agreed there
It will take some alternative thinking from oil companies and consumers here, but there is no reason it shouldn’t.
Europe has always been Diesel
Mr. Diesel was born there. He was drowned there; No PFD. (He did drown under suspicious circumstances)
I owned a 1974 Diesel Golf (Rabbit) Mercedes have always been big on Diesel. Toyota, check out Top Gear Hilux, it’s about a 1983 2.6 L Diesel.
Check out the older European or British movies and listen to the car start up. They are not all K Cars they just sound like it. (Diesel)
Every yacht had a little Diesel, Things we have yet to see here. (A 48 HP. VW Pathfinder marine engine.)
Every boat in the congested water ways is diesel because bunker C can’t be used in populated areas.
Diesel prices are a concocted rip off.
Had 3 criteria for new car
I got a Pontiac Vibe last year. Pretty much the twin of the Matrix (same engine). When I started shopping, I had 3 main criteria: 1) a minimum mielage rating of 30 mpg, 2) comfortable fit for both me and DuluthMoose (tall, big feet), and 3) secure canoe-carryinging ability. Of course, cost and predicted reliability were factors. Tried out Prius, Civic Hybrid, Fit, etc. Other than more road noise than my previous vehicles (Outback and Accords) and somewhat truck-like suspension and only 2-wheel drive, I’m very pleased with it. The drawbacks aren’t real problems for me as I’m a tough, old bird and we kept my Outback and our Sienna has AWD.
Also
Forgot to mention, it cost a lot less than many other candidates (and my 10-yr old Subaru) because of the various incentives.
alex
Do you know if there are still late model HiLuxes or toyota diesel pickups in the canadian used car market?
Best choice
Honda Goldwing and small trailer for yack or canoe!!
http://www.castlecraft.com/images/Trailex-SUT-200-Motorcycle-Canoe.JPG
Fast Fun, great mileage and will BLOW THE DOORS off ANY HYBRID!! besides Chicks dig motorcycles!! L
also
compare the cost and insurance of a new car Vs just the GAS of the old car. caculate a pay back based on current gas prices factor in maintiace cost on older vehicle. new car paymenst are useally always more then gas payments. at least they used to be!!!
Depends on where your fav H2O is…
– Last Updated: Jun-19-08 7:17 PM EST –
It's a free country Andy! Tip your hat to the auto companies eager not to shack up with Big Oil.
Me, I have both...using the Xterra a little more than I'd like...but when Toyota gets the Prius's battery improved...I'll buy it. 70mpg+..you bet.
John Deere's upper model tractor-mower is ~$100 over what my 73' Corolla cost!..%#^$&$&$*%&#*
..I paddle in and collect a little data in(on the PT job) areas where you'd never go if you cared about the looks or the undercarriage of a highway vehicle, especially in the Spring = MUD+ and some rocks...so I NEED larger tires and clearance there.
In the 60s I got to drive my granddad's VW Beetle..with the 17' wood/canvas ~60lb+ canoe on top. Hauled it fine...but without the 70mph commute, just watched for the rocks and potholes of woodcutting wilderness roads... I'm always wondering what's the need of the 70mph commute speeds??? ...And then the same driver will talk about the plan to cut gas consumption!..???
Will probably keep the Xterra(for a while) and keep my 93' Accord(39,4xx mi)..until some sort of hybrid/electric vehicle shows...although the non-hybrid makers/dealers will be flinching with deals. $$$ vs mpg savings is an issue to look at...
Ford Escape Hybrid FWD
My work truck is a Ford Escape Hybrid and it has never topped 27mpg average, even with just one person. Also it has no power and I personally wouldn’t haul a trailer with it on a regular basis.
It is an incredibly comfortable people hauler and I like it a lot (because I don’t pay for the gas).
Business opportunity
SOmeone ought to open a truck rental place where you could drop in and rent a truck for a few hours or a day. Trucks sure are useful some times. But the number of times I need one each year, it would make more sense to have a compact car, and drop in and rent a truck as needed.
30 mpg options
– Last Updated: Jun-15-08 11:04 AM EST –
Only the 4 bangers will deliver 30 plus.
I just bought a new Kia Spectra5 this week.
I had it narrowed down to the either the Matrix or Vibe. I sat in the Matrix and liked the fit. I'm 6'3'' and there was plenty of room in the front and back seats for tall passengers.
Then I wanted to see if Kia would give me a good trade in on a 06 passenger van. They didn't but I test drove a Spectra5, and loved it. It has a 2.0 instead of a 1.8, and all the extra options included.
