ROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEX
3 July 2008, 06:03 AM | #1 |
Banned
Join Date: Jun 2008
Real Name: greg
Location: Tempe AZ
Watch: GMT
Posts: 5,703
|
Has anybody gave up the SUV/Truck?
And downsized to a smaller car?
We have a Toyota Highlander 4 cyl that gets about 20-21 in the city and 26 on hwy I hate to give the space and cargo area.... My wife wants to get a new Corolla, but the SUV/Trucks have took a hit in resale value, and we only drive about 10k a year. I dont thinks it worth it. |
3 July 2008, 06:13 AM | #2 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Real Name: Dave
Location: Park City, Utah
Watch: TT Sub
Posts: 248
|
What would you replace it with? Let's say you can find something that gets an average of 30mpg real world (not that easy to find). That means you'd be buying 333 gallons per year at your 10k/year pace. Based on a current mixed average, of, say 22.5 mpg, you're currently buying 444 gallons per year, or 111 gallons per year more. At $4/gallon, you're spending an additional $444 annually for the privlege of driving something that would probably be a lot smaller and less safe/comfortable/functional. For most new cars, that will be less than the sales tax alone, much less the depreciation hit on a perfectly useful, reliable and functional Highlander.
__________________
Rolex Explorer II - White Rolex Sub TT 16613 - Blue |
3 July 2008, 06:16 AM | #3 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Real Name: Bubba
Location: Bitsyville!
Watch: Blue YM today!
Posts: 10,053
|
No. We have four kids minimum to haul around and downsizing will not work at I need seating for at least five and often for six adults. My F-150 Crew-Cab fills the five seat need nicely. The wife has a R500 and can haul six adults, which she does on a daily basis.
Gas milege be damn until some of our four kids go off to college or we stop being foster parents. Price you pay to love kids. |
3 July 2008, 06:17 AM | #4 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Virginia
Posts: 177
|
Keep the Highlander..Ursa said it perfect...It is very hard to argue those facts.
|
3 July 2008, 06:19 AM | #5 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Real Name: Bubba
Location: Bitsyville!
Watch: Blue YM today!
Posts: 10,053
|
Quote:
Yea...Yea....I mean Yea. I was going to make that point. |
|
3 July 2008, 06:24 AM | #6 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Austin, TX
Watch: SS Sub
Posts: 109
|
For a very brief period, I thought about giving up my Acura MDX (19 mpg city)for a car. I quickly found that any car outside of a cheap economy car would only net marginal increases in fuel economy. Even a small car like a BMW 328xi gets just a little better mileage than my SUV. After looking at the loss of selling and the depreciation hit on a new car, the payback time, even at Canada's $5.00+/gal, was years. As Ursa pointed out, the sales tax alone takes quite a bit of time to even out.
Of course, anyone with a SUV, mini-van, truck, sports car, luxury car, or full size sedan could get better fuel economy driving a Honda Civic. However, if a Honda Civic was acceptable to those people, they would already own one! I think most people would rather spend an extra hundred dollars or so driving a car they want than buy a car with amazing gas mileage. The real world difference in fuel expense between my MDX and a 40 mpg car is only $140/month at $5.00 per gallon. |
3 July 2008, 07:04 AM | #7 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Real Name: Terry Newton
Location: Michigan
Watch: Rolex TT GMT II c
Posts: 6,644
|
Keep the SUV. Most of the price is psychological and you will adjust your lifestyle accordingly. I'm glad I bought a green car. I bought it because I am at the age when I give a shit about all things. It's amazing as you get older you realize that we are nothing more than a part of a great system that deserves our protection, love and concern. You still have to weigh in family safety, ability to haul things around, comfort, etc. all from your larger vehicle. Prioritize trips to conserve and you should be fine.
Terry Newton
__________________
Terry Newton; Superstar and Fake Sleuth "Z" SS Date Submariner "Z" TT GMT-Master IIc |
3 July 2008, 07:08 AM | #8 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Real Name: Bubba
Location: Bitsyville!
Watch: Blue YM today!
Posts: 10,053
|
Ah, common sense. Seems Terry has plenty of it. Worth its weight in gold.
|
3 July 2008, 07:10 AM | #9 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Real Name: Brandon
Location: FL
Watch: ing my second hand
Posts: 869
|
I've been riding my motorcycles almost exclusively. I only break the jeep out on the weekend to go boating or kayaking. As bad as the jeep is on gas, I couldn't tell you when I last put gas in it!
