IS there a ...4-Banger in your Future$$$

I have a major trade off if I were to go to an even smaller vehicle. I have a 3/10th of a mile driveway that gets washed out everytime we have a major downpour and we don't have the money, nor the equipment, to fix it everytime. This leaves major ruts to negotiate in the warmer months and then there is the ice and snow that happens in the winter. The smaller cars simply don't have the ground clearance nor the structural integrety to survive much travel on the driveway.

Additionally, I have to have room in a vehicle to haul feed, some bulky supplies and animals. The smaller cars don't have the room for what I need either.

As for smaller engines, they buzz and wear out faster at higher highway speeds that are necessary for interstate highway travel if you need to get from one part of the state to another, which I sometimes have to do. I have tried driving 55 mph before, and that just gets me closer to being rearended and run-over by other vehicles. I once had a Ford Escort Wagon with the 1.6 liter four-cylindar and an automatic. While it was nice on gas and could move some things, it was not built for hauling much nor was it comfortable to drive long distances. The engine also buzzed at interstate speeds, which drove me nuts.

As for diesel engines, if they could have a domestic selection in smaller vehicles, I would be more than happy to consider it. However, so far, the only options are in full-size trucks and vans. But in any case, right now I don't have the money to buy a new vehicle, let alone a diesel one.

If we could build a domestic 4x4 diesel-electric hybrid pickup truck that was the size of a mid-size pickup or smaller, yet could haul one-ton or more of payload, I would be more than happy to figure out a way to buy one. For what I need around here, I need economy, cargo weight capacity, 4x4 drive and something that has good ground clearance.

If things get too tight I might consider a enduro (on-off road) motorcycle for trips where I just need to show up at a meeting for my part-time newspaper job. Then I can save my mid-sized Mercury Sable sedan for when I need to haul something like feed.

If I can find a replacement body for my 1987 Ford Mustang, I will move the I-4 2.3 liter engine and 5-speed overdrive powertrain out of it and into the replacement body, then I can have a 30 mpg or more car again.

As it stands, blaming people for their choices is futile. We should try to stick together more and just try to get along.

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I would challenge anyone here to think of a question upon which we once had a scientific answer, however inadequate, but for which now the best answer is a religious one. – Sam Harris

I think we are missing the point here. ALL of us can come up with reasons not to drive a smaller vehicle. When the time comes that gasoline is honestly priced, fixing a driveway properly just might be cheaper than driving a guzzler. And should it get to rationing, I doubt anyone on a ration board will issue more gasoline because our hobbies include hauling. Heck, in WWII my grandad had pump his assigned oil leasing walking and carrying his tools in a bucket. What I am hearing is a lot "can't do that because I prefer to live this way". As long as you can afford it, you can. But don't go whining about the price in that case. We do a fair amount of hauling with a 4 banger truck. You just go a heck of a lot slower. And of course, we learned what hauling we HAD to do instead of what hauling we like to do. There is a difference. We've driven 55 tops since 1973 and never came close to being run over or rear ended. People just pass us. And we Americans may or may not be lame, but we sure have some of the lamest excuses for our choices.

I drive a truck when I need to haul the horses or hay or a tractor somewhere, it's a Chevy HD2500 four door with a long bed and a towing package. Gas mileage is around 15 in town and 17 on the highway. I refuse to borrow other people's vehicles and trailers to haul my horses with, I am always afraid something might happen to a borrowed truck so I ponied up for the truck and like everyone else, I gripe about the gas mileage but it sure is nice when I go off for a camping weekend.

I drive a Mitsubishi Eclipse Spider convertible to work, around town for shopping and stuff - it's cheap on gas, and is perfect for driving the few miles I go back and forth to work and to drop my son off at school. If I go out of town and don't need to haul anything, I drive it.

I figure if you can afford the fuel and want to take a jetliner to work, that's your business. There are plenty of wasteful things in the world and my driving once a month to the feedstore or to a long trail/camping weekend isn't going to make the difference in whether the gas supply goes belly up. I don't use gas or electric for heat, so maybe I make up the few gallons I do use that way.

Sidepasser

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Be yourself - no one can tell you that you're doing it wrong!

Matt,

I didn't say anything about hating it here and since I have season tickets to the Yankees, I can't leave yet.

I drive an S-10 about 200 miles a week.
What do you need to do that the S-10 can't do?
I also have a Saab 900 convertible that I take on any long trips.

Isn't it obvious that Americans are extremely wasteful? We drive Excursions, Suburbans and other similar vehicles to pickup some groceries or drop the kids at soccer practice. We buy them because we say they make us feel safer. The ironic thing about that is even if they make you feel safer, their need for so much fuel is undermining our national security. People hate to hear it but oil money is what mainly supports terrorism (see Iraq war).

Scotty

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I'm all for being religious but stay away from organized religions, they seem to cause more harm than good.