What is your priority in vehicles?

[JB]

This topic suggested a poll, but those things always leave out the selection somebody prefers.

I am of the opinion that motorheads are attracted by different features in their dream vehicle. Some are style lovers, others brute force or macho image; some by utility, technical sophistication, luxury, rarity, economy, reliability, etc, etc.

I am back driving a Mercedes ML430 after a five month experiment with a Mercedes Diesel sedan. Why? The '96 E300D was a fine vehicle. It got 30mpg, was comfortable, luxurious, handled well and had panache.

Why? It was hard to get into and out of for my nearly 73 year old body. It had a tow rating of zero. The seats, while very comfortable, were too close to the floor. It took a week to go 0 to 60. There wasn't room in the trunk for my cooler, let alone a tackle box.

After trying out a few MB wagons I decided that selling Ole Blue was an error, so I hunted down another '99 ML430, took it to my dealer and told them to fix anything that wasn't right. She will be known as Blue II.

That led me to contemplate the question. What features of your "perfect" vehicle, or as close as you can get, are of highest priority?

Before this debacle I had driven MLs for 10 years. Panache, good performer, comfortable, luxurious, tows to 5,000#, AWD with traction and stability control, ground clearance to go off road, 2 speed transfer case, Bose sound, handles like a sports car and rides like a limo.

Why did I change? ML430s get 16 to 19mpg on premium. I was spooked by the price of oil. Maybe this ought to be in SHT.

So, what do you want in a vehicle and why?

 

[gonefishie]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

#1: cruise control--I can't stand being a pedal jockey.
#2: be able to tow at least 3K lbs--I always have a boat.
#3: power window--you can't never roll the window up manually fast enough when you need to.
#4: 4WD--gotta have it around here.

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

#1 - utility - travel 1200 miles each way a few times a year and it's nice not to be crammed into a smaller vehicle. Also use it camping, hockey tourneys and golfing and it's nice to drag 3-4 people and their gear.

#2 - fuel consumption - most of the time, I drive it back and forth to work. Why spend a lot of cash to go to work to make money to pour in the tank.

#3 - cost - I'm in Canada so by the time I get my vehicles, I've already paid a 40% premium on my vehicle. Friend bought a 2006 Acura TSX with options for $26K all in. They start at $43K bare here in Canada and with the same options and taxes would run over $50K.

So, I drive a basic minivan. I'll by something more for just me later in life

 

[MikDee]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

My choices are, a dependable peppy, nimble, good handling, good stopping, nice riding, compact, but comfortable roomy vehicle, that is good on gas. One with a small footprint. I want a middle weight vehicle of it's type, that is not tinny & hard riding, or too heavy to control, especially for long rides. Because I live in the hills, & curves, of rural Pa. I need one main 4WD vehicle, and not one too high, or too low to get into with my old bones, I prefer to just stand next to it, then slide into it most effortlessly, and I like an SUV commanding view of the road. I like a hatchback style for transporting things, & a vehicle that can tow a substantial amount of weight. All at a good price!

Of course I'd love a Corvette, or Dodge Viper, with as much horsepower as I could get but this is out of my league Plus, I don't know if I could even get my old, stiff, aching, body into, or out of it

This description pretty much describes my 2005 Hyundai Tucson LX AWD V6 that I own, & love, I have only praise for it, it's been trouble free for 70k miles! except the gas milage is not as good as I like, we get 20-22mpg around town in the country, but only 24mpg on the highway, I think it's because it's AWD instead of 4WD, and has ESP (an electronic stabilization program).

 

[BF]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

similar to above...

1) need room to handle family of 5, and 70 lb dog and assorted stuff that's always going back and forth to the cabin.

2) ability to tow light boat or utility trailer

3) fuel economy

4) creature comforts... air and cruise are absolutely required... and I've come to enjoy having an onboard DVD player for the kids. could get by with portable one though (used to do that).

5) AWD or 4WD would be nice.

Current vehicle is a Montana van. Only thing not good about it is it's front wheel drive has caused me grief at some gravel ramps. If money was no object, I'd like a big Tahoe / Suburban / Expedition / Excursion. Even a full sized quad cab pickup would be a step down in passenger room compared to what I have now.... but I do like the fuel economy of the Montana. The idea of burning lots more fuel 98% of the time for the 2% of the time where I'd like a 4x4 truck bugs me. I'm thinking an AWD Van... Montana or SV6 or Grand Caravan or whatever might be a good option.

