This summer, I bought a cheap 2008 Land Rover Range Rover with 216,000 miles on the clock from a guy on Facebook Marketplace. The big SUV was meant to be my daily driver in New York City, where it could soak up bumps and take bumper taps from people who parallel park even worse than I do.
Because I live in NYC, I don’t really drive much, so the Range Rover has mostly been sitting. I’ve put about 1,500 miles on the clock since I bought it, and have basically done zero maintenance besides an oil change and replacing a couple of O2 sensors to see if the check engine light would go away (it did not). I also complained about the placement of the backup camera, which, the more I think about it, should be the least of my concerns.
That’s because I’m about to embark on a real, actual road trip with this Range Rover. Instead of flying to my girlfriend’s parents’ house for Thanksgiving this year, we’ve decided to drive. The journey from New York to Chicago isn’t massive by American road trip standards, but for an old Range Rover with this many miles on the clock, it might as well be a trip to the moon and back.
What’s the Plan, For Real?
I’m not doing this road trip just for a road trip’s sake, despite having done many road trips in the past for no real reason at all. There’s a purpose to getting this Range Rover to Chicago: Utility. My girlfriend has a bunch of furniture in storage at her parents’ house, and wants to bring that stuff back to NYC. I could’ve reserved a press car for this, but risking missing Thanksgiving for a fun story about getting stuck on the side of the road just feels more right.
The northernmost route is my plan right now because it’s the quickest, which means blasting straight through New Jersey and into Pennsylvania, where I’ll hop on I-80 the whole way. After that, the plan is to cruise the northern edges of Ohio and Indiana on I-90, before finally arriving in beautiful Chicago (technically, we’re going to the suburbs north of Chicago, which adds another hour or so).
I’ve driven this exact route nearly a dozen times in my life, which is a lot by writer standards but nearly none at all by trucker standards. I’d say it’s enough to declare myself familiar with the roads. I’m confident we can get it done in one day, with an early a.m. departure time, gas stops, and a lunch stop baked in.
Speaking of gas, the Range Rover’s 4.4-liter V-8 isn’t exactly economical. It was rated at about 18 mpg by the EPA when new, which is pretty terrible by modern standards. We’re looking at around three gas stops between New York and Illinois, with around $90 spent at each stop (the Range Rover’s gas tank is pretty huge at 27.6 gallons).
Does The Car … Work?
As of this writing, yes! I’ve been driving it for the past week or so to make sure nothing major is wrong with this Range. That’s included a trip from my parents’ house, a bunch of low-speed city driving, and a tiny trip last weekend to the middle of New Jersey and back. And it hasn’t left me stranded, which is the only metric of success that matters.
If you’ve read any of my previous musings on this thing, you’ll know this truck is far from perfect, of course. It has that emissions-related check engine light I mentioned above, which is annoying, plus another light on the dashboard for a tire pressure monitoring fault I have yet to look into. There are a few underbody panels that are just … missing. And I just learned today that the heated seats don’t work. Oh, and it leaks oil when it sits, and there are some pretty significant rust spots on the body.
For an old Range Rover with a lot of miles, that’s actually not too bad. The big thing everyone asks about, the four-corner air suspension, works fine, so long as you don’t ask it to raise up or down (if you do, it starts to get mad by throwing error messages on the dash). It holds air, which is more than I expected when I bought the thing.
Please Tell Me You’re Prepared
Anyone who’s been stranded on the side of the road with a project car knows things can go from fine to catastrophically bad in an instant. I’ve been a card-carrying Premier AAA member (the highest-tier membership you can get) for years now, and it’s saved me from having to pay for expensive roadside tows numerous times. For $125 a year, it’s very worth it, just for the peace of mind.
I’d consider myself mildly handy, so if something minor breaks that I can fix, I’d rather go that route. To that end, I’m bringing a toolbox (a 239-piece Gearwrench set I’ve had for years) and a duffel bag full of stuff like an air compressor, a fire extinguisher, zip ties, an impact gun, and a bunch of other assorted tools. I’ll also have a floor jack, a couple of jack stands, oil, and coolant.
