Weekend recap:

Miles driven - 1791.something.
R/C Colas consumed on the road - A lot.
Beers consumed upon arrival - A lot.
Rotors warped - 2, front.
Windshields cracked - 1.
Fuel filler doors broken - 0.
Gallons of fuel purchased - Pending...
Average fuel mileage unloaded - Pending...
Average fuel mileage loaded (5x8' U-Haul box trailer and approx. 500 lbs of stuff in the bed) - Pending...

Went down to Killeen to visit my aunt, pick up my mom, and pick up some more stuff. Overall, everything went as planned, excepting how much Texas roads suck. One section of I-35E coming out of Dallas bottlenecked from three lanes into one during rush hour. What the hell possesses Texas DOT to work on busy roads during times like that? And nothing against the Texas folk here, but WTF convinces people there that they can coast along all day in the left lane doing about 55 or so in a 70?

Texas roads and a tractor trailer claimed my windshield too. Threw a rock into the lower black portion just above the cowl panel and below the middle of the driver's wiper blade. I didn't notice it until late that evening, now it's starting to spread towards the center of the windshield. Gotta see how much a windshield costs to see whether or not I wanna claim it under my insurance.

I get some seriously screwed up presents for my birthday. About this time last year was when my Focus got wrecked after someone ran out in front of me. This time this year, I lose a windshield in my truck. I'm just gonna stay home and drink beer on my birthdays from hereon out.

 

That ain't just Texas folk...those SOBs do that everywhere

 

I just made it home about an hour ago. 15 hours on the road and I'm wore out...I wrote down how much I bought and how many miles I drove when I filled up each time, I'll do some figuring tomorrow.

I'm pretty sure only the fronts are a little twisted. I'll have to drive it again after I get this damn trailer unhooked and returned. I'm getting more of a steering wheel shudder when pulling down from highway speeds, so I'm inclined to think that it's the front only. My dad and I traded out driving, whenever he drives, he'll run up on someone in the left lane and hover on their bumper, making sharp stabs at the brakes every now and then, and then it decided to rain like hell in Loosianna and parts of Mississippi, so water + hot rotors = shake, shake, shake. We'll see after I get rid of the trailer tomorrow.

 

Quintin- is your insurance in Ga? I'm a GA boy myself and had many incidents on 285 with windshields ( rocks, 2x4, and even some apples). Insurance companies are required to replace the windshield at no cost to the driver, same in SC where im at school. Just tell them its on your drivers side and it gets in your view. They'll set you up with a glass company. If you do this ask the glass company for ford glass or they will give you some knockoff glass. No cost to you and wont affect your insurance.

 

He is right...glass breakage is covered under comprehensive (sp????) and making a comp claim will not effect your insurance costs. You will have to pay the deductible (if you have one) but thats it.

 

If you only has liability then you would be SOL. Most of the time you will have a collision deductible and a comp deductible. I personaly have a $250 collision deductible and a $0 comp deductible.

 

Nothing wrong with that.

I got a split windshield too. Seems like new car attract the rocks.

 

Total fuel used - 137.3 gallons.

Cost - $243.85.

Average cost of fuel per gallon between Columbus, Georgia and Killeen, Texas - $1.75/gal

Average fuel mileage unloaded - Approx. 15.3 mpg (guestimated by dividing the mileage at our first fuel stop, 328.4, and the
amount of fuel purchased there to fill 'er up, 21.438 gallons. Not a true average I know, but close 'nuff for gummint work).

Average fuel mileage loaded - Approx. 10.2 mpg (guestimated by the same method as above).

Driving speeds were "bending" the limits, 80 mph+ as much as we could without attracting attention from the polizei. I'm still infinitely impressed with how stable these trucks are at speed. A 5th gear or maybe if I got the 3.73s would help the trans from constantly downshifting going up slight grades, it did this whether we were loaded or not, but then again we were heavy in the throttle the whole way. Fluids were checked at every gas stop. Oil consumption was nill. I fill mine to where it's about midway in the crosshatch, there was no change during the 1700-some odd miles we drove.

I'm at 17566 miles right now, this weekend I'll be picking dead bugs off the bumper and changing oil.

Edited to add: I got full coverage insurance with a $500 deductible. I think I'll let the insurance company handle my windshield.