Long Drive Ahead, What Should Be Checked?

[ChannelZ28]

first things first, i know absolutely nothing about cars. i know how to check oil levels and tire pressure, thats about it. i havent owned a car in 7 years until i bought an 85 tercel wagon this year. anyway, it has 233k miles on it, a fair amount of rust and almost no tread left on the tires. im thinking about driving it from where i live in northern new mexico to lake tahoe nevada. i know i need new tires before i go, but i feel like i should take it to a shop to have it looked at. can i go into a shop and literally ask them if it will make 1000+ miles without any trouble? any clues what the cost might be? do i need to ask them to check specific things or should they know what is or isnt likely to fail in the next 1000 miles?

i drive the car about once a week, it can be a pain to start on cold morning but other than that it runs great, it starts fine when its warm outside regardless of whether or not its been sitting, and it starts fine if driven on consecutive days regardless of how cold it is. no funny noises, no funny smells, no nothing. ive put about 2000 miles on it over 6 months without a single problem. i think i get over 30 mpg, hard to tell since the gas gauge works kinda funny. im just a little apprehensive about loading all my stuff in it to move ( amazing how much crap it holds for such a little car) and having it die in the middle of the desert in nevada.

any input is always appreciated.

[ARCHINSTL]

If your area has a AAA inspection station, take it there. STL has a AAA station that only performs inspections - no repairs. Failing that (figure of speech - not a comment), call a local PD and ask for a reccy fro an honest shop. Does your state require a safety inspection for licensing?
I would doubt that any garage would 'guarantee' a trouble-free trip like this for a 25-year old car, whether for fear of harming their reputation or their liability, should a safety-related item fail.

Change the air, oil, and fuel filters (take along an extra of the latter - they are inexpensive). Change the oil in the engine, rear end, and trans/front diff *.
Change the belts, hoses, thermostat, and coolant (you are going into a long desert, right?).
Take along a couple of quarts of oil and a couple of gallons of potable water (hopefully unneeded for either you or the car).
Take a groundcloth, disposable gloves, and jumper cables. Take an assortment of common tools, like a ViseGrip and pliers and zip ties and...
And a cel phone, of course (like, who does not have one nowadays? Even moi has one...).

Good Luck and let us know how your preparations go - and the trip as well!
Tom M.

* See notes on changing trans/front diff oil; if you do not do it yourself, make sure the tech is aware of this - and make sure he removes the filler plugs before the drain plugs!

[Petros]

taking to any repair shop is risky if you do not know anything about your car. Sometimes even a good reputation will not save you from paying for necessary repairs (my daughter is in collage and she took her CRX to a local shop with a good reputation, they wanted $600 to replace the rear brakes, that I had just replace a few months before-total crooks) Many tire places offer "free" brake checks, but that is designed to scare you into paying them to do brake work, sometimes totally unnecessary. You have to find someone you trust.

Most important things are items that could leave you stuck. If the engine is running good, that what is necessary to keep it running. I would bring a spare fuel pump (easy to change), change the fuel filter (cheap and easy to replace), and if the spark plugs and wires are good leave them, replace if bad.

If the brakes work fine now, they will likely get you to Tahoe and back. Put in fresh antifreeze and a new thermostat. YOu might flush the radiator and heater before you put in the new coolant. Check all your water hoses and fuel lines are in good condition. Replace if necessary.

AT the least top up the gear oil in the trans and rear diff, and make sure you have motor oil on your trip. YOu might also want to check for air leaks in the firewall, door and seals, that cold air can be a real nuisance on a long trip in winter.


Good luck.

[splatterdog]

When you get new tires, nicely ask to take a look under the car while it's on the lift. The tires will be off so as long as the rear drums aren't stuck a brake inspection should cost little to nothing. Same goes for front end.If you go to a tire only discount store, you're on your own. Just make sure the lugs are tight and not on backwards before you go.

Depending on previous maintenance it may be ready for new fluids, especially the trans. They can seem OK and still be full of liquified metal.

If you're going to keep/drive the car for a while there is no reason it shouldn't always be ready for a trip. Old or new, maintenance/upkeep is critical. I kinda laugh when someone wants their car "winterized". No different from "summerized" other than being a little more critical about tire tread.

Define "fair amount of rust". If it's anything like a fair amount in Minnesota, I can understand any apprehension about sinking money into a "clunker". A few bubbles and maybe some small holes, looking pretty good around here.

You also didn't state your intentions for the car. Will you only drive it once a week after your move? Do you see it as a long term car? These are one of the cheapest/most capable,reliable cars ever.

[ARCHINSTL]

XLNT advice from Petros and splatterdog - two of the gurus of T4WD-dom.
What the latter mentioned about checking how the lug nuts fit is important; they are chamfered on one end to mate with the Toy lug holes. Also - if the tire store uses impact wrenches instead of a torque wrench or torque sticks - be sure you have a lug wrench long enought to break the bond (the OE may well not give enough leverage) - in fact, check the tool cubby to make sure you have a jack and wrench - the latter are not too expensive - I always use a regular breaker bar and a 21mm socket (for OE-sized nuts). Sometimes the "installer" can break off a stud - this is what a Sears store did on two (!) of my wheels when I got the car in Smyrna TN - and did not tell me...

Taking an extra fuel pump is a good idea as well - if purchased at a chain store like AutoZone it can usually be returned if not used.

Re brakes - buy a can of brake fluid "just in case." It's inexpensive. At some point in your ownership (before Winter) you should change the fluid and bleed them. If unfamiliar - have a shop do it - but call around for prices.

And - try not to bury your tools and supplies under the kitchen sink; I know...
If we seem "cautious" - the youngest of our cars is 22-years old. These are great little cars, but remember the Boy Scouts' motto...
Tom M.

[ChannelZ28]

thanks guys for all the information...im making a checklist from all the posts as for what to check/bring. the fuel filter was actually recently changed, so unless they tend to fail suddenly and regardless of age, i think it should be ok.

as for taking it to a shop to get looked at, i am very aware of shops trying to rip people off, i dont get ripped off easily. i ask lots of questions and make sure i know exactly what im getting and why, before i pay for something.

someone mentioned my intentions...they are to get me about 1100 miles without any trouble, i dont care if it dies the next day. i wont be driving it again. if i can still sell it for a bit at that point i would, but this is not a long term car. just for one more trip, i generally live comfortably without a car. that being said, im trying to do this as cheap as possible. im going to see what i can do myself in the next week and then look or a shop for what i cant. i havent looked at the tutorials on this site yet but im assuming they will help a lot!