cadillacsedandeville

posts about #cadillacsedandeville more →
Ten Cars To Drive Across The U.S.A.
Celebrating 450 Old Vehicles Down On The Alameda Street: Detroit Luxury!

Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.

Dsmvwl Admin Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×

flat_tar
09/14/09

In reply to Ten Cars To Drive Across The U.S.A.
No great white shark? Dr. Thompson just turned over.
Reply

Armand approved this comment flat_tar was starred flat_tar was unstarred

LTDScott
08/20/09

In reply to Ten Cars To Drive Across The U.S.A.
Next month my girlfriend and I will be taking a 2 week, 6000 mile road trip from San Diego to Chicago and back, starting in the north (going to Yellowstone, Glacier NP, etc) and then back via Route 66.

As much as the romance of taking my RWD V8 American muscle car on the trip is appealing, the utility and better gas mileage of my g/f's Toyota Highlander Hybrid is hard to deny.

It gets 25 mpg no matter how you drive it, will hold all our camping gear (and an air mattress if necessary), and has ground clearance to get to some of the more remote places we plan to visit. The bitchin' Pioneer stereo/GPS is nice to have too.
Reply

LTDScott was starred LTDScott was unstarred

that ain't the way to have fun, son
08/20/09

In reply to Ten Cars To Drive Across The U.S.A.
I'm tellin' ya. As someone who has been to the 49 NA states and ten Canadian provinces by wheel in the last five years, the only way to do it is in a six-wheel diesel-pusher motorhome.

Nothing like driving your own apartment, and honestly, it's not like driving an apartment, either. It's very, very similar to driving a very long & wide version of a 1985 Fleetwood RWD with the 4.1L. Slow, Pole Position-esque steering & brake feel, but you have ABS, a diesel which returns double-digit MPG, 90 gallons of fuel, an in-motion satellite dish, microwave, fridge with an icemaker...camping, it's not.
Reply

mechimike
08/20/09

In reply to Ten Cars To Drive Across The U.S.A.
1964 Chevrolet Corvair Monza convertible. Just watch out for those fan belts and rear wheel bearings. And mind that air-cooled engine while trundling through the desert southwest. White towels over the black vinyl seats aren't optional.
Reply

mechimike was starred mechimike was unstarred

Sloop_John_B
08/20/09

In reply to Ten Cars To Drive Across The U.S.A.

I can tell you this ain't the vehicle to do it in. Cross Country trips and aluminum heads don't mix. In fact, they warped...TWICE. Not to mention that an Isuzu Trooper is about as comfortable as a straight axle tractor on a rock pile.
Reply

Sloop_John_B was starred Sloop_John_B was unstarred

Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet
08/20/09

In reply to Ten Cars To Drive Across The U.S.A.

The Long, Long Trailer is perfect.
Reply

Lost_in_the_valley
08/20/09

In reply to Ten Cars To Drive Across The U.S.A.
I was thinking about picking up an all black Crown Vic Police Interceptor for my CA-NY trip, would get you empty lanes on the freeway and pretty cool for an ex-pat Brit.
Probably going to be a 500SL now though as I saw sense.
Reply

Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet promoted this comment Lost_in_the_valley was starred

brc is never late, because of his v8
08/20/09

In reply to Ten Cars To Drive Across The U.S.A.

Hey, this is what I did it in. 12,000 milles, 38 states, a whole tanker of gas.
Reply

Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet promoted this comment

cgarison
08/19/09

In reply to Ten Cars To Drive Across The U.S.A.
What?!?!? No Jeep! Blasphemy.

A 1997-2006 Jeep TJ would make a great vehicle for a cross country trip as long as you enjoy that wind in the hair and bugs in the teeth kind of feeling. But beware, these SWB SUVs are tight on space so only take your closest friend or significant other and leave the rest of the crew behind. You will need the space in the back to stash the doors and parts to the top which will be down most of the trip.
Reply

Maymar may have abused the approve comment button promoted this comment cgarison was starred cgarison was unstarred

Maymar
08/20/09

@cgarison: If space is a priority, there's always the LWB TJ unlimited.
Reply

Maymar was starred Maymar was unstarred

cgarison
08/20/09

@Maymar may have abused the approve comment button: Ah. Yes. The Unlimited which is the best Chrysler replacement for the Jeep XJ when equipped with a hard top and full door.