|
3 July 2008, 07:16 AM | #10 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Real Name: Terry Newton
Location: Michigan
Watch: Rolex TT GMT II c
Posts: 6,644
|
Quote:
Terry Newton
__________________
Terry Newton; Superstar and Fake Sleuth "Z" SS Date Submariner "Z" TT GMT-Master IIc |
|
3 July 2008, 07:17 AM | #11 | |
Banned
Join Date: Jun 2008
Real Name: greg
Location: Tempe AZ
Watch: GMT
Posts: 5,703
|
No more Motorcycles
Quote:
I rode for almost 30 years before giving it up while I was still living. I hope you never go through what i did.... |
|
3 July 2008, 07:18 AM | #12 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Real Name: Jon
Location: Chicago
Watch: IIc,DJII,P244,A1-Z
Posts: 2,857
|
My wife had a wonderful '02 Rav4. It recently crapped out, transmission problem at 70k miles that would cost over $6k to repair. So, we traded it. Now, in her mind this thing was the *perfect* car. It was the smaller body style, 4 cylinder, you-can-park-me-in-a-shoebox wonder for urban living.
So, we upgraded but we downgraded. We picked up an X3. Upgrade on driving goodness and bling, but we downgraded on overall interior cargo space and gas mileage... plus it's longer so a bit less easy to park. I'd say get the smallest car you can live with, but be warned that size does not necessarily equal good mileage. Ford has a humongo new hybrid that seats 8 and gets about 25 mpg I believe. |
3 July 2008, 09:20 AM | #13 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Real Name: Ragu Sauce
Location: Southern, FL
Watch: the Sauce ;)
Posts: 782
|
I have a 1999 Ford Lariat Flareside 5.4L, Scab with 72K original miles on the clock. I use this usually on weekends, all other times I drive my 07' Honda Civic Coupe EX which gives me very good mileage in city and more so on the highway.
Don't see me parting with my F150 anytime soon. Looks good and rides real nice too! My economy car shameless pics plug
__________________
"Waiting is so time consuming" -- Unknown Proud Member #2391 |
3 July 2008, 09:39 AM | #14 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Real Name: Steve
Location: SF BAY AREA CA
Watch: 16710 Coke
Posts: 3,047
|
I agree! I'm gonna keep and trade up my SUV ( Suburban ) only cuz I really need the room for kids, dogs and stuff......just gotta suck it up! Yeah, the gas too!
__________________
Rolex Blue TT Submariner (95) Rolex SS GMT IIc (08) Rolex GMT II 16710 COKE (08 for me..) Rolex Explorer II Blk (91) Breitling SuperOcean Steelfish (07) Panerai 104 & 177ti ( 04/03) |
3 July 2008, 02:25 PM | #15 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Real Name: Vernon
Location: C-a-n-a-d-a
Watch: 16600
Posts: 5,641
|
I drive a Honda Odyssey and I find that by changing my driving habits, fuel mileage can definitely increase.
You can: -Ease off on the throttle when you see a red light ahead; -Don't do pedal to the metal when getting out of corners; -Don't accelerate too fast -Don't tail gate -Try not to use the AC in city driving
__________________
I'm just a cook... |
3 July 2008, 10:55 PM | #16 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Annapolis, MD
Watch: Sea-Dweller 16600
Posts: 5,081
|
My 4runner is in the shoppe this week, so I am renting an 08 Toyota Corrolla. 31mpg, but it feels like a tin can. I am not impressed.
I'm waiting for the diesels to really hit America so we can have 40MPG sedans and 29MPG SUV's. |
3 July 2008, 11:01 PM | #17 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Real Name: Robert
Location: Angelus Oaks, CA
Watch: 116713
Posts: 6,828
|
The Ex got the Honda Ridgeline, I bought a Toyota Corolla. I need a 4x4 in the winter and will look into a used Isuzu. It's only when the snow is bad so 15mpg or better is fine.
|
4 July 2008, 01:52 AM | #18 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Real Name: Jim
Location: State College PA
Posts: 1,694
|
Cadillac - 21.4 MPG - Pleasure
Prius - 52.8 MPG - Work Now saving $96.00 a week on gas using Prius for work instead of Caddillac. P.S. I do alot of driving. |
4 July 2008, 02:32 AM | #19 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Real Name: Sean
Location: West Florida
Posts: 2,671
|
I drive a Nissan Titan and I always have the need for my truck. It seats 5 comfortably and I usually average 18 - 18.5 mile per gallon by using a K&N airfilter a Mobil 1 synthetic oil. Unfortunately, my weekly gas cost is now at $100
Sean
__________________
"Life is frittered away with detail... simplify, simplify!" Henry D. Thoreau |
4 July 2008, 02:32 AM | #20 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Real Name: Dave
Location: Park City, Utah
Watch: TT Sub
Posts: 248
|
Quote:
__________________
Rolex Explorer II - White Rolex Sub TT 16613 - Blue |
|
4 July 2008, 02:27 PM | #21 |
Member
Join Date: May 2008
Real Name: Joe
Location: So. Cal.
