Full Size SUV's

chim · Sep 8, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

Patrick, while I really dislike the government being involved in our daily lives, your take is at least interesting.

I don't care how many soccer moms, old pharts, pencil-necked geeks, etc own and operate SUV's. What DOES bother me is the increasing numbers of them that end up on MY side of the lines because they don't have the foggiest idea where their SUV is. There's a street in our town that I travel to get to my place, and almost every trip some yoyo is swinging way over into my lane so they can clear a parked car by 6 feet on their right side.

My other pet peeve is drivers running around with "fog lights" on all the time, especially the ones that are not aimed properly........................chim

MarkV · Sep 8, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

Thank you all for the suggestions and opinions. Several vehicles we had not considered have been mentioned and will now be looked at. The web sites offered have already been of help.

The comments on how practical a vehicle of the size, weight and power being considered are very valid. In many ways I completely agree and that is also the reason we are looking for one of those types of vehicles. I am amazed daily in city traffic that there are not more accidents than there are and there are plenty. When the wife is driving something that has a little more protection than some of the smaller vehicles, in my opinion, I feel better. Fortunately my wife is a country girl that drove full size trucks and pulled horse trailers for many years. That certainly does not make her an expert at driving large vehicles but she is also not new at it. We also need the room for the way we use a vehicle. There is another tread going about the usefulness of 4x4’s for weekend warriors like us. I actually agree that there are many 4x4’s on the road that would better serve their users if they were 2x4’s. We do have rural property that has rather steep underdeveloped roads and do use 4-wheel drive as conditions call for it. Even if that is only a few times a year it is worth the expense to us.

Thank you again for all the help. I’ll continue to take notes.

MarkV

JimMc · Sep 8, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

I guess I'll weigh in here. I have a 1997 Expedition with 148,000+ miles and counting. Many thousands of those miles are towing. So far, I've put on my 3rd set of tires counting the originals, put in a K&N air filter and kept it washed, and changed the oil. That's it. I guess I'll put in the new plugs I bought at 100,000 miles and flush the transmission sometime soon, but so far it's been a joy to drive.

My wife thought it would be too big for her. Her car is a Bonneville. But she drove it to work for a couple of months and found it parks easier and sits up high enough she can see ahead.

The only thing to watch for is height clearance. Some parking garages don't have 6'8".

patrickg · Sep 9, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

Kent (AKA gnawbone), Welcome aboard (from a more seasoned newbie)! By the way, when you are aiming radiation (Your info says you DIRECT radiation) don't aim it this way, OK? And careful with the NERD comments, I resemble those remarks.

Meanwhile back to the original topic, Gas Guzzlin' tanks... After our new house is ready and if there are enough fun tickets left, I'll be gettin' the wife some kind of 4 door 4x4. (Probably will anyway just that one of us, me, might have to cut back in other areas) We've looked at the SO CALLED crew cab pickups with short (I really mean tiny little beds, about big enough for a cooler and two folding chairs) and she likes those well enough. Interestingly the mid size ones cost as much or more than the full size in the same brand and trim level. Go figure. We also have been favorably impressed by the little CRV that a friend of ours tows behind his diesel pusher RV, even though it doesn't have REAL 4wd (no xfer case, no low range) and it is slightly space challenged in the rear seats and cargo areas. I would think a Suburu Forrester 4x4 (still no low range) would be a good choice, even though Paul Hogan and his huskies would cost extra.

Anyone out there actually have hands on experience with Chevy's "transformer toy" truck? If yes, whatcha think? Does the trick stuff look like it will hold up under actual truck use and not fall apart or leak? I haven't been up close and personal yet but did read "Consumer's Report" magazine's comments on it and they, miracle of miracles, actually liked it. (and they don't like many cars and fewer trucks) Do you 'spose a "come kill this spider for me" type could work the mechanisms?

We are 25-30 miles from civilization in three directions and fuel economy is a factor. There is always a reason to make multiple trips to somewhere every week. Not that we NEED 50MPG or better but shouldn't we be able to get close to 20MPG lightly loaded at 65MPH in a mid sized or even in a full sized tank (SUV or ...)?

Maybe I should just get a Crown Vic or a Town car and put a roof rack on it or maybe one of the NEW T-Birds and pull a one wheel trailer. Nah, not enough doors on the T-Bird (so far).

