Skepticism about high-mileage cars is annoying

The Upper Hand and I are getting married in July, and immediately following are embarking on a road trip to Montreal and Quebec City. Her father has repeatedly said he doesn't want us driving up there in my car...he has even gone so far as to offer to pay for a rental car (for two weeks!).

I take care of my car, change the oil regularly, will be carrying commonly-broken spare parts and my tools, and I have been replacing wear items in anticipation. It gets better gas mileage than just about any rental car, I don't have to return it when I'm done, it won't smell like cigarettes, and even if it does break, it's my car and I know how to fix it.

Does anyone else get really defensive when people suggest that your car is an unreliable piece of junk that can't make it down the driveway?

That said, if he wants to rent us a Gallardo or even a CTS-V Coupe or something from one of those Rent-An-Exotic places, I'll be singing a different tune

When my daughter was born we were to take a trip from NJ to Florida to visit the wife's family. I opted to use my 78 VW Microbus for the trip and everyone complained. But my reasoning was I could fix anything on that bus on the side of the road with basic tools and I knew everything about it.

Trip went fine.

Nobody around me wants to drive or really even ride in my DD. It's as simple as a stone to fix even with EFI on it. It starts every time with a screwdriver. Ignition key/lock jammed one day and I just removed it. That was almost two years ago. It needs the AC clutch fixed, new tires and brakes, trans shift points fixed and prolly should put a turndown on the muffler. But despite all it's faults, I wouldn't hesitate to drive cross country with it if I had too. Others are amazed it even rolls down the road much less out of my driveway.

What kind of car do you have, and how many miles are on it?

I've started renting cars for long trips, not because I don't trust my own car but because I figure it's cheaper in the long run. For instance, a couple weeks ago I drove a rental from Minneapolis to Tulsa and back, a round trip of about 1500 miles; the rental was around $110 so the cost per mile was about 14 cents /mile (not counting gas, which would have been the same either way.) That's a lot cheaper than the cost of wear and tear on my own car, so I figure I came out ahead.

The rental agency gave me a new Altima; it wasn't the coolest car in the world but it was comfortable, had plenty of room, and the radio and a/c worked great. Also, if it had broken down it would have been the rental agency's responsibility.

Mom keeps asking when I am going to get rid of my Miata. Okay, so it was down due to laziness for a few years (cluch needed replacing, and I had a steady stream of others through in that time, even made money on all of them).

Still, it will likely go away soon, to donate itself to a Locost chassis, using the RM Classics chassis that I got on the board.

While annoying, I'd jump on the rental car for the reasons that Stuart presented.

I work part time at a car rental place and even before doing so I rented cars for long trips, much less hassle if something goes wrong, even if its not your fault.

I have a 400 mile trip in a fenderless 1928 model A in three months, how much worse can yours be.

I have been known in the past to buy a cool car in the middle of the country with some miles and drive it back to California. Going to be in Texas in about a month to pick up the next one, never been. Taking the long way home.

Don't overlook what your soon-to-be F.i.L. is really saying. It's probably not so much about the car (well, depending on what you drive...) as it is about watching as his baby girl drives away into the future with her new husband. He just wants to keep a bit of parenthood going.

Every family is different, and this is totally up to you and your spouse, but you might want to consider bending on this one in order to put some goodwill in the bank for later.

To OP: Yes, I hate that. I don't really have it so much anymore, but I used to do 500 miles across Canada between NY and MI with my 20 year old carbed truck. Everyone was making fun/worried/scared/laughing at me. It never broke down on the trip, and I made it 50 times.

I hate it when you're married to the person who doesn't want another "old car". So the MG Midget is an unreliable POS. That doesn't mean the '98 328i powered by a supercharged S50 is too.

The wife's van is right at 200K. I rent her a car for long trips usually but she took it to Atlanta last weekend. Ten hours round trip.

I'll be in Macon tomorrow with my work van. It has 270K on it.

My Mother bugs me about replacing them fairly regularly. She's a firm believer in new.

I get that a lot about my 9000 Aero with 243k. Fact is I trust it more than anything I can afford (not to mention there's not much out there that I can afford that I'd rather have).

I have 409,000 miles on my truck. I put a few additional thousand per month on it. It's always our vehicle of choice when we need to pile the family into something for a long haul. I wouldn't hesitate to drive it to CA and back.

Having said that, why would you be so dumb as to refuse daddy-in-law's offer to rent you a new ride? Live it up! See if you can find someone who will rent you an Aston Martin!

I purchased a $700 1975 Plymouth Fury in 99 and then drove it from Los Angeles to Ohio.

I drove the old tow van back and forth from the Challenge and Mitty for several years until I killed it, the replacement Expedition has 202K on it.

That said, use the rental, it will be clean, any problems are the rental company's and it will help cement a relationship with your soon to be FIL

IMHO

will be carrying commonly-broken spare parts and my tools

You know you drive a beater when...

Respectfully decline, take your car, and teach them a lesson.

Did the future missus ask you to sell the car? No. Dad just doesn't want the honeymoon ruined by a breakdown. You will find much better things to argue about at a later time, just say thanks and take the rental, it is a gift not an insult.

Your on your honeymoon? Shoot, your prime objective should be to get from church to hotel room in as little time as possible (hubba hubba). Take the rental car & enjoy the honeymoon.

KJ

OTOH, I vividly recall freeing up a seized caliper on my built 77 Malibu on a busy piece of freeway just outside Manhattan-on my honeymoon.

The rental might be a nice break from your everyday car.

... think "what if"... if you do have a problem with the car (and it's possible... just like it's possible the rental could have a problem) and i'm sure you could fix it... but at the same time you may get the old "i told you so"... and being that it's at the start of a lifelong relationship...

go for the rental and see if you can't get a convertible or something like that. :)

i had a similar issue when we first got married (wanted to take my 89 escort because well it got mid 40's on the highway. i won the arguement. got 100 miles out of town and well ya the engine blew(only 345k on it lol guess it was time) ended up driving a 5.4 f-150 oklahoma to florida that kind killed the mpg's. take your father inlaws advice. he was right in my situation(motor threw 2 rods at like litterly the same time wierdest thing)

Twin-Cam, you're new at this, just getting married. If the FIL wants to rent you a car just let him do it. It will go a loooong way on the road to Domestic Harmony.

Besides, if something does happen, even getting planked by a deer or a flat tire, you have the rest of your life to hear about it.

Married 30 years; not as proud and stubborn as I used to be....

My sister and brother in law were going to drive across the country, literally coast to coast, to visit family and help renovate a house to prepare it for sale. My dad was borrowing my 99 Grand Marquis for the summer, and thought it would be a much more dependable on such a long trip than her old saturn or his 90 something camaro V6. I agreed to let them borrow it since he was letting me park the car at his house for a few months.

And reliable it was. Brother in law said it was the perfect highway cruiser. The whole story was great except for the part where they accidentally backed into his aunt's Honda Pilot and crunched in the rear passenger door. No damage to my car. After agreeing to handle it privately....a few parties called the insurance to ask some "hypothetical questions" but that really only served to get the claims ball rolling. In the end my insurance had to cover it all. FML.

It didnt affect my rates but I am sure that was my one free pass for a few years.

You might as well take him up on the rental so if some unforseen circumstance occurs, you wont have to get your hands dirty, they will give you another car, and your personal car will be safe at home.

What is the ultimate goal of the trip? Is it the journey or the destination? If it's the journey, take offer for the rental.

With gas prices as high as they are and airfare as low as they recently are, why not fly to Montreal and rent a car there? Mom & Dad just got back from a trip that was cheaper flying than gas would have been.

Plus, that would give you the opportunity to join the mile high club.

This makes me think of craigslist ads where as evidence of a cars trustworthiness the seller mentions that he just took it on a 50 mile drive.

Color me unimpressed. Cruising down the interstate is one of the least demanding things that you can ask of a car.