How many flat tires do you get a year?

[brewnog]

So how much would it cost me to buy something which would get me from east to west, perhaps needing the occasional poke under the bonnet? Can I drive on a UK license in the US? Can I afford the insurance? Would I be better renting something? Would I have to take it back again afterwards? Are there laws about where I camp? What happens if I get done speeding?

I just want to drive for days in a country where I can actually afford petrol. It's really pissing me off here now.

 

[Moonbear]

I managed to drive for a good number of years without only one prior flat (a set of tires that should have been replaced a tad sooner than I got around to doing it), then last year, my car seemed to turn into a nail magnet! I had about 4 flats (slow leaks because the nail was still in the hole keeping it reasonably well plugged...I fortunately have a portable air compressor so could just reinflate to get around the corner to the tire shop) in about a month's time. It seemed I was picking up a new nail every week. Best I can figure, it was from the neighbor who was having a new roof installed and probably lots of nails from the old roof landed in the street. I got 3 in one tire and 1 in another tire. I wasn't fond of those tires to begin with (they were the factory-installed tires, and I didn't like their lack of traction on wet roads, so was considering changing them anyway), so when I got the 3rd puncture in the same tire, I just had them replace the whole set with ones that came with a road-hazard guarantee (they replace them no matter what I do to them under a certain number of miles of wear). I was just getting nervous about having too many patches in a tire, especially since a few times a year I drive pretty long distances alone and didn't want a blow-out. Haven't had any flats since then (of course ).

 

[zoobyshoe]

So how much would it cost me to buy something which would get me from east to west, perhaps needing the occasional poke under the bonnet?

This is completely a matter of luck. I've known people who've made it cross country in a $400.00 clunker with no major problems. I suppose it boils down to how good you are at assessing used cars.

Can I drive on a UK license in the US?

Dunno

Can I afford the insurance?

Probably not a problem.

Would I be better renting something?

I think in general, the longer you rent a car for, the cheaper it is. It's something to look into, for sure.

Would I have to take it back again afterwards?

No, you drop it off where you end up.

Are there laws about where I camp?

Yes. The country is peppered with legal campgrounds, though. The location of these is marked on every US map I've ever seen. It costs a little bit, but you get access to showers and proper bathrooms.

What happens if I get done speeding?

You'll be pulled over and given a ticket. The fine depends on the laws of the particular state in which you're caught, and how much in excess of the limit you were going.

I just want to drive for days in a country where I can actually afford petrol. It's really pissing me off here now.

You had better do this soon, then. The price per gallon is accelerating upward here.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Best I can figure, it was from the neighbor who was having a new roof installed and probably lots of nails from the old roof landed in the street.

Roofing work, and construction in general, are flat tire generating systems, yes.

 

[Huckleberry]

Help getting your license
http://www.firstgov.gov/Topics/Foreign_Visitors_Driving.shtml
renting a car. prepare for at least $1000
http://www.orbitz.com/App/ViewAdvCarOrbot?z=hhae&r=x

 

[Huckleberry]

But really, could you call that a car in the first place?

Are you kidding! I loved that car. I drove it through over 40 states. I put about 80k miles on it. When I was finished with it it had just over 200k miles on it. I can still feel myself driving it. I don't know what to do with my other hand now that I'm driving an automatic.

 

[Moonbear]

So how much would it cost me to buy something which would get me from east to west, perhaps needing the occasional poke under the bonnet? Can I drive on a UK license in the US? Can I afford the insurance? Would I be better renting something? Would I have to take it back again afterwards? Are there laws about where I camp? What happens if I get done speeding?

I just want to drive for days in a country where I can actually afford petrol. It's really pissing me off here now.

Car rental rates can vary, but you can rent something by the week (no poking around under bonnets required, though you'll lose time if you have to stop to wait for them to exchange your car if you break down in the middle of nowhere). It's a bit more expensive to rent one-way, but there's no problem doing so. There's a daily fee for insurance through the rental companies. It's a bit of a rip-off, but if you don't have any other insurance, it's better to have it.

You won't be able to just buy something for a short trip because you'd need to establish residency to get it registered and legal to drive, so a rental is your only option.

I don't think your UK license will work, you'll need to get an international driver's license (and drive carefully through little two-bit towns in the middle of nowhere, because those cops are likely to think you got it out of a cereal box even if it is a legit license to drive on). Just remember, we drive in the RIGHT side of the road here! If you get caught speeding, you'll get a ticket. If you don't pay it, the next time you try to visit the US, they'll collect at the border or ship you back home as a deportee (no kidding, I have a friend it happened to over a $5 parking ticket for a university parking lot he got on the day he was moving out and had already turned in his parking pass; he had to pay the ticket plus extra fines before they would let him in again).

Though, if you want to be able to afford the gas, you better do it soon!

Camping isn't something I'm too knowledgeable about when traveling. I usually sleep in the car at rest areas if I can't find a motel of some sort when on long road trips. You can't just pitch a tent anywhere though, so you may have to plot your trip to include parks and campgrounds if you want to camp along the way. Someone else will have to answer that one.

 

[Moonbear]

I don't know what to do with my other hand now that I'm driving an automatic.

I'm sure you'll think of something.

 

[Evo]

Hypatia, how many miles a year do you drive? I get the tires replaced as soon as I see the inside wall showing through. About once every 5 years.

I just had the brakes done and three new tires and it cost me $1,182.00. (I actually got a flat a few months ago and had to buy a single tire. They're $150 each, plus allignment, etc... it adds up.

 

[Danger]

So how much would it cost me to buy something which would get me from east to west, perhaps needing the occasional poke under the bonnet? Can I drive on a UK license in the US? Can I afford the insurance?

Here, you can get a pretty decent beater for $300. To maximize economy, get one with a 4 cylinder engine (I can't believe that I said that, because I don't consider that to be a real car). Be prepared to take the mountains in lower gears, though. If you have something akin to the Canadian Motor Association, get your insurance through that. They cover not only car-related stuff, but also passports, maps, and any appropriate health insurance (and you don't want to be in the States without that).

Also, if you really do this, PM me ahead of time. I'll send you my address. You can't be over here and not spend some time in Canada.

 

[Huckleberry]

I'm sure you'll think of something.

Yeah, I usually end up smoking, or eating, or combing my luxurious hair.

brewnog, getting an international license isn't hard. The international license only means that you have a valid driver's license in your home country and are allowed to drive in the U.S. as long as the international license is valid.

http://info.insure.com/auto/foreignlicense.html
Might not need this link at all. The place that rents the car will probably offer you insurance. This might help you compare prices.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I just had the brakes done and three new tires and it cost me $1,182.00.

Boy, this doesn't sound right. What did they do to your brakes, exactly?

(I actually got a flat a few months ago and had to buy a single tire. They're $150 each, plus allignment, etc... it adds up.

This also sounds like an awful lot to me. Every car is different, though.

 

[Huckleberry]

That might be right if they had to replace the pads and the surface. What are those things called, rotors? Good SUV tires might cost $150 a piece. I'm sure the inspection and labor and parts and that sum sounds about right. Still a rip off, but a pretty average rip off.

 

[Danger]

I don't know what to do with my other hand now that I'm driving an automatic.

I'm sure you'll think of something. If worst comes to worst, take a laptop with you and pull up Evo's pictures.
In Canada, you can drive with any nation's driver's license. An international one is better, though, because it implies extended experience.

 

[Evo]

Boy, this doesn't sound right. What did they do to your brakes, exactly?

Apparently replaced them with gold bars.

Like the first time I took my new BMW in for a minor tune up - $500, of course they explained to me that the spark plugs were platinum tipped.

This also sounds like an awful lot to me. Every car is different, though.

I shopped around, they're special tires. Only one place in town keeps them in stock. Both places I went to to get tires had to go to this place to get them.

 

[Huckleberry]

I'm sure you'll think of something. If worst comes to worst, take a laptop with you and pull up Evo's pictures.

I've got the whole family as screensavers.

 

[Evo]

That might be right if they had to replace the pads and the surface.

Yeah, they had to replace everything, around 77,000 miles on them.

I'm sure the inspection and labor and parts and that sum sounds about right. Still a rip off, but a pretty average rip off.

I could have had the work done cheaper at a small mechanic's shop, but I don't know any that I can trust, so I took it to the car dealer with the service manager that seems to be on a heavy dose of some sort of drug that makes him the happiest, friendliest guy on earth.

