The 50 mile commuter...

[riotwarrior]

Electricity is pretty static, ....

U sure it's not ugly static????

 

[trucknorris]

Electricity is static - get it.

 

[riotwarrior]

I've always said, I'd rather be in my truck hit by a geo or vw or or or...than in a vw or geo or or or and hit by my truck...

There is something to be said about knowing a full frame, solid front axle and 1500 lbs of engine and trans are in front between and around you....uh huh!!!

 

[redneckaggie]

vw tdi or even the vw idi is my suggestion, i believe you are way out of the ballpark at 12k I dont know anything about a hpfp on mkiv 1.9 tdi models I can pick a golf or beetle up around here for less than 5k, and I can have the timing belt done by someone else locally for around 1k, not sure on the cost of the clutch but that same mechanic said he could do a clutch for a tdi with only about 4-5 hours labor. Injection pumps are around 1k but I have hardly heard of them actually going out, more common is a seal kit which can be had for less than 100.

I would not own an electric car because they are not and in my opinion never will be the answer to commutting, the maintenance on them just throws them out of the question.

 

[trucknorris]

vw tdi or even the vw idi is my suggestion, i believe you are way out of the ballpark at 12k I dont know anything about a hpfp on mkiv 1.9 tdi models I can pick a golf or beetle up around here for less than 5k, and I can have the timing belt done by someone else locally for around 1k, not sure on the cost of the clutch but that same mechanic said he could do a clutch for a tdi with only about 4-5 hours labor. Injection pumps are around 1k but I have hardly heard of them actually going out, more common is a seal kit which can be had for less than 100.

I would not own an electric car because they are not and in my opinion never will be the answer to commutting, the maintenance on them just throws them out of the question.

Not to taint my own thread, but what maintenance are you speaking of? Electric cars are almost maintenance free. The battery should last at least 10 years.

 

[SparkandFire]

Perhaps I missed it, but why won't Ford lease you the Focus?

 

[trucknorris]

Unbeknown to me. They would rather sell me an F250 or F150. The local Ford can not order one because they can not support one. The dealer in Little Rock said they would call me back (after I emailed the Ford CEO), but they never followed up. I called the general manager 3 times, and he keeps making promises that he would call me and have his sales manager order me one... No follow up... I have to keep calling him for him to tell me someone else would call me back... The Nissan dealer in Little Rock is gouging on the price of the lease. The advertised lease is $250/month with $2000 down, but the Nissan dealer is asking $450/month. The local Nissan dealer does not want to bother with ordering a Leaf.

I called a Ford dealer in Minnesota (the closest 2014 Focus Electric) that has one in stock. They would love to do business, but shipping kills the deal.

 

[SparkandFire]

Car dealerships are very much a face-to-face operation. If you're not getting the answers you want over the phone, go see them in person. Even the most helpless salesman salivates at the sight of crisp $100 bills hanging out of your pockets.

Some years ago when the superduties were being bought up off the dealers lots quicker than a jackrabbit on a date (2000 or so, back in the 7.3 powerstroke days,) I called a local Ford dealer asking if they had one on the lot, super cab 4x4 XLT. He literally laughed at me and said "Only thing 4x4 I could get you into son would be an Escape, and that's pushing it..."

This dude had no way of knowing how I was going to pay for it, nor did he care. He knew by virtue of the fact that I had called and asked about a truck there were waitlists for that I wasn't in the position to drop the big money and buy one.

 

[79jasper]

The new Chevy cruise 2.0 turbo diesels are nice also.
Test drove one the other day. Pretty impressive to say the least.
And that's coming from a big fan of the vw tdi's.

 

[texcl]

lets cross our fingers that all these new small diesel cars and trucks they keep promising materialize. Diesel is a much better answer than electric when you look at it overall. I have a friend who buys used cars for car lots and he says that once an electric get's over 70k they are worthless to him because if the batteries go bad they would cost more than the car is worth to replace (and at auction you can't always tell). Says there are tons in the used car auctions. Look, a small diesel car will get at least 50 mpg's and have more get up and go and is less complicated than any electric, it's just a better solution. An all electric car is out of the question if you don't live in a city, since range is an issue.

 

[trucknorris]

I figured that may be part of the problem, however, business should be agile and adapt to change in business trends. There is a new generation of Internet shoppers who don't necessarily want to deal in physical world. The transaction could have been completed over the phone or Internet just as, if not easier than in person. The only reason why they would not want to deal with you remotely because you have done all your homework, and are operating within your own terms, and would have more time to shop around for a better deal. They figure, once you are in the store, they got you by the balls.

 

[trucknorris]

Chevy Cruze costs as much as a VW Passat TDI. Pick your poison.

 

[FordGuy100]

Statistically speaking, your more likely to die in a truck than you are a car. This is based off of the percentage of truck drivers/passengers involved in an accident who die, versus cars. I'm only saying that because I see the safety thing thrown around. I do feel safer in bigger vehicles that's for sure. Also remember that the roll over rate is much higher in trucks/SUV's. I hate daily driving my truck though, its not comforatable so I wouldn't do it

Are you wanting a new car? Or is used ok?

 

[trucknorris]

New car, this time around.

 

[FordGuy100]

I hear you. Electric cars are extremely cheap in the cost/mile department., if you do go that route.

Good luck!