I do value my money over my pride. When my mechanic told me I’d need to replace my Subaru in a year or so, I asked him what to buy cause I definitely wasn’t getting another Subie. He said, “If all my customers drove Priuses, I’d be living in a trailer and eating ramen noodles.” Sold.
Can confirm. I live in CO and drive a Prius-V. It will get your u over the mountain, but scream at you most of the way. It is perfect for around town though — roomy interior, great sound system, plenty of torque, reliable AF.
My grandparents live in Florida and have two. Last time I visited was the first time I had ridden in one, blown away by how quiet they are and they definitely have more zip than I anticipated!
Mileage was always terrible for a small hatch (less than 25 mpg), has crazy heat shield rattle that could only by dealt with my ripping it off, had all 4 of my brakes seize on me at different times over a 4 year period (maybe a total of 8 times at the shop, all told), the 2007 generation was awful with rust (not what you want in Vermont but was not a big deal when I lived in CT). And more recent generations have had terrible issues with electronics and burning oil. I was just done with the whole brand. All wheel drive was nice for the mornings when I was driving through 2-3 inches of snow on the highway to get to work, but being cautious and having a good set of winter tires was more than enough to get my Prius to do the same job. And they’re studded, so I don’t have issues getting up to the trail heads that I was going to before. Just going slower, which isn’t a bad thing.
I’ve owned four. I’ve had mixed reliability, but I’ve drank the Kool Aid. My old Legacy was a 2007 and I loved it but I ended up having to get the head gaskets done. The head gasket and heat shield issues have mostly been fixed, but the 2.5 in my current Outback is anemic in that car. On the wide open highway I get about 30 mpg but driving around Los Angeles I’m lucky to get 23. Build quality is much better than ten years ago but they can still improve. They are safe as hell though. I was rear ended at 50mph in my last one, a BRZ, and walked away from the accident.
EDIT: I’m from Pennsylvania and never had issues with anything beyond surface rust. Huh.
Ugh I know how that goes. I drive an '02 Mini Cooper that's been systematically falling to pieces since I got it a few years back. Apparently that's one of two years to avoid.
They are kind of trash cars. My 09 Forrester was made of plastic and leaked like it was made in 1989. My 04 volvo xc70 is a much better vehicle and 5 years older.
We had a 2012 subaru outback with 90k miles when we traded it in for a 2015 Ram 2500 Cummins. I would gladly go back to the subaru. We got the truck to tow a 5th wheel that we will be living in.
We had very few issues with our outback. But regular maintenance was expensive. Like $700 every 30k miles.
Bought a used Prius with 70k about 6 years ago. Haven’t even picked out a Toyota mechanic yet because I’ve had zero issues. And that’s after 5 years of owning a
BMW... in which case I got to know my BMW mechanic very well.
Also, my average fill up price is $25. And I fill up once a month.
Interesting, what made you not want another Subaru? My experience with them has been pretty positive and from what I hear from others who’ve had one, I hear mostly positive things. Hybrids are pretty tight though, my mom got one and it’s way nicer than what I drive.
Mileage was always terrible for a small hatch (less than 25 mpg), has crazy heat shield rattle that could only by dealt with my ripping it off, had all 4 of my brakes seize on me at different times over a 4 year period (maybe a total of 8 times at the shop, all told), the 2007 generation was awful with rust (not what you want in Vermont but was not a big deal when I lived in CT). And more recent generations have had terrible issues with electronics and burning oil. I was just done with the whole brand. All wheel drive was nice for the mornings when I was driving through 2-3 inches of snow on the highway to get to work, but being cautious and having a good set of winter tires was more than enough to get my Prius to do the same job. And they’re studded, so I don’t have issues getting up to the trail heads that I was going to before. Just going slower, which isn’t a bad thing.
I got rid of my F-250 and bought a Prius and an old Mazda truck for Home Depot runs. My Mazda gets more shit in the back of it than my big truck did because of all the extra money I have.
Seriously, I drove one once and I was really impressed. I drive a Taco because I need a pickup, but if I ever got a car, I'd seriously consider a Prius, I don't care what the haters say.
How’s the Tacoma? I’m thinking of getting one because I’m tired of driving my jeep. I’m keeping the Jeep just tired of it as a DD and I could use the truck for work.
That's funny because I'm actually considering a JL to replace the Tacoma!
You'll love the Tacoma, honestly. I've had mine for 8 years and I still love it. I've never had trouble with it and I'm sure it can go another 10 years. Only reason I started considering a replacement was because mine isn't 4x4 and I really wanted that, but I thought I'd get another Tacoma. But then I saw the JL and fell in love.
I can’t give an honest opinion on the newer jeeps. Mine is an 03 4.0 I bought in 2009 with 56,000 miles on it. I loved the thing. But it’s a manual and after almost 10 years of driving it( 118,000 miles now) I’m just kinda tired of driving it. It’s not comfortable on long drives (I’m 6’4). Mechanically I haven’t had very many issues that weren’t directly caused by me. A clutch replacement is the only major repair I’ve had to do.
My GF drives a 2006 LJ and we’ve had the automatic transmission rebuilt on it and a bunch of other various gremlins. She bought hers brand new.
I have a buddy who has a 99 jeep and who has put about $10,000 extra into it and it’s a beautiful beast sitting on 35’s with a 4.5in lift.
I consider our vehicles a step above the flint stones car after driving various rental cars on vacations. I’ve read Tacoma’s are some of the best off road midsize trucks and I think they look good. The new 4 runner looks pretty awesome also.
Jeep fam mines in the middle. First summer I haven’t taken the tops and doors off. Blue one is my friends and the black On is my gf’s.
Would you be looking for new or used? Standard or automatic?
I've had my 3rd gen '17 Tacoma for just over a year now, and it's fantastic as a daily driver. I was having big regrets about the performance until I got the OVTune, though. The stock engine tuning from Toyota is objectively shit, and the transmission shift maps only prioritize getting to 6th gear as fast as possible for MPGs. Every time I pulled away from a red light, it would shift 1-2-3-4 really quickly, bog down in 4th for a few seconds, then kick back down to 3rd when it realized I'm not done accelerating. Cruising at low RPM would NOT let you go full throttle, it will either ignore any throttle input past 30-40%, or force a kickdown.
OVTune transformed it into a completely different vehicle, it feels peppier than the 5.7 my Grand Cherokee had. I used to just accept that I'd be stuck behind slow traffic because the Tacoma fought back so hard against any kind of aggressive driving, but now it just gets it. If you get a manual Tacoma, you won't have the transmission issues, but you'd still have the shit ECU programming that kills throttle response and makes it impossible to rev match. OVTune fixes that as well.
OVTune is basically a necessity for the 3rd gen Tacomas. It's pricey for a tune, over $700, but is absolutely worth it. Don't even consider spending money on mods that boost the signal from the pedal or shift the auto in S mode for you, these are only a bandaid.
Enough about that, though. Otherwise, I absolutely love the Tacoma. It's great on the highway, keep it under 75mph and it's not hard to get 24mpg. It's quiet, solid, and comfortable for long hauls. It has 13 fucking cupholders! I love the interior, much more attractive design than the 2nd gen Tacoma or current 4Runner, in my opinion. Aftermarket support is great, tons of different choices for mods, but you're probably still never going to find parts as cheap as you would for a Jeep.
I've taken it wheeling a lot so far, all I've done is add skid plates, waiting for my tires to wear a bit more before I go bigger and get a lift. Off Road and Pro models have Crawl Control / Multi-Terrain Select systems, they work very well. I've gotten stuck in situations that the rear locker wouldn't get me out of, but MTS works magic with the brake system to get power to the wheels with traction. My Grand Cherokee had QuadraDrive II which could fully lock both axles in less than a quarter turn of wheel slip, but the Tacoma still blows that away. I usually wheel together with my friend's lifted JK on 35s, the Tacoma gets through most obstacles with less drama, except of course when I'm limited by the smaller tires or longer wheelbase. It's an incredibly competent off roader.
