Question for ultra-commuters

[TomJD]

So I currently live in St. Louis, Missouri but have a job opportunity in Jefferson City, Missouri, our state's capital. The problem is I do not want to live in Jeff City for any reason. It is a small city with nothing to do. I could get an apartment for the week and still live in St. Louis, but that may not be cost effective.

So the question is for all ultra-commuters out there. Is my potential 134 mile (268 round trip) too absurd and too ridiculous? And could my 2000 Jetta TDI (with 236k miles) hold up for 70k miles a year? (I might be looking at getting a second TDI to divide up the miles if needed)

The good news is it is a government job so my hours would be very fixed. I could guarantee about 12 hours a day at home and 12 at work/commuting. I know many people do that anyway.

All technicalities about the job aside, is something like this doable?

 

[ScottySK]

So, nearly 4 hours a day on the road. Have kids? A wife? If so, not for long if that's the route you choose.

Regardless if your 14 year old car will handle the drive, that's around 1000 hours/year in a car, not living life.

12 hours at home, 7 sleeping. Leaves not a lot for life.

Anyways, the car... any car can handle interstate driving if it's maintained. Factor in that you won't have the time to do it yourself ($$) & associated downtime, cuts into your personal time and ability to get to work if you have a 4 hour drive every day.

 

[TomJD]

Girlfriend. I work a lot of hours as it is, combine that with my commute and school, and I am already at over 12 hours a day away from home. Thanks!

I currently work for a law firm doing business stuff. This position, however, is working for the Department of Economic Development. The good news, is there are DED offices in every county so it isn't something I would be doing for the rest of my career. I could probably relocate to a DED in STL after a few years.

 

[Slurry Pumper]

I think your car would be fine especially at highway cruising, but the actual time involved is harsh.

I commute for almost half of that at around 125 round trip every day, half through the back road of East Penn. and the other half along a 2 lane highway at highway speeds with 6 total stop light chances, a total of 12.5 hours gone each day, (10 at work), and it wears on you a little. After 3 years of this, I leave, it is dark, I come home when it is dark, the kids don't see me much, thw wife is probably seeing some other dude as far as I know.

Come to think of it, its great! Because I love what I do.

 

[SkeeterMark]

Perhaps a happy medium? You could move some distance closer to work, and yet still be within a fairly short drive to St. Louis. Personally, I drive 65 miles (130 round trip) to work in the Twin Cities. It's about an hour each way if all goes well (weather, traffic, etc). That's only half of your planned drive.

I find that drive to be quite enough. Long enough so I am purged of work thoughts by the time I get home, but not so long that my life is spent in a car.
Living out in the quiet country has it's benefits. I live on a lake, so no need for a cabin to get away to. More laid back. Friendly people. And yet I'm only an hour from everything a big city has to offer.

70k / yr is pretty conservative. That's just your commuting miles. That will certainly eat up a car's life quicker, but if you're going to do it, a TDI is the right car.

 

[forcedfedbug]

I worked with a 100 mile trip each way for about 10 years. Most of that time though I only worked 4 days a week. The time in the car was great for getting rid of all the work so I never had the problem of taking work home. I liked it. the 3 hours a day in the car can be spent wisely. Then I had 3 days off. in 8 years I put on 200k miles in my 2000 1.8t. Since diesel cars are supposed to be better lasting, I agree hiway miles dont really ware on a car. You should be ok especially if you think you can get another car as a backup anyway.

Ron

 

[Dozenspeed]

Sounds like a good reason to move to O'Fallon! At least then you'd have a huge jump avoiding rush hour issues....that should cut off ~35 miles each way right there.

I think one of the first well-publicized million mile Mercedes (a 1968 220D I believe?) ran a 268 mile/day commute for 11 years....

 

[TomJD]

Great point Dozen! I think if I hit any traffic it will be on 270. Living at the exact wrong side of STL has its downside. I imagine you put around 70k miles a year on your Taxi.

 

[Das]

I do 152 miles a day mostly highway. I spend on a good day 3 hours bad much more. I think 300 plus a day is a lot of time in the car. Hope the job is worth it. So it is snowing one day you go to drive home it could be a 4 hour drive. Car will be fine just keep up with everything.

 

[Dozenspeed]

Have oilhammer check out you car thoughly, it's a great candidate for this sort of thing as it is. I believe TDI wear really comes from the number of heat cycles. With that car and this commute, you'll likely only need to change fluids/filter, tires and maybe maintain the suspension. But transmission and brakes would likely need nothing ever sitting in 5th gear all day. Plus the miles matter little with those long heat cycles. That why I brought the Honda to the meeting...2 cycles (there and back in 30 degree weather) of my TDI not getting warm enough isn't appealing to me. (Yes, I know car would be warm from the 16 minute drive, but 12-all of that 16 minutes would sub-optimal-running-temp/higher-wear conditions.....)

