Route 66 trip, so what car to get...
Discussion
Ok so here goes last year my big adventure was going to Hong Kong for the Sevens this year is living the American Dream and driving Route 66.
So here is the dilemma not sure on the car to hire and in need of some advise / pointers.
Any 'sensible' suggestions on cars (mix of economical and fun) ?
Hire companies ?
Must sees / do s ?
Places to stay ?
Going to take a while and have a few days in Las Vegas (so make me more skint) and LA (sun and some surfing time)
Anyone done it ?
General driving advice ?
Thanks in advance
So here is the dilemma not sure on the car to hire and in need of some advise / pointers.
Any 'sensible' suggestions on cars (mix of economical and fun) ?
Hire companies ?
Must sees / do s ?
Places to stay ?
Going to take a while and have a few days in Las Vegas (so make me more skint) and LA (sun and some surfing time)
Anyone done it ?
General driving advice ?
Thanks in advance
Been thinking about doing the whole America road trip thing incorporating Route 66 myself. Looked into hiring and with the normal companies about as good as it gets is something like a Mustang, most seem to offer the V6, yet to see one that have the V8 GT listen on the website. There's also the issue of the old 'or similar' thing rental companies do, so you may end up with something else that's a bit naff instead. You could always go the whole Top Gear route and buy instead of hiring, that's what I'd like to do, and preferably some sort of old and slightly tatty muscle car. Of course you do need a good chunk of spare cash floating around to get something half decent, they arn't quite as cheap as you'd think
CS111 said:
Just dont watch Texas chainsaw massacre, psyco, Motel, Wrong Turn and so on.... before you go
Muuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhaaaaa
Always want to do that myself before i pop my clogs
I always thought route66 doesnt actually exist now, but is called some other name(s)
Parts exist but not wothout interruption. I drove a 25 mile bit in Oklahoma that was an original 1920s slice. Both lanes were the same width of today's modern cars. Muuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhaaaaa
Always want to do that myself before i pop my clogs
I always thought route66 doesnt actually exist now, but is called some other name(s)
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/66-Mainpage.html
http://www.national66.com/
http://www.geocities.com/goatfolksvan/
http://gosw.about.com/od/route66/Route_66_History_...
http://woodlandshoppersparadise.blogspot.com/2008/...
Edited by Jimbeaux on Sunday 1st February 23:03
The route runs from Chicago to LA I believe. It's not called 66 any more, as all their signs were getting pinched!
I drove 3 cars in my recent trip to the US:
a modern mustang convertable - it was OK: the suspension was firm - well, it resembled a basic european car actually. the boot wasn't too small, as the hood was manual. The engine was pretty luke warm - not what I was expecting from a big V6m but Dollar Rental won't let you have anything remotely tasty.
Other cars I drove? I'd asked for a Dodge Charger, but got instead some big Crysler 300C which is identical underneath. Nothing special - again a largish engine developing suprisely little actual power, a dashboard hewed from solid plastic, softish ride and the opposite of the tardis (large on outside, small on inside). Middle of the three I suppose.
However, whatever you do, avoid at all costs the Chrysler Sebring convertable. Utter utter rubbish. The straight four 2.4 engine was woeful - it actually struggled on hills - I've not had that since my 34 bhp Renault 4. suspension far too soft, steering brakes the same. The power hood took all of the boot space up, so all in all it had less space than the Mustang despite being bigger. The best bit about it was giving the keys back.
It certainly made me appreciate my battered old MR2 when I got back.
Regarding the trip as opposed to the vehicle:
- Vegas: I enjoyed Red Rock Canyon - about 10 miles out of Vegas, which I found to be skin deep and pretty fake all in all.
What you see does also depend on what time you go too - Vegas was 25 degrees in Febuary, but other parts of the trip (Yosemite Park) will be shut due to snow. However, I was doing a trip from San Fran, Vegas to Grand Canyon back to LA (Virgin fly drive)
hth
Ian
I drove 3 cars in my recent trip to the US:
a modern mustang convertable - it was OK: the suspension was firm - well, it resembled a basic european car actually. the boot wasn't too small, as the hood was manual. The engine was pretty luke warm - not what I was expecting from a big V6m but Dollar Rental won't let you have anything remotely tasty.
Other cars I drove? I'd asked for a Dodge Charger, but got instead some big Crysler 300C which is identical underneath. Nothing special - again a largish engine developing suprisely little actual power, a dashboard hewed from solid plastic, softish ride and the opposite of the tardis (large on outside, small on inside). Middle of the three I suppose.
However, whatever you do, avoid at all costs the Chrysler Sebring convertable. Utter utter rubbish. The straight four 2.4 engine was woeful - it actually struggled on hills - I've not had that since my 34 bhp Renault 4. suspension far too soft, steering brakes the same. The power hood took all of the boot space up, so all in all it had less space than the Mustang despite being bigger. The best bit about it was giving the keys back.
It certainly made me appreciate my battered old MR2 when I got back.
Regarding the trip as opposed to the vehicle:
- Vegas: I enjoyed Red Rock Canyon - about 10 miles out of Vegas, which I found to be skin deep and pretty fake all in all.
What you see does also depend on what time you go too - Vegas was 25 degrees in Febuary, but other parts of the trip (Yosemite Park) will be shut due to snow. However, I was doing a trip from San Fran, Vegas to Grand Canyon back to LA (Virgin fly drive)
hth
Ian
I hired a Hertz Mustang and had a great time.. (dream come true for a yank car lover like me) we did about 200-300 miles of it on the way back from the Grand Canyon, but next time we're going to do the full Chicago - Santa Monica.. some great frozen-in-time history there. Nothing beats opening up a big V8 with a loud exhaust along an empty road that disappears into the horizon.
There's lots of it closed, and many of the roads will try to get you on the freeway and away from the old Route. There are plenty of sites out there showing you how to see the most of R66
There's lots of it closed, and many of the roads will try to get you on the freeway and away from the old Route. There are plenty of sites out there showing you how to see the most of R66
Edited by GT2man-2 on Monday 2nd February 00:19
I've done part of 66, and most of 1 - and you NEED a convertible.Forget handling, the only paets of either with bends are doing 15mph behind a bus. think big, wafty, open top barge.
Whatever you do it in, you;ll have fun. Just try not to put on th stone I did in 3 weeks - took 10 weeks to shed!
Whatever you do it in, you;ll have fun. Just try not to put on th stone I did in 3 weeks - took 10 weeks to shed!
I did East Coast-West Coast, including most of what remains of Route 66, in this:
This:
And this:
Did most of the cross-country mileage in the RV, Nevada in the Corvette and California in the Chrysler Sebring. Consider doing the trip in a motorhome, America is very motorhome friendly, and RV parks get you away from roadside motels, which are all the same after a while. We stayed right in the centres of Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Memphis, all in the RV, for less money than a hotel.
It's worth hiring something sick in Nevada, as they have tax breaks for certain types of car rentals. That Corvette cost me £200 for 24 hours unlimited mileage, and there are hundreds of miles of deserted desert roads to play on.
I did the trip in one month (late summer), and am struggling to come up with a trip to beat it.
This:
And this:
Did most of the cross-country mileage in the RV, Nevada in the Corvette and California in the Chrysler Sebring. Consider doing the trip in a motorhome, America is very motorhome friendly, and RV parks get you away from roadside motels, which are all the same after a while. We stayed right in the centres of Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Memphis, all in the RV, for less money than a hotel.
It's worth hiring something sick in Nevada, as they have tax breaks for certain types of car rentals. That Corvette cost me £200 for 24 hours unlimited mileage, and there are hundreds of miles of deserted desert roads to play on.
I did the trip in one month (late summer), and am struggling to come up with a trip to beat it.
Ian Geary said:
However, whatever you do, avoid at all costs the Chrysler Sebring convertable. Utter utter rubbish. The straight four 2.4 engine was woeful - it actually struggled on hills - I've not had that since my 34 bhp Renault 4.
Oh yeah, I had a 2.4 Sebring in the summer, but the saloon - driving over the Sierra mountains was fun. It would lose speed and eventually start overheating on long ascents, the engine was coarse and noisy and unless you locked the autobox into one gear it would continually change down and up. About 170bhp apparently, but it must be a pretty heavy car!However the journey and scenery were epic, and I can highly recommend Vegas to San Francisco via the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Yosemite and Pacific coast.
pretty sure whatever you get you will have a good time, we had a cadillac dts. not exciting but comfy and practical for luggage space, you cant go fast and plenty of cops to make sure you dont try!
my route:
vegas-albuquerque (parts of R66)- El Paso- big bend national park- Tuscon- San Diego- LA- malibu- Santa Cruz (via big sur, must do if driving fan!) San Francisco- Vegas.
I would just make sure you have time to do the proper roads and not just sitting on highways.
Ps, In LA see santa monica beach and pier, not too much in hollywood unless you want to do the studios but drive sunset boulevard (once, they have rules!) also rodeo drive or take a bus round. Malibu is worth a visit (paradise cove for lunch) and you can also stay on the queen mary at long beach which you can get into the city from by tram but not late on unless your brave (Be off before 7.30pm), it goes through some "interesting" areas.
General advise; Dont speed, get to walmart and pic up a tomtom, carry lots of water, dont wear "colours" in LA. Visit San Diego if time. Remember you probably stick out like a sore thumb so act/drive accordingly.
my route:
vegas-albuquerque (parts of R66)- El Paso- big bend national park- Tuscon- San Diego- LA- malibu- Santa Cruz (via big sur, must do if driving fan!) San Francisco- Vegas.
I would just make sure you have time to do the proper roads and not just sitting on highways.
Ps, In LA see santa monica beach and pier, not too much in hollywood unless you want to do the studios but drive sunset boulevard (once, they have rules!) also rodeo drive or take a bus round. Malibu is worth a visit (paradise cove for lunch) and you can also stay on the queen mary at long beach which you can get into the city from by tram but not late on unless your brave (Be off before 7.30pm), it goes through some "interesting" areas.
General advise; Dont speed, get to walmart and pic up a tomtom, carry lots of water, dont wear "colours" in LA. Visit San Diego if time. Remember you probably stick out like a sore thumb so act/drive accordingly.
Edited by Trueman sparks on Monday 2nd February 14:10
Did this last year - Road Trip from San Diego to NY including Route 66 through much of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri before we peeled off to take in Memphis, Nashville and the Corvette Factory in Kentucky..
Pictures (90!!) here give you a flavour...
road trip
Two of the four cars (Mustang and Vette) were rented one way from Hertz and Avis....
This is a trip of a lifetime - do it!!
Pictures (90!!) here give you a flavour...
road trip
Two of the four cars (Mustang and Vette) were rented one way from Hertz and Avis....
This is a trip of a lifetime - do it!!
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff