mini-wini-dan Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Hi folks, I am leaving from NEPA (NE Pennsylvania) on soon and my main destination is San Fransisco to see my son and his family which includes our new grand-daughter!! We are excited and hoping our 87 mini wini is ready for the task. I do have some really good mechanics who have been helping me out and I have fixed a few things myself. I have tools and know enough to deal with minor issues that could come up, however, I am more concerned with possible major repair items and where I might be when and if they happen. I have owned this vehicle for about one year and have put a couple thousand miles on it. Mostly driving it to outer banks where our daughter's family lives (more grand-kids too). It has been very reliable even though I have noted some issues in previous posts. Thanks to some advice and shared info on this forum I have made corrections- thanks again! So just for the sake of info sharing I have some good mechanics who are honest and reasonable that may not mind if I share their contact info with others on this forum. I will check first and if ok I'll post their ph#'s for possible reference. I am sure the same applies throughout the country where many of you live so I am suggesting a list of good contacts or mechanical help for each of us to benefit from. Right now I know I will be going through northern Ohio, northern Indiana, Southern Wisconsin, etc on i-80 and then i-90 in South Dakota, then back on i-80 through Wyoming, Utah and Nevada to SF. Coming back through California south towards Bakersfield then over to Grand Canyon and East on 40 back to the midwest in MO. Then rt 70 East back to PA. I have AAA premium for RV with up to 200 miles free towing and if needed it would be great to have a directory of good mechanics on the path just in case. Any ideas of something like this already available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 The toyota-campers group has a list of mechanics on their database. it is not a lot but some is better than nothing http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/toyota-campers/database?method=reportRows&tbl=13 Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Dan, looks like a good route, I've traveled it many, many times. Try and avoid Chicago during rush hour.(6am to 9am and 3pm to 6pm) John Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mini-wini-dan Posted June 11, 2013 Author Share Posted June 11, 2013 Thanks Linda and John, I found the list of mechanics on the link and I will be trying to dodge Chicago's rush hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 When you get to WY, if you see the hwy signs saying "No light trailers" park and relax. While you probley wont get blown over it, will be a slow white kuckle drive. I always see a few trucks who didnt belive the signs and tried to run with empty trailers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Wyoming is a windy place. At least on that stretch of highway. I've been stuck in an old non-motorhome 4 cylinder Toyota pickup going 45mph for 2 hours in a headwind, gas pedal floored...Not fun! But it's all part of driving these trucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 my wife who is from Wyoming talks about wind river canyon and said ther were pices of blown a part R Vpull trailers all over one guy had a bare frame left. the name is not for nothing. and that free way through rock springs across that big desert we came to a sighn said next gas etc anything 90 miles long stretched of not muchout there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 The serious bad spots are I 25, ChugWater. I 80, Arlington. The rest of the interstates are just regular bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Its nice to have your house on your back like a good Tortoise at times ". We did check the weather reports and delayed a day heading back north as there was a major windstorm out of the W/NW from Idaho all the way to Colorado" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mini-wini-dan Posted June 19, 2013 Author Share Posted June 19, 2013 Hi, It is interesting to hear about your experiences and the head wind in Wyoming? That one is news to me but now I'll be alert to this. I thank you all for sharing experiences and info with me. It was interesting to hear about overloading your toyhomes. I just weighed mine on a scale the other day and it weighed in at 5200 ;bs. and mine is supposed to be 5500 gvw. Mind you we have not even loaded it for our trip but I did fill up the water system so I could purge out the rv antifreeze. The water weighs 8.4 lbs per gallon so maybe we should dump the water while driving. At least until we go through Wyoming lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Weight will affect your ability to climb hills, it won't do anything if you're bucking a 40 mph head wind. The thing to do is to listen to weather reports, pay attention to the road condition signs and drive accordingly. Today I-80 is calm. 8 days out of 10 its no problem. An just think of the mpg coming home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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