 

[zoobyshoe]

That might be right if they had to replace the pads and the surface. What are those things called, rotors? Good SUV tires might cost $150 a piece. I'm sure the inspection and labor and parts and that sum sounds about right. Still a rip off, but a pretty average rip off.

On my truck you could completely replace everything replacable about the brakes with brand new parts for quite a bit less than that. Last time I got new tires was about 8 years ago for a Honda sedan. I got the best ones they had in a deal that included future tire rotations for something like $350.00. No spare, though, just the four on the wheels.
I don't know what Evo drives, but 150.00 for one tire...?

 

[zoobyshoe]

I could have had the work done cheaper at a small mechanic's shop, but I don't know any that I can trust, so I took it to the car dealer with the service manager that seems to be on a heavy dose of some sort of drug that makes him the happiest, friendliest guy on earth.

Dealerships charge the most, yep. Those happy drugs are expensive.

 

[BobG]

Normally, the only time I've had trouble with flats is when the tire is about ready to be replaced anyway.

I did have my right front tire blowout on I-80 south of Chicago at over 80 mph (I normally don't drive that fast - in the city it's safer to get into the left lane and go with the flow of traffic). The shreds from the blown tire also blew out the inside of my fender well. The steel belted radials have an inner tire, so you can still control the car if you don't panic.

The most frustrating thing is being stuck in the left lane wanting to get over to the right shoulder, but the yokel in the lane next to you has slown down to match your speed and is trying to point out to you that you have a flat tire. You get an exasperated look on your face and try to wave him out of your way and he just gets more insistent, as if saying, "No, no, you don't understand - yyyooooooouuuuurrrr ttttiiiiiiiiiirrrrrre iiiiiiiiiiiissss fffffllllllllaaaattttttt."

 

[Gale]

You can make it across the US in less than two weeks. definetly. If you're going for bare minimum... i'd say something like 7 days. if you wanted to see lots of sites, i'd say take a month.

Also, i'd just buy a car... but that's me. renting would give you a little more assurance i guess. but i'd rather buy a car and see how far it takes me. i bought my current car for $500. and its lasted me over a year really nicely. i only just had to put a little work into it. And i wouldn't've even done that if it weren't for my parents.

also, I've never had a flat tire... ever. and i can only think of one time when anyone in my family's even had one. i put 40,000 miles on my car in a year, and the tires were fine. and i live in the boonies... though the crappy roads sucked up my shocks more than my tires.

edit:
just remembered a funny story: when i first got my lisence, my grandfather was like "what, you can't be driving, you don't know anything about cars, what're you going to do when you get a flat? i bet you won't even know where you keep the spare!" and i was like, "pappy, don't worry, i have a plan in case i get a flat. i won't have a spare tire, i'll keep a skirt in my trunk, and when i get a flat, i'll put it on, hike it up, and stick out my leg until some kind passerby helped me with the flat."

 

[Danger]

I've got the whole family as screensavers.

I don't have screensavers, because Macs shut the monitor off at the point where a PC would activate a saver. Also, Marlon's girlfriend is already my desktop. I do, however, have the entire Evo family collection safely stashed in my art files in case she decides to delete them from PF.

the service manager that seems to be on a heavy dose of some sort of drug that makes him the happiest, friendliest guy on earth.

It's the most powerful drug known to Yanks... money.

I don't know what Evo drives, but 150.00 for one tire...?

Well, as I said, mine are $400 to $500 each, depending upon where purchased. Of course, that's Canuk money...

 

[Huckleberry]

I bought some new tires for my pontiac grand am last year and it cost me about 80 a tire. They weren't even top of the line tires. After intallation the price was ~ $400.

Several years ago I had to have my brakes replaced. I had scored the drums, or rotors or whatever and they needed to be replaced. That also was about $300.
Evo, after 10k miles when you get an oil change ask for a brake inspection. It should be free. If you hear squeeking or the pedal goes to the floor without halting the tires then get the pads replaced. Pads are much cheaper to replace than the actual parts. And if they say you need new parts always ask to see the old parts and make them show you the damage. Those parts are yours! They often send them somewhere to be repaired and reused. If they think they can scam you many places will. Maybe not dealerships, but they charge more.

