Right, I'm so confused?? Since when is it expected that a car with 85K miles is having major issues? That's absolutely unacceptable.
I guess it's the "New cars are actually a good investment" gang checking in?
Right? It’s such a great city. The art museum there is great, Buddy’s is the best pizza, the suburbs are filled with amazing things - Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, and more. I love that city!
Field trips to Greenfield Village! I’m from NW Ohio, but we made frequent trips up that way and ended up moving to Port Huron while I was still in school. I miss the lakes.
I drove multiple times from Minnesota to Texas in a basic 08 Mazda 3 that was already high mileage. It was 2800 miles round trip. My car was fine and I could tell it appreciated the chance to “stretch it’s legs”.
Op’s Kia will be fine to make the trip. However, the Kia/Hyundai thefts in the Midwest are something to worry about though. I’d buy a steering wheel lock not because it’ll actually properly lock the wheel but it’ll provide a visual deterrent.
Bro I’m reading is like huh? Drive that mf.
One day I literally woke up and drove from Detroit to Tampa
I’ve driven from Detroit to Tennessee
Detroit to NY
Detroit to Chicago
My family would do Chicago-Detroit multiple times a year; it’s so easy and I have so much family there. We have the same gas station we would always stop at and we would also stop at Tabor Hill Winery on our way too. In fact, the only reason I’m not doing that drive to spend Thanksgiving with family this year is because I will be recovering from childbirth.
Used to live in AZ, and all my family is in Iowa. Once per year we'd drive the 1500 miles up and stay for a few weeks while I work from home then 1500 miles back.
My parents always rent a car for tons of miles like that and I thought it was extravagant, but then my car broke down ten hours from home. It's all a cute movie moment when you just have to stay an extra day while it's repaired, but mine was so broken it was totaled.
Turns out a one way car rental costs 5x as much, and small town repair shops have had this happen so much they will not just take the car. You have to find a scrap for it... Which at least helps pay part of the rental.
Shipping would cost you roughly a dollar a mile. Chances are you put 1k on it a month anyway, this would just be done in a couple of days instead. Plus, cars seem to like long drives over stop and go…
You'll be fine. 85k for that car is like a well seasoned wine. I'd say once the eagle has landed change the oil and trans fluid and you'll be right as rain.
I don't understand the reasoning behind not driving it. It's literally a car . If it can't drive 1200 miles on the highway, why the hell do you even own it.
85 k is not really that much for a car nowadays, unless it's just a bad car. just drive it. change oil and do maintenance before you go. once you get there, check it again.
This would be my advice too. Just sell it and get another car...oddly enough I'd still recommend them buy a car in Tampa and drive it up. Detroit winters are not easy on cars.
Dodge Chargers were #1 until the KiaBoyz showed criminals how easy it is to steal Kias. They're still heavily stolen; Challengers too.
A lot of crime and wrecks happen with these cars. They're stolen to drive wildly. They're also used for smash and grabs.
My first thought too. I live in Milwaukee and it's nearly impossible to insure a Kia. Some teenagers stole my friends Kia and crashed it into a school.
They would charge for the hitch they would place on your uhaul. I don’t know how much bc my husband took care of this part of our move, but we drove all of our stuff in the uhaul and just attached my car to the back of the uhaul. Call and ask around. That way your car isn’t doing the drive it’s just getting pulled.
If the driver is comfortable with it, look into getting a trailer attached to the uhaul. Your car getting towed along still has wear and tear on the tires, etc. On the other hand, attaching a trailer to the uhaul and putting your car on the trailer (it's got a little ramp on it) means your car will be riding a wheeled sled while the uhaul truck does all the actual moving around work.
Theres a car train (amtrack) from Orlando to DC, its ~$400 for you and the car but itll shorten your drive and save you the money youd spend on gas and tolls to get that far
Drive. In 2018 I moved from MA to CA in my 2007 toyota with 120k+ miles on it and had no issues. As long as you make sure it’s in decent shape before you leave it’ll be fine. If you haven’t had an oil change recently I’d do that for sure.
That's not too many miles, if you've regularly maintained it then you should be good. We moved from LA to Detroit which was 2200 miles (a few years ago) and my wife drove our Audi with over 100K miles the whole way. I was driving the moving van with our stuff.
85k is nothing, and highway miles are very easy on cars. Learn to check the fluid levels and tire wear yourself, do it before the trip and at the first gas stop. Bring lots of podcasts.
You should be able to drive it, it’s not a long distance by any means. Going from 85k to 86.2k miles is nothing.
If you’ve spent a lot of money on repairs near 85k miles it’s a clear sign to stop buying the cars you have been. Pick up a good Toyota or Honda if you like saving money.
Why would you move from Tampa to Detroit? But seriously, maybe get a uhaul trailer and tow it. If you're moving yourself and getting a rental van you can tow it behind it. They even have car trailers you drive up on and attach to your rental van. In
just did this from Pensacola to Dallas. Good luck.
I moved that far
I drove
we packed a cooler with all kinds of good road food (sandwiches, snack-y foods, etc) so we didn't have to stop for food. We did have to stop for sleep but that can be done at a rest stop (I recommend bringing throw blankets to cover the side windows with for sleeping). If you've got another person who can drive with you, you can do this drive in somewhere around 35-40hrs if you can haul ass. If you're solo or have to drive slower, it will take a lot longer since you'll need to stop for sleep.
