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First time reader. Didn't realize this was a truck bashing thread.
I'll say right up front I REALLY like my F150. More than I ever thought I would. My wife feels the same way. And my dog does also.
It's a 4.6L v8 and averages 18 mpg. It's very comfortable - the bench seat is actually way more than the CTS we owned. With no passenger adjustments my wife's back problems are not a problem in the truck. It's got all the nice features you expect from an American built truck - good radio, good trans, good heater, etc. It certainly doesn't handle the twisties like my S2000 or Audi A6. It lacks all the fancy bells & gadgets of the A6 like wipers that come on automatically with a drop of rain or headlights that turn but it's simplicity is really very nice. Sometime we forget how well the simple basic's served us -- like turning on the lights our self when it's dark or the wipers when it rains and without needing a 6" thick owners manual to figure out how stuff works.
I've driven essentially nothing but small sports cars and small to medium sports sedans all my life. This is my first truck. I honestly have new respect for trucks and I'm glad I've got one to enjoy - be it personal use, dog trips to the park, taking something to the recycle center, or picking up wood, etc.
Glad to hear a positive report, especially of an American made vehicle. We don't get many positive reports of American cars/trucks around here.
I still like/enjoy my 2002 Jeep Liberty. Gas mileage is not great, but I don't go far, it's paid for and is in excellent condition. It's been extremely dependable. We have replaced one switch in six years of ownership, we bought it used with 11K on the odometer.
I still like having some metal around me, and I still like having that extra visibility from sitting up higher in the vehicle. The car is comfortable, but certainly not luxurious. It has enough of the creature comforts for me and the quality of the leather interior is WAY better than the quality of the leather in the Honda. The Honda had a wear spot on the driver's seat by the first season, the leather in the Jeep is almost 7 years old and looks great.
With only 61K on the odometer, I expect to keep it awhile. We'll see what's out there the next time I buy a vehicle. I will look for something that is better on gas, but I can pretty much guarantee I won't be driving a Prius.
Originally Posted by cordycord,Nov 3 2008, 06:53 PM
Most of us aren't rich enough to have an SUV sitting around just for when we need it.
I have one sitting around for when I need it and I need it for many things. It serves me well and I love it almost as much as I love my S. The S is the luxury buy for when I just want to enjoy driving, but it is not a utility vehicle, does not perform in snowy weather, does not serve me well for hauling planting material, taking the lawn mower in for repair, etc., etc. My SUV gets a good workout and I'll only get rid of it when it no longer runs. At that time I'll consider another SUV, probably a Mariner.
Edit: My SUV is a Mercury Mountaineer and has been an excellent vehicle. Oh, and the majority of the time I'm the only person in the vehicle. It has a great comfy ride, excellent stereo system and I'll say again, I love it.
Originally Posted by cordycord,Nov 3 2008, 06:53 PM
The problem with trucks is that they are very useful AND get bad gas mileage. Ford is showing a 100% electric F150 at SEMA show this week, and other technology will follow because that is what the market is asking for.
You don't always drive with the S top down, and SUV driver's don't always need the utility of their vehicle. Most of us aren't rich enough to have an SUV sitting around just for when we need it.
I simply prefer that we incentivize instead of punish, because the simple fact is that the market is much faster reacting than the government. Give an incentive, and the market will race to take advantage. Tax and outlaw, and business and the economy are hurt.
I have no trouble with tax policy that encourages conservation. In place of a tax incentive that rewards businesses for buying the largest SUVs, I'd like to see tax incentives for cars that return high mpg.
I'm sorry people take my SUV comments as some sort of personal challenge. We all have things that use more gas than needed. For example, Barbara just bought her new RX-350 which gets much worse mileage than a four cylinder sedan that would have met her travel needs. The good news is, it is supposed to get about 20% better mileage than the old RX-300 she traded in. We could have done better, but at least we improved our current usage. That is all this thread was supposed to be about; the little things that most Americans are doing to conserve gas.
I just think it's great that so many Americans are cutting back and conserving. Keep up the good work.
Originally Posted by Legal Bill,Nov 3 2008, 07:27 PM
I have no trouble with tax policy that encourages conservation. In place of a tax incentive that rewards businesses for buying the largest SUVs, I'd like to see tax incentives for cars that return high mpg.
