Not to mention killing your car. DV is amazing for many reasons, but one that people ignore to their peril is that there is a TON of elevation gain as you drive

Not to mention killing your car. DV is amazing for many reasons, but one that people ignore to their peril is that there is a TON of elevation gain as you drive through the park. If you enter from the amargosa side, you won't see it much, but if you enter from the west (through Panamint valley) you will drop from ~4000' to 1000', then gain it all back over a 10 mile stretch, and then go back down to -280 feet when you reach the badwater. These passes on hot days can overtax radiators and cause breakdowns. They can also overheat brakes, etc. Having visited several times myself, I encourage October-November as the best timeframe to visit.