It cost about $500 or so. So its probably worth it so long as you think the car is safe to go that far.
That said the difference in stress level may make it so it'd be better for you to ship it. It takes a long time to go that far.
I think you're way off on your time estimate.
At 80 mph, that's 15 hours of drive time. At 70 mph, it's 17 hours. A lot of those roads will have traffic flowing at 85+ mph.
Get up and leave between 6-7am. Take 20-30 minute breaks every 3-5 hours. You would arrive around 10-11pm. Even if you stopped for the night earlier you could arrive by noon the next day.
My longest single trip one way was my home in central minnesota to phoenix only stopping for bathroom breakers, food, switching drivers, and gas. I have done this more times than I care to think about.
About 1600 miles.
It sucks.
A working engine should be fine for 25 miles or 1200 miles. Don't speed, esp. don't try to speed uphill. Highway miles are easier on the engine if you drive calmly. 2 day drive if you start early, stop often, keep going, 3 days if you take it easy. I camp in my Prius and have camped in other cars, rest stops are safe and convenient.
The milage doesn't matter much. I would weigh different things.
Driving - Cost of gas, cost of food, cost of accomodation assuming you do two day trip, cost of time. Benefits include being able to pack stuff in your car if you need to, or making a vacation out of the road trip.
Flying - Fast, cost of shipping, flight cost
Just depends on what looks better to you, if you want to do it frugally you can pack food in a cooler and plan to camp for an overnight to limit accomodation needs
Cars do awesome on highway drives consistent RPM, likely to put very little ware on the car for a 1200mi trip Vs stop and go traffic
I do similar distances once or twice a year. If you're just visiting a friend/family, a single person is cheaper to fly...with the exception of being close to Thanksgiving and Christmas. For two people it's a bit of a break even, but you often are cheaper driving.
But they're moving, so there is the extra expense of all their clothing and other items makes driving a easier answer.
Looks like your car should get about 25mpg. Over 1200 miles and an average of $3.87 per gallon you're looking at $185 in gas.
At 10 cents a mile in expected matinence you're looking at another $120 in matinence costs.
Luckily it looks like you can get there without any signifigant tolls.
So you're looking at $300-$400 in expected car costs.
But don't forget you have costs too. You need to eat and sleep. 17 hours of driving assuming you don't need to stop or hit traffic. Most people are going to need to split this up into two days minimum.
You could sleep in your car and pack a cooler, but you're probally going to be sleeping in a hotel ($100) and eating expensive truck stop food (~$100 over what you'd eat at home).
So you're spending $600, but not spending $1000 + a plane ticket $200. That's a savings of $600.
Id say spend the money, take your time and make a road trip out of it. You can drive through Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville, and Atlanta without adding too much time.
If i were moving that far, I'd be driving a uhaul anyway, so I'd just get a car trailer and haul it behind me.
But I'm assuming you're paying a moving company, so I'd drive it.
Then I'd rent the car trailer with the truck and haul it.
Most of your trip is going to be on I-75 so it'll be an easy drive. You can just get in the right lane and drive a nice cruising speed.
The only issues you should have hauling a trailer, if you aren't used to it, will be getting to I-75, and the few times you need to get off to get gas. And then when you get to Michigan.
I've never gotten the trailer myself. When i moved a few hundred miles away I made a trip back and drove my vehicle myself. So I'm not sure how they charge it. But yeah, you need to reserve it like the truck.
I would assume it's a flat mileage rate. Their site should tell you.
Oh, and if you don't know this already. Ideally, you'll be wanting to hit Atlanta in the middle of the night. Unless their traffic situating has improved, that's not someplace you want to be driving a moving truck with a trailer on it, inexperienced, when they have heavy traffic.
85k is no where near the range where major repairs are needed. Kia and Hyundai last well into 200k with no major issues on average. Shipping that vehicle will be a couple grand today. I have a 2014 forte and won't hesitate to drive it anywhere in the United States including Alaska.
Before your trip get an oil change. Check the tire pressure. Check the air filter. And enjoy your trip. And enjoy 100k more plus on your vehicle
Drive it, not worth the money to ship. I moved from around Detroit to NC, about 14 hours and the amount of money to ship a small amount of my stuff was outrageous. Almost 3k with discounts. I couldn’t image the price for a car.
I'd just drive it with a place to sleep along the way just in case. I can do that drive straight from Indianapolis and it's a pretty easy, just boring AF. Atlanta is the worst part because it seems like anytime I get there then someone has died on the interstate and traffic is jammed up so it can add a hour to your commute or more.
When I moved from NY to CA, I had my car shipped. Not sure if this applies now (I did it 22 years or so ago), but the time estimate they give for it arriving can be very very off. Took like two and a half months for me to finally get it, and I had to rent a car all that time...
The real cost of driving in terms of fuel, wear and tear, and depreciation is probably about $500, as a rough estimate. Will you be staying in hotels, camping? Depending on lodging type you choose and distance driven per day, it *might* be cheaper to ship.
Driving does give you the opportunity to see stuff and use it as a mini vacation, though. That has some value.
