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Car, SUV, Or Truck?

What Do You Drive?

  • Car

    Votes: 22 53.7%

  • SUV

    Votes: 14 34.1%

  • Truck

    Votes: 5 12.2%
  • Total voters
    41
  • Poll closed .
Toyota Highlander SUV is my primary ride but I also own an aging Dodge Dakota pickup. Next vehicle will be another midsize pickup, current thinking is either Toyota Tacoma or Nissan Frontier.
 
Thread originator drives a rugged Toyota Tundra, 4-wheel drive, sand bags in the bed to provide 2-wheel traction on the snowy/icy days/nights. Been driving trucks for years. Me tuff. meow

Bear
 
2000 Mazda Protege. Wife got a Santa Fe a month after my full time job ended. I like the small SUV. You are not a MAN out here unless you drive a huge pickup...I do not have a truck.
 
04 Saturn Ion 4 dr

20 yrs ago I had a Ford Bronco II that was double manual - 5 speed & 4 wheel drive.
 
Currently I have two rides.

An 87 bmw 3 series, which is my first car, and more surprisingly gets really good gas mileage (ranges from 32-37 on the highway). I have an 06 Pontiac GTO because in youthful wisdom I decided that I wanted something visceral only to realize that I don't like racing and I can't use its abilities on the street so I'm probably gonna sell it. It too gets good gas mileage for a 6 liter V8 ( as high as 31, but 27-29 is usual).
 
Fat Cat

Old Explorer--living in the country near Lake Michigan we need a four wheel drive that sits high enough to navigate the county roads during lake effect snow. With current budget crisis, the county cant get out to plow on a regular basis, :)
 
None of the above. Don't own a car, but am a member of a car sharing ;program. Use my bicycle most of the time.
 
I drive an old Suburban. There was a time when taking my mom someplace with us meant taking two vehicles, and it was happening a lot. I don't need to drive a nine passenger vehicle now, but I don't have a car payment and like that.

I like sitting up high when I drive, so when it's time to replace it, I'll most likely buy a smaller SUV.
 
You forgot a few categories like vans and cross overs

Also, should have had multiple options.

We have 1 car (Beetle) and 1 smaller SUV (Acadia). The car is used for running around without kids. Anytime myself or my wife go around town or even farther, if we are solo or without kids we will take the VW. Otherwise we are pretty tied to the SUV which we probably use 75% of the time so I voted SUV.
 
One of each:

2001 Ford Ranger

2004 jeep Liberty

2005 Chrysler 300C
 
Tide said:
You forgot a few categories like vans and cross overs

Also, should have had multiple options.

We have 1 car (Beetle) and 1 smaller SUV (Acadia). The car is used for running around without kids. Anytime myself or my wife go around town or even farther, if we are solo or without kids we will take the VW. Otherwise we are pretty tied to the SUV which we probably use 75% of the time so I voted SUV.
Click to expand...

I'd guess crossovers and vans should fall into the SUV category. Although I guess that's a perception issue. My parents own a Kia Soul. It is a crossover, but I'd consider it more of a hatchback type car than an SUV. On the flip side a Ford Escape would be a a crossover that heavily leans towards SUVs.
 
2008 Subi Forester, and thinking of getting a 2012 Subi Forester. Here in the Jamestown area, you need to have AWD/4WD SUV or pickup because of the snow and the hills unless you want to drive a land yacht, which is not my style at all. The Forester is heavy enough yet not all that high profile, so it's really surefooted. It's not a "real" off road vehicle but I've driven mine all over my land and haven't gotten stuck yet. I'm just careful that I don't try to go over something that might get it hung up because it doesn't have as much clearance as a true off-road machine.
 
Only 2 people with trucks (including me)? Srsly? :-o

I should get automatic man card renewal for life then :h:
 
teenage girl car here:

2004 Nissan Sentra Se-R. Got it during my rice rocket phase. Should have gone with the more practical prius, but felt it was too "hippie" for me.
 
Kia Rondo. Her name is Rondoriffic. Technically she's a space wagon MPV or a suv/mini-van-crossover. It easily seats 5 plus has a large cargo area capable of comfortably fitting two LARGE dogs.
 
2008 Jeep Wrangler (this is my 2nd Wrangler). I've previously had three 1987-1988 Jeep Grand Wagoneers complete with the faux wood paneling and am always in the market for a 4th... no matter what my wife tells you!

And although I checked off "SUV" in the poll, there isn't much utility to a Wrangler. In fact, this may be one of the most impractical vehicles on the road.

  • It almost has enough power to get out of its way on a flat surface
  • Towing capacity isn't much different than that of the Fisher Price Power Wheels™ version of the Wrangler
  • Interior is as quiet as an M1 Abrams tank
  • The storage capacity of a large suitcase
  • All the aerodynamics of a refrigerator box
  • The fuel effeciency of a 1977 Pontiac Grand Prix
  • Backseat inaccessible to all but the thinnest and most limber members of society

But what other vehicle would allow me to drive around with no doors or roof all spring and summer long?
 
2007 Ford Focus hatchback... that I treat like a truck. This weekend I crammed 15 bags of cedar mulch into it, and now it smells like a hampster cage.

