Still Kinda Sorta Maybe Scooter Related

Corsair · Post by **Corsair** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 3:51 am

So our car is wrecked

and we've been searching for a new car but recently have been thinking about getting a truck/jeep/wagon/suv instead. ok ok I know trucks are gas guzzling scooter scourges but since we plan on using our scooters 90% of the time any way our thinking is that it would be great to have something with actual towing/hauling ability for when we need it.

So we're looking for recommendations for a good, reliable, used vehicle that has storage and can carry or tow two Buddies

Even though it's not going to be our commuter it would be nice if it still had decent mileage

any ideas?

Valgal20 · Post by **Valgal20** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 4:28 pm

HAY! Iv got a 1998 Chevy Astro Van (150,000mi), it is great for EVERYTHING! Iv hauled 9 goats in it with the seats out and It fits 6 bales of hay (clean interrior)- I bet it would hold a scooter or two- and if you put both the seats in, then you can take 7 passengers, or just one seat and one Scoot, and It can have a trailer hitch attached and you could put the scooter on the back, AND it has a roof rack, and Runs Good, and AC and Heat, AND CD Player, AND ITS FOR SALE! $4,000.oo, OBO. MESA, AZ!
It has been a great EVERYTHING van- Ill be sad to see it go- BUT I NEED A SCOOTER!

rajron · Post by **rajron** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 4:46 pm

Sorry I do not have any suggestions on another car, and sorry about your old car.

I also had a Mazda Protégé, had it for years and when my daughter came of age it was passed down to her. She had it for 3 months and it ended up looking almost exactly like yours – totaled, whole front end torn off, even the opposite fender. She was at an intersection; someone waved her through, crash! – No one hurt, it was her fault. I ended up buying a used Nissan Altima – it had 78K and got it for about 4K. The new car is an automatic and should help with her concentration with driving.

Good Luck on getting a new car, I found her new car at: www.craigslist.org/

Keys · Post by **Keys** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:34 pm

A few months ago I bought a used Nissan Pickup for about three grand. Somebody had already lowered it about 3 inches which makes it easy to get scooters in. Gets about 25 mpg.

However, I think Valgal needs to get onto a scooter, so I recommend her van...

--Keys

Post by **jmazza** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:58 pm

Valgal20 wrote:Iv hauled 9 goats in it

louie · Post by **louie** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:07 pm

jmazza wrote:
Valgal20 wrote:Iv hauled 9 goats in it

you gotta love somebody who will haul goats around.

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:18 pm

http://www.toyota.com/rav4/index.html

A toyota rav4 might haul 1 in the trunk, and then having a scooter rack on the hitch, you could carry another.

http://www.scooterworks.com/images/Prod ... d/TSC3.jpg

Post by **illnoise** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 8:38 pm

jfrost2 wrote:http://www.toyota.com/rav4/index.html

A toyota rav4 might haul 1 in the trunk, and then having a scooter rack on the hitch, you could carry another.

http://www.scooterworks.com/images/Prod ... d/TSC3.jpg

A hitch-mounted scooter carrier requires a higher class (3?) hitch than most small/midsize cars (Rav 4) can handle. And I doubt a scooter would fit in the back of a Rav 4, at least the older ones I've been in.

Get something with a class I hitch, and rent a trailer when you need it. Other than a pickup or a van, you can't fit a scooter (or tie it down) in many cars. Remember, if you put it on its side, (even if you don't) you're going to fill up your car with gas fumes, which is bad news.

We have a CR-V and we love it, it tows a trailer just fine, it's got lots more room than most small SUVs. If you're really hellbent at fitting a scooter in your car, look at the Honda Element, allegedly they'll fit (without the mirrors) or buy a pickup (easiest/best/safest scooter hauler, hands down).

justscooten · Post by **justscooten** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 9:17 pm

ok im going to sound all amarican here. but how bout a ford f-150 i have a 98 with 87,000 miles and is the best truck ive ever owned . we had a 03 explore xlt as well the thing was great had the 4.0 v-6 class 3 hitch it pulled real good. i can fit two buddy in the back of the truck no probs and with michigan winters the 4wheel drive is a must.

nissanman · Post by **nissanman** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 2:42 am

Any vehicle you look at should be capable of adding a class 3 trailer hitch, not a 2 or 1. A class three will give you a 2" receiver, some class 2s will and class 1 is only a 1 1/2". A class 3 is also rated for 5000lbs of towing, and since tongue weight is always supposed to be 10% of trailer weight, give you a carrying capacity of 500lbs just supported by the hitch. Take the weight of the carrier + scooter and most will exceed the 350lbs (10% of 3500 for a class 2) it would be able to carry. Since most receivers are 2" anyway, most accesories are made for that size. I won't play favorites here, there are a lot of good choices out there. You can expect gas mileage in the range of 17-23 mpg for a lot of SUVs and midsize trucks that meet that criteria and 14-20 mpg for full size trucks. If you really want more information you can send me a message or email. I'm not just passionate about cars and trucks, it's my day job too.