Patrick

patrickg · Sep 9, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

Chim, I see you suffer from exposure to low performance drivers also. One of the characteristics of a low performance driver is that they don't know what space their vehicle occupies and they sure don't know where their wheels are. I too, shudder when meeting a LPD (Low Performance Driver) on a narrow street, especially if we will meet where there is an obstacle on their side of the street like a parked car. having no clue where the "other side" of the car is, they dodge to miss it by an extra 5-6 feet. They seem less afraid of a head-on with me than to brush their paint against an overhanging bush. They usually don't have a clue where their rubber meets the road. It is fun to watch them "dodge" debris or a pothole in the road if I can watch from behind. If they are coming toward me it is much less fun.
Of course, not knowing where the limits of their vehicle is nor where their wheels are, they are likely to do some strange things while performing what was intended to be a parking manuever. They all to frequently CAN"T put their "boat" between the lines in a parking lot so they take two spaces. If it is a sparkling new SUV they may park crosswise across 3 spaces so as to avoid the possibility of door dings from the other clueless "boat herders". Boat herder is a derogatory term used to describe a driver, often in an oversized (for their ability) vehicle, who doesn't actually drive the vehicle so much as they just sort of "herd" it along in a general direction.

These LPD are the ones you see sliding through stop signs at the first little snow fall because they didn't know this year's snow and ice was going to be slick like it was last year. These are the folks who would ordinarily tailgate you for 50 miles irrespective of your speed ir if you slow down or speed up but if there is moisture on the road that kicks up on their widnshield they will cross a double yellow line in a school crosswalk to pass you AND THEN SLOW DOWN.

I guess cars are Idiot Amplifiers. They seem to provide the means of amplifying any IDIOT tendencies we drivers have.

Patrick

hazmat · Sep 9, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

Patrick,

I own one of the aforementioned crew cab pickups, the Ford Supercrew. You are NOT going to get 20mpg on the highway. Best I've done (empty) is 18mpg. I have the optional 5.4 engine (260 HP).

I think the Avalanche (Chevy transformer truck) is a cool concept. However it is not visually pleasing to this observer. Besides I'm kind of a Ford Guy.

Tractors4u · Sep 9, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

"I got a shock the first time I changed the oil though. It holds 7 quarts!"

7 whole quarts! Try 14 quarts in the 7.3 liter Powerstroke. That was a shocker for me the first time.

Wingnut · Sep 9, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

Idiot Amplifier. I like that!

In addition to your comments, I'll throw in my pet peeve. Since the LPD has a big heavy strong vehicle, he/she/it feels qualified (or is it mandated?) to pull a trailer which they cannot back-up if their life depends on it ... and have NO idea how much that extra weight pushes them when stopping.

I still feel that the privilege of driving should only be extended after a 4 hour test, including most of the conditions one will meet ... including night driving, and bad weather (yeah, I know, impractical ... but I can dream, can't I?)

Wingnut · Sep 9, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

 WARNING - thos posting is NOT intended to hurt your feelings! 

It isn't just motorhomes and travel trailers, Robert (although I do agree with you). I was at a wild horse and burro auction (BLM) on the weekend and quite enjoyed seeing the folks with their impressive looking 7,000 mile long horse/people trailers pulled by 1 ton diesel dually pickups ... and taking more time to back up to the ramp than to get several wild and frightened animals loaded. (And the people with dinky horse trailers like mine were doing no better).
I don't really understand why having a single vehicle license ... and the money to buy a trailer ... means you're capable of hauling that sucker down the road.
I trailed one fella and his fancy rig out to the road (I was leaving) and got more than mildly irate at how he drove ... as others have said ... no idea where his vehicle or trailer were, and he drove as if he were either terrified ... or was just unable to find the accelerator pedal. Sad!

Wingnut · Sep 9, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

I thought it looked pretty cool in the commercials ... but all the reports I've seen on the Durango have been VERY critical. Quality problems abound according to the reviews and comments from acquaintenances who have them.

Oops ... now that I read farther down this thread, I see I'm making comments that Ranchman isn't gonna like. Sorry! I'm glad you're happy with it! And I hoipe your good luck continues!

Fireman_dcb · Sep 9, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

RobertN,

do you need the license for a vol. fire company? Here in NJ we're lucky... need a valid license. However, most depts. want to make sure that their $300k doesn't get rolled so they only allow "in-house" trained drivers operate the apparatus.

Doug

wasabi · Sep 9, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

My specialization was instrument flying instruction on a computerized flight simulator

Patrickg.....the world gets smaller yet. I too was an USAF Instrument Trainer Specialist in the early seventies. Did you spend any time at Eglin?

patrickg · Sep 9, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

Hazmat, Is the SuperCrew the 150, 250, or x50? I have owned a few trucks. Decades ago I had a homemade motorhome on a IH 4x4 with PTO winch. I have two Dodges now, a 3500 TD and a Dakota. All the rest of my life I drove Ford Pickups, only brand my dad had too. So on average, I'm about 75% a ford guy. Well lets reconsider that... My Ram 3500 has a third party (Stahl) service body on it and that has Ford taillights. I tell folks I have one of the rare Dodges with Ford taillights. Ford taillights have advantages: 1. When I fly by Ford PowerJokes going up hills by the time they get a sharp focus on me they see the Ford tail lights and don't feel so bad. I never quite got used to driving a non-Ford truck so the tail lights comfort me, sort of wean me off slowly. I put the FEL bucket through one of the tail lights with the tractor on the trailelr too far forward and backing too sharply. Advantage, Ford! The Ford light assy is cheaper.

Patrick

RanchMan · Sep 9, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

Wingnut -

but all the reports I've seen on the Durango have been VERY critical. Quality problems abound according to the reviews and comments from acquaintenances who have them.

Hmmm. I've "pulled back the sheets" and pointed out that I've had "issues" with my Durango, just that they were minor and cost me nothing out of pocket to have addressed. I haven’t encountered (either myself or friends with Durangos) who have the wholesale problems you seem to indicate.

I'm NOT saying that such reports don't exist. I'm just saying "consider the source." (If you'd care to post the links where you got your information, I'd be interested in looking at them). Funny thing about it is that "all the reports" I've seen with regards to reliability and consumer satisfaction don't seem to concur with your statement. (<A target="_blank" HREF=http://carpoint.msn.com/vip/usedrelover.aspx?make=Dodge&model=Durango>here's one example</A> - BTW, since the Durango stats only exist for 2 years on this site, I suggest you also look at the Dakota stats as it is essentially the same vehicle from the cab forward and floor down and goes back further in history, although I'm not sure what year the "major revision" took place.) If you want to look up another vehicle, use <A target="_blank" HREF=http://carpoint.msn.com/home/reliability_ratings.asp>this link</A> ).

'Course for anyone who may have been considering a Durango will probably seriously consider eliminating that option based on your words (even if a preponderance of the evidence "proves" otherwise). I'm sure the "seed" you planted regarding supposed unreliability and quality problems can't be killed since human nature means we have a tendency to remember the "bad things" (even if they aren't necessarily accurate) more than the "good things." Too bad - a "good" vehicle in my view is now getting a "black eye."

Funny thing is even though I could have said negative things about some of the other brands/models posted on this thread, I didn't because even though I have friends who own them, I do not, and <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.nolo.com/lawcenter/dictionary/dictionary_listing.cfm/Term/FFEBF86E-989B-4B2E-BC22081A6301B4F0/alpha/H>"heresay"</A> isn't admissible in court for a reason. I try very hard to stay consistent (although admit I may not be 100% successful) on that point - (e.g. giving opinions about things I have direct knowledge of vs. those that I do not.) Oh well, I guess that's another area where we seem to differ.

PS: WARNING ... This post is NOT intended to hurt anyone's feelings!

hazmat · Sep 9, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

Patrick,

It is the 150. The bed is about 5 1/2 feet long which makes the overall length very close to a regular cab + 8' bed or extra cab + 6 1/2' bed.

 WARNING WARNING WARNING 

The outer part of the bed is made of... gasp ... plastic.

Shush don't tell anybody I don't drive a real truck, just a toy /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

patrickg · Sep 9, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

Hey Wasabi, Like FFO man! No I was never at Eglin, you lucky dog. My Father-in-law ( a real rocket scientist who worked directly for WVB at Canavaral) worked as a civilian scientist at Eglin for a spell but earlier by several years. So, did you go to school in bld P3 by the flight line at Chanute? I assume you were also a 34151...

I went directly from Chanute to Minot AFB (at Minot, ND) headquarters of the 810 Strategic Aerospace Division) where when I arrived there was a contractor removing obsolete SAGE equipment from the SAGE building. They were using fire axes to cut big cable bundles into man packable chunks to toss on their truck. For the uninitiated the sage buildings were about 1/3 of a block by 1/3 of a block, three stories high with full basement and were near H-bomb proof windowless structures with enough air conditioning to cool the Sahara. Originally chock full of intel and air defense computers (vacuum tube type, hence the enormous AC capacity). Bld was replaced with a semi trailer of equipment.

So did you ever get to operate the B-52 or KC-135 sims that were hauled around on RR cars? They were cool.

I was in from AUG 63 to Aug 67 so we took turns. Well have to swap "war stories" sometime.

Patrick

wasabi · Sep 9, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

So, did you go to school in bld P3 by the flight line at Chanute? I assume you were also a 34151...

Yup on both counts. Sure was cold marching across that tarmac when the winter wind blew across those Illinois plains! I don't remember all that much from those days, but seem to recall that there wasn't a decent looking un-attached female anywhere near Chanute....we used to take road trips to Champaign sp? Urbana to chase college girls back then. Not much else to do there, eh? At least Eglin was by the beach!

Never got a chance at the B52 simulator, but marched under and close by some of those big birds....very humbling!

Gary_in_Indiana · Sep 9, 2002

Re: Full Size SUV\'s

Were any of the negatives you read about the transmissions? I've known Chrysler to have a real history of transmission problems in their trucks and didn't know if this was following that same pattern.