Thanks HC for your recommendation on checking Ebay. On Car-part.com a local yard has a used one for $100. On Ebay I bought a new aftermarket one for $40.
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I know for sure that if I pull my seat up as close to the pedals and steering wheel in the GMC as I do in the VW, I can fit rather large boxes on the floor between the front seat and back seat. I mostly rely on reports from others. I'm told that it's as good as any other back seat; not 'somehow "bigger"', but not smaller either. It does have height advantages, with the seat higher (so more legroom, offering that better angle which doesn't require legs to be put forward) and the ceiling higher...and I can store stuff underneath it. However you slice it, it is by no means "cramped"; 4 people are plenty comfortable, 5 people are as comfortable in as in my VW, and 6 can legally be in it (but the front seat occupants are then as crowded as the back seat). |
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Also, assuming that you are indeed religious about keeping up with your gas log on that truck, since June 2008 you've put on 17,297.65 miles, burned 1241.748 gallons of fuel, and spent $3094.748. So over 2 years, you've spent $3100 on fuel, but that's only over 17K miles, not 65K like you've mentioned. If you averaged 14mpg for the time you?ve owned that truck, then that would mean you?ve burned 4643 gallons of fuel, at a variable cost. You?re obviously going to be driving this truck for a long while so it?s not like as if you wouldn?t benefit from saving money on fuel. Quote:
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Look! Lay off him! Not everyone wants a tiny car!
He's made it quite clear that he has considered his options, and has decided he doesn't want an econobox! So stop being a jerk! Your type is what gives any FE site a bad name. SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE DRIVING SMALL CARS!! BE HAPPY THAT THEY WANT TO IMPROVE THE FE ON THEIR BIG CARS! I am SO VERY SICK AND TIRED that every single time anyone comes onto this site with anything but a subcompact econobox, they get flamed away! I have personally seen three seperate threads of someone joining this site to see how to extract a few more MPG from their truck/suv, and then leaving the site because nobody will lay off their back that they don't drive a subcompact. So shut up! Seriously! This isn't the subject of this conversation. It is quite clear that Jay DOES NOT WANT a subcompact! You're NOT going to convince him by dragging out this subject for the umpteenth time! STOP BEING A JERK! /rant |
point well taken...seems like there's a lot of disrespecting going on here lately. could be the economy or the heat.
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Wah wah wah small cars blah blah blah.. How many times do you have to say small cars? Small cars, small cars, small cars, small cars small cars! Again, you people (I'm being very specific) always assume that because I'm harping on someone for their choice of vehicle for a given task that I'm automagically suggesting the purchase of a Geo Metro. Also, like I said, just because the vehicle is physically smaller and shorter in stature, it doesn't make it a "small vehicle" in terms of volume.. Meaning that you can carry a bunch of crap just fine with you. Nobody is making the suggestion to drive a Geo Metro in place of a Ford Econovan...Unfortunately, people with egos or self image issues tend to perceive it that way when discussing the lunacy of driving a 14mpg vehicle to pickup a couple of beers at the convenience store. Way to jump to an extreme! How dare I suggest being modest and conservative or even logical! Am I really to believe that driving a truck conservatively to achieve a piddly improvement in fuel economy is more fun than thrashing an already efficient vehicle? Oh and don't even attempt to reference that top gear episode with the Prius because I want to hear nothing of it! Just to let you know, a Ford Focus wagon has 36ft^3 of cargo space WITHOUT folding down the rear passenger seats, but when you fold down the passenger seats, you get something that rivals the same volume as a Silverado short bed with a campershell. Again, I don't know what the hell you are talking about when you say "small cars". There is a segment of the population who feel that it is an affront to their livelihoods or their masculinity to point out that what they drive is stupid for the mere fact that there are other vehicles that can accomplish the same tasks with the same efficiency, comfort, etc. The argument that he likes his truck b/c it's comfortable is false, I mean it probably is comfortable but there is nothing inherently special about the vehicle and it can be accomplished with a more efficient vehicle. Look, I think people should do what makes sense, and driving a vehicle because you are insecure about yourself or because you want to have a particular image is idiotic. I never suggested the OP drive a Prius (though, from what limited information I know, it probably would suffice), I'm merely pointing out that if circumstances allow, getting a car with acceptable mileage (anything above 25mpg!!) would make a hell of a lot more sense and would pay for itself quite quickly. I mostly found it odd that someone would be a member of this site for so long yet not have come to that same conclusion. To have you people defend this like as if it's a birthright says to me there is some underlying issue that I've uncovered... Why am I not surprised? If you can't wrap your head around the lunacy of this (probably because it has been the norm for so long), think of it in terms like this. Would you bring your two, normal sized children to school 5 miles away in a Recreational Vehicle instead of a car? Would you buy 100lbs of beef and eat 2 lbs of it, then take the "left overs" and throw it in the trash? Or, would you just buy what you're going to eat? I think the answers here are pretty obvious but the reason why the lunacy of this is going over your head is because you go by what is the norm and not what makes sense... A lot of people apparently use their vehicle as a way of representing who they are. In the case of a truck, something about being "tough" or "masculine" or some other nonsense. Finally, don't forget that this guy just so happened to mention that the only car he liked was a Ford Focus Manual. This is fine as the Ford Focus wagon comes in M/T, so technically he could just get that vehicle.. Of course, he can try out other vehicles but to say that what he currently drives meets his needs and that there isn't a better alternative to that vehicle is just asinine. |
So? I am fully aware that in most possible situations, it is in someone's best interest to on a small car of some form, rather than a huge beast, and in most situations, a small car truly is beneficial to someone over a large car, and I am not arguing that!