As for road trip gear, I have a USB charger for my phone, the dash cam from my now-sold Miata (which I have yet to install, and a radar detector. I’m on the fence on whether to actually mount the detector, as I don’t plan on speeding, but you can never be too safe, right?
So, dear Autopian readers, how screwed am I? Do you have any advice for me? Is this a terrible mistake, or do you think I’ll make it to Chicago and back intact? Having driven the Range Rover without any major issues thus far, I’m pretty confident. But as with any car with this many miles, anything could happen. Let me know what you think.
Top graphic image: Brian Silvestro
Bring lots of warm clothes (and preferably sleeping bags) just in case. Cars get cold quickly in winter.
To hit those miles, it’s got to be at least a half-decent example. I’ve done north of Boston to Detroit, about 100 fewer miles overnight to look at a car, found the guy was lying to me, and went back home in about 28 hours total, so there in a day should be fine. Only issue (unless it’s changed) is PA sucks for cops—slow limits, lots of places around turns to sit and wait and some parts use aircraft, though IME, that’s northeast of where you’ll be. When I came back cross country on I80, I got so sick of PA that I detoured south to NJ to pick up the NJTP/95. Of course, you said you’re familiar with the route, so you know what to expect.
900 miles in a Range Rover, go for it. If you run into snow or ice, go find a parking lot and find out how it handles in the snow the easy way. As opposed to on the highway. I drove through a blizzard all the way across Wyoming in my Saabaru and made it in my normal time. During COVID I drove from Baltimore to Topeka in one shot in a rental 4runner. Stay away from lots of sugar and caffeine while driving and you will be fine.
Well this is approaching winter do you have winter tires? Be careful in Pennsylvania from State College until Dubois semis are always crashing there and halting traffic in winter. Make sure you have Wave to alert of upcoming delays because there are alternatives. With all that stuff how much room for furniture? Or using a trailer? If so be careful on the way back.
I’d say your biggest concern would be your girlfriend if you fail and she becomes your ex girlfriend
How you handle catastrophic failure with your girlfriend on a road trip can also be a boon to the relationship. Three hours into a 12 hour drive my Dodge van’s engine decided to go bye-bye. Three hours later we were back on the road in a rental and made it to our destination the next day. We’ve been married for 25 years now and she mentions that the way I handled that might be one of the reasons why.
True but how she responds is just as informative
The easiest thing a vehicle can do is cruise the Interstate. I predict you’ll be fine. Fingers crossed.
You’ll be fine and have a blast! I did a similar trip with my 86 Vanagon (242k miles) from central MA to Columbus OH so my son could attend Camp Car at OSU a few summers ago. It had an intermittent stalling problem which was a bit unnerving but we got through it and still talk about that trip. Worse part was it was mid 90s and no AC, sweating the whole way.
Yes that is the same as driving over mountains in the winter
I avoid these concerns by owning vehicles with five-digit odometers.
A 16,000-mile Range Rover wouldn’t be much better, though that’s a fine joke.
Gas is cheap here in Indiana 2.35 for regular so we’ll save you some dough.
Obviously you don’t wait to Illinois to fill up.
I’d say $0.60 per gallon is worth it.
You kidding? Buy some gas cans.
I was referring to the difference between the two states
With no offends intended to Sammy, I’d pay more if it meant avoiding Indiana.
That’s what I was getting at. Nudie bars, fireworks stores, injury attorneys.
I realized that my suggestion was fill up and fill up gas cans at that price.
Too far… but I could go to Wisconsin and do that, it’s just like going to Czechoslovakia.
Where?
Sounds like a fun trip!
Best of luck.
I’ve driven that route, and this time of year with restricted daylight it’ll be tiring. Not speeding? Take two days each way, rather than one.
No as long as you are headed west you get more daylight coming back take 2 days
One hour more of daylight over 900 miles isn’t exactly gonna make a huge difference. If he’s lucky, he has high intensity headlights.
