new road trip vehicle?

[glassgowkiss]

Ultimate vehicle?

good gas mileage, FWD, cargo version, easy to park, just wonder how durable, since Ford is not that good of the brand. BTW engines are made in Spain.

[thelawgoddess]

look at that shitty ground clearance! you might as well buy an element - at least that comes in AWD.

[G-spotter]

Or you could buy a Japanese right-hand-drive Diesel 4x4 Delica StarWagon

[tvashtarkatena]

Nissan Armada. Be sure to order the point defense system option.

[hafilax]

Looks like a mini Dodge Sprinter.

[Pete_H]

Who needs a lot of clearance? You planning on taking it off-roading?

[tvashtarkatena]

Having the clearance of, say, an Outback is great every...not so often. Getting into Darrington or Depot Creek comes to mind...but the reality is that clearance, which costs you a pretty penny, only saves a handful of miles of hiking a year at best. A mountain bike can usually make up the difference in a far cheaper manner. Unless you're a real desert rat, that is.

 

The real question concerning a road trip vehicle is:

 

Do you carry more than 2 folks often?

 

Do you want to be able to sleep in the vehicle?

 

If no to both, just about any vehicle with a rocket box will do the job just fine, for way, way less many than your standard overprized, overconsuming SUV. Hell, even a Civic or SmartCar would be just hunky.

 

It seems, regarding this vehicle, that 22 mph is pretty poor, considering where gas prices must inevitably head in the near future.

Edited September 9, 2009 by tvashtarkatena

[glassgowkiss]

look at that shitty ground clearance! you might as well buy an element - at least that comes in AWD.

90% of the time I climb off hwy 20, squamish, rockies or index. what do you need a ground clearance for? even SW you my toyota or now huyinday do just fine. it's a myth.

[thelawgoddess]

Who needs a lot of clearance? You planning on taking it off-roading?

of course.

..

[billcoe]

Thanks for sharing this Bob. Nice looking van. I had no idea they were bringing this over to this side of the pond, you see similar stuff all over Europe. The Sprinter Vans are getting mid 20s highway mileage as well, but are very costly at like @40,000 base.

 

Any idea what these will be going for?

[Bug]

I just bought a 96 VW Passat TDI wagon.

I got 54mpg on the freeway driving it home from Montana.

36 mpg city.

 

Anything that does not get at least 30mpg is a worthless piece of shit designed to keep the oil companies' stock holders rich and justify going into Iraq or any other oil rich country that doesn't play nice. The cash for clunkers program was a total farce. I know people who turned in a 14 mpg car for a 19mpg car.

 

I customized a 1960 Ford Falcon van in my back yard and it got 27mpg. That was in the mid 80's. So I can do that in my back yard and none of the car manufacturers can do it in their factories with huge teams of engineers?

Bullshit.

It is careful planning.

Don't be stupid.

[glassgowkiss]

Thanks for sharing this Bob. Nice looking van. I had no idea they were bringing this over to this side of the pond, you see similar stuff all over Europe. The Sprinter Vans are getting mid 20s highway mileage as well, but are very costly at like @40,000 base.

 

Any idea what these will be going for?

They are about 21K for a cargo version or 22K for passenger. I just hope that car companies will change their minds and start selling units like this more often.

[glassgowkiss]

I just bought a 96 VW Passat TDI wagon.

I got 54mpg on the freeway driving it home from Montana.

36 mpg city.

 

You better get busy and find a mechanic, who knows how to work on a diesel VW, as they are notorious for hard to diagnose electrical problems. Owed 2 of them and never again. Also good luck starting a diesel in a middle of winter in Canadian Rockies at -30C. There is a reason truckers don't turn their engines off in the middle of winter when they park their riggs.

[glassgowkiss]

I just bought a 96 VW Passat TDI wagon.

I got 54mpg on the freeway driving it home from Montana.

36 mpg city.

 

Passat TDI has the same engine capacity as regular Passat. The only reason these cars get better gas mileage is not some superior drive train efficiency, but energy content in diesel fuel vs regular gasoline (which is close to twice). Popularity of diesel in Europe is due to the price point of diesel, which is cheaper. In the US diesel is only slightly cheaper, and the pollution created by diesel is much worst then pollution created by gasoline. Going towards natural gas/propane systems would make much more sense.

[G-spotter]

Ford = Found On Road, Dead

[olyclimber]

GOOD ONE DRU! DID YOU COME UP WITH THAT ONE YOURSELF? HERE ARE A FEW I THOUGHT UP!

 

FIX OR REPAIR DAILY HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH

 

FIRST ON RACE DAY!!!! LOL!

 

 

[G-spotter]

Fuelsucking

Out of Pocket

Roadtrip

Debacle

[tomtom]

The only reason these cars get better gas mileage is not some superior drive train efficiency, but energy content in diesel fuel vs regular gasoline (which is close to twice).

 

Wrong.

[E-rock]

GOOD ONE DRU! DID YOU COME UP WITH THAT ONE YOURSELF? HERE ARE A FEW I THOUGHT UP!

 

FIX OR REPAIR DAILY HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH

 

FIRST ON RACE DAY!!!! LOL!

 

 

FUCKED OVER REBUILD DODGE @!! 1111! LMFAO!@

[hafilax]

Don't OverDo, Go Easy

[G-spotter]

Poor Old Norwegian Thinks Its A Cadillac

[mkporwit]

Fucker Only Runs Downhill

[kevbone]

Fucker Only Runs Downhill

 

With a tail wind.

[Pete_H]

I thought it was 'Fucked on Race Day.' Whatever.

[G-spotter]

Fails Often, Rarely Driveable