How bad an idea is this?

"gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish) 05/20/2014 at 23:08 • Filed to: None

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Halfway through July, a couple friends and I are driving from Vancouver, BC, to Montreal, QC. I'm selling both my cars due to their lack of road tripping ability, and am looking for the ultimate road trip car for the broke kid. Preferably wagonish, relatively good on gas or ultra-reliable, preferably both, comfortable, and not terrible. (ex: beigemobile)

An S10 Blazer has just become an option, due to the fact that a friend bought one, and drove it all the way to the Yukon and back without a single problem. He said he'd sell it to me for $600, since he knows I'm looking for a trip car. What do you guys think? I've mostly been looking for Volvo 240s, Subaru Legacys, Crown Vics, W123/W124 Merc wagons, Corolla wagons, and something like this never crossed my mind, I know nothing about them except that they have the 4.3 V6 that's rather unkillable, and are essentially a light truck. What thinks ye Oppo?

Have a first gen Vanquish for your trouble

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > gmctavish needs more space 05/20/2014 at 23:12

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As a 4.3L Sonoma driver, the motor is great! the rest of the drive train, not so much, should do ok though!

turbokitten > gmctavish needs more space 05/20/2014 at 23:15

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Ford Taurus Wagon (Beige, I know)

Cheap, (relatively) reliable, spacious, OK fuel economy (20-24 mpg)

Textured Soy Protein > gmctavish needs more space 05/20/2014 at 23:15

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Only downside with those is a rather cramped back seat and not the greatest mileage.

I would try to find a mid-90s Camry or Accord wagon where you can confirm it's had a timing belt job done a some point.

offroadkarter > gmctavish needs more space 05/20/2014 at 23:19

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we had a 98 jimmy SLT and that thing was a gutless piece of shit. The trans also died in 60k miles.

road trip = crown vic, if you find one with 2.73 gears you'll get mid to upper 20's highway as long as its running good.

turbokitten > turbokitten 05/20/2014 at 23:20

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Kinda ugly though...

Devilishprune > gmctavish needs more space 05/20/2014 at 23:21

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I have one. It's boring and wallowy, but it's never left me stranded.

For 600 you can't really go wrong if there's nothing majorly mechanically wrong with it.

Seats are kind of uncomfortable in the back, but not unbearably so. My dad, brother, and I drove it from Arizona to North Carolina a while back and I was comfortable enough in the back in terms of legroom.

Oh, and I average about 15.5-16 mpg doing 90% city driving. When I used to do more hwy miles I would see 20-21.

lonestranger > gmctavish needs more space 05/20/2014 at 23:23

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Likely the best pick of the lot. I'm thinking what I'd rather have break down on me in somewhere like Revelstoke, Golden, or anywhere between Calgary and Ontario. Parts would be a lot easier to come by for a super-common GM than a Volvo 240 or a W123. "We gotta get a new widget trucked in from the big city, and the slide closed the highway" is not a sentence you want to hear.

Leadbull > turbokitten 05/20/2014 at 23:47

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I've always liked it...

Spoon II > gmctavish needs more space 05/21/2014 at 00:05

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I have an S10 Blazer, and the thing chugged along pretty nicely, was cheap to fix, and I found it quite comfortable. The big downside for you is that the mileage isn't the greatest, but for that price it might be worth it!

BJ > gmctavish needs more space 05/21/2014 at 00:17

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For $600, it's probably a good bet. Might be worth it to have all the fluids changed.

I've driven Edmonton - Montreal a couple of times in the past, and it's a long haul. Southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba are so flat - it's strange watching Regina, which is not exactly a high-rise city, slowly materialize out of the prairie from so far away. Ontario is unbelievably huge, but if you like nature and camping, and have time to waste, the north shore drive from Thunder Bay to Sault Ste Marie has a ton of great scenery. You'll see lots of logging trucks, too, but it's worth it. Quebec has bad roads - even if you miss the giant sign, you'll know when you've crossed the border by the surface of the highway.

Good luck on your trip.

BJ > gmctavish needs more space 05/21/2014 at 00:23

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I just had an idea - if you're looking for a road-tripper that gets decent mileage and has space for goods: minivan, ideally with second row captain's chairs. A decent 10 year-old Dodge Caravan or Ford Windstar can be had for next to nothing.

gmctavish needs more space > BJ 05/22/2014 at 14:29

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I've done Van to Dawson Creek and back plenty of times, including taking the long way through Edmonton and Grande Prairie, but I know this is gonna be even longer. I'm almost looking forward to that....three day drives are pretty normal by now haha. Thanks!

gmctavish needs more space > Textured Soy Protein 05/22/2014 at 14:30

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I was looking at those....reluctantly, due to ugliness and boredom, but they're probably the most sensible options

gmctavish needs more space > lonestranger 05/22/2014 at 14:31

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This is a really good point.....I'm glad you brought that up, plus even if something does go wrong, all the repair is gonna cost me will likely bring me to the middle or top of my price range for buying the car anyways, without delving into my repair budget.

gmctavish needs more space > Devilishprune 05/22/2014 at 14:32

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Ooh we'll have to check the backseat....I'll be travelling with two other people so there'll have to be someone back there at all times. That's not too terrible mileage....but not leaving my stranded is more what I'm looking for anyways

gmctavish needs more space > BJ 05/22/2014 at 14:33

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Mmm maybe, i was thinking Previa or Odyssey though, Windstars have a tendency to break more than Taurii

gmctavish needs more space > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif 05/22/2014 at 14:37

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Good to know haha, not the best trans on it?

gmctavish needs more space > turbokitten 05/22/2014 at 14:39

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My dad has a Taurus.....the motor is bulletproof, the transmission grenaded itself after 80,000kms, and the entire electrical harness and computer had to be replaced....no Taurii haha

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > gmctavish needs more space 05/22/2014 at 15:05

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Trans is alright! The diffs are typically a pain, and tie rods. Fun rig though!