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Top 10 Vehicles For Summer Road Trips


beckyrepp
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Just read this article on Top 10 Vehicles for Summer Road Trips. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printe...riday06051.html

 

We'd love to hear what you nominate for best vehicle for a road trip.

 

To kick off the discussion - I did get to drive a mustang convertible (rental car) on Route 66 once. I must admit, it was SWEET! The only time I didn't like it was when a big truck pulled in front of us kicking up dirt and stones.

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We'd love to hear what you nominate for best vehicle for a road trip.

 

 

Physical beauty? MPG? Cargo space? Varoom? Other?

 

At one time I would have said Corvette without question but after driving our '79 from STL to Santa Rosa, NM on 66 a few years ago, nope. Made a tough trip tougher because of the riding discomfort and lack of cargo space. I'm confident the newer models ride better but there's still no room for much of anything.

 

Then, I wanted to buy a plain-jane Chevy cargo van (no windows) and equip it with a mattress, pillows, and cooler in the back and just basically live in it during a lengthy road trip but my nagivator nixed that plan. She wants a small rv with all the necessities instead.

 

What has everything I want and need? Our '04 supercharged Monte Carlo; beautiful machine that can average nearly 30 mpg if I drive it right, varoom galore, cargo space of a pickup when we lower the rear seats, and total comfort. Best road trip vehicle I've ever driven......Bliss

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I agree with the article that the Corvette is a great road trip car and with Bliss that it isn't. The dividing line is 1997. Before that, Bliss's description applies. Good for day trips although popping in and out for photographs and such can get to be a chore. From 1997 on, they're quite a bit more civilized and roomier and the popping in and out situation depends more on the model year of the driver than that of the car. Gas mileage is near 30 on an expressway, 25-27 on two-lanes, and well under 10 if you try.

 

And I've owned the Chevy van that Bliss describes although it did have rear windows. It was a 1979 with mattress, cooler, and a darned good stereo. Sleeping in it did compensate a little for the maximum 13 MPG.

 

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  • 1 month later...

We just picked up a new car as a road trip car via the governments stimulus package Clunker law. As I have been preparing for our September trip across northern PA, from Millford to Conneault Lake, we just bought a 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman. With the rear seats down it has a nice luggage area, and even with the seats up, there is a decent amount of storage space for a weeklong trip. The drive home from the dealership in torrential rain made me realize how easy the car is to drive, and the road trip gas mileage on a vintage 2 lane should be well above our other cars if I don't drive too hard. I will be able to report better how it works after we return in mid-September.

Pictures of our new baby on flickr.

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Two lane roads, wagon and a couple mules :D - what else you need for the ultimate road vehicle!!! Oh, yeah, forgot the Aussie sheep dog for company.

 

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

Edited by Alex Burr - hester_nec
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We just picked up a new car as a road trip car via the governments stimulus package Clunker law. As I have been preparing for our September trip across northern PA, from Millford to Conneault Lake, we just bought a 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman. With the rear seats down it has a nice luggage area, and even with the seats up, there is a decent amount of storage space for a weeklong trip. The drive home from the dealership in torrential rain made me realize how easy the car is to drive, and the road trip gas mileage on a vintage 2 lane should be well above our other cars if I don't drive too hard. I will be able to report better how it works after we return in mid-September.

Pictures of our new baby on flickr.

Looks like a fun ride. Glad to hear that some of that money is going to someone I know. I'll be looking forward to you report on how the Mini feels on a big-mile multi-day trip.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Just read this article on Top 10 Vehicles for Summer Road Trips. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printe...riday06051.html

 

We'd love to hear what you nominate for best vehicle for a road trip.

 

To kick off the discussion - I did get to drive a mustang convertible (rental car) on Route 66 once. I must admit, it was SWEET! The only time I didn't like it was when a big truck pulled in front of us kicking up dirt and stones.

 

Becky, i had the similar fortune of driving a 2007 Shelby (rented from Hertz) on the CA State HWY 74 (Ortega hwy) from San Juan Capistrano to Lake Elsinore and back. My buddy from Seattle flew down here to So Cal, just to rent this car. What a ride it was, we did it at about 1am to miss all the traffic and we timed our runs thru the canyons, what a blast. I must say that the car sticks to the road like flypaper.

