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| Would you attempt this; a 3600 kilometer (2250 miles) road trip | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jan 22 2011, 11:42 AM (1,931 Views) | |
| Bad Bent | Jan 22 2011, 09:40 PM Post #16 |
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Facetious Educated Donkey
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My Geo is not "normal" but the Wife and I did 3,600 Km round trips to SoCal three times in my 1991 Geo. Maybe 600 Km a day? A three day trip each way. Some sight seeing... a flow, caldera, Willow Spring Race track, movie film sites, Opera House near Death Valley, coffee houses. I just confirmed with the Wife that the only problem we had was when the rubber hose from the filler neck to the tank got a kink in it. Could not put gas in it. The Wife carries a pocket knife and I had to trim off some of the tube and side the hose further up the filler neck to stretch out the kink. Otherwise it was add gas and go. Personally I'd go to Nova Scotia in early September so you could go to Newfoundland and take in Targa Newfoundland September 10-17. You are in the neighborhood. But that's moi. www.targanewfoundland.com/what-is-targa |
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| WJK | Jan 22 2011, 10:18 PM Post #17 |
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Elite Member
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Not a bad idea, that is most likely the time period I would be heading out, give my sister time to get herself moved in and settled. Haven't seen her in a very long time 4 years or there abouts. I have never been to Newfoundland, have always wanted to go, but always afraid that I would never leave once I got there. I really like the laid back type of lifestyle they have ( not in the big city). Thanks for the tip!!! |
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| allmountain40 | Jan 22 2011, 10:51 PM Post #18 |
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As stated many times in the previous posts, These cars are more than capable of long trips, are easy and cheep to fix, and the only drawback is comfort for some people. That being said, there are a few things I never take a long trip without; First, timing belt. I have found over the eleven years I have driven these cars that there is no set SAFE time limit on a geo metro timing belt. I have had them go 40,000 miles, and I have had them go 5,000 miles. They always break in the middle of nowhere in the pouring rain. Soooo, with that in mind, I always carry a spare so I don't get stranded. Second, I always have a spare alternator belt. Same as timing belt, they are less than reliable and these cars will not go far on just the battery, especially at night. Third, a basic set of wrenches and sockets for any roadside repairs. Other than that I would bring snacks and something to listen to since it gets old searching for a decent radio station every 100 miles or so. Good luck and have fun.
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| Deleted User | Jan 23 2011, 12:03 AM Post #19 |
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Deleted User
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Okay, I'm just gonna jump in again here, guys, if you don't mind. I'm gonna say that the Geo Metro is by far the absolute BEST car that you can use on a road trip. Now, I live in Encino California in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, mind you. I have driven my car to places like Seattle/Renton WA, Chippewa Falls WI, Hagerstown IN, Elkhart IN 3 Times, through KS, NE, ID, MT, ND, SD, OR many times, also AZ, NM, TX, OK, UT, IA, IL, and a few others. My only bad dilemma was when I had my Distributor Split in Half on me outside of Shaniko OR on US 97. I had to sleep in my car on the side of the road. That was a Scary Night!! Thank God my then Best Friend came out to me with a new Distributor from Renton WA. If any of you have been through some of Oregon's highways, particularly S/E and N/Central north of Bend, you know that there's not a lot out there. Bad Bent, I know you've been through US95 in S/W ID through S/E OR through Rome and Jordan Valley and McDermitt; you know what I'm talking about. Lonely Stuff. I strongly recommend the Winnemucca-to-the-Sea-Highway. What a Gorgeous and Beautiful Route, although a Very Hard Road with some Steep Mountain Passes along NV/OR 140. Shannen Doherty Pass and Blizzard Gap and Thousand Creek Pass west of Denio NV (pronounced DEE/nee/o) as well as Warner Canyon and Bly Mountain Pass just to name a few. By all means, WJK, Go for it by all means. Would Love to see pictures. I wish I could show pictures from all my previous road trips, by the way, but again I know absolutely Nothing about putting pictures on a Computer. My Apologies. The main thing stopping me from taking more road trips often is the Money. If I could get a High Paying Job in the Transportation Industry that would be nice. Unfortunately, there ARE no high paying jobs in the Transportation Industry, None Whatsoever. Johnny Mullet once said that Geo Metros are all about the Road Trips. I couldn't agree more. |
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| nerys | Jan 23 2011, 12:40 AM Post #20 |
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Grr
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While this has nothing to do with geo reliability there is a few things I always keep in the car. I just toss them in with the spare tire. Belts - cap rotor plugs wires - pcv - fuel filter - resistor - iac - some wire caps tape a little thing of the common screws and bolts for the car - lug nuts and studs - fuses - paperclips - few bulbs and spare headlight bulb. small bottle of washer fluid (16oz soda bottle IIRC) tire plug kit - yet one more LED flashlight - Gloves - brake pads oil filter and pan bolt - one wiper blade and I probable missed something too :-) its slightly different vehicle to vehicle but you get the idea. anything I can pretty much unplug and change or simply unscrew and change I try to keep a spare (many times the "old" I change out such as cap rotor plugs if they were working fine when I replaced them) all this fits in the cavity with the spare tire so it essentially takes no room in the car. I also keep all my hatch stuff in 2 "bins" so if I do get stuck I can just remove the 2 bins and not have to "dump" all my stuff on the side of the road or into the back seat :-) |
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| redpepe | Jan 23 2011, 06:55 AM Post #21 |
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hi wjk, don't hesitate for a minute unless there are problems you know about in your vehicle. i traveled in the little wonder from arctic circle to southern mexico over the decades and 345k. i'd need to look it up but i think the longest single trip might have been 7-8000mi. i outfitted the car for camping and slept inside like a baby ..... always and everywhere. other than a cow encounter in baja, the only mechanical problem i remember off hand was a flat tire on the 500mi gravel dempster highway from dawson to tuktoyaktuk, nwt ... but i always carried the normal spares .... hoses, belts, tools, etc.. Edited by redpepe, Jan 23 2011, 07:07 AM.
