Oddball96

Hey guys,

Got a gig in Missouri for 10 weeks...debating driving versus flying out. I have a '96 jeep Cherokee with 186,000 miles on it. The only problems it's had so far was a leaky power steering fluid hose, a gunked up neutral safety switch and most recently needed new brakes...which is normal so not really a problem I guess...otherwise, it's passed inspection and seems to be in pretty good shape and was well taken care of by the previous owner.

The trip is just over a thousand miles both ways and it would have to be made over the course of two maybe three days if I left earlier.

Has anybody had any experience with long drives like this? Besides the money and other costs and just sticking to the car what are some thoughts on this? Too risky with the high mileage? From what I've read 186,000 is up there but not the most people have put on their cars. Just thought I'd get some thoughts from more experienced jeep drivers then myself. I'd be happy to give any more info that might give a better picture of the situation.

Thanks!

Red82

If you feel like you can trust you Jeep then go for it. I'd probably just get an oil change and check fluids. Thatsort of stuff.

peep

If that hose and switch problems have been cleaned up then go for it. The peep is at 506000km, still travels 4 hours daily and 6.5 hour runs when I head up north to visit friends. Change your oil, filter, check ALL fluids and go. Just travel easy, it's not a race car, and you should be good to go.

Oddball96

Cool. Thanks guys! Anything to be done otherwise in terms of taking precautions? Anything to take along maybe to be prepared for sticky situations?

peep

My wife refers to all that stuff in the back as "useless junk" that I don't need. (Except when I'm pullin the inlaw's yota out, again!). I guess she's right, I don't need that stuff cause I'm the one driving the jeep. lololol. Perhaps next time the yota shoud rot in the mud. lolololol
Really though my old 89's primary problems are electrical related. I find that after one or more relplacements, when I carry spare parts they never break again. Take a well rounded tool kit with you, doesn't need to be a lot, just some basics to give you some flexibility for general service on the road, keep it to a small box at 40 pounds.

nukinfuts29

What part of Missouri? I'm moving there, been driving back and forth between that and Michigan every weekend for about six weeks now.

Anyway my Jeep made it to the extent of 6100 miles in that time frame and if my jeep could do it, so can yours.

Oddball96

Thanks for the tool kit advice peep.

I'm coming from the Philly, PA area to Macon, MO. Yeah. I guess it's more the fact that it's 1,000 mi in one shot, or at least spread across two days.

But yeah, you guys instilled a bit of confidence in me that it's feasible. It's embarrassing to say but it's actually my parents that need the convincing. Mostly embarrassing cause I'm 20 years old, in college and still getting yelled at by my parents haha. Be nice if i didn't have to take their opinion into account...but its hard to argue with the people whose insurance you're still on...ah well..

Thanks again guys for the tips.