What cars have you owned?

The brakes weren't so good either so it helped out there too.

My first car was old red hatchback Honda Civic 1990. After I owned white VW Golf 4. That was good car. And when I rented Nissan Altima 2014 in iversta.com/ when I was in Toronto I loved that cat a bought for myself.

Bought a Prius a couple weeks ago. Very happy to have it. Not the sexiest car but very practical for us. The 50+ MPG balances out the 13 we get in the truck.

Mine just rolled over 200k. I calculated I have saved $18k in gas over the CRV we were driving. I still get 45 mpg. I love cars and will have another roadster once the kids leave, but for the time being, it is a tool and a very efficient tool at that. I also wanted to support the technology I believe in. I will buy another when this one dies and a Z3M or MX-5 when the kids leave. Only thing I have replaced is the hybrid battery pack at $100k @ $1500 (aftermarket) with another 100k mile warranty. I would bet the newer one's batteries are even more durable as mine is a 2006. I do all my own maintenance now since I don't care if I break it. At this point every mile is gravy.

Love the MPG, hate the dirty looks from rednecks who assume it means you're some kind of eco-terrorist. I've had both "coal rolled" at me and things thrown at the car up in the mountains.

In other news, the Forrester gets 17 hauling a trailer. Are you sure you need a pick'm'up truck?

Oh, you can put a hitch on one and hook up a trailer, but will it go? Uphill?

How much does that tear drop weigh? Try pulling this with that Forrester and let me know how that works out...this one is over 6000 lbs. loaded and this is a "Lite" camper...

I involuntarily* turned in my 1997 Tahoe (198K miles) in January and grabbed a 2005 Toyota Sequoia 4WD with 151K miles (I never own a car built in the same decade I bought it). I really like it. I drive less than 10K a year and need the capacity and tow capability for my lifestyle. We have a Camry for long trips, and because my annual mileage is low, having a third car with fuel savings is not economical. Plus buying older, used cars (low cost, low insurance, low taxes) is money in the bank for gasoline. Nice to be back with Toyota (I had a 1980 Landcruiser at one time)


*I hit a guardrail in a snow storm in January that popped my airbags. Drove the car around for a couple of weeks fine with a bent bumper. Would cost $3,000 to fix the airbags and insurance won't let you put in used ($200 ea) bags. It was very sad to see my great window sticker collection hauled off to the junkyard, including DSO, Drive By Truckers, Mo hotta mo betta and the prize, the blue Lockn' symbol. Starting collecting again. But with two weddings this year, a car purchase was not in the cards. life.

Yeah.  Well, I don't get that too much in town.


Anyway, the wife wants a four wheel drive for winter driving to work.  We do use it quite a bit for hauling stuff for gardening, firewood, yard waste, mulch, etc.

I'd be more than willing to go with something different, but as long as this is what she wants, we will stick with it.  We could camp in something smaller, but not the Prius (I mean, we could but we would have to curtail what we bring.  It is convenient to just throw whatever we want into the truck.)

My Highlander's alternator went out a mile from my house last year at 9pm. Not wanting to wait for a tow truck, I pulled the chain rode off my anchor and towed it home with the Prius. Not recommended, but got the job done.

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I get about the same MPG in 1997 Dakota 4WD,V8 as I do in 2006 Ram 3500 Cummins 5.7l. 16-17 MPG. I've got around 310k miles on the Dakota and will drive it until it (or I) dies. The Dually has about 160k, Trans was replaced at 75ish and engine at 99k, both under warranty before I bought it. I'll also be keeping the Cummins until I die (as it will still be going strong).