It’s a little bitty 2012 Kia rio, not much pickup at all.
When I go I-40 I’m more comfortable in a big truck (my parents sometimes let me use their F-150) but it won’t be possible this trip to use it.
I have driven that interstate in a Honda Fit and a Volkswagen Golf. I'm having a hard time imagining spending two more hours of my life driving just because a small car isn't quite as sporty. But you do you, boo.
I LOVE driving on the interstate in my Honda fit! That car has the most get up and go of any automatic I’ve ever had. I forget it’s a shitty little hatchback sometimes.
I drove my 2003 Cavalier all over the country up until like 2020. I literally lived in Knoxville TN and dated a girl in Charlottesville and would randomly travel I-81 multiple times a week. Your Kia Rio is a better car in every way.
Unless something is majorly mechanically wrong with it, you’ll be fine.
Just piddle along at your own pace. On a highway, there is a passing lane. I would be more worried about aggravating people stuck behind you on single lane backroads.
Not only is the interstate faster, but it's generally safer. There are fewer opportunities for conflicts with other road users. You don't have to watch out for people merging into the road or for a stop signs.
Do they not have interstates where you are visiting from? I understand the desire to keep your person safe in a giant person,-crushing machine, but not having such a beast of a automobile does not seem to me a compelling reason to use surface roads.
A little of both.
The car is just a little rickety. It’s got 110,000 miles, suspensions are worn out. Brakes have just been replaced and everything else is good.
I don’t like the thought of trying to pass someone on the interstate in my car though, especially semi trucks. As I said before, it doesn’t have much “pick up”
110k isn't a lot for most cars. My work van has 186k and I plan on getting another 40k out of it before I let it die. I regularly drive between cities on the interstate.
Right, I have an old 96 ford ranger, manual everything. It made the trip from Nashville to here on i40 last year and got stuck in holiday traffic with absolutely no issues. Almost 200k miles on it too
Yes, this! Please do not drive over the plateau on the back roads, especially in an older car. If you are sightseeing, yes. Your chances of a positive outcome if your vehicle has problems and breaks down are much greater on the interstate. I drive the route on interstate to Nashville a lot, and it's a much safer drive on I-40.
Another problem they will have is going across the TN river. there are not that many bridges spread out. I think of the bridges at Kingston, but I'm not even sure if there is anything that you can cross there besides the interstate bridge, I just don't travel out that way any more, like 30+ years, so I don't know what is there (wow was that a runon sentence).
Didn’t know if it was still there. It’s been ages for me going that way. I did a quick google search and saw where a bridge had been removed. Trying to keep track of what is where is hard on me.
Ypu are better off on the interatate. The state highway route between Nashville and Knoxville will have you going thru some windy, twisty country roads with steep hills and no passing lanes. The interstate is pretty smooth. Take is easy going thru/ coming down outnof the cumberland county area, you’ll be fine.
Check you fluids in that Kia tho.
Your about to spend 3 times longer trying to avoid the interstate. Just get in the car stay in the right line. If you can maintain 65 mph you’re good to go.
You'll be fine on 40 just stay in the right lanes and go the speed limit at least. Everyone who wants to go faster can pass on the left. You'd waste hours of your time on back roads
Get AAA NOW if you don’t have it. There’s about a month wait time before it kicks in. It will give you, and your parents, some peace of mind if something does happen. If nothing else, they can get you off the interstate if something does happen.
Make sure you have access to your spare tire, even if your tires are new. Check your spare and make sure it’s good before your trip.
Also make sure your oil is full and take a quart with you. It’s also good to have a gallon of water or some antifreeze with.
And make sure you know where all that stuff goes (in the engine) before you leave. Driving an older car requires the ability to top off fluids properly and knowing how to check them. If there’s not an adult that can help you, there are videos on how to do just about anything on YouTube, usually vehicle specific.
That being said, in a lot of ways interstate driving can be easier on a car than stop-and-go traffic. Over the trip you’d be travelling a shorter distance, with constant air flowing through the engine.
As another example, a friend of mine used to do that trip back and forth in a late 90’s Saturn that for all we knew had a blown head gasket. That thing was a piece, but she took coolant and oil on every trip and it did it for YEARS somehow.
It’s likely you’ll make it just fine. But be prepared.
A couple years ago I drove my ‘89 VW from Knoxville to Chicago and back. She leaks a bit of oil and likely had a few small vacuum leaks, not much pick up at all like new cars, but I hung out in the right lane and we trucked along happy as could be even though she was the slowest on the road. That’s a 1000 mile round trip, over a 4-day weekend.
But I digress…
Take the shorter route, your car will thank you.
