Forgot to mention the last-generation Ford Fiesta. Not as practical and capacious as a Yaris or Jazz or whatever, but - damn it's sexy. In my book, at the moment the best looking supermini money can buy. I'm talking about the hatchback, of course - the sedan is... well, meh.
Test-drove the 1.4 TDci turboDiesel, and nearly ended up buying one.

Really practical range of vehicles being showcased here, the Toyotas and Fords and Hondas all seem to be pretty bullet proof and cheap to run as does the Kia van range.  My experience with running a Nissan 4 wheel drive for 10 years was that it was great fun at the right time and great for carrying loads but the fuel and tyre expenditure wasn't smart when most of the running was in the city and suburbs.  A wander into a non-city wreckers yard is a bit of a shock too when you see how badly some of these off-road vehicles handle a big crash. But, anyway, I did enjoy having one at the time but wouldn't go back to a big 4-wheel drive again.
Does the American market get the VW Caddy Maxi van, cos that's another useful option for pallet siz loads in a (I think) 1800cc vehicle with car ride, high safety and low running costs....ah, the choices in this modern world!

Quote from: tt_four on January 11, 2011, 09:55:46 AM
My requirements:

A back seat big enough to hold 2 65-70lb dogs

Ability to move a motorcycle(super rare but I wouldn't mind the option), needs a bed of at least 6 foot, and I don't mind getting that with the bed down as long as it'll hold the back wheel

Ability to move some 4x8 sheets of drywall, plywood, and some studs

Something not so big that it's a hassle to drive in the city



Not really conscerned with gas mileage since I never drive anyway. Not saying I want an 11mpg army tank, but I'm not looking for 30mpg either. I know they make extended cab trucks that are pretty small, but I've sat in the back of one before, and I don't think my 2 dogs are going to be able to squeeze on that little seat without falling off every time I touch the brakes. I don't necessarily need SUV sized rear seats, but enough room for them to lay down.

I know another option is to get a car and put a hitch on it. Renting trailers is pretty cheap from uhaul and I don't need to move big things all that often, so that's technically a possibility, but I'd at least like to find something with a roof rack so I don't have to rent a trailer just for a few 2x4s.

So what do you guys think? am I missing any options??

If I had a truck with a cap on the back, I could get a bed shaped peice of carpet, let the dogs hang out in the back, and still have the option to remove the cap if I had to pick up something big. I'm pretty sure I'd kill myself someday though when i tried to remove the cap by myself when I needed to go get something and couldn't find anyone to help me, not to mention I'd have where to keep it aside from just laying it in my yard(trashy??)

You guys are missing the point of the vehicle he is looking for (not to mention some of the vehicles mentioned aren't available in the States).

He doesn't need a daily driver...he needs a vehicle that is a tool, more than a vehicle...kinda...if it is occassional use, fuel economy isn't a huge concern...and have you ever tried to hook up a trailer to a Yaris or a Fit??..the bike and trailer would be over the towing capacity of the car...if he isn't into the minivan idea, a small truck would be a good bet...get a crew cab model, small extended cabs don't really have a big enough area behind the seats for the dogs (unless you go with a topper)...I would aim for cheap and reliable...chevy/ford/dodge 1/2 ton ext cab with small V8...all you would need...cheap to buy, maintenance doesn't get much easier and will last many years...you could also look at older model Toyota Tundra...the Nissan Titan looks good and is comfy, but I have heard not so good things about their rear ends...and they only have the one engine, and it is a little thirsty compared to the others...

Anyway...good luck!!

Later.

Holy hell that's a huge truck, haha. I would be fine with a truck with a normal cab and lid(don't remember the proper name) on the bed so the dogs could just hang out in there, but I'd hate myself the first time I tried to get it off and didn't have anyone around to help. It would be cool if I wanted to take an easy camping trip or something like that. Instant tent.

Anyway, I'm thinking just something like this....



Like I said, I'm not too concerned with gas mileage. Home depot is 2 miles away and I could just start buying dog food 2 bags at a time and only have to make the 20 minute drive once every 2 months. The vet is only 2 miles away as well, so the only time I'd really need to go farther is if I found something I wanted on craigslist. Plus if I end up with one of the cheaper models it'll come with a smaller motor, which will get me better mileage anyway. No use for a 4 liter V8 or anything ridiculous. Give me a 1.5 liter I4 and I'll be perfectly fine haha.

I was partially starting to like the idea of one of these, but now that I look at them again I think I'd feel like an ass driving one. Not to mention that bed is like 8 feet in the air. It would be a lot cooler if the back of the cab folded in like the Avalanche, but it doesn't.

Yeah, I was kinda kidding about my truck...it sucks in the city...doesn't turn worth a damn, and parking...not good...as for the height of the box...well the tires are 3ft tall...yup, it's a retard truck...I thought it looked cool, still do, but the lift and size sucks for anything but towing my trailer and work...my wife has a GMC Envoy, much better for in the city (still not that efficient...but we needed the room for three kids and the dogs)  Wifey takes the kids and dogs camping in the summer (trailer is already set up on a leased lot), and I join them on the weekend by riding my bike out... ...the only way to fly...