My wife drives a 2006 Chevy HHR. It gets treated much better. :r:
 
Car: 2005 Subaru Legacy 2.5i sedan. AWD, of course.
 
Car, specifically a station wagon - 2000 Ford Taurus wagon.

The "family" car is a 2008 Chrysler Town & Country minivan.
 
2004 GMC Envoy. 9 MPG in the city but I only drive maybe 10 miles per day so that's okay and I can't afford a more ecofriendly SUV.

2007 Ford Mustang for the summer.

edit - the gov't says the Envoy should get way better gas mileage than it actually does.
 
Since I am back to commuting, I squeeze myself into a 1998 Saturn SL..
Bare bones and the most basic Saturn they made, it doesn't even have power steering.

Might be looking for something else, but I cannot kill this car and I just put a new stereo in it so I have tunes and new tires on it so I am stuck.

But for 40 miles round trip everyday, the car gets 38 mpg. Not bad.

The wife and kid roll around in a 2005 Honda Pilot, probably the best snow car and vehicle I have ever owned.
 
1991 Volvo 240 wagon. This is our main vehicle for errands and longer car trips (cause it has AC and a stereo). It has 145,XXX so its gonna run for a long time yet. Got it from a guy in CA who restores these vehicles so its in pretty pristine shape.

1984 Vanagon 7 passenger (with transplant 1991 Jetta 2.0l engine). All utility, no sport... This is what we take camping and to get out to our land. Also for hauling lumber or other oversized loads. No stereo (and too loud to hear even if its still had one) and a bit loud on the highway. But it loves a good dirt road (and I put some nice BFG ATs on there for some extra clearance and handling on the forest roads). Its been a great vehicle, but I think we will be trading it in for a used 4Runner in the next 6 months or so. I could use with a little more comfort...
 
Last edited:
[ot]Need more responses! I'm planning to write a "Top X Planner Cars" article.

Historically, Saturns, Saabs, Subarus and Volvos have topped the list, along with the classic Ford Taurus in Municipal White.

VqORb.jpg
[/ot]
 
stroskey said:
2004 GMC Envoy. 9 MPG in the city but I only drive maybe 10 miles per day so that's okay and I can't afford a more ecofriendly SUV.

2007 Ford Mustang for the summer.

edit - the gov't says the Envoy should get way better gas mileage than it actually does.
Click to expand...

I find that city mpg estimates are overly optimistic. I feel like its more equal to the gas you would spend driving through a suburban town than a city. Both my cars get about 6mpg city. And they're cars. One is supposed to get 19 or 20ish and other 16.
 
:sniff: :sniff: No option for a scooter :(

Our car is a Scion xB. I consider that a car, though some states tax it as an SUV because they have no idea what they are doing ;)
 
2000 Buick Park Ave (sorry, no after-market vinyl roof, though)
 
TerraSapient said:
:sniff: :sniff: No option for a scooter :(

Our car is a Scion xB. I consider that a car, though some states tax it as an SUV because they have no idea what they are doing ;)
Click to expand...

It really depends then one whether or not it is a crossover. If it is a crossover then Toyota uses the xB to offset the low MPGs that their SUVs and trucks get and help them reach mpg mandates.

So if Toyota sells the car in such a fashion to get the advantages of having an "SUV" that gets high mpgs then it needs to be taxed as such. You live by the sword, you die by the sword.
 
2003 Toyota Tundra Limited 4x4 with TRD package Bought it in June to replace my totaled 97 Accord. Got a great deal on it from a friend, 50k miles in immaculate condition with new tires for $10k.

2004 Honda VTX 1300
 
estromberg said:
2003 Toyota Tundra Limited 4x4 with TRD package Bought it in June to replace my totaled 97 Accord. Got a great deal on it from a friend, 50k miles in immaculate condition with new tires for $10k.
Click to expand...

Holy Canoli, how do I get a deal like that? I've been looking at crew cab trucks - Tacoma, Tundra, Frontier - and they are all just out of our price range unless they have a ton of miles (in the $15k on up range for something btw 100k and 150k miles). We have two kids, so anything we get has to seat them. I considered just strapping them into the bed, but the wife wasn't so on board with that...

Probably end up with a used 4Runner, Qx4 (essentially a Pathfinder but with upgrades and leather seats) or possibly an Xterra sometime in the next year. The Vanagon has been great, but I am ready for a more comfortable ride and we do occasionally need 4X4. Last time we had to hoof it the last 1/2 mile to the cabin in the snow. Fun, but exhausting.
 
2000 Toyota Tacoma excab TRD 4WD V6 5SPD manual with 107,000 miles. I've had it for just past five years and have put fewer than 12,000 miles on it. Drive it every day and love it. (Brakes are due for work soon though. Not gonna love that ...$$)
 
2012 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon. 560 hp, 0-60 in 3.8 secs, $65,000.

Yeah right!

More like the pic that Dan supplied above. Its a 2003 Mercury Sable. It does however have the 24V DOHC engine.
 
A 2002 Honda Civic, cobalt blue with a nice sunroof.

:h:

My prior ride, a 1997 Chevy Cavalier that I had for 10 years, met its demise late last July at the hands of a ditsy blond who was likely yakking away on her cell phone while going though a complex freeway construction zone.

:not:

Mike
 
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