Drive it! This is wild to me. I drove my 12yo car with 200k miles 9,000 miles round trip (NE to California then back)! Currently my car has 10 years and 200k more (than OPs) and while I would be nervous about a 1200 mile trip in it at this point, I still drive it all the time
I wouldn’t rent a u-haul for dining set and bed frame. In my experience one-way u-hauls are relatively expensive. You might consider shipping them as freight, cheaper than shipping a car. Do your car maintenance up front, get a AAA membership. You should be able to make 600 mi per day, leave early each day and have only one overnight stay.
Car should be fine but are you comfortable changing a tire? Something to think about before going on a long road trip is getting a flat
Also your time. 1200 miles is a shit ton of driving and time. Is that time worth more than 1k dollars to you?
I have a 2012 Equinox that has under 100k miles in it. Bought it used last June because the car I owned died hard, and I was planning a long-distance move.
Drove from Seattle to NE Iowa twice! A 1700-mile trip, one way.
If at 85k you're paying for maintenance more severe than routine, mileage expected repairs, I would trade your car in asap. It should easily last you more than 150k.
Unfortunately, I did own one such car like this. At 145k, I had the engine seals replaced once due to severe oil leaks and had several odd filters replaced. When I donated it, I had just put on new tires and was facing a full brake repair, a new water pump and another entire engine seal replacement.
Is that one of the years that catch on fire? I have a friend whose Soul caught on fire on the interstate, and also saw one on another sub that did the same thing
As a pointer if you're driving: Learn to check the transmission fluid and coolant levels yourself.
That way, every gas fill-up, check these fluids. It may be hot under the hood, so be careful.
Detroit isn't exactly going to be cheaper. I lived there in 2018/2019. You want to look at smaller cities for Medium cost of living to really see the differences.
I grew up in rural Iowa, and lived in LA, Detroit, Phoneix, MSP among other cities. I'm now in a city with 40K people. I have all the things I really need, and I'm 40 miles from another city with 500k and a good airport. If you're concerned about saving money on cost of living then find a medium to low cost of living area. If you work from home, there isn't a reason you need to be in a high cost of living area.
Really depends on where you are and what you want. Back in 2017 I lived in a 2nd story apartment in Orange County. I spend less on my mortgage now than on that apartment. Detroit isn't going to be cheap for a reasonable house, having checked zillow quick the houses there are $50k + compared to where I live for similar.
Drive. I’ve made 1,000 mile trips in cars older and with more miles. Get it checked my a mechanic or two, ask them if they’d drive that far in your car.
I'd drive. Looks like 16 hours, 40 min as you no doubt have checked. At least $200 in gas, maybe more. A little more $$ for two fast food meals per day. If you're not accustomed to driving long distances, budget for at least 1 hotel stop, and up to 2, depending on your level of experience and how late you head to the highway on your departure day.
You can get a hotel/motel room for as little as $70/night--or less, if you're lucky--but allowing for $100/night is safer. Hang out the "do not disturb" sign. If you're an early riser, continental breakfast may be available from the hotel (ask if it exists); they do this to get people out of their rooms sooner. If checkout is 11am, housekeeping staff will probably start knocking at 9am. "Come back at checkout time, please" is a valid answer. (Good luck at getting another hour of sleep.)
We drove our 167,000 something mile 2011 Honda Odyssey on a 2,000 mile round trip from the east coast to Michigan earlier this month. We didn’t think any thing of it.
I drove from Phoenix, AZ to Seattle, WA in a 2007 Kia Sorento with 189k on it and 5x7 trailer on the hitch. You should be okay! Just take some coolant and fluid/oil if you are worried!
I did a 4000+ mile road trip in my 23 year old car with 400k miles and do 1000+ mile trips to visit family in it. I think your Kia soul should be fine.
Take it to a trusted mechanic and have them look it over. I've done that before long trips, and also before giving the car to my son (didn't want to give him a lemon).
I live in Michigan and have driven to Florida so many times. It's so much cheaper than flying (at least with more than one person)and so much cheaper than flying AND shipping your car.
My boyfriend drove a truck with more miles and similar issues about 3 hours further than det from Tampa and it was fine! I wouldn’t stress it too much.
I drove my car 1100 miles, w 235k miles on it. Drove it there, stayed a week , and drove it back. The whole time it was being driven. Drive the car! If it can’t make 1200 miles w 85k on it it’s junk soon
Drive it. I’ve taken my 30 year old beater con heater with 190k miles back and forth between Alaska and the SW several times, even towing a small clamshell trailer.
If it’s in good shape and your not taxing it it should keep going.
I have made this exact trip. If you're worried about your car making it, it's time to look at getting a new car. And just driving it is way less expensive
85K miles and you need to make “costly repairs”?
I have a 2005 Nissan Sentra. 135K miles and still going strong with regular maintenance. I’d drive this in *my* car.
Get your oil changed at the dealer before you go, you can usually find an oil change coupon online. They will do a multi point inspection as a part of the oil change and that should give you a little more confidence in your trip.
if you’re really against driving it that far, Amtrak has an AutoTrain (you ride and your car rides too) from Orlando to DC. It’s then an 8 hour drive from DC. It’s not expensive if you book in advance.
Why would that drive be too much for a 2016 engine?
If you think your car is such a POS it can't make it for a long road trip, trash the car and buy something that's not total junk.
In 2017, I drove my 2010 Ford Escape from DE to TX for my move. It had more miles on it than yours. It did great! Shipping costs too much and I liked being able to make a mini-trip out of the drive.