Watch: My only Rolex
Posts: 241
|
I pointed out to my wife that a 4 cyl. 5 speed manual Ford Focus will get 34 mpg highway and a 4 cyl. 5 speed manual Ford Fusion will get 29 mpg Highway.
I noted I will save $53 a month based on $4.50 a gallon gas and the distance I drive to work. She said "So What?" The extra comfort, safety of construction (also 4 wheel disc instead of front only on the Focus) is worth it. She drives an '04 Expedition to work. A short drive for her. We love that car. |
4 July 2008, 02:34 PM | #22 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Real Name: marcus
Location: us, oklahoma
Posts: 1,646
|
my truck gets 8 mpg so i bought a new honda civic si sedan to drive back and forth to work. put the truck in my shop and only use just for truck things. saved me about 380.00 a month in gas @4.00 gal.
__________________
cmr OA-Black dial SS Daytona, V-White dial SS Daytona, Z-GMT2C Wife, Z-Platinum Yacht Master, Black ceramic White dial SS Daytona, |
4 July 2008, 04:05 PM | #23 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Real Name: Brian
Location: Hamilton, MI USA
Watch: My beloved TT DJ
Posts: 3,831
|
I have a 94' Chevy S-10 six cylinder that gets, at best, 23 miles to the gallon and a 06' Mercury Marquis V-8 that gets 26 MPG easily. The Chevy can't be beat for hauling the kids bikes and things around in, but for highway cruising, the Mercury can't be beat. Not quite the same ride as my old Oldmobile 88 or 98 but close. Now for pure MPG, I ride my 06' Yamaha Vino 125 scooter at 90 MPG. It is my go to vehicle for around town treks.
__________________
My Trusty TT DJ |
4 July 2008, 06:42 PM | #24 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Real Name: Adam
Location: Philly ‘burbs
Posts: 5,660
|
Nope. My wife and I both have SUVs. We have very short commutes to work and don't do too much traveling. I top both gas tanks off about every other week. The tanks usually don't go lower than 1/2 or so.
__________________
Adam |
4 July 2008, 07:27 PM | #25 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Real Name: Robert
Location: Angelus Oaks, CA
Watch: 116713
Posts: 6,828
|
You are hauling gas for no reason. Run on 1/4 tank or less until it is empty and your MPG will drastically increase.
|
4 July 2008, 10:20 PM | #26 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Real Name: Bill
Location: East Bay RI
Watch: GMT-II 16710LN
Posts: 12,073
|
Quote:
You must remember that the electric fuel pump/fuel gage sending unit are submersed in your gas tank and rely on the surrounding fuel to keep it cool. An under-filled tank can cause the fuel pump to overheat repeatedly and eventually fail. Mechanics usually recommend that you never allow the fuel tank to be less than 1/4 full.
__________________
I bought a cheap watch from the crazy man Floating down canal It doesn't use numbers or moving hands It always just says "now" Now you may be thinking that I was had But this watch is never wrong And if I have trouble the warranty said Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On J. Buffett Instagram: eastbayrider46 |
|
4 July 2008, 11:40 PM | #27 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 444
|
I don't know about drastically. If you were filling a motorhome with 100 gallons of gas and driving in the mountains maybe, but for normal commuting, not so much.
__________________
And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice. --Carl Spackler in Caddyshack |
5 July 2008, 01:40 AM | #28 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Real Name: Dave
Location: Park City, Utah
Watch: TT Sub
Posts: 248
|
Gas weighs about 6 lbs./gallon. If he's averaging 3/4 tank right now and he goes down to 1/4 tank, he'll save the weight of 10-15 gals (depending on size of tank), or 60-90 lbs. In the context of 4000-6000 lbs. of SUV+driver, I don't think that will noticeably impact MPG.
__________________
Rolex Explorer II - White Rolex Sub TT 16613 - Blue |
5 July 2008, 12:19 PM | #29 |
2024 ROLEX SUBMARINER 41 Pledge Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Real Name: dan
Location: Pennsylvania
Watch: keystone pocket
Posts: 5,917
|
i have to replace an SUV soon with what? the SUV's are sitting by the thousands in dealer lots all over the U.S....great deals to be had. But $5.00/gallon gas? maybe higher yet...over the next 5 years or so of use? i'd like to get a low mileage 08 Yukon(fantastic truck) but i'm getting critiqued for getting a gas guzzler. what to do??
best, dan |
5 July 2008, 03:06 PM | #30 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: United States
Posts: 266
|
Personally, I don't mind driving something a little bigger as I feel safer in it. Many of the economy vehicles are downright scary to drive on the highway IMO, I cringe to think about getting hit in one of them.
__________________
Rolex: 16600 | 116400 V Panerai: Fiddy | 232 Sinn : U1 |
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
|
|
*Banners
Of The Month*
This space is provided to horological resources.