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| Turbo Dan-O | Jan 23 2011, 08:50 AM Post #22 |
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Obsessive Car Detailer
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As with any car I have owned they have to earn my trust. I drove my Metro everyday everywhere close to home for about a month. I had zero problems out of it. After that I knew a log trip would be easy so we drove it to the beach and back. That was about 1000 miles. After that trip I feel like I would drive that car ANYWHERE. With the reliability, great gas milage, and as cheap and easy they are to work on I think the Geo Metro IS the ultimate road trip car! I look foward to lots of great trips in my Metro. Dan-O |
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| 92blumetro | Jan 23 2011, 09:25 AM Post #23 |
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jack of all trades, master of two
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i would do 2000+km round trip from penticton,bc to medicine hat,ab .all mountain roads.only had spare belts,hand tools.have total faith in my 20 year old car,has never left me stranded,over 270,xxx on the clock |
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| bogs | Jan 23 2011, 12:16 PM Post #24 |
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Duct tape heals all wounds
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I'm in the group with Schultz and Billy, however I would add that all my vehicles carry the exact same things, it isn't Metro specific. Short of complete engine / transmission failure, I don't like having to wait to move on. |
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| Jittney | Jan 23 2011, 12:41 PM Post #25 |
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Anchorage 92 XFi
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sigh....I'm that lady who drove vehicles under warranty and only needed a cell phone and card if the SUV died. It was a miserable life....really. I was not allowed to work on anything. Since I've been let loose on a metro, and have reacquainted myself with tools I am finding myself pretty territorial about letting anyone else touch my vehicle. I know I make mistakes, but at least I make them and I can learn what I did wrong. If someone else works on it, I can't learn firsthand what to do. Having said all that, do you think I have any tools in the car? Duh..no. I have a leatherman in the glove compartment, I think. I need a small spare set (in both cars), that if someone steals them, I still have a full set at home. But, if I took a long trip, I'd have to have an impact screwdriver. These cars have so many phillips head screws that are impossible for me to budge, that I need the impact screwdriver.... a lot. There was a recent post of a guy who used a standard screwdriver to undo the loctited screws on the end plate of the transmission (by 5th gear) ....while it was still in the car!.....and my response was 'seriously?!!'
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| Jim-Bob | Jan 23 2011, 12:52 PM Post #26 |
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Junkyard Engineer
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As good as a Metro may be, it is always wise to carry spare parts and tools on a road trip in ANY old car. I am thinking of a big road trip in the white 92 Metro after I sell my house this summer and even though it will be basically a new car at that time I will still carry spares and tools. Having had a water pump/alternator belt die on my Frontier in the middle of rural Virginia at dusk during a road trip several years ago, I have learned to always carry spares of the essentials and fluids. (How did I solve it? I pulled the hood off the truck and threw it in the bed. The extra air flow through the radiator drove the fan which drove the water pump and let me get to a parts store and buy two new belts.) |
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| Murf 59 | Jan 23 2011, 12:56 PM Post #27 |
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I carry a pretty good tool kit also. Mine does included WD40, and spray Chemtool. I just got back from a 2820 mile road trip in the Rocket. It ran great. Was able to holds its own with the 4x4s in the snow and slush. Climbing over the Rocky Mnts. The car never lost traction once. And I still got 40pmg over the Mnts. It was a hard climb. Last time I made that trip. My Tbelt had about 65k miles on it. I had the belt. Even looked at installing it the day before the trip. It broke 10 miles short of the Vail pass headed home. I was able to have it towed to town. I figured out what was needed, orderd the parts. They came in the next morning. I put the new belt on it. In about 45 mins later was on the road. I now carry a Tbelt in mine. Also a spare ingniter. But you should have no problems. These cars are great. Have funon your trip. To hold the tools. I use a canvas military style bags. HF sells them for about $8. You can put quite a few tools in one + rags. And put them under your spare tire.
Edited by Murf 59, Jan 23 2011, 01:02 PM.
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| nerys | Jan 24 2011, 12:59 PM Post #28 |
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Grr
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intriguing. usually the fan is connected to the crank not an accessory. you got lucky!! bet that got some stares :-) hehe |
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| jeff | Jan 24 2011, 01:14 PM Post #29 |
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YES!! Do it. |
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| Jim-Bob | Jan 24 2011, 02:03 PM Post #30 |
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Junkyard Engineer
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No, normally it is connected to the water pump. I have yet to see a car where it is connected to the crank as that would make it eat into the ground. |
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