The Avalanche is actually not a bad truck...the mid gate thing is actually pretty handy when you do need the extra room...you could also look at the Ford Explorer Sport Trac...

I still think the minivan is the better choice...and cheaper...

Later.

Quote from: tt_four on January 12, 2011, 09:11:53 AM
Definitely no SUVs just out of principle. A van wouldn't be that bad. Are there vans that let you slide drywall and 4x8 sheets of wood inside? Obviously 9 foot is long enough, but I wasn't sure if it would be wide/tall enough to fit. The dogs would certainly love that.

Yes, most minivans do accommodate 4 x 8 sheets laying flat.  Some require removal of the seats, some you fold the seats down.  As for the Quest/Villager, they are just about 2" short - the back door won't latch so I just lashed the door down, no problem.  Well, I did curse the Ford engineers who missed that little detail.  Probably using Chinese tape measures.  But other minivans are actually longer. 

The utility of a truck is alluring, but the all-around utility of a van I think is only limited by how clean you want to keep it!  Now, driving a minivan may incur a hit on your manliness.  So I ride a GS500, and drive a minivan....  I obviously am not compensating for anything!

This little Honda Element dog-friendly package catches the eye!

http://automobiles.honda.com/element/dog-accessories.aspx

Anyone ever seen one in real life? Love the ramp into the load-area.......

if a trailer is an option, just get an old accord or camry. very comfy, very dependable, and will keep your dogs comfortable too.

pull the trailer when u need to haul a bike or two.

some of the kickass trailers fold up and stow in almost a closet.

Quote from: madjak30 on January 12, 2011, 04:47:10 PM
have you ever tried to hook up a trailer to a Yaris or a Fit??..the bike and trailer would be over the towing capacity of the car...

Let me disagree on your observation. A car like that will actually pull a bike and trailer without worries me thinks. A friend of mine does that all the time with a comparable car (Opel/Vauxhall Corsa 1300 CDTi, 75 bhp). My own car (same engine, same size) has a 1000 kg towing capacity.

You have a point about all the rest, though.

Peace

Yeah, TT has already shot down the Element which I still think is the most viable option!

He should think about the Aztec next you can have a tent in the back!

Mary

The idea of a van doesn't sound too bad, but how is the overall inside height? Would I potentially be removing mirrors and windshields anytime I tried to move a bike?

I was also curious about actually strapping the bike down. Unless I got a bigger industrial van, I don't assume vans really have anywhere to hook some straps on to? I feel like my only real option would be to drill holes in the floor and bolt on some attachment points, not to mention something to hold the front wheel. A benefit of a truck would be that you can push the front wheel up against the front of the bed and you have plenty of attaching points.

I know I could also put a tarp down, but I'd hate to get an oil leak or something like that inside of the van, not to mention if I picked up a pretty beat up bike that smelled like gas. Definitely don't need to be huffing gas fumes the whole way home. If it's nice I would just have the windows down, but if I found a bike I liked in winter or on a rainy day, I'd be out of luck.

In general it's a good idea, but I think there are too many potential down sides.

What's the budget?  Cash or finance?  I could get you into a 83-85 LR 110 pick up with canvas bonnet and AC for under 20k.
Actually, I could probably get you into one with a 200di engine for that price and you'd get about 26-28mpg hwy.  Petrol, you'd be looking at 16-18, the stock diesel from that era is wholly unreliable.

Yeah, you're right about the height and old rat bike issues in a mini van.  Full size van wouldn't be a problem with height, as far as I know.  Tiedown points for me are the seat mounts in the floor.  Convenient.  Front wheel goes between front seat armrests.

From what I remember when I owned the Grand Caravan, it was about as tall as it was wide inside (atleast 48") which should be enough...most vans have anchor points for child seats, and if they can't handle the bike straps, they shouldn't be tying a child seat to them...

But it sounds like you don't really want a van...I won't hold it against you... ... ...get yourself a half ton and be done with it...that way it will do anything you want, and it has the "Tim the Toolman" grunt to it...

Later.

Or a slightly used fullsize van

Quote from: tt_four on January 14, 2011, 08:18:06 PM
The idea of a van doesn't sound too bad, but how is the overall inside height? Would I potentially be removing mirrors and windshields anytime I tried to move a bike?

I was also curious about actually strapping the bike down. Unless I got a bigger industrial van, I don't assume vans really have anywhere to hook some straps on to? I feel like my only real option would be to drill holes in the floor and bolt on some attachment points, not to mention something to hold the front wheel. A benefit of a truck would be that you can push the front wheel up against the front of the bed and you have plenty of attaching points.

I know I could also put a tarp down, but I'd hate to get an oil leak or something like that inside of the van, not to mention if I picked up a pretty beat up bike that smelled like gas. Definitely don't need to be huffing gas fumes the whole way home. If it's nice I would just have the windows down, but if I found a bike I liked in winter or on a rainy day, I'd be out of luck.

In general it's a good idea, but I think there are too many potential down sides.

