What about a suburban?
What about a suburban?
Look into the '07-'08 Grand Cherokee diesels. Came with the Mercedes CRD motor, people are getting 27-29mpg with them unloaded and they tow very nicely.
That's what I'm probably going to buy next.
docwyte wrote: Look into the '07-'08 Grand Cherokee diesels. Came with the Mercedes CRD motor, people are getting 27-29mpg with them unloaded and they tow very nicely. That's what I'm probably going to buy next.
I don't think they allowed them to be sold in MA. 
That's where he is.
SilverFleet wrote:docwyte wrote: Look into the '07-'08 Grand Cherokee diesels. Came with the Mercedes CRD motor, people are getting 27-29mpg with them unloaded and they tow very nicely. That's what I'm probably going to buy next.I don't think they allowed them to be sold in MA.
Yeah that and the fact that 27-29mpg in one of those is basically unachievable. Pile of crap motor that it is..
http://www.fuelly.com/car/jeep/grand%20cherokee/diesel%20v6
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymanu.htm
Like those guys who get 30mpg out of a 4BT powered rig.. ha ha ha no.
I hate full time! Not only do I want to be able to play in the winter but it just chaps my a$$ that it could likely get a lot better mileage if it was selectable 2wd-4wd.
Full time 4wd is the same as AWD in most cars. I know on the jeeps, it is basically a viscous coupling inside the transfer case. It's not like all 4 wheels are driven all the time.
Further, being able to select 2wd wouldnt change the mpg at all. The only way you could take a 4wd truck and make it get better mileage is with unlocking hubs.. Otherwise the front axles, diff, driveshaft, etc are all sucking power off the front tires whether its in auto (full time) or 2wd.
Does anyone have, or has anyone driven the latest gen (2007+) Ford Sport Trac?
I don't LOVE the Explorer platform but I don't hate the Sport Trac. The 4.6L V8 tows 7,160 lbs...not bad for a mid-size.
They are a bit cheaper than the Tahoe but they get the same or worse mileage than the much larger Tahoe.
You can bring one in used, just can't buy it new there. Friend has one and regularly gets that mileage on the freeway.
It was the first vehicle on my list, that and the HEMI GC. They are both full-time. Not sure about the 27+ mpg but I've heard a lot of people in the low to mid 20s. A German engine in an American vehicle scares me a bit, but I'd give one a shot. The turbo mounted above and rearward of the engine sounds terrible, and uber expensive Mercedes oil and filters doesn't excite me.
If I ever get over this hate for full-time it will be back on my top 5 list.
HEMI GC
Unfortunately, they get ~13mpg in the city. For some strange reason they arent that fast, either (stock, all hemis love teh mods).
Vigo wrote:I hate full time! Not only do I want to be able to play in the winter but it just chaps my a$$ that it could likely get a lot better mileage if it was selectable 2wd-4wd.Full time 4wd is the same as AWD in most cars. I know on the jeeps, it is basically a viscous coupling inside the transfer case. It's not like all 4 wheels are driven all the time. Further, being able to select 2wd wouldnt change the mpg at all. The only way you could take a 4wd truck and make it get better mileage is with unlocking hubs.. Otherwise the front axles, diff, driveshaft, etc are all sucking power off the front tires whether its in auto (full time) or 2wd.
I'll be the first to admit that I don't really understand the modern "smart" AWD systems that well.
Having said that, I can confirm without a doubt that on an old skool system like a Jeep Quadratrac, locking the transfer case (they had a vacuum operated switch in the glove box) and removing the front drive shaft would make the mileage jump from 12 to 16. No joke
Yeh, the driveshaft and the parts it's bolted to in the transfer case will suck down some power.
Remember if your diff has a ~3.5:1 ratio (for example), every time you push the front wheels one revolution, they're spinning the driveshaft and transfer case parts 3.5 times. Wasteful.
But, on the auto AWD systems in the jeeps you CANT take out the front driveshaft, because basically that triggers the viscous coupling to be locked up all the time and transmit 100% of engine power through one end of it.. it will burn up and then you got a transfer case full of debris about to mess something up.
wvumtnbkr wrote: How about a Nissan Xterra? They tow something like 6500 lbs with the tow package. You can even get one with a 6 speed manual. I imagine it gets similar gas mileage to my frontier (18-21 mpg highway about 16-18 city and about 12 mpg towing) Rob
I love my XTerra. It has a 6 speed, and a 5K rating, but with the manual tranny it tows extremely well - on some hills here in the Northeast, I can downshift and pull away from some 1/2 ton V8 pickups with my 4-5K race car + trailer behind. Definitely need a weight distributing hitch though. Bonus, if you need an off-road vehicle they're great.
Downsides, I'm worried about the clutch from low speed maneuvering, lots of slipping sometimes to get going. This is where I'd love an auto. Also, gas mileage pretty much sucks. I get 17-18 on the highway, maybe 15-16 around the city, 10-14 towing (MPG, as always depends on how heavy footed you are). But, you could pick one up for cheap and still come out ahead here.
But, I've got close to 100K on my '05, end of next year I'm looking for an '11 F-150 with the new EcoBoost engine...
SilverFleet wrote:docwyte wrote: Look into the '07-'08 Grand Cherokee diesels. Came with the Mercedes CRD motor, people are getting 27-29mpg with them unloaded and they tow very nicely. That's what I'm probably going to buy next.I don't think they allowed them to be sold in MA.
I remember checking on this myself - beyond a certain age and mileage, I believe you can register them in Mass, but better to search yourself.
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