Valgal20 · Post by **Valgal20** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 6:14 am

Things I have hauled in my van (not all at the same time)
-9 goats (Nubians, each about 100lbs)and Milk stand
-6 Bales hay,3 bags of grain
-12 teenages+ me
-a table, 4 chairs, 4 sleeping bags, 6 suitcases, 4 people, 2 camping mats,
2 large coolers, 4 Misc boxes of stuff
-10 sheets of 3/4 plywood, my tool boxes (3), 10- 8ft 2x4", 3 sheets drywall, 4 buckets roof tar, 20x20 roll of carpet.
-AND MORE.
Im going to miss all the room I have now- But I can Pack an Elephant into a phone booth- So Im going to turn my buddy into a Pack Buddy! Im Very Prepared for Anything! I have a Magical van/ purse and soon to be SCOOTER!

lojical1 · Post by **lojical1** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 4:56 pm

All the extra stuff aside, are there any other suggestions out there? Any opinions on the Saturn Vue?

maribell · Post by **maribell** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 5:05 pm

I'd recommend a Toyota Tacoma. It's a small truck, so it won't be a complete gas guzzler (I believe the biggest engine you can get is a V6). Plus it looks like it could fit two buddies in the back, and if not, you could add a trailer.

sailortot · Post by **sailortot** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 6:10 pm

i would also recommend a tacoma for a smaller-sized vehicle. my husband and i have the xrunner version of the tacoma and it will fit our scooters in back and probably still get 12-16 mpg.

Keys · Post by **Keys** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 7:55 pm

Hmm. My baby pickup will hold two scooters and get over 20 mpg. Of course, it won't impress anybody, but who cares....

--Keys

Corsair · Post by **Corsair** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 8:17 pm

sailortot wrote: probably still get 12-16 mpg.

I think that just hurt my feelings... 12 mpg

having a scooter definitely spoils you when it comes to fuel economy

sailortot · Post by **sailortot** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:05 pm

thats true. it is quite depressing. we sold a hybrid to purchase the truck. and the reason this truck gets lower gas mileage is probably because its built as a race truck with a lot of torque. it sure knows how to boost up the rpms.

Corsair · Post by **Corsair** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 12:57 am

sailortot wrote: the reason this truck gets lower gas mileage is probably because its built as a race truck with a lot of torque. it sure knows how to boost up the rpms.

that makes a lot more since now

nissanman · Post by **nissanman** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:13 am

In a small to midsize SUV or Pickup truck you can't go wrong with a Nissan or Toyota. Predictable, reliable and still worth something with 100k on them.

lojical1 · Post by **lojical1** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:33 am

I think Corsair has fallen in love with the Saturn Vue. Maybe I can persuade him to consider something else, but I suppose the proof will be in the test drive.

Post by **ericalm** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:05 am

Corsair wrote:
sailortot wrote: probably still get 12-16 mpg.
I think that just hurt my feelings... 12 mpg having a scooter definitely spoils you when it comes to fuel economy

Yeah, I've been looking at small & mid sized cars recently and am shocked at how low the MPGs are on many of them. 19/26? That's normal? Wow!

bobcat20 · Post by **bobcat20** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:42 am

I have 2 nissan frontiers. The first one I bought new in 2000. It has 120,000 miles on it and still drives as well as my 2007. I grew up in a GM factory town in the midwest and never thought that I would buy a foreign truck, but you really cant beat the price and reliability of a nissan. the gas mileage is very decent and the new ones are bigger than the old ones. So if you want something lower to the ground, look at the 1999 - 2003 and if you want something higher look at the 03-present. Very decent trucks.

RabidChild · Post by **RabidChild** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:58 pm

Anyone ever try to fit a Buddy in a Honda Element?

poop colored buddy · Post by **poop colored buddy** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:09 pm

lojical1 wrote:All the extra stuff aside, are there any other suggestions out there? Any opinions on the Saturn Vue?

I actually have a Saturn vue.... For sale. Its a nice vehicle and I love it! Since I got my Stella however, the vue has just sat, so I'm selling her. Buy one, they are reliable and have a lot of space.

StL_Stadtroller · Post by **StL_Stadtroller** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:23 pm

My hauler is a '99 VW EuroVan (T4 Transporter to the rest of the world).

take the seats out, and you can strap down 2 bikes inside easily. even ride them right in w/out needing to duck! Fit a 3rd bike on the hitch carrier. 19-20mph on the highway. Maintenance costs are kind of a killer, as with any German car, but I guess it's still much cheaper than a years worth of car payments.

You could probably pick up a 12-valve v6 GL or MV model in the 7-8k range, or a '93 Audi 5-cyl powered one even cheaper.

