Cory Schuller
EF1
Jayson, I bet the old Taurus runs a little rough without oil. Should of used some of that Slick 50, she'd still be running- ya right.
Cory
Cory
Chase vehicle options
- Thread starter Cory Schuller
- Start date
Wes Carter
EF5
I've got my Ford Ranger 4x4 Edge King Cab up for sale now. It has been an excellent truck, however it does not make an ideal chase vehicle. It gets 20MPG highway if you drive it easy, but when you are in town or running down a storm it can drop off pretty sharply to about 15-16. Also, it is a 5 speed so the shifter precludes mounting much gear. And it does not like wind. The center of gravity is high and the truck is narrow.
I want a daily driver primarily, but after chasing in my Ranger I really think that I want to take chasing into consideration on my next vehicle. After reading what some of you posted about Mercedes being a bad idea, I'm going to study on it a bit more. I've added the CRV and Forrester to my list of options to consider.
I wish my wife would let me chase in her Highlander. That is an awesome vehicle. But I don't see that happening.
I want a daily driver primarily, but after chasing in my Ranger I really think that I want to take chasing into consideration on my next vehicle. After reading what some of you posted about Mercedes being a bad idea, I'm going to study on it a bit more. I've added the CRV and Forrester to my list of options to consider.
I wish my wife would let me chase in her Highlander. That is an awesome vehicle. But I don't see that happening.
Greg Campbell
EF5
The VW Turbo gasser Passats are pretty nice too. My friend has a 2 liter puffer wagon which I drove all over Az. this Labor Day. Even hauling two people and a ton of junk, I got mid 30's driving through, over and around the mountains near Flagstaff. The engine will drone along at a little over 2000 RPM all day, but wakes up around 4K and pulls strongly to ~8000, making something like 230HP at full chat. OTOH, the cars are pretty spendy when new - I'd hate to get cored!
FWIW, I've been driving an old-ish 1992 Accord for the last 4 years and am very satisfied. It has never stranded me, although it did blow one of those piddly heater hoses as I pulled up to Bryce N.P. a year ago. (Fortunately, the local garage had replacement hose available.) Other that that, the last 45K miles (I'm at 181K) have been 100% reliable and trouble free. I do spend an average of ~$50 a month on DIY maintenance: I've replaced CV axles, steering rod dust covers, suspension bushings, hoses, belts, and that sort of thing.
Of course, there are a few minor annoyances that aren't quite worth fixing - seatbelts that don't retract as strongly as they should (getting caught in the door every so often), a sticky power lock on the right rear door, and one or two other irritations. Not bad for a 16 year old car!
The engine runs as if new, burning 1/2 qt in 8000 miles. The tranny is trouble free, and even the clutch is hanging tight. The thing was build in Marysville, OH, so I don't feel too bad about driving a jap car. With practice, I've gotten pretty good at milking the mileage. I get 35~36 around town and high 30's on the freeway when in cruise mode.
Several years back I drove a Cherokee with a little over 100K. In 1.5 years, the accursed thing stranded me twice, dumped it's transmission fluid, and even tried to catch fire when the battery cable's insulation wore through to the chassis. The damn thing was constantly leaking, squeaking, and breaking. Never again!
With gas headed nowhere but up, I would be more than happy with something smaller, like a Focus or a Civic. Even a Yaris or Fit would work, although their freeway mileage isn't significantly better. The days of V8 SUVs are over - I really hope the US companies can pull their finger out and make something reliable and efficient. When they do, I'll make every effort to buy one.
<end aimless rambling>
FWIW, I've been driving an old-ish 1992 Accord for the last 4 years and am very satisfied. It has never stranded me, although it did blow one of those piddly heater hoses as I pulled up to Bryce N.P. a year ago. (Fortunately, the local garage had replacement hose available.) Other that that, the last 45K miles (I'm at 181K) have been 100% reliable and trouble free. I do spend an average of ~$50 a month on DIY maintenance: I've replaced CV axles, steering rod dust covers, suspension bushings, hoses, belts, and that sort of thing.
Of course, there are a few minor annoyances that aren't quite worth fixing - seatbelts that don't retract as strongly as they should (getting caught in the door every so often), a sticky power lock on the right rear door, and one or two other irritations. Not bad for a 16 year old car!
The engine runs as if new, burning 1/2 qt in 8000 miles. The tranny is trouble free, and even the clutch is hanging tight. The thing was build in Marysville, OH, so I don't feel too bad about driving a jap car. With practice, I've gotten pretty good at milking the mileage. I get 35~36 around town and high 30's on the freeway when in cruise mode.
Several years back I drove a Cherokee with a little over 100K. In 1.5 years, the accursed thing stranded me twice, dumped it's transmission fluid, and even tried to catch fire when the battery cable's insulation wore through to the chassis. The damn thing was constantly leaking, squeaking, and breaking. Never again!
With gas headed nowhere but up, I would be more than happy with something smaller, like a Focus or a Civic. Even a Yaris or Fit would work, although their freeway mileage isn't significantly better. The days of V8 SUVs are over - I really hope the US companies can pull their finger out and make something reliable and efficient. When they do, I'll make every effort to buy one.
<end aimless rambling>
Dan Rupnow
EF1
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2008
- Messages
- 78
Anyone have a sunroof in their chase vehicle? I believe I have heard of a few people that do, but never heard how well they hold up to ice balls falling at terminal velocity. Or better question........how big of hail can they take?
Rob Wadsworth
EF5
Or to consider it another way - I sure would hate to be in that vehicle and find out for myself...
Dustin Wilcox
EF5
My last car had a sunroof and survived numerous stones, including two different bouts with baseballs and one bout with borderline softballs back in 2004.
Dan Rupnow
EF1
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2008
- Messages
- 78
That makes two of us, cause I believe they are made of tempered glass, and will just shatter when busted, unlike a windshield. What an experience that would be!
Dan Rupnow
EF1
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2008
- Messages
- 78
THAT is impressive! But I still don't know that I would be brave enough to have one in my vehicle.
Dustin Wilcox
EF5
THAT is impressive! But I still don't know that I would be brave enough to have one in my vehicle.
Are you brave enough to have a windsheild? Really there's not much difference, you could loose a sunroof and go on and continue to chase, your windsheilds gone, its pretty much game over. Not to mention a windsheild is much more likely to break than the smaller sunroof. Really I see absolutly no downfall from having a sunroof in your chase vehicle, from my experience your gonna loose your windsheild before your sunroof, thus your already dealing with the insurance companies so reapir costs are not an issue, and as far as saftey, I'd be much more concerned over a busted windsheild than a busted sunroof...
Dick McGowan
EF5
A car with 30 mpg or more. More gas money = more chases. SUV's are for the rich or those who don't chase frequently or put on a lot of miles. If you're tall, like my chase partner and I are, a mid-sized sedan is a wiser choice over a more fuel efficient, smaller car. Two big guys in an old Honda Civic with no air conditioning and room to move is no picnic. 4 wheel drive would be nice, but if you're careful and have GPS, you can avoid a lot of the muddy roads...and (to me) isn't worth twice the gas money.
Scott Weberpal
EF5
I'm not sure I agree with that. Windshields are made of safety glass which is layered and not intended to shatter or completely break. It'll spider web and you'll have hundreds or thousands of cracks (and it would still be driveable and waterproof), but it will not break or shatter like a sunroof would. Not to mention a shattered sunroof would soak everything on the interior. I've seen brick and large rocks hit windshields and it doesn't go through, but puts a large "dent" in the windshield with the spider web effect.
Dustin Wilcox
EF5
Yes, but from my experiences a sunroof is made stronger and not as likely to break period. Not to mention every car with a sunroof that I have ever been in has a sliding lid that blocks the light, should the glass shatter have that closed and it will catch the glass and keep you relatively dry.
example...
http://blogs.discovery.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/05/12/dsc03729.jpg
Yes they'll break, I'm just saying from my experiences if your gonna loose your sunroof you have already lost your windshields, at which point if on a chase I could care less rather or not the sunroof held up.
It all can be avoided by staying out of the mega stones, though easier said than done sometimes they can be just to inviting...
Scott Weberpal
EF5
Guess I forgot most cars have the thing that slides over the sunroof 
Darren Addy
EF5
Lots of luck finding used imports of almost any kind in Kearney. Young's Auto Sales has a very nice '04 or '05 Honda CRV on the lot at the moment (he's a very good guy to deal with), but finding a Subaru on the used market here is like finding a 4-leaf clover.
Rob Wadsworth
EF5
Y'know, the other side of having a chase vehicle is realizing that you may one day - maybe sooner than one might expect - you may find yourself chasing when baseball-sized hail up to six inches deep on the ground around you.
Needless to say, your once-pristine ride looks like it was attacked by a hockey team working on their best chops. This season - with a new 2008 Honda CR-V - large hail was my Nemesis. I did get tagged by a few golf ball-sized pieces w/no dents or broken glass; but in the back of my mind I was wondering if my vehicle was going to catch the worst the first year out.
One can't always keep ahead of this threat - especially if you want to get close to the action for great pix and videos. Such are the hazards of chasing. It is inevitable to catch some nasty hail eventually with this hobby/interest.
Getting hail insurance - or make sure your present coverage includes this hazard - is the only option. Any insurance company would be glad to upgrade your present policy for the storm season. One should consider that as an option and a gamble. I put full coverage on my ride - knowing that big hail was my nemesis and extremely possible...
Needless to say, your once-pristine ride looks like it was attacked by a hockey team working on their best chops. This season - with a new 2008 Honda CR-V - large hail was my Nemesis. I did get tagged by a few golf ball-sized pieces w/no dents or broken glass; but in the back of my mind I was wondering if my vehicle was going to catch the worst the first year out.
One can't always keep ahead of this threat - especially if you want to get close to the action for great pix and videos. Such are the hazards of chasing. It is inevitable to catch some nasty hail eventually with this hobby/interest.
Getting hail insurance - or make sure your present coverage includes this hazard - is the only option. Any insurance company would be glad to upgrade your present policy for the storm season. One should consider that as an option and a gamble. I put full coverage on my ride - knowing that big hail was my nemesis and extremely possible...
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