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Originally Posted by gruntly My service truck is the real concern for me... I am getting ready to replace it, 99 Savana, not big miles but the body is returning to dust, but don't have a clue which way to go I want size, but I also want real fuel economy and convenience. Van, Pick-up? Small, large? I dunno, yet. I like domestic, whatever that is these days, but I am not against imports. I am still confused. I imagine that it probably won't be long before Ford & GMC hybrid their vans, but cost $75,000. I am kind of in the same boat. On one hand, I want fuel efficient, but on the other hand, I want to be able to carry lots of parts, which means less trips and less fuel. I think I am leaning towards the big, gas hog route, like a cube van, Spartan, or KUV. I will probably get 10 mpg, but hopefully I will be making less parts runs and more calls per day. I don't know, either way, it's gonna cost me.
I've always had big vehicles, 68 Ford Custom, 76 Pontiac Parissienne, etc. Then I bought a 93 Suburban. Came with a deeded oil well. She got rear-ended by a voyager with 2 young guys in it. Bent the trailor electrical connector... Totalled the Voyager. She barely knew she was hit. I hit a deer in my 04 Durango in December. I would not have wanted to be in my Sebring. Nowadays, the Sebring (convertable) at 30 mpg, is our summer/city car and barely sees a highway. Durango does the miles on the highway, 18 mpg. My service truck is the real concern for me... I am getting ready to replace it, 99 Savana, not big miles but the body is returning to dust, but don't have a clue which way to go I want size, but I also want real fuel economy and convenience. Van, Pick-up? Small, large? I dunno, yet. I like domestic, whatever that is these days, but I am not against imports. I am still confused. I imagine that it probably won't be long before Ford & GMC hybrid their vans, but cost $75,000.
Point well taken on the safety aspect (one reason I won't own a Prius), my Jetta rates high in crash tests and came standard with 8 airbags (4 front, 2 side, 2 rear side). Also many of these savage wrecks are pure stupidity, people think cars are appliances.
My vote is with the safety oriented guys. People drive like animals around here and there's no way I would let gas prices dictate what level of safety I have around me on the road. Too many times I've come up on accidents involving these little gas sippers and you couldn't recognize what the car was. You see the tops chopped off to get out the occupants, front and rear halves separated by 20 feet, dozens of parts scattered all over the road where the car literally came apart in the impact. AND WAYYY TOO MANY TIMES, a blue tarp thrown over the top of the car to hide the death inside.(A normal move for CT staties when there's a fatality on the highway.) Maybe if the majority of the cars around here were jellybeans, and we could bounce them off each other like bumper cars and nobody got hurt, it would be a different story. But for the time being, I want some steel wrapped around me. Today, diesel is $4.599 and gas is $3.999
We were looking at the Jetta, Diesel. But we figured it will still cost more with the Jetta Diesel is at $4.19 a gallon, that would be .0931 a mile. Gas is at $3.57 a gallon, be .0893 a mile.
How about a diesel Jeep Liberty, My new diesel VW Jetta gets 45 mi per gallon in town in the mountains, my friends with Priuses get about 38mpg around town Plus I can put my whole family in it, our luggage for an out of town trip, 2 coolers, all the stuff we get on a Cosco run, and still cruise at 75 with th AC on. My wifes escape has been flawless for nearly 4 years, oil and tires only.
I would never make a decision to buy or not to buy based on Consumer Reports...I have heard nothing but good things about the Ford Escape. Spending $20-50K on a new vehicle to save $500 on fuel does not make much sense to me.
Ford escape and Mazda Tribute are the same vehicles. If you can't find an Escape then look for a Tribute hybrid. Ford owns Mazda. If the guilt of driving a Mazda is too much to handle, change the some of the plastic and the badging. Tribute comparison
We had a Durango with a 360 until my wife wrecked it on new years horrible on fuel but she caused 16000 dollars damage to it in the accident and her and the kids walked away without a scratch I hear the argument for fuel mileage but man for safety I will pay alot extra for a big vehicle. So we bought a f 150 with the 5.4 and the mileage is fantastic in comparison. Still in a big vehicle plus I finally got a pickup(she felt a little guilty and I shamelessly pounced on the opportu nity lol).
Getting fed up with the high gas price, we placed an order last week on a Toyota Prius. It's about 6 to 8 week waiting list now. Looking forward for the 40+mpg on it since my partner does drive up to the cities for work once or twice a week.
Originally Posted by hvacmd2002 Not sure how it is in your area, but I went to the dealer to look at the Escape Hybrid, and the salesman said they couldn't get them. He said most of them are going to government agencies, with most dealers being left out. They hadn't seen one in a while, and they're a good sized dealer. Ironic... Isn't it your gov. that says that global warming is a limited phenomenon?
Yea, our suburb brags about being green cuz the officials drive Escape Hybrids I don't know how much faith you put in Consumer Reports but they aren't too fond of the Escape. If budget permits, how about the Highlander hybrid? Bro-in-law has a Prius, amazing little car. Probably the same technology in the Highlander. We got 48 mpg highway at 70, 3 people with air (electric compressor, doesn't drag the little engine down). Upper 70s we got 43 mpg. Fun to watch the reports on the LCD of economy or what the system is doing between electric & gas engine and recharging during coasting. Speaking of air, you might see what the Escape does. From what I remember reading, compressor is engine driven and shuts off at idle. If that's true, you might not like that in your climate!
We really wanted to get a new Escape hybrid because the wifey liked the older Escape she had. It was still a little too much money so we got a new Escape. They are very nice cars.
Not sure how it is in your area, but I went to the dealer to look at the Escape Hybrid, and the salesman said they couldn't get them. He said most of them are going to government agencies, with most dealers being left out. They hadn't seen one in a while, and they're a good sized dealer.
Lexus My moms has a Lexus hybird its great, you pay a little more for the car but its well worth it. Lexus gots great warranty and service. http://lexushybrid.k2nets.com/
Lexus
My wife drove an Escape for three years and loved it. It was not the hybrid but was a good car and we had no problems with it(until I wrecked it).
I like Durangoes, Durangos, Durangi... ... whatever. http://www.cars.com/go/features/auto...Durango+Hybrid
Hybrid question My wife wants a new vehicle one that is more fuel efficient than her current Durango. She likes the Escape and we are considering the Hybrid. Does anyone have one and what do you think of it.
Hybrid question
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