Opinions? what kind of vehicle?

Chris in MO · Jul 17, 2008

We are looking at adding another vehicle to the family's "fleet". Currently we have a '95 F250 w/ 7.3 diesel and an '87 Suburban. Neither of these does well on fuel.

What we need to do with the vehicle is:
1. My wife makes produce and egg deliveries in town a couple of times a week.
2. I need to cart around tools for my work and frequently a 24' extension ladder.
3.We need to haul up to 5 people every so often to 4H, etc.
4.It would also be helpful to be able to haul a couple of bags of feed or minerals in a pinch.
In addition to this, the roads between our house and town are not terribly well maintained, this being Missouri.

I want to keep our current vehicles and add one more. I have been thinking about three possibilities.

An old Toyota p/up with a 4 cylinder engine and 5 speed transmission. I used to work for a service company when I was a kid that had a fleet of these and I remember driving an awful long way without stopping to fill up. This would be great for me, but my wife is hard on vehicles and I would prefer an automatic because of that. In addition, passenger space is limited.

Another thought is to get a hatchback something or other with fold down back seats. There would be passenger space, a small amount of cargo space and good fuel economy(?). The drawback is the inability to cart around a ladder.

The final option is a small station wagon. This would carry people, ladders, and cargo, but I have no idea about fuel economy.

So, if you were in my shoes, what would you do and why?

Thanks for the help.

Christopher

ddl · Jul 17, 2008

a subaru wagon preferably an early 1980's model. Good gas mileage, good carrying capacity, will go anywhere (either 4 wheel drive or front wheel) ease of work on (small tool kit will take the whole car apart) and parts are readily available. excellent built motors that will outlast most people's life time. Manual or automatic version. Hatchbacks are hard to find but wagons seem plentiful. Don't care to much for newer models but the old ones are built to last or rust apart doing it.

Mike M · Jul 17, 2008

sounds like a minivan is in your future ?

Chris in MO · Jul 17, 2008

Two Caravans were in our past and I don't like their fuel economy. The ones we had got, if my memory is correct, no better than 22 on the highway, though perhaps it was closer to 17 or 18.

Christopher

Dave H. (CO) · Jul 17, 2008

I"d look at a newer wagon, there are many choices with good economy. I think the Ford Focus ranks pretty well. If you only haul the ladder occasionally I wouldn"t get a car soley on that factor. I have a trailer and a truck to pull it with, but don"t use the truck for much else that doesn"t require towing or hauling.

glennster · Jul 17, 2008

look at a honda crv or a honda pilot. both small suv type vehicle, good on fuel economy, all wheel drive, not hard on repairs either. they wont replace a 4x4 diesel truck, but in a pinch they will get you around on very little fuel.

02XLT4X4 · Jul 17, 2008

(quoted from post at 10:20:05 07/17/08) a subaru wagon preferably an early 1980's model. Good gas mileage, good carrying capacity, will go anywhere (either 4 wheel drive or front wheel) ease of work on (small tool kit will take the whole car apart) and parts are readily available. excellent built motors that will outlast most people's life time. Manual or automatic version. Hatchbacks are hard to find but wagons seem plentiful. Don't care to much for newer models but the old ones are built to last or rust apart doing it.

Most of those that you see running around are about the implode from their own weight. Might have been a good buy back in the day, but it is going to be tough to find one in decent shape now.

I am liking the new Escape, nice looking, reliable car that is also easy to work on.

Mike M · Jul 17, 2008

Then maybe the above mentioned Hondas ? The pilot will get you 21-22 mpg hiway and the New CRV will get 28 mpg hiway and 22-23 ? combined ? at least that's what Mom and Dad get.

Anonymous-0 · Jul 17, 2008

Your all set for pickups so get a 2000 or so 4dr civic. My brother's civic gets +40 mpg, has +250,000 miles with mantainance but no repairs, good looking, has a hitch for a trailer and built in the USA, not Mexico.

GeneMO · Jul 17, 2008

A compact Japaneese pickup, with "crew cab" (extra jump seats in back) and an aluminum camper shell with rack on top for ladder.

4 banger engine, maybe diesel

Throw some carpet in the bed and you'll have it made.

Might have to pay a premium if you find such a machine.

We parked the dodge Durango and bought a little Honda Accord. But it's just the two of us and we dont need to haul anything, if we do, the Durango comes out of the shed.

Gene

Anonymous-0 · Jul 17, 2008

Dodge Caravan ! you'd be surprised how much room !! haul people stuff. Great mileage , i get 26 with mine . Get a set of detachable roof racks to haul ladders when you need to .

Nikolas Britton · Jul 17, 2008

* 80+ Miles Per gallon!
* Dirt cheap, $2000 for a brand new unit!
* Insurance is like $200, for the whole year!

