1972 Pinto
I find Hondas and Volvos uncomfortable for long trips. Buicks make me carsick.
Which, in my life experience, leaves the Toyota Camry. I’ve done long road trips in '84, '85, '95, 2003, and 2008 Camrys and found them all tolerable.
And don’t forget leather seats!
You own an S550? I don’t know tons about Benz’s I really barely know how that stacks up against the entry level C class sedans. I can’t tell the difference between the 35k luxury sedans and the 120k sedans. But I’ve never driven or rode in one.
I have considered, if I come into a decent career and income, buying a used upper range luxury sedan just to show off my peacock feathers to random strangers. A five year old upper range luxury car can be had for 30k-ish, a midrange for 16k, I’ve seen some 2008 S550s for under 30k but you have to shop around for them.
My Audi Q5 is perfect. I commute back and forth from California to Las Vegas (4-6 hours, depending on traffic) every two weeks and it is by far the most comfortable car I’ve done this journey in. It’s a smaller SUV/ crossover, but it’s still big and roomie. Comfortable seats with lumbar support and heat if you want, well placed cupholders, good steering wheel and voice controls, blue tooth, an ipod dock. Plus, it’s got a very smooth ride, handles well, and is just an all around good vehicle. I also can’t rave enough about how awesome Audi service is, by the way.
Mine is a 2012 “Premium Plus” 3.2 Q5. It has the nav package and the “sport interior” package (which includes Four-way power lumbar adjustment). I think it has one other package on it but I can’t remember what. Anyway, I think the car runs you about $48k sticker and honestly, I find it more comfortable and a better ride than the more expensive A7 (although I’m sure it’s not nearly as fancy under the hood).
They parked it next to an opera house in that ad so you can see it next to something of similar size.
One of the cars I got to drive last year (we were on location, so we drive-tested a ton of different rentals) was a “not really automatic” small van for which the same buttons that were used to set the CC could be used to speed up or slow down. You needed to do any quick braking or speeding, but we used the hand controls in stop-and-go traffic without incident. I thought it was a pretty nifty feature.
Since I have a “non standard back” which certain brands do not account for*, one of my requirements for any long ride is “must be able to take extra-curvy spines” (no, it’s not scoliosis, someone linked the technical name once but I lost the link).
- hellooo, Volkswagen group? Spanish women do not have German backs!
Isn’t that a standard feature? I know my former 1994 Honda Accord and my current 2010 Honda Fit have the accelerate/decelerate buttons on the steering wheel with the cruise control buttons. BTW, my understanding is that cruise control is not recommended for use in stop and go traffic.
Holy moleys, that is indeed a land yacht! :eek:
I love my Nissan Rogue, which is zippy and comfortable, and just the right amount of space. And it has an upgraded sound system, which is essential for long drives. However, if I were going to travel extremely long distances, I’d opt for something with a bigger gas tank. My Toyota Sienna used to get over 400 miles on a tank of gas; My Rogue gets considerably less even though it gets better gas mileage. Stopping to get gas every 250-300 miles is a major PITA.
I have a Crown Victoria. It’s great on long trips: tons of space, comfortable seating, and super-soft suspension so it feels like you’re kind of just floating down the highway. And while the city gas mileage is just atrocious, on the highway I swear I can get 30+ mpg. I’ve made it from DC to within 100 miles from Atlanta on a single tank (the total trip is about 640 miles).
I was getting 30 mpg (imperial) at 100 km/h (62 mph) with my '92 Buick Roadmaster Ltd. with its 350-cubic-inch engine, excellent for a car of that size and weight built 21 years ago.
I drove it all over the continent on various trips, from Vancouver to Montreal and back, and another down the West Coast from Vancouver to California, across the U.S. to Florida, up the East Coast through New York and New England, into the Maritimes, through Quebec and back to Calgary.
I’ve made many long trips in smaller cars, some much smaller (and trips spanning at least half the continent on a motorcycle), but none could compare with the comfort and driving ease of that Buick. (Good safety features, too, for the time — air bags, ABS and a horn that I think GM installed as a joke; it was only about half as loud as a diesel locomotive’s and sounded like one. I should have yanked it when I traded the car.)
Nothing beats a big car for highway travel.
Yeah, mine has that as well (most do, I think). Trouble is, this is not useful on any kind of heavy traffic, “heavy” meaning “anything within 20 car lengths of you” because there are too many instances where you need to slow down or speed up faster than the buttons can react. Much of our “screaming knees” driving tends to be on fairly heavy roads (Interstate 95 along the East Coast), so we very rarely get to use the cruise control :(.
I have semi-seriously thought about looking into hand controls for driving. I mean, my hands are on the steering wheel anyway, why can’t there be auxiliary levers or something that actually brake or accelerate. Dunno if the kind of hand controls they use for the disabled would do the job or not.
We re-car-ed a couple of years ago, so we have the 2011 S550 and ML63, and an old 2003 SL500 among others. I’d like to upgrade these, but our budget doesn’t allow it.
Each kid (2) needs a car, and I believe in putting them in the safest thing I can.
My 15yo daughter was riding with me the other day looking at cars going by. No, no, no, no; No car or SUV was desirable until we passed the dealer. “I like that one.”
Luckily it was a C class, and she doesn’t like the S anyway, so good. I’m trying to talk Jr. into an H1!
If you get the opportunity to ride in or even drive any Rolls Royce from about 1980 on, you will understand the cost, the cachet, and the desire to do so more frequently.
I’ll get another one some day. I just have to sell what I have in the shed…
Damn Rolls Royces are expensive. Looking at the prices online I can get a 2008 S550 for the price of a 1984 Rolls Royce.
I used to own a 73 Cadillac Sedan DeVille that was no doubt built on the same platform as yours. My dad gave it to me because he knew I couldn’t afford to drive it very far. Before he gave it to me, my parents had driven us from Oklahoma to Oregon and back in it multiple times. The ride and comfort were beyond compare.
When I had it in high school, I could get 7 people in it without anyone sitting on anyone’s lap.
IIRC, the estimated EPA average mileage was 9.
Lexus. From the get-go they have been on the cutting edge of quietness and a smooth ride while not sacrificing performance and handling.
The RX450h is a dream on long trips. Good fuel economy, lots of space, creature comforts and a quiet smooth ride.
Yeah, but a []&listingId=346753951&listingIndex=4&Log=0"]20 year old Spur](Used Cars for Sale in Lilburn, GA - Autotrader[RR[) doesn’t look dated at all.
I was driving next to one on Monday, and just admiring it. Still looked great.
It’s all about choices!
Personally, if I get another it will be an early Silver Shadow, 1966-1973 - perfect blend of old school luxury - like the Silver Cloud - and fairly modern driving experience (RR based everything from 1980-2002 or so on the Shadow chassis). I kick myself regularly for selling mine, as prices have exploded since I bought mine on eBay. In fact, we’re all kicking ourselves. The guy I sold it to sold it for $14k, months later we saw it in SCM going for $18k at some auction, and last time I saw it advertised the asking price was $30k.
However, if you’re interested in the later cars, skip 1981-1986, which are known to have problematic electrics. And join the RROC - club members offer some great deals on their cars to other members.