Driving a classic automatic in the US?

Lafortezza · 05-07-2008 10:22AM #1

I'm going over to the US in the Autumn for a holiday which will include 300 miles of driving from Phoenix to Las Vegas through the desert.
If possible I'd like to do it in a classic american convertible, and I'm thinking of hiring from these people: http://www.bhrentacar.com/category/Classics depending what they have available in PHX.

I drive a manual Octavia here in Ireland, but have never driven in the US.

How different and how difficult is it to drive a car like this one?
I'm assuming it would be much bigger in size than a 4 door saloon in ireland? I've never driven an automatic, especially an old school american one.

Any advice welcome.

edit: just saw that there's a classic cars forum, plz move if appropriate.

Seth Brundle · 05-07-2008 10:24AM

moved

Run_to_da_hills · 05-07-2008 10:34AM

I had two classics in the states one a 1971 Plymouth Valliant and the other a 64 VW Camper, There was no big deal about the age of the car or whether it was an auto or not when getting insurance as you would get in Ireland. You have to get a "DOE" on change of ownership irrespectively of how recent the previous one was. You also have to pay sales tax on secondhand cars in most states, i.e. a % of the second price that you paid for it. People tend to declare a lower sales price for the car for this purpose.

Lafortezza · 05-07-2008 10:40AM

Hi Run_to_da_hills,
I'm not actually looking to buy in this situation! My main question is how differerent/difficult is it to drive this sort of car compared to an average 4-door saloon in Ireland.

kindalen · 05-07-2008 12:25PM

cars are easy to drive,big difference is handling(boat like) and size.roads are well signed and easy to use.
also those older cars have a foot brake instead of a handbrake,its located just inside the footwell beside the pedals.
make sure you get one with aircon(that works),thats a must.
enjoy.

Esel · 05-07-2008 01:23PM

Convertible is a very bad idea. You will fry with the top down (apart from nighttime of course). You'll have no problem driving an automatic. Just don't stab the brake pedal thinking it's a clutch!

Run_to_da_hills · 05-07-2008 02:39PM

esel wrote: »

Convertible is a very bad idea. You will fry with the top down (apart from nighttime of course). You'll have no problem driving an automatic. Just don't stab the brake pedal thinking it's a clutch!

And don't slap it into reverse as I did :eek: (At the cost of having to ditch the car on the side of the freeway in Boston. Ended up giving it away to a tow truck company / scrap yard FOC.)

Lafortezza · 05-07-2008 02:46PM

The gear lever (park/drive/reverse) is generally on the side of the steering wheel right? I've never driven an auto, or a car as big as some of those classic cars in the link in the OP, and I've never driven in the US either. Hence the questions!

esel, it will probably be November when we are there, and from checking online Nov temps are between 15-27C so pretty bareable.

kwikksilva · 05-07-2008 02:46PM

Hi Lafortezza,

It will be a piece of cake for you to drive, my company sends people back and forth alot, and everyone gets the hang of the automatic.The key is to rest your left foot and not use it at all, as you have no clutch, and just use the right foot to brake and accelerate on the 2 pedals. Honestly you will be 10 minutes getting the hang of it.

After that, it is just getting into to your head about the opposite side of the road, which takes about 2 days to get used it if you are a good driver.

As for the Eldorado, i drove a Cadillac DTS in March which is pretty big, and it was fine to drive, parking is not as pokey as Ireland, there is room over there for cars that big, its a totally different experience, you would be fine with a car that size, no problem to you at all.

As for the gear lever, on the El Dorado, its on the Wheel, which is no big deal, because you'll hardly ever go near it.

Enjoy!

thecoolcat · 05-07-2008 03:08PM

I live in the States, and my first car was a classic (Plymouth Fury not my car but you get an idea). The only thing that I would warn people about is acceleration.

Acceleration depends on the engine size of course, but I usually found it to be quite slow. I had a 5.8L engine and it would probably go 0-100km/h in over 15 seconds. For large highways its not bad, but to pass on a two lane road was a white nuckle experience. Since it was automatic it didn't really have a good passing gear to put it in.

kindalen · 05-07-2008 04:23PM

dont over-take a stopped school bus either....

Esel · 05-07-2008 04:32PM

kindalen wrote: »

dont over-take a stopped school bus either....

Actually, you can't pass a stopped school bus from either direction.

For accelleration, use the kick-down, (or shift to a lower gear using the lever if the engine revs are appropriate).

granadamad · 08-07-2008 10:23PM

auto is great in the states, as you will find yourself stopping at lots of junctions when driving around the cities and neighbour hoods, manual just doesnt work in america

i drove a lot of jeeps and a chevy blazer when i lived there and some work trucks, really thought the auto was suited to the style of roads

Dades · 09-07-2008 09:33AM

esel wrote: »

Convertible is a very bad idea. You will fry with the top down (apart from nighttime of course).

Hmmm, I wouldn't discount a soft top so quick - plenty will have AC too. And if the AC in your tin top classic is dodgy you will be cooked like a Christmas (sorry - 'Thanksgiving') turkey.

Roof down, and factor 20 sunblock ftw!

Driving a classic automatic in the US?

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