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I'm buying a motorcycle to combat the high cost of fuel. If I spend more on a bike than I did on my Toyota truck then that defeats the purpose of low cost transportation. For that reason I will be picking up my new Suzuki SV 650 in the next couple of weeks. 50-55 miles per gallon, $5995 out the door, tax and title included. This will not only save me on gas but will extend the life of my Toyota buy not putting so many miles on it. And I'm going to be plenty cool on it Curtis and since I'm married I don't care if the women look at me. My buddies and I have a saying about the Harley and Corvette guys.....it has something to do with the size of their privates.
-------------------- Rob Larkham Sign Techniques Inc. Chicopee, Ma Posts: 607 | From: Chester, Ma. | Registered: Apr 2002
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robert.......the one iam lookin at is $6700.00 kawasaki 900 cruiser, guy told me he had the same one and got 40-45 mpg. and the harley and corevette guys.....are USUALLY SINGLE)))))))))and the one that got a girlfreind....its usually short term))))))
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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I just got hit with the choice of doing around $3000 in repairs on the Ranger or sinking the money into a down payment on a newer truck.
Here's the deciding factors...
2001 Ranger
Pros.... Paid off and a clear title a year ago. Body work done and custom painted 3 years ago (still looks good) V6 engine with decent mileage holding up well. 5 speed overdrive.
Cons... 120,000+ miles on it 2 wheel drive makes getting around in winter tricky once in a while. No passenger room past one. Resale value about even with the cost of repairs.
The other option... 2003 Dodge Dakota King Cab
Pros... 50,000 miles on it 4 wheel drive Lots of nice options included Seats 5 passengers Dealership warranty
Cons... Higher insurance Less gas mileage Used sale price equal to what I paid for the Ranger NEW! 5 year payment plan with $3000 down just about the same.
I mulled this one over for several days and settled on the Ranger repair option. Turned out that the repairs came out around $500 under the estimate, and without the boost in insurance and monthly payments, it'll still do what I need it to for a few more years. BONUS! I used the $500 I'd budgeted for the repairs to register my wife's Integra under my name and get some new tires for it. Get's a lot better gas mileage than either truck does and is helping keep the daily wear and tear off of the Ranger. Without the payments, I can afford to tweak the "Teggy" this winter.
We all have our reasons.
Good luck with the sale. Rapid
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
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My inlaws are die-hard Toyota fans, and think they are the only thing worth driving... My dad-in-law recently purchased a new Tundra and I like the truck OK but the gas mileage sucks. He is the most meticulous maintenance person and easiest driver in the world... warms it up for a couple minutes before leaving, drives easy and slow and runs synthetic oil. I think the best gas mileage he's gotten on a trip is around 17 and in town it's around 14. The way I drive I'd get about 12 on the highway and 8 in town.
My next vehicle is going to get good gas mileage.
-------------------- Jon Jantz Snappysign.com jjantz21@gmail.com http://www.allcw.com Posts: 3395 | From: Atmore, AL | Registered: Nov 2005
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If your going Toyota, the only way to get good gas mileage is with the four banger. My 4x4 Tacoma gets 25 mpg and can pull my pop-up camper loaded with wood, cast iron cookware, two kids a dog and my Wife....works for me.
-------------------- Rob Larkham Sign Techniques Inc. Chicopee, Ma Posts: 607 | From: Chester, Ma. | Registered: Apr 2002
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All of them got caught with their pants down, in the rush to bigger, more powerful vehicles of a few years ago. Friend of mine bought a new big Dodge with the Hemi in it. Cool truck. I saw him a couple weeks ago, and asked what kind of mileage he got. He made a disgruntled face and said about 12 - 14. The big Fords and Nissans are the same.....and they cost 30,000+++. No wonder they're sitting all over in dealers' lots.
I'm glad the Toyota little truk gets good mileage; the Nissan Frontier doesn't. I have a 2000 with just a light aluminum cap on it, and it's never gotten over 21, with the 4 cylinder. They're pretty decent truks though. Mine has close to 200 thou on it now, and still runs good. Of course, Nissan had to go and make them bigger....so they probably get worse mileage now. They deserve to sit on the lots.
I hate to think where this is going to end. I guess we'll be buying a little teeny, tiny electric truck that goes 28 miles per hour, and you'll have to stop at a charging station every 75 miles and plug it in for awhile. Gosh, I can't imagine how wonderful that day will be. Somebody shoot me!!! SEE WHAT YOU STARTED, JOE???
-------------------- Dale Feicke Grafix 714 East St. Mendenhall, MS 39114
"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." Posts: 2963 | From: Mendenhall, MS | Registered: Apr 1999
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Tundra's are nice but Toyota built they reputation on Tacoma trucks here in the U.S. and the fuel mileage and the longevity belongs to the Tacoma 4's and nothing compares to them. As far as the gas mileage on the Tundra, how does it compare to the Chevy, Ford and Dodge gas engines? Where I live in the northwest, If you want to off road in the snow nothing beats a Tacoma and modifications are kept at a minimal unlike those great big American trucks who can only get in a 1/2 day due to fuel issues.
-------------------- HotLines Joey Madden - pinstriping since 1952 'Perfection, its what I look for and what I live for'
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So in reality Todd, the Tundra does better when in comparison with the others but yet the Toyota Tacoma straight 4 cylinder 4x4 can do pretty much everything the others do except tow the weight the big ones do. I guess I'm partial to the Tacoma's because I like off roading and the suspensions of the earlier models are awesome yet not in comparison to the Uni-mog which is similar to the H1.
-------------------- HotLines Joey Madden - pinstriping since 1952 'Perfection, its what I look for and what I live for'
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So, my theory about Ford tooting their own horn about being equal to Toyota in quality is correct. Fords aren't getting any better, Toyotas are getting worse I've always been a fan of Toyotas, but 2 of my neighbors bought them and had more issues than I thought a Toyota should have. I guess nothing these days is built the way it used to be. This is also why I'm still driving my 1994 Saturn that averages about 31 mpg with the AC on and the windows rolled down
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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you all are gona luv this story!!! my friend in pa, him and i grew up together. hes a vietnam vet and is on disability. dont spend much for vehicles. had a older dodge dakota4 cyl, was gettin ruff with rust. he was out one day found 1999 toyota tacoma sittin in a guys yard. he stopped and asked if the guy wanted to sell it. guy said yea, the damage it had was left front fender, hood, radiator. guy hit a deer with it and no insurance. leroy(my freind) got the truck for $7-800! good price he figured and toyotas are know for good gas milage. he get it towed home and over month or so he gets all used replacment parts, and the truck runs great. exhaust was gettin bad so he was gona take it to a muffler shop and get an ALUMIMIZED SYSTEM on it. muffler shop guy had it on the lift and was bangin on the frame....leroy says what the h*** ya doin? shop guy says ...i was checkin youre frame, toyota hasa RECALL on 1997-2001 for bad frames. and yourse is bad!!! take it to toyota and see what they can do for you. leroy does this and toyota looked at it, fill out some paperwork, and told leroy they would let him know something in bout a month. bout that time the dealership called him, said to bring the truck in to the shop. he gets there figurin they was gona patch it up, the guy say..."we have A CHECK FOR YOU, just sign here and we will take back the truck." leroy looks at the check and its $13,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! remember what he paid for it? and with the repairs he did he mighta had $2000.00 in it!!!!! so he figures he will go buy another small truck and fix it up.......but then a salesman showed him a YARIS........let him take it home for a day, leroy comes back and with the $13,000.00 +$2200.00 of his money.....TOOK THE YARIS....free and clear!!! hes tellin me this thing get 40 MPG in the hills of PA, 45 MPG highway!!!!!!!!
[ July 14, 2008, 04:01 PM: Message edited by: old paint ]
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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Not sure if it would be for me.... it's soooo small, I would feel like it was a coffin on wheels....
But maybe that's what this world is coming to. Never thought I'd see the day where lives, commerce, world economies are hanging in the balance due to energy prices. Scary.... but scarier for my kids.
Drill now baby!! Oil does no good sitting in the ground.
-------------------- Todd Gill Outside The Lines Potterville, MI Posts: 7792 | From: Potterville, MI | Registered: Dec 2001
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drillin..is a whole nother subject....AND WRONG WAY TO GO... to solve a NOW IMMEDIATE PROBLEM. oil companies own mineral right to millions of acres ON DRY LAND IN THE U.S.A. to drill on AND WONT DO IT....cause the cost of labor HERE is to high them... if you want to make another post..about it....this one is about vehicles)))))
[ July 14, 2008, 04:11 PM: Message edited by: old paint ]
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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Todd, the Yaris might now be as small as one would think and the same goes for my 06 Scion XB. I'm 6'4" tall, 235 lbs and I fit both in the front and in the back seat with lots of leg room. The only problem I have these days is my lust for automobiles and the fact I love driving all that I have. The Scion used to get 32 mpg around town when the gas was just gas but now with the 10% ethanol my mileage has gone to 28 mpg and makes me rethink my needs and feel I'm better off driving my Mercedes coupe' where comfort is king and selling off on the Scion.
Gas mileage isn't everything
-------------------- HotLines Joey Madden - pinstriping since 1952 'Perfection, its what I look for and what I live for'
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like i said todd.........make that a another thread.... and i edited the AUTOTRADE add down to $7500.00 O.B.O.
[ July 14, 2008, 06:37 PM: Message edited by: old paint ]
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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What really gets me is how the great American love affair with "bigger better faster" got out of hand again. 30 years ago I was lined up to get gas while Chrysler was on the verge of a federal bail out because they were slow to produce fuel efficient cars. Gas was $1.35/gal. The big three were moving toward making smaller cars and we were more than happy to buy them. Proof...the Ford Escort was the #1 selling car in America for years.
I've always been one to buy an American car, bt I gotta tell you, it's harder these days to keep that tradition going. Not because I don't like the cars, but because the big three decided some years ago that the V8 muscle cars and V10 trucks were what we wanted and started cranking them out again, a la Chrysler in the eighties, while fuel economy became the main force in sales.
So where have the big three wound up? Today, GM is planning a big announcement. It'll more likely be one that includes layoffs and restructuring, not the release of the new 2009 600HP Camaros.
A local salesman for a Dodge dealership here in town just got his limited edition 2008 Challenger this past weekend. He'd ordered it over a year ago and is not only wondering how he's gonna afford the gas in it, but how he's gonna pay for it. At over $40K, about the only thing he can do with it is park it in the garage and look at it. Sure, in 15 years it'll be worth a bundle, but for now, it's a burden. Who knows...15 years from now we may all be on biodiesel and he'll be unable to drive it at all....
The last time I owned an 8 cylinder car, Ronald Reagan was in office. It hasn't killed me to put aside my ego and drive something practical. Maybe if the big three had stuck with the idea that practical would outlive "more bigger faster", they wouldn't be watching their numbers drop like a pair of teenager's pants in a cathouse while the rest of us bought fuel efficient imports that ARE suiting our needs.
Rapid
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
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Ray did you know that the 94 to 96 Chevy Hi performance LT V8 which was offered in the Corvette, Impala SS and the similar engine in the police car get 15 mpg in the city and 23+ on the hiway and will go 200,000 + miles, That's as much gas mileage as your Ranger gets. Although my 64 was a modified 340 and not hi tech and was an 11 second street car its gas mileage still brought me into the 20's on the hiway. At one time when gas was gas even a year back vehicles would get better mileage even with the V8's as technology would reign. Choosing the proper setup within your weight with a hi tech and hi performance motor could give any V6 a run for its money and even some Japanese vehicles have V8's and rear wheel drive today. Many of the new V8's have a changeover system incorporated which switch from 8 cylinders to 4 as you drive on the hiway.
