Anyone trade-in/sell the SUV to get a more practical car?

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komondor

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Jul 2, 2001
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I'm thinking VERY seriously of trading or selling my '99 Jeep Grand Cherokee and getting something more economical. I figure I would save a ton of money on gas, save some money on insurance, and maybe save money on the payments. I still owe a bit on the Jeep.

I was wondering if anyone else has made the switch because of the current fuel prices, and what car was purchased. I'm looking for something like a Toyota Matrix-- something in that category. It can't be too compact because I need to haul around work stuff in it. I want something that gets at least in the mid 30s mpg. And something with a little pep would be nice. I can't afford a hybrid SUV.
 
Didn't trade in my ML320. It's sitting in the drive way while I drive my Scion Xa or BMW K75 to work. Gonna need the AWD for the Northeast winters.
 
komondor said:
I'm thinking VERY seriously of trading or selling my '99 Jeep Grand Cherokee and getting something more economical. I figure I would save a ton of money on gas, save some money on insurance, and maybe save money on the payments. I still owe a bit on the Jeep.

I was wondering if anyone else has made the switch because of the current fuel prices, and what car was purchased. I'm looking for something like a Toyota Matrix-- something in that category. It can't be too compact because I need to haul around work stuff in it. I want something that gets at least in the mid 30s mpg. And something with a little pep would be nice. I can't afford a hybrid SUV.
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I just got a new car a few weeks ago. My old car was a Ford V8 and was lucky to get 14 MPG. My new car is an Acura RSX - I've filled it up twice and am getting about 28.5 MPG.

I checked out the Matrix - not a bad car. You know it's based on the Corolla, right? I'll tell you this, though - it ain't gonna get no 35+ miles per gallon. I think 24 mpg would be more realistic. Check out the Mazda 3, too. And the Rav4. These still are only gonna get mileage in the mid 20's, though.

I almost bought a friends 2002 Prius. But, even that, according to the onboard display, was only getting 34.5 MPG.

I don't think that there is a vehicle made that can haul as much cargo as your Jeep, sells for less than a hybrid (> $25,000), has good acceleration (say sub 17 second quarter mile), and can get around 35 miles per gallon.

Closest thing I can think of is the Scion xB, if you can stand its boxy look.

Good luck, let us know what you end up buying.
 
I just don't understand why my wife's '92 Sentra got 42 mpg and all the newer Sentras get less than 30. And her old car was so much peppier than the later model. I drive a Dakota and it's nothing to write home about as far as mileage but it is justifiable as it is a work vehicle. I for one cannot wait until all those bohemoth SUVs make their way into the crushers.

On a related note, here's what I don't get. All these folks are rushing out to buy a Prius and there's a 6 month wait and you do not get a choice of color. You get what they give you or forget it, they go to the next in line. Now, the Prius costs about $23k. You can go down a buy quite a few other cars for under $16k but they won't get the "phenomenal" mileage of the Prius. But if you add up what the extra gas will cost you in the less economical car, even considering the hugely inflated prices we are paying now, you are still WAY ahead. Why would I pay many thousands extra so I can save a few bucks on gas? I think there must be many people who are math impaired in this world.....
 
Yes am thinking of doing the same but really am hesitant to know I will probably not get even close to the money I put into it, and I know I wouldn't-excellent condition. Add in the gas guzzleing it does take, don't want to do it, but filling it up is a 35.00 adventure and takes no time to run out because it's so heavy. I think I'll go with another truck like a Chevy S10 with extended cab, at least the mileage is much better! I bet dealerships are seeing this happen everywhere?
 
A good buddy of mine got a Matrix about a year ago, and he gets about 30-32 mpg out of it. We've taken it on a couple of fishing trips and all our gear fits in the back. With both rear seats folded down it can haul a surprising amount of stuff if packed carefully. Just think about what engine you get, don't get the bigger one. I think Phil has the regular 1. something motor.

On a different note, my wife drives a 2003 Honda Element, and I hated the car at first sight, but now I love it. Once you get past the looks and look inside its great. Both back seats come out in a minute, literally. Then you have a big empty box that you can fit a ton of stuff, sleep in, camp in etc..

And gas milage is mid 20's. about 21-23 in town if your not a lead foot, and 25-26 on the road. It's a really neat vehicle. Just have someone take you to the dealer blindfolded and sit you in the car then take off the blindfold.
 