I should point out that my "dream vehicle" has the interior room of my Montana, as good of mileage (V6 would do), but with standard tranny, more towing capacity, and switchable between 2wd (which it'd be 98% of the time) and 4wd or AWD.

 

[avenger79]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

Go to vehicle is a new Jeep Wrangler, very bare bones. No power anything, 4X4 for snow and bare bones for mud fun. decent gas mileage for daily commute.

Fun vehicle is a motorcycle now days it just became an HD Superglide. gotta be light and nimble enough to commute through city traffic but comfy enough to cross a bunch of state lines.

Work horse is older F150 4X4, it pulls, hauls, and tows anything and everything.

 

[smclear]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

Cheap and paid for! All my discretionary money goes to either boats or the lakehouse.

Boats I care about - cars I don't.

 

[Haywood123]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

That would be great if I could find one car that did it all, but I can't so I own 3.

My commuter is a 2006 Corolla GT. 34-36 MPG, loaded, fast pick up and handles great. Plus, once a week when I have to stop at costco for the business, I can get 42 gallons of milk in the trunk.

The family car is a 2004 Taurus. Rated high in safetly, not too bad on fuel and comfortable fits 4, including 2 car seats. Plus is can tow my puddle jumper and I can get my hockey sticks in the trunk. I actually showed up to the test drive with a hockey stick to make sure it fit.

And the multi purpose vehicle is a 2004 Exploder. It pulls the bayliner, fits both dog kennels in the back, can haul 8 people if needed, and with the seats down, you can fit plywood in it. My wife can also use it at the daycare when the 15 passenger van wont fit everyone.

I do miss not having a pick up truck, but the city ordinances wont allow me to have another vehicle with out building another garage.

 

[akmoosehauler]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

1968 F250 regular cab 4x4,1997 F350 crewcab 4x4 bought them to work and transport the family. Not afraid to get them dirty or dent them. The 68 is in Montana and the 97 is here in Alaska. Need something that will buck snowdrifts,mud and haul trailers.

 

[dingbat]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

The "commuter" is a Dell Latitude D620. Have to buy a new pair of slippers now and then.

The "car" is a 1990 Honda Civic with 150K miles. It gets 35 miles to the gallon and has been paid off the 10 years now.

The "truck" is a 2001 LT Tahoe with 72K miles. It pulls the trailers, hauls the family on vacation, moonlights as a surf buggy and cleans up well enough to take customers out to dinner in. Oh ya...it's been paid off for 4 years now.

See a reoccurring theme here? I would rather spend my money on boats and horses

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

After having my trusted old ford pick up destroyed I though about what I wanted in a vehicle. What kind of vehicle would serve me to do the varity of things I like...answer was a ford aerostar........They can do almost anything a 25 k new suv can , they are dependable. they are easy to find at a cheap price and they were fairly good on gas. The cost can range between 1000 and 2000 for a very good one so after a couple of years use you just throw it away if it has any serious problems and just get another one. Best bang for the buck I know of . Only drawback is you cant carry large things like 6/8 sections of fense in it.

 

[triumphrick]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

My British heritage requires that I have at least one, sometimes several old roadsters around to drive and have fun with. Always need more than one due to the reliability factor. Right now the TR-3 is getting a new steering and transmission upgrade.

Also, gotta have a truck. I've owned Toyota trucks since 1971, and will always have one of them around. Currently have an '04 Tundra.

For traveling we like a van. And with the gas prices being what they are, our '00 Sienna does a good enough job of getting several of us around.
Hmmm...seems like I can't have just one!

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

In all sincerity JB it would be eaiser to ask a man or woman what attract's them to the oppiste sex...on the surface there's the obvious...its all the small little under tone's that win's the day...Ahh then there's the lunar phase to...but that to is another story...

Strickly a opinion as always your milage will vary...


Umm as to key's...High performance motor ...good braking......good lines ...the right color...saftey..ohh and Ford or American..

Both Ford and Dodge have a great looking truck's coming this year...It's time again..

 

[LORDY611]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

Well, I'm still young (54) so I still go for a good looking car. That Triumph TR3 is one of my all time faves too. I love to drive and most of the time treat it like a sport, so my daily ride is a 12 yr old Mazda MX6, 135K miles, 28+mpg in my 30 mile commute. I fitted it with custom springs and struts and it rides stiff, but as though it is on rails.
I keep an 01 Blazer for the bad weather and towing the trailers. I keep a pristine 92 Mustang 5.0 in the garage for weekends, but if I could, would trade it for many other vehicles.
I think fuel economy is something we all need to value, and safety is up there too.

