You may be wondering whether your older family car is in good enough shape for that long holiday road trip you have planned to Florida to visit Grandma or the Rockies for that much anticipated ski getaway.
After all, the average car on American highways and byways is now more than 9 years old after a tough downturn that has driven home the virtue of making do, says John Paul, a spokesman for AAA of Southern New England and host of the "Car Doctor," a weekly radio program.
The family car might do just fine with a little maintenance beforehand. A vacation road trip could also prove to be a break for your car, especially if you routinely drive in stop-and-go commuter traffic back and forth to work. "Driving at a pretty steady, 60- to 65-mile-per-hour pace is actually pretty easy on a car," Paul says.
However, renting could turn out to be the better option especially if your older car has had a nagging, long-term mechanical problem. As you consider whether to take your own car or rent one, here are four things to do before deciding.
Put your car through a careful checkup, especially if you are a neglectful owner. The top reasons people call AAA for roadside assistance is for dead batteries or flat tires, Paul says. Take your car to your local garage and get a thorough tuneup. Get that battery, alternator and fan belt checked out and make sure they are in good working condition. Don't forget your tires, check mileage and tire pressure. Correct tire pressure is critical for proper wear and optimal gas mileage.
Crunch the numbers. Getting your car ready for a long road trip will require some cash, but it is likely to be more cost-effective than renting. Expect to lay out at least a few hundred dollars, depending on how much work needs to be done, says Dan Edmunds, director of vehicle testing at auto website Edmunds.com.
However, renting a full-size car such as a Chevy Impala for two weeks could cost you at least $530, according to rates posted on the Avis website. And, whether you rent or take your own car, you still have to pay for gas.
If your car is approaching the 200,000-mile mark and you plan to rack up several thousand miles on an epic cross-continent tour, maybe it's time for a rental, Paul says. On the other hand, if your trip is the eight-hour drive from Washington, D.C., to Boston, you should be able to make that trip, he says.
If your car has a history of chronic problems, this should be taken into consideration, Edmunds says. If that shimmy in the steering wheel won't go away or you have to bang on the dashboard to get the radio to work, leave the old jalopy in the driveway.
"Renting is a way of having a nearly new car for that two-week period," Edmunds says. "If you don't really trust your car, if you have a car that is a little bit of a nagging worry, you don't want to take it."
Click here to view Original
These tips are good to keep in mind when thinking about any road trip, even if that road trip is just down the street to your local park. We all have to try and make our money stretch as far as possible. When it comes to our cars, maintenance is the key. This will allow you to make all of those much-anticipated road trips to each and every destination on your bucket list.
Please leave comments about your favorite road trips and tips for your fellow travelers. So safe and happy travels to all!
