BajaNomad - Fuel price changes mindset

Fuel price changes mindset

mcfez - 3-5-2011 at 09:05 AM

Due to the high cost of fuel being predicted ($5.50 by June1), I am buying a smaller "get around" car. 40mpg to my 10 mpg Dodge truck....change is in need. My truck is not needed every time I head for Baja.

Here's my question....

Should I ever drive this little car to Baja...are parts reasonable avail for these brands: toyota echo or kia rio

bajaguy - 3-5-2011 at 09:10 AM

Get a used Chevy Tracker or a Suzuki Vitera, 2dr, softtop, 5sp, 4x4

[Edited on 3-5-2011 by bajaguy]

Baja Tracker.JPG - 3kB

DENNIS - 3-5-2011 at 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mcfez
Should I ever drive this little car to Baja...are parts reasonable avail for these brands: toyota echo or kia rio

Kinda depends on the car, Deno. If it's one of them Maseratis, you may have a problem. Any common, working man's car, no problem.
What are your intentions? To immediatly tear hell out of your new eco-ride?

comitan - 3-5-2011 at 10:13 AM

Any color other than red you will be fine!!

durrelllrobert - 3-5-2011 at 10:21 AM

the new Kiaota would be the ultimate small car for Baja:

BajaGringo - 3-5-2011 at 11:40 AM

Or get one of these. Hook up a set of horses and fill 'er up with a couple of bales of hay...

:lol:

Barry A. - 3-5-2011 at 11:45 AM

--------or invest in the Vanguard Energy Fund which MORE than compensates you for the higher fuel prices. :spingrin:

Barry

mcfez - 3-5-2011 at 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Originally posted by mcfez
Should I ever drive this little car to Baja...are parts reasonable avail for these brands: toyota echo or kia rio

.......tear hell out of your...
I do that already :-(

I'm old fashion.....it kills me mentally to pump $80 into the tank every other day. I have to take my son into town from the farm for his private school. ...plus routine stuff. Driving to Baja in the truck is 827 miles ./. by 10 mpg @ $4.00 PG = $640.00 per round trip. A toyota echo or kia rio will pay for itself within 14 months.....from the savings of non weekly use of the truck.

The Ram will be used strictly for the landscape contracting business. I'll secure a truck or rail and keep that at the Baja House.

[Edited on 3-6-2011 by mcfez]

Howard - 3-6-2011 at 07:56 AM

I just love my Prius and it goes beyond the 45 mpg. It's a well built car with all the room I need.

mcfez - 3-6-2011 at 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Howard
I just love my Prius and it goes beyond the 45 mpg. It's a well built car with all the room I need.

Excellent Howard...txs for your feedback. Have you gone long distances with it? Comfee ?

woody with a view - 3-6-2011 at 08:58 AM

i'm feeling SOOOO good about my 13.5-15 mpg in my tundra right now. but she only gets out when i head south, so not really a problem for me. plus, living 7 miles from the border means that all of the miles are in baja so i don't mind. it's why i bought her after all.

edit: AND with gas being +/- $.50gal cheaper in baja it's like i have more money to spend on Srhimp (not a typo!) tacos!

[Edited on 3-6-2011 by woody with a view]

mtgoat666 - 3-6-2011 at 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mcfez

Quote:

Originally posted by Howard
I just love my Prius and it goes beyond the 45 mpg. It's a well built car with all the room I need.

Excellent Howard...txs for your feedback. Have you gone long distances with it? Comfee ?

lots of nice econo cars out there. prius is fun, but visually boring.
the new mini countryman is nice looking. mini on steroids, capable of seating 4 comfortably, with room for some luggage. has higher ground clearance too.

MitchMan - 3-6-2011 at 09:36 AM

In Baja I have a 1998 4 cyl Toyota Tacoma 4x4 that gets 14 mpg in town. At home in So Calif I have a 2000 Toyota Echo, 4 door, that I bought about 5 years ago for $5,000 USD (it had 60,000 miles at the time). I consistently get 40mpg plus on the Echo with a combination of freeway and in town driving (mostly in-town driving) employing 'hyper-miling' driving techniques (e.g., driving the speed limit, coasting as often as possible, modest accelerating off the line, staying under 70 mph on the freeway, anticipating stop lights and slowing down early instead of using only brakes to come to a stop). The Echo is extremely reliable and comfortable, zippy, great peripheral vision capabilities for safety, great a/c, heater, and very road worthy. I am happily married and not looking for women to admire me, so I don't give a potter's dam what people think of me when I am seen in my Echo in Orange County.

Considering getting a similar Echo for Baja (it would be great for easily parking in-town, La Paz, a crowded down town city). Makes absolute perfect sense to do so. I would hope that we Americans would start using some wisdom and maturity and go to much smaller cars for basic transportation.

[Edited on 3-6-2011 by MitchMan]

El Jefe - 3-6-2011 at 10:21 AM

My opinion only, but as I see it there is no supply problem. Higher prices are the result of oil speculators taking advantage of unrest in the middle east to bid up the futures price. The bubble will pop at some point in the next year and prices will come back down slowly, prices being sticky downward, to near where they were a couple months ago. However, I think they will settle a bit higher than the last low we saw. So, can you ride it out for 12 months or so in your guzzler?
Looks like we might have to put off the cross country motorhome trip this summer. Too bad.

On the topic of economical cars. I think any little somewhat newer car you buy would be no problem for highway driving down here. They are all pretty darn reliable.

norte - 3-6-2011 at 01:05 PM

I think many have!

Quote:

Originally posted by MitchMan

Considering getting a similar Echo for Baja (it would be great for easily parking in-town, La Paz, a crowded down town city). Makes absolute perfect sense to do so. I would hope that we Americans would start using some wisdom and maturity and go to much smaller cars for basic transportation.

[Edited on 3-6-2011 by MitchMan]

Cypress - 3-6-2011 at 01:28 PM

The old VW Bugs would get 30MPG, if they got stuck you could easily push/pull 'em to solid ground. Air cooled, high milage/gallon,skid plate, etc. and now we have what?

mcfez

Howard - 3-6-2011 at 02:55 PM

I have gone from L.A. to Sacramento several times, camping into the Sierra's and find it very comfortable. I am a big person and have no problem getting in or getting out. Lots of room in back and does not ride like a small light car probably because of the weight of the batteries. 70,000 total miles, no problems at all. One time I had it up to 90 MPH with the air con on and it had no problem doing that. You can U-2-U me if you need any other feedback. It does not get to good of gas mileage in the hills.

mcfez - 3-6-2011 at 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Howard
I have gone from L.A. to Sacramento several times, camping into the Sierra's and find it very comfortable. I am a big person and have no problem getting in or getting out. Lots of room in back and does not ride like a small light car probably because of the weight of the batteries. 70,000 total miles, no problems at all. One time I had it up to 90 MPH with the air con on and it had no problem doing that. You can U-2-U me if you need any other feedback. It does not get to good of gas mileage in the hills.

Well...great info coming in here from my Noman tribesmen! Please....keep it coming in.

Howard...txs 4 that info...as we do too run to the Sierras / coast often. I myself am not a skinny ol boy.

All this could be worst....waiting in the lines like back in the 70's!!! :mad:

Getting Gassed and Gouged

MrBillM - 3-6-2011 at 03:38 PM

A few days back in the L.A. [Socialist] Times Business section, there was an article wherein one analyst speculated that a LOT of people were going to make the mistake of running out and buying New Fuel-efficient vehicles based upon the "Current" Run-up and who would then find themselves with Buyers remorse when prices once again moderated given how long it would take for the purchase to reach a Break-Even point.

He said "It's like looking out the window at the rain and thinking it's going to rain non-stop for four years".

My personal observations thus far..

Ken Cooke - 3-6-2011 at 04:12 PM

My Jeep Wrangler Rubicon on 33" flotation tires gets 16 mpg (combined city/hwy) when driven conservatively. When I drive the Honda Pilot, I get 19 mpg in combined city/hwy use.

My question to McFez is - if you bought a small run-about for Baja use, how would your family fit inside?

Would you pack this car like a family of backpackers?

When driving at night, how safe is your family in a small run-about vs. your full-size pickup? Is this worth taking a chance??

mtgoat666 - 3-6-2011 at 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ken Cooke
My Jeep Wrangler Rubicon on 33" flotation tires

My question to McFez is - if you bought a small run-about for Baja use, how would your family fit inside?

Would you pack this car like a family of backpackers?

When driving at night, how safe is your family in a small run-about vs. your full-size pickup? Is this worth taking a chance??

is a lifted short wheel base jeep safe? :lol:

bajabass - 3-6-2011 at 06:08 PM

How new do you want to go, and how much do you want to spend??? For my move to La Paz, I traded down from an 09 Tundra TRD 4x4, to a 06 Tundra 4x4, with the smaller 4.7 V-8, saving over 15k, and up to 17.5mpg from 13. I kept the wife's 09 Element, and it gets about 25mpg. It was also a gift after dealing with me for 5 years :wow:

!!
The son will be driving soon :rolleyes:

, so I am looking at building a Baja Bug, full cage, mild 1835. He can roll it and live, and I can use it to chase roosters up and down the beach :biggrin:

.
A Toyota Echo, Honda Civic or CRX, Nissan Sentra can be had CHEAP, and give you airbags and ABS. I lean towards Toyota and Honda after spending mucho tiempo fixing them for a living.
Not sure about San Felipe and parts, but it is close enough to the border if you take it south and have an issue.
As far as little cars go, after 30 years of driving nothing smaller than an El Camino, I detest driving small cars. The Element is definitely the wife's car. I pick the Tundra every time we go out together, faster, stronger, safer!!!!

acadist - 3-6-2011 at 06:28 PM

I will continue to drive my F150 from Denver to La Paz.....how else would I fit all my 'necessary' stuff? If I had to scale down how I pack I might as well fly. By the way what's Pemex going for? Probably alot less than gas north of the border.....as usual. :fire:

captkw - 3-7-2011 at 09:57 AM

its hard to beat a older toy p/u or my fav a 82-90 volvo 240 brick and they get a solid 30 on the highway,but part's,if you ever need them take a couple's day's to get,,but the volvo is tough as a brick

Baja12valve - 3-7-2011 at 10:06 AM

6 years ago I converted my Dodge to run on vegetable oil. It has paid for itself 5x. Our other car is a Diesel Jetta, 45mpg. I add a few gallons of veg to the tank, extending the range of that tank by 120 miles. Fuel costs? Not much.

durrelllrobert - 3-7-2011 at 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Howard
I just love my Prius and it goes beyond the 45 mpg. It's a well built car with all the room I need.

my old suburban only gets 18mpg but i don't owe anything on it and drive about 1K miles/ month which at $4/gal will cost me $222. if i were to buy a prius for $23k my payment would be $525/month (including interest) for 60 months. so i would get 27 mpg more than my suburban which would save me $148/month @$4/gal or $8889 over the 60 month period. so, the question is how much will the 5 year old prius be worth when theNiMH batteries need to be replaced ? unless it's more than $14k i wouldn't break even :?:

vacaenbaja - 3-7-2011 at 11:32 AM

Buy a used Volkswagen TDI wagon. Hard to find but at
45+ MPG on diesel and diesel is cheap in baja. Turbo
charger puts LOTS OF ZIP in the car. It is not a slug on acceleration.

By all means, YES!

Ken Cooke - 3-7-2011 at 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mtgoat666

Quote:

is a lifted short wheel base jeep safe? :lol:

South of Cataviña/North of Chapala along Hwy 1, driving at dusk, a pair of deer were feeding on grass growing on the inside of a turn. One deer ran in front of the Jeep, the other one hesitated and then ran. It got knocked out on my rocker bar. Had I been driving a small import, the deer would have gone through the drivers-side window.

bajaking76 - 3-10-2011 at 10:55 AM

I received a personal thank you note the other day...it reads...thank you for your patronage....The Middle East Oil Coalition....That's what I get for buying a v8 Tundra… I guess.... :lol:

mtgoat666 - 3-10-2011 at 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ken Cooke

Quote:

Originally posted by mtgoat666

Quote:

is a lifted short wheel base jeep safe? :lol:

and had you swerved, your jeep would have rolled, while the small import car would have stayed right side up

monoloco - 3-10-2011 at 11:50 AM

And had he been driving a Peterbuilt he wouldn't have even noticed that he hit something.

mtgoat666 - 3-10-2011 at 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by monoloco
And had he been driving a Peterbuilt he wouldn't have even noticed that he hit something.

monopolloloco:
yes, but this is about high fuel prices...

and if he had been driving a small expensive sports car he could have been picking up hot chicks, and been able to swerve/miss the deer in the headlights

I didn't swerve, though

Ken Cooke - 3-10-2011 at 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mtgoat666

and had you swerved, your jeep would have rolled, while the small import car would have stayed right side up

My front swaybar was disconnected :!:

My tires were aired down to 15 p.s.i. :!:

Yet, I didn't swerve...go figure.

mtgoat666 - 3-10-2011 at 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ken Cooke

Quote:

Originally posted by mtgoat666

and had you swerved, your jeep would have rolled, while the small import car would have stayed right side up

My front swaybar was disconnected :!:

My tires were aired down to 15 p.s.i. :!:

Yet, I didn't swerve...go figure.

sounds like a real good way to travel hwy 1.... were you drinking too? :lol:

DENNIS - 3-10-2011 at 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mtgoat666
sounds like a real good way to travel hwy 1.... were you drinking too? :lol:

I certainly hope he was. I hate to hear of amateurs on that road. One hand on your hot mama's leg, one around a cold Pacifico and the last one on the wheel.
Drive like you need to get there. :lol:

bajabass - 3-10-2011 at 01:34 PM

Now that is my kinda driving Dennis!! :lol:

How about Jeeping?

Ken Cooke - 3-10-2011 at 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Originally posted by mtgoat666
sounds like a real good way to travel hwy 1.... were you drinking too? :lol:

I certainly hope he was. I hate to hear of amateurs on that road. One hand on your hot mama's leg, one around a cold Pacifico and the last one on the wheel.
Drive like you need to get there. :lol:

Both hands were on the wheel, and we were driving at roughly 35 m.p.h. from the Laguna Chapala area to Cataviña. We camped that evening in Rancho Santa Inez and tackled the "Mission Impossible" trail the next day.

Baja Deer Door! :!: