Smaller cars for chasing/spotting

[Karen St John]

I know trucks and SUVs are popular for chasing, because of 4WD and AWD capability. For those who are cost conscious, though, a compact or subcompact car has appeal, especially with gas prices going up. Who all uses small cars and have they worked well for you?

I have a Honda Fit now. I'm thinking of trading in on a Chevy Sonic for a little more oomph.

 

[Bryan Stokes]

This will be my third year chasing in a 2006 Toyota Prius. Sure, I choose not to venture down Oklahoma dirt roads after a heavy rain, but otherwise this vehicle has proven itself as a very capable chase vehicle. The hatchback design gives me plenty of cargo room (a lot more than you think) and it's also a heavy vehicle for its size (3,300 pounds without people or gear), so it doesn't get blown around much when riding out a RFD. Over the course of a chase season, I average around 47 MPG, but I usually use 45 MPG to err on the lighter side when calculating my estimated fuel costs.

The two years prior, I chased in a 1996 Ford Explorer that averaged 16 MPG. Let's take a snapshot at the difference between these two vehicles:

1) Scenario #1
Chasing 10,000 miles with fuel at $3.50 a gallon.
1996 Ford Explorer (16 MPG): $2,187
2006 Toyota Prius (45 MPG): $777

2) Scenario #2
Chasing 10,000 miles with fuel at $4.25 a gallon.
1996 Ford Explorer (16 MPG): $2,656
2006 Toyota Prius (45 MPG): $944

Chasing in a ultra-fuel efficient car makes a huge difference in keeping the overall cost down!

Bryan

 

[Sean Ramsey]

I chase in a 2006 Pontiac G6, more of a mid-size vehicle. It gets 28 MPG, has a 6 cylinder engine so there is plenty of power when I need it, has decent cab space and it handles very well. It probably wouldn't be optimal for a 4 person chase team, but for two people or chasing solo it's great.

I also own a Nissan Pathfinder, but it stays in the driveway on chase days because of the gas. $75 fill-ups hurt!

 

[Karen St John]

I should add I will likely have no more than 2 people in the car.

 

[David Drummond]

I think the bigger vehicles are more popular because of the space moreso than the 4WD capability. Especially those who chase at every opportunity. I personally can't stand being in a small vehicle for hundreds, let alone thousands of miles. Then again I am 6'2". While I would absolutely LOVE the gas mileage of a smaller car, I'm willing to pay extra for the space. Not to mention the cases of gear I seem to carry around any more, and then when you start thinking about adding another chaser or two, and THEIR gear too, it can get cramped pretty quick, even in an SUV. The 4WD/AWD has some limited benefits for chasing, but SPACE is king when your logging that many miles.

 

[Karen St John]

I'm 5'8" on a tall day, so small cars are a good fit to me. I can see where it would be a little cramped for 6'2"!

 

[Dan Robinson]

Unless you are an all-year, all the time chaser (or you can afford a second dedicated chase car), I'm of the opinion that a vehicle choice is better decided by day-to-day needs rather than its friendliness for storm chasing. You might spend 20-30 chase days in it, but you'll also be living with it the other 330-340 days of the year (and its MPG, handling, maintenance costs etc). IMO any vehicle can be made to work for chasing with enough creativity.

 

[Jake Orosi]

My (to-be) chase vehicle is an SUV, but it only has RWD. It can off-road in theory...but I don't. I certainly wouldn't take it down dirt roads in an out-of-state chase.

 

[STexan]

I drove an AWD 04 tahoe for 6 years until I finally traded into another 2011 Yukon, it's 4WD but not AWD. I can say that for me it takes some getting used to being used to AWD and being able to accelerate and not worry about slippage on slick roads trying to accelerate from a stop into a heavy traffic pattern on an access road. The rear wheel drive combined with more than adequate power means you have to be careful about power application on slick roads, even in the heavier Yukons/Tahoes/Expeditions.

The other nice thing about AWD is the increased and even tire wear. I ran Michelins on my AWD and rotated only every 50k miles, and still got 195k miles on 2 sets, then traded at 225k. I'll never buy another vehicle that's not AWD after coming to appreciate the unbeatable traction and overall year-round safety gains of AWD. Especially if you live in an area that receives snow each winter. Subaru perhaps?

I'm another one of those who is simply not comfortable in cars, especially smaller cars but can certainly see their economic appeal.

 

[David Wolfson]

I also have a Fit, but I'm a little confused about wanting more "oomph" for chasing. I like the interior space and configurability, and the reliabilty and fuel ecomomy are plusses. In those situations where oomph is necessary the engine is quite comfortable being run up to four or five thousand RPM in a lower gear. The Fit's clearance is a little sub-par, but getting larger tires helps a little with that -- also cheaper and more available than the OEMs.

I've been looking at AWD sedans and crossovers, but you pay for that in both fuel economy and price. The Ford Focus is worth a look I think in a 2WD. Its design is much the same as the one I found handled greasy-wet dirt roads pretty well a few years ago, because it has weight forward on the front-wheel drive. Along that line, front-wheel drive with traction control gives a lot of grip on slippery roads, from what I've found.

 

[Timothy Finn]

My soon-to-be chase vehicle is a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab. It's 2WD, and has the 4.7L V8, so it's not awful on gas (19 MPG on the highway), and being from Texas, I grew up with 2WD farm trucks, and having to traverse horrible pastures with no 4WD.

My biggest reason for picking this truck is because it came with hail damage, no additional charge. But there's other great reasons I can see looming on the horizon, including but not limited to the number of cupholders, the number of 12VDC power points, the ability to pull smaller obstacles from blocked roadways should the need arise, the amount of storage within the truck's cab, and the comfort factor.

The only real place it is a mixed bag for me is the ground clearance. Good for certain situations, but the ground clearance coupled with the side profile can create problems in any crosswind stronger than a breeze.

Tim

 

[Karen St John]

I also have a Fit, but I'm a little confused about wanting more "oomph" for chasing. I like the interior space and configurability, and the reliabilty and fuel ecomomy are plusses. In those situations where oomph is necessary the engine is quite comfortable being run up to four or five thousand RPM in a lower gear. The Fit's clearance is a little sub-par, but getting larger tires helps a little with that -- also cheaper and m thore available than the OEMs.

. I have the slushbox and it doesn't have as much power as I would like. The Sonic with the turbo gets better mileage, and with the six speed stick, is quite peppy. It handles better, too.

 

[Jason Boggs]

Amen to what Drummond said. I drive an 08 Xterra, and I'd never dream about chasing in something smaller. The Xterra fits my chasing and everyday needs quite well.

 

[Jake Orosi]

My biggest reason for picking this truck is because it came with hail damage, no additional charge.

That's cheating, you know.

 

[Marcus Diaz]

I got everyone beat. I've been chasing in a 1998 Nissan Altima with a 5 speed manual for a couple years now. 168k miles, and not an issue with it. Oh, and I get about 38 mpg on a good day on the highway, well over 40 mpg with a tail wind.

Last year I did a KS chase (bust), 400 mile round trip, in a 1991 Chevy Lumina I had bought for $350. I made it home safely with no issues. Its a matter of personal comfort really.