Originally Posted By TomSawyer The SUV isn't going anywhere, DVC_Dad. There will always be something that you'll be able to drive and carry your family around. They'll just be more efficient, that's all.
Originally Posted By cmpaley >>says the guy who drove a camry<< And currently drives a Focus SE. I don't feel the need to prove my manhood through what I drive.
Originally Posted By PlainoLJoe <<I don't feel the need to prove my manhood through what I drive.>> is there another way?
Originally Posted By PlainoLJoe hey it all involves your car right? Plus the way you drive can be trumped by what you drive.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<This is going to hurt me. I have 5 children, the OLDEST is only 11, and my 6th child will be born in late May of this year. >> Get one of these babies and you can have SEVEN MORE kids after you have the one in May. Mrs. DVC_Dad will be plain worn out before you have enough kids to fill THIS van: <<Inside, the Ford Econoline Wagon offers comfortable seating, particularly if your van has the optional captain's chairs, though legroom is a bit tight for those sitting in the second row. Depending on which model you choose, the Econoline can seat seven, eight, 12 (E-350) or 15 passengers (E-350 Extended). Cargo space is prodigious, with anywhere from 237 to 275 cubic feet at your disposal.>>
Originally Posted By cmpaley >>Plus the way you drive can be trumped by what you drive.<< That leads to accidents by people who drive "nice cars" driving arrogantly around people who don't drive such "nice cars." Arrogance + driver + car = accident.
Originally Posted By avromark That also uses a bit of gas, although they discontinued use of the V10 in passenger versions of the E-350. You can get a Sprinter but it seats only 12 max, and has a 2.7l diesel. It is the 2nd slowest car sold in North America, only the Smart Fortwo is slower. For my family (not my, my family since I have yet to wed, but hope I meet Mrs avromark in the next few years), we often go together. The Pilot holds 8, but not 8 adults. Uh for a family that has more then 2 people over 6 ft. It's not very practical. As well we RV, the Pilot can tow 2 ski-doos, but when you factor in the weight of the people in the SUV, and the 2 weeks or a month of cargo, you can't really pull a trailer large enough for those people. Yes you can go with motels and hotels, however it's not the same as RVing. The Denali XL tows this very well, and does so without chugging. Even if you exceeded manufacturers recommended standards, an SUV like the Pilot, or Highlander would wear out fairly quickly. Granted I think my next car will probably be a Honda Fit (I wish we had the European Jazz name but anyways) for economy, but I'll probably keep the beast for the winter. Yes I could get a Smart Fortwo, but it wouldn't hold what I need, I could get a Yaris, but I wouldn't feel to safe between those 53 ft. trailers. As well I wouldn't feel very safe in the Yaris on country roads. Even the Fit will probably be a bit scary during the winter. And my parents have a minivan for town use, its remarkable how little clicks are on the Denali.
Originally Posted By PlainoLJoe <<That leads to accidents by people who drive "nice cars" driving arrogantly around people who don't drive such "nice cars." Arrogance + driver + car = accident.>> Underskilled driver + any car = car accident. People driving slow are just as much cause for danger as those driving fast. plus if you drive a car that lacks the ability to keep up with traffic such as a ford festiva or any thing made by daihatsu than you are a danger.
Originally Posted By PlainoLJoe <<Granted I think my next car will probably be a Honda Fit (I wish we had the European Jazz name but anyways) for economy, but I'll probably keep the beast for the winter. >> That car is gonna be awesome. Already a top seller in other markets. Without much tweaking that motor can make 200+ whp and without alot of weight it will blow away the doors on a mustang or any other brick on 4 wheels.