What I am arguing, and what riles me up, and what is just a jerk move to do, is to completely attack people because they don't have one, or don't want one. Make your argument, and if it is clear that they don't want to get a small car, think for once. Rather than driving them away to drive their suv/truck in a wasteful way... MAYBE YOU SHOULD ASSIST THEM IN MAKING THEIR SUV/TRUCK MORE FUEL EFFICIENT! Isn't that a novel idea? Rather than be an absolute jerk and drive the already overdone point into the grave, help them! |
We can argue back and forth, so I will just make these 2 points, then I'm ready to let this thread die.
1. Specifically, dad's Focus is a 2nd generation 5 speed in the highest trim level available. I've driven several Focuses, however I hate the 1st generation models, auto or manual. The Focus wagon was only available on the 1st generation models. 2. How come there's no consideration given for last week's vehicle purchase? I will try to push as much mileage on the bike as possible. Now I don't think I'll be able to get 80 MPG in it like some do with Ninjas, but it is rated for 44 MPG city/50 MPG highway, and I'm going to try my best to top that. If I can take the bike whenever possible, and only take the truck in inclement weather, and days I need to haul stuff I will save a significant amount of fuel. I made careful choices in selecting the bike to try and get the best mileage out of it. In 2004 Harley put fuel injection in the Dyna series. In 2006 Harley replaced the 5 speed transmission with a 6 speed. Being a 2006 model, my bike has fuel injection and a 6 speed transmission. The fact that I now own a vehicle that gets 50 MPG highway seems to be largely ignored in this conversation. |
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Let me give you an example.. There is a guy who owns a '92 Civic that makes 104hp. He likes his car but he wants more powa cause he wants to embrace the ricer in himself. I can either help him boost his car to 200hp at the tune of several thousand dollars or I can just point him to an 80s/90s camaro which while a ****box that has been ragged on, will give him a far better HP/$ than tuning his civic. There are obviously things to like about the civic over the camaro but to just buy a camaro would give him the power he is looking for at a very low price point. Now, this isn't always true.. For example in the case of my Honda Civic, I want to get Prius Mileage. Some might suggest getting an older Insight or just give up and get the Prius. However I have actual reasons for not wanting either of those vehicles which is why I'd prefer sticking with my 4 door Civic. In my situation, it's actually more cost effective to spend $1000 on top of my $3,500 vehicle to get Prius mileage than to spend $10,000+ on a hybrid that gives me the mileage I want. My upgrades may take awhile to pay for themselves but I'm ok with that since I'm forward looking and hope to keep the vehicle for a long while. You need to keep in mind that he clearly has reached a plateau as he has been getting 14mpg for quite a while. Any other effort he expends really should be towards getting a more efficient vehicle. This isn't necessarily like a case of a trucking company with semi-trucks only getting 8mpg and trying to improve upon that mileage but is more of a case where the OP's desire to not change things because he's comfortable with the way things are. A Ford Focus Wagon at 28mpg w/5sp over 100K miles at $3 a gallon gasoline will cost $10,714 to drive. The OP's truck at 14mpg over 100K miles at $3 a gallon will cost $21,429. However, if what the OP says is true, that he should be getting far worse mileage than he is but thanks to his efforts it's much higher, then if he got that Ford Focus Wagon, he would not be getting 28mpg but something higher. Just keep in mind that the only reason gasoline is cheap is due to the depressed economy. If the economy ever picks up, you can be assured gasoline is going to be more expensive than it currently is. |
And again, what about the bike I just bought that is EPA rated for 50 MPG highway??? Does that count for nothing? Must I purchase a passenger vehicle when I rarely have passengers? I don't know what my actual mileage is on the bike yet, because I've been riding it for about a week now, and the fuel gauge shows that I still have 1/2 a tank of fuel. I hope to have my first fuel log entry posted by the end of the weekend.
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