18 hour drive with a high mileage car??

[xlxo]

Thoughts...

• is there a potential for January snow?
• I agree cellphones are great at keeping in touch, especially for emergency services
• is there cell coverage 100% of the route? May want to consider satellite options.
• I would sneak one of these devices in the trunk... it's a satellite tracker... every 5 minutes you get a beacon on where the vehicle is.
  https://www.findmespot.ca/en/index.php?cid=128

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

Make sure the timing belt was changed, and all the belts associated.

 

[dvczerfs]

Congrats on the cp!!!! Dd did it and it was the best experience she could have asked for.
Our dd was 19 when she did her program, she wasn't too "independent " at the time. My concern was the eight months she would have her car, 1100 miles away. My fault, dad always took care of things. My thought was what would she do if it broke down in Florida. There are repair shops all over but I just couldn't see her dealing with a broken down car while on the program. Her car was only two years old with 30k on it but it is a Chevy. Lol
There were times she wished she had her car sure, but she managed. She worked in the mk and with out going into a long story, the cm parking lot is huge and if you can find a spot, you had a ten minute walk to get to west clock where she had to grab another bus to the tunnel. So for her, driving would have been a mess to start. If you work at a resort, I'm guessing it would have made sense.
I just slept a lot easier at night knowing her car was here but, and I say but, she was not very independent.
Just an FYI, she came home a different person, grown up and could handle her self with confidence. She now makes more than me lol, and she had two interviews since the program and with both, the person interviewing her had more questions about working for the mouse than any other topic. Lol. Her role may not be what she wants to do the rest of her life but when hr people see, worked at Walt Disney world, in a lot of cases, opens the door for conversation.
Good luck, and tell dd to have the time of her life!!!

 

[athumann]

Thanks for the CP insight!! She's really excited! We've been debating about the car for weeks and she doesn't want it there for getting back and forth to work but more to have freedom to get groceries and to explore Florida a little. She is 19 so renting a car for a day isn't an option. I like the idea of being able to pack all of her stuff in the car and not have to worry about luggage weights etc. if we fly!

 

[dvczerfs]

Thanks for the CP insight!! She's really excited! We've been debating about the car for weeks and she doesn't want it there for getting back and forth to work but more to have freedom to get groceries and to explore Florida a little. She is 19 so renting a car for a day isn't an option. I like the idea of being able to pack all of her stuff in the car and not have to worry about luggage weights etc. if we fly!

What we did was myself and a buddy of mine ( dd always called him, her uncle) drove her down with all her stuff. She checked in, ( enlisted) and we moved her into her one bedroom at Chatham. She just had one other room mate. We took her shopping for food and she was set. We drove home the next day. Getting to the store is fairly easy. Bus but more times than not, was with a friend who had a car. ( yup, I let some other dad not sleep ) but there are smaller store in walking distance.
Please be careful exploring Florida. They tell the kids in traditions to please remember once off Disney property, you are in a major city. More than once there has been parents worse night mare stories. Dd went to the beach and also universal a few times but always with a group during the day.
Housing is pretty safe, safer than a college campus. Kids get a false sense of security when off property. They covered all of that in traditions.
Pending on her role, she May not have to much exploring time. I know dd didn't.
The bus wasn't to bad. In fact dd on the bus one night 3:30 am coming home from work got pulled over.lomg story short, the cop said if you can get these kids to run around the bus and yell we work for a mouse, he wouldn't give the driver a ticket, they did it!!! Lol the bus pulled into a parking lot so they didn't do this on a road. She will meet hundreds of kids. My dd is friends with kids she met from all over the world.
Every trip dw and I stop to see some of the people she worked with in the mk. They all ask when is she coming back.lol not trying to talk you out of the car, but just some things we and she learned while she was there.

 

[athumann]

I appreciate your feedback, it's always helpful to hear from someone who's been there done that!! She's been in college for a year and a half and has gotten pretty independent. I'm not too worried about her exploring as I'm sure it will be something tame like a trip to the beach an hour away and she would never do that on her own, I'm sure it would be with a group.
Not to poo poo any of the potential dangers but I just don't want her to feel trapped and reliant on others by not having a car. She has joined some Facebook pages for CP participants and the subject of car vs. no car comes up often and I would say 99.7% of the kids said they wished they had a car or were glad they did have it. Not to say it can't be done without one, it just makes life a little easier with one!

 

[Jimsig]

A lot of people don't realize that AAA offers those type of discounts, they just think all they do is roadside assistance, so I just wanted to point that out.

 

[Judique]

A lot of people don't realize that AAA offers those type of discounts, they just think all they do is roadside assistance, so I just wanted to point that out.

Also, AAA is more likely to actually show up and sooner. I am never without AAA and it usually pays for itself.

The other thing about breakdowns is they can happen with any car, not just an older vehicle.

 

[sam_gordon]

Also, AAA is more likely to actually show up and sooner. I am never without AAA and it usually pays for itself.

The other thing about breakdowns is they can happen with any car, not just an older vehicle.

Do you have any facts to back up the bolded? The last time we called AAA (flat tire on the interstate and our spare was flat), it was at least 3 hours (maybe 3 1/2) before someone showed up. We never got calls updating us (I had to keep calling back to find out what was taking so long).

 

[Judique]

Do you have any facts to back up the bolded? The last time we called AAA (flat tire on the interstate and our spare was flat), it was at least 3 hours (maybe 3 1/2) before someone showed up. We never got calls updating us (I had to keep calling back to find out what was taking so long).

I've had the opposite experiences.

