Erska

Hey guys!

I'm a guy from Finland who is going to do an awesome road trip to USA in next September with my future fiancee! I have already bought our tickets.

My budget for buying the car is around 5000 usd. It can be a little more, but hopefully I get it at 5k or less.

My first choice for the car to do the trip with my future fiance was a 1994-1996 Roadmaster STW with LT1 but since they cost about the same here in Finland than in the states and they are pretty rare and I have tight requirements for it etc...I have an 1995 Impala SS with LT1 and two first gen Dodge Rams + a 1996 Viper so I'd like to own and try Ford motor company products too.

I have been looking for a black on black 2005-2007 Lincoln Town Car L (LWB) edition. It needs to be LWB edition because I want to sit in the backseat with comfort too, they are bad *** in LWB form and I'm 6'6 and 330 lbs. I'd like to find one in 300 mile radius from Dallas. I'm flying in and out from Dallas, and I'm going to ship the car to Finland from Houston.

But the question is, if I can't find one in the late August to early September I'd like to have few more choices. I'd like to hear your opinios for Navigator vs Town Car L. Remember the budget is 5k usd. The Navigator can be few years older, like 2003->. I'm also interested in Excursions, but they are too expensive with 7.3 liter psd because an Excursion with gas engine really is a pig.... I am also interested of Suburbans,Tahoes and Escalades newer than 2000->. I also approve Mercury Marauders but they aren't usually in that price range...

You can give me suggestions and opinions what and where to buy, where to look in Dallas area, I know craiglist, Ebay, Autotrader and cars.com.

If you are interested. Heres my time table and travel plan.

Day 1: Coming to Dallas&Lewisville and Looking for a Car
Day 2: Looking for a car& BBQ
Day 3: Maintaining the car
Day 4: Lewisville-Oklaholma-Amarillo 710km/ 6½hours Hotel~45euros
Day 5:Amarillo- Santa Fe 450km / 4 hours Hotel~90euros
Day 6:Santa Fe-Grand Canyon Village 770km/ 7 hours 10 mins hotel ~150-200euros
Day 7: Grand Canyon Village - Hoover Dam Lodge 395km / 4 hours Hotel~might be 45€ per night
Day 8: Hoover Dam Lodge -Las Vegas Hotel 50km/1hour 45€ night
Day 9: Las Vegas Hotel ~45€ night
Day 10: Las Vegas Hanging out
Day 11: Las Vegas- Bad Water Basin- Death Valley- Mammoth Lakes 593km/ 7 hours
Day 12: Mammoth Lakes/ATV Safari riding
Day 13: Mammoth Lakes - Bodie ghost town- Yosemite - San Francisco 535km/ 7 hours 30min
Day 14: San Francisco
Day 15: San Francisco - Santa Barbara 560km / 7 hours Hotel 120€ per night
Day 16: Santa Barbara - Beverly Hills 165km / Little over 2 hours 150€ per night
Day 17: Beverly Hills - Los Angeles 150€ per night
Day 18: Los Angeles Area 150€ per night
Day 19: Los Angeles - San Diego - Pheonix 770km / 8 hours hotel 60€
Day 20: Pheonix&Apache trail sightseeing trip(200km/3- 6 hours?) hotel 60€
Day 21: Pheonix - El Paso 700km 6 hours hotel 60€
Day 22: El Paso - Roswell 330km/ 3½ hours hotel 100€
Day 23: Roswell - Del Rio 650km / 6½ hours hotel 60€
Day 24: Del Rio - Houston 560km/ 5½hours hotel 80€
Day 25: Houston & car shipping hotel 80€
Day 26: Houston - Lewisville 450km/ 4 hours
Day 27: Lewisville& BBQ
Day 28: BBQ
Day 29: BBQ& Leaving home
Hotels total= 2000euros
Fuels max 1000€
Total fuels and stay 3000€

Total KM around 7888 / 85 hours

Around 493 / 5.3 hours per day

If you are in that route and interested to meet and change few words with us let me know.

-Erska

Scotty

Big comfy sedan or land yacht sounds good.
A friend of mine from Finland came to canada for a big trip.
He bought an older Buick Electra.
His name, Jorma Ojanaho. Big guy too.
Competed in strongman.
Enjoy the adventure!

Erska

Oh you know Jorma! Very neat! I have heard of him.

Yeah, you really can't beat a silent,comfy and roomy body on frame land yacht passenger car on a long highway trip

Is there some special place,shop, parts store, BBQ&grill, car events on my planned route or something where should I stop?

Scotty

Jorma and I trained together, competed too.
I'm not very familiar with your trip but one place that might help with bbq online is a food show called diners drive-ins and dives...its on the food network in canada... Lots of reviews and videos of places to eat.

Have fun slim. LoL
Speaking from one slim guy to another. Hahah

funcruise

If you are looking for a nice comfortable car in the Ford line, why not try a 2000 to 2004 Mercury. They have a small v/8 with enough power and good on gas as well. A lot of them even had air ride in the back. Should be able to pick one up for around $5000. I have a friend that has two of them and very satisfied with both.One cloth seats and one leather...

SIXSLUG

How about a surplus Crown Vic P72? Usually well maintained and let go at 100,000 miles or so....and you can rule the road cause most people think its a police car and get out of the way!

Enjoy your trip!

kerry.king

That's going to be a great trip Erska!
I used to have an 04 ford Taurus. Was a great comfortable car. The new ones are really nice. I used a 2013 Taurus for 2 weeks. It was a rental. Super fancy & plush. Ran really good too. I was impressed with the torque. I'd like to get one for my wife, but she wants a minivan

NJTman

Erska,

Since you're flying into Dallas, why not contact these guys:

Inventory | Gas Monkey Garage


They sell Cadillac Boats to a dude from Finland all the time. Maybe they can hook you up with something that would fit your immense-ness...


Maybe they'll put you on the show in one of their episodes...