Trip Planning In An Old Car - Lake Havasu to Wichita

[onewhippedpuppy]

Adventure of the week, I’ll be driving a 1992 Mercedes from Lake Havasu City home to Wichita next week and looking for suggestions for help and competent shops along the way. Likely going to take the boring I40 interstate route through Flagstaff and Albuquerque to stay along well travelled roads and get home reasonably quickly, I may take 40 all the way to OKC and meet my daughter for lunch at OU. I’ll bring a small tool kit and jumper box but you can only carry so much on an airplane, so any suggestions for SOS calls along this route would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully I don’t have to test out the Hagerty roadside assistance!

Yes I owe you all information on the car, but I don’t want to jinx it. Let just say I’m excited!

[Alan A]

It’s a Mercedes. Change the oil and you are fine.

[Seahawk]

The only route I would recommend isn't for your Mercedes:



I used to do the route in dark blue from the Yucca test track to Wikieup...which I think is all still dirt roads...nice roads, but bumpy.

From there Bagdad, Jerome, etc. Great drive but way too rural for this trip.

I'd hang on I-40.

Good luck!

[onewhippedpuppy]

I’d love to set the GPS to “avoid interstates”, but not this time.

[Cajundaddy]

Tire age? I don’t want to do this on 10+ year old tires. Been there, done that, stranded in eastern AZ when sidewalls failed x2. Super fun day

I 40 as long as no snow.

[faverymi]

AAA membership?

[GH85Carrera]

If the tires are OK, and not aged out, you should be fine.

And a 1992 car is not that old. I drive my 40 year old 911 on regular long road trips. I was in the middle of Joshua Tree park and had not seen another human for over 30 minutes, and I remember thinking I am going to get in this antique, and drive home to Oklahoma. No issues at all.

I am in OKC, so if you get this far and have issue I have a garage with a scissor lift and lots of tools. The Mercedes dealership is not far from my house.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Tires are two years old and have about 1k on them, so all good there. I don’t worry about driving my older cars, I worry about driving them before I’ve had a chance to really go through them. After a good maintenance baseline I’ll drive anything anywhere. Cars were made to be driven!

Thanks Glen, hopefully I don’t take you up on the offer.

[Synchro Joe]

If you want a scenic route up through our area (Prescott) and up through the mountains to Flagstaff PM me. I-40 has a LOT of trucks and they don't stay in the right lane 1/2 the time (surprise, surprise) also some construction zones. Don't follow too closely on that road as your windshield will suffer. Also, it's deer and elk season now and the big boys are out in and around our area and Flagstaff. We have an excellent independent euro repair shop here, and of course there's the big cities with dealership. Hopefully you wont have any issues.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

I’ll be driving a 1992 Mercedes from Lake Havasu City home to Wichita next week

Sounds fantastic! You won't need a shop. "Old" cars are reliable.

[911boost]

Awesome Matt! I am excited to hear about it.

I did I40 from Lake Havasu to Albuquerque in February 2024 in my SuperC RV and that road is freaking horrible. Just in bad shape due to all the trucks and traffic. It was brutal.

I went north at Albuquerque towards Colorado and was thankful to get on I25.

Flagstaff is pretty I agree, but there will be lots of elk and deer like Synchro Joe mentions.

If you are looking for the quickest way I'd stay on 40 and hope you do not crack the windshield or destroy a suspension part with the condition on the interstate.

Bill

[HobieMarty]

Is 1992 considered old now?

Sent from my SM-S916U using Tapatalk

[Scott Douglas]

Only things that would concern me since the tires are good to go are the cooling system and brakes.
Maybe pickup a spare fan belt.
How's the gas tank for cleanliness?
If the car hasn't been used much lately I'd consider getting a new fuel filter for it too. Sounds like the road will do a good job of loosening up any rust that may be in there.

[Rtrorkt]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

The only route I would recommend isn't for your Mercedes:



I used to do the route in dark blue from the Yucca test track to Wikieup...which I think is all still dirt roads...nice roads, but bumpy.

From there Bagdad, Jerome, etc. Great drive but way too rural for this trip.

I'd hang on I-40.

Good luck!

Tried this route once in my 911, big mistake. My Range Rover Sport did well however.

Havasu to Kingman, to AZ 89 to Prescott, then Camp Verde to Payton to Heber, then decide small roads to Albuquerque or up to I 40.

[Rtrorkt]

Sorry, freaking autocorrect, Payson not payton

[onewhippedpuppy]

Thanks guys, appreciate the feedback! I made almost the exact same drive last year, I picked up my RX8 in Flagstaff. The first couple hours are pretty and then it’s hours of blah and lots of semis. With original halogens I’m going to plan on driving mostly daylight, plus I’m not an all-nighter sort of guy either.

I was 12 in 1992, yes that now classifies as “old”.

[MMiller]

If you need help in Albuquerque, Dan’s Automotive is who I use to service my Cayenne.
He is right off I40 on Eubank to the south.
https://dansautomotiverdginc.com/

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Rtrorkt

Tried this route once in my 911, big mistake. My Range Rover Sport did well however.

I always rented an SUV

From the top of the pass:

[Seahawk]

Same trip, better roads





Pictures, Matt!!!

[javadog]

Consider a stop at the nuke museum in ABQ, if you have the time.

Maybe drop ship some parts spares into Havasu for things like belts, etc. if the service history is thin.

Bring all your CDs, I-40 is a snooze all the way to OKC.