I try not to even start her up from cold unless I plan to drive 100+ miles.

 

[belome]

So, nearly 4 hours a day on the road. Have kids? A wife? If so, not for long if that's the route you choose.

I agree with this guy.

Can it be done. Yes.

Are you going to get burnt out? Hell Yes.

I do 65 miles one way and it is getting really old, I can't fathom doing what you are considering for any length of time.

Plus, by the time you calculate vehicle costs (even tires add up) it just gets crazy.

edit to add - you say there is nothing to do there... but will you have time to do anything with a 4 hour commute... certainly not on work days.

 

[Dozenspeed]

^^^^

Wise perspective and often the case, but not always. From O'Fallon, I bet you could get this down to 90 minutes each way. It's possible someone might really dig audio books or something, or function best with time to contemplate.

 

[Slurry Pumper]

I think we all need TDI's with automatic pilot. (Its really gonna happen, eventually). We can all hang out in the back seat drinking cocktails and holding business meetings while the car drives us around.

 

[oilhammer]

Tom, I know a few folks near our farm in Belle, and someone there drives to Jeff City every day. One place has a pretty cheap little apartment deal, may be worth looking into. Just depends I guess on what part of Jeff City you are talking about, plus the fact that you'd be on 2-lane much of the way.

Long distances at high speed and low traffic are not bad. But slower speeds, and traffic, can be taxing over time. I drive about 47 miles one-way every day... the worst part of it by far is the evening drive down 270. I'm used to it, I've done it for nearly 17 years now, but I'd be a liar if I said it doesn't suck.

But for me, what makes it worthwhile is my house, and the neighbors that I don't have, fields and farms all around me, on a tiny chunk of land that is thrice the size of even a large subdivision lot.

I'd not worry about the car.... I can keep your Jetta on the road as long as you care to drive it and I can get parts. I'd be more concerned with your sanity.

 

[Dozenspeed]

But slower speeds, and traffic, can be taxing over time. I drive about 47 miles one-way every day... the worst part of it by far is the evening drive down 270. I'm used to it, I've done it for nearly 17 years now, but I'd be a liar if I said it doesn't suck.

Notice it is rush hour and I'm sitting out the fracus until all the "normals" are watching primetime? I'd rather do my hundreds of miles on dark empty roads. Had a nice little trip to Hillsboro this morning, life ain't bad being paid to take a nice little country drive.

 

[Funguy]

Ok so you don't like the small town but after a commute that long you are going to be too tired to do anything in your big town. If this is a long term job I say move to that small town and do the 4 hour commute to the big town to have fun on the weekend or whatever.

If it is a short term job, rent a little room from an old lady and go "home" on the weekend. I used to commute by subway about 4 hours a day when I was a young guy. Did a lot of reading but that is not a good life

 

[2.2TDI]

My school just moved and my commute would be 175 miles a day... I originally didn't want to get a place because I only have classes 2 to 3 days a week, along with flying... I did the commute a few times, and going one way is fine, but after a long day, going back is a pain in the ***, and then not to mention weather, and horrible traffic some days. My schedule isn't fixed either, so I never know when I'll be home or at school, is it doable? yes, worth being super tired? nope. If I had a fixed schedule then maybe, so it's whatever you feel comfortable

 

[TomJD]

You guys are all great. Thanks for the advice (and PMs). Lets put it this way, with this job I might have the ability to impact people's lives and help develop the Missouri economy. So I have the factor of the job itself, then the factor of the commute.

I think I could learn Italian or something...get one of those languages on CDs. They might not be effective, but if I listen to it for 20 hours a week maybe it might become useful.

I am thinking a cheap apartment might be ideal. Though I will be spending my time alone in the apartment as Jeff City has the night life of a barn full of cows. Oilhammer, I will think about Belle, MO. To be honest I am an outdoors person through and through so that would be ideal over anything in lame-o Jeff City. O'Fallon is also a good option. I have family there and there is so much new development its crazy.

I got off work today and thought I would give 134 miles a try. I have driven to Philly a couple times stopping only to fill up. That was exactly 900 miles. It isn't a bad drive when you expect it. But that 134 miles, after a long day at work and when one of my co-workers quit unexpectedly, was not easy. I listened to the same CD 3 times as my radio is garbage. Add to that possible traffic, like the 270 traffic mentioned above, and I wouldn't enjoy it.

 

[TheGrove]

...Long distances at high speed and low traffic are not bad. But slower speeds, and traffic, can be taxing over time. I drive about 47 miles one-way every day... the worst part of it by far is the evening drive down 270. I'm used to it, I've done it for nearly 17 years now, but I'd be a liar if I said it doesn't suck.

But for me, what makes it worthwhile is my house, and the neighbors that I don't have, fields and farms all around me, on a tiny chunk of land that is thrice the size of even a large subdivision lot.

