What's Your Best Summer Road Trip Vehicle?

none ^ | July 26, 2013 | FReepers

[Daffynition]

The sun is out! The birds are singing! The open road calls! Your vinyl interior is burning itself into your thighs! Yes, summer is here and it's time to go on some road trips. What car do you take, though?

[Daffynition]

How olde is your Beemer?

I just gave mine to my good neighbor, a '02 X-5 with 195K miles. I just spent a small fortune on getting it running well, [no I can't do the work myself]; it still needs new brakes and routers and replace the PCV breather systems. Ouch! Being on a fixed-income now, these things become an issue. I'd own another one in a heart beat! But I would have to win the lottery.

I've been battling my town b/c they have the car waaaaaaaay over-evaluated for property tax [CT] and turned down my written protests.

So I started looking for an old wagon...was hoping to find an estate wagon [had a few back-in-the-day] ...those were great cars/engines. I happened on this woodie, lovingly restored by a Chrysler mechanic. Much to my delight I was able to get it at a very fair price. About the cost of 4 new brakes on the BMW.

I expect it to be very reliable. It has no pick-up on the road, labors [4 cyl] up hills but is fun to drive. At least I don't have to put premium fuel in it. ;)

[Alberta's Child]

If you get the logistics down pat, you can stay on the road for months at a time!

[BwanaNdege]

Naaaa. No room for the ATVs, Jet Skis,bass boat and other toys.

THIS is what you need!

[Daffynition]

We did a fantastic road trip to DC in April.

I took my 10y/o GD to show her the sights; it was great fun!

I'm re-living my youth by indulging my GD like my dad would pile us into the mammoth Roadmaster..and we'd go and go on many summer adventures... seeing the USA.

[paint_your_wagon]

Honda ST-1300. Great bike for cross country touring.

I took my wife sightseeing and camping one summer. We always brought plenty of creature comforts with us. At one campsite in Colorado a fellow came over and asked, “how in the heck do you pack all of that stuff on that bike?” lol

Yellowstone Park and the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody Wyoming were some of the highlights of that trip.

[Daffynition]

I love-love your images! But...but convertibles mess up my hair!

[SampleMan]

I knew a Lieutenant Colonel that swore he got 123 South Vietnamese airborne in one of those. He qualified the feat with the statement, "But those are really small people."

[Daffynition]

SWEET!

Great fun to bring to the drive-in movies [which we did already this summer] Only $10. for a car-full with 2 feature movies plus cartoons... great value...great fun!

[Daffynition]

Delightful. Hope you didn’t have too much rain on your travels.

[Sequoyah101]

Oh well, what the heck, I’ll play.

A Dodge 2500 4x4 diesel with camper shell and auxiliary fuel tank plus off road gear and a one man inflatable pontoon raft. Comfortable, all but unstoppable if some trail beacons but a little big, decent fuel economy, can kit it out for a couple of weeks of independence. Safe on the highway since the law of lug nuts wins. You can fish a lake or a river or run a little white water with the raft.

The diesel is a little loud for some but it sings the song of an open road and liberty for now. I’ve gotta make another long trip while I still can.

[blueunicorn6]

A white Dodge Challenger doing the VANISHING POINT remake.

[RayChuang88]

Pity Ford never brought over this model to the US market:

Ford Grand C-Max

This model with the 180 bhp 1.6-liter Ecoboost engine and six-speed automatic transmission would be the perfect road trip car.

[Veto!]

I’m with you on the convertible. One with good wind-directing ability so I don’t blow away. And a big trunk.

[Daffynition]

Weren’t they the *BEST*!!!

At least you didn’t have to fight *shotgun* with your siblings for a window seat!

[Michael.SF.]

In that car, would be looking at your hair?

[Yardstick]

I think you got a great car there — far more interesting than anything you can find new. I’ll bet people swivel to look at the woodie trim, which is such a rarity these days as to be positively radical.

My bimmer is an ‘86 with less than 150k miles. From more than 5 feet away it looks new. The interior is nearly perfect. I like it because it’s old enough to be simple — not a lot of computers — but recent enough to have a modern stuff like electronic fuel injection. I think cars from the eighties, especially the mid to late eighties, strike the perfect balance. It’s my favorite period.

[Daffynition]

>>I’ve gotta make another long trip while I still can.<<

Do it! And take some wide-eyed kids with you!

[al_c]

My family once went from Texas to Pennsylvania, then back down the eastern coast to S.C. and then back to Texas in a Vista Cruiser...

[Daffynition]

I get lots of smiles and questions.

I was thinking I might go to one of the *cruise nights* locally.

Good luck with your Beemer. My old X-5 had a luxurious interior leather interior with all the bells and whistles. I’m sure I’ll miss the heated seats and steering wheel this winter...I already miss the auto infra red windshield wipers.

[Daffynition]

I love the roof assembly on the Vista Cruiser!