I would think twice before taking a Rhoades Car for a solo cross-country trip. I have the four seater model modified by Rhoades with the cargo waggin' and have had nothing but problems with it.
I have had mine for almost three months, and here is a list of the problems I've had thus far:
1. Tailgate on cargo bed would not stay in the upright and locked position. This problem presented itself on my maiden ride
2. Hinges in tailgate fell out. This took a couple of days for this to happen.
3. One of the plastic connectors Rhoades Car uses to connect the cargo frame together broke. I've tried to glue it without much success.
4. Drive sprocket on motor broke apart. This happened after I had had the Rhoades Car nearly two weeks. I had no load in the cargo bed at the time.
5. At 6 weeks 3 of the wheels folded as I pedaled down from a curb. I had to call a flatbed wrecker to carry me home at a cost of over $200.
All of the parts and repairs have been at my expense - Rhoades Car hasn't remitted a penny, in spite of the fact that I was told when I purchased the vehicle that they would cover the costs of parts and repairs during the warranty period. They have not done this. To date, my costs have exceeded $1500, on a Rhoades Car purchased for $7500.
I've contacted a local bicycle builder where I live and asked for his advice. He was surprised at the cheapness of the wheels Rhoades Car uses, and questioned why Rhoades Car doesn't use rims specifically for weight-bearing vehicles. He also was amazed at the poor quality of the rear cassette (gears), advising me to replace it as soon as possible to avoid another breakdown.
Maybe my experience is an isolated case - but I don't think so.
If you decide to buy a Rhoades Car after reading this you have no one to blame if yours is a Lemon like mine.