My commute is 110 miles one way and I've been doing it for about 15 years now, and yes sometimes it does get old. Fortunately in the morning the first 3/4 of the commute is done at interstate speed and I don't hit bad traffic until our I270 which slows down as well. In the evening it is the opposite where the first 1/4 of the commute is slow going back up I270 before it speeds up after Fredrick MD.

Like OH said what makes it worthwhile for me is the same thing - my house. Being able to live on 7 acres of land with my closest neighbor 1/4 mile away is great and no one bothers anything. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

[TDI smile]

For over 2 1/2 years I did a DAILY drive of 230 km one-way. Management was part of the sale of my company. Made that trip with a MB TurboDiesel...Car had 361,000 miles on it, when I started that commute....Even a VW will do that easy. Diesel love a long drive.

 

[belome]

I listened to the same CD 3 times as my radio is garbage. Add to that possible traffic, like the 270 traffic mentioned above, and I wouldn't enjoy it.

For me, satellite radio is your friend for commuting. Even listening to dumb talk shows helps me along. [Believe it or not, I actually listen to a lot of nascar radio, just so there is someone else talking.]

I often take the backway home quite often. It takes longer but I can chill out, have a few cokes, take my time, stop and get groceries or a meal.

Of course, I don't have someone that lives at my house to come how too either.

 

[belome]

For over 2 1/2 years I did a DAILY drive of 230 km one-way. Management was part of the sale of my company.

But did you have an exit strategy? I mean, did you know you only had to do it for X amount of time?

The reason I ask, is to me, it is easier to do something you don't like if it has a goal and end point. I could totally do something crazy for 2.5 years if it had a great outcome, I would just count the days down and be fine.

But just do it until you get sick of out doesn't appeal to me.

I'm currently looking for houses in the area of my work.

 

[runonbeer]

I think I could learn Italian or something...get one of those languages on CDs. They might not be effective, but if I listen to it for 20 hours a week maybe it might become useful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oOVqUInA6w

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

I used to travel to Jeff City with some frequency, and have done the drive from Lambert Field a bunch of times because flying out of Columbia was hit-or-miss at best. I remember it as a pretty long drive, especially the time I had to do it in a snowstorm. And I do recall that there was only one decent restaurant in Jeff City.

I can say with little reservation that for 20+ years I probably spent more time traveling (mostly air) than anyone here. Didn't mind it at the time, even liked it, but it was a constant strain on our family and me. Now that the hour plus commute to the office is gone, and now that I'm not out of town 180 days a year, I can't believe I did it. If I could go back I'd say "hell no!" regardless of the sacrifices in money or career that would have resulted.

Long story short, think hard before you do this. And you may want to negotiate a trial period where after 90 days if it sucks you can back out. Just my advice.

 

[MikeS_18]

I drive 120 miles a day in a 2003 with 235k on it. It's not fun. The drive takes about 80 minutes on a normal day. This morning it was 95mins due to an accident and sun glare. This past Weds night it was 3 hours due to snow. The car can do it, but it's a 11 year old car and it's getting old, and "rattley" and tired and it doesn't have the nice features a newer car has...in other words, I do the drive and my reasons are worth it, but enjoy the drive less and less each day.

 

[Funguy]

Just to add, there is a safety concern also. These days my drive is only about 40 minutes each way BUT I find especially in the heat of the summer (I work outside) I sometimes struggle to keep my eyes open on the way home. On a drive as long as the OP is talking about, that could be deadly.

 

[TomJD]

Thankfully it would be a position I could move out of after only 2 years or so.

But I think you guys are convincing. As much as I want this, I think the life I would have out of work wouldn't make it worth it. The local DEDs are much smaller and much less effective, but I think they might be a better alternative. I'll still be mulling this over, but it is looking more negative each day.

 

[Ghaniba]

I agree with many of the folks here. I have a 52 mile one way commute I do. I now work 4 10hr days, and now, after 10 years, I dream of having a nice 10 min commute again.

I've done Satellite radio, vegetable oil in W123 Mercedes, audio books, and it really still comes down to one thing: There's so many more fools on the road compared to when I was younger, that long in a car is a real risk to your life, in every way. I love to drive, but it's still 8hrs of my life, every week, that I'll never get back.

Dave

 

[nahtanoj]

for 3 years i did a 120 mile each way, Los Angeles to San Diego. i really enjoyed the drive in the morning. just me, my coffee an empty road, and my radio. the afternoons/evenings, not as much fun with traffic. for me at the time it was worth it. and in the future i may end up with the same drive. you may as well try it out. if it doesn't work out for you, move.
jon

 

[scooperhsd]

Having done daily commutes of 45 and 60 miles each way, and currently 37 - no matter how much you like driving - it gets old. The only thing that make the 37 each today tolerable is that I'm at work before rush hour starts and I get home while it's still light out.