Hunt for another vehicle

[Awaz]

I am traveling a bit for work. Even though I can rent a car, I prefer to drive my own. I take my wife's CR Z whenever I can, but it is not always feasible. My 2004 F150 FX4 is too much of a gas hog. Thinking of selling it and getting a more economical car that can tow a bit. Looked at the new 2014 Jeep Cherokee (not the grand cherokee) - and kinda like the look of that. Any thoughts on it or similar vehicles? Preferably a crossover with a bit of towing capability (perhaps around 3000 lbs).

I would really like a diesel or hybrid SUV - but gosh they cost so much !!

[stevewfl]

KTM 1290

[Awaz]

you suck ! trying to make me go broke ! lol

[sherob]

No... your F150 sucks... gas. 

[Strawboss]

How much you need to tow? Chevy makes a Diesel Cruise that's only costs a bit more than gasoline versions. You would recoup the extra money you pay up front for a Diesel buy using less fuel in the long run. Less for a vehicle like a Jetta or Cruise.

[jim_de_hunter]

Why to you have to sell the truck?  I bought a Chevy Sonic for my 750 miles of weekly commute and use a 2000 F150 for towing the duck boat.

[wally_games]

How much you need to tow? Chevy makes a Diesel Cruise that's only costs a bit more than gasoline versions. You would recoup the extra money you pay up front for a Diesel buy using less fuel in the long run. Less for a vehicle like a Jetta or Cruise.

In my part of the country right now, regular gas costs about $2.84/gl, but deisel costs about $3.89/gl. I'm pretty sure that the deisel vehicle does not get enough better mileage than the gas engine to ever pay for itself.

[Strawboss]

If he's driving a 4X4 truck, I'm betting he's getting maybe 10-14mpg. He probably has a 25 gallon tank or more. Lets say $4.00/gal right now. That's $100 to fill. A Cruise or Jetta will be getting around, lets say 40mpg. Most small cars have about 10-12 gallon tanks. That's $48. If you use half as much fuel and pay half as much money to fill, but, you'll go 4 times as far, my math says you will be saving money. I could be wrong. Over the lifetime of the vehicle you will be using half as much fuel and money to drive it. Am I missing something? Of course these are small cars, larger Diesels will use more fuel but much less than gasoline.   

[Scaffolder]

I love my Passat TDI. I get around 45-50 mpg. I hear you can tow with them, but probably only around 1,000 lbs.

[Strawboss]

For awhile Jeep offered a Diesel, not sure which vehicle though. Most small SUV's I think can tow around 3000lbs, most, not all. If this Diesel sells well in the ?Cruise, I'm sure Chevy will offer it in other cars and small SUV's. Right now, I don't see Ford doing that as they claim the 1.0L Fiesta is the most fuel efficient non hybrid car in the U.S at 45mpg highway.

[Son of Pappy]

In the near future we will see more diesels on the road.  My Jetta TDI easily gets 45mpg and if I work it I get 50-54.  My F250 pulling a 23 foot trailer just got 14mpg at highway speeds.  I will be getting a hitch for the TDI soon, wife doesn't like doing more than 200 miles a day and the GS just doesn't haul everything she "needs", so I will pull the GS to some destination, setup the tent, and ride to see the sights, including non paved areas not easily accessible in the car
On another note?  The USMC is getting rid of their diesel KLRs.  First dibs are going to military motorcycle training programs but we will soon see them up for sale.  I will have one, to go with the truck, car, and backhoe   The torque and range with the IMS tank on those things is incredible.

[Strawboss]

Think those Corps machine will be cult bikes in about 10 years with prices going through the roof?

[Son of Pappy]

Think those Corps machine will be cult bikes in about 10 years with prices going through the roof?

Probably.  If I score one I will sure as hell hoot it up and keep it till it is beyond repair.  I do know that Ft Campbell is getting some soon.  My hope is they adopt our dirtbike program as part of their pre-deployment training

[julianop]

I love my Passat TDI. I get around 45-50 mpg. I hear you can tow with them, but probably only around 1,000 lbs.

+1

I regularly get 46 from mine during the summer, a couple less in the winter.
As I've said many times on this forum, I commute weekly between Elk River Minnesota and Rockford Illinois - a round trip of 720 miles. I set the autopilot at 67 - at which it actually does 69 per the GPS - 'cos the few extra mpg are better than a few minutes I wouldn't know what to do with if I had 'em.

And doing 760 miles on a tank of gas? It just feels great !

I put a U-haul tow hitch on mine, and while I only tow a garden trailer right now, the car doesn't even know it's there.

[julianop]

In my part of the country right now, regular gas costs about $2.84/gl, but deisel costs about $3.89/gl. I'm pretty sure that the deisel vehicle does not get enough better mileage than the gas engine to ever pay for itself.

Prices are about the same where I am. The way I see it, while the pump prices and published mileages don't show any great immediate benefit, real world factors tend to lean in favor of the diesel in the long run. Longevity and reliability of the diesel is legendary: have you ever tried to buy a used Jetta TDI? Dealers all but laugh at you. Also, your driving style changes: you have all the torque you could possibly want at low speed (and more), and all the power you need at high speed, but you start to think and drive differently, more economically. Those are where the benefits come from.

[Wrinkled Wrider]

New or used ? Price range ? ~3k# towing?  When I was shopping in late 2011, compact 4 cyl. SUVs and crossovers were rated at 2k# towing capacity or less, with the exception of the Forester, which was 2400# and the Outback at 2700#.  New Forester has a CVT, and I don't know if that has affected towing capacity. Previous generation Escape/Mariner with 6 cyls. were rated at 3500#. I think RAV4 with 6 cyl. is 3500# as well.

[jworth]

Keep in mind that if you are having to buy a vehicle, even if there is some trade-in value to your old one, it is really really hard to get that money back in mileage.  You'd better be driving the wheels off of it and then you have to consider that you won't be saving college fund money, more like a movie night kind of money.  It's almost always true that whatever you have paid for is cheaper than anything you have to purchase.  Seriously run the numbers.  Don't let the better mileage by itself be just an excuse to buy a new vehicle.

That said, There was a diesel engine available in I think it was '06 Jeep Liberties and you can get a diesel in the Grand Cherokee either right now or next model year.  I'm not certain.  I doubt these will net you the cost savings you'll need to justify the purchase, however.  I'm not sure you can do that and get something that will tow much.  Good luck to you though.

[Awaz]

Full size SUVs are as obnoxious on gas as my truck. The hybrid ones give decent mileage - 25 to 27, but cost prohibitive ($40k plus). Right now, seriously eyeing the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk (not the grand cherokee) with the 6 cyl engine (3 mpg penalty over the 4 cyl) because review says the 4 cyl is sluggish due to weight of vehicle. Also looking at a BMW X1 xDrive28i - it is expensive, but seems decent power and mileage. The only thing about BMW is what kind of maintenance cost I am looking at. Also, cannot find any towing capability of the X1.

More than likely buying brand new.

Wife got a car, I got the truck, and I got 3 motorcycles in the garage. I got a big NO on keeping the truck and getting yet another motorcycle...err...I mean car.

[timsatx]

Personally I would buy used from the dealer. My truck was a certified used vehicle and it was 2 years old and I got it for $16,000. This for a 2008 2x2 Crew Cab SE with about 28,000 miles. It was a great price.

[sherob]

My Director had a BMW X-something... once it was out of warranty, it was gone... I forget what it cost to get a mirror fixed, but it was enough to **** him off.  He now drives a Honda Crosstour.   

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