Flat tire on the interstate (I-4). 30 minutes response. Updated with a call just before arrival.

I've never had to wait more than an hour for AAA.

I just carry basic. But it's been enough each time I've needed it. I pay for a basic membership for family as well, so we've used it many times. My daughter once had a Jeep that had a key problem - it's now a recall on those jeeps - we had six calls in a very short time all requiring a tow truck. AAA does 4 tows a year, but I had a card on each person so no problem.

If you had to wait 3 and 1/2 hours, I can see why you wouldn't be a fan, but my experience has been different.

I've also gotten a few AAA discounts. A few dollars here and there. All adds up. You can use AAA to get a food discount at a couple of Disney Springs spots as well - I think it is 10%, but I usually check all my eligible cards for the best one. Try Earl of Sandwich, WP's that I can remember of the top of my head.

To the OP - I'd probably want her to have the car.

If it is kept up well, I wouldn't worry about your drive with her to Disney. As others have said, change oil, have good tires and a good spare, good battery - not one that is on its last leg, check the belts, brakes and fluids and carry some sort of roadside assistance card - I prefer AAA because I know there is someone out there monitoring the responding truck as opposed to farmed out to various tow trucks by some insurance companies.

 

[sam_gordon]

I used to be a fan of AAA. We had them for over a decade. We'd end up using them about once a year (maybe) for roadside assistance. I just looked it up... a basic membership for one person is $66/year. Each additional family member is $40. So we were spending $140/year. There is no way we would use enough AAA discounts to make that up. When I was talking to our insurance agent about redoing our coverage, I asked if they offered roadside assistance... yes, for <$50/year for all the vehicles. Sorry, that's a no brainer for us.

And the times we've used AAA have ALWAYS been "farmed out" to various tow trucks. Yes, they'll have a AAA logo somewhere on the truck, but it was a 3rd party who actually did the tow.

 

[Jimsig]

I prefer AAA because I know there is someone out there monitoring the responding truck as opposed to farmed out to various tow trucks by some insurance companies.

And the times we've used AAA have ALWAYS been "farmed out" to various tow trucks. Yes, they'll have a AAA logo somewhere on the truck, but it was a 3rd party who actually did the tow.

That's what AAA and insurance companies do. They have contracts with local tow companies to provide the service.

AAA will also covers the person not a particular car, so if you are driving a friend or relatives car you are covered by them. Not sure how it works with insurance coverage.

My AAA in New England is $80 a year and that included a second person for their basic coverage, to get more expensive coverage you have to be a member for a year or more I believe. I also think the regional AAA offices set the price so not all regions are the same price. So I can def see if you have to pay that much why it might not be worth it to you. For me anyway between going away a few nights a year that requires a hotel and getting a AAA rate and a few other discounts I use I can make up that $80 pretty quickly and then some.

 

[Judique]

That's what AAA and insurance companies do. They have contracts with local tow companies to provide the service.

AAA will also covers the person not a particular car, so if you are driving a friend or relatives car you are covered by them. Not sure how it works with insurance coverage.

My AAA in New England is $80 a year and that included a second person for their basic coverage, to get more expensive coverage you have to be a member for a year or more I believe. I also think the regional AAA offices set the price so not all regions are the same price. So I can def see if you have to pay that much why it might not be worth it to you. For me anyway between going away a few nights a year that requires a hotel and getting a AAA rate and a few other discounts I use I can make up that $80 pretty quickly and then some.

My statement just came. Here it is $72 and then $44 for additional people, so I guess it varies by area.

In Florida for my tire I got a AAA truck. I've had a farmed out tow truck as well in this area, but for the most part I've only had AAA trucks.

One tow or roadside service will pay for that $72.

 

[Jimsig]

My statement just came. Here it is $72 and then $44 for additional people, so I guess it varies by area.

In Florida for my tire I got a AAA truck. I've had a farmed out tow truck as well in this area, but for the most part I've only had AAA trucks.

One tow or roadside service will pay for that $72.

Wow that quite a difference in what I pay. I just looked up on my local AAA Of Southern New England site and it's now $52 for the first and $30 for an additional, so it looks like it's going up a couple bucks next year.

The local tow company around the corner for me has a few of their trucks painted up in all AAA colors with a little sign on the truck saying who they are, ie Smith Towing, so small that you almost miss it. They said AAA likes them that way so there is no mistaking it's a AAA call and not another unscrupulous towing company seeing you are broken down and trying to dupe an unsuspecting motorist in to paying more. I actually had AAA once tell me that the truck would not be painted AAA and to make sure it was "Bob's Towing" that was helping me as I was on the side of the highway.

 

[Judique]

Wow that quite a difference in what I pay. I just looked up on my local AAA Of Southern New England site and it's now $52 for the first and $30 for an additional, so it looks like it's going up a couple bucks next year.

The local tow company around the corner for me has a few of their trucks painted up in all AAA colors with a little sign on the truck saying who they are, ie Smith Towing, so small that you almost miss it. They said AAA likes them that way so there is no mistaking it's a AAA call and not another unscrupulous towing company seeing you are broken down and trying to dupe an unsuspecting motorist in to paying more. I actually had AAA once tell me that the truck would not be painted AAA and to make sure it was "Bob's Towing" that was helping me as I was on the side of the highway.

Jimsig,

I looked it up and for AAA Mid Atlantic which is my area they have $52 and $22 for additional household member, but this is for new members only.

Each time I've signed a kid up it's been a free for the remainder of the year deal, but eventually it kicked up to $44.

I guess I could quit and start again later to get cheaper pricing, but I'm probably just going to pay it.