Ballmobile

Jun 14 17:29 UTC 2004

My wife has been trying to persuade me for a while that I
should buy a "truck".  I was resistant to the idea, but
driving (or rather wading) home through floodwater the other
day made me think that perhaps she's right.

She has a "pick-up" in mind, but I'm more inclined toward
something like a Landrover Defender, Toyota Land Cruiser or
perhaps some kind of Jeep.  I want a (Biodiesel compatible)
Diesel engine (perhaps a newfangled turbo-diesel or common-
rail) and a manual gearbox.

Constructive comments, observations and suggestions are
invited.

response 2 of 66:

Jun 15 05:30 UTC 2004

Might be cheaper to move.

response 4 of 66:

Jun 15 18:15 UTC 2004

Get laptops. 

The increase in truck use is another example of the Tragedy of the Commons.
They offer increased utility of "1" to the buyer and each one makes
only a near "0" addition to global warming, oil depletion, pollution,
etc. But so many people think this way, the net effect is increasingly
serious in all regards. 

response 6 of 66:

Jun 17 07:16 UTC 2004

I had to borrow Mrs. Ball's car today, as mine refused to
start.  The new vehicle decision grows closer with every
passing day.


Re #4: Environmental impact was one of the things that put
  me off for a long time.  :-/


Re #5: Renting a delivery truck isn't an option for the kind
  of applications that Mrs. Ball is likely to come up with.
  You're right that (low volumes of) PCs will fit in a car.

  I'll have to check whether there's a cycling conference
  here on Grex.  I've an idea that I used to read one here.
  I would love to buy a bicycle, but my requirements are
  probably atypical (I'll write more in the cycling conf.)
  There is no significant hope of finding another job that
  is within bicycle range, and for leisure cycling I'll
  need a motorised vehicle to get to suitable locations. :-(

response 8 of 66:

Jun 18 19:15 UTC 2004

If your main need is to haul around large amounts of stuff, consider a
station wagon.  They get better fuel economy and handle better.

If you must get a truck, keep in mind that four wheel drive models get
considerably lower fuel economy and have higher maintenance costs than
two wheel drives.  Ask yourself how often you would *really* need four
wheel drive.  You don't mention where you live, but in most parts of
southeast Michigan you just aren't going to need it often enough to
justify the expense.  My Volvo 240 has little to recommend it as a
winter car (rear wheel drive, open differential) but the previous owner,
who lived on a rural dirt road, successfully used it year 'round.

response 10 of 66:

Jun 19 07:25 UTC 2004

Re #7: 15 miles doesn't get me anywhere useful, but an
  electric bike is an interesting idea.  Out of interest, do
  they charge the battery when you're coasting downhill or
  braking?

  My next pushbike (pedal bicycle) will be leg-powered. I'll
  just have to ride it locally until I (hopefully) become
  fit enough to extend my range a bit.

  A rented truck wouldn't satisfy my wife's expectation of
  instant, on-demand cargo space. When we buy a house, it's
  likely to be a "fixer upper" and I daresay she'll have me
  driving furniture, building materials and other large (or
  just odd-shaped) stuff around.

  I actually quite like hatchbacks and really enjoyed
  driving a rented Vauxhall Corsa with an interesting
  3-cylinder 1 litre engine when I was getting ready to
  return to the U.S. in 1999.  I think it's a distant cousin
  of the Geo Metro over here, but with more elegant design.
  My wife's inevitable veto aside, that was probably better
  suited to British driving anyway.

response 12 of 66:

Jun 19 19:05 UTC 2004

I've been thinking about the Outback wagon for a while.  The AWD is
attractive when you live on roads that don't get plowed and that turn to
ice frequently.  Mainly the problem I've had with a 2WD truck is getting
started at icy intersections (especially those on hills).  It really
doesn't take much to get stuck with 2WD if you aren't careful.  So,
the idea of a little more traction to get going in those circumstances
sounds good, as does much better gas mileage.  

