Best Car for Long Term Traveling?

Quoting goodfish

I've got to agree with the people warning you. That's a dangerous country you're planning on travelling in, with a high level of violence. If you were planning on doing the same somewhere safer like New Zealand or Scotland I'd say take your chances.

Well, considering that a 22 year-old female backpacker was murdered last month in New Zealand, I don't know as the country the OP will be traveling is necessarily more dangerous?

That did cross my mind as I wrote it. I was in NZ at the time - it was on the news for a week, people talked about it over dinner, and they could tell you about the last time it happened. It was an anguished nation, various towns holding vigils in memory of the girl.
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By contrast the USA apparently had 17,000 homicides in 2016.

I would not attempt this trip with an old clunker that could break down.

clunk·er
[ˈkləNGkər]
NOUN
NORTH AMERICAN
informal

an old, run-down vehicle or machine.
synonyms:
jalopy · lemon · rustbucket · bucket of bolts · hooptie · crate

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Be sure to have a good Roadside Assistance plan/auto club membership paid up for the entire trip. Maybe more than one plan since you don't know where you will be when something happens. Something like AAA.

As far as a car goes, what does your father or other trusted family members recommend? (Other than you not go on a trip all alone!)

[ Edit: Edited on 24-Jan-2019, at 02:43 by karazyal ]

Yep, very good idea to get a good, solid vehicle that'll hold up, especially as you'll be going solo.

Additionally, you're going to want to consider insurance costs for an 18 year-old driver; they vary per type.

By that I meant that insurance costs will also vary per make/model of vehicle. Not sure I was clear about that.

Andy, the OP lives in the U.S. She doesn't need generalized stats, and they aren't especially helpful here.

[ Edit: Edited on 24-Jan-2019, at 05:19 by goodfish ]

I know you asked about cars specifically but I noticed you talked about hiking trails. I am assuming you plan on doing this during your trip and since you are going solo I thought I might add as a tip that before you embark on a hike or walk to perhaps contact a family member let them know what trail you are walking and when you expect to be back. Tell them if they don't hear from you by a certain time to alert whatever authorities deal with lost hikers. Too many solo hikers die because because it took too long for anyone to realise they were missing

[/quote]That did cross my mind as I wrote it. I was in NZ at the time - it was on the news for a week, people talked about it over dinner, and they could tell you about the last time it happened. It was an anguished nation, various towns holding vigils in memory of the girl.
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By contrast the USA apparently had 17,000 homicides in 2016.[/quote]

There are over 300 million people in the USA . I suspect NZ doesn't have quite that many. The homicide rate is more important than the number of homicides. I'm sure ours is higher but not nearly that dramatic.

Excellent advice about hiking. You should always notify someone where you are going and give some kind of timeline. You can also leave word at a ranger station, and I'm sure you'll have your cell phone but there are plenty of places out West that don't have coverage so don't make that your only backup.

Have you considered asking a friend along? Just a thought.

Quoting Beausoleil

There are over 300 million people in the USA . I suspect NZ doesn't have quite that many. The homicide rate is more important than the number of homicides. I'm sure ours is higher but not nearly that dramatic.

My point was that, whilst I am sure both countries have a lot of lovely people as well as their share of scumbags, there is a big difference in culture. An awful lot of the people of New Zealand were aghast at what they saw as a guest in their country being let down. It's more of a society. I've never felt that in the USA; there it's more a wariness that anyone could have a gun in their glove compartment.

I think the danger in the USA to a lone young female is quite high, compared to other places.

Quoting Beausoleil

The homicide rate is more important than the number of homicides. I'm sure ours is higher but not nearly that dramatic.

It's only Wiki but; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate#By_country.
Number 94 and number 213 on the 'By country' list, so quite some way apart.

[ Edit: Edited on 24-Jan-2019, at 07:01 by Andrew Mack ]

I have to say that we were pretty much ashamed that a New Zealander had killed this British tourist and we were hopeful that she was going to be found alive until the body turned up. It reflects very badly on New Zealand and we are all hoping that the stigma doesn't last. Our hearts go out to her family and especially her father who was out her when her body was discovered.

But, as Andyf has said, there are definitely more tourist homicides in other countries.

[ Edit: Edited on 24-Jan-2019, at 07:12 by Borisborough ]

I've still no idea what the OP thinks is 'Affordable'.

It's more of a society. I've never felt that in the USA

Yes, I know you're not wild about the U.S: I've heard that from you before. Maybe you haven't 'felt society' - whatever the heck that means - because you don't live here. Many, many of us live in, are active in and/or volunteer in communities (neighborhood, veterans, charitable, religious, educational, environmental/outdoors, etc.) that are pretty darn supportive when someone is in trouble.

We're more than one negative statistic so could you quit throwing that one around, please? It's not helpful.