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Across the Fence:  What do you drive???  |
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Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
 Posted - May 08 2009 : 09:33:04 AM
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I drove a long and exciting line of vintage junkers, but right now my car life is downright boring.
I have a 1995 Geo Metro and my husband has a 1989 Volvo 240 wagon. My husband is really impressed with the Volvo. It's sturdy, reliable, lots of cargo space and comfortable on long drives. All the car sites rate its mileage in the low 20s but we've actually found it to be a little higher. We got 27 mpg on a long trip last year.
Sometimes I miss the thrill of driving a car with a V8 engine, lap belts only, and a broken gas gauge. But I'm getting all the technological stress I need from my job these days... |
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shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 10:11:13 AM
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You girls are TOO FUNNY! After reading some of your responses, I don't feel so peevish anymore.
Rosemary-- sounds like I'm not the ONLY one here who could write that country song! Thanks for giving us such an INSPIRING title!
Amie-- I like that Phrase you used -- "Vintage Junkers." Sounds like a new "Farmgirl Chapter!" "Ladies, start you RUBBER BAND engines!!!" HA! HA! HA! ~~~ Tracy
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
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harmonyfarm
True Blue Farmgirl
785 Posts
Debbie
Southeastern
Ohio
USA
785 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 10:28:36 AM
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REAL WOMEN DRIVE TRUCKS!
I drive a 1991 Ford Ranger Pickup with tinted windows, sunroof and a cute paintsplash paint job! It has 144 thousand miles on it and I love it!
Debbie
"If you can't find the time to do it right...how will you find the time to do it over" |
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Canadian farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
482 Posts
Lori
Ontario
Canada
482 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 12:51:08 PM
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Right now I am driving a 2006 Chevy Cobalt. It's good on gas, but not roomy enough in the back seat for my tall teenagers. Also, it has had problems already with replacing bushings, etc. in the front end. I guess they just don't make parts to last anymore. It currently has an occasional problem of the keys getting stuck in the ignition! Not fun.
So, it is being traded in next month for an Equinox! Hopefully, this will solve the space issue of carting kids and their gear back and forth to university! And I'm trying to support the economy by buying another GM product.
Lori
Farmgirl Sister #183 |
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corporatefarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
389 Posts
Tamara
Pikeville
TN
USA
389 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 1:00:05 PM
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I have a great little Ford Focus Hatchback. I put over a 1000 ( yes thousand) miles a week on this baby and she runs great. Had her for 4 years now. The seats in the back lay down flat for lots of storage space, really nice roomy design in the front makes for good leg room ( i have long legs) and i get about 35 mpg!
Second car is an old 1991 F150 that we use for the farm. We have worked that baby like a mule and it just keeps going!
live well,
Tamara
www.thegoodearthfarm.com
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children" http://thegoodearthfarm.blogspot.com follow me!
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CountryBorn
True Blue Farmgirl
1545 Posts
Mary Jane
New York
USA
1545 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 1:34:54 PM
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I drive a 03 Buick Rendezvous. I love it. My husband took one look at it and said this is a Mary Jane SUV for sure. It is a tan
and deeper brown outside and a gorgeous light and darker tan leather inside. It has all the bells and whistles you can imagine. I LOVE it. Pretty good on gas too, about 22 mpg. It has a third seat if I need it. A lot of room in the back. Before that I had an Envoy, it was a great SUV. I felt bad having to turn it back in when the lease was up. But, I perked up with the one i have!
MJ
There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do. Freya Stark |
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Sheep Mom 2
True Blue Farmgirl
1534 Posts
Sheri
Elk
WA
USA
1534 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 1:37:43 PM
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Tracy you won't believe the VW van my husband drove when we first got married. The transaxel would pop out of gear so he would bungie cord it to the side of his seat to keep it from popping out of gear!! Add to that that the clutch pedal wouldn't pop up anymore so he had a piece of clothes line tired to it so he could pull the clutch pedal back up. He was late to work one morning and was speeding and the Nevada highway patrolman who pulled him over let him go because he said it was a miracle that the darn van went that fast!!! Oh yes, I have had my fair share of beaters. I used to call myself a Volkswagen widow because the darn engines had to be rebuilt so often. Once when coming home from the Renaissance Faire (near San Francisco) the cylinoid (sp) went out and I had to push start that van up hill on the side of the freeway coming into Placerville in a Renaissance Faire costume barefooted (all I had was fancy heels) because he had to pop that rigged clutch to get the darn thing started.....do you see a pattern here?
Now I drive a nice Honda Odessey van - dark green with automatic sliding doors on both sides, cruise control all the bells and whistles. It is a 2002 but I actually drive very little (I only go to town once a month unless absolutly necessary) so it only has 37,000 miles on it. I LOVE that van. I can fit all my chicken feed in the back along with my groceries. It gets about 28 mpg. which isn't the greatest but it sure beats the full size Dodge 4wd Truck at 10. It has traction control and does great in the snow. I wouldn't trade that Honda for anything.
Sheri |
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dkelewae
True Blue Farmgirl
1310 Posts
Diana
Saint Peters
MO
USA
1310 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 2:06:55 PM
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I drive a 2002 PT Cruiser (cranberry colored and I have a rabbit's head hood ornament on it). I've never had a bit of trouble with it other than having to replace the battery this past winter,but I can't complain because it was the factory battery that came with the car when it was new. I'm amazed at how much I can fit into the back of it, especially with the back seats down. Since it just turned 51,000 miles I'll probably have it for a long time to come.
Diana
Farmgirl Sister #272
St. Peters MO
Country Girl trapped in the city!
http://farmgirldreams.blogspot.com/ |
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CountryBorn
True Blue Farmgirl
1545 Posts
Mary Jane
New York
USA
1545 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 3:44:09 PM
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It's me again, Please don't take offense at this, I honestly don't mean any. It is an observation more than anything. But, did anyone besides me notice how many farmgirls drive foriegn cars? It is just kind of funny to me. We are so enthused about American made products, especailly homemade things.A lot of us don't like WalMart because it kills the small American businesses. We want homegrown food and organic products grown in our own back yards or on our American family farms.We want to support the bee keepers and buy our own American honey. Yet we don't seem to give two thoughts about not buying American made cars. Again, no offense to anyone elses choices, I am just curious what the difference is.
MJ
There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do. Freya Stark |
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vintagediva1
True Blue Farmgirl
1251 Posts
Michele
Brighton
Michigan
USA
1251 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 4:31:37 PM
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I drive a Honda Fit and love it.
34 mpg in the city and even better on the highway
Unfortunately, I live near Detroit, home of the American made vehicles and was run off the road last week my an F150 who shouted obscenities at me for driving a foreign car. Hope THAT craziness calms down soon
Michele
www.2vintagedivas.etsy.com
Love that good ole vintage junk |
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junkjunkie
True Blue Farmgirl
1306 Posts
Judy
Lawrenceville
NJ
USA
1306 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 4:40:32 PM
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I drive a 1997 Honda CRV which has 130,000 miles on it. With regular maintenance, it's still going strong and no problems (rapping my head for good luck). I'm sure I could get a few extra years on it...so I'm debating if I should buy a new car next year, or keep this one for a while. I admit that I'm not good with keeping it clean, and I've used it to haul a lot of boxes with a major move six years ago, along with other stuff in the interim. I was thinking of getting it really cleaned up and maybe have a new paint job. I'll have to see how my finances are next year. Overall, I love it and it's a great car! I'm partial to Honda. I bought this new and this is the longest car I've kept.
"To have life in focus, we must have death in our field of vision." Benedictine monk John Main |
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gspringman
True Blue Farmgirl
387 Posts
Gail
Bonanza
Oregon
USA
387 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 5:41:19 PM
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I drive a 04 Buick Rainier. It has everything I need for comfort and room for hauling garden stuff and my animals. It is all wheel drive so gets me around pretty good and has a sun roof for when I want to feel young and free with the wind in my hair and my music turned up. :) It has power everything and the seats heat up when you need to warm your backside in the winter. My husband keeps trying to get me to trade it in, but I really don't want anything else.
Gail
Farmgirl #486
Zone 5
http://grammasladybug.blogspot.com/
Circumstances made us Friends.....Maryjanes made us Sisters |
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mulegirl
True Blue Farmgirl
184 Posts
rosemary
cottonwood pass
co
USA
184 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 7:48:55 PM
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MJ
I like your comment on American vs foreign and I am one of the foreign owners
I've had a few American made cars and they broke more often and didn't hold their value
But these days who knows who actually owns what companies
Honda are made in America and Fords are made in. Brazil
I hate suppodting Walmart but I have friends who work there
I hear there are ratings for companies based on how they treat their employees and how green they are and what carbonfootprint they are responsible for
Maybe it is time we think globally and support the "good" company and not the one hurting the planet and it's people?!
Good thinking MJ
Rosemary
smile, follow your heart and don't look back
http://web.mac.com/rosemaryart |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 8:20:41 PM
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I used to have a Pontiac Sunfire but it got totaled by a drunk driver. Now we drive a 1999 Lincoln Towncar that we bought outright with the insurance money. We love it because it has kept us safe and whole (I seem to be a magnent for people hitting my car) with it's solid steel construction. I wish it got better gas mileage, but having already had one person hit the car, I am okay with the extra strong body-on-frame construction. Though it is a dream/hope that our next car will be a super fuel efficient truck/suv that can tow a horse trailer!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
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Sheep Mom 2
True Blue Farmgirl
1534 Posts
Sheri
Elk
WA
USA
1534 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 10:14:39 PM
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My parents were dyed in the wool Chevy owners and owned nothing else their whole adult lives. My uncle on the other hand was a Ford man through and through. I drove Chevy's myself - had two Lumina vans and one Oldsmobile. The first Lumina had it's engine blow at less than 30,000 miles, had to have the heater core replaced at 16,000 miles and the tail gate lock was replaced 3 times. The second Lumina was doing well until my partner was hit by a drunk driver at 55 mph head on and lived to tell the tale - good crash safety record. I ended up with the Olds after the insurance company for the drunk tried to give me little or nothing for my brand new van. I tried to buy another Lumina because he did fare so well in the crash only to find they no longer made it and it's replacement had a lousy safety record. After that accident I was looking for safety and reliability and the Honda was the highest rated at the time I bought the van. Had Chevy or any other had such a good safety record I would have considered them but they did not. Do I feel bad for not buying American - yes and no. If the big three had a product that met my criteria they would have had my business.
Sheri |
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dutchy
True Blue Farmgirl
4427 Posts
4427 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2009 : 01:03:46 AM
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Mine is Dutch....the bike I mean, lol :)
Hugs from Marian/Dutchy, a farmgirl from the Netherlands :)
My personal blog:
http://just-me-a-dutch-girl.blogspot.com/
Almost daily updates on me and mine :)
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arabianhorselover
True Blue Farmgirl
422 Posts
Jennifer
Bedias
TX
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2009 : 03:41:47 AM
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I drive a Chevy Silverado 1 ton diesel dually and I love my truck. My husband teases me because when we met I drove a little car and I had to trade it in to get a Suburban to haul the 5 kids we had between us. I was afraid to drive it cause it was so big. Then we got horses so then I had to have a truck to pull the horse trailer so I got a Dodge 250. It was sweet. I was teased that it wasn't a farm truck. Then we got a bigger horses trailer and had to get a bigger truck. So we got the Chevy. I tease my husband now and tell I need to get the next size up. A 450. ;) I love my truck.
Breeder of Straight Egyptian Arabians and SportHorses
www.whisperwindsarabians.com
Farmgirl Sister #561
Never squat with your spurs on!!!
http://twitter.com/arabhorselover
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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CherryMeDarlin
True Blue Farmgirl
602 Posts
Cherry
Odenville
AL
USA
602 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2009 : 06:36:33 AM
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Mary Jane, I agree with what you're saying about buying American. Rosemary makes a good point though. Honda's are made right here in Alabama along with Mercedes. And Sheri makes a good point about the safety factor. My daddy was a Ford mechanic for almost 40 years and speaking against a Ford vehicle was fighting words! Everytime I've ever bought another vehicle, ususally used, I've had him check it out before making the deal. Last year when we bought my Mazda new, I asked Daddy what he thought about them and he told me it was one of the few small cars he'd recommend because the overall maintenance/replacement costs would be less. Sadly, the Big Three have created the situation they're currently in. Once upon a time, American-made vehicles were superior to the foreign guys. They lasted longer, cost less to repair, got decent gas mileage, and were priced competitively. That's just not true of them anymore. If it weren't for their trucks, they'd be in even worse trouble. And now the Toyota Tundra and Honda Ridgeline are giving them a run for their money.
And that's the difference as I see it. Now Wal-Mart, that's a whole 'nother monster! There have been a few David's standing up to that Goliath. I've read of several small towns taking action against Wal-Mart to keep them out and succeeding. And I think if the employees were to become unionized a lot of things would change for the better for them. And what's more American than a good, strong Union? 
~~Cherry~~
"A thing is as simple or as complicated as you make it." --TT Murphy |
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mulegirl
True Blue Farmgirl
184 Posts
rosemary
cottonwood pass
co
USA
184 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2009 : 11:33:53 AM
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Cherry,
My dad was a Ford guy, too. I'm sure he's driving a Ford in heaven and arguring with my Chevy-man uncle about it (and the Yankees)...When I bought my first car, a VW bug my dad wouldn't let me park it in the driveway!
I would love to see American auto companies come out with some good cars that everyone will want because they are well made, ecco friendly, and because everyone in the company is treated well and the profit spread out instead of greedy CEO's getting most.
Rosemary
smile, follow your heart and don't look back
http://web.mac.com/rosemaryart |
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babysmama
True Blue Farmgirl
931 Posts
Elizabeth
Iowa
931 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2009 : 4:16:56 PM
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We don't buy pick out vehichles based on the make or model but more like what we can afford when we need a new car (new to us). We can not afford a car payment every month so save up cash and pay in full on a vehicle when we need one. For close to three years I have been driving a 1997 Pontiac Montana van with dual doors, which is great for getting three kids in and out. It has plenty of space so that we have been able to bring a couch home and a mattress in it. My hubby has a 1997 Chrysler LHS which is roomy with a lot of trunk space. I think I'd go for a van made by Honda if I had a choice but our two vehicles get us from one location to another and that is what counts!
-Elizabeth |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
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idsweetie72
True Blue Farmgirl
129 Posts
Sandra
New Meadows
idaho
USA
129 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2009 : 4:40:28 PM
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my husband crazy
Mazy Day Farm |
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mommatracy
True Blue Farmgirl
490 Posts
Tracy
My. Olive
NC
USA
490 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2009 : 5:33:37 PM
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I have always driven station wagons, suv's,mini-vans. Love them all. When I was still running my business I drove a Suburban. I now drive a mini-van and love it. My daughters tell me I look like a soccer mom (grandma)driving it. I am so pleased by that! Love the van. Now I drive my grandaughter around in it. Keep a baby seat and stroller in it too! It just feels good,kind of warm and fuzzy for me. To each his own. I have even transported a sofa in my van with the 2nd & 3rd seats folded down! Vans rock. Long live the mini-van.
www.cottagebythebay.blogspot.com |
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shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
Posted - May 10 2009 : 01:43:12 AM
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Ok, on the "Buy American" issue? Since my husband, AND my oldest son are Mechanics, we have just about every brand of vehicle known to man around this place. Chevy's, an isuzu (which have CHEVY engines by the way...), toyota, Mazda, Ford... we're really not biased. If it's a good vehicle, it's a good vehicle and, like a few of the ladies pointed out-- they are made ALL OVER THE PLACE!
My dad and his family were all for AMERICAN made everything! But times DO change. My dad LOVED motorcycles, but he refused to ever buy a Harley. He said all the parts for them are made in CHINA! or was it Japan? Anyway, they aren't made in AMERICA, but the bikes are assembled here (like Hondas and some Toyotas). He had a Honda Goldwing and a BMW Motorcyle. His "regular" vehicle was a crappy old Ford pickup.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
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Across the Fence: What do you drive??? |
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What do you drive???
