This is my FIRST post on slowtwitch…always have plenty to read about, never much to write about though…
I am graduating from college this year, and am looking to buy a vehicle that will be able to carry my bike(s). I was looking into the small SUV market, but I want a vehicle that won’t drink too much gas. Any suggestions? I know that Ford is making a Hybrid Escape…wasn’t sure if the cost of upgrading to Hybrid will be worth the savings in gas.
I DON’T really wanna put my bike on top of the car, so will probably lean towards an Xterra type vehicle, possibly a pickup with a cab.
from the research I’ve done, the hybrid will cost up alot more upfront. if you’re planning on keeping the car for 10 years it will save you money down the road. but, most of us keep a car for 3-7 years. so, buy it for the point of not being dependent on oil, not for saving money.
as for mileage and stuff like this–how about a truck? To transport my baby girl i have a rack that goes across the bed and holds her quite nicely. you’ll be able to hold the value on your truck much much more than any other car/suv. plus, trucks are freaking cool and very versatile. if you’re just getting out of school no doubt you’ll be moving a couple of times. find your best pal that knows a thing or two about cars and go check out used trucks as well as new ones. ford ranger all the way, babe.
don’t buy a used truck or vehicle that has had a plow on it, or towed. both beat the shit out of a vehicle and you’ll be replacing a clutch soon and who knows what else. also, buy a trading post. you might find a sweet deal on a very good vehicle and be able to talk with the owner directly and get a feel for what they’be put the machine through and the care its had.
i haven’t heard of that, but 3 large would help some off set, but there is still an upfront 7K difference in some models. so it would still be necessary to own it a long time to make a true financial difference, not to mention potentially be a home owner to itemize (not sure of this though, but my guess is this would be true: home own to get the benefit)
Buy a Mini Cooper. Kind of a clown car that makes me want to see how many of my old college buddies I can stuff in there. But it is fuel efficient, and a solid Yakima rack on the top will carry a few bikes.
I think I remember something about the tax break being phased out either this year or next…
I agree about the truck. I currently have an old beater with a camper top. I attach my bikes to some mounts bolted on a 2x4 that I keep in the bed. Works pretty well, unfortunately the truck has about had it.
Has anyone had any experience with the Xterra? I keep seeing the ads in magazines flaunting the “triathlon friendly” bike rack…
you can get alot of car in the Xterra. just be sure to look at consumer reports…i’ve heard tales of bad alternators on the early 2000 models. overall though, a whole lot of car–especially in comparison to say a Ford Explorer, price wise, warranty and features.
still though, i’d go with a truck. a person just getting out of school…can’t go wrong.
those toyota trucks look delicious to me…i would love to have one but my husband supports american cars only. so i’ll just have to gawk.
Xterra’s are not a nice vehicle for many reasons. First, the design is ancient. They ride like a truck (OK, that’s a positive for some, but you can get a better on-road ride in a car-based mini-SUV). Look inside an Xterra - the dash is straight from the early 80’s. You have to get the turbo-charged version or it’s way underpowered. The rear license plate lights pop out if you take this thing off-roading (bad design). There is a tremendous amount of road noise. The rear seat cushions have to be removed in order to completely fold down the seats (and fit a bike in). Where can you store them? (Nowhere in the vehicle if you have all your tri-stuff packed as well.) The front seat leg position is odd for a SUV or truck - not the standard “up” position, but your legs stick out in front of you similar to a car.
I’ve had an Xterra now for a few years and once my lease expires, I won’t even consider another. I’ll look at the Pacifica (since I have more $$ now) for an SUV-ish vehicle and then maybe a Mazda 3 or 6 for everyday driving. I’d recommend not getting an SUV until you can afford the gas. Stick with a 5-door Focus or something similar. I had a friend in college who used to pack his gear in a Probe without any problems.
One more thought - what about a turbo-diesel (VW or new Jeep Liberty) instead of a hybrid? Man, that is one fun to drive vehicle!
Xterra’s are not a nice vehicle for many reasons. First, the design is ancient. They ride like a truck (OK, that’s a positive for some, but you can get a better on-road ride in a car-based mini-SUV). Look inside an Xterra - the dash is straight from the early 80’s. You have to get the turbo-charged version or it’s way underpowered. The rear license plate lights pop out if you take this thing off-roading (bad design). There is a tremendous amount of road noise. The rear seat cushions have to be removed in order to completely fold down the seats (and fit a bike in). Where can you store them? (Nowhere in the vehicle if you have all your tri-stuff packed as well.) The front seat leg position is odd for a SUV or truck - not the standard “up” position, but your legs stick out in front of you similar to a car.
Obviously you haven’t seen the new model. Not a single one of your complaints still holds true with the redesigned Xterra. It doesn’t share even one part with the old one. It most certainly isn’t underpowered (there never was a “turbo” version, by the way). It’s actually the most powerful in its class now, and gets better mileage than the old one. The seat cushions do NOT have to be removed. The seating position is totally different…
Though honestly it looks like you have an axe to grind. I’ve had two Xterras now ('01 and '05), and I’ve spent a lot of time off-roading and conversing with those who do. Never once have I heard a complaint about the placement of the license plate lights for off-roading. But that comment is especially funny since you’re looking to a Pacifica to replace it. Let’s hear your “off-road report” after you hit the rocks with that.
My car of choice for triathlon is my 96 Sunfire. It has 230,000 KM on it. It’s standard. It is still great on gas. I get almost as good mileage on it as the day I drove it off the lot. Still has the original clutch.
I have a rear mount rack on it. My car is so old and the body looks so crappy that I don’t care about scratches anymore at all. And who cares if you get a little sand i it? I can get up to three bikes on the rack.
I also have a van with a roof rack. But my kids are still too young to take to the tris, as they don’t have the patience to wait around that long, so usually end up taking my car. And the van isn’t great on gas.
Get yourself a small standard car, and a rear mount rack.
…I stand corrected! I haven’t looked at the newest Xterra’s because my old one is such a hunk-o-junk. I know they had an s/c version in 2002, which is what I was referring to. I didn’t realize they dropped a 4.0L in the new model! Honestly, though, I still wouldn’t consider it. I havne’t been happy with the number of times I had to go into the dealer for service.
…as for off-roading with the Pacifica, it won’t happen. My off-roading days are behind me for the most part. The Xterra (even the new one) gets lower marks for on-road performance than many comparable vehicles. My opinion - buy a vehicle for what you need it for. I can always take home a company truck if I need something for off-roading anyway (one benefit of working in the auto-industry.)
I havne’t been happy with the number of times I had to go into the dealer for service.
Well, I guess that’s the way experiences shape what we’ll buy. I bought my '01 new and put 80K miles on it. It was in for a cracked manifold that was taken care of under warranty, but other than that… not a single thing. But my experiences would keep me from ever buying a Pacifica (or any Chrysler, Ford, or GM) because I’ve had such horrible luck with domestic cars. I’ve had wonderful luck with Nissan and even better with Honda and Toyota. And now I add VW to the list of companies who will never get another dollar of my hard-earned money. It’s all in the personal experience. But I venture to say that I’m not hardly alone in my scorn of domestic cars, or the big three wouldn’t be in the dire straits they are.
I doubt you’ll get one, but I think you’d be pleasantly surprised with a Subaru Impreza Wagon. The thing drives like a sports car, and I know this because I live in the mountains. I got mine because I felt I had to as I needed space, good mpg, and something with AWD. My best mileage for a tank so far is 32mpg, worst is 28mpg, and I drive up and down the mountain at least once a day. My bike fits nicely in the back, with the seats down, and there is still room for extra wheels, bags, a big crate with all my gear, chains, etc. Out the door price in CA (7.75% tax) was about 20,200 for an '05.
I’m sorry to hear you won’t give NA auto makers a chance, though I understand it. I work in close contact with a lot of these people and they realize (at least most of them) that they have ground to make up on Honda and Toyota. Honestly, if you look at the latest reports, you’ll see that GM is making strides toward improvement and DCX and Ford are not far from breaking through either. It’s a process (unfortunately) and NA auto makers are a bit behind some of their foreign counterparts. On the positive side, a lot of the newer vehicles are “there” with quality. On the negative side, if the vehicles haven’t been recently re-designed, they’re likely to have some issues that won’t get resolved until the vehicle is “refreshed”.
I’ve worked in close contact too… I worked at Ford (and a few suppliers), and I saw first hand what “good enough” meant. Yes, they have made huge strides (thanks to foreign competition). But really, what difference does it make anymore which brand you buy. Most of the foreign car companies have cars made here (like the Xterra which is made in TN.), and most domestic brands are in bed with foreign manufacturers anyway. When you buy a Ford product, how much of the money you give them goes overseas? They have their hands (and pocketbook) in the pockets of about 10 different overseas car companies. Chrysler is snuggled up nicely with Mercedes. GM with Toyota and getting closer. I mean really. If I buy a Matrix or a Vibe, what’s the difference? Made in the same plant with either a GM badge or a Toyota badge. Then the latest I hear is Chrysler looking at making cars in China to export/import back to the US. Hyundai is investing heavily in manufacturing and designing cars here in the states. Nissan, Honda, and Toyota are doing the same. My point: this argument of “buy from my backyard” doesn’t mean anything anymore. Buy whatever the heck you want.
I have Honda Element and I think it’s the perfect vehicle for all sorts of outdoor activities, including tris.
First of all, the interior is huge. The low floor and high roof give it a tremendous amount of room inside. The floor is also completely flat. With both of the rear seats folded up (they fold up against the sides) you can easily fit four bikes inside without having to remove wheels or anything else from the bike. I like the security and protection from the elements of having my bikes locked in a vehicle instead of on top.
The floor is rubberized/polyurethane. When I get back from a kayaking session at the beach all I have to do is blow out the sand with an air blower and/or give it a quick wipedown and it looks as good as new.
The seats are also waterproof. I’ve driven home from the beach in wet shorts many times and they’ve held up well. Also makes for easy clean up when you spill drinks on them.
The plastic panels on the side mean that I can rest my bikes against the Element when I get them in/out and not have to worry about scratching the paint.
I have the AWD with a sunroof. The sunroof is cool because I can remove it and stand up in the back of the element and change out of my wetsuit in somewhat privacy, since the tinted windows hide my body from the waist down.
For the price, I really can’t think of a better vehicle for someone with an active lifestyle.
I haven’t looked at the newest Xterra’s because my old one is such a hunk-o-junk. I know they had an s/c version in 2002, which is what I was referring to. I didn’t realize they dropped a 4.0L in the new model! Honestly, though, I still wouldn’t consider it. I havne’t been happy with the number of times I had to go into the dealer for service.