 

[Moonbear]

I don't know what Evo drives, but 150.00 for one tire...?

Probably the sort of car I'd love to drive, that requires expensive performance tires.

 

[Huckleberry]

i'd say something like 7 days.

I promise you, it can be done in 48 hours. If you stay on highways and do not sleep and only stop to get gas you can make it in just under two days. I've personally done it in about 55 - 60 hours. I've driven from Seattle to Milwaukee in 36 hours. I was almost run off the road by a 10 foot tall tumbleweed but dammit, I had to get to Thanksgiving on time.

 

[Moonbear]

I bought some new tires for my pontiac grand am last year and it cost me about 80 a tire. They weren't even top of the line tires. After intallation the price was ~ $400.

Yep, that's around what mine run too.

Several years ago I had to have my brakes replaced. I had scored the drums, or rotors or whatever and they needed to be replaced. That also was about $300.

Yep, I know that feeling. I had no warning the brakes were even getting that worn. It wasn't until they started making that awful grinding that I knew was metal on metal that I knew to take it in (all my previous cars had brakes with something in the pad that made a noise so you'd know they were getting worn too low before they were completely gone). Plus I was doing both mountain driving and spending a lot of time driving on hills locally where everyone in front of me seems to want to ride their brakes, so end up having to do the same, so they wore a lot faster than I expected.

 

[Danger]

Evo, after 10k miles when you get an oil change ask for a brake inspection.

If you're going 10,000 miles between oil changes, you have a more serious problem than tires. 5,000 maximum; 2,000 if you're conscientious.

If you hear squeeking or the pedal goes to the floor without halting the tires then get the pads replaced. Pads are much cheaper to replace than the actual parts.

Likewise. The wear indicators should start squealing long before you have trouble stopping. If the pedal goes to the floor, you need to check for fluid leaks and probably need to have the rotors turned or replaced. The pucks are parts just as much as anything else, but luckily relatively inexpensive ones that save other parts if replaced in time.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I promise you, it can be done in 48 hours. If you stay on highways and do not sleep and only stop to get gas you can make it in just under two days. I've personally done it in about 55 - 60 hours. I've driven from Seattle to Milwaukee in 36 hours. I was almost run off the road by a 10 foot tall tumbleweed but dammit, I had to get to Thanksgiving on time.

If one person does it alone in less than two weeks it means that person has been driving at night. You drive at night, your sightseeing consists of abstract paint lines on tar. I know he seems to just want to waste gas wantonly, but we must make sure Brewnog sees the amazing United States of America.

 

[Moonbear]

I promise you, it can be done in 48 hours. If you stay on highways and do not sleep and only stop to get gas you can make it in just under two days. I've personally done it in about 55 - 60 hours. I've driven from Seattle to Milwaukee in 36 hours. I was almost run off the road by a 10 foot tall tumbleweed but dammit, I had to get to Thanksgiving on time.

You'd also have to time the trip so you don't hit any major cities during rush hour. With a decent food and rest break halfway, you can get from D.C. to Cincinnati in about 11 hours depending on traffic in D.C. and whether I drive at hypatia speeds. That's my limit for one day of driving.

Brewnog, if you do the road trip thing and pass through Cincinnati, you're welcome to visit. You can even sleep on a bed instead of the ground for a night if you want to stay and see the city a bit.

Oh, I'd also suggest that you consider getting one of those throw-away cell phones once you're here so you have a way to call for help in an emergency. Most interstates have numbers accessible by cell phone posted to call if you have a roadside emergency.

 

[zoobyshoe]

If you're going 10,000 miles between oil changes, you have a more serious problem than tires. 5,000 maximum; 2,000 if you're conscientious.

Every car is different. Follow the schedule in your manual and add Prolong when you change the oil.

Likewise. The wear indicators should start squealing long before you have trouble stopping. If the pedal goes to the floor, you need to check for fluid leaks and probably need to have the rotors turned or replaced. The pucks are parts just as much as anything else, but luckily relatively inexpensive ones that save other parts if replaced in time.

Yeah, if your pedal goes to the floor you have a lot of air in the line, or a leak. It shouldn't go to the floor just from worn pads or rotors that are glazed, or scratched.