 3 month old one.
You really gonna tear down a transmission to check the inner seals, clutches etc?
Sam_Julier
$50 Site Donor 2024
Meticulous maintenance and maintenance documentation increases reliability.
They are maintained to a schedule slightly more conservative than the manual. I document all maintenance and plan for future maintenance. Parts don’t last forever which is why I change them on a schedule.
I have no hesitation taking our vehicles anywhere.
They are maintained to a schedule slightly more conservative than the manual. I document all maintenance and plan for future maintenance. Parts don’t last forever which is why I change them on a schedule.
I have no hesitation taking our vehicles anywhere.
I did a 550 mile road trip to PA and back with my 01 Grand Marquis last spring. I'll probably do the same this spring but pulling an enclosed trailer with my 4 wheeler .
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It’s such a hard question to answer with a definitive answer, but some factors are vehicle age, condition and mileage (obviously). I say age, because age means rust/damage/danger, for some of us living in certain parts of the country. A fifteen year old vehicle in the rust belt that hasn’t been maintained/undercoated, could very easily have dangerous (and sometimes very well hidden) damage to the frame, subframe, suspension mounting points. A thorough inspection is needed.
I say condition because there are things - despite a well maintained vehicle - might have going wrong that you just won’t/don’t know about…a small spring clamp on a throttle body coolant hose may have let go (or about to), or a side tank on a radiator might be about to leak at the seal, or a wheel bearing might be set to go, or a brake caliper, whatever. You just don’t know, you can’t predict as these things get up there in mileage or age. Unless you’ve changed every single part on a vehicle, you just don’t know. You can predict, you can calculate, but when you’re 700 miles from home with the family in the car, anything can happen. It’s an old, high mileage vehicle (well maintained or not).
Lastly, I say mileage because that is wear and tear. Like it or not, those are revolutions, movement, stress on parts designed to fail at some point. Use will do that, high mileage parts have a lot of use, maybe not abuse, but it’s still use. It’ll fail (at some point).
Having said all that ^^^ I’d feel “comfortable” driving 200 miles one way, max. Only because I have to drive another 200 back, and 400 total miles away from home, out on the road on a car with 200,000 plus is something I’d feel totally fine commuting 600 miles a week in, but not traveling 600 miles away from where I live (with family in the car). It’s not like you couldn’t get a tow, or get yourself to safety, but it’s the risk and aggravation of having to worry about it, or heaven forbid actually experience it. Picture your family sitting on the side of a highway waiting for a tow because your 225,000 mile axle broke in half doing 70 mph. Suitcases out, kids standing back on the breakdown lane. Police lights flashing, officer looking at you like…you couldn’t have used a newer/better car to transport your family in on your road trip? Then you’re looking for a hotel, mechanic, and rental car. Trip is over before it starts. No thanks.
I say condition because there are things - despite a well maintained vehicle - might have going wrong that you just won’t/don’t know about…a small spring clamp on a throttle body coolant hose may have let go (or about to), or a side tank on a radiator might be about to leak at the seal, or a wheel bearing might be set to go, or a brake caliper, whatever. You just don’t know, you can’t predict as these things get up there in mileage or age. Unless you’ve changed every single part on a vehicle, you just don’t know. You can predict, you can calculate, but when you’re 700 miles from home with the family in the car, anything can happen. It’s an old, high mileage vehicle (well maintained or not).
Lastly, I say mileage because that is wear and tear. Like it or not, those are revolutions, movement, stress on parts designed to fail at some point. Use will do that, high mileage parts have a lot of use, maybe not abuse, but it’s still use. It’ll fail (at some point).
Having said all that ^^^ I’d feel “comfortable” driving 200 miles one way, max. Only because I have to drive another 200 back, and 400 total miles away from home, out on the road on a car with 200,000 plus is something I’d feel totally fine commuting 600 miles a week in, but not traveling 600 miles away from where I live (with family in the car). It’s not like you couldn’t get a tow, or get yourself to safety, but it’s the risk and aggravation of having to worry about it, or heaven forbid actually experience it. Picture your family sitting on the side of a highway waiting for a tow because your 225,000 mile axle broke in half doing 70 mph. Suitcases out, kids standing back on the breakdown lane. Police lights flashing, officer looking at you like…you couldn’t have used a newer/better car to transport your family in on your road trip? Then you’re looking for a hotel, mechanic, and rental car. Trip is over before it starts. No thanks.
Just took a 9 hour in a '99 F-250 with almost 700,000 miles. Had a 12,000 lb load behind it too.
It depends on condition, care, and most importantly how well the driver knows the vehicle - its failure points.
It depends on condition, care, and most importantly how well the driver knows the vehicle - its failure points.
My almost 30 year old son still drives the 2013 Cruze I bought him during undergraduate 9 years ago. It was cheap rebuilt salvage, and it did what it was supposed to do. It got him through 8 years of college without issue. He's currently working in FL and anybody that knows those cars knows they have a huge issue with the plastic cooling system cracking and leaking. I wish he'd retire it from distance driving because he's gonna wind up on the side of the road. If he were closer to home, I'd spend $500 and change all the plastic. So for me, it depends on the vehicle and the situation. I'd drive my 10 year old 150,000 mile F150 anywhere.
Accord boys represent!!!
Well, to be fair, I COULD take it, but I'd probably take the TL or Ranger depending on why I was going across the continent.
With us depends on how aged the vehicle is. Frankly neither the Escape or Focus aged well. I'd drive the Escape coast to coast even at 180k and 20 years old but I'd rent if the wife if she needed to take the same trip. The RV I'd trust no matter the driver, it seemed to hold up better but does have 80k less miles. The truck is gutless on the highway, it was aged out of the factory floor! You can have 5 year old car falling apart or20 in better shape.. I'd say really depends on the vehicle!
I would probably rather take my chances in a 40 year old K-car than anything with a CVT.
