coobie
Super Member
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2004
- Messages
- 6,302
- Location
- S.Michigan
- Tractor
- Kubota RTV 1100c, JD 740,Kioti DK 40 with KL401 loader .
Us to.LOL
Daily Driver
- Thread starter crashz
- Start date
- Views: 5233
dodge man
Super Star Member
Get a car. They seem very cheap right now with the popularity of SUVs and crossovers. We bought my daughter a 3 year old Fod Fusion. 22000 miles for $16k. Pretty good sized and gets 30mpg. Got my son a 2 year old Chrysler 300. 16000 miles and all wheel drive. $22k.
MossRoad
Super Moderator
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2001
- Messages
- 58,139
- Location
- South Bend, Indiana (near)
- Tractor
- Power Trac PT425 2001 Model Year
My wife and I are still considering going out to AZ and finding a good body 93 Suburban K2500 with a bazillion miles, nursing it back here to Indiana, and as you said, swapping in a modern LS engine, re-do the suspension and breaks, then driving it for 10-15 more years. I figure I can pick one up for $3-4K, junkyard engine and tranny for $1K, $1K in tires/rims, anyhow, well under $10K.
We've had our 93 K1500 for 11 years. I paid $6K for it and only have $1K into it. I could sell it for $1K easy. So back to $6K for 11 years. That's about $45 a month for transportation for the past 11 years. :thumbsup:
hiddentacocatneddih
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2019
- Messages
- 764
- Tractor
- Mahindra 485DI
Shoot putting that many miles I'd just get a cheap beater.
I drive a 2000 Lexus rx300. It was free and has 290,000 miles. I will drive it till it blows up. I run 500 miles a week to work and back so I'm not willling to drive something super nice. But it is the nicest vehicle I have ever had.
I have less than $2000 in my truck and work car
I drive a 2000 Lexus rx300. It was free and has 290,000 miles. I will drive it till it blows up. I run 500 miles a week to work and back so I'm not willling to drive something super nice. But it is the nicest vehicle I have ever had.
I have less than $2000 in my truck and work car
Big engines cost a lot for the fuel. I like small engines, but the modern trucks aren't like the modern cars. Find a truck like a CRV or a RAV4. It should be that there is a spot for those who don't need to tow.
It's squarish........ find a low-mile Florida one ?
199 -92 Cadillac Brougham | Consumer Guide Auto
7k towing.
IIRC, some of the older Caddys were more like 10k# capable..... but maybe I'm dreaming....
Rgds, D.
199 -92 Cadillac Brougham | Consumer Guide Auto
7k towing.
IIRC, some of the older Caddys were more like 10k# capable..... but maybe I'm dreaming....
Rgds, D.
WVH1977
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2017
- Messages
- 732
- Location
- Richmond, VA
- Tractor
- Massey 2860M Cab, Massey 1E.35, Gravely Pro-Turn 560, 1989 Ford D47 Dump Truck
Just traded my Honda Civic for an older Ridgeline for my daily driver. Like you I am a big guy. I got tired of getting in and out of the civic, plus having headlights shining in my face every morning and evening. Also a lot of road noise. Other than that it was a great reliable car.
The Ridgeline was not my first choice. I though it looked weird. I wanted an older Tacoma but could not find one at a good price and they had small interiors. I also debated getting an older f150 but could not find one in the price range I wanted to spend. I finally started looking for older Ridgeline's to check out. I found one (2006) in very good shape for a good price that was taken care of. There is plenty of interior room and the bed has a huge waterproof trunk/toolbox under it and a tow package. The tailgate comes down and will also open like a car door (I really love this feature). I can lay a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood flat in the bed with the tailgate down. I can also reach into the bed without a step ladder. I can also fit the kids car seats in the back with plenty of room. It drives great and has that Honda fit/finish/reliability. Everything is tight on it. So far I am very pleased with it. It is a well built, versatile vehicle. Just had to get over what it looked like (kinda growing on me now).
I already have a 2500 Duramax if I need to tow my tractors or anything big. The Ridgeline will tow my little 10' landscape trailer with no problem at all. It just met all my needs for a daily driver that I can stop at Lowes on the way home and get things for the house without having to pull out the big truck.
The Ridgeline was not my first choice. I though it looked weird. I wanted an older Tacoma but could not find one at a good price and they had small interiors. I also debated getting an older f150 but could not find one in the price range I wanted to spend. I finally started looking for older Ridgeline's to check out. I found one (2006) in very good shape for a good price that was taken care of. There is plenty of interior room and the bed has a huge waterproof trunk/toolbox under it and a tow package. The tailgate comes down and will also open like a car door (I really love this feature). I can lay a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood flat in the bed with the tailgate down. I can also reach into the bed without a step ladder. I can also fit the kids car seats in the back with plenty of room. It drives great and has that Honda fit/finish/reliability. Everything is tight on it. So far I am very pleased with it. It is a well built, versatile vehicle. Just had to get over what it looked like (kinda growing on me now).