Originally Posted By avromark I know but I wish it had the Civic dash It's already proven. But for me small cars and winter won't ever mix. Our 400 series highways are some of the busiest in the world: "he 401 is widely considered to be North America's busiest highway, with an estimated Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) of over 425,000 in 2004, between the Weston Road and Highway 400 interchanges. This surpasses the Santa Monica Freeway in Los Angeles, and several Interstate freeways in Houston, Texas. Due to its triple use as the main trade, commuting and recreational corridor in Ontario, 24-hour traffic volumes can exceed the 500,000 level on some days. The just-in-time inventory systems of the highly integrated auto industry in Michigan and Ontario have made the highway the busiest truck route in North America. Highway 401 also includes the continent's busiest multi-structure bridge at Hogg's Hollow in Toronto (four structures for the highway's four roadway beds)." It's also 18 lanes wide. With those 53 ft tractor trailers and white out conditions at some parts of the year I don't really feel safe during the winter on it. But some people do, to each their own. I do not want my Fit to be orange I was thinking about the Caliber SRT4, but do I really need a 300hp awd vehicle?
Originally Posted By avromark "In 1999, the Windsor-London stretch of Highway 401 was infamously known as "Carnage Alley" after a slew of fatal accidents, including an 87 vehicle pileup on Labour Day during thick fog that claimed seven lives. Much of the upgrade work will involve replacing the median with an "Ontario tall-wall" concrete barrier and an extra lane per direction." Although as far as I know this is on indefinate hold. Got to love the McGinty Lieberals, letting Ontario slide. But isn't it the same story everywhere involving highways? I remember that accident, I ended up using the backroads to get back from Michigan.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad NUMBER 1: <<I don't feel the need to prove my manhood through what I drive.>> I have proven my manhood in ways I cannot post here on LP, evidenced by my 5 (soon to be 6) children. I don't need a big SUV to compensate for anything. I need seating for 8, plus luggage. NUMBER 2: <<Econoline can seat seven, eight, 12 (E-350) or 15 passengers (E-350 Extended). Cargo space is prodigious>> Pick up, and towing are important to me. So this is out. NUMBER 3: <<we might as well expect to pay $3 or $4 per gallon at the pump>> Good point. NUMBER 4: <<We squander what we have, using more oil per capita than any other nation on earth. It's high time we got on a budget.>> I love ya Trippy, and this is a good point, but I'm too busy spending my grandkids' inheritance to worry about the future. Yeah I know, I'm bad. But If everyone else would stop driving SUV's I would too. NUMBER 5: <<why not get a pilot?>> Because most people in big SUV's are in something heavier than they really need, and don't know how to drive *cough* (soccer moms). If I get hit, I wanna live. Oh sure, talk all you want about roll over tests. It's BS. Most accidents are you getting rear ended by someone on a cell phone, sleeping, or putting on make up, and to that I say, you can't test away good 'ol "Mass" to guard against the Energy created by an idiot with too much "Velocity." I have been rear ended TWICE in my Suburban clone (Yukon XL), and both resulted in a new trailer hitch and bumper for me, and a new vehicle for HER.
Originally Posted By avromark Exactly it's the 13 yr old that claims the entire back seat thats proving his manliness Then again he likes the black, I wish it wasn't black.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<But for me small cars and winter won't ever mix. >> This is hogwash. My family is a Honda family. Growing up in New England the only car that would turn over at 15 bellow was our Civic. You could take a Honda anywhere as they are front wheel drive. I use to take the Civic up to Bolton Lodge in Vermont all the time. It was just about the only thing that could make it up Bolton Mountain in the snow. Now I have an Accord and my accord can go anywhere. They are ideal winter cars as they heat up quick. There are a lot of Accords in Quebec.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I can assure you that my Accord can easily handle any winter driving. I got it so I can easly drive from Atlanta ( just above sea level ) to my mountain home at 4,000 ft ( its the town at the highest altitude east of the Rockies ). OH and my Accord gets 30 mpg highway.
Originally Posted By avromark An Accord is a mid size, as for starting, uh every car i've ever owned has had an EBH so thats a non issue. The fun thing is being on highways with those tractor trailers. I love how small cars get thrown around more by the slush. I have a mid size now so I can always keep it. In 10 years of driving (Ok now you can guess my age ) I have 1 speeding ticket (in a bloody Astro van going up hill for cripes sake, 57 in a 50 bah), and have been rear ended a total of 3 times (all in the winter, all by small cars without ABS) I like that the Fit has ABS as standard. Although I'll be doing without Traction Control. My car is under 300k right now so it's fine. As well the Fit cannot pull my ski doo so i'd have to keep the Taurus.
