I need a new car. Help me.

Chee-to

Michael Peterson status
Jan 11, 2002
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Requirements:

used, just for cost purposes. I'd like to spend $20K or less.
reliable as fuck/zero maintenance
decent or better gas mileage
can handle Northern California surf/dive exploration, including driving in nasty rain and down dirt tracks. My Camrys have handled this fine with FWD and 5.4" of ground clearance.
Can fit at least 2 boards inside up to 9'0" gun, or at least 8'0 gun
can handle roof racks

ideas:

Subaru, like everyone else here, but their reliability is suspect compared to...
Toyotas.

RAV4/hybrid?
another Camry/Camry hybrid?
Prius? -- Does anybody own a Prius and put boards in it? This is kind of where I'm leaning at this point as they appear to be very similar to the Camry but with 50 mpg.
Highlander hybrid?

...or... option two...

buy one Prius for normal driving and a cheap 4x4 truck for coastal explorations.

Thoughts?
 

manbearpig

Duke status
May 11, 2009
29,772
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in the bathroom
I've always had pick ups, and don't see that ever changing. I'm really liking my 06 Tundra. From your choices I'd go with a Subaru. I had a few old ones abroad, and drive my fathers 2015 outback a bit. They're really nice, capable cars. You'd think they'd get better mpg though.
 

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
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I know a couple surfers who drive the prius V (the bigger one I think). Plenty of room for boards and whatnot.

Not as nice of a ride as a Camry but a bit better mileage and the hatchback design is better suited to surf rig duties.

Subaru are nice and fun to drive but they are not as reliable as Toyota (nothing is) and their mileage is crap. I would only recommend Subaru for someone living in the mountains who drives in the snow all the time.

A 2wd Tacoma gets similar mileage to an Outback and has so many advantages being that it's a truck.

I went through this same decision about 8 months ago. Thought about going with the nice car/old 4x4 combo but at the end of the day the cost of owning two cars (insurance, registration, maintenance) kind of eats into the gas savings and there's no way I'll ever willingly not own a truck so I ended up just dropping my 20k on a 2010 Tundra 4x4 and I couldn't be happier. If I wasn't 6'3" tall I would have gone w/ a Taco since realistically I don't need the bigger truck but the leg room, oh the leg room....



 

obslop

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Feb 4, 2002
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highlander can fit a 9'4" longboard inside but i think it's a car chassis so not a solid off road vehicle. great car otherwise if you're sticking to pavement.
 

Chee-to

Michael Peterson status
Jan 11, 2002
2,426
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Aruka said:
I know a couple surfers who drive the prius V (the bigger one I think). Plenty of room for boards and whatnot.

Not as nice of a ride as a Camry but a bit better mileage and the hatchback design is better suited to surf rig duties.

Subaru are nice and fun to drive but they are not as reliable as Toyota (nothing is) and their mileage is crap. I would only recommend Subaru for someone living in the mountains who drives in the snow all the time.

A 2wd Tacoma gets similar mileage to an Outback and has so many advantages being that it's a truck.

I went through this same decision about 8 months ago. Thought about going with the nice car/old 4x4 combo but at the end of the day the cost of owning two cars (insurance, registration, maintenance) kind of eats into the gas savings and there's no way I'll ever willingly not own a truck so I ended up just dropping my 20k on a 2010 Tundra 4x4 and I couldn't be happier. If I wasn't 6'3" tall I would have gone w/ a Taco since realistically I don't need the bigger truck but the leg room, oh the leg room....
You and I have very similar needs in many regards - boards, coastline conditions, height. Unfortunately, a Tundra gets utter dogshit gas mileage and I drive ~30K miles a year.
 

Chee-to

Michael Peterson status
Jan 11, 2002
2,426
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Trucks are sweet, but the Tacoma also gets bad gas mileage and the largest bed dimensions are 73"x56", giving a diagonal of 92", or 7'8". Meaning my 8' and 9' guns can't lock in the bed under a hardtop or camper shell. Not as big of an issue when I'm out diving/surfing on a weekend, but a pain in the ass on weekdays when I surf before or after work.
 

hammies

Duke status
Apr 8, 2006
15,587
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Lezbaru. The car will pay for itself the first time you go on a ski trip and it snows and you drive right by the chain-up area with all those poor bastards freezing their fingertips off.
 

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
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Ch-ch-ch-cheeeeeto said:
You and I have very similar needs in many regards - boards, coastline conditions, height. Unfortunately, a Tundra gets utter dogshit gas mileage and I drive ~30K miles a year.
Yeah that's like 3-4x what I drive in a year.

If/when gas goes back up to that 4-5+ dollar a gallon range I'll be looking at adding efficient commuter like a Prius or Mazda3 hatchback.
 

studog

Duke status
Jan 15, 2003
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hammies said:
Lezbaru. The car will pay for itself the first time you go on a ski trip and it snows and you drive right by the chain-up area with all those poor bastards freezing their fingertips off.
Turbo Subabru ;) :shaka: so fuckin fast. then put it in Sports+ mode :D
 

RickyBobby

OTF status
May 4, 2010
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A Ford Flex will handle boards inside, drives great and offers combination lock on door, so you can lock your keys inside the car.

I love mine!!!
 

oneworