Tom and Ray suggested that the family from Ann Arbor fly to Denver and rent a van there. They would probably save a couple hundred miles each way by flying to Las Vegas instead. Mostly depends on what deals they can get on airfare and van rental at the time they want to go, and whether they want to drive through the Rockies or would rather start off in the desert. The scenery is spectacular either way.
Edward
Agreed, PHX would work well too. Click & Clack’s other idea of using the family’s E Class Mercedes for a cross country trip for a family of five would be VERY uncomfortable for the rear center passenger. It’s definitely not a good idea if they still want to be speaking by the end of the trip.
Yeah, I don’t know about an E Class (not sure I’ve ever even been inside any Merc), but five adults is a lot different from two adults and three children. My two sisters and my wife and I (that’s four adults in case you weren’t counting, and none of us is under 50) recently took a trip together in a Camry, which is reasonably roomy as a family car though not super large. We were still speaking at the end, but it was a tight fit, and most of the driving was on only two days of less than eight hours each. With five adults on a long trip, you have to run it more like a bus line.
Edward
I agree with the idea of flying if they can, and will add Salt Lake city to the list of cities to fly into.
But my question for Tom and Ray is this–when was the last time you were in the West? 1888? We DO have civilization here, you know. Cities. Auto dealers. Mechanics.
If they do decide to drive, they should print out a listing of locations of dealerships for the vehicle they decide on. That way, should they have any problems, they will know the closest help. If they are not near it, the dealership might also know where the nearest non-dealer knowledgeable mechanic for their car is located.