Dilemma: Drive my car or just rent one. 

"XJDano" (xjdano) 08/29/2017 at 21:38 • Filed to: Roadtrip, WEC, WEC 2017

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Van parked on infield grass at STL IndyCar race, not supposed to be there, another story for another time.

I’m driving to Austin TX soon and not sure if I should just rent a car or drive one of my own. Van / equinox both get about 20 MPG. I’d guess a small rental car should get double that.

I should be driving about 2,000 miles in the 5 days. I am staying at relatives to I’m saving money on hotel. ($100/4 nights estimate)

Rental car would run about $250 or less. Gas should cost about $230 in my car or $120 in a rental.

$230 - my car my problems

$365 - rental, something goes wrong, call roadside and their problem.

Is the $150 worth the peace of mind?

Keep in mind the van is the wife DD if she goes anywhere. The equinox is at 196K, no cruise, no A/C, work car that’s filthy.

I also need to eat, and I hear there is good BBQ in Austin.

AestheticsInMotion > XJDano 08/29/2017 at 21:44

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How much do boat rentals usually run

XJDano > AestheticsInMotion 08/29/2017 at 21:49

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Is Austin flooded that bad? I figure in 2 weeks it should be ok.

I don’t care for boats.

E90M3 > XJDano 08/29/2017 at 21:51

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2k miles in 5 days? Rent a car. Between saving on wear and fuel, it sounds like it would pay for itself. I know I rented a car from Avis for like $35 a day.

XJDano > E90M3 08/29/2017 at 22:02

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I’m leaning towards that, just makes sense.

itranthelasttimeiparkedit > XJDano 08/29/2017 at 22:04

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Hardly at all today.

Good bbq in the city itself? Stiles switch is one of my favorites. There are a shitload of good places right now. If you can make the trip, go to lockhart though.

E90M3 > XJDano 08/29/2017 at 22:07

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I mean it’s why I rented a car each time I drove from ATL to Savannah. I did the math with some conservative numbers, and the cost of the rental and gas was cheaper than gas alone for the M3. Plus it gave me something to write about.

XJDano > itranthelasttimeiparkedit 08/29/2017 at 22:07

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I’ll be staying I guess north west by the Dam, and my cousin says 15 minutes from an Austin staple.

I’m not looking for $100 diner or anything.

I’ll also make a “ Where to eat in Austin” when it gets closer. I’m still in the planning stage.

XJDano > E90M3 08/29/2017 at 22:10

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I’m not good at writing, but I’ll have a few things to write about.

E90M3 > XJDano 08/29/2017 at 22:11

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I mean, I’m not the best.

wafflesnfalafel > XJDano 08/29/2017 at 22:19

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we used to do that more often when both our cars were old/not super reliable to make the 4 hour drive to my in laws

itranthelasttimeiparkedit > XJDano 08/29/2017 at 22:27

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Yeah that is a little out there. Can’t think of much ‘must eat’ out that way, you’ll have to drive a bit.

XJDano > itranthelasttimeiparkedit 08/29/2017 at 22:41

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I’ll be at COTA daily, so I may try a southern route, northern, and straight through.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > XJDano 08/29/2017 at 22:58

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I’ve done the rental thing for long trips like this before and recommend it. Usually I get an Altima or Camry and get 35-40 MPG on the highway. It was a no-brainer back when gas was close to $4/gal. but I’ve also done it more recently just to save wear and tear on my cars. If you can reserve a specific model, I’d go for a Toyota, Ford, or Chevy. The base model Nissans and Hyundais in rental fleets tend to have crappy seats that are pretty terrible for long-distance trips.

Will you be meeting up with other people there? If so, I recommend driving out to Driftwood and going to The Salt Lick. It’s better for family-style eating where you just get a ton of meat and sides to share than just two people in my opinion, though.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > XJDano 08/29/2017 at 23:00

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Rent a car. It isn’t even reasonable to consider using your own car for that long a drive. Unless it’s for a fun drive, a long-distance move, or I‘ll be at the destination more than a few weeks, I won’t drive more than about 100-150 miles from home in my own cars. Between the cost of the miles, fuel economy, the extra it bumps your insurance, the wear on the car/tires, etc, it just isn’t worth it.

shop-teacher > XJDano 08/29/2017 at 23:00

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I’d rent a car. It’ll be worth it.

XJDano > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 08/29/2017 at 23:07

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I’m staying with my cousin and their 4 kids. I’m not sure how many nights I can afford to eat out. I’m sure Saturday may be a big family thing.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > XJDano 08/29/2017 at 23:17

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Gotcha. The Driftwood Salt Lick menu is here - if some of the kids are younger it is a pretty good deal for the family style: http://saltlickbbq.com/driftwood-menu/ Cash only still!

itranthelasttimeiparkedit > XJDano 08/30/2017 at 09:20

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Oh yeah, doing that drive you pass a ton of different stuff. That will be a fun trip