Cross-country trip.

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As far as car service history goes, I've owned it for a little over 2 years now. I've put 18,000mi on it. The only jobs I have had to do were:
>oil changes
>brakes
>replaced alternator 3x (voltage regulator issue above 5k rpm)
>replaced battery 1x
>replaced driver's side wheel hub
>changed spark plugs and wires

If someone asked if this thing could survive 3000mi in the city, I would say yes. For some reason though, I have some trepidation about taking it 3000mi cross country even though that's about 98% highway miles.

I'm also interested in the culture of hitch-hiking should something go wrong. My plan is to ditch the car and take a flight out of where it may break down, but I realize I could break down away from a major city.

>>17590565
why don't you just take a flight in the first place

>>17590545
>Is it crazy that I'm considering driving the thing cross country?
lil bit

>>17590579
i don't want to go through the whole annoyance of buying a car in another state. this car has been working relatively fine and I feel attached to it. It's a 5-speed and easy to work on.

>>17590596
won't be so easy to work on when it's in pieces in the middle of the desert

can't you have someone transport it?

I drove a 1988 325i with 350k and questionable service history from Louisiana to Florida. I'd say you're okay driving a Toyota.

I say do it. Highway miles aren't hard on a car, just make sure the cooling system is in good shape before you leave. Maybe replace your radiator hoses, flush the cooling system, etc.
Check your fluids at every fuel stop so you don't unexpectedly run out of something important.
Do a full inspection of the car before you leave. Find a used car checklist online and go through everything.

>>17590620
I want to believe, but the NYC to AZ trip is roughly 3x the distance of that trip.

I just pulled a trip the other day upstate to binghamton (~400mi) and the car didn't even blink. I've also calculated that it's doing about 30mpg.

>>17590610
Yeah, I hear that. I really do. That's why I'm indecisive about the whole deal. Shipping could be an option provided the rates are fair. I paid $800 for this car, and have put 18,000mi on it since buying. That's about $.044/mi. As you can see, I'm going for max value on this thing.

>>17590657
Thanks. I forgot to mention I just did a full flush of the cooling system and put the good toyota red stuff in there.

I'll be sure to print up a checklist and go through the car, which will help me to make a final decision on whether or not I'll bring the car.

>>17590545
What part of AZ

>>17590660
Bro you'll be fine

>>17590678
If I take this trip, I am going to print this out and tape it to my dashboard.

>>17590677
Flagstaff.

>>17590564
It's one thing to do that 3000 in little chunks, it's quite another to do it all at once. I guarantee unless you get your coolant flushed, you will have overheating problems.

Does it burn oil at all? If not you've got half a chance of making it. Honestly, in a car that old, I'd just sell it or leave the keys in the ignition with the door unlocked in a bad neighborhood and get another shitbox once you land in AZ.

>>17590689
Have you tried hill climbing in your car? Can it do a good hill climb for an hour and not overheat? Try it in the Catskills.

>>17590689
Get your oil changed before and after the trip. Do it over the course of a couple days, you'll be perfectly fine.

>>17590691
so what if it burns some oil. All cars do. Just change it right before you leave, top off if necessary, and then change the oil again after you get there

A car doesn't really care if it doesn't get a "break". Once a car is up to temp there is basically zero wear going on. 90% of wear in an engine comes from starting it cold and running it until it's warm. It's more about the number of drive cycles

>>17590545
if you trust your car your fine i drove from kc to chattanooga in a neon with 220k miles and running on 3 cylinders it didnt skip a beat the whole time

>>17590691
It does burn oil. Is an oil change + fresh filter + carrying a few qts of oil not enough?

>>17590709
I believe the commute up to Binghamton is close enough to the Catskills, no? There were some decent hills that I went up, had to downshift to 4th and sometimes 3rd to maintain 60mph on an incline.

Also, I don't want it to sound like I have an answer in my head. I am seriously considering both sides of the argument for this trip. On one hand, it's an exciting trip cross-country, on the other hand, it could end pretty badly. I'm just trying to determine likelihood considering past performance of the car and what type of maintenance jobs I am equipped and prepared to do over the trip.

>>17590715
Again, I'll be printing this up too if I decide to make this trip.

>>17590720
Thank you for your input.

>>17590730
likelihood of success/failure*

>>17590728
that sounds like fun. any pics?

>>17590730
I've done the same trip before. The worst part of the trip will be going through Missouri and New Mexico

How anyone lives in those shitholes I'll never know

>>17590748
Do you have any advice on that trip? What did you bring?

I used to live in NM for a time, out in Albuquerque. What was so bad about Missouri?

buy a satellite phone

>>17590762
Acknowledged. Found a site that will let me rent one for 24.95/wk. Thanks.

>>17590753
Boring, empty states. At least the badlands in NM were nice to look at.

Drove from central CT to southern AZ (~2600 mi) in two and a half days, also for a job. Stopped in Cleveland and Oklahoma City. My shitbox was fine, you'll be okay. If you're really paranoid bring some premixed antifreeze.

>>17590545
my advice is to take it slow. make plenty of stops to let the car rest for a little. stay overnight at some places if need be. BRING COOLANT and OIL, anything else will put you in trouble but my experience with that engine is that they'll run for 200k more miles.

>>17590685
Please do anon, that would give my life purpose.

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>>17590778
So you took the I-70?

>>17590787
Understood. I have a jug of toyota red coolant that is unopened. I'll bring some distilled water too so I can mix.

>>17590830
If I make the trip, it is a promise. I will post the photos. If the job offer sticks, the road-trip would take place towards the end of next month. I'll make progress threads.

>>17590787
>let the car rest
it's a machine not a pack animal

>>17590545
>>17590564
the amount of effort you are putting in to thinking about this leads me to think that you will be fine

as others have said, bring oil, coolant, water, with you.

also make sure you are 100% up to date on preventative maintenance. check timing belt, fluids, etc.

>>17590862
I-44, I was going farther south than you will be though

>>17590916
added to the good luck picture collage. thank you.

>>17590929
copy

>>17590675
I agree do it.. I used to think my Toyota would break down if I went to the coast 1 hour away.. now I've been using it nightly for 4 hour drives for a few years. Beat advice is keep an eye on your fluids and tire psi clean your glass a lot, and know how to change a flat/make sure that is also good on psi. My Toyota is an 01 Camry I've also had the matrix and echo not broken down once have had flats of course best if you have a full size spare

>>17590787
>let the car rest
why

>>17590978
ill do some more research but it looks like a green light for the trip so far. thanks.