My XJ and me did over 60,000 miles between Jersey and Kentucky between 2002 and 2005. I can drive I 79 in West Virginia with my eyes closed.
Reply

cgarison was starred cgarison was unstarred

Schm, enjoying his first desert winter. .
08/19/09

In reply to Ten Cars To Drive Across The U.S.A.
All good choices, however in my opinion perhaps the ML 320 CDI would be better suited than the Infiniti. Gotta love diesel.

As I said earlier, I'm in the middle of driving from Missouri to Arizona, (900 miles down!) and I can fully recommend the BMW e90 as a good road trip car (Although you may want to stay away from the M3, as it would take you so long to get there- all those fill-ups! The 330i, 328 are both pretty stingy on the gas, but a 335d would probably be the best choice of this particular car.)
Reply

Maymar
08/19/09

In reply to Ten Cars To Drive Across The U.S.A.

[cache.gawker.com]" rel="lytebox" class="commentImageSure, the concept of a rear facing seat is awesome. But in reality, the one in an E-class would be in violation of the Geneva convention for anyone in that 7-65 age range. I submit this as prof (I'm a fairly average 5'9).

My old Intrepid did well for the ~250 mile trip between Toronto and Windsor though. If I were to pick something specific though, I'd lean towards a Sprinter with a motorcycle and bunks in the back.
Reply

Edited by Maymar at 08/19/09 11:41 PM Maymar was starred Maymar was unstarred

tonyola
08/19/09

In reply to Ten Cars To Drive Across The U.S.A.
I took my '84 Honda CRX 1.5 on several solo mega-trips throughout the latter part of the '80s. Plenty of room for one plus luggage, great fuel economy, and a zippy go-kart spirit that made every outing fun. Great car to have while spending a month in the Shenandoah Valley area of Virginia, including some excursions to DC along the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive.
Reply

tonyola was starred tonyola was unstarred

wookie1901
08/19/09

In reply to Ten Cars To Drive Across The U.S.A.
My first car was a '78 Caprice Classic.
What is all this nonsense about a cassette deck?
Reply

John Krewson promoted this comment wookie1901 was starred wookie1901 was unstarred

Incredible
08/19/09

In reply to Ten Cars To Drive Across The U.S.A.
"Drive Across the USA" is the equivalent of the European Grand Tour and you don't have a single GT in the lot. Where's the big-as-a-boat-and-only-two-doors rides? Any number of Jaguars, classic and modern American land-yachts, or, as mentioned, the palatial Merc's would fit the bill.

I expect more of you, Jalop.
Reply

Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet promoted this comment Incredible was starred Incredible was unstarred

Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet
08/19/09

@Incredible: Well, breaking down in a Jag in the middle of nowhere would give you additional fascinating insights into the local customs. I remember waiting about three days in Valdosta, Georgia for a water pump to be shipped in for a Rambler. Good times. Heels thoroughly cooled.
Reply

Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet promoted this comment

John Krewson
08/19/09

@Incredible: What, you mean like the incredibly obvious? Get thee behind me, O tired convention.
Reply

Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet promoted this comment John Krewson was starred John Krewson was unstarred

Rockford Brodie and the Masters of the Hooniverse
08/20/09

@Incredible: I guess the Mustang GT doesn't count.
Reply

Rockford_Brodie promoted this comment

Incredible
08/20/09

@John Krewson: You say conventional, I say classic... and beautiful... and great a gobbling continents in single pounce comfortably... and etc.
Reply

Incredible was starred Incredible was unstarred

Lost in the age of Aerostar
08/19/09

In reply to Ten Cars To Drive Across The U.S.A.

I really thought this vehicle would have been mentioned by now.....
Reply

FromaBuick6 Misses the Banned promoted this comment

If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face
08/20/09

@Lost in the age of Aerostar: Oh, I'd love to take the tribe cross country in that. But first, I'd take the wheel covers off and spray "Honky Lips" on the rear quarter.
Reply

Lost in the age of Aerostar
08/20/09

@FromaBuick6 Misses the Banned: u mean like that?
Reply

Earlier discussions Other discussions Show all discussions Show featured discussions only Start a new discussion

#cadillacsedandeville

Jalopnik

SUBSCRIBE TO Jalopnik

Ten Cars To Drive Across The U.S.A.

Celebrating 450 Old Vehicles Down On The Alameda Street: Detroit Luxury!

Login

Reset Password

Register

Submit Your Comment