 

[Philthyphil]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

For my daily drive I want something real reliable, easy to work on and cheap to get parts for. I want it to be good on gas because it's my everyday car. But I want to be able to haul one or two of my seven dirt bikes, or one of my three sleds. Also I want to be able to take my 16 ft boat to the cottage for the summer and bring it home for winter. And I want it to be reliable and cheap, but comfy enough and have a/c., oh ya haul firewood and stuff around the farm as well. So I drive a 97 Nissan king cab 4 cyl 5 speed.Now if I had to drive an hour in rush hour everyday I would want an auto. But I'm retired and live in a rural area so I enjoy a manual transmixer. 300,000 kms on this one, though after 12 years of salt winters starting to show some rust. This is my third one and the other two both went 300,000kms as well. I' don't need x-citment in my daily driver anymore. For that I'll ride one of my bikes or ride my sled or fire up my 67 MKII 289 Sunbeam Tiger, the poor man's cobra.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

06 Grand Prix as the general family vehicle.
98 Jimmy for pulling the boat and when winter weather gets a little much for the Grand Prix.
Both great vehicles so far for their purpose.

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

We like creature comforts, but with 2 golden retrievers we needed a vehicle with fold flat rear seats for their kennels, room for our gear and the ability to tow our 2500# boat and trailer (so something on a truck chassis). Also wanted something with 4-wheel drive for Minnesota winters, lots of safety features, a smooth ride and good gas mileage. Looked and looked and finally found it all in a Toyota 4Runner Limited with 4WD and V-6.

 

[Philthyphil]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

Kenmyfam....were you able to get back to Ahmic for the long weekend? i have a bunch of bike stuff there in sept, oct....bugs gone.....lol. ever come up in the winter for some sledding?

 

[ezmobee]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

Prior to Monday we had 3 vehicles. A 2004 Chrysler Pacifica AWD, a 2000 Buick Regal, and a 1990 Chevy K1500 truck. We bought the Pacifica back in January because we felt we needed the extra room for our baby and all his required equipment. Plus we thought AWD would be nice in the winter. Well immediately after buying the Pac gas prices shot up. And that thing only got like 16MPG. My wife and I drive together to our jobs 30-40 miles away. We were driving the Buick all week and only driving the Pac on the weekends. Taking our son to daycare we were still putting him into the Buick everyday. So we were paying over $400 a month for a vehicle we couldn't afford to drive. Last week some problems cropped up with the Buick (it had 144k miles on it) and we decided to trade both the Buick and the Pacifica in on a 2007 Chevy Impala. Although we took a hit on the Pacifica I think it was the right decision. We now only have 2 vehicle to insure and maintain and we like the Impala a lot and it get pretty good mileage. I won't miss the Pacifica because it was such a mistake buying it but I do miss my Regal because it was a great car, was my third Regal. Shame they stopped making them or I'd have bought a 4th.

 

[arboldt]

Re: What is your priority in vehicles?

Needs shift over time, as the family grew and then, as empty-nesters, it's just my bride and I.

We've found it works best to buy a car new and drive it 'till it drops. Others disagree for them, and that's ok.

We usually buy base models without all the gingerbread. We regard cars as transportation, not an ego statement.

Any vehicle is a series of trade-offs, and finding the optimal balance can be tough, especially when the definition of optimum changes over time. I guess for us it's a combination of value, reliability, economy, capacity, and a modicum of comfort. I've always had a reputation of being able to fit an incredible amount of luggage etc into a small space (you shoulda seen what I packed into a '72 Gremlin!).

We had a '94 Mitsubishi Expo LR -- my wife called it her nanovan because it was too small to be a minivan. 1.8 liter 5-speed manual. She loved that car, but after we got our boat we couldn't launch it with the Expo on a sand 'ramp' - needed 4WD / AWD for that. And at 146,000 and a small oil pan or transaxle seal leak, we figured we needed to upgrade. Since AWD was a requirement, picked the top small SUV's recommended by Consumer Reports and narrowed it to the top 4 gas mileage. So we now have an '07 Honda CRV. Love it.

Other car is a '96 Mazda 626 with 156k+. Reliable, relatively comfortable drive, economical. We'll keep it until its reliability is in doubt (or repairs get too expensive).