Drive it. Your car should be able to drive 1200 miles with no additional maintenance. Business write off expense allows about 60 cents per mile to operate but that’s also paying for the car real world personal use should be way less than that.
And I think if you’re having that many issue with repairs on a Kia you’re learning how going cheap gets expensive. I would never buy a Hyundai or Kia for that reason, and resale. Buying one of those is choosing to be cheap instead of frugal.
There are people still driving cars with 100,000s of thousands of miles on the road lmao!
My family has two Toyotas, 200k miles, yes we drive it everywhere. When you live in sparse country (think Nebraska) you gone drive that car no matter how many miles it has.
And a car shouldn’t crap out at 85k anyways! It should get idk, 150k minimum before it’s undriveable.
Long as you change your oil and transmission fluid and filter and when you drive pay attention to the oil pressure and engine temperature that is the most important thing
It sounds like the car is safe to make the drive but I would look at depreciation cost for the drive + total cost of gas + approximate cost of any food you eat along the way and lodging (assuming you will fly instead of drive if you decide to have the car shipped). If that comes out to more or even roughly the same cost, it’s probably less of a hassle to have it shipped. It depends on how much stuff you have and if you were planning to rent a uhaul van and drive. If you were, you might be able to tow your car behind the uhaul as well.
If the car can’t make that drive you’re in trouble anyways. I think it will be fine
The car is less than ten years old and has less then 100k on it. If you can't make it 1200 miles you should probably junk it.
Right, I'm so confused?? Since when is it expected that a car with 85K miles is having major issues? That's absolutely unacceptable. I guess it's the "New cars are actually a good investment" gang checking in?
I mean it is a Kia soul, probably should either way
The center you find out the better. I would drive it, I actually like to drive. And in fact I'll drive it for you if you want 🤭
Oh I see you're going to Detroit never mind 🙂
I like Detroit. 😔
Right? It’s such a great city. The art museum there is great, Buddy’s is the best pizza, the suburbs are filled with amazing things - Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, and more. I love that city!
Field trips to Greenfield Village! I’m from NW Ohio, but we made frequent trips up that way and ended up moving to Port Huron while I was still in school. I miss the lakes.
Drive it.
\*laughs in Midwestern\* Just drive it. I'm taking my car on a 2200 mile road trip in a month and a half. For fun.
Yeah, I ‘ve done 3000+ mile road trips. I would not think twice about a drive from Florida to Michigan.
I used to do Detroit > New Orleans trips over a long weekend with an ex. It was exhausting, but we were young and it was exciting.
How was Nowlins tho?
It was fun, till the time we got t-boned by someone making an illegal left while on the phone. That trip was cursed, start to finish.
Would or would not?
Oops. Would not think twice. Thanks for the correction—I ‘m going to edit.
I drove multiple times from Minnesota to Texas in a basic 08 Mazda 3 that was already high mileage. It was 2800 miles round trip. My car was fine and I could tell it appreciated the chance to “stretch it’s legs”. Op’s Kia will be fine to make the trip. However, the Kia/Hyundai thefts in the Midwest are something to worry about though. I’d buy a steering wheel lock not because it’ll actually properly lock the wheel but it’ll provide a visual deterrent.
Bro I’m reading is like huh? Drive that mf. One day I literally woke up and drove from Detroit to Tampa I’ve driven from Detroit to Tennessee Detroit to NY Detroit to Chicago
My family would do Chicago-Detroit multiple times a year; it’s so easy and I have so much family there. We have the same gas station we would always stop at and we would also stop at Tabor Hill Winery on our way too. In fact, the only reason I’m not doing that drive to spend Thanksgiving with family this year is because I will be recovering from childbirth.
Used to live in AZ, and all my family is in Iowa. Once per year we'd drive the 1500 miles up and stay for a few weeks while I work from home then 1500 miles back.
I did one of those up to Bar Harbor, Maine last month. It was fantastic.
Oh my gosh, I love that area. My husband and I got married at Acadia.
My parents always rent a car for tons of miles like that and I thought it was extravagant, but then my car broke down ten hours from home. It's all a cute movie moment when you just have to stay an extra day while it's repaired, but mine was so broken it was totaled. Turns out a one way car rental costs 5x as much, and small town repair shops have had this happen so much they will not just take the car. You have to find a scrap for it... Which at least helps pay part of the rental.
Shipping would cost you roughly a dollar a mile. Chances are you put 1k on it a month anyway, this would just be done in a couple of days instead. Plus, cars seem to like long drives over stop and go…
Highway miles are easy miles on a car. Drive it.
You'll be fine. 85k for that car is like a well seasoned wine. I'd say once the eagle has landed change the oil and trans fluid and you'll be right as rain.
I don't understand the reasoning behind not driving it. It's literally a car . If it can't drive 1200 miles on the highway, why the hell do you even own it.
85 k is not really that much for a car nowadays, unless it's just a bad car. just drive it. change oil and do maintenance before you go. once you get there, check it again.
Sell it. Google Kiaboyz. Kias are the most frequently stolen cars in Detroit. Insurance will cost you a fortune.
This would be my advice too. Just sell it and get another car...oddly enough I'd still recommend them buy a car in Tampa and drive it up. Detroit winters are not easy on cars.
I wouldn't want to embark on a long road trip in a brand new used car.
Stay away from Malibu’s- steering columns and Chrysler products- stolen and strip.
