Just curious what the advantages are of owning the nuclear-powered car that you can obtain from Smitty before I decide whether or not to bust the $2,000 to obtain it. Is there any point in the story where you are required to have it, etc.?

You never "need" to have it, but it does come in handy. You can get to places much quicker (and makes it easier if you're wanting to run away from a random encounter - since you can just run back to your car instead of the edge of the map.) And makes a handy travelling storage unit, as well.

Also opens up a few other sidequest sort of events and the like.

But no, there's never a point where you can't continue unless you have it or anything.

You do need to refuel it, though... keep that in mind if you get it.

Ok, you don't NEED it, but believe me, it's the one thing that will make the whole game MUCH more comfortable ...

biggest advantage - the trunk (as any other container) offers unlimited storage room for any type of ammo (except BB) and travels with you

Ya be banking lots of money as game progress. 2k is small changes. Just go for it. It DRAMATICALLY decrease the random encounter and the trunks is great for storage.

Thanks for the input guys, going to go ahead and spring for it. Guessing you refuel with Microfusion cells?

Actually, the trunk doesn't offer unlimited storage. I'll admit, you can fit an unimaginable lot of stuff in there, but at some point it is completely full. At least that's what happened to me a few times, before I installed Killap's Restoration Project.

@ homer: Yes, refuel it with Microfusion Cells. If you picked up the part for the car in Klamath the car will get better mileage so it will cost you less Cells to fill her up, it'll be 50% for 50 Cells (one ammo case).

Both Microfusion Cells and Small Energy Cells can be used to fuel the car. See:

http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Highwayman

offtopic:why dont they have a car in fallout 3

ontopic:this guy is right

VD96: Its because Bethesda was worried that it might make the world seem to small, IIRC.

I was talking about ammo ONLY, not other things.. I don't really know whether it's totally ammo-unlimited or not (although I think it is), but at times I used to play till like level 65 and have maybe 50 000 .223 ammo and around 10 000 of every other non-rare type of ammo... so for me this IS unlimited

Yes microfusion cells (100 cells = 100% of the car's tank) or small energy cells (needs twice as many of them)

I think it works on Item entries not amounts, also getting your ride "pimped at the chop shop makes it bigger IIRC.

What if I'm traveling across the wasteland and it runs out of juice, but I don't have any supply in my inventory? Do I just continue on foot and the car is highlighted on my map for me to come back to later?

yes, unles you run out of fuel when crossing a location (a town or so) because then the little green circle just doesn't appear and the car is gone for good ... You don't have to worry about that too much, but it's good to keep it in mind..

I think the car is great, but it is never required, as others have said.

But it is just such a convenience to have the trunk and to drive away from undesired encounters plus the faster travel in general. And it doesn't svck down fuel, I don't think I've ever needed to refuel more than once in a game.