truck or suv

[farmerpsv]

gee, seems like you can get any info on this site. so, i just bought another piece of land that i'm going to build on. it's a mile and a half off the road...you kinda find your self humming the theme song from Deliverence as you drive it. it has some...uh, places where when i go fast enough my 2wd toyota tacoma just looks at me and says "i can't believe you just did that." okay, given time i can fix those places with my go anywhere 4wd tn65. anyway, the truck just flipped to 200k and i'm trying to decide whether to get a 4wd tacoma or maybe a baby suv like the awd honda crv. i drive 100 miles a day to work, so am trying for something that doesnt get hummer gas mileage. if i get the suv, i'll keep the truck and put it into semi retirement. if i get another truck i'll sell this one. gotta have a truck of course. anyways, as always, what do y'all think? any thoughts or discussion?
thanks
paul

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I was in New Mexico and rented a little Ford Escape. I was suprised by it, it really impressed me, especially since it is one of the smaller SUVs. As of this summer, it is also available as a hybrid which gets even better mpg.

One of the guys at work got a Honda CRV. Traded it in less than a month for a little Chevy Blazer. He doesn't haul much or tow anything, and never goes offroad. He just hated it. I don't know why.

I've had mixed luck with Jeeps, and have owned 5 or 6 Grand Cherokees. They are nice, but not very fuel efficient. Reliability is iffy.

My Mercury Mountaineer sucks fuel like a kid with a straw and a fresh milkshake. Don't bother looking at them if you want economy.

The lovely Mrs_Bob's current Volvo XC-90 is actually very fuel efficient compared to some of the V8 SUVs that I've had, and she has the largest engine option. I presume the smaller engine would be even better. But the XC-90 is pretty expensive. We get 20mpg with the AC on and a lead foot on the floor.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I have a Tahoe 4x4 I use as my everyday 'car' but have the good fortune through my business of having access to dump trucks, trailers as well as long and short bed pickups with regular and extended cabs so I'm fortunate in not having to pick just one.

That having been said, here are my thoughts. I like having the interior room in the SUV as well as the creature comforts but would never restrict myself to one. Since you have a p/u you can keep the SUV isn't a bad choice.

I've thought even recently of going to something like a heavy class 2 or even a single rear wheel class 3 p/u with four wheel drive, a short box and full four door cab as a compromise vehicle and building or buying a gooseneck trailer (electric hydraulic tilt bed, of course /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif ).

Check the costs of plating, insuring and maintaining a second vehicle as well as consider what you'll do if you buy an SUV then your 200K mile truck finally goes to that big garage in the sky. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Good luck with whatever you decide. I hope this helps. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Boondox]

We faced the same decision a couple of years ago. The town had stopped maintaining our road so at times of the year it got pretty challenging with big dips, areas of deep mud, and generally a molar rattling experience under the best of conditions. We had a Honda Civic at the time, so naturally tried the Honda CRV first with every intention of buying it. But the test drive quickly changed our minds. I realize every body is different, but my wife and I both agreed after less than a mile that the seats were the most uncomfortable we had ever sat on. And it didn't handle washboard and rough stuff as well as we'd hoped. Then we tried a Nissan Pathfinder and its smaller relative, the Xterra. Both were stable in 4WD but all over the place in 2WD when the going got rough. Plus their milage was in the teens. Tried the RAV4 and absolutely loved its handling and solid feel, but it was too small for our needs. Finally drove a Subaru Outback and were so impressed we bought it that day. More ground clearance than an Explorer, exceptionally sure-footed, reliable as can be, and all sorts of creature comforts. One caveat is the nose sticks out further than SUVs, so it may scrape on rough dirt roads or sudden extreme changes in grade. The Outback is definitely not an off-road vehicle, but excels in nasty conditions and dirt roads. Best of all, from our point of view, is the back can easily hold six golden retrievers.

Pete

 

[rockinmywaypa]

I agonized over the same decision until I considered what I would be hauling. Truck would be occasional big stuff plus everyday stuff like groceries, kids hockey equipment in winter etc. Well it didn,t take long to figure it's better to have warm equip. and secure groceries etc than it is to have that stuff sitting in the back of a truck. I decided to use a trailer for the less often bigger stuff. I'd go with the suv idea if you're keeping your truck.

 

[NIXON]

Paul take a look at Subaru . The wife drives very simular mileage as you do . She had a 99 Outback , which she traded for an 02 Forrester . Next year it'll be a tough choice between the Outback and forrestor when it comes time to trade .
Both get around 26-28 mpg in mixed driving . The only thing either has needed was tires and routine service .
John

 

[heehaw]

truck: figure the additional cost of insurance on 2 vehicles, upkeep, and never being in the one you need at the time, and you will probably save money by having one vehicle that doesn't get quite as good gas mileage.
heehaw

 

[slowrev]

Richard, I assume that is your first name from your photo /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I have a 90 Subie wagon with 198K on it, has been very reliable gets about 30-32 mpg. And Still has ZERO rust /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I do recommend Subaru if the size, etc fits your needs. The 4WD is great, can't keep the wife out of it in the winter and I am stuck with her guzzling town car. It seems to be nearly empty of gas everytime I get in it too, why is that ?

 

[KubotaSteve]

Outback has more ground clearance than an Explorer? I'm sure that is just one of the marketing ploys and depends where they measure it at. I can change the oil in my Explorer without jacking it up and I can't even get under my uncle's outback without jacking it up.
AWD is no match for a 4 wheel drive though.

 

[NIXON]

Slowrev , Actually it's John /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Junkman said I should change my first name !
My wife thinks it's great when My F250 psd 4x4 struggles in the ice . Of course She doesn't think much of my suggestions to load Her Subaru with firewood /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
She drives it about a hundred miles a day , 5 days a week, sunny rainy or in the snow . Nothing ever seems to go wrong with it . Can't ask for more than that ,especially at the price .

John