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Making a 20 hr drive soon, fun fun


NavalLacrosse

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TLRD:

Road trip to Florida, 20 hours driving. 

Will encounter car issues : Will not encounter car issues. 

Place your bets! 

 

Any suggestions for a two-person road trip to make it more 'stereotypical road trip fun?' 

I've done this about ten times. 

It will be my wife's first 'American long haul roadtrip' (some of you probably have done longer, but it's not a competition) 

 

Suggestions to make it more enjoyable for a passenger specifically relating to the Dodge Journey? I'm thinking she'll utilizing the mid row, and kick her feet up on the folded pass seat back. 

 

Snacks suggestions? 

 

Sights along I75,  Detroit to Orlando? 

Sights along (I?), Nashville to Indianapolis? 

 

PS: I think my car will make it. 

Wish me luck. 

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20 hours ago, NavalLacrosse said:

Will encounter car issues : Will not encounter car issues. :2thumbs:

Place your bets! 

 

Suggestions to make it more enjoyable for a passenger specifically relating to the Dodge Journey? I'm thinking she'll utilizing the mid row, and kick her feet up on the folded pass seat back. 

 

Snacks suggestions? 

 

Sights along I75,  Detroit to Orlando? 

Sights along (I?), Nashville to Indianapolis? 

 

 

No bet. Confidence there will be no problems.

 

I have made many 20 hour drives but not in the Journey. I would not hesitate.

 

Cheese, crackers, summer sausage. Coffee, good coffee.

 

Waffle House is a Southern trip tradition but I have had a very awesome breakfast at Huddle House. They are both common.

 

Huntsville, Alabama - U.S. Space and Rocket Center. It's where they build, test, and train. It is a day trip.

 

Wapakoneta, Ohio - Armstrong Air and Space Museum. - A few hours.

 

Ruby Falls and Rock City - Chattanooga, TN. - Takes a few hours each. Lookout Mountain historic drive. - A couple of hours.

 

If you are going in the near future watch the weather. I have sat on I-75 in November for a couple of hours on the ice in Kentucky. That was not fun.

 

Good luck.

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Bet is, you'll make it. Curious if this is a pleasure trip and what your timeline is? I personally rent a car on these long trips. For the sake of not putting all those miles on my car, and not having to worry about break downs, it's worth the money. I've broken down in my own car on a long trip - cost an arm and a leg. And I've broken down in a rental - just a phone call and I had a tow and replacement car. 

In any case, good luck on your trip... consider reversing your sleep hours. You drive while she sleeps :thumbsup:

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Thanks, Ya'll

Solstice;

Thanks for the destination and museum suggestions. Huntsville is one I didn't know about, but I'll keep it in mind. Dayton Air Force museum is on the way too...  Waffle house is defiantly a stop on the way down. (There was one in southern Indiana that I've been to that was absolutely beyond what you'd expect from WH).

Armando;

It's to see my parents in Florida. leaving this Friday to spend 7 days there. We considered flying, and it's still the ideal solution from a sanity sake, but by wife wanted to try the drive at least once. She's always flying around internationally, and hasn't done a real long road trip before ... So, here we go! I've done rentals for shorter roadtrips, but that was when I was driving a car that actively burned oil at 1qt/1500miles.

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5 hours ago, NavalLacrosse said:

Thanks, Ya'll

Solstice;

Thanks for the destination and museum suggestions. Huntsville is one I didn't know about, but I'll keep it in mind. Dayton Air Force museum is on the way too...  Waffle house is defiantly a stop on the way down. (There was one in southern Indiana that I've been to that was absolutely beyond what you'd expect from WH).

Armando;

It's to see my parents in Florida. leaving this Friday to spend 7 days there. We considered flying, and it's still the ideal solution from a sanity sake, but by wife wanted to try the drive at least once. She's always flying around internationally, and hasn't done a real long road trip before ... So, here we go! I've done rentals for shorter roadtrips, but that was when I was driving a car that actively burned oil at 1qt/1500miles.

had a friend who when he went on trips he would always rent a car for the trip no matter what so finally i asked him what are you saving your car for,he said he wanted it to last longer and not have many miles on it and about 6 months later he got T-boned in a 4 car pileup he was fine but the car was totaled out and they low balled him on the payout due to the age to the age of his  car.he fought it for a long time and never did get any more $$ boy was he pissed off

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For me, this time, I see the cost of wear and tear, mixed with that I already have auto insurance that covers collions; 
The cost to rent a 'car' (ironically, probably would be a dodge journey 4-banger) with insurance will be greater than the decrease in value/cost of operation of my personal car. 

As far as cash for buyout goes, I'd still probably get 9k out of mine if they totaled it tomorrow. 

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Wear and tear is actually the lesser of the reasons for a rental car. We should enjoy our cars. I just dread the thought of breaking down. I just did an 800 mile trip (total) in my DJ, and literally 3 days after getting back my transmission went out with no warning or symptoms. I wasn't planned to be the driver, but plans changed and I ended up driving. I can just imagine if the tranny went out on the trip :spend:.

 

Anyway, have a great trip, take plenty of breaks, and good luck. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

TRIP COMPLETE!

Notable Information:

 

When the doughnut is on (Because the TPMS system knows there is a problem) Cruise control will not engage over 45MPH !  This is good information not found anywhere else on the Fourm. 

 

MPG at 75-85 mph: 24.8 mpg

MPG at 60-70 mph: 27.8 mpg

 

Edited by NavalLacrosse
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Also; just for fun

 

After changing the tire, I placed the still inflated damaged tire inside the trunk. 
After 4 hours, the tire exploded without warning making our ears ring. 

probably caused by the increased air pressure from the cabin heat.

 

 

Me and wife in conversation, she is half way through a sentence. It is 7am.
Tire in the back seat: [Loudest single noise I've ever heard.]  --KABOOM!---

Our ears:   ******rrriiiinnnnggggggg ..................

Me: "Ore you OK?" 

Wife: [silent, but Totally OK, but looks in shock]

Me: "Must have been the tire in the back...  Well, with the adrenaline I don't need Redbull anymore"

Wife: [checking her heart rate, still in shock]

Me: "Well looks like I don't need to use the bathroom anymore either"

Wife: [Snaps out of shock:] "WILL YOU SHUT UP!"

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That is a unique story. Bet your going to get "tired" of recounting that one over the years.

 

Good information to know. Guess it would be a good idea to reduce the air in the tire before putting it in the back. It's not the same as throwing it in the trunk. Something to remember.

Hope your hearing returns to normal. That is a dangerous place to be in.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 12/2/2019 at 1:00 PM, NavalLacrosse said:

Also; just for fun

 

After changing the tire, I placed the still inflated damaged tire inside the trunk. 
After 4 hours, the tire exploded without warning making our ears ring. 

probably caused by the increased air pressure from the cabin heat.

 

 

Me and wife in conversation, she is half way through a sentence. It is 7am.
Tire in the back seat: [Loudest single noise I've ever heard.]  --KABOOM!---

Our ears:   ******rrriiiinnnnggggggg ..................

Me: "Ore you OK?" 

Wife: [silent, but Totally OK, but looks in shock]

Me: "Must have been the tire in the back...  Well, with the adrenaline I don't need Redbull anymore"

Wife: [checking her heart rate, still in shock]

Me: "Well looks like I don't need to use the bathroom anymore either"

Wife: [Snaps out of shock:] "WILL YOU SHUT UP!"

Totally something I would have said!!!! Glad you guys are back safe and sound.

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  • 4 weeks later...

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