I went from Seneca SC to Eureka Ca in 2 days and arrived in time for Happy hour. When moving back took 3 days arriving at midnight. Remember the 3 hours time difference.
How many miles in a RR with how many miles? You’re a masochistic coked-out lunatic.
After tow #5 AAA would probably just flatbed this thing the whole way back and forth. It’s cheaper.
After more than a certain number of tows, AAA will dump you and not take you back.
Not anymore they are desperate because, I’d be more worried that the tow might not show up.
They just dumped my buddy, a habitual abuser who did like 4 toys every year. Long tows.
My brother & I waited at least 2+ hrs one night for AAA to show up and unlock an idling car with his dog stuck inside (no we couldn’t coax him (the dog) to step on the unlock button. The driver showed up a half hour after we figured out a combination of sticks, wires and prybars to unlock the dumb thing ourselves.
Take some spare parts
#5: Remove the fire extinguisher from the bag in the back and keep it handy. Thirty seconds to go out and retrieve it could result in a much worse situation.
Put the fire extinguisher in the passenger compartment where it can be grabbed easily and quickly. The chances are you won’t need it, but if you do, fumbling in a duffle bag for it during an emergency will not be optimal.
Just one?
Yes because if you ha6a fire one can’t put out you want the insurance to total the car.
I would venture that he doesn’t carry full coverage insurance on the beast.
Good point up your insurance for the trip
Smart lad having the good AAA membership. 250 mile towing? But be prepared that some of the toll roads only allow certain blessed tow companies operate on them, and they rarely take AAA. You will have to pay them a stupid amount of money, then AAA will reimburse you. BTDT, damned Joisey Turnpike!
For perspective, in 2013ish I bought an ’01 P38a Range Rover with 150K on it sight-unseen via eBay in San Antonio. I did have the slight advantage of a buddy who lived there who went and took a look at it before the auction ended, but that was all. Flew down, drove it all the way home to Maine, 2200 miles, over four days with not a single issue. In fact, one night I fixed the cruise control in a hotel parking lot. All that was wrong with it was the vacuum hose had split. Cut a half inch off the end and had cruise again. Even the air suspension worked properly. In the five years I owned it I had one leak, which was fixed by replacing the rubber o-ring at the airbag. Also needed a water pump, and I had to replace one of the HVAC servos that control the dash vents. And the underhood fuse relay panel, which was shockingly cheap and easy, but one of the really, really dumb design issues with them. Let’s mount a cheap plastic electrical panel 4IN from the exhaust manifold of a big-ass V8. What could go wrong?? It’s basically a maintenance item.
But the version you have is a good bit more complex and whole lot more BMW (though the Jag engine is massively better than the horrible BMW V8). You might need that AAA membership more than I did, but you will probably be fine. I have actually had more rental cars towed with it than my own cars over the years.
That’s the car stuff, as for the drive, well, I drive back and forth from Maine to Florida almost every year, and occasionally twice. Even in a nice car, a 14hr day is brutal if you are doing it solo or doing all the driving, and not much fun even with a codriver. And it costs more than you might think with gas and tolls to do a long cross-country drive in the eastern half of the country, especially in a big SUV. I suggest staying the night somewhere along the way if at all possible. I have generally done the 1700 miles from FL to ME in 2.5 days two nights, but as I get old(er) I have pretty much decided I need to do it in 3.5 days/3 nights going forward if I am doing it solo. In two nights you end up with a 12ish hour day for the middle day, and I just don’t want to do that anymore.
Think it’s a good idea to go on a road trip with a truck that has “DNF” plates???
As in “Did Not Finish?”
Deez Nuts Fly
Do Not Follow
Always make sure you have the correct tools to remove the licence plate so you can abandon the remains when it dies
A few canisters of gas render the plate unreadable as well.
From a distance but if you abandon it they can easily read the bumps.
And scrape off the vin and engine serial number.