I also was looking at the Jetta TDI wagon, but it didn't have the head room or leg room of the Kia, Matrix or Vibe. Also the 2009 regular Jetta wagon, was 24,000, so add another 2,500 on top of that for the deisel.
At any rate I was out the door with the Spectra5 for 16,500, and already had an offer from Carfax for 11,500 , so the math really worked out for doubling my gas mileage.
As it turned out I sold my van on eBay for 15,500 so it's only a grand for me double my mileage which will pay for its self in less than a year.
I love the Kia Spectra5. I have only driven it for 150 miles which was all stop and go, but it appears it will average about 30 with mixed driving, and 35 on the highway.
edmonds.com has customer reviews for all these cars with hundreds of people posting their reviews and results.
I would take a real close look at the Vibe and Matrix as well. Toyota isn't coming off their 20k because they can't keep them in stock, but you might find an 08 new Vibe and get a really good deal, say, 15k. Man, I would be all over that too.
Like I said, I'm thrilled with the Spectra5.
Edit: by the way I sold my van to a company that specializes in reducing energy consumption for commercial lighting applications, so I'm real happy with that as well.
19 Feet is long for a lot of these cars
19 Feet Long for a lot of these cars being mentioned. I have a Prius and a week or so ago I noticed that you can get a trailer hitch for one. Rack and Roll trailer coming next.
We put the hitch on our Ford Escape (which we carry a 16’ and 17 foot on. I can’t imagine a 19’ kayak on it.
Bill
Mt. Pleasant, SC
19 Feet is long for a lot of these cars
19 Feet Long for a lot of these cars being mentioned. I have a Prius and a week or so ago I noticed that you can get a trailer hitch for one. Rack and Roll trailer coming next.
We put the hitch on our Ford Escape (which we carry a 16’ and 17 foot on. I can’t imagine a 19’ kayak on it.
Bill
Mt. Pleasant, SC
ask and ye shall…
…err…sorry.
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/17/volkswagen-tiguan-diesel-launch-delayed-in-the-u-s/
Does look like it’ll make it here eventually though.
Just Rode in a Toyota Yaris
It scooted right along. My brother says he gets 40 mpg consistently.
BMW
“A BMW 520d with a 2.0-liter diesel engine and regenerative braking (but no heavy duty hybrid features) got 41.9 mpg while the full-hybrid Prius, 500 pounds lighter, got 40.1 mpg”
41 mpg is very poor for a Prius. even on the highway.
Priuses are better suited to stop-and-go driving. There are cars that are close to the Prius’s mpg in highway driving.
The BMW should be a great (but expensive) car.
Used Prius
With my '02 that I got used, I consistently get 50 mpg on the highway if I stay at the speed limit, 48 if I go with the fastest. This is without boats but with A/C on. I have 2 sizes wider than stock tires, which eats-up at least 10% more fuel (could get it in the 60 mpg with my previous tires on back roads with careful driving).
With one boat on the rack, it seems to get me around the 40 mpg, depending on speed.
With a trailer I see not reason to fall under 45 mpg on the highway.
It has so far given me 45 mpg life time average over the about 12K miles I’ve put on it since I bought it at 116K used.
The '04+ years tend to be at least 5 mpg better, plust they have a lot more room any way you look at them.
But unless you get a really good deal on the Prius, I think you will not save $$$ on gas much - a cheaper 4-banger like the Honda Fit, Scion (the square-roof models), or similar would be more cost efficient for the first 5-8 years at least depending on mileage.
A hatch would give a little more stable platform for the racks, but most sedans I think are totally fine as well - just add front/rear tie-downs for long trips.
price?
as mentioned in this thread a small station wagon, Spectra? with the option for a smaller trailer makes sense. Basically the lowest cost small car will be at least $5000 cheaper than the highest mileage vehicle,it’ll take awhile to offset that price difference with very high mileage. If your budget is upwards of $30k then there might be some turbodiesels coming on the market in the next few years, Honda, Subaru, VW. In those instances of 45-55mpg diesel you’d have to have 35-45mpg gas to be competitive.
C’mon, put the same good tires
on the AWD and then tell us your Prius is still better. I’m not a Subaru zealot, but with excellent tires they are astonishing vehicles on snow and ice!
2009 Jetta Wagon TDI
nigh on 50 m.p.g., 600+ highway miles on a tank of deisel, loads of roof space, and loads of interior storage capacity with the seats down.
stellar, stellar vehicule.