I'm treating myself to a newer vehicle (will be a used one, as my 1997 Caravan expired so no real trade in, so budget is $17,000 max) this Christmas (and a new heart valve soon in the New Year - I hope). I know we have been over this before, but any suggestions are appreciated once again. I've tried out a Subaru Forester - good but not great gas mileage, though good traction and ground clearance for semi-off road. The Rav 4 is nice to - if pricey, as are most cute-utes. I was thinking a Ford Escape, but I seem to only get 200,000 km out of a North American vehicle. There's the Matrix and Vibe and Mazda hatch backs, some with AWD, but the roof line looks slanted too much for yak carrying. I can't go the Dave Kruger way (as in a pickup truck, as I have a family to haul too). Logging roads take their toll on cars, so I need something tough and reliable. Doug Lloyd *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> I was thinking a Ford Escape, but I seem to only > get 200,000 km out of a North American vehicle. Doug, A year ago July, I got rid of my '98 Ford Explorer. It had 450,000 miles on it and was still going strong. Now I'm driving a Ford Freestyle - it has more interior room and a lower roof to make it easier to load boats. This one already has 45,000 miles on it. Steve Holtzman Southern Calif *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Doug Lloyd wrote: > I can't go the Dave Kruger way (as in a pickup truck, as I have a family > to haul too). Logging roads take their toll on cars, so I need something > tough and reliable. Doug, the addition of a grandchild needing a legitimate bench seat in the rear for mounting a child restraint system pushed me away from my string of jump-seats-in-the-rear Japanese pickups to a Dodge Dakota in Quad Cab version. This thing has a very comfy bench seat in the rear, seating three full-size adults, a pair of buckets in the front, and a 5-foot-long bed. In the 3.7 L V6 2WD variation, I get 20 mpg on the highway with a load of people; a little better with just one passenger, and about 16-17 in town. With a pair of Yakima Outdoorsman supports on the rails, I can use my old Yakima bars, cradles, hully rollers, etc., and carry two or three sea kayaks over the bed, and a slew of dry bags in the bed. No more canopies for this boy! If investing in the Outdoorsman rigs does not suit you, consider a Yakima Drydock for the rear rack -- goes into a standard 2 x 2 hitch receiver -- and cradles on the cab for better support separation up top for boats. Chevy, Ford also make PU's with a similar small engine/large passenger compartment arrangement, which are probably similarly fuel-efficient. Not as good as the 2.4 L Japanese 4-bangers, but still very acceptable. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I'm on my second RAV with no complaints. Great weight/power so it has lots of pick-up. Great ground clearance but, not too high to put boats on. Enough room on top for two to three boats depending on the boats. Have driven it in sand and mud and have not been stuck once. Enough room inside for gear and four to five people depending on the people. I had a first year 96 and now drive a 99. I've heard the newer models are slightly larger. Stephen F Logan Bay City, Texas *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
If I drove slower it would probably be 22-24mpg. I get around 20mpg. I can get from BC to Houston and back, twice, on a tank of gas. I have not had much luck sleeping in it. I can nap in the front seats but, don't ever sleep well. The seats in the back fold down but, not flush with the floor so, at 6'2" the back is no good for me either. I don't know if newer models have this problem. Stephen F Logan BC, TX *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> I was thinking a Ford Escape, but I seem to only > get 200,000 km out of a North American vehicle. Doug, I've got a '01 Ford Escape that I have put about 75,000 miles on so far. While it is a very nice size and works well as a kayak carrier, I have not been totally satisfied with it as I have had a number of expensive repairs, mostly having to do with the front end. 2001 was the first year for the Escape and I've read that later models had better repair records but I am definitely going to review all the options when it comes time to put the Escape out to pasture. Mark Goff *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Hi Doug I have a Matrix, and it's not at all too slanty. What troubled me when I first saw the caris the antenna in the middle of the roof. But it works out fine - I can carry 2 yaks, and the antenna is right between them. It doesn't have AWD, but then I don't need it. Mine has a manual transmission 6 forward speeds) and ABS and that takes pretty good care of me. Joan Doug Lloyd wrote: > I'm treating myself to a newer vehicle (will be a used one, as my 1997 > Caravan expired so no real trade in, so budget is $17,000 max) this > Christmas (and a new heart valve soon in the New Year - I hope). I > know we have been over this before, but any suggestions are > appreciated once again. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
We have a Toyota Yaris (in the US probably called Echo), which pulls a little trailer (the smallest we could find), with our folding three-man Klepper XXL and rigs, plus tent and stuff. Very handy and excellent mpgs - even better if we had bought the diesel version, but we didn't. Used to use a big Ford Scorpio, that used twice as much fuel, even without a trailer! At times we did carry the Aerius II on the roof of that car, but the extra costs in tax, fuel and repairs didn't make it viable in the long run! Tord, Sweden *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Well, I looked at a_ lot _of vehicles and in the end picked up a pristine, loaded 1998 GMC Safari AWD with 114,000km on it, one older owner, immaculate condition for $8800.00 with warranty. Great 8 passenger carrying capacity for my wife's daycaring needs, awesome towing/cargo capacity, a real truck frame for logging road durability, and strong roof racks with a step on bumper. Haven't tried getting my Nordkapp up on top yet, and yes, the extra $8,000 I saved I'll be using for petrol purchasing. :-) Will probably buy a beater Geo Metro for running about town (commute on my bike anyway) and for quick kayak trips, as I've driven my lowered Chrysler minivan into THE ground. We will see what's next in 5 years from now - maybe a pre-owned Honda Pilot. Doug > Honda CRV. Problem solved now move on. > > Gordin > > At 10:45 PM 11/28/06, you wrote: >>I'm treating myself to a newer vehicle (will be a used one, as my 1997 >>Caravan expired so no real trade in, so budget is $17,000 max) this >>Christmas (and a new heart valve soon in the New Year - I hope). I know we >>have been over this before, but any suggestions are appreciated once >>again. >> >>I've tried out a Subaru Forester - good but not great gas mileage, though >>good traction and ground clearance for semi-off road. The Rav 4 is nice >>to - if pricey, as are most cute-utes. I was thinking a Ford Escape, but I >>seem to only get 200,000 km out of a North American vehicle. There's the >>Matrix and Vibe and Mazda hatch backs, some with AWD, but the roof line >>looks slanted too much for yak carrying. I can't go the Dave Kruger way >>(as in a pickup truck, as I have a family to haul too). Logging roads take >>their toll on cars, so I need something tough and reliable. >> >>Doug Lloyd *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 10:56 PM 07/12/2006, Doug wrote: >Well, I looked at a_ lot _of vehicles and in the end picked up a >pristine, loaded 1998 GMC Safari AWD with 114,000km on it, Doug, I love my GMC safari - the roof is high, and I have used a roller system on the rear rack bar to make it easy to load a boat by oneself. We are now on our second Safari since we heard that they were not making them anymore and we decided to trade up to an almost new one *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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