INCase · Jul 17, 2008

i'd say mini-van too. Dodge/Chrysler or GM. Compare fuel econ. Our 94 Dodge got 27/26 combined driving. Our 2003 is lucky to get 23 highway though it is heavier with more goodies. Took the roof-rack bars off but haven't checked mileage. The Dodges are the old design mechanically and are pretty easy to work on and the 3.3L motor is pretty reliable (the 3.0 Mitsubishi engine is ok if you get newer than 1993 and can keep oil in it) The 4spd had some problems early on but mostly due to folks putting the wrong oil in and/or NOT taking them to a reliable dealer if they did have trouble. The Honda CRV as others have mentioned is a good choice if you get the 2WD. They're pretty roomy and get great gas mileage and until recently were made in Japan (not US, Canada or Mexico). GOod luck.

Jack-Iowa · Jul 17, 2008

honda fit its like a wagon gets great 30+ mpg and you can re arrange the interior to carry what you want.room for 5 and did I say its a honda.

Anonymous-0 · Jul 17, 2008

Also a fantastic choice if you like buying transmissions.

Kirk / ihcollector · Jul 17, 2008

Sounds like you need a Ford Escape. The convenience of a 4 door, roof rack for your ladder, storage area in the back and generally 28+ miles per gallon. You might want to check your local Ford dealer for a lease return"d vehicle. Usually low milage, well cared for and warranty still available.

Bob · Jul 17, 2008

Why not keep the gas guzzlers for the jobs they are NEEDED for, and get something economical for just running around?

JDemaris · Jul 17, 2008

I was working on the same problem. Need a vehicle with room for gear and passengers at times. Also the ability to carry full sheets of plywood, a ladder on top, etc. Also, our roads are crap and for us - 4WD or AWD is a must for most of the year. We already have several 4WD Subarus which are not great on gas and too small for many things. Also have a diesel 4WD Suburban, two Ford diesel 4WD F250s, one Dodge W250 diesel, etc.

We also have some small rigs for when nothing needs to be hauled. A few diesel Volkswagens, a Geo Tracker 4WD, etc. By the way, the Geo is fantastic for a little SUV. Gets 30 MPG, around town or highway - but way too small for any use beyond carrying a few people and a dog.

I finally picked up a Dodge Grand Caravan AWD. 1998 and paid $2000 for it. Runs beautiful - pulls a small trailer, full sheets of plywood fit into it, etc. Just took a 600 mile trip with three people, a dog, and a load of camping gear. Got 24 MPG for the trip and this has the biggest 3.8 liter engine. If we hadn't had this, we'd used the Dodge diesel truck with a camper on the back and gotten 17-18 MPG with fuel at $5 per gallon. Or, we'd used the Ford diesel truck and gotten 14-15 MPG.

I previously had a 1995 Chevy AWD Astrovan with a 4.3 and hated it. It was a fuel-hog. Got 18 MPG on its best highway trip and got 13 MPG around town. I'm not a Dodge fan - but I'm pretty impressed with this Grand Caravan for an all-around vehicle. I also suppose that a 2WD van with a smaller engine will do even better with fuel mileage.

JDemaris · Jul 17, 2008

I recently borrowed my wife's parents Escape. Drove it mostly highway around the flat-lands of northern Michigan. It's got the 3 liter engine and it's AWD. Drove great - and the best tank of fuel got 24 MPG. Most tanks got 21-23 MPG and I drove it pretty easy. Certainly none got 28 plus as you mention. Maybe you're referring to a two-wheel drive with a four banger engine?

BDT in Minnesota · Jul 17, 2008

Chris; my vote would be for an economical smaller station wagon; being that it appears that you allready have a good supply of 4X4s for the "tougher" times of the year, when road conditions dictate their use..

You mention that you frequently carry a 24' (extension) ladder...There would be one disadvantage to carrying such a ladder on a small wagon with a rooftop cargo rack. The ladder would most likely hang over the rear of the vehicle enough so that it would not be possible to open the rear hatch without removing the ladder first..

Other than that, those little wagons are handy and economical.

dhermesc · Jul 17, 2008

A Escape is a good little vehicle but hauling 5 people in it would be a stretch.

I'd sell the F250 (you can still get something for it) and keep the Suburban its not worth much with the high fuel prices. Buy a decent sized car (Impala?) or cross over and be done with it. When you have to tow use the Suburban. Trying to buy one vehicle that will do everything AND get decent fuel mileage is a lost cause. It will be cheaper to keep the Suburban on an as needed basis.