First it was propane back in the 60's and now its Ethanol. This idea that Ethanol is good doesn't really make sense when your mileage falls 4 to 5 mpg just to satisfy the government who for the many who run it have holdings in its stock and on the other hand run the media telling us people how good it is for our environment as if they really give a rats azz for the environment. Some older vehicles cannot run Ethanol as it will foul up its components as its not meant for engines but those who listen to this crap haven't the knowledge for combustion engines but in the name of the clean air act, act as if they have better schooling when most know its about how to get our money as its all about the money.
-------------------- HotLines Joey Madden - pinstriping since 1952 'Perfection, its what I look for and what I live for'
posted
ethenol doesent only come from CORN. when i lived in maine, the guy i worked for had a old warehouse, and i asked one day what was it before he got it. IT WAS AN ALCOHOL PLANT.......and POTATOES was used to make that..............aslo ive heard stories of some of the old "maine shiners", making whiskey from potato mash. BRAZIL gets over 60% of their GAS from SUGAR BEETS. they were way ahead of all other counties on the way GAS would go. ANNNNNND you can still buy a LATE 60'S VW BEETLE there. any of you ever own one of these??? great gas mileage..... the big problem i see, is not size of vehicles being so important, its EMENITIES....what can you buy today WITHOUT A/C????? and who in the he** needs a GPS....you that dumb????
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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I test drove a Toyota Rav4 small SUV about 2 months ago. It had a 270 hp V6 in it and it gets real world gas mileage (as tested by Consumer Reports) of 15 city/ 29 highway/ 22 overall.
That's pretty good mileage and that is a 4X4 model. For a small SUV it is top rated for quality, has pretty darn good room in it...
and best of all.... it's got power that will literally blow-you-away. I couldn't believe it.... it ran like a raped ape.
The Honda CRV, on the other hand...is nice enough... but with half the horsepower and worse gas mileage....it just goes to show you what real/creative engineering can accomplish ala the Toyota.
OP - - AC is almost insignificant on mileage these days....Fuel from corn, etc is a boondoggle bunch of BS.....it takes more energy to make fuel that returns inferior mileage....and I own and like a GPS. You don't have to be "dumb" to be directionally challenged.
-------------------- Todd Gill Outside The Lines Potterville, MI Posts: 7792 | From: Potterville, MI | Registered: Dec 2001
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Joey, nice of you to post the difference ethanol makes on milage...about what I had figured.
On the subject of A/C. On one of my trips back east a number of years ago, I checked the milage using A/C and without with the windows down. It was identical. My wife at the time and I switched off driving chores. I always got two to three mpg better than her. She was real bad about getting pinned in traffic, having to roll out of the throttle and then get back on the gas. Oh, and by the way, we were driving a 72 Monte Carlo 350 4bbl and it got 25-28 out on I-40 at 70 MPH. It replaced a 74 Nova wth a 307....17 MPG
I would be willing to bet there are as many 4wd vehicles around here as there are in snow country. Most never, ever get off the road. It snows once every five years. Me, I'd rather keep up with my wallet than the Jonses'.
-------------------- George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@bigriver.net
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
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Miles per dollar is what matters most to me. Ethanol is cheaper by the gallon, but mileage suffers so badly that it cost more to run.
As far as the AC goes... A couple years ago we took the van(99 Chevy 3/4 ton 350 V8) to Arizona and back. We were dragging a trailer the whole time, but we did a LOT of driving on flat land in Texas. Air on or off with the windows up did not make enough difference to show on mileage. Air off with the windows down cost me about 2 miles per gallon.
Running through the mountains the cruise control did not want to maintain 85 in overdrive, so I dropped it to drive and let it breathe. Running the mountains @ 85 mph in drive with the AC on actually gave just a little better mileage than running on flat ground in overdrive with the AC off and windows down.
BTW... I had the GPS running on the laptop the whole time... just cause I could. I know the way, but it gave us something to play with on the road.
-------------------- Don Hulsey Strokes by DON signs Utica, KY 270-275-9552 sbdsigns@aol.com
I've always been crazy... but it's kept me from going insane. Posts: 2297 | From: Utica, KY U.S.A. | Registered: Jan 1999
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