Best Road Trip Car

[IBCoupe]

The Starship Enterprise, on both counts. I'm that awesome.

[AZhitman]

...just because you're a Klingon.

[Bubba1]

...just because you're a Klingon.

LOL, also, while blasting people driving too slow in the left lane with phasers is a fun thought, IBC should be careful not to be "hoisted by his own Picard....."

[AZhitman]

[IBCoupe]

This thread pleases me.

[Jesda]

You guys...


On topic... I just spent 1000 miles in a 2010 BMW X5. The diesel 6 gets 25mpg on the highway, impressive since I've been doing 70-80mph. The seats are nicely shaped but BMW's leather breathes poorly, causing a lot of back and butt sweat. Cargo space is impressive and handling is secure but to me, the steering is artificially heavy and lacking feedback. The throttle is laggy too, taking the fun out of around-town driving.

BMW went overboard on refinement and electronic nannies, turning what used to be a sporty tall wagon into a Mercedes-like tomb. Unless you're interested in the awesome torque and fuel economy of the diesel, the current X5 isn't that interesting to drive, especially in a "money no object" scenario.

[Razi]

We own an older X5.
Sucks that they didn't fix the heavy and numb steering or the laggy throttle. I hate driving that thing.

Love cruising in the Q45 though.

[gwoods]

but BMW's leather breathes poorly, causing a lot of back and butt sweat. .

I hate butt sweat, my arm pits almost never sweat my a** starts getting moist looking at a flight of stairs. Why is that Jesda?

X5<GL

Our old Sequoia (2007) was pretty awesome on road trips, with the third row folded up you can fit 4 or five large suit cases, an ice chest, a stroller, a large rubbermaid container full of food and a pack N play. It gets 15 mpg no matter what you did. Top speed was 101 mph so that sucked but it had enough torque to climb the hills. We drove from Phoenix - Winnepeg Canada in it a couple summers back with all 3 kids and it was a very plesant drive. The new Sequoia gets the same gas mileage (2012) and is a half foot bigger every direction. Its 4x4 and has 400lb of torque and 381 hp, although at 5900lb curb weight your not going to carve through any canyons but put in a DVD in the middle row and its a quite smooth ride and you can take ALL your stuff.

[IBCoupe]

but BMW's leather breathes poorly, causing a lot of back and butt sweat. .

I hate butt sweat, my arm pits almost never sweat my a** starts getting moist looking at a flight of stairs. Why is that Jesda?

X5<GL

Our old Sequoia (2007) was pretty awesome on road trips, with the third row folded up you can fit 4 or five large suit cases, an ice chest, a stroller, a large rubbermaid container full of food and a pack N play. It gets 15 mpg no matter what you did. Top speed was 101 mph so that sucked but it had enough torque to climb the hills. We drove from Phoenix - Winnepeg Canada in it a couple summers back with all 3 kids and it was a very plesant drive. The new Sequoia gets the same gas mileage (2012) and is a half foot bigger every direction. Its 4x4 and has 400lb of torque and 381 hp, although at 5900lb curb weight your not going to carve through any canyons but put in a DVD in the middle row and its a quite smooth ride and you can take ALL your stuff.

My Dad loves everything about his Sequoia except trying to park it.

[AZhitman]

Come to think of it, any "ideal road trip" to me doesn't involve anyone other than my wife.

Ergo, no passengers. Make mine a modded C5 with a Valentine 1, a scanner and a CB radio.

brb, going cross-country.

[BusyBadger]

...with a Valentine 1...

[frapjap]

Come to think of it, any "ideal road trip" to me doesn't involve anyone other than my wife.

Ergo, no passengers. Make mine a modded C5 with a Valentine 1, a scanner and a CB radio.

brb, going cross-country.

Mine has saved my a** many times in the past. Haven't used it in a couple of years though, time to dig it up!

[Bubba1]

and a CB radio.

What's your handle?



I totally agree Sequoia's are terrific road trip vehicles. In addition to the gobs of room, acres o' luxury goodies, and a soft ride, highway cruising is one of the few applications for those big SUV beasts where you don't gasp watching the gas gauge plummet faster than a Murano Cross Cabriolet tossed off the top of the Empire State building. The only time you gasp in them is when you observe the gas pump cross $100 during a routine fill up.