Bring an EZ Pass, 80-90 is toll for many miles.
It’s basically nothing but tollways on his entire route! RIP
I-80 across PA does not have tolls, which has to be 30-40% of the drive…. the southern route using I-76 (PA Turnpike) has tolls. OH, IN, IL have tolls though.
I can confirm this and 80 is faster
Can you really fit furniture in a Range Rover?
My P38a was huge inside, and these are notably bigger.
Only if it’s expensive furniture.
Only if you IKEA
IKEA furniture lasts longer than a Range Rover. So logically they should put the RR into the IKEA furniture.
Very good point but if the RR fails you lose the furniture. What a Sophie’s choice
This feels like an unreasonable level of angst for a short road trip in a modern car. I’m having trouble deciding if it’s for literary effect, or if this trip is really that anxiety inducing.
It is for a free trip reimbursed at company expense
It’s purpose is to make sure there is actually an article generated from this trip.
If nothing happens, then at least there is a bit of revenue generated from asking us “What could possibly go wrong?”
Highway miles are easier than urban driving. Chill out in the slow lane, save a little fuel, and minimize the stress on both you and the RR . . . I’ve driven many questionable cars long distances and I’ve never been totally stranded. Worst case, Enterprise has many locations that are off the beaten path.
Will you be doing all the driving, or splitting it with your girlfriend? Have you done a 14-hour drive day before? I’d honestly recommend two 7-hour days over this. I’ve done that kind of pace cross-country solo and it’s miserable.
With this kind of schedule, if something does break, it may be well after dark – make sure to have lights and roadside survival stuff. Imagine you just found out that you’re spending the night in the car: what would you want to have with you in that case?
I think the tow truck driver will be doing majority of the driving.
I’ve done plenty of 16-hour, 1,000 mile days. You just need the right car.
This one?
Sure, if it runs right and doesn’t break.
Are you kidding me? I drove from WPB FL to DERRY PA 27 hours straight thru. Went from Seneca SC to Eureka Ca and arrived on the 3rd day in time for Happy Hour. It isn’t a challenge unless it takes long hours or short hours with kids. I’d drive from Key West to Alaska in 4 days before I drove eight hours with kids
I’ve done LA to north of Boston in 49.5 hours all inclusive in the days before energy drinks (well, there was Red Bull, but I hate that crap). You definitely need comfortable seats and it helps to be in your 20s. I used to do the run from north of Boston to Detroit in a car that was not as comfortable and was running near redline in top most of the way, which was about 14 hours, maybe a little less. That was a chore, but he’s driving something a lot more comfortable than an early ’80s Subaru.
I did it in 66 hours. There was questionable legality of the vehicle, so I kept it near speed limits (especially in OH) and did stop a couple of times to nap.
That was when I learned it takes longer than it should to drive across NY.
I did Cleveland to Seattle (2400 miles) solo in 2.5 days in a Jeep GC pulling a U-Haul trailer. It was summer and I drove from the moment I woke up until I just couldn’t anymore. Flew back and made the same trip again in a Toyota pickup, but no trailer. And that was 31 years ago. I wouldn’t dare now.
I did a similar distance Seattle to Houston-ish in a U-Haul van pulling a car on a dolly back in 2016 and sadly, back the other way in 2022. I had codrivers both ways, but a U-Haul van is a miserable place to rack up miles.
I would personally say you are likely fine. A rig with that many miles means it was one of the good ones to come out of the factory and I don’t see why it wouldn’t be able to cover another couple thousand.
It ok, you could have a bmw powered one if you wanted unreliable dialed to 11 200k miles ago.
Light a candle. Say a prayer. Actually say a prayer to every deity you can think of before this trip, because if you make it there and back without a catastrophic failure it’ll be a miracle.
Make a sacrifice to Jobu. Offer him cigars and rum.
Excellent Major League reference. Great Jobu!
Just double to check that the AAA membership is still good/current 😛
You’ll quickly learn why Toyota/Lexus is so popular