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Hi Swedish Baklava,
I can suggest you and your friends make best use of whatever deals they can through all the travel websites for car rentals. How you do that, I dunno.
I guess you and your friends know how to assess car makes and models, MPG ratings, and such. No need to go bigger or faster than you need. You probably really need comfort and some space for your friends and their stuff.
What about motels? You do have hostels, cheap motels (just watch the bedbugs, you can bring the cinnamon spray, yet they'll still get you). Campgrounds and camping? (Though WA state continues to raise park entrance fees).
You'll want to plan an itinerary with flex time in the instance you want to stay longer. Would they have friends to stay with?
Do grocery stores for food. Regular or discount (not fancy premium) grocery stores. Not some gas station food. Restaurants are a fast way to empty a wallet or charge card on long travels.
You can use www.gasbuddy.com to check on gas prices. Do fillups at the start in the morning as cold gasoline, like water, takes less volume.
Indeed, tire pressure. You have the door values and the max values on the tire. On each of my Volvo 240s, I keep pressure near 40 PSI front, and something less, rear. I also add a PSI or two on the driver side tires. Ha!
You'll want to gain a gentle touch with the accelerator pedal. Anyone can floor it, yet, like a 240, does the power come on? No. So, gentle gas pedal use. Stick to the posted speed limit and NO MORE than +5 MPH on any road.
Accelerate slowly, so long as it does not obstruct traffic flow. About as fast as a 240 with 1/4-1/3 pedal or so, or the equivalent in a modern auto
Drive with anticipation. One car length every 10 MPH! (So your Volvo 240 lives longer!)
When I have to travel, it's in the 240. Across the state of Wackington. Or the Amtrak. I utterly disdain the commercial airlines.
I'll guess your friends have mobile devices and such, yes? Count the time or meter the connection if using mobile plan data and voice minutes. They may want to pool mobile resources.
A five week trip from, I'll guess, Vancouver, BC, Canada to Portland, OR, I guess?
Will you go with your friends, also?
Since I and other folks reside in the U.S. Pac NW and SW Canada, I hope they'll chime in.
Maybe I suggest beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Bellingham, WA?!?!?!?!!?!? Western Washington U, Kulshan Brewing, Mount Baker and the heaviest ocean-side snow to ski and board on ... and the entirety including the mighty Northern Cascades Nation park Monument thing.
Washinton State's Whatcom County puts California's Marin (NorCally, boyeeeeee) and Orange Counties to shame.
You have all the I-5 corridor. Olympia, WA is just lovely. You see Mt Ranier to you ENE or so, and the Olympics to the North. The Olympic peninsula is just lovely.
You also have Northern Idaho from lovely Coeur D'Alene, ID and Northward.
In mighty, Mighty, MIGHTY Montana state, you have the Glacier Nation Ice Cubes Forest Monument thing (watch the glacier melt and the speed of melting ice and snow! [eally, folks, all glaciers their have massively shrunk]. You have Flathead Lake, Kalispell, and more than I can imagine.
Anyhoo, there you go.
I'll be pleased to let you know that as of yesterday all three of my Volvos 240 have their belly crank oil pans full of Mobile 1 10W40 and a quality filter.
Socket six fault code 3-1-1 (speed signal missing) is no longer in the EZK ECU of the 1992 240 GL. Now she gots a socket two (LH-Jet) 2-3-2 (lean or rich at idle).
Now I'll I gots to do is to repack them rear wheel bearings in fresh NLGI-2 grease. All six of them. Those poor little wee beastie Volvo 240s!
Swedish Baklava, hope that helps you and your friends.
Please lemme know if you have questions. Sorry to go on so.
Earl grey tea run amock.
Thank you,
Stuffed and Duffed.
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