Well I'm back safe and sound a day late but overall on a scale of 1-10, the Signet performed at a
solid 9. B)
This is in spite of the alternator failing on the way back (after 90 of the total 280 miles). After that, it ran continuously for 3-1/2 hours; the first 50 miles of which I had to use at least the 'parking lites' and sometimes the headlites as there are 7 highway tunnels on the Fraser Canyon section of the Trans Canada highway. (a lovely drive by the way). It was drizzly and foggy also so the wipers and washer got a good work-out; including 70 miles on just battery power.
The last 120 miles was pretty much sunny and dry. We kept up an average of between 65 and 70 (mph) and frequently passed cars and trucks on the 3 and 4 lane stretches. Then on one section, after passing a
McDonalds truck, right behind us was an empty (30-wheeler) flat-bed. I was doing 75 and he was still gaining so I went up to 83. (I kinda felt like I was Dennis Weaver in that 30 year old movie called
DUAL.

h34r: So, he dropped back slightly and since there was no other traffic I decided to let off the gas instead of waiting for the next 'passing lane'. Well, he
zipped by and kept his speed up. I dropped back to 70 and just enjoyed the scenery. It's a 62mph. (100km/hr.) limit by the way.
I did stop a couple times (about one and two hours later) where I popped the hood and checked the battery voltage, with engine running, and it never indicated below 12.0. Even when we got home it still showed 12v. and soon after that, I went and got gas and also stopped at 2 other places. In all I started the car 5 times and it
still cranked and fired-up quickly. I had the Diehard with me (on the trip) but never touched it. There was one thing I could have done (after the charging system failed). When I tested the battery at 12v., the power at the coil was 8.8v. It would have been possible to
by-pass the ballast resistor completely but for the last 3.5 hours of running, the engine never 'skipped a beat' so I just left it alone.
When I checked the oil after arriving in Van., it never went down (from when we left). I'll check it again on Friday to see if it went down at all over the (total) 580 mile trip.
Other than a little 'wind noise' on the driver's side and bad wiper blades I have absolutely no complaints. She used 22 gallons; (27.5 US) by the way.