I've been reading about how 25 miles per gallon is very desirable in a medium-size car and similar stuff on American forums for a while and I've always had the impression that cars sold in Europe (regardless of who manufactured it) are much more economical than comparable cars in the US.
I guess the US car industry as well as foreign manufacturers selling in the US will introduce more fuel-efficient cars no sooner than the day when your gas prices are as high as ours...

Plenty of compact cars over here get well over 40 mpg, some up to 70. Even mid-size cars typically don't need more than a gallon for 30 to 35 miles.

My large '89 Opel (Vauxhall) gets about 22 miles per gallon and among my family and friends it is notorious for being a bad gas guzzler.
 
komondor,

I sort of did the opposite but not to the extreme. I drive mostly highway and my '02 Camry got 31-32 mpg. I sold it and bought an 05 Tacoma, 2X2, automatic and get 25-26 mpg. I couldn't stomach the ~20 mpg from the V6 Tacoma so I know how you must feel about your Jeep.

Still, at 26 mpg, I can only go about 450 miles before the fuel light comes on (still have 3.5 gals left in the tank) and it takes $44 to fill up. I don't necessarily regret the loss of gas mileage b/c I just bought my first house and the truck has proven indispensible. If I had a stink load of money I would have bought a full size American V8 truck and a commuter car.
Adam
 
I drive a '93 GMC Sonoma that gets 20MPG highway, so I bought a bike! :D

Should get 40-50MPG now. :cool:
 
What most peopel will NEVER get with hybrid adopters is that it's not all about money. Everyone who argues against the Prius says "Well, you know that the cost over a similar car will take you 10 years in gas savings to pay off." This is not rocket science math. These early adopters clearly understand that this is the case. Make no qualms about it. If someone is driving a Prius, there is a very good chance that they care about the environment to some extent, are early adopters and thus don't care too much about the cost, want to be unique, and an assortment of other non-financial reasons. Everything is not about the money.
 
I have 5 cars but I mainly commute in my Honda Civic EX. Being a 4 door, having the larger vtec engine, and all the extras that come with the EX model, its not as efficient as the lower end Civics but it still gets 33-35mpg...around town...on regular gas. And I calculate my MPG every single time I fill up the tank. Some of you guys must be hauling around a bunch of stuff or you're driving on a different planet with more gravity and friction than ours... :p

Oh, and if you want something that can haul as much as a Grand Cherokee (actually more), gets better gas mileage, and is faster, you want a Volvo turbo wagon. The newer 850s aren't as fun to drive as the older 740s but being fwd they will get around quite well in the snow (since thats apparently an issue). Remember, they DO have lots of snow in Sweden. ;)

Finally, on the hybrid issue. If you're going to do the math, do the math ALL the way. Sure it costs more but its worth more and when it comes time to sell it, you'll get far more. The hybrid feature isn't like buying leather where you don't get anything for it. And look beyond tomorrow. Do you see gas going to 50 cents or three dollars and 50 cents? If you see gas going up, the hybrid feature will only GAIN in value. I'm already seeing low mpg trucks and cars dropping in value on the used market. The opposite is happening as well. I've been watching higher mpg cars (like Civics) gaining in value over the past year. Always consider total cost of ownership in everything you buy...

Mark
 
All am I going to post is this.I cant really make any comments, I drive a 10 year old Chevy Lumina and get something like 34 mpg. Its gonna die soon though, so I will probably be purchasing a hybrid. The following article is something to look at, and can be very interesting and/or appealing to the tinkers among us.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_2947984
 
tonyccw said:
Only if you do 55. Remember, high RPM's = lower MPG's... ;)
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Yea, but I'll be crusing at a resonable pace. I haven't gone far enough to know what kind of mileage I'll get with my bike.
 
Up here in Canada, gas just hit over $1.00 per liter. That's about $4.00 per US gallon :barf: At that price, even driving my Honda Civic is expensive...

I was initially planning on buying an SUV next year. I pretty much changed my mind...