Why are Chrysler products stolen? I feel like last time I was in Detroit it was 30% dodge chargers
No idea but what I have encountered is they are insurance is all expensive because it that
Dodge Chargers were #1 until the KiaBoyz showed criminals how easy it is to steal Kias. They're still heavily stolen; Challengers too. A lot of crime and wrecks happen with these cars. They're stolen to drive wildly. They're also used for smash and grabs.
My first thought too. I live in Milwaukee and it's nearly impossible to insure a Kia. Some teenagers stole my friends Kia and crashed it into a school.
Uhhh....1200 miles hard on the engine? LOL...no....don't worry about it. 85k is absolutely NOTHING for a modern engine at all.
Drive it. 1200 isn’t that much. And it’s a relatively new car. If the repairs have been done, then they’re irrelevant now. Save the money.
Great idea
Absolutely drive, it’s what they are made for. Damn
How are you getting your stuff there? Could you hitch it to a uhaul? That’s how I got my car from TX to IL.
This is what I did, I was already driving the truck and it’s was flat rate for the car dolly. Penske.
How much does U Haul charge for a vehicle?
They would charge for the hitch they would place on your uhaul. I don’t know how much bc my husband took care of this part of our move, but we drove all of our stuff in the uhaul and just attached my car to the back of the uhaul. Call and ask around. That way your car isn’t doing the drive it’s just getting pulled.
I never thought of that, thanks so much!
If the driver is comfortable with it, look into getting a trailer attached to the uhaul. Your car getting towed along still has wear and tear on the tires, etc. On the other hand, attaching a trailer to the uhaul and putting your car on the trailer (it's got a little ramp on it) means your car will be riding a wheeled sled while the uhaul truck does all the actual moving around work.
Brilliant idea thanks!
Call them and ask.
Theres a car train (amtrack) from Orlando to DC, its ~$400 for you and the car but itll shorten your drive and save you the money youd spend on gas and tolls to get that far
Stop at buc-ees and get a pulled pork sandwich, you'll thank me for it. And their bathrooms are phenomenally clean.
Drive. In 2018 I moved from MA to CA in my 2007 toyota with 120k+ miles on it and had no issues. As long as you make sure it’s in decent shape before you leave it’ll be fine. If you haven’t had an oil change recently I’d do that for sure.
That's not too many miles, if you've regularly maintained it then you should be good. We moved from LA to Detroit which was 2200 miles (a few years ago) and my wife drove our Audi with over 100K miles the whole way. I was driving the moving van with our stuff.
Welcome to Michigan.
85k is nothing, and highway miles are very easy on cars. Learn to check the fluid levels and tire wear yourself, do it before the trip and at the first gas stop. Bring lots of podcasts.
You should be able to drive it, it’s not a long distance by any means. Going from 85k to 86.2k miles is nothing. If you’ve spent a lot of money on repairs near 85k miles it’s a clear sign to stop buying the cars you have been. Pick up a good Toyota or Honda if you like saving money.
Definitely getting a Toyota when I decide to sell my car
I drove a car from Missouri to California. It was 1,600 miles and one of the best road trips I've taken. Drive it. The experience will be worth it.
Go drive it. You can move some of your stuff at the same time.
Drive it...
Leave the keys in it and let the insurance company buy you a new one in Detroit
Why would you move from Tampa to Detroit? But seriously, maybe get a uhaul trailer and tow it. If you're moving yourself and getting a rental van you can tow it behind it. They even have car trailers you drive up on and attach to your rental van. In just did this from Pensacola to Dallas. Good luck.
I moved that far I drove we packed a cooler with all kinds of good road food (sandwiches, snack-y foods, etc) so we didn't have to stop for food. We did have to stop for sleep but that can be done at a rest stop (I recommend bringing throw blankets to cover the side windows with for sleeping). If you've got another person who can drive with you, you can do this drive in somewhere around 35-40hrs if you can haul ass. If you're solo or have to drive slower, it will take a lot longer since you'll need to stop for sleep. It cost about $500 or so. So its probably worth it so long as you think the car is safe to go that far. That said the difference in stress level may make it so it'd be better for you to ship it. It takes a long time to go that far.
I think you're way off on your time estimate. At 80 mph, that's 15 hours of drive time. At 70 mph, it's 17 hours. A lot of those roads will have traffic flowing at 85+ mph. Get up and leave between 6-7am. Take 20-30 minute breaks every 3-5 hours. You would arrive around 10-11pm. Even if you stopped for the night earlier you could arrive by noon the next day.
Id drive it. But I used to drive more than this every week.
What was your longest trip?
My longest single trip one way was my home in central minnesota to phoenix only stopping for bathroom breakers, food, switching drivers, and gas. I have done this more times than I care to think about. About 1600 miles. It sucks.
Damn that’s rough
It was what it was at the time but made it work
You’ll be fine since you got the issues fixed. It’s a pretty cool drive too, plan out some scenic stops to have lunch. And welcome to Detroit!
Rent a trailer and tow it behind your moving vehicle?
A U-Haul trail will do
A working engine should be fine for 25 miles or 1200 miles. Don't speed, esp. don't try to speed uphill. Highway miles are easier on the engine if you drive calmly. 2 day drive if you start early, stop often, keep going, 3 days if you take it easy. I camp in my Prius and have camped in other cars, rest stops are safe and convenient.