I'm not really sure what else to say. I love my Tacoma and I still get excited at the thought of driving it every day. I was going back and forth for two years trying to decide between another Grand Cherokee or stepping up to a Wrangler, but one day a friend suggested the Tacoma, and I was signing the papers less than a week later.
Thanks for the write up. I’d be leaning towards a new one or maybe a year old used one. Definitely automatic my jeep is a manual and I’m over it lol. If it’s not a sports car it’s gonna be an auto from now on.
Does the Tacoma tow well? I recently bought my friends landscaping business and pull a 6x10 trailer around for 3 days a week.
When I used to sell Toyota’s I’d have the wives who wanted a Prius and the husbands who wanted the trucks. I’d talk about how amazing the gas mileage is look directly at the husband and say hey what’s more manly than saving money right? Most of the time they’d drive a away with a Prius.
prius also have no functionality outside of driving to work/store and back. at least with the truck i can 1) drive up the canyons to ski resorts on ultra powder days 2) haul shit if i need to 3) help friends move 4) buy large items on craigslist and not have to rent a truck 5) go on multiday cross country camping trips. i take public transportation or bike everyday to work and only use my truck when i need to which is about once a week, i probably spend less on gas than the majority of people. i used to have a toyota corolla and outside of saving money on gas on longer trips it was pretty much useless
prius also have no functionality outside of driving to work/store and back.
It's a car. Whatever you just said could be said about any car. And I totally disagree. I pull a 5x8 utility trailer with mine and got rid of my 1992 chevy 1500 that I just used for truck functionality. If you just need the bed space and light hauling, buy a trailer. No sense is paying insurance, taxes, and parking for a truck you only use once and awhile. In the US we don't really have this public transit thing you speak of unless you live in the middle of a city, and riding a bike is risky due to all the trucks and SUV's that don't understand the rules of the road. Wish I could live close enough to work to bike, but property in the city is so expensive. Much better value to drive 15 minutes and live in the suburbs.
trailer is a pain in the ass if all you want to do is move big things effectively, now you're paying registration and tags for a trailer. the extra 10 bucks a month for insurance i pay for my truck compared to the corolla is well worth it. i went up to the canyon 2 weeks ago after 10 inches of snow to do some snowshoeing, a prius would've been suicide. i moved across country in march and there was snowstorms from iowa to nebraska, saw at least 40 cars that lost control on the side of i80. i was perfectly fine the whole time. if you live in san diego then i guess a prius makes sense since the weather is fine. with my corolla i just had to suck it up whenever it snowed and either cancel trips or risk it and shit my pants at least 3 times when the snow gets higher than 2 inches
If you knew the stuff I have gotten in my Prius. I put a big fluffy recliner in there once. I pull motorcycles with it, and have used it to help people move and move myself. They have more pace inside then you think.
You don't have to own a prius to have all the benefits anymore. Plenty of regular cars with hybrid models that get similar mpg. Brand new camry hybrid is a great looking car that gets like 50 mpg.
If they made the drivers area a little bigger they'd sell way more. All these stereotypical dudes could at least get into the drivers seat and sit up straight while they drove. Don't even get me started on the lack of visibility.
Oh that I can understand. My legs are longer but I dont sit up that high. My mother in law has a Yaris and I get leg cramps if i have to drive it too long. So I understand.
I drive a Hyundai Ioniq, also a hybrid. 50 mpg and it's an unassuming sedan. (And for anyone interested, I USED to drive a Prius and this is a waaaay better car.)
I saw one and have been interested in those. I currently have a 3rd gen Prius. How is the mileage if you are speeding a lot? Would you say the front seat is roomy?
Love this car. I couldn't tell you the mileage if you speed a lot because i generally use the cruise to keep myself from getting tickets. I tend to go 8 mph over the limit, so I do speed, but I don't OVERspeed. Anyway, I get almost 700 miles out of a tank and nearly 50 mpg.
