Fuel efficient SUV/Car search

[bearishgurl]

[quote=paramount]Are you being serious?

1st of all a 4Runner is not a truck, it’s a grocery getter disquised as a truck. The front bumper of my Excursion has more steel than a complete 4runner.

I looked at 4Runners last year, they are cramped and drive and handle like crap (compared to more modern similiar class vehicles).

A Suburban is much better for most, probably gets better mileage and has much more room.

I’ve never understood the market for mid-size SUV’s and pickups – the gas mileage is really no better than a real full size truck or SUV only you get a lot less room.

Besides, for most SUV buyers a modern CUV is a much better choice than a 4Runner – you get better handling, more modern/advanced safety systems and suspensions, better MPG and on and on…

4Runners were great….20 years ago.[/quote]

Yeah, I’m serious. 4Runners are on a light truck chassis. Currently, they are built on a “Tacoma” chassis (formerly “Hi-Lux” chassis). They were mostly 6-cylinder vehicles, which, in the past, was mostly 4WD with a std 5-spd transmission. Yes, they “bounce” more in traffic in comparison to an AWD passenger car such as the Toy Highlander. They are now sold with mostly 2WD transmissions which are automatic. I erred when I said that it was “rare” to find a new or used 4Runner for sale in SoCal. I meant that it was “rare” to find a 4WD for sale (the 2WD’s are plentiful). Why are they so “rare?” Because their owners (all the way back to 1987) don’t sell them. Hello?? They keep them for life. For good reason. Because they last well past 300k miles if maintained. For off-road, it doesn’t get much better than than a 4Runner or Toy HiLux/Tacoma (Jeep and Toy Landcruiser excepted).

The 2013 4Runners are a pricey $40K to $50K, depending on options.

Yes, most (4WD) 4-Runners have been further modified over the years… for off-road. That is where they belong, IMHO.

Yes, I would agree that there is less cargo space in a Toy 4Runner than a full-size SUV (ex Suburban or Tahoe, etc). 4Runners are a mid-sized TRUCK. The Toy Landcruiser is built on a Tundra chassis. It is a whole different animal.

I’d take a 4WD 4Runner any day of the week or year if I could afford the weekly gas fillup (I can only afford ONE vehicle at a time). I would MUCH PREFER a 4WD to an “on-demand AWD button on the console” as is featured in the Lexus RX.

I drive in snow, mtns (very high altitude) and am a long-haul road driver when I hit the road.

[bearishgurl]

paramount, if you currently drive an “Excursion,” you have the “gas-eater extraordinaire.” Sure, it has the “ultimate in cargo space” but you are paying $80-$100 for ONE fillup.

Different strokes for different folks. I drive an older Lexus “luxury” sedan which floats like a boat and gets 27-29 mpg on the road. Its trunk is plenty big enough to store all you would need for a road trip and then some (except, of course, bikes standing up and 2-75 lb dogs, lol … :))

Oh, and btw, my car’s engine is rated for 500K miles. I’m slowly working my way there, with regular maintenance, of course 🙂

My car will officially be 20 yrs old next month :=D

[paramount]

[quote=bearishgurl]paramount, if you currently drive an “Excursion,” you have the “gas-eater extraordinaire.” Sure, it has the “ultimate in cargo space” but you are paying $80-$100 for ONE fillup.

Different strokes for different folks. I drive an older Lexus “luxury” sedan which floats like a boat and gets 27-29 mpg on the road. Its trunk is plenty big enough to store all you would need for a road trip and then some (except, of course, bikes standing up and 2-75 lb dogs, lol … :))

Oh, and btw, my car’s engine is rated for 500K miles. I’m slowly working my way there, with regular maintenance, of course 🙂

My car will officially be 20 yrs old next month :=D[/quote]

$80 to 100? Try more like $200 bucks if I’m really low.

An Excursion is a true truck/light-duty commercial vehicle unlike a 4Runner or even a Suburban.

I don’t drive it much, I much prefer the driving experience of a 3 Series.

[paramount]

[quote=bearishgurl]
Oh, and btw, my car’s engine is rated for 500K miles. I’m slowly working my way there, with regular maintenance, of course 🙂

My car will officially be 20 yrs old next month :=D[/quote]

I have no desire to have on older car, I’d much rather have a newer car with side airbags, traction control, more advanced chassis that absorbs impacts better, etc…

Comparing apples to apples, you’re way safer in a newer car with these features and since I can afford it I deem it money well spent.

There are a lot of predators and crazies out on the roads.

[kev374]

How about the 2014 Subaru Forester? it’s 24/32 and has plenty of space. I have heard that diesels are pretty expensive to maintain, especially with the German marques so any savings in fuel is quickly eaten up in other costs.

[no_such_reality]

[quote=paramount]
There are a lot of predators and crazies out on the roads.[/quote]

Predators and crazies aren’t the danger. The distracted and tired are.

I’ll be honest, I don’t understand the Nissan Leaf. Given SoCal traffic and heat, I can’t imagine most people wouldn’t need to plug it in after their morning commute to not risk running out of ‘gas’ on the way home.

MPGe is a bit laughable too. They use a conversion based on the BTU content of “gallon of gas” but assume a 100% efficiency in the production of electricity.