Right now we have two 2006 and one 2007 Impala in our fleet and they all average 25 MPG in every day driving - thats with guys who aren't paying the gas bill putting their foot in it all the time. The new 3.9L engines are much better than the 3.8s (both power and mileage) adn these cars are roomy with some nice options (ours are LTs).

JDemaris · Jul 17, 2008

I've still got over 20 of them up in field. All 4WD Loyale wagons - 1983 up to 1992.

I'd buy more if I ever came across one that wasn't rusted to death - but they are scarce.

A few comments though on my experience with them over the years. Only the manual transmission models have real 4WD. They are also pretty good on gas and I've gotten 27 MPG on some highway trips. And, yes they will go anywhere as long as you don't lose ground-clearance.

But - in my experience the three-speed automatics are awful on gas to start with. Usally around 21 MPG highway at best. And, they do not give you true 4WD. I don't know what Subaru was thinking when they designed them - but they work like this. There is a pressure-valve in the transmission that senses how hard you are hitting the gas pedal. It in-turn, sends hydraulic power to the transfer-case lockup clutch. So, at low throttle, 4WD barely works at all and slips most of the time. Hit the throttle hard - and it locks up. THAT makes no sense. You get in bad conditions, and try to go easy on gas - and the 4WD slips in and out.

On the other hand - the manual transmission models are just good-old conventional all-gear 4WD. My favorites have the optional hi-low range transfer-case.

Every one I owned rusted out before it wore out. But, some were real gas-hogs. The 1985 4WD wagon that I just finally abandoned up in my field - with the three-speed auto trans averaged around 16 MPG in winter driving which is pitiful for a 1.8 engine.

We have two "newer" 1995 AWD Imprezas with 2.2 engines and they never do better than 23 MPG.

TxFarmallFan · Jul 17, 2008

A guy I work with just bought one of these little cheapie china made scooters. Looks like a total doofus driving the thing.

kyhayman · Jul 17, 2008

I drive a 95 Dodge Intrepid with the 3.3 liter for my 'beater car'. It hauls parts, tools, tie a ladder on the roof (paints all pealing anyhow). Got better than 500 pounds in the trunk right now. Had 185,000 on it when I got it (800 bucks since the body was so bad, beat up rear quarter panel, 3 tone ghetto paint job mostly pealing). Its got over 200,000 on it now and runs like a scalded dog, 80 mph on the highway with the a/c running and all that junk in it and it still gets 25 mpg.

Anonymous-0 · Jul 17, 2008

234, 000 so far and no tranny trouble yet ,,knock on wood .

IaGary · Jul 17, 2008

If you put 10,000 miles a year on a car that gets 25 mile to the gallon and yours are getting 15. You will save no money adding another car.

Now if you where getting rid of one then yes you would save.

You will save 266 gallons a year driving 10,000 miles with the mileage above. Or save $1035 at todays gas prices.

Lets say you buy a $5000 car. If you figure the life at 7 years, that is $715 dollars a year for the cost of the car. Without interest. Insurance will be around $250 dollars a year. License will be $65 a year or more. For a total annual cost of $1030 a year. If you drive more you will save more.

Now if you want a newer better car, then you might as well get one that gets better mileage.

Gary

jose bagge · Jul 17, 2008

Christopher, you need to get an old Chrysler mini-van. I have seen tradesmen haul ladders on the roof and have every tool they own in the back of these, and if you pull the seats it will haul full 4x8 sheets of plywood. I've seen guys tote goats and sheep in 'em, and of course they haul kids too. i've seen harley guys put their bikes in the back of 'em and use the seats as lawn furniture while they did it. The 4 cyl ones get great gas mileage.
The Chryslers were far and away the best mini-vans- Astros were RWD, and the Aerostars puffed motors regularly.
and because the early ones are plentiful and so darn ugly, I've seen decent ones sell for $5-600 bucks. Plus, w/ front wheel drive, it will go anywhere a 2wd pickup will go- I've seen kids take mom and dad's into pretty crazy places!

dhermesc · Jul 17, 2008

If you go for a newer Intrepid or Concord make sure you stick with the 3.2(?) or a 3.5 V6. You don't want anything to do with the 2.7 V6 that many of them have.

Ryan - WI · Jul 17, 2008

This topic appears to have been beaten to death already but...

I would go for a 90's ford escort or mercury tracer wagon.

These were built really well by mazda (read long lasting) get 35 mpg or better, have 5 seat belts, a trunk and no resale to speak of.

You can get a really nice one with not many miles on it for less than 2 grand.

We had a sedan that lasted 198,000 on the original everything before the tranny went.

keh · Jul 17, 2008

O K, I will add my .02 worth. I would use the Surbaban to carry the 5 people. I would get a regular cab small pick up and put a cover on the bed for the tools and a ladder rack for the ladder like the other post said. Get a manual transmission for gas milage, train your wife to use it for the produce deliveries.
Toyota would be great, but they have good resale value and are pricey. A Ford Ranger 4 cyl is a great small truck, gets great gas milage with a manual transmission, and the engine is long lasting. For some reason, they don't seem to sell so well used so you might pick one up cheap. I had a 92 Ranger, got 26.5 mpg reliabily. Newer ones are rated at better gas milage.

KEH

Anonymous-0 · Jul 17, 2008

I agree with the caravan. Only get the 2.4 or the 3.0 with the three speed auto trans. The joke about the 4 speed o/d unit is that either you have just had one installed or you need one. I have a 96 with a 2.4 with a 170,000 on it and only have put a head gasket and timing belt on it. It gets 26 mpg on the highway and we have hauled everything in it except firewood.
hth,
Ted

RandyB(MI) · Jul 17, 2008

Go with the mini-van! They get just as good a mileage or better than the cars. Will haul6 or 7 , ladder on rack on top , seats all come out for cargo,can be fwd/rwd or all wd choice is yours. Put a hitch on rear for small 2 wheel utility trailer for more versatility. I have had 3 and all got from 25-28 mpg and could be used for about anything. Forget the "cars" they are useless for you. Basically so is a pickup.

Nikolas Britton · Jul 17, 2008

He may look like a doofus, but in the end the jokes on you. Just run the numbers...

Gas = $4 a gallon
Shooter = 80 mph
Car = 20 mph
Truck = 10 mph
10 miles a day * 365 days = 3650 miles per year.

Shooter = 3650/80 = 45.625 gallons = $182.5
Car = 3650/20 = 182.5 gallons = $730
Truck = 3650/10 = 365 gallons = $1,460

With all that money I saved on gas I can take my girl on vacation to the Caribbean.

kyhayman · Jul 17, 2008

Gary really hit on something here. You've got to look at how much you drive and what it will really save. For me, when I was working off the farm it was easy, I drove 35K a year, a beater to put the miles on saved my good vehicle. Now its a lot harder. My truck is on its 6th tank of fuel this year and the car gets about 16000 miles on it.

John A. · Jul 17, 2008

Chris, I must agree with Gary down below. What are you calling fuel hoggish? anything less than 20 mpg?
Have had an older Chevy suburban with a 350 gas and a 4 speed auto. 17 to 18 was the norm on mine.
Just remember Suburbans do darn well what most other vehicles CAN NOT DO...That is bring you back from the Dance!! I know of too many people who have been involved in wrecks and it was only the Suburbans toughness that let them walk away from from wrecks that would have killed folks in smaller rigs!!
And my MIL and FIL are 2 of the many that are still here today and none the worse for ware after the wreck.
I drive a 01 F-350, w/ a 7.3, and a Epedition, and a 97 F150 w/ 4.6 V8 all my rigs ave 16 to 18 mpg not bad for what my family drives.
Remember In a wreck, The rig that goes over... LIVES, while the rig that goes under...DIES!! Think before you put your family into a small Buzz-Buggy. Just my thoughts!!!!!!!!!!
Later,
John A.

buickanddeere · Jul 18, 2008

Ask 100 people and you will get 100 different answers.
As previously stated safety of your family then Cost Per Mile. mpg is not what counts.
I'm looking at an ad in todays Detroit free press for a loaded 2008 Trailblazer LT for $20,504.08 at Liberty Chevolet.
Mileage will be decent, runs on the cheaper gasoline and it's a fair chunk of metal around your family.
Any loads can be hauled in the back or better yet in a cheapo 5000lb rated 6.5'x10' two wheel landscaping trailer.
With the prices slashed on new vehicles. It's worth considering having full warranty and no previous abuse.
There are thousands of 1-3 year old vehicles around here that the remaining mortgage is more than the vehicle's street price.
Amazing how many running and good looking vehicles around here less than 10 years old. Are being scrapped as they are not selling.

buickanddeere · Jul 18, 2008

jdemaris

We may have nearly driven past each other?
We crossed into Michigan at Sault Ste Marie on Tuesday afternoon and did the Mackinac Island thing.
Still in Birch Run today and Frankenmuth shopping and sight seeing.
The 2003 Sierra 4X4 6L with a brush bar, cap, AC on towing a 22ft trailer at 62 mph is getting 10-12mpg steady state cruising. 5-6gallon per hour, that must be about 90-105 flywheel HP?
I haven't tallied at trip average yet.
Fuel is cheap here. Filled with 25 gallons of 93 premium for only $111.00 US. A tank of 87 around home is $140.00.
Did you take the 401 across to Sarnia? Did you stop at Tony's in Birch run?

Opinions? what kind of vehicle?

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads