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Across the Fence:  Survey about car/vehicle  |
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happymama58
True Blue Farmgirl
1210 Posts
Patti
Missouri
USA
1210 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 24 2006 : 10:08:34 AM
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My beloved Tracker is extremely ill and it may not be cost-effective to resuscitate (sp?) him. I'm almost sick about this myself! I've had Red (red with black top) for 4 years, have had no payment for 3 (heavenly!), and can zip in and out of almost any space, ride all summer long without the top, and absolutely love driving it. But now that I may be replacing it, I want to find exactly what I want and not settle. I don't absolutely have to have anything until August 14, so I do have time to look until I find just what, or as close to as possible, I want and can afford. Tell me about your favorite vehicle and why you love it.
Oh, if you can suggest a replacement for me, here's what my ideal vehicle would have -- 4 wheel or all-wheel drive, be a convertible, fairly smallish but able to haul stuff (I almost always have my back seats folded down in the Tracker and w/the top off I can haul all kinds of stuff), and just an all-round cute vehicle. I'm not much for the typical car or the really big things like a Tahoe. I like them alot, but wouldn't want to drive one. I like being able to zip in & out of places.
Some people search for happiness; others create it.
http://happymama58.typepad.com/my_weblog/ |
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YiberryYadeeKarin
True Blue Farmgirl
343 Posts
Karin
Spokane Valley
WA
USA
343 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2006 : 12:01:09 PM
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HappyMamma,
It's not a convertable, but I've rented the Toyota RAV4 a number of times and LOVE it! This year's models are a bit bigger than previous years. They are all wheel drive and you can fold down the seats to carry stuff. I got 27 mpg on the highway, which I thought was pretty good for a SUV. If I could afford a new(er) car of any kind, that is what I'd get.
Good luck in your search! Karin
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connio
True Blue Farmgirl
535 Posts
connie
springtown
texas
USA
535 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2006 : 2:20:36 PM
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Hey Farm Girls!
Patti I was in the same situation last year with my 1996 Geo Tracker. However, my brother gave me one of his Volvo station wagons so I ended up selling the Tracker to a salvage dealer (My car, Zippy, had had a long, hard life with me.)
I am sold on Volvos, especially the older ones because they are so well made. Mine is a 1987 model and has over 450,000 miles on it, but it just keeps rolling along as I commute 90 miles rt daily. One of my friends drove an earlier version of the same model for 28 years. I am sold on them because they are sooooo safe. Another one of my brothers was in a major accident on an expressway last week, and if he had not been in his Volvo, we all think that he would be dead rather than slightly bruised.
They do not zip in and out, and the gas mileage is average at best, but in terms of safety, Volvos are indeed the best in my opinion. If you shop around, you can usually find a good deal on a used model.
Connie
Texas Farm Girl
cozycottage |
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cmandle
True Blue Farmgirl
846 Posts
Catherine
Minneapolis
MN
846 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2006 : 8:37:02 PM
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Hi Patti - Except for the convertible part, I think you'd love a Toyota Matrix. We just bought one last year and I love it. It's a car-sized vehicle, but is built up more inside. (Think of a cross between an SUV and a station wagon?) You definitely feel like you're riding up above the road a bit more than in a standard four-door sedan. It's cute too, very cute. You can fold the seats down and haul stuff (we fit two twin mattresses in the back, sticking out the back window a bit!). It's wonderfully easy for me to toss the groceries in the way back since there are hooks for bungees to keep it all secure. The stroller fits great in the back too. You could always get one with a sunroof for a convertible feel!
I can't remember the MPG, but it's pretty darn good for not being a hybrid vehicle. It also has side-curtain airbags and comes in four-wheel drive (that's what we opted for).
AND...they come in cherry red (mine's blue)! Good luck!
Catherine |
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akcowgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
296 Posts
Valerie
Homer
Alaska
USA
296 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2006 : 9:00:31 PM
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My dream car if i could have something that had a removable top would be a red jeep wrangler with a soft top. They are 4 wheel drive and have enough clearance to get over just about anything. I am not sure what the gas mileage is but it would sure be able to zip in and out of parking spaces and traffic.
Valerie
Yes, I live in my own little world. But that's ok they know me here.
Deja Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before.
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rabbithorns
True Blue Farmgirl
544 Posts
Allison
Fort Scott
KS
USA
544 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2006 : 10:05:06 PM
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We've owned nothing but old Subaru wagons for the last 15 years. We moved from Alaska to California in two of them with 2 small children. You can pack them to the gills and you can't kill them with a big stick! But the new ones - the Outbacks - are smaller inside and in back. The ones older than 94 are best. If you can get one with a rebuilt engine, it will last forever.
Our current 91 Legacy has 250,000 miles on it and has much more power than any Toyota we've ever driven, including a friend's totally well-cared for Rav4 which I found to have no real power. I hope I never have to own another car!
http://www.rabbithorns.etsy.com |
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happymama58
True Blue Farmgirl
1210 Posts
Patti
Missouri
USA
1210 Posts |
Posted - Jun 25 2006 : 09:18:04 AM
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Okay ladies, I went car shopping yesterday and found 2 cars to choose between. I can get a very good deal on either one because dh's cousin is the sales' manager. Here are my options:
1. Jeep Wrangler with both a hard top and a soft top.
2. PT Cruiser convertible
Pros of #1 are -- 4 wheel drive
Pros of #2 are -- better gas mileage, can hold 4 and still have room for suitcases, a couple of thousand cheaper
DH says it's up to me (he really doesn't like either one :)), and now I'm torn. One part of me really wants the Jeep, but then I think of the gas mileage issue. HELP!!
Btw, we thought of a used Volvo or something along those lines and had been looking but can't find anything used that is decent at all. Lots of stuff with well over 100,000 miles and still asking over $6,000!! Nothing like a Volvo or Subaru at all. I called dealers in St. Louis yesterday, too, and they said they rarely get them.
Some people search for happiness; others create it.
http://happymama58.typepad.com/my_weblog/ |
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santa_gertrudis_gal
True Blue Farmgirl
198 Posts
Kim
Groesbeck
Texas
USA
198 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2006 : 10:26:03 AM
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Patti,
Ok, I had my druthers I'd have a Ford F-150 King Ranch Edition PU. But I need a rabbit mobile so hubby gets the PU. Highly recommend the Ford Diesal's as long as they were manufactored after April '05 through this year. '07 will start a new untested engine. Straight from a VP of Ford Motor Credit....cousin of my husband.
We have two SUV's a '97 Toyota 4-Runner that is now DD's college vehicle. 220,000 miles and counting....dependable dependable with little maintenance over the last nine years.
The second is my '05 Nissan Xterra. Tighter turning radius then the 4-runner and a fun vehicle to drive. I can put it in any tight space. I look for it to do as well as the 4-Runner. I prefer this vehicle to the 4-Runner as a rabbit mobile as it has no carpet in the back.
Ok, what is a rabbit mobile! We use it to go to rabbit shows. Depending on which breeds we take we can get up to 24 rabbits in the back of the Xterra and 32 rabbits in the 4-Runner.
Kim
Heaven is a day at the ranch with my Santa Gertrudis! |
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_Rebecca_
True Blue Farmgirl
568 Posts
Rebecca
OK
USA
568 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2006 : 10:27:54 AM
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If I had to choose, I would pick the Jeep.
PT cruisers are on a truck base aren't they? I don't think I'd want one of those.
.·:*¨¨* :·.Rebecca.·:*¨¨* :·.
Wife of Jonathan, Mother of Joel, Caitlyn, Elia |
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serenity1652
True Blue Farmgirl
140 Posts
Fawn
Elkins
WV
USA
140 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2006 : 11:13:41 AM
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I have a PT Cruiser...and love it. It is the bright blue one. Not a convertable and it is very spacious. 4 cly. great on gas. They are not on a truck base...they are on the same frame and a neon. So I guess it could be considered an deluxe neon. But if I had the chance to have a jeep ... I would take the jeep. We chose the PT due to the fact that it was cheaper and easier on gas. It was between the PT and a Jeep Liberty for me and the PT was 6000 cheaper.
Good Luck on your car shopping.
Fawn
"May all of your farm girl dreams come true...as mine has"
http://shallowcreekfarm.blogspot.com/ |
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Whimsy_girl
True Blue Farmgirl
576 Posts
USA
576 Posts |
Posted - Jun 28 2006 : 08:35:59 AM
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I have a Tracker right now too and I really like it a lot. It's red also. It's been paid off for a little over a year.. we are talking about trading it in on a minivan because with the 2 carseats in the back seat we don't have much room for hauling other things and people...It's a real shame about that deer last December because we could have traded it in and gotten about 5,000.00 for it, but now we are looking at 2500-3000.00 at best. At least with a van we can haul around the girls cousins, and I have 2 carless friends who I love to pal around with but haven't been able to without making multiple trips. Plus the removable seats would make our next few moves a little less of a hassle.
you can be oh so smart, or you can be oh so positive. I wasted a lot of time being smart I prefer being positive. |
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Hideaway Farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1553 Posts
Jo
Virginia
USA
1553 Posts |
Posted - Jun 28 2006 : 09:01:14 AM
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Gee, could there be a Red Tracker match-making going on between Patti in Missouri and Bobbi in Montana? How far apart are those states, anyway?
Talk about a FarmGirl Barter!!! That one could set a record!
Jo
P.S. I have a Honda Pilot, and love it for the versatility - it seats 7 when it has too, acts like a moving van when it has to, and masquerades as a commuting /grocery getter the rest of the time! |
Edited by - Hideaway Farmgirl on Jun 28 2006 09:02:43 AM |
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Whimsy_girl
True Blue Farmgirl
576 Posts
USA
576 Posts |
Posted - Jun 28 2006 : 09:11:08 AM
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heh Jo! Why didn't I think of that!!! Happy Momma.... are you coming to Farm fair? My husband has been talking about trading it in but he may be interested in selling it outright.... it runs great 70,000 miles on it right now, and it has an MP3 player built into the stereo system... the front looks a littl worse for wear from the repair job after the deer but it functions as well as ever.... if that was something you wanted to check into, we would still have to figure out how to get everyone home.. so it may not be the ideal situation, but if we are both in the area you are welcome to look at it.
B.
(keep in mind that we will have just gone 6 hours on the road with toddlers so it will NOT be pristine by any stretch of the imagination.)
you can be oh so smart, or you can be oh so positive. I wasted a lot of time being smart I prefer being positive. |
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Across the Fence: Survey about car/vehicle |
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