We, too, would not want to give up the ability to haul stuff (groceries,
bags of mulch, lumber, golf clubs, furniture, etc.) and carry a
passenger (spouse), but would like to get better MPG.  I live 25 miles
from work, 5 miles from the grocery store & pharmacy, and 10 miles from
the doctor's office. Biking is not an option, especially on the roads I
drive (narrow) and very especially with the kind of auto drivers I see
on the road every day.

I've owned two Subaru wagons in my lifetime.  Both of those had
shiftable 4WD (full time front wheel drive) and were excellent for
getting around in the winter. Both had a decent amount of space for
hauling. A luggage rack helps, too. Ground clearance was fine, though
nothing like a truck.  Gas mileage was excellent for a 4WD vehicle.

I've never had an AWD vehicle.  It seems they are getting more
sophisticated about applying power differentially to the wheels.  Our
neighbor has an AWD Audi and got stuck on the icy hill near our house
this past winter.  We were finally able to get the car up the hill by
taking a slightly faster run at at (there's a corner at the bottom of
the hill that makes gaining speed on the ice difficult unless you want
to slide into the big trees near the bridge).

So, I'd be curious how they fare in the icy SE MI winters.  

(The night my neighbor got stuck with her AWD, I took the back way into
my house, which avoided taking the hill with my truck (I've been stuck
on the icy hill before, too, and that was also a result of not being
able to take a good enough run, but due to gawkers looking at the car in
the creek beside the bridge). Note that I put 600# of sand in the back
of the truck in winter and that helps a lot with maintaining control and
getting started (but puts a dent your mileage). You definitely can't
make jack rabbit starts, though.  And if you're going too fast and try
to stop quickly, you'll slide real nice.)

response 14 of 66:

Jun 19 21:47 UTC 2004

I had an older Subaru with on-demand 4WD, which I thought was great in
winter. I was also leery of AWD when the option of 4WD ended, but it
certainly has still been an improvement over 2WD on snowy streets in
winter. However *nothing* will do you much good on glare ice: 4WD slips
just as much as 2WD in a skid on ice. 

response 16 of 66:

Jun 20 03:50 UTC 2004

I've never driven an AWD vehicle, so all I know is what I've read on the
vehicle manufacturers web sites and from watching that AWD Audi get stuck
and eventually make it up the hill.

There are a number of AWD vehicles being manufactured now.  Actually
I was kind of disappointed that Subaru switched from on-demand 4WD to
AWD.  But, they seem to think it works better, probably because it can
react quicker to changes in road conditions than a driver who has to
consciously switch on 4WD. And you had to do so at less than 50 mph,
if I remember correctly.  AWD would be available at any speed.

response 18 of 66:

Jun 20 12:58 UTC 2004

At this point I'd make no assumptions about the price of gas... 

Aside from that, I really can't see the need for a personal truck for most
people.  You can get lumber delivered, you can park a regular car much more
easily, SUVs have known safety issues, etc.

If you bought a 4WD or AWD car, how much would you save just in the purchase
and insurance?  Would spending part of that on upgrading something in your
house make your wife (and you) happier?

response 20 of 66:

Jun 20 22:19 UTC 2004

How about a 2-door hatchback plus a trailer for large loads?
Diesel stinks.

response 22 of 66:

Jun 21 06:54 UTC 2004

Re #20: a 2 door hatchback (generally called "3-door" by the
  car people) would suit me for the most part.  The trailer
  is a very good idea.  My wife would veto a hatchback
  though, and even though I would like one, it doesn't
  address the ground clearance issue.

  Diesel engines should be much more efficient than petrol/
  gas ones, and are often more solidly built.  A modern
  Diesel engine that is well maintained should not stink.  I
  don't think I've seen a Diesel hatchback here in the U.S.
  (although they're common enough in Britain).

response 24 of 66:

Jun 21 16:01 UTC 2004

A manual transmission is one of my criteria for a car: that really limits
the available models.