I already have a 2500 Duramax if I need to tow my tractors or anything big. The Ridgeline will tow my little 10' landscape trailer with no problem at all. It just met all my needs for a daily driver that I can stop at Lowes on the way home and get things for the house without having to pull out the big truck.
Tractor Seabee
Elite Member
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2011
- Messages
- 3,896
- Tractor
- Kubota BX25
The OP never really indicated what kind of hauling he thinks he needs a truck for or how much weight his tools are. With the mileage he is cranking up unless he is hauling a lot of weight I question the value of a diesel. Hard to evaluate his best options with only a half deck of cards. That kind of miles I want comfort you cannot get from a diesel truck. If he is writing off commuting cost on income tax then mileage/operating cost is pretty well recuperated at $.50/MI +/- that IRS allows or real cost it he wants to keep comprehensive records. A lot of folks that use a vehicle for business lease rather than buy. Total rental cost plus operating costs is then deductible. Then you get a new one every three years. Lots of options. I have a Ford Edge and it is a great touring car with lots of cargo space for such a small vehicle.
Ron
Ron
Beltzington
Platinum Member
I owned a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee V8 for 15-years would still be driving it today but it was totaled when a driver turned in front of me a couple years back. The V8 is an old school Mopar 318\360 with MPI, solid axles and coil springs on both ends. It is very comfortable to drive, fold down the rear seat and it will hold allot of gear. The V8 has impressive tow ratings and even with full time 4WD I would get 17-18 MPG on the highway. Hated to see it go but the frame was bent and it just didn't make sense to try and fix it. 1996-1998 where the best years of that model, all the issues had been addressed.
Good Luck with your search!
Good Luck with your search!
Attachments
OP
crashz
Veteran Member
Thanks guys, Ron is right, I didn't really state actual needs very well. And truthfully, the CRV is darn near perfect. Some background:
I'm a project manager for a construction/remediation company. 75% of my time is simply commuting to my office, which is 150 miles daily. Those miles are unpaid and and not really a write off. 25% of the miles are traveling to project sites and onsite miles. These are reimbursed. So obviously fuel mileage is very important.
Onsite, I need some ground clearance and off road ability. The CRV is perfect for this. Not heavy off-roading, but I always have to park in the dirt and often travel over some rough roads. While onsite I usually need to pick up supplies and carry some tools. I normally need:
- My gear bag with PPE (good sized duffel)
- Roller tool box with hand tools
- Case of water/Cooler with ice
- Duffel with change of clothes
- Computer, portable printer, inverter
- File case with project files and documentation
- Muck boots, change of shoes
All of this fills the little CRV up. And typically I need to pick-up and carry survey equipment, sampling equipment and shovels, rakes, brooms, etc. So secure room is needed. The CRV works, but is small and I'm constantly re-arranging and cleaning out the car.
Towing would be as a back-up or convenience only. I have a 2500HD that I tow with and will have the F450 set up to tow this year. Not really a need at present, but if I were to buy something like the Colorado or Canyon, I'd sell or trade the 2500.
People hauling is not typical, but occasional.
So the Blazer idea was based on those items above, thinking that with the right powertrain, I might squeak out 25 mpg. It would check all the boxes if the fuel mileage could be increased and reliability is there. I also thought a Yukon would work, but they are heavy and not much can be modified to help with mileage.
I'm a project manager for a construction/remediation company. 75% of my time is simply commuting to my office, which is 150 miles daily. Those miles are unpaid and and not really a write off. 25% of the miles are traveling to project sites and onsite miles. These are reimbursed. So obviously fuel mileage is very important.
Onsite, I need some ground clearance and off road ability. The CRV is perfect for this. Not heavy off-roading, but I always have to park in the dirt and often travel over some rough roads. While onsite I usually need to pick up supplies and carry some tools. I normally need:
- My gear bag with PPE (good sized duffel)
- Roller tool box with hand tools
- Case of water/Cooler with ice
- Duffel with change of clothes
- Computer, portable printer, inverter
- File case with project files and documentation
- Muck boots, change of shoes
All of this fills the little CRV up. And typically I need to pick-up and carry survey equipment, sampling equipment and shovels, rakes, brooms, etc. So secure room is needed. The CRV works, but is small and I'm constantly re-arranging and cleaning out the car.
Towing would be as a back-up or convenience only. I have a 2500HD that I tow with and will have the F450 set up to tow this year. Not really a need at present, but if I were to buy something like the Colorado or Canyon, I'd sell or trade the 2500.
People hauling is not typical, but occasional.
So the Blazer idea was based on those items above, thinking that with the right powertrain, I might squeak out 25 mpg. It would check all the boxes if the fuel mileage could be increased and reliability is there. I also thought a Yukon would work, but they are heavy and not much can be modified to help with mileage.