Guy
 
Hi All-

This gasoline situation has convinced me to look at smaller four-door pickup trucks like the Toyota Tacoma as compared to bigger ones like the Ford F-150 Lariat Crewcab when I next need to make a purchase. I'm convinced that the vehicle manufacturers could find a way to coax a few extra miles out of a gallon of gas for their trucks. I always preferred cars until I became a homeowner and then all of a sudden the utility of trucks has become quite apparent.

komondor, to answer your question... If you're still paying-off a 1999 vehicle as we approach 2006 you've likely bitten off more than you can chew from a financial perspective. My advice would be to stick with your current Jeep and just get the thing free and clear of payments. Run it for a couple of years with the only expenses being gas, maintenance, and insurance. Save a few bucks and then approach your next vehicle purchase with a big wad of cash in your hands!

~ Blue Jays ~
 
Quiet Storm said:
I've been reading about how 25 miles per gallon is very desirable in a medium-size car and similar stuff on American forums for a while and I've always had the impression that cars sold in Europe (regardless of who manufactured it) are much more economical than comparable cars in the US.
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You have a point there, I'm not sure why but American cars seem to guzzle more fuel than European and even Australian cars.

There is one thing to take into consideration though when doing your calculations. Remember that the Us gallon is slightly smaller than the old English one. I think it's something like 4 litres rather than 4.5


For those of you thinking of the Toyota Prius there is also a trap for young players. It may use much less fuel than other cars BUT, every couple of years you have to replace $2000 or so of batteries!
 
Pickup trucks are usually boxey in shape and geared low for power and hence don't get great gas mileage, even with small engines.

Where I live in Colorado the roads get steep, the dropoffs are a long way down, and you have to be ready for snow, ice, and snow on top of ice. We retired our larger SUV's for Subarus. They get decent gas mileage (in the upper 20's) even with full time 4 wheel drive. When my wife has to make it up to the airport at 5:00 AM with serious blowing snow her Forester with studded snow tires gets through when the cop cars are sitting in ditches. Front wheel drive is nice, but you can't plow through snow once your front end ramps up off the pavement. You may not even be able to back down off the snow under your front end unless you have 4 wheel drive. They last well too. I commute in a 1992 Legacy with around 200,000 miles on it. This is at serious Colorado interstate speeds in excess of 80mph.

One of the reasons that cars don't get the same mileage in the US as in Europe is the higher average driving speeds in the US. The interstate system really jacks up the average in the states. When I hit the slow lane of I-25 at the bottom of the onramp nearest my home I need to be doing 70 to 75 mph (112 to 120 kph). When I move over into the fast lane I will get tail-gated if I go below 85 mph (137 kph). Except for where you pass through some major cities that is the normal speed on I-25 from start to finish for over 1000 miles (1,700 km). That is around the distance from Amsterdam to Belgrade (in whatever country Belgrade is located these days), so we are talking about much longer distances than on the Autobahn. The speeds are high in the states because the distances are long here as well. It's a big country.
 
Well, two years ago I had a 96 Dodge Dakota V6 truck and I loved it. About 18MPG though. I sold it and with some of the coin bought a 64 Impala station wagon. 283, 4 barrel and a powerglide. That tank got 23MPG on the highway. Great family summer cruiser and I loved it as well. Then gas started getting more expensive. Sold the Impala and got an 88 Ford Escort GT from my brother in law with a host of add-ons/speed parts (no annoying muffler thank God) I now get 34/35MPG on the highway and it is an absolute RIOT to drive. Like a big gokart. I never saw myself driving one of these beercans when I was big into muscle cars, but now having owned one......I love it. I drive this thing very hard at times(Shifting at 7000, holding gears and wideout through the turns) and I don't think I've gotten less than 30MPG. These small cars have alot going for them I think.
 
gajinoz said:
You have a point there, I'm not sure why but American cars seem to guzzle more fuel than European and even Australian cars.
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It's the market.

Americans pay less for gas. A more efficient car will cost more to manufacture. Americans do not traditionally demand particularly efficient vehicles. So for the manufacturers, it's best to be able to charge less by making a less efficient vehicle. If the consumer intended to keep the vehicle on the road for a long time, though, they'd actually end up saving money by buying a more expensive (but more efficient) vehicle. This is even more true with today's oil prices.

The biggest SUVs and trucks are exempt from efficiency standards. As a result, a number of manufacturers have increased the weight of their biggest SUVs and trucks over the years. It's cheaper to increase the weight than make a more fuel-efficient vehicle.

Unfortunately because of the gas prices today, consumers are now paying dearly for these practices.
 
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