If someone made a small truck or mid-sized SUV for Canada with a little turbo diesel I would be all over it.
Unfortunately diesel 4X4 doesn’t seem to exist in a new vehicle smaller than a 3/4 ton, unless you are looking at $70 000+ SUVs
The motorbike is cool, but I think I would rather have that bike in the back of my main vehicle than as my main vehicle.
Leaning towards an F150, the Ranger with manual transmission just isn’t rated for towing, any of the other 1/4 tons cost as much as a full size, and it would be nice to have a full sized truck in the family again for towing etc.
Lets see how my financial situation looks this summer, assuming the explorer lasts that long.
Is that $53,000 a typo? Canadian dollars are about the same now as US dollars, right?
I have a hard time believing anyone could spend that much on something like a Ford Explorer. What is your major expense?
I spend maybe US$2500 on gas/oil/maintenance/insurance per year on a 28 year old vehicle, driving around 7500 miles/yr and doing most maintenance myself.
I tow motorcycles with my Subaru Baja. They don’t make the Baja any longer, but any Subaru would be great. My Baja has a 2000 pound tow limit. My bikes and trailer together are probably 600-800 pounds. Pulls up/down hills as if you are towing nothing, AWD, 25 mpg (average), comfortable enough. Check out a Subaru. They also hold their value!! I also have an HHR. Good little car, but not for what you require.
mpg - vs - gpm just depends if you want to know how far you can go with the fuel you have or how much fuel it will take to get to a particular destination.
Either way I would be very happy with something capable and fun that got 10 L/100km, or 23.5 mpg or 4.25 gallons/100 miles.
I just wish that the clutch wasn’t weak on the manual transmission rangers or I would buy a manual Ranger Fx4 at a dealership here in Labrador and bring it back. You just don’t see many manuals with the Fx4 package.
So my search for a new vehicle has taken some interesting turns and seems to be settling at two opposite ends of the spectrum.
What I feel I want is something like a Nissan Fronteer Crew Cab with 6’ box. Actually I prefer the looks of the Suzuki clone but it isn’t available in Canada.
But the thing is I can get an F150 for less money with the crazy rebates that ford has right now on the full sized trucks ($8000 for a 4x4 crew cab), and the full sized truck miraculously gets better fuel efficiency along with its full-sized capabilities. It is hard to ignore what you are giving up by paying more for a smaller truck.
On the opposite end of the spectrum I stumbled on the Mazda CX-5. A small but stylish X-over car thingy.
Really what caught my attention was it’s looks. you have to admit it is pretty sexy. Then I started looking at what it could do and what it couldn’t.
I would have to give up recreational flinging of mud and random excursions down ATV trails that I really shouldn’t be on but could still make it down the logging roads to all the old favourite party spots.
I could probably pull one ski-doo on a small trailer (2000 lb tow rating) but the boat or two machines would be really pushing it.
Upright 36" uni? not likely.
What I really need to know is if I can stretch out in the back if I build a bed that fits over the wheel well, if you can fit a full-sized spare wherever the spare goes, and how it handles on rough gravel and washboard.
The price is a bit steep (more than a basic 4x4 F150, less than the Frontier) but if the thing works I would almost be able to make the payments from the money not spent on fuel.
I think I am going to have to arrange some test drives.
It is definitely a risk going into debt for a vehicle , especially with a seasonable job but I have never had a problem getting a job whenever I needed money. My dad disagrees but I think for the amount of driving I do it is a decent investment.
I was very impressed with the car’s handling both on smooth pavement and washboard gravel (didn’t take it to any trails, but it should be fine going slow in the mild stuff). It was a little pokey at highway speed but I am sure I could drop a few more gears in manual mode for a little more zoom-zoom when I need it. With cruise control on at 110km/h the l/100km readout showed 6.2, very close to the advertized 6.1. The real important thing was the 36er with touring handle fit upright in the back with the seats folded no problem, and making a full length bed would only take a little bit of plywood and very little imagination.
