Chase Vehicle Setup

[Keith Fronk]

286,000 miles on my Blazer and I have repaired or replaced every major sub system EXCEPT the engine. In all that maintenance "easy" was never a word I would use to describe the work I've done. Having to drop the steering column to replace a spark plug is just piss poor engineering. But I have no complaint about the little 4.3 it has great power and lasts forever with standard maintenance.

The wife's car will be paid for in December so Jan '11 is new truck time for me! Any suggestions?

 

[Dylan Morgan]

I'd suggest a diesel, especially for long range chases. Tons of power, lots of torque, decent gas mileage for their size and just sound amazing!

 

[Keith Fronk]

Diesel hadn't been on my scope because of added cost up front and expense of repairs later on. One thig about diesels they last forever if you keep em maintained. Although the new requirements for low & ultra low sulpher diesel may shorten the life span significantly. The strong point of diesels is that the fuel itself is a lubricant thus prolonging the life of the combustion chamber and fuel system. LS and ULS diesel have less lubricity than conventional diesel and as a result OOIDA (truckers association) reports significant increases in injector / injector pump failures especially on older systems. With less lubricity it stands to reason that compression rings would wear out quicker as well and compression is the name of the game in diesel engines. We'll know for sure what the impact of LS and ULS diesel is in about 5 more years but my engineering background is betting a steak dinner that we have legislated ourselves a fuel that is a diesel engine destroyer.

Please don't think of this as a "flame' quite the contrary, I respectfully request any and all commentary. I had even considered getting an old Jetta or something like that to drive around on old cooking grease!

 

[Dylan Morgan]

Ya, new diesel is a killer on the motors. Unfortunately that's what's goin on. They do make additives that are supposed to help with that.

 

[George Dikun]

I'm actually quite happy with my 2008 Kia Sportage. It's got all the necessities, such as 4WD (turns on automatically when main drive tires slip or turns on/off with a button), ESC, traction control, dual sway bars, independent suspension, and moderate off-road capabilities. The only issues I could see it having for chasing would be its small engine (2.7 V6) and its small size, but as of yet, I haven't had any issues with either. The seats in back also fold down and make a level surface with the floor, making tons of room; I can very easily lay back there comfortably. It gets up to 30 mpg (though for some reason it's listed at 17/23 even though mine is always in the 20's). Combine that with a 5 star crash safety rating, and you have yourself a solid chase vehicle.

 

[Dylan Morgan]

the lil sportages are nice vehicles, im not an import person but kia makes solid vehicles. my parents bought a hyundai minivan which is just like the kia minivan, gets great mileage for its size and has all the comforts of home.

the 2.7 thats in the sportage is a lateral motor correct? as in the motor sits sideways? i can never remember which of the newer "SUVs" are FWD and which are RWD. There are ways of squeezing more power outta these newer motors, tuners, better intakes all that fun car jazz. You wouldnt believe how restrictive some of the stuff that bein put on new cars is.

 

[George Dikun]

I do believe the motor sits sideways. It is a front wheel drive normally with a locking differential. I may have to look into some of those techniques, but as of yet, I haven't had many issues with the engine power. Also, Kia and Hundai are going to be very similar, as Hundai owns Kia. The sportage and tuscon are the same vehicle as are the sorento and santa fe.