Request For Emergency Numbers Along Route From Rochester, NY to San Diego California

[JimSmith]

Hello everyone.

Well, my daughter is getting ready to take off with some friends from Rochester, NY and drive across the country to San Diego, California. She is taking her 1982 240D with 294,500 miles and another young lady is taking much younger domestic compact car. The group is about 5 kids - give or take one. I am not really concerned about the machine being able to make the trip, but like any Dad seeing his daughter off on a trip like this, I am trying to plan for some invevitable visits by Mr. Murphy. I spent a few days preparing the car (new filters, oil, thermostat, temperature sensor, valve cover gasket, injection timing, valve adjustment, etc.)

So, still on the lookout for Mr. Murphy, I decided I would change tactics and rather than plan only to keep him away (Plan "A"), I thought I would try to figure out a plan of what to do when he arrives in spite of Plan "A." For Plan "B" I was wondering if there are a few of you board members (men or women) who might be willing to volunteer your phone numbers as local contacts along the way, should she need some advice or direction to a reputable shop as she passes near by.

My wife suggested this as she thinks we (well, me anyway) spend so much time sharing car stories and know how that there might be some volunteers to help get our daughter safely along the way should a problem arise. I was figuring my daughter could call me, tell me what her situation was, and if there was a nearby boardmember who had volunteered I would contact the boardmember to make sure they were still interested and available, and the request for help was not going to be outlandish. In most cases I would be looking for a recommended shop or garage and then give the information to my daughter. If the volunteer was willing to get more involved directly (like, say the problem arose on the block they live on...) that would be fine too, but I am not looking for free mechanic service or anything like that.

My daughter is more than mildly familiar with the car as one of the demands I made before she was allowed to get a driver's permit was that she knew the basics of automobile mechanics, and that she participate in all maintenance on the vehicle. I bought her some books on cars and engines, and quizzed her. She is pretty bright and took the challenge seriously. She can do regular stuff like change a tire, the oil and the oil filter, check and fill fluids, tire pressures and so on. And like I said the car is old but in very sound mechanical shape and she has participated in everything from valve adjustments to brake maintenance and exhaust system replacement along the way. So, I expect better descriptions along the way than the call about a funny noise. And I am counting on her watching the oil pressure and temperature gages, and not letting a failed hose turn into a failed engine....

She leaves early next week from home and drives to Rochester to pick up another traveller. From there the group is driving on I-90 to Chicago, then to St. Louis on I-55, and I-70 to Vail, Colorado. Then they plan to start heading to a number of National Parks in Colorado (Black Canyon and Mesa Verde), Utah (Canyonlands, Arches, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Zion) on scenic routes and some I-70, Arizona (North Rim of Grand Canyon), Nevada (Lake Meade, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas), and then into California on I-15 to San Diego. They may, depending on how long all this National Park touring takes them, detour up to Death Valley from Las Vegas and then go down to San Diego. I have some reservations about taking the old Diesel into someplace called Death Valley where the ambient temperatures soar over 100*F daily. Just doesn't sound like a friendly place for a German vehicle.

Anyway, this is asking a lot and I will not be put off if no one volunteers. If you are interested please respond either to this thread or via Private Message. Thanks, Jim