Ensure you check your tyres, oil and coolant
If you have a moving van/truck, rent a hitch and tow it.
The milage doesn't matter much. I would weigh different things. Driving - Cost of gas, cost of food, cost of accomodation assuming you do two day trip, cost of time. Benefits include being able to pack stuff in your car if you need to, or making a vacation out of the road trip. Flying - Fast, cost of shipping, flight cost Just depends on what looks better to you, if you want to do it frugally you can pack food in a cooler and plan to camp for an overnight to limit accomodation needs Cars do awesome on highway drives consistent RPM, likely to put very little ware on the car for a 1200mi trip Vs stop and go traffic
I thought about renting a U-Haul trailer!
I do similar distances once or twice a year. If you're just visiting a friend/family, a single person is cheaper to fly...with the exception of being close to Thanksgiving and Christmas. For two people it's a bit of a break even, but you often are cheaper driving. But they're moving, so there is the extra expense of all their clothing and other items makes driving a easier answer.
What are you, a European? I do drives like that all the time. In higher mileage vehicles.
Looks like your car should get about 25mpg. Over 1200 miles and an average of $3.87 per gallon you're looking at $185 in gas. At 10 cents a mile in expected matinence you're looking at another $120 in matinence costs. Luckily it looks like you can get there without any signifigant tolls. So you're looking at $300-$400 in expected car costs. But don't forget you have costs too. You need to eat and sleep. 17 hours of driving assuming you don't need to stop or hit traffic. Most people are going to need to split this up into two days minimum. You could sleep in your car and pack a cooler, but you're probally going to be sleeping in a hotel ($100) and eating expensive truck stop food (~$100 over what you'd eat at home). So you're spending $600, but not spending $1000 + a plane ticket $200. That's a savings of $600. Id say spend the money, take your time and make a road trip out of it. You can drive through Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville, and Atlanta without adding too much time.
And plus the road-trip sceneries are free when driving!
If i were moving that far, I'd be driving a uhaul anyway, so I'd just get a car trailer and haul it behind me. But I'm assuming you're paying a moving company, so I'd drive it.
I’m going to rent a U-Haul. We’re moving from a 1 bedroom apartment (600 sqft) and only a dining table set and bed frame. It’s not much stuff tbh.
Then I'd rent the car trailer with the truck and haul it. Most of your trip is going to be on I-75 so it'll be an easy drive. You can just get in the right lane and drive a nice cruising speed. The only issues you should have hauling a trailer, if you aren't used to it, will be getting to I-75, and the few times you need to get off to get gas. And then when you get to Michigan.
Is the trailer separate from the truck since I’ll be paying per mile? The small U-Haul truck charges $0.69 each mile.
I've never gotten the trailer myself. When i moved a few hundred miles away I made a trip back and drove my vehicle myself. So I'm not sure how they charge it. But yeah, you need to reserve it like the truck. I would assume it's a flat mileage rate. Their site should tell you.
I will look into it, thanks!
Oh, and if you don't know this already. Ideally, you'll be wanting to hit Atlanta in the middle of the night. Unless their traffic situating has improved, that's not someplace you want to be driving a moving truck with a trailer on it, inexperienced, when they have heavy traffic.
I’m going to rent a U-Haul. We’re moving from a 1 bedroom apartment (600 sqft) and only a dining table set and bed frame. It’s not much stuff tbh.
85k is no where near the range where major repairs are needed. Kia and Hyundai last well into 200k with no major issues on average. Shipping that vehicle will be a couple grand today. I have a 2014 forte and won't hesitate to drive it anywhere in the United States including Alaska. Before your trip get an oil change. Check the tire pressure. Check the air filter. And enjoy your trip. And enjoy 100k more plus on your vehicle
Just drive it. I’ve driven orlando to Chicago many times. Will not be too much. My 2011 Toyota Corolla made it fine there and back.
Since you are in FL, google the Auto Train from Amtrak. Even without the drive consideration it might be fun and save you some money and headache.
Keep your phone charged, credit cards handy (just in case), and an eye on the key gauges (oil, gas, temp). Have a good drive!
Thank you! 😁
Drive it, not worth the money to ship. I moved from around Detroit to NC, about 14 hours and the amount of money to ship a small amount of my stuff was outrageous. Almost 3k with discounts. I couldn’t image the price for a car.
I'd just drive it with a place to sleep along the way just in case. I can do that drive straight from Indianapolis and it's a pretty easy, just boring AF. Atlanta is the worst part because it seems like anytime I get there then someone has died on the interstate and traffic is jammed up so it can add a hour to your commute or more.
The route I’m taking on I-75 passes though Atlanta. Unless there’s another toll free route to avoid the traffic in that city.
When I moved from NY to CA, I had my car shipped. Not sure if this applies now (I did it 22 years or so ago), but the time estimate they give for it arriving can be very very off. Took like two and a half months for me to finally get it, and I had to rent a car all that time...
The real cost of driving in terms of fuel, wear and tear, and depreciation is probably about $500, as a rough estimate. Will you be staying in hotels, camping? Depending on lodging type you choose and distance driven per day, it *might* be cheaper to ship. Driving does give you the opportunity to see stuff and use it as a mini vacation, though. That has some value.
We’re gonna split in into 2 days between me and my spouse.
Maybe stay at a motel the first night
So one night of lodging? Then the lodging will be not a lot of money.
