Terrified of cars - massive issue!

Hi there, I would be extremely grateful if anyone could help me out with any advice about this! My 4 year old golden retriever Phoebe is wonderful apart from a huge problem - she is absolutely petrified of cars/traffic & I have no idea where to begin with helping her overcome this fear. If she gets within a few metres of a still car she will pull so hard to get away (not easy to control when you're 5'2 and not very strong!) and eventually I have to give up. I think that a back-ground is necessary as her propblems are obviously a reflection of her past.
When we first took her from the breeders when she was a puppy we drove her about 4 hours - the breeder was in a place where she wouldn't have been exposed to any cars & this was her first experience of one. Obviously it was extrememly traumatic as she was taken away from her home & mother. When we got her home she was fine though and when we started walking her we only took her to the park (I live next to a park) and this was a massive mistake as I never exposed her to other cars at a young age and 4 years on she still cannot go anywhere other than the local park (we have to get the vet to come visit!). The suggestion was to slowly get her used to cars by getting her to be comfortable around being in one - slight probem though, we don't have a car!
So it seems there is nothing I can do - when I first got her I was young and naive and didn't think this would be such a problem. I am moving in August though and the house is about 3 hours away by car and I have no idea how it would be possible to get her anywhere near a car or how she could endure the journey. Not to mention that the new house is not situated next to a park & she would have to go by cars to get near one.
I really need some advice as to how I can begin helping her as the situation is getting quite desperate & there have been so many times I've just wanted to take her for walks by the river or just anywhere other than the same old place.
Many thanks in advance!

I took on an older mongrel who had been through a bad experience with a van and as a result was terrified of cars-he wouldn't even go in them.

What I did was entice him into the car/van with his favourite treats but not go anywhere (he could jump in and out as he liked); just sit in the car on the drive, praising the dog and giving treats.

I did this for a good while before moving onto starting the engine while sitting there, to small journeys around the block until eventually he learned to love his car journeys.

Walking at the side of the road alongside traffic was similar. In order to try to socialise my current dog with moving traffic I would stop and sit at the side of the road (bus stops are good for this) and just stay really calm while rewarding verbally and with treats until the dog was saturated with traffic goings on and would sit calmly alongside me.

Do you have a training class near enough to get to. If so I'm sure some of the people there would help you get the dog more used to cars. Sitting at a bus stop is good too but be careful if the bus has opening & closing doors as the noise they make can quite spook a dog.
Meanwhile when you come out of the park so the dog is relaxed & exercised try walking in the opposite direction from home for a short way then walking back home. If you extend the distance you go each day it will help to gradually acclimatise her to traffic.

Not got much to add . Fudge was scared of cars and we did the treat thing. trainer also advised feeding her meals in the car whilst stationary. Have you a friend who might help you out on this?

Greta advice already given.
You need to take it back to absolute basics and not try to hurry her with this.
You nt having a car is a problem, but it can be overcome if you have a friend who has a car and could help.
In the meantime,I would follow GSD Sue's advice about exposure tot raffic AFTER exercise when she is tired and chilled out.
Take some good treats, whatever she likes...cheese or cheap hot dogs chopped up.
Take her to a quiet street, where there will be some cars, but not many, just get her to whatever place you can, perhaps come out of a different exit at the park and stand at the gate? Not knowing the geography of where you live I obviously can't say where, the thing is nto to walk her around traffic, what you want to do initially is sit her near traffic, let her see it. DON'T reassure her too much or she'll think you're scared too. Get her to sit and all the time she is in a sit and calm when there is a car nearby (don't get her too close) reward her with a treat and a 'good girl'. You can gradually increase her exposure.
If you have a friend with a car that can help just get her to sit near it on day 1...same thing reward and praise. Get her closer if you can day 2...etc etc ultimately feed her and play with her in it before you even think about turning the engine on...then a few days of engine on...go nowhere. Then a couple of days of move 3 feet...you see? All slow, all gradual all non threatening. It is achievable but at her age she has learnt this behaviour so it will be more difficult to alter. I have to say,if I were you I'd be looking at finding a reputable trainer and behaviourist to help you out with this as the slightest thing could make it worse. Check out the apdt website for local trainers.
Hope this helps and good luck.

This advice about not re enforcing her fear by comforting her too much is very important. I made this mistake with a dog afraid of thunder & it made helping her much more difficult as I'd inadvertantly encouraged her to think that I felt it was a problem too,
Eating in the car is quite a good idea but I know of several dogs including my own who won't eat anything in a car even though my friends dog who is like it is happy travelling & has done so since a baby puppy.

thank you so much for the advice, I think borrowing someones car would be so useful as at the moment I can't even practice with a still car. She wont actually go anywhere near roads at the moment & panics immediatly if she is taken out of her 'safety zone'. In hindsite I definitely made this worse by giving into her and giving up too soon so she knows she can get her way just by pulling me away!
I will look into getting a trainer out to see me as I wouldn't be able to get her near a training class at all.
Again thanks!

Good luck with it . It will take time and patience but I hope you get there.

I don't have any training classes near me, but if I could get her anywhere near one that would be ideal. I will look into the possibility of getting a dog trainer or behaviourist out to see her though & that could help!

I dont really have any friends who have cars that could be there often, I could try and find someone who would be willing - the problem is she wont even accept treats if she's standing about 2 meters from a car!