[Jesda]

The latest Sequioias make it completely pointless to get a Lexus. They're like four star hotels inside.

[Mr1der]

I need a Lincoln MKIII with an 600hp diesel motor (still gonna get better mileage than the factory 460) and air suspension.

ROAD TRIP LIKE DAPPER HILLBILLY

[flohtingPoint]

The MINUTE I get more storage space for our classic Datsuns, and have an open garage bay, I'll own another C5.

Mine will be for sale after Solo Nationals in 2014 (sept timeframe), setup by 7 time national champion Strano. 2015 they're planning on banning r-comps in stock and I'll be damned if I travel all over the country to compete on crap I drive to work on, so no use for the Vette in my hands =)

[IBCoupe]

The latest Sequioias make it completely pointless to get a Lexus. They're like four star hotels inside.

I imagine the same is true for the Toyota Avalon. My parents bought a 2002 Avalon, still have it in their driveway with more than 200,000 mi. on the clock. I'm tempted to buy that from them, perhaps get a new engine installed, and have it brought over.

They always maintained that buying an Avalon was the same as buying a Lexus, except that you didn't have to pay the surcharges for the different emblems.

[AZhitman]

They were right. You come from smart stock.

I have little but disdain for Lexus. They've succeeded in supplanting BMW as an example of a "fool some of the people all of the time" car in my eyes.

[Jesda]

They always maintained that buying an Avalon was the same as buying a Lexus, except that you didn't have to pay the surcharges for the different emblems.

For six months I had a 2003 Avalon and a 2003 LS430 sitting on the lot. They took forever to sell but I drove both of them quite a bit.

The LS430 was full of gadgets and fine pieces of trim but the steering, braking, and throttle were terribly numb and artificially heavy, like a Mercedes that had gone through finishing school.

I know its a bit silly to compare a pedestrian FWD family sedan to a high-dollar RWD luxury car, but I swear that Avalon was a lot more fun to drive. The V6 was pure silk and the steering was quicker and lighter, giving the funny (and perhaps unprovable on paper) impression that the Avalon was the sportier, livelier car between the two. The JBL sound system wasn't quite as nice as the Pioneer audio in the Lexus and the Avalon's wood trim was fake, but it was close enough.

The Lexus had a lot of miles, sold to a guy from the city who claimed to be a cop for $10,500.
The Avalon was a low-mileage car (under 100k) that sold to a WashU grad student for $7500.

I think the grad student made the better choice.

[IBCoupe]

I remember loving to drive that car when I had the opportunity. "Pure silk" is about the best description of that car's engine as I could conjure.

A couple years ago, in the midst of law school's 35,000-or-so miles/year, I made noises about possibly selling my car and getting a beater. My parents offered me to trade with their Avalon, and they'd either keep my car or sell it. I should have said, "GOOD LORD, YES." What I actually said was, "Why don't I let you test-drive my car, first?"

[Bubba1]

I know its a bit silly to compare a pedestrian FWD family sedan to a high-dollar RWD luxury car, but I swear that Avalon was a lot more fun to drive.

Yep, Comparing those two vehicles is akin to deciding if Oprah Winfrey is more sporty than Rosie O'Donnell. j/k
But I recommended an Avalon of that vintage to my Cadillac owning (non-enthusiast) father-in-law who bought one new. He's still happy with his Avi after several years of hassle free driving. His only gripes have been that he liked his old sedan deVille seats a little better, and loved the old Cadillac horn.(very loud). but I think if he had to choose again, he'd pick another Avalon.

[AZhitman]

The fact that you haven't slapped a pair of junkyard deVille horns on the Avalon for Dear Old Pops tells me you're not quite the man he hoped his daughter would marry.

[Bubba1]

The fact that you haven't slapped a pair of junkyard deVille horns on the Avalon for Dear Old Pops tells me you're not quite the man he hoped his daughter would marry.

After 30+ years of marriage, I'm still not the man he hoped his daughter would have married.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Joel, if it makes you feel any better, I wish my fictitious daughter would marry you.

[Bubba1]

Joel, if it makes you feel any better, I wish my fictitious daughter would marry you.

It would be huge fun having you as a father-in-law.