 

WEB_06_Warbirds_Chino001.jpg

 

Another trip with Scotty was from Seattle to George, WA on I90 to see Stevie Ray Vaughn at the Gorge at George, wonderful place to see a show, its a natural amphitheater over looking the spectacular gorge and is located among the grape vinyards of eastern Washington. We drove his 1989 Buick Grand National, which at the time was the fastest production car of that era at certain speeds. Neither were convertibles but they were very fast and great handling cars, sometimes i just need to put the pedal down and see the blur of the landscape going by, when the highway is wide open and traffic is slim of course ;-)

 

SF

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Peg and I took the new Mini Cooper Clubman on our recent trip on PA Route 6 where we put on over 1200 miles in a week and averaged over 31 mpg. We used the car as a two seater with lots of storage behind us, and it was very comfortable to ride in and fun to drive...On the Trip

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Peg and I took the new Mini Cooper Clubman on our recent trip on PA Route 6 where we put on over 1200 miles in a week and averaged over 31 mpg. We used the car as a two seater with lots of storage behind us, and it was very comfortable to ride in and fun to drive...On the Trip

 

Dave

 

I enjoyed the photos a lot! Have you gone "artistic?" I need some lessons!

 

The cabin shot with the Mini looked really inviting. And you got some interesting close ups (e.g. oil equipment, carp) and visited some places I have only read about. My favorite shot though was of the dog carrying its leash.

 

Nice work and a fun trip!

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

Dave

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  • 5 months later...

Just read this article on Top 10 Vehicles for Summer Road Trips. We'd love to hear what you nominate for best vehicle for a road trip.

 

To kick off the discussion - I did get to drive a mustang convertible (rental car) on Route 66 once. I must admit, it was SWEET! The only time I didn't like it was when a big truck pulled in front of us kicking up dirt and stones.

I couldn't get the article to pull up, but the best vehicle would depend on your needs. I'm tickled with my Miata, but only when I'm going solo. That micro trunk is barely enough for my stuff. I'm going to bring a friend with me on a week long trip in May, but will be adding a temporary luggage rack to do so, and we will still have to keep our packing list on the sparse side.

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I couldn't get the article to pull up, but the best vehicle would depend on your needs. I'm tickled with my Miata, but only when I'm going solo. That micro trunk is barely enough for my stuff. I'm going to bring a friend with me on a week long trip in May, but will be adding a temporary luggage rack to do so, and we will still have to keep our packing list on the sparse side.

 

Larry,

 

I'm thinking your Miata is near the top of two lane road vehicles. I bought one when they were first introduced (even paid a premium) and loved it. It reminded me of my MGA and Spyder, but with more bells and whistles. Do they still have speakers in the head rests....that always helped with the road music.

 

It is the only car I ever got a tear in the eye when I sold her.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the road

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Larry,

 

I'm thinking your Miata is near the top of two lane road vehicles. I bought one when they were first introduced (even paid a premium) and loved it. It reminded me of my MGA and Spyder, but with more bells and whistles. Do they still have speakers in the head rests....that always helped with the road music.

 

It is the only car I ever got a tear in the eye when I sold her.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the road

I've never grinned quite so hard while driving as in the Miata. It's a marvelously well-balanced little machine. The speakers are no longer in the headrests, but instead are in the door panels and between the seats, near the headrests. Since both rear speakers are on one side of my head, they do nothing for stereo sound, so I have them turned off. That's OK. The door speakers do fine, and how sophisticated a sound system do you need with 60+ dB wind noise doing the accompaniment?

 

Larry

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I've never grinned quite so hard while driving as in the Miata. It's a marvelously well-balanced little machine. The speakers are no longer in the headrests, but instead are in the door panels and between the seats, near the headrests. Since both rear speakers are on one side of my head, they do nothing for stereo sound, so I have them turned off. That's OK. The door speakers do fine, and how sophisticated a sound system do you need with 60+ dB wind noise doing the accompaniment?

 

Larry

BTW, Dave- I enjoyed your discussion on the Camp Blanding museum down my way. I'm ashamed to say I've never visited it. Road trip!

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  • 11 months later...

I just added a new machine to the garage...it may not make the top 10 list, but I am enjoying it so far. I had never had a motorcycle license, so I am currently on a permit awaiting the start of the next motorcycle safety course. I did take this 2009 Vespa out for my first ever ride today and really enjoyed the time.

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I just added a new machine to the garage...it may not make the top 10 list, but I am enjoying it so far. I had never had a motorcycle license, so I am currently on a permit awaiting the start of the next motorcycle safety course. I did take this 2009 Vespa out for my first ever ride today and really enjoyed the time.

 

 

I had a Vespa and it is a great little wind-in-the-face machine for around town. But I'd have to give it a thought or two about using it on a 600 mile, three day weekend getaway. The Miata I have now is just about a bare bones experiences as it is. Still, if it works for you, ride on guy!

 

Larry

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