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

I've had a 96 Ford Explorer XLT for about 5 years. Done well by me but recently took a job where the 1 way commute was 66 miles. Unfortunately, 20MPG wasnt cutting it.

I upgraded to VW Jetta TDI (Diesel) and I'm averaging 42-43MPG on that. I love the car and the pep it had. Amazing actually, but Diesel is cheaper than regular unleaded right now.

I did the numbers and it just made sense for me. I'm keeping the SUV for a bit but I will probably get rid of it when the weather starts to turn and I might get a couple bucks more for it.
 
CONGRATS on the awesome truck!! I am a diehard Fordf fan!! I have the Lariat package on my F-250!! Mine is Dark Shadow Grey. I really like that Stone color. You bought one sweeeeet truck!! I LOVE heated leather seats, I have 'em in my truck too. Did you get the deluxe mirror package, and get the heated mirrors?
 
The mirrors are heated and have the directionals in the outer housing. They do not power fold back though. That sounds like a cool but fragile linkage situation.
Sounds like you have a sweet truck also! These new 2005 150's are sweet. They seem a little more like their big brothers. ie 250-750.
Drive on bro!!
 
I LOVE my power heated mirrors, with the built-in turn signals, and I have built-in running lights in my mirrors. I LOVE my F-250!! Mine is a 2004.

I LOVE my diesel!!!
 
We just traded our 04 Expedition @ 14 mpg for a Dodge 2500 diesel that so far is at 16 mpg and should be looking for 18-19.
 
I am seriously considering selling or trading my 97 4runner for a more economical vehicle. The only problem is that every time I get behind the wheel of my yota I love it. The other models I am considering if I can get myself to sell my rig are as follows. Matrix XRS--Mazda 3 wagon--Civic SI hatchback--The one I would trade for in a heart beat is a subaru wrx wagon.
 
your right, I love the ride height of the yota, but I do love to drive a good handling sporty car as well. The main problem is my bullmastiff, he would probably not be too happy about squeezing his big but into a subby lol.
 
Hey, just bought a Jeep Wrangler for everyday use so I can mod my 99 4runner for offroad. The company is gonna pick up a 4 wheel drive Mitsubishi Fuso for some real hauling power when winter comes...

I think what everyone forgets about the United States is that the terrain in and out of the cities are quite poorly maintained, cover great expanses and is often hit by very bad weather. That being said, Americans need the extra power and reliability of larger all wheel drive vehicles. Even having an SUV isn't always enough to help you survive the American terrain as demonstrated by the tragic death of a British tourist in Utah a few years ago. Furthermore, many Americans engage in outdoor and wilderness activities in, I would guess, much greater numbers than the rest of the Western World.

I guess the bottom line is, Americans have a greater need for such vehicles than almost any other nation.
 
What I've not heard mentioned is an important fact from an environmental standpoint.

It wastes more energy, consumes more resources, and generates more pollution to make a "new" car that you don't need than it does to keep the one that you have.

Take the 20 mpg hog hauler you're currently driving. Can it last another 3 to 5 years? If so, deciding to keep it is a reduction in environmental impact in the materials, construction waste and energy to build it of yet another car being manufactured. Keep the car you have, keep it tuned, put a better air filter on it, learn to drive a little more conservatively and you'll avoid the expense of a new vehicle and the "waste" generated in building that new vehicle. When you get to the point where you actually need a new vehicle try to find something that is both environmentally friendlier and more fuel efficient.

My wife has a Prius. She got it for her small business. She wanted it because it is an ultralow emmisions vehicle that got great mileage and because she'd used up her Honda. If the Honda was still good she would have kept it.

As to the Honda CRV being even remotely an off-road vehicle? Not hardly. It is/was Honda's answer to the useless SUV craze. A useless SUV is a SUV-like vehicle for folks that wanted to have lots of space and a little AWD , but never intended to take it off the road.
 
hso said:
A useless SUV is a SUV-like vehicle for folks that wanted to have lots of space and a little AWD , but never intended to take it off the road.
Click to expand...

Very few off road vehicles are taken off road anyway so that would make sense.
 
I can show you some NYC roads that would qualify as level 1 and level 2 offroad trails.
As for my SUV's, I lived in Manhattan for 33 years of my life and they have spent more miles offroad than onroad.
 
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