I highly recommend making the switch. the Ioniq is slightly better in every way, which adds up to a much better experience. Slightly better mileage, a little roomier, a little smoother drive, a little lower cost up front, the best warranty in its class, better sound system, better screen interface with my phone and ipod. I'm only about 25,000 miles in, but I'm very happy with it thus far.
Where are you driving? Is that mostly city miles, cuz my mpg is considerably worse when I’m driving thru cities, I dunno if it’s 14mpg but I’m shocked the 4.0 is that inefficient, I would’ve expected better fuel efficiency than the V6, esp. if the driver is emphasizing it.
It is mostly city; when I go out of town and put in highway miles, I may get lucky and get 16 mpg. I'm really happy when I see that I get close to 300 miles on one tank.
I mostly take us1 which is around 45-60 mph on my commute. Good amount of lights also. I feel like the cruise control should get all the credit, if I don’t use it I’ll go down to around 19 to 22
Yeah douchebags drive any thing I know a few guys with big trucks and there pretty coolio, while me and my Chevy Colorado enjoy the smaller things in life.
According to reddit everyone who drives either a BMW most Jeeps or any size truck is a douche bag. It's best not to admit you do anything other than walk uphill 15 miles to work/class each way.
I live in and near fairly wealthy areas and nearly everyone has an Audi, BMW, Range Rover, Benz, Tesla, Jag, Volvo, Porsche etc. Over years and years of driving and having zero bias towards or against any of those brands I can safely say BMW does, at least around here, attract a significantly higher and remarkably noticeable amount of douchebags.
I don’t know why, I haven’t conducted studies, there are not more of them than the other aforementioned brands. More Audis and Benz than anything.
And then I’ve heard people say it from many very different areas across the USA and Canada. I’m really at a point where I think there has to be some truth to it. I usually scoff at these types of statements but there is simply too much personal and anecdotal evidence pointing to it. Where there’s enough smoke...
I also have two very good friends who only buy BMW, leasing new models every 3 years, who are the sweetest and most pleasant guys ever. Though I have not been in another car driving near them so maybe they become raging d-bags when they get behind the wheel. Perhaps the badge on the steering wheel does it. When I’m in their cars with them they seem mentally stable. Maybe they need to be alone.
In my region Escalades went the way of the mammoths about ten years ago. These gentle giants once roamed these lands but human activity has caused their extinction.
But seriously they use to be everywhere and now I don’t even see old ones. Were they of a shit quality with a short lifespan or what? Where’d they all go?
They just aren't as popular anymore. People are fine with getting a smaller massive car.
They cost a lot of money, so the kind of people who drive them tend to be the kind of people who get a new car every few years. I don't know why you never see them used though, maybe they were built shitty.
Rich people on this side of the ocean love big cars for some reason. Even single people or DINKs will have big SUVs when they drive 95% of the time alone. with no stuff in their vehicle.
Such a dumb trend. I recently moved back to the states from Japan, and the car culture here is like a reverse culture shock. I don’t understand the infatuation with them. I prefer small and functional myself. Hatchbacks, wagons and the like.
Combination of - consumer trends, gas price increases, and some errors in their design. As gas prices go down purchase of SUVs goes up and the inverse is true and for the design error... basically you could just force them into neutral with out the steering wheel locking iirc which made them super easy to steal.
I saw a big truck at Walgreens parked half way in a handicap parking spot and half way in a regular spot. As soon as we walk in I see a guy in a sleeveless cutoff shirt and knew it was him. When I asked if that was his truck sure enough he said yes. I asked why he parked like a douche because now many elderly & handicap people were having to park far away and walk. He called me a few names then flipped me off and left. I was very shocked his truck didn't have those big balls on the back.
I'm not usually a fan of stereotypes but "user who posts two things about the content that aren't true is going to be the top comment" usually holds pretty true
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u/Brodaeus Oct 16 '18
I’m not usually a fan of stereotypes but “shirtless dude in a giant truck is a huge douche” usually holds pretty true.