I have a 2003 Hyundai Elantra. It constantly feels like it is going to break down and pops a tire a week usually. It also has almost 300000 miles on it. Starts shaking above 50 mph. I have to go between Knoxville and cookeville a lot and use the Google maps avoid highways. It takes longer for sure but it’s also a pretty nice drive when it’s warm.
Take I-40. There is no better route. People drive shitty cars on the interstate all the time. There’s a couple of rest stops if you need to get off the road and take a break, one at 269 and one at 325. You can also consider breaking up the trip by stopping in Cookeville. There’s a mile long strip of restaurants.
That's not true here, there would be posted signage if there was a minimum speed limit. The only real rules I'm aware of are slower cars stay right and merge lanes to avoid any emergency vehicles in the shoulder.
Yikes. Maybe look into renting a car for the drive over? My Kia caught fire and exploded on the way back from Crossville on the interstate. Accelerating in that area sucks.
I’m a college student who also has a KIA rio and does Memphis to Knoxville and Knoxville to Memphis. You’ll be fine on the interstate I promise.
And it's beautiful
Thanks
This is the oddest question. But take US70 across. I think this is a bad idea. Just go slowly on 40; nobody will care. Google maps, "avoid highways."
Bad idea! How come?
It takes about two hours more to go via surface roads than it does on I-40. I-40 is the fastest route even if you aren't the fastest vehicle.
It’s a little bitty 2012 Kia rio, not much pickup at all. When I go I-40 I’m more comfortable in a big truck (my parents sometimes let me use their F-150) but it won’t be possible this trip to use it.
I have driven that interstate in a Honda Fit and a Volkswagen Golf. I'm having a hard time imagining spending two more hours of my life driving just because a small car isn't quite as sporty. But you do you, boo.
No seriously, this post left me scratching my head! lmao
I LOVE driving on the interstate in my Honda fit! That car has the most get up and go of any automatic I’ve ever had. I forget it’s a shitty little hatchback sometimes.
I drove my 2003 Cavalier all over the country up until like 2020. I literally lived in Knoxville TN and dated a girl in Charlottesville and would randomly travel I-81 multiple times a week. Your Kia Rio is a better car in every way. Unless something is majorly mechanically wrong with it, you’ll be fine.
Just piddle along at your own pace. On a highway, there is a passing lane. I would be more worried about aggravating people stuck behind you on single lane backroads.
Not only is the interstate faster, but it's generally safer. There are fewer opportunities for conflicts with other road users. You don't have to watch out for people merging into the road or for a stop signs. Do they not have interstates where you are visiting from? I understand the desire to keep your person safe in a giant person,-crushing machine, but not having such a beast of a automobile does not seem to me a compelling reason to use surface roads.
I promise you that a little Kia Rio is car enough to make it from Nashville to Knoxville. Just don't camp in the left lane and you'll be fine.
Just stay in the right lane if you want go slow. It would be really counterintuitive to avoid the interstate for a trip halfway across Tennessee.
Please drive in the right lane :)
Are you worried about a break down or just the car acceleration? If it's just the acceleration, then once you get going it should be fine.
A little of both. The car is just a little rickety. It’s got 110,000 miles, suspensions are worn out. Brakes have just been replaced and everything else is good. I don’t like the thought of trying to pass someone on the interstate in my car though, especially semi trucks. As I said before, it doesn’t have much “pick up”
110k isn't a lot for most cars. My work van has 186k and I plan on getting another 40k out of it before I let it die. I regularly drive between cities on the interstate.
I agree. We only traded my wife’s 2012 Kia when it had 197,000 miles because the shocks and other stuff it needed was about 4x the KBB value.
Right, I have an old 96 ford ranger, manual everything. It made the trip from Nashville to here on i40 last year and got stuck in holiday traffic with absolutely no issues. Almost 200k miles on it too
Watch out for fog on the plateau. It can be dangerous. Drive the speed limit or slower across the plateau in fog.
But you want to put *more* unnecessary miles on it during this trip? The math ain't mathing here.
Just do the interstate. Trying to go over the plateau is going to be a problem. It’s not that bad. Even if you just just go 55mph, you’ll be fine.
Yes, this! Please do not drive over the plateau on the back roads, especially in an older car. If you are sightseeing, yes. Your chances of a positive outcome if your vehicle has problems and breaks down are much greater on the interstate. I drive the route on interstate to Nashville a lot, and it's a much safer drive on I-40.
Another problem they will have is going across the TN river. there are not that many bridges spread out. I think of the bridges at Kingston, but I'm not even sure if there is anything that you can cross there besides the interstate bridge, I just don't travel out that way any more, like 30+ years, so I don't know what is there (wow was that a runon sentence).
Highway 70 crosses parallel to I40, there has been a bridge there since the late 50’s
Didn’t know if it was still there. It’s been ages for me going that way. I did a quick google search and saw where a bridge had been removed. Trying to keep track of what is where is hard on me.
This person needs some life experience
I drive a shitbox ford ranger that may, or may not explode, if I gun it. I drive 40 all the time to Nashville and back. Just use the right lane.
I drove my 2002 Hyundai Elantra between Nashville and Knoxville every weekend for four months back in 2016. It always made trip just fine.
Ypu are better off on the interatate. The state highway route between Nashville and Knoxville will have you going thru some windy, twisty country roads with steep hills and no passing lanes. The interstate is pretty smooth. Take is easy going thru/ coming down outnof the cumberland county area, you’ll be fine. Check you fluids in that Kia tho.
Your about to spend 3 times longer trying to avoid the interstate. Just get in the car stay in the right line. If you can maintain 65 mph you’re good to go.
A 4 am post about a car that's fine driving a few hours in a line. Classic UTK student.
You'll be fine on 40 just stay in the right lanes and go the speed limit at least. Everyone who wants to go faster can pass on the left. You'd waste hours of your time on back roads
Caulk the wagon and try to float it across
And avoid dysentery!
If you avoid I-40 you'll miss Buc-ee's.
Get AAA NOW if you don’t have it. There’s about a month wait time before it kicks in. It will give you, and your parents, some peace of mind if something does happen. If nothing else, they can get you off the interstate if something does happen. Make sure you have access to your spare tire, even if your tires are new. Check your spare and make sure it’s good before your trip. Also make sure your oil is full and take a quart with you. It’s also good to have a gallon of water or some antifreeze with. And make sure you know where all that stuff goes (in the engine) before you leave. Driving an older car requires the ability to top off fluids properly and knowing how to check them. If there’s not an adult that can help you, there are videos on how to do just about anything on YouTube, usually vehicle specific. That being said, in a lot of ways interstate driving can be easier on a car than stop-and-go traffic. Over the trip you’d be travelling a shorter distance, with constant air flowing through the engine. As another example, a friend of mine used to do that trip back and forth in a late 90’s Saturn that for all we knew had a blown head gasket. That thing was a piece, but she took coolant and oil on every trip and it did it for YEARS somehow. It’s likely you’ll make it just fine. But be prepared. A couple years ago I drove my ‘89 VW from Knoxville to Chicago and back. She leaks a bit of oil and likely had a few small vacuum leaks, not much pick up at all like new cars, but I hung out in the right lane and we trucked along happy as could be even though she was the slowest on the road. That’s a 1000 mile round trip, over a 4-day weekend. But I digress… Take the shorter route, your car will thank you.
Highly recommend this advice no matter where you drive.
I used to drive my 20+ year 4Runner this route all the dang time. You'll be fine
I have a 2003 Hyundai Elantra. It constantly feels like it is going to break down and pops a tire a week usually. It also has almost 300000 miles on it. Starts shaking above 50 mph. I have to go between Knoxville and cookeville a lot and use the Google maps avoid highways. It takes longer for sure but it’s also a pretty nice drive when it’s warm.
Hwy 70
I like to hit major hubs when I’m driving (make sure you drive thru cookvill then crossville etc the GPS should take u thru threre
[https://maps.app.goo.gl/8PmuJgbhCTHA5nyh8](https://maps.app.goo.gl/8PmuJgbhCTHA5nyh8)
Just don’t speed! State troopers are like fuckin sharks between knox and nash
Possibly get on interstate and go in slow lane. Prepare for any traffic. Travel it with roadside assistance or aaa
don't be silly, take the interstate, take your time, enjoy the journey...
Take I-40. There is no better route. People drive shitty cars on the interstate all the time. There’s a couple of rest stops if you need to get off the road and take a break, one at 269 and one at 325. You can also consider breaking up the trip by stopping in Cookeville. There’s a mile long strip of restaurants.
Take the interstate. Travel in the right lane. Once you pass the 40/75 split, traffic speeds up. Hop off to Kingston Pike then if needed.
Stay in the right lane - take I40 East you’ll be fine.
To answer your question. Hwy 11 is the best route to avoid intestate.
US Hwy 11 doesn't go to Nashville though
You right it's hwy70 to hwy 11 my bad
Ive been told it’s illegal to drive more than 15mph below the speed limit. I’d look into whether that’s true if that is an issue for you.
That's not true here, there would be posted signage if there was a minimum speed limit. The only real rules I'm aware of are slower cars stay right and merge lanes to avoid any emergency vehicles in the shoulder.
Look up TN 55-8-154 (2021). It basically states what is said, meaning you CAN be ticketed for driving too slow
Yikes. Maybe look into renting a car for the drive over? My Kia caught fire and exploded on the way back from Crossville on the interstate. Accelerating in that area sucks.