In the case of renewable like solar that may be true, if you charge during the day, in the case of coal, it’s 33%. Which mean if you’re charging in an area dominated by coal produced power, your real MPGe is 1/3rd…

[bearishgurl]

[quote=kev374]How about the 2014 Subaru Forester? it’s 24/32 and has plenty of space. I have heard that diesels are pretty expensive to maintain, especially with the German marques so any savings in fuel is quickly eaten up in other costs.[/quote]

I’ve ridden in the 2010 model and it was very nice and spacious. They also come in 4WD, I believe. Good choice.

[bearishgurl]

My bad. Subaru Forresters have “on-demand AWD.”

http://www.subaru.com/vehicles/forester/features.html

It appears they are all 2.0L four-cylinder models. This explains the much better mileage than the 4-Runner. They don’t appear to be bigger inside … maybe the same size. The latest models do have a quieter engine. They are quite a bit cheaper than Toyotas. There has to be a reason for that.

I still wouldn’t trade a 4Runner for one. It’s not the same vehicle at all.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=no_such_reality][quote=paramount]
There are a lot of predators and crazies out on the roads.[/quote]Predators and crazies aren’t the danger. The distracted and tired are…[/quote]

On the open road, I’d surely rather be surrounded by my tank of a car (or ER’s tank of a car) or a tank of an SUV (Toy Landcruiser/Lexus LX, etc) in case of a mishap. Examples abound: something falling off a vehicle, an opposing driver falling asleep at the wheel and crossing the median, a tractor trailer jacknifing in a sudden whiteout or a downhill tractor trailer whose granny gear went out and didn’t quite make it into the brake-check hill. Yes, all these things have happened to me at one time or another. Sh!t happens, especially when road conditions are not optimal. You have a lot of drivers out there who have wildly varying levels of experience with driving in adverse conditions. Put them all together on a two laner in the mtns in the winter and anything can happen.

For a winter road traveler, safety comes before gas mileage, IMO.

Professional drivers aren’t the ones falling asleep at the wheel. They’re the easiest and most polite to drive alongside. It’s Joe and Jane6p who just got home at 6:00 pm from working all day and week and who left at 9:00 pm for their 2-week vacation after packing their vehicle for 3 hrs that you have to worry about in the middle of the night out there. And then there are the wackos in low-to-the-ground Miatas, etc who deliberately cut the professional drivers off who are playing Russian roulette with everyone on the road (including themselves) by their erratic show-off behavior.

Oh, and btw, I’ve slept in my vehicle at numerous rest stops in my life (sometimes alone, sometimes not) and have never had a “predator or crazy person” or anyone, for that matter, so much as knock on my window.

[all]

[quote=bearishgurl]
Oh, and btw, I’ve slept in my vehicle at numerous rest stops in my life (sometimes alone, sometimes not) and have never had a “predator or crazy person” or anyone, for that matter, so much as knock on my window.[/quote]

That’s because you are not as cute and defenseless as paramount.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=all][quote=bearishgurl]
Oh, and btw, I’ve slept in my vehicle at numerous rest stops in my life (sometimes alone, sometimes not) and have never had a “predator or crazy person” or anyone, for that matter, so much as knock on my window.[/quote]

That’s because you are not as cute and defenseless as paramount.[/quote]

Well I dunno. I might be cuter than paramount but I’m usually covered up with a sleeping bag, jacket, sweater or beach towel (depending on weather) so a potential “predator” can’t really tell how cute I am :=0

[spdrun]

Bg – haha.

All you fraidy cats can bite me. Just took a 2000 mi road trip in a Fiat 500!

[flu]

[quote=bearishgurl]

Professional drivers aren’t the ones falling asleep at the wheel. They’re the easiest and most polite to drive alongside….And then there are the wackos in low-to-the-ground Miatas, etc who deliberately cut the professional drivers off who are playing Russian roulette with everyone on the road (including themselves) by their erratic show-off behavior.
[/quote]

…Sorry that I cut you off this morning. But them lexus drivers need to know slower traffic yield right (that’s —-> way)…

[bearishgurl]

[quote=miata_deathtrap][quote=bearishgurl]

Professional drivers aren’t the ones falling asleep at the wheel. They’re the easiest and most polite to drive alongside….And then there are the wackos in low-to-the-ground Miatas, etc who deliberately cut the professional drivers off who are playing Russian roulette with everyone on the road (including themselves) by their erratic show-off behavior.
[/quote]

…Sorry that I cut you off this morning. But them lexus drivers need to know slower traffic yield right (that’s —-> way)…[/quote]

Did I (unwittingly) bring the REAL flu out of the archives or is this an imposter??

Hey flu, if its the REAL YOU, how’s the work on the Miata going? Have you got it ready for the street yet??

I’ll have you know that my vehicle is rated for 140 mph, but of course, I don’t drive anywhere near that fast. However, on the open road, it’s very easy for the odometer to creep up without realizing what is happening :=0

[bearishgurl]

[quote=spdrun]Bg – haha.

All you fraidy cats can bite me. Just took a 2000 mi road trip in a Fiat 500![/quote]

I hope you only tailgated comm’l trailers with a rear crash guard :=0

[Author]

Posts