If I had to do it all over again though, I'd probably be looking at a used Mercedes (Dodge) Sprinter with a diesel engine & manual trans. One of those could haul a few inside with gobs of room to spare, and a giangantic trailer full on the back, and still get high-20's mpg on the highway.

maryvu · Post by **maryvu** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:49 pm

I have a Honda Element. While I haven't tried, I think 2 Buddys will fit. I've seen a post on stellaspeed with 2 Stellas/old Vespas onboard. A versatile vehicle... Plus if you're on a slant, you can gently hose out the interior, avoiding the dash and electrical bits of course.

mv

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 3:20 am

If the Trasit Connect was available in the States (rumor has it that it will be soon), I'd be all over it. Don't know if it would haul a scoot, or accept a MotoTote styled hauler, I just love the looks. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Transit_Connect

scullyfu · Post by **scullyfu** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 3:45 am

maryvu wrote:I have a Honda Element. While I haven't tried, I think 2 Buddys will fit. I've seen a post on stellaspeed with 2 Stellas/old Vespas onboard. A versatile vehicle... Plus if you're on a slant, you can gently hose out the interior, avoiding the dash and electrical bits of course.

mv

mary, check your pm's.

lojical1 · Post by **lojical1** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 3:56 pm

StL_Stadtroller wrote:My hauler is a '99 VW EuroVan (T4 Transporter to the rest of the world).

Wow StL, those are some real live suggestions. As much as I move around maybe we should look into some big haulers like the ones you've suggested. Thanks for your input.

Valgal20 · Post by **Valgal20** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 4:09 pm

19-20mph on the highway. Maintenance costs are kind of a killer, as with any German car, but I guess it's still much cheaper than a years worth of car payments.

UM- Shouldnt a van go FASTER than 20 Miles Per Hour? Or were you meaning Miles Per Gallon?

PS- Astro Van goes 95MPH, and gets 15MPG. $3500, any takers? PLEASE! I Need a Scooter!

KABarash · Post by **KABarash** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 4:39 pm

I have a '94 Jeep Wrangler, with 185,000 mi on the ticker, the 6cly still gets about 18 mpg. With a class III hitch can haul a small trailer, or a Hitch Haul which is the greatest for 1 scoot!

kazoo · Post by **kazoo** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 4:54 pm

I've got a 2005 Express Cargo with Barn doors on right side.

Bought it with 10K miles in late 2005. I put 60K since then driving back and forth all across the country. Great for hauling its a 3/4 ton 2500 HD It has the 8 lug wheels 4.8 L This is a work truck but was used lightly for camping. It also has a Class III hitch with trailer wiring. Never used to tow though.

If you drive it easy you can get 21 hwy and 15 city

You can PM me if interested I am not exactly ready to sell it yet but soon enough.

Christy · Post by **Christy** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 5:13 pm

i didn't read all the posts, so I don't know if it was mentioned, but I love my Ford Escape Hybrid.

Excellent gas mileage for an SUV b/c it's a hybrid. I have the 4 wheel drive version and it gets between 25-30 mpg. My friend has the 2 wheel drive and gets 33-37mpg.

Only downside is that its only rated for towing 1500lbs. Luckily scoots don't weigh very much! I do not do any towing with mine so I do not know how that actually affects the mpg, but I imagine it pulls it down a little. Still going to be better than a non-hybrid suv or truck, I imagine.

Just like the way people talk about scooters who don't know and assume they are weak, people think of hybrids the same way. The hybrid engine/motor combo is not underpowered. It accelerates very quickly and has no problems reaching speed.

Of course the main reason I bought it was simply b/c it's a hybrid and I like conserving and being as eco-friendly as much as possible. I've had it for 3 years and I still love it...and it still gets just as good of gas mileage as the day I brought it home.

StL_Stadtroller · Post by **StL_Stadtroller** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 5:30 pm

lojical1 wrote:
StL_Stadtroller wrote:My hauler is a '99 VW EuroVan (T4 Transporter to the rest of the world).
Wow StL, those are some real live suggestions. As much as I move around maybe we should look into some big haulers like the ones you've suggested. Thanks for your input.

NP! I forgot to mention, that with a Class III-IV hitch, the VW T4 is rated to tow up to 3,500lbs un-braked trailer, or 4,500 braked. If you're into the big trailer thing...

Like I said though, if you go the VW route you have to be prepared for some wacky expenses you won't have with other types of minivans. The brakes, and the ONE available tire choice that's properly rated for the car are real shockers for the un-initiated.

The trade-off though is things like the VERY tall interior and rear entry that doesn't even require removing the scooter mirrors, and the large towing capacity.

The only reason I still own mine is because there really isn't anything else out there that offers the same capabilities.

I used to drive a TDI Beetle that got 50mpg, so the 20mpg of the van seems like crap to me, but I guess considering the mileage of pickup trucks, SUVs, other vans, etc it's not that bad. I also tend to drive under the speed limit, so YMMV

I was looking into things like the Honda Element myself, but again the mileage thing, and that you can't really just roll 2 bikes right into the back w/out serious finageling keeps me away.

I think the next "rally hauler" in our driveway will probably be a used Sprinter like I mentioned, with a small daily-driver diesel car to keep around on days I don't commute via scooter.

sailortot · Post by **sailortot** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:28 pm

the versa haul might be a good option, too, for anyone hauling just one scooter. the problem we ran in to was that most small/mid-sized vehicles couldnt handle the weight of the versa haul with two scooters on it.

thats how i got talked in to buying a truck.