Van Pools Blog

Whether it was the time the car I was driving from California to Michigan experienced catastrophic transmission failure – on a Sunday afternoon in the middle of the desert, no less – or the drive east from Seattle in a car that developed a problem that ultimately required oil (and lots of it) to be poured into engine about every 100 miles, I’ve experienced more than my share of road trip disasters. And while none of them was severe enough to halt the trip altogether, they all tested my coping skills and forced me to reevaluate my approach to long journeys and vacations by car.

Unfortunately, many car problems are like time bombs, going off with no warning or previous indication. That car with the transmission problem was a perfect example. I’d driven it around the Los Angeles for several days prior to starting off on the long drive and it performed flawlessly. It wasn’t until I was climbing some serious grades out beyond San Bernardino that it consumed itself. I spent nearly two days in a small town along the route to Las Vegas, while a repair shop rebuilt the transmission.
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