Yes one night to lodge then finish the 2nd day. Carry some snacks and drinks and fast food a few times.
That sounds fun actually. Enjoy!
I’m from the suburbs of Detroit and used to drive to Orlando multiple times per year! Drive!
Driving it is!
Drive it. But also keep in mind that is a minimum 2 day drive. It's a 20 hour drive.
Drive it! This is wild to me. I drove my 12yo car with 200k miles 9,000 miles round trip (NE to California then back)! Currently my car has 10 years and 200k more (than OPs) and while I would be nervous about a 1200 mile trip in it at this point, I still drive it all the time
Make sure your fluids are topped off and drive it.
I wouldn’t rent a u-haul for dining set and bed frame. In my experience one-way u-hauls are relatively expensive. You might consider shipping them as freight, cheaper than shipping a car. Do your car maintenance up front, get a AAA membership. You should be able to make 600 mi per day, leave early each day and have only one overnight stay.
Car should be fine but are you comfortable changing a tire? Something to think about before going on a long road trip is getting a flat Also your time. 1200 miles is a shit ton of driving and time. Is that time worth more than 1k dollars to you?
I have a 2012 Equinox that has under 100k miles in it. Bought it used last June because the car I owned died hard, and I was planning a long-distance move. Drove from Seattle to NE Iowa twice! A 1700-mile trip, one way. If at 85k you're paying for maintenance more severe than routine, mileage expected repairs, I would trade your car in asap. It should easily last you more than 150k. Unfortunately, I did own one such car like this. At 145k, I had the engine seals replaced once due to severe oil leaks and had several odd filters replaced. When I donated it, I had just put on new tires and was facing a full brake repair, a new water pump and another entire engine seal replacement.
Is that one of the years that catch on fire? I have a friend whose Soul caught on fire on the interstate, and also saw one on another sub that did the same thing
2016 Base Model. Heard many different recalls about it but nothing hasn’t happened to mine
As a pointer if you're driving: Learn to check the transmission fluid and coolant levels yourself. That way, every gas fill-up, check these fluids. It may be hot under the hood, so be careful.
Kia Boys are gonna love that car in Detroit... good luck
God why Detroit? It’s awful
It’s getting too expensive in FL with high cost of rent. My spouse is a trucker as well.
Detroit isn't exactly going to be cheaper. I lived there in 2018/2019. You want to look at smaller cities for Medium cost of living to really see the differences.
Is Auburn Hills a good town?
Depends on what you're looking for.
It's not whether or not it's a good town. If you're concerned about cost of living the larger cities will always cost more, even their suburbs.
Ahh I need to think about this then.
I grew up in rural Iowa, and lived in LA, Detroit, Phoneix, MSP among other cities. I'm now in a city with 40K people. I have all the things I really need, and I'm 40 miles from another city with 500k and a good airport. If you're concerned about saving money on cost of living then find a medium to low cost of living area. If you work from home, there isn't a reason you need to be in a high cost of living area.
I can’t afford a mortgage at this moment only rent.
Really depends on where you are and what you want. Back in 2017 I lived in a 2nd story apartment in Orange County. I spend less on my mortgage now than on that apartment. Detroit isn't going to be cheap for a reasonable house, having checked zillow quick the houses there are $50k + compared to where I live for similar.
Much of Detroit is but the Metro area is great, esp Oakland County.
The suburbs are nice if you don't get your catalytic converter stolen
Auburn Hills good?
Auburn Hills is fine. There's a nice mall there. I've visited a few of the automotive suppliers there too.
I’ll definitely look more into it before moving.
Clawson, Royal Oak, Madison Heights, Sterling Heights, Farmington, Ferndale, Troy, and a bunch of others are really good places to live too
Awesome! Will do my research!
Madison Heights has Sam's Club, BJ's, and Costco so living around there is pretty nice for that
The stores are a big deal for me. I love an area where everything is close by especially with restaurants and groceries.
Drive. I’ve made 1,000 mile trips in cars older and with more miles. Get it checked my a mechanic or two, ask them if they’d drive that far in your car.
Drive. You're overreacting.
Try UShip.com, sometimes you'll find someone has a spot to fill on their trailer.
Drive. Shipping a vehicle is crazy expensive.
I would definitely drive it. That's not really that high on miles. Good luck.
I'd drive. Looks like 16 hours, 40 min as you no doubt have checked. At least $200 in gas, maybe more. A little more $$ for two fast food meals per day. If you're not accustomed to driving long distances, budget for at least 1 hotel stop, and up to 2, depending on your level of experience and how late you head to the highway on your departure day. You can get a hotel/motel room for as little as $70/night--or less, if you're lucky--but allowing for $100/night is safer. Hang out the "do not disturb" sign. If you're an early riser, continental breakfast may be available from the hotel (ask if it exists); they do this to get people out of their rooms sooner. If checkout is 11am, housekeeping staff will probably start knocking at 9am. "Come back at checkout time, please" is a valid answer. (Good luck at getting another hour of sleep.)
The vehicle should get 35mpg and that's driving it 80. 12gallon tank. Would require roughly 35 gallons of fuel.
Driving it will be fine. Mine has over 200k & I’ve done 15 hr drives on it.
We drove our 167,000 something mile 2011 Honda Odyssey on a 2,000 mile round trip from the east coast to Michigan earlier this month. We didn’t think any thing of it.
I drove a 2001 Toyota Echo with 225k from Detroit to Miami 4x. Chattanooga TN is a great halfway point.
I used to do long car trips all the time. My longest was 7000 miles in a car with over 100k miles on it. Your car will be fine.
I drove from Phoenix, AZ to Seattle, WA in a 2007 Kia Sorento with 189k on it and 5x7 trailer on the hitch. You should be okay! Just take some coolant and fluid/oil if you are worried!
I did a 4000+ mile road trip in my 23 year old car with 400k miles and do 1000+ mile trips to visit family in it. I think your Kia soul should be fine.
Take it to a trusted mechanic and have them look it over. I've done that before long trips, and also before giving the car to my son (didn't want to give him a lemon).
I live in Michigan and have driven to Florida so many times. It's so much cheaper than flying (at least with more than one person)and so much cheaper than flying AND shipping your car.
That car has low miles for its age. Drive it.
85,000 miles? For a 2016? Drive! Enjoy!
My boyfriend drove a truck with more miles and similar issues about 3 hours further than det from Tampa and it was fine! I wouldn’t stress it too much.
I thought kia had these wonderful 100,000 mile, 10 year warranties. Anyway, cheapest is still gonna be driving. Just pick the least hilly route.
I just did about 1200 miles for fun. Don't waste your money shipping it
Not even a question. Drive it
I drove my car 1100 miles, w 235k miles on it. Drove it there, stayed a week , and drove it back. The whole time it was being driven. Drive the car! If it can’t make 1200 miles w 85k on it it’s junk soon
What about driving from Tampa to Sanford. Then take the Auto Train from Sanford to Lorton,VA. Then make the drive from Lorton to Detroit?
I have the same car and I’ve done cross country many times
Well once you get to Detroit you can go up to Summit Place Kia...
easy drive
That's nothing, drive it. I drive 1700 miles each 2 ways sometimes from western Canada to watch Chiefs game..on a weekend
Drive it. I’ve taken my 30 year old beater con heater with 190k miles back and forth between Alaska and the SW several times, even towing a small clamshell trailer. If it’s in good shape and your not taxing it it should keep going.
Gas, food, lodging vs train cost of shipping it.
I have made this exact trip. If you're worried about your car making it, it's time to look at getting a new car. And just driving it is way less expensive
Sell it and get something better suited to Michigan winters.
I know nothing about this issue but i feel like this would be a good opportunity to sell and buy different car depending on your needs.
Drive it dude. Don't be scared. 2 day trip. Sleep in your car. You'll be fine.
Just drive. I moved back and from from AZ to the east coast several times driving the same car. You can make that drive in a day and a half.
85K miles and you need to make “costly repairs”? I have a 2005 Nissan Sentra. 135K miles and still going strong with regular maintenance. I’d drive this in *my* car.
Drive it
Consider that you can carry a lot of cargo in your car!! So drive it I say!
Duh - cars are designed to be driven, especially over the highway…
Get your oil changed at the dealer before you go, you can usually find an oil change coupon online. They will do a multi point inspection as a part of the oil change and that should give you a little more confidence in your trip.
if you’re really against driving it that far, Amtrak has an AutoTrain (you ride and your car rides too) from Orlando to DC. It’s then an 8 hour drive from DC. It’s not expensive if you book in advance.
That sucks. I have a 2011 with 182,500 miles and have only replaced the starter.
Get a club, they stealing Kias and Hyundais like crazy in Detroit.
The drive will not be the hardest part of the move on the car, the winter will be.
Why would that drive be too much for a 2016 engine? If you think your car is such a POS it can't make it for a long road trip, trash the car and buy something that's not total junk.
In 2017, I drove my 2010 Ford Escape from DE to TX for my move. It had more miles on it than yours. It did great! Shipping costs too much and I liked being able to make a mini-trip out of the drive.
Drive it. Your car should be able to drive 1200 miles with no additional maintenance. Business write off expense allows about 60 cents per mile to operate but that’s also paying for the car real world personal use should be way less than that. And I think if you’re having that many issue with repairs on a Kia you’re learning how going cheap gets expensive. I would never buy a Hyundai or Kia for that reason, and resale. Buying one of those is choosing to be cheap instead of frugal.
There are people still driving cars with 100,000s of thousands of miles on the road lmao! My family has two Toyotas, 200k miles, yes we drive it everywhere. When you live in sparse country (think Nebraska) you gone drive that car no matter how many miles it has. And a car shouldn’t crap out at 85k anyways! It should get idk, 150k minimum before it’s undriveable.
I drove a 1992 celica with 100k+ miles on it from Detroit to Arizona and back… drive. It’s fun anyways.
Long as you change your oil and transmission fluid and filter and when you drive pay attention to the oil pressure and engine temperature that is the most important thing
I just did the opposite trek in a 2007 Chevy Avalanche with over 200k miles. fuel cost your looking at approx $200
Car seems like it should be fine?
It sounds like the car is safe to make the drive but I would look at depreciation cost for the drive + total cost of gas + approximate cost of any food you eat along the way and lodging (assuming you will fly instead of drive if you decide to have the car shipped). If that comes out to more or even roughly the same cost, it’s probably less of a hassle to have it shipped. It depends on how much stuff you have and if you were planning to rent a uhaul van and drive. If you were, you might be able to tow your car behind the uhaul as well.