That is one reason the van I mentioned is a tradie's van basically (Kia Pregio). It has tie down points inside. Is washable with a hose. Has a cabin splitter with a little window in it, so when its empty the drivers cabin isn't deafened by the echo coming out of the empty space. A full size bike does fit in it (which I have before) it would only become an issue if the bike's height is 5 foot or over. Mini vans kind of suck they are only good people carries in my opinion. Want a van get a real van. Front seats only. But its still a choice of compromise either way you look at it.

Quote from: spc on January 14, 2011, 08:51:06 PM
I could get you into a 83-85 LR 110 pick up with canvas bonnet and AC for under 20k.
Actually, I could probably get you into one with a 200di engine for that price and you'd get about 26-28mpg hwy.  Petrol, you'd be looking at 16-18, the stock diesel from that era is wholly unreliable.

Haha, I barely understood a word you said, but I still appreciate it.

Still undecided on what I want to spend, or whether I want to finance or just buy one. I also want to get a supermoto this year, and would like to spend about $1500 putting an xb12 motor in my xb9. Also, I'd like to get $800 or so in a piggy bank some when an old 91-95 gsxr750 pops up on craigslist and is a complete mess, I can grab it cheap for a streetfighter project. I haven't quite decided what order all of this should happen. Obviously it would be easiest to pick up any of that stuff if I already had a truck, but that's what I've got to figure out. I'm not looking for anything fancy(remember it'll be driven like 10 times a year, and usually for a specific purpose). The higher end of the scale would probably just be any of the base model trucks I've seen for about $17-18k. I think I remember one or two manufacturers having 4 doors at that price. It's more likely that I'll just buy something used for under $10k. I would be afraid to go under $3-3.5k because I'm not looking for something that comes with a list of parts that will need upgraded, so probably somewhere around $5-8k. Then I'll just put a cover over it and forget about it until I need to use it.

As far as the van, I definitely thought about a full sized van too. It wouldn't be bad, I would still have the gas fumes issue if I was hauling something in poor shape, buy my biggest concern would be the 'why is that child rapist driving around our neighborhood' looks that I would get from people, haha, and I can't say it wouldn't happen because I give that same look to people who drive those vans. I'd have to put fake company stickers on it just so I looked official.

The answer is definitely a truck. I just needed to get over the size issue. Some of the 4 doors are definitely smaller than I always pictured them in my head.

Quote from: tt_four on January 15, 2011, 01:09:45 PM

Quote from: spc on January 14, 2011, 08:51:06 PM
I could get you into a 83-85 LR 110 pick up with canvas bonnet and AC for under 20k.
Actually, I could probably get you into one with a 200di engine for that price and you'd get about 26-28mpg hwy.  Petrol, you'd be looking at 16-18, the stock diesel from that era is wholly unreliable.

Haha, I barely understood a word you said, but I still appreciate it.

Still undecided on what I want to spend, or whether I want to finance or just buy one. I also want to get a supermoto this year, and would like to spend about $1500 putting an xb12 motor in my xb9. Also, I'd like to get $800 or so in a piggy bank some when an old 91-95 gsxr750 pops up on craigslist and is a complete mess, I can grab it cheap for a streetfighter project. I haven't quite decided what order all of this should happen. Obviously it would be easiest to pick up any of that stuff if I already had a truck, but that's what I've got to figure out. I'm not looking for anything fancy(remember it'll be driven like 10 times a year, and usually for a specific purpose). The higher end of the scale would probably just be any of the base model trucks I've seen for about $17-18k. I think I remember one or two manufacturers having 4 doors at that price. It's more likely that I'll just buy something used for under $10k. I would be afraid to go under $3-3.5k because I'm not looking for something that comes with a list of parts that will need upgraded, so probably somewhere around $5-8k. Then I'll just put a cover over it and forget about it until I need to use it.

As far as the van, I definitely thought about a full sized van too. It wouldn't be bad, I would still have the gas fumes issue if I was hauling something in poor shape, buy my biggest concern would be the 'why is that child rapist driving around our neighborhood' looks that I would get from people, haha, and I can't say it wouldn't happen because I give that same look to people who drive those vans. I'd have to put fake company stickers on it just so I looked official.

The answer is definitely a truck. I just needed to get over the size issue. Some of the 4 doors are definitely smaller than I always pictured them in my head.

In laymans terms, an updated almost antique landrover. shaZam! id do it. well worth asking price

Naa...pick up about a 4yo extended cab truck (if you go with a crew cab you can't get the 6ft bed)...the half tons have a decently sized area in the rear seat area...the dodge has the biggest with the quad cab, but they are all pretty decent...if you go with the smaller trucks, I think the Nissan is pretty good...you would be limited in the "back seat" in the extended cabs due to there being barely enough room for a coat...so the crew cab would be better, but then you are limited on what you can carry in the bed due to how short they are...also the smaller trucks won't fit a 4x8 sheet between the wheel wells...not the end of the world, but you would want to take that into consideration.

If you are not going to be driving it much, I wouldn't spend much on it since the more you spend, the more you loose to depreciation.

Later.

tt_four buys a trucklet...   

What a sad day in human history!