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Comments
Hmm, I think I'll stick to something with a roll cage!
Good news, I found a low mileage 2000 miata that cosmetically is a little scratched up but mechanically is sound. Hopefully I can make a deal.
tom
However I've seen quite a number of them on the road. Not as many as Grand Vitaras or SX4s, but they are definitely getting out there.
I doubt suzuki is going anywhere. Resale value is awful by any measure, but particularly compared to other Japanese brands.
I'm starting this weekend doing HPDE-1 (the newbies) at Homestead-Miami Speedway's road course (2.2 miles, 14 turns). They are sponsored by NASA; ask Paisan about it. The instructor is in the car at all times and I drive at what I feel comfortable at. I bought a helmet, which is required...see the photo in the Meet the Members thread. I've been wanting to do something with the WRX...did some mods and will be doing just a few more. I am really psyched for this. I didn't have time to get a video camera, but I'll be doing some others in December or January.
Go for it, we're not getting any younger!
The other has two wheels and a much higher center of gravity. It's prone to sliding at either the front or rear wheel which if you're lucky is a low-side fall, but if you high-side you tend to be spat off in nasty fashion. And they go a lot faster than 80mph even in slowest form, doubling that for the fast bikes on fast straightaways.
When karting you wear thick leathers, full-face helmet, arm tie-downs and a neck collar. If you were to manage to roll though, you're right, that would be a painful experience. Don't forget that the rollcage makes the car very rigid, but you're fairly squishy inside and you no longer gain as much benefit from crumple zones and other modern safeties built into the chassis. I highly recommend HANS or at least a neck collar brace like the karters use. There are tons on the market today, up from near zero 10 years ago.
I noticed the picture- now I know the backstory- have fun!!!! Our racing season is over until next spring so I have a few months to build up a car.
Colin
No, I know the difference between bikes and the karts, I just meant you seem so exposed in a kart it probably feels more like a bike than a car!
Actually, crashing is not in my plans whatever I do!!! But I agree the HANS device looks like a very smart move. I highly recommend one (if you don't want to end up with the spine of a jellyfish!)
tom
The Q5 is much better able to dodge that problem, while the Forester XT has no issues at all there.
Also, the XT's engine is said to be the same one that's in the STI, but detuned and with different headers and turbo. One COBB-based speed shop told me re-chipping the XT and adding a new catalytic downpipe would net an instant +40 HP.
However, the 4 spd AT and midpack clutches may not handle that extra power, and those drivetrain changes will void all warranties I have with Subaru (which currently offers no power enhancements for Foresters). Not worth it.
I'd do it to a Forester XT in a heartbeat.
The more she laid it out the more it made sense. Bikes, camping gear and family all ride together without the need for racks and such.
So now I have a whole new category to obsess over!
If you consider going bigger (full size / heavy duty), diesel pickups are quite fuel efficient (esp. considering their size) and can perform any job you throw at them. Considering their size and cost, I would not prefer to use a truck like that for a commuter vehicle, but that is certainly not uncommon (at least in Alaska!).
I bought my '86 4Runner with 90k on it, and sold it with 190k on it, so I am advocating a 4 door Tacoma, maybe used. She amended her statement to extended cab, but I am digging in on that- road tripping in the MINI with actual back seats is one thing; roadtripping in jump seats in another. That won't wash once the kids are out of car seats.
If she likes a driving challenge, I could let you borrow my '69 Econoline.
kcram - Pickups/Wagons Host
Shame you are doing it now. Dealers were giving away 2 year old full size pick-ups when the gas price/economy crunch hit.
Speaking of safety, here's something I just found out but never expected: iihs gives the BMW 5 series very questionable crash test ratings.
Brenda - Agree - Marching Band is HUGE in Texas, but it is a pretty active 'sport' here in NY as well. This past weekend (10/31) was the NYS Field Band Conference state finals in Syracuse NY at the Carrier Dome. 51 of the best bands competed, and our Arlington HS team took 4th place. Their show was complex, but not as cleanly executed as some of the slightly easier presentations, so they lost points in a few critical areas. My daughter was crushed that they didn't score higher (2nd, 3rd & 4th were separated by a few 10th of a point), but they definitely won the hearts of the audience (around 10k, all on our side of the arena). We were so very proud of them!
If you have around 10 minutes to spare, this is a link to someone else's video shot from around 10 yards to the right of where we were sitting. The title of the show is "Images of India". From this high up it looks like ants moving on the field, and you miss much of the beauty of girls in sari-like robes, and the details of the Asian dances, but you can see the formations. It really gets wild in the middle of the second half of the show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxZWS_fDCzg&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
The top band went on to the Eastern States competition in Annapolis, and placed 4th earlier today.
My (new!!!) son-in-law has a Nissan Frontier NISMO 4x4 Crew Cab, and loves it. He's big into surfing, so he's always throwing a few surf boards into the back. He and Mairen just head off to Assateague Island (Ocean City end), throw it into 4WD, and drive onto the beach to find their favorite surfing spot.
I also second the Ridgeline. It's the perfect all-around pickup. The interior is better than the Frontier's, especially the rear seat. It's also the only mid-size truck in which you can lay a sheet of plywood flat on the bed floor (like a full-size truck). However, it's not the best for off-roading, as it doesn't have a low range transfer case. You can, however, lock it into 4WD in 1st and 2nd gear if need be.
Bob
I guess I expected a better price for a body on frame vehicle.
Even used Tacomas are pricey. There was a 2007 regular cab stick shift with 140K with an asking price of $15K.
Have you ever seen Mr. Holland's Opus? Our school was on par with the scenes following the principal's statement to Mr. Holland, "What you do you think about marching band?"
Bob
I'd stick with a closed box - the new Durango will start at $29k.
You can even get RWD.
Do you want to drive around with a live axle the other 364 days to satisfy that one need?
I like 'em, and I bet they drive far better than others, but you may as well get another Mini.
Owners love 'em, though. It won the APEAL award for the pickup segment by JDP.
Makes you wonder what they could do with one now that the Outback is much bigger than before....
Design a bigger Baja that will sell in tiny numbers - sounds like a sound business plan to me... :P
Subaru would go half way, keep the same wheelbase, make it too small, try to use only off the shelf parts. And it would go down in flames.
What they should do is use the platform but stretch the wheelbase 4" or so, and make the bed 8-9" longer.
And this time, make the mid-gate work!
Juice - did you finally rip out the Suburu mind control implant??
Naw, I've always been critical of the way the Baja was implemented. I liked the ST-X concept (supercharger, mid-gate) a lot better than what they gave us.
Bob
For example you visit an antique store, and suddenly you find something large that you just have to have. Chances are you can get it if you had a pickup—right now, and not have to go home and hook up the trailer, and then go back and get it.
I've owned a pickup in the past and I currently own a trailer, so I've seen both sides. They both have their advantages and disadvantages, but if I had the money, I'd have another pickup (first), and a trailer (second).
Bob
The best thing is to have a friend who owns a trailer and borrow it once a year.
Boy that sounds familiar....
:shades:
PS Once I was with wifey and she found some dish ware she liked - we had the Miata! It has to go on her lap.
Fortunately for those of us living in rural America, additional vehicles or trailers parked on the property is a sign of prosperity! :P
Dear sir - your argument is not valid. I would not be caught in an antique store!! Further, if I were to suffer a lapse in judgement, not having a pickup is the perfect excuse for advising my better half that she can't buy that oversized object as it won't fit in the car.
Especially up on blocks - that shows you've got the big bucks and can afford the luxury of protecting the tires.
BTW, is more than one refrigerator on the porch gauche??
hahah! Rob, you beat me to a response.
I was thinking that this is more a sign of why tiny lot sizes are not always a bad thing.
I have both a truck (okay, two trucks) and a small trailer. I like having both, mostly because I can use the trailer with my car and I don't have to take the truck unless the load is truly truck-worthy. Granted, my *newest* truck is 34 years old and they get about 50% of the fuel economy of new trucks, I still don't want to use them on a daily basis and agree that it is somewhat wasteful to use a full-size truck in this manner (regardless of its age).
A mid-size, though.... It is a very practical vehicle for daily use. Add to that a Maxi-Dump trailer, and it will haul as much, if not more, than a 1-ton (without the trailer), but give you the added benefit of not having to shovel all that manure out of the vehicle.
Bob
MT just compared 3 minivans, the Sienna got 21.3mpg, the Ody 21.1mpg.
Their long-term Frontier Crew Cab? 15.4mpg.
Suzuki Equator: 16.3mpg.
The Ridgeline was less embarassing at 17.3mpg. Still not acceptable for a cheap [non-permissible content removed] like me.
Heck I think the Sienna is already borderline, which is why I have a 2nd vehicle. I baby it to push mileage in the high 20s.
Mini-vans don't have the best economy, but for their size and versatility, they do their job very well. I averaged 18 mpg under general driving with my '98 Dodge Caravan (AWD), but could do as well as 24-25 mpg on the highway unless I had cargo on top. A friend of mine had an '05 Frontier (nice truck!), manual transmission, 4WD, that he used to take on trips with me (when I had the van), and he would knock down 22 mpg (very good for the truck) following me. I don't know how you could put two vehicles under more similar conditions!
He tends to get pretty good mileage (averages 2 mpg better than my family with his identical Forester), so I doubt many average drivers out there would do better on economy.
When it comes to versatility though, I'm willing to sacrifice a little to gain a lot. That's why I never even considered a non-AWD vehicle when my wife insisted we replace the van, and why we did not go with another van! Had she been willing to consider a mid-size pickup, I would have strongly pushed for one instead of the Forester.
The MT trucks were probably 4WD (which is what I would buy).
Bob
We should all keep in mind a gallon of gas is "free" where you live and an arm and a leg where I live.
We actually are using Giant's discounts on Shell gas now. One time we had a 30 cents/gallon discount, so we took 2 cars and a gas container and got a good 40 gallons or so pretty cheap. We also have the Shell gas card for another 5% back.
I think combine both those discounts, I pay about what you pay. :sick: