Plan on driving a new car on a 3000mile highway trip. Bad idea?

I was planning on taking my soon to take possession Pilot on a trip
which will consist mostly of highway driving of about 3000mile drive
and been told that that's not such a good idea because you don't want
to drive a brand new car on the highway for any extended amount if you
can help before the car's properly broken in.

The seals, rings and the machine just needs to set in properly, which
happens during the break in period and before that, I was told you
should avoid any long highway trip.

What do you guys think? If this was your car, would you do it or put
off the trip until after the car's broken in properly? Thanks.

 

The break-in period admonitions still apply; you were told correctly.
You can make the trip, but you'll want to vary the RPMs of your engine,
which can be annoying and even dangerous to others - because of the
unpredictability.

If this was my car, I would in fact avoid a long trip until after I had
*at least* 1000 miles of variated driving.


RFT!!!
Dave Kelsen

 

If you have not yet gotten the car, go by the dealer and look at one
of the owner"s manuals for that model. There is no problem on taking a
long trip that I know of. Of course you vary the speed, which means
you may run at 65 for a while then ease off to 55 for another 10
minutes and back up to 65. That doesn't create a danger to other cars.
Don't forget, pulling in for gas or food also varies the speed. I
don't think you will have any problem with the trip. The last two
Hondas I've owned were on long trips immediately after purchase and I
never saw any degradation of the cars performance because of that.
Enjoy

 

A brand new 1975 Ford Pinto, perhaps, but today's cars are machined to
higher standards. Taking the truck (the Pilot is a truck, not a car) on
a 3000-mile trip is just fine. The only problem you will have is paying
for the fuel.

By whom?

Yes. But, in this case, that's when the truck comes off the dealer lot.

Jeff

 

It's a car.

It's intended to be a car, he drives it like a car, he calls it a car,
it's a car.

 

You can drive a 18-wheeler like a car if you want. But, it's still a
truck. A Pilot meets the safety requirements of a truck, not a car. It
is licensed like a truck. It gets gasoline mileage like a truck.

It's a truck.

Jeff

 

I suspect it's classified as a "light truck".
Just like the PT Cruiser used to be classified,before they made a ragtop
version.

 

I suspect it's classified as a "light truck".[/QUOTE]

Classified by whom?

The only classification that matters is the guy who bought it.

 

You can drive a 18-wheeler like a car if you want. But, it's still a
truck.[/QUOTE]

That doesn't make any sense.

However, these things that you call "trucks" are used as cars, not as
trucks.

End of story.

 

That doesn't make any sense.

However, these things that you call "trucks" are used as cars, not as
trucks.

End of story.[/QUOTE]

They are classified by the government as trucks, have safety
requirements that are different from cars and handle differently than cars.

End of story.

Jeff

 

That doesn't make any sense.

However, these things that you call "trucks" are used as cars, not as
trucks.

End of story.
[/QUOTE]

there's a guy who built a semi's tractor into a pickup truck;I bet he calls
it a truck even though he uses it as a "car".and US Fedgov
considers("classifies") it a "truck",just like the original PT Cruiser.

"End of story".

 

Classified by whom?

The only classification that matters is the guy who bought it.
[/QUOTE]

No, the only classification that matters is the one the government
makes, since they determine the safety ratings and the licensing and
registration fees.

In NY, a Ridgeline is registered Commercial. It has lower safety
requirements and higher bumpers than a car. Ergo, it is not a car.

 

Ten years ago maybe that was the required registration class (in NY).
Half-ton pick-ups are eligible for Passenger plates these days.

 

But it is not the states that set the safety standards. It is the
Federal Gov't. They do require that cars meet different standards than
trucks. And they also have different mileage requirements.

I remember years ago that Subaru imported the Brat as trucks, so that
they could get around some tarrifs, too, rather than import them as cars.

Jeff

 

the federal requirements may be lower, but i think you'll find that the
ridgeline meets all requirements, both car and truck.

 

No, the only classification that matters is the one the government
makes, since they determine the safety ratings and the licensing and
registration fees.[/QUOTE]

Ummmmmm.....no, the only classification that matters is the guy who buys
it. He calls it a car. It's a car.

You're apparently one of those types who has to go around talking about
everything down to the last detail. "He took his 4 door 4wd SUV to the
store, he didn't walk."

 

[/QUOTE]

I suspect the insurance companies also classify it as a truck.And they DO
matter.

you're repeating that doens't make it true.

 

The US Government classifies a PT Cruiser a "Truck," so using them as a
reference is questionable.

 

I mentioned that in my original post. It's a "light truck",BTW.

 

Ummmmmm.....no, the only classification that matters is the guy who buys
it. He calls it a car. It's a car.

You're apparently one of those types who has to go around talking about
everything down to the last detail. "He took his 4 door 4wd SUV to the
store, he didn't walk."
[/QUOTE]

No. If he said he walked, I'd probably say he drove, but I wouldn't
care what he drove. If he said he bought a car, and I looked at it
and saw a truck, I'd say he bought a truck.

There are different laws governing all kinds of things that are
different between cars and trucks. There are different insurance
rates and registration fees. A truck is not a car any more than a car
is a moped.