What car do you drive? (Houston, Austin: fit in, leases, houses)

[tstwahine]

Originally Posted by tibbar

We have an 2006 Jetta TDI sedan. With this Diesel we get great fuel mileage, in the 30's in town and the high 40's on the highway. BUT.... the cost of maintenance is much higher than Our 2001 F-150 Super Crew that we pull our RV with.

Do a search on 2006 Jetta TDI problems. Since the headliner in the 2006 Jetta TDI has fallen down, plastic coating on the radio buttons is peeling off, paint on the window buttons is peeling off, and Valves in this year model weren't hardened properly leading to a $$$$$$$ repair. I will not buy another VW. It does get great fuel mileage though.

Check with edmunds.com and you can find the true cost to own at the bottom of the list under new cars.

That is the exact reason why I did not buy a VW back when I was looking at cars. In 2003 I was trying to decide between a Nissan Maxima SE and a TDI VW, and people just kept telling me over and over I would be nickel and dimed to death with the VW. I loved the finish (at the time) of the VW, loved the german interior etc etc. But good sense prevailed and I bought myself the Nissan Maxima V6 BEAST... bought it with 52K on it and I have just reached 160K miles and the engine still pulls like a bat outta hell. On my cross country drives I get routinely 28-36 mpg (yep thats right, 36mpg in a V6 in the rockies!!!). The AC runs ice cold and the only major repairs I've had to do is recently to replace the started and the CV joints (@120K). Car starts every time and runs like a champ. I love German cars, but I think i will only ever own a japanese car, you just can't beat the reliability, performance and gas mileage.

I will only ever get rid of it if I give it to a family member... I really do want an AWD wagon though... love the subaru outbacks!

[TexasHorseLady]

My '97 Dodge Ram Cummins Diesel has 372,000 and change miles on it (I was originally going for 300,000, now, wiser in the ways of diesels, am going for 600,000), still has enough pep that it wants to go to Alaska every time I get on the highway ("Come on, Mom! Let me stretch my legs!"), and gets 22 mpg with just me in it, or with a load of hay in the bed and pulling a trailer with a full size tractor on it (and we have to be sure to remember the trailer is back there because the truck doesn't even notice). Same mph city or highway. Add to that that I can see several vehicles ahead of me and thus can drive proactively taking into account what's up ahead, and what's not to like? Other than the fact that when I got it diesel was a lot less than gasoline, and since the five states changed the rules on diesel, it's now MORE than premium, that is. We'll probably get something smaller for me to run around in (DH drives a Camry, we used to have a 1987 Mercedes diesel that got 37 mpg, and I'd love to have one of those again), but never give up Sam I Am (the truck).

[mickey65]

My 2001 Toyota Echo has about 107,000 miles on it.

[tibbar]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

My '97 Dodge Ram Cummins Diesel has 372,000 and change miles on it (I was originally going for 300,000, now, wiser in the ways of diesels, am going for 600,000), still has enough pep that it wants to go to Alaska every time I get on the highway ("Come on, Mom! Let me stretch my legs!"), and gets 22 mpg with just me in it, or with a load of hay in the bed and pulling a trailer with a full size tractor on it (and we have to be sure to remember the trailer is back there because the truck doesn't even notice). Same mph city or highway. Add to that that I can see several vehicles ahead of me and thus can drive proactively taking into account what's up ahead, and what's not to like? Other than the fact that when I got it diesel was a lot less than gasoline, and since the five states changed the rules on diesel, it's now MORE than premium, that is. We'll probably get something smaller for me to run around in (DH drives a Camry, we used to have a 1987 Mercedes diesel that got 37 mpg, and I'd love to have one of those again), but never give up Sam I Am (the truck).

My daughter bought a used (2007??) Dodge Ram 3500 Diesel and the turbo has just gone out on it. I swear the newer the auto the more problems.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by tibbar

My daughter bought a used (2007??) Dodge Ram 3500 Diesel and the turbo has just gone out on it. I swear the newer the auto the more problems.

One thing the thread so far should have well informed you of is that Texans are CRAZY for their big trucks. Even the maybe 80% who have never even touched a bale of hay in their life.

I'm convinced it's something they add to the water.

[Acuda]

SAAB Sportcombi Aero. We also wear BabyBjorns, shop at IKEA, support Bjorn Borg, and eat Lutefisk daily- naw just kidding.

But we do have a SAAB and a Honda Civic.

[Florinator]

[Cardiff Giant]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

But seriously folks...depending on how much driving you do and where around Austin you do it, sitting higher can be a real plus when surrounded by all the SUVs and trucks. We swapped our AWD wagon on a CUV primarily for the enhanced visibility. There is a considerable difference between driving the XC60(which is not all that tall or big but certainly taller seating than our wagon was) and the C70 convertible. It would be hard to get rid of the 'vert, but I would choose the taller vehicle if I could choose only one.(And this comes from a couple who used to drive a Miata!)

Again, it depends on your driving needs, but I'd sure consider something tallish AND economical for my first Austin vehicle. You don't need to join the F-350 crowd, but take a look at a CRV, RDX, XC60 or similar if you need a little capacity...Pilot, Venza or one of the domestic smaller 'utes', also.

Agreed; I had a bright red S40 as a loaner once and I almost got crushed on more than one occasion by folks in their trucks not paying attention!

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Acuda

SAAB Sportcombi Aero. We also wear BabyBjorns, shop at IKEA, support Bjorn Borg, and eat Lutefisk daily-

Uff da!

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by Acuda

SAAB Sportcombi Aero. We also wear BabyBjorns, shop at IKEA, support Bjorn Borg, and eat Lutefisk daily- naw just kidding.

But we do have a SAAB and a Honda Civic.

Should we sob for SAAB? What will the future hold? I think Volvo emerged from Ford ownership a bit better than SAAB with GM. It's a crazy world, ain't it?