New Vehicle

I’m thinking about a new vehicle and looking for some feedback. Right now I have an ’02 F-150 with the 5.4L engine. It’s a great truck, but the gas mileage was killing me during the week (I do a fair amount of driving). I got an escort for the fuel economy, but it needs some repairs that might not be worth doing. I didn’t like the escort much, and I really do need a nicer vehicle for everyday use. Financially, I’d rather not get a new car and keep the newer truck. So I’m thinking of trading the truck in for a more fuel efficient tow vechile OR trading it in on a nicer car and buying a slightly older used truck with cash (thinking 1996 or so Chevy 350). I can’t be the only one thinking about this given gas prices, so I thought I’d ask here what people think. I’m looking for advice on two issues, specifically:

1) What are some of the more fuel efficient tow vehicles out there? I’d only get rid of my truck for something that gets 20+ highway and tows 3000-4000 GVWR. Maybe an SUV? I think I can live without a pickup, but only for something much more efficient that can still tow my boat… I’d love to hear ideas!

2) Would I be crazy to dump the ’02 150 for a newer car and older truck? Reliability is a concern, but those 350’s, for example, are solid engines and I can handle the maintenance work myself.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

John

Couple of questions. Is the F-150 paid for? If the F-150 is paid for there is no way you can justify selling it just for the price of gas. Crunch the numbers you might be surprised. How far and how often do you tow? I don`t beleive your going to find a 4X4 tow vehicle that will get over 20 mpg towing. Most SUV`s don`t get that by themselves in real life.

For an everyday driver I would look at any vehicle with GM`S 3.8 liter. They are bullet proof plenty of power and highway mileage will get 30 to 35 MPG. The 3.8 came in Buick Lesabers, Olds 88 and 98, Chevy Monte Carlos, Grand Prix, Grand Ams, and others.

The Crown Vic or Grand Marquis can tow some decent loads and get 20-25 easily.

BTW, my friend swears that he gets 30mph+ in his 2007 Corvette. Go figure.

Sounds like your in the market for a 2006 Jeep Liberty Diesel. This vehicle was designed for people exactly like yourself. 30 mpg, when not pulling, mid 20’s when you are. They built diesels until 2006, and after listening to consumers, found most customers wanted a little bigger tow vehicle. Now the Grand Cherokee has the diesel, and the Liberty has a 3.7 gas.

big g

Those new Vette’s are capable of that fuel economy. The last Z06 vette they made, in the C5 body style, achieved 28mpg, all while producing 400hp.

The newest 7.0L Z07 produces 505hp, and shouldn’t be far off that 23mpg number.

BMW has been producing 400hp cars that get close to, or over 30mpg for years….

I would definitely look at a Gran Prix, Grand Am, Alero (V6), Monte Carlo, Lumina, Impala, Buick Century, Buick Regal, all with the 3.4L or 3.8L engines, they are like others have said, bulletproof, and they get upper 20’s to low 30’s MPG. Maintenance is relatively simple, and most can be found used with very few miles (driven by older people).

Also, it doesn’t take a HUGE truck to pull 3000-4000lbs. Maybe look into a V6 4X4 midsize (S-10, Ranger, Tacoma, Frontier) A newer S-10 or Blazer could do that with a 4.3L V6. You won’t be breaking any speed records, but it can be done, safely. I have a 2.2L 4 cyl S-10 that i tow a 16ft Crestliner with. Granted it’s probably only 1200lbs total, i can get 19mpg towing with that vehicle. It’s only 2wd, which is obviously limiting in where i can go, but for right now, it’s the only economical thing for me.

Forgot to mention that the truck is close to paid for. I’ll have it wrapped up in a couple of months. I tried to sell it outright a while back, but decided to hang onto it until it was paid off. Now I’m really close, but still not sure I want to keep it … I sort of hate the idea of a $10,000+ truck sitting in the garage losing value while I drive a car I’ll be making payments on. Maybe I should take a hard look at the numbers like you said!

For an everyday driver, I was thinking a 1-2 year old Ford Fusion. I have never heard of the Liberty Diesel … that sounds interesting. I am definitely willing to tow with a lighter vehicle if I need to. My ego isn’t strong enough to let me tow with a car, though, and I’d have to think about the Liberty idea (though I really like those numbers).

Thanks a ton for the advice so far!

Your welcome. Click link to see Liberty Diesel.

Liberty Diesel

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If the F-150 is paid for there is no way you can justify selling it just for the price of gas. Crunch the numbers you might be surprised.

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I agree I would keep the truck and spend your money on a different everyday vehicle.

I agree on the 3.8 liter engine I have a 2000 grand prix GTP that I bought new and it has 101K on it now and runs great. Mine is the supercharged 3.8 so it runs on premium but still gets about 30 on the highway at 70 mph. My overall mileage is about 25-26 (As long as I keep my foot off the floor and do not tap into the supercharger)

There’s so much to choose from in cars and none of them hold value very well. My advice would be to realize that it doesn’t matter if you’re truck is losing value in the garage vs. the highway. Depreciation is going to happen but lower miles will forever help you in the future if reselling comes about again. The bottomline is PAID FOR. Again, crunching numbers will show that you can have a truck sitting around getting minimal use better than rotating value/payment strategies.

Because there’s a lot of low use cars available from 8-12years old, 70-100,000 miles, and $5000 or less, I’d convert payment dollars into savings dollars and ride out the Escort until it’s absolutely dead. If that’s tomorrow, well……. we’d have to tweak the plan but go the route of paid off! If the Escort can get you an extra year or two with minimal input, think about 2 years worth of payments saved up to buy a nice, low mileage, used vehicle. Almost everything made today will go 200,000miles with some regular maintenence.

I once bought an 87 Monte Carlo for $3200.00 with 98,000miles. I owned it for 10 years, added another 100,000 to it at the cost of oil changes, tires, a gas tank, a radiator, and one muffler/tailpipe. 26mpg was common with a 305 V8. I financed that purchase for 18 months. That’s 8 1/2 years of “no payment”. That opens up a lot of other opportunities. One being that until recently, I’ve always had a spare vehicle laying around for emergencies. The reason I no longer do is because that went to my step son for his first vehicle. Not perfect, but driveable and improveable if desired. Once I get all the kids through this “first vehicle” thing, I’m sure I’ll once again have a spare laying around because it doesn’t cost much, if anything, to have it there. Resale value matters not when the need is being met and the bank is no longer involved.

Keep the truck, its already depreciated, there wouldn’t be any benefit from purchasing new. If you decide to get a car, get a GM with the 3.8. I have a ’96 Buick Park Avenue with 171,000 miles and get 31 mpg on the highway. Only have liability on it. If not, keep driving the truck.