Price of gas...how small will you allow yourself to go?
 

Assuming you drive a V8 anything, particularly an SUV, given the rising cost of fuel, how small would you go as far as a replacement car? Here are some choices that I believe reflect the current trend in auto sizing with economy in mind. All are 2009 models.

1) Subaru Forrester
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/1...09-300x189.jpg

2) Acura TSX
http://image.motortrend.com/f/roadte...nt_profile.jpg

3) Honda Fit
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/1....f34.1.500.jpg

This is just a size comparison, not make or manufacturer or country of origin. There are many European "smaller" cars like the Audi A1 or the Mercedes B series which are not available in The States. Ford Focus is another good car, too. Whatever the case, I'm just curious to see how small a person would go for daily transportation given the rising cost of fuel.

Thanks. SmileWavy

Currently I drive a 4cyl Honda Element. It gets between 25-28 MPG depending on how I drive. Not to bad for a box on wheels. I am purchasing a motorcycle next week. Not because of gas prices ( but it will be nice to pay 12 bucks for a fillup and ride to work for almost 2 weeks on that) but because I have the itch again.

Hell, I'm still thinking of a V-8...

I won't go any smaller than this.

<img src="http://www.fototime.com/4B2C99B6B3D4DDC/standard.jpg" border=0 alt="Hosting provided by FotoTime">

I'll go down to my size 11 running shoes if need be. I work about 4 1/2 miles from home. A long-ish walk, but certainly not un-doable.

More likely I'll just bicycle-commute, which I've been doing a couple days a week now anyway. Once I have my motorcycle back together (it's in surgery right now for valve work) I'll probably ride that a lot more and park my cars more-or-less indefinitely except for long/out-of-town trips or special occasions.

I'll go down to my size 11 running shoes if need be. I work about 4 1/2 miles from home. A long-ish walk, but certainly not un-doable.

More likely I'll just bicycle-commute, which I've been doing a couple days a week now anyway. Once I have my motorcycle back together (it's in surgery right now for valve work) I'll probably ride that a lot more and park my cars more-or-less indefinitely except for long/out-of-town trips or special occasions.

V70 or Outback wagon.

will be riding my eventually restored R25 to work but only on days i don't take the little guy to daycare.

Already there since 4 years. Wife's ride is a 2009 Matrix...Mine is a 2005 Matrix...So fuel goes up...Yea...no problem with that...!:):):)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1215107415.jpg

Syl,

How is the Matrix? I have been busily looking for a car for my Princess. She will be out of H.S. soon, so the LandCruiser (10-12 MPG) will possibly become impractical.

I am assuming it has side air-bags?

DD74,

Taking into account our family lifestyle, so far the lowest I would go would be the Mazda CX-7. I might require a roof-rack as a 'must' if I pursue this CX7.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1215108909.jpg

I'm looking at a '97 Mercedes E420 on Saturday. 275 HP and 27 MPG, why not? V8 doesn't always equal gas thirsty pig.

We actually went bigger, and sold the wife's Cadillac SRX V8 AWD crossover SUV for a Mazda MPV minvan. Went from 18 MPG to 25 MPG highway, and have much more room.

Personally, I think the people lining up for Smart cars are morons. Most cars get upper 20s, many in the 30s. It's not worth driving a enclosed golf cart to eek out a few more.

And dd, I have a caveat. The Ford Focus is crap, and the Forester is for lesbians. Better choices would be the Mazda3, Nissan Sentra, Honda Civic, and Toyota Corolla.

We went from a Range Rover to a Prius. The latter works for 95% of our needs (family of four) and we have a VW van for the other 5% (seats 7, carries cargo and things up to 12 feet long).

I really have no problem going small, smaller, smallest for the primary/daily vehicle. But, if we only had one vehicle, that had to do everything from daily commuting to hauling lumber from Home Depot, then probably smallest I'd go is something like a Subaru Outback or Mazda5 sized vehicle.

Already there!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1215109495.jpg

I get 24-25 MPG in combined (city/hwy) mileage. Much better than the 12 MPG I get in my V-8 Dakota! :(

Randy

I'm averaging about 27mpg this week and rarely drop below 23mpg going back and forth to work. A long journey on the freeway and it will easily top 30mpg so I see no reason to drop below this...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1215109466.jpg

I've paraphrased this before and I'll do it again;

Porsche make the most practical everyday sportscars you can get.

It's all about priorities.

Was speaking with a friend this morning.

Just bought a new boat. 88', holds 7000 gallons of fuel and burns 100 gl per hour.

He's also thinking of getting a Prius. Which will cost less than filling up the boat once.

We dropped her S10 in favor of a CRX. 25MPG vs. 40MPG. It's definitely with my 30 mile commute every day. I'd go smaller if it wasn't a decreasing ROI. When we bought the CRX it was at about 2.5 years, now it's a lot shorter with gas up 75c or so.

My DD is a Hyundai that get 30mpg...

I'm toying with the idea of a motorcycle.

I would love to walk or bicycle however at twenty miles each way that is not an option.

I guess all Pelicans are morons as we drive small 911's.......Oh wait, since we are not lining up (i.e., we already owned them), we are NOT!!!!! :):)

Just playing with you Whipped!:D

I want one of these, but they won't sell them in the USA

http://www.bmw.co.uk/images/bmwuk/mi...-1-5-door).jpg

I have to settle for this:

http://resource.bmwusa.com/cosy.arox...p=0&quality=85

This may just be my opinion, but I'd say that there is a rather large difference between a Smart car and a 911.

Just for Whipped: some nice alternatives to crappy cars and dyke movers:

Starting in 2010, Audi will sell their new A1 in The States.
It looks a lot better than the current A1.
http://blog.wired.com/cars/images/20...14/audia13.jpg

Here's a Mercedes B-series 4-door I could get into. Saw quite a few in Europe. They're larger than they look; maybe the size of a Ford Escape. There is a turbo diesel model with something like 300 pounds of torque. Not sold in the U.S.
http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring...-b-class-2.JPG
http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring...-b-class-1.JPG
http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring...-b-class-4.JPG

VW supposedly says they will, then says they won't sell their Tiguan here. Why? Because the U.S. dollar continues to be so weak. :rolleyes:
http://image.motortrend.com/f/review...ile_motion.jpg

I saw a lot of the 1 series 5 doors in Japan. I think they'd sell better here than the two doors they're trying to sell.

I keep saying that I'll ride the bike to work once a week but with the wacky Houston weather, I'm just not doing it.

I'd have to keep my truck for towing and house projects but I could drive a Mini Cooper the rest of time. I could pick up a new base Mini Cooper with sport package for about $20K or the S for about $23K.

I've already seen several Tiguans, so they're here in the states.

I could see myself driving a smart car, with a few modifications ;)

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Kinda like the old Morgan 3 wheelers.

http://cycle-car.com/index.htm

Pretty cool, but that thing needs LSD in the worst way. One-wheel burnouts are SOOOOO ghey looking. . .

We loved the 2005...so we bought the 2009. Both got the 1.8 liter engine. The 2005 don't have side air-bags, just the front pax ones...but the 2009 got them (6 in all)...It's the family car...When we need more room...I simply install the Thule coffin on the roof rack. They're easy on fuel and on maintenance, got a nice look.

Despite living in Sweden, where the gas is twice as expensive as in (whining) USA, I will not let go of my 96 Grand Cherokee with its primitive push rod 5.2 L V8. When I fill her up it costs the equivalent of almost $180!!

I was thinking if you went through and reworked the liberty car. I think a big V twin up front, and a large hoop roll bar behind the passenger compartment. If you could whip together some kind of convertable top you could attach, or even better yet a hard top you could bolt on, it would be a pretty nice vehicle for most of the year.

Hooooooooooly...It's my monthly budget in fuel to get to work...:(

That thing must be related to dd74's ML. 2008 911 is rated at 15 & 24. 2009 gets direct injection to boost mpg to 24 combined. 2002 is 22 combined. Are you a hypermiler?

I guess my route into work is a fairly representitive combined cycle, probably 50/50 freeway/city. So the 22mpg combined is fair if I drive normally. Lately I have been trying to perfect my driving to get the best fuel economy so have been trying some of these hypermiling techniques. I treat it as a bit of a game to see how far I can stretch it out. I do find that I drive by the mpg read out now and hit the cruise whenever I can. It is hard to resist the temptation to put the boot in and it does get the better of me every now and again.

If fuel does get anymore expensive I will be using it as an excuse to find one of these...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1215118394.jpg

I really want one but I can't justify owning another car to Mrs. Aerkuld just yet!;)

I'm sure I could get better mileage out of a "mule." But the upkeep...

Nah - I'll stick with my mid-20+ MPG. It's a better all-around ride. SmileWavy

I never have cared for big heavy cars. Since 1980, every car I have driven has been a 4 cylinder that got at least 25 mpg.(save for the truck my wife owned when we got married, and the SUV she has now)

I put $600 in gas in this thing last month. I dont know if I can go smaller.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1215121795.jpg

It must have a huge fuel tank!

I'm picking one of these up after work today. will be my commuter and short small errands toy. $6 in gas a week, i think i can live with that.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1215123659.jpg

Hmmm
 

Maybe he was carrying the fuel in his car for use in other things....lawn mower, boat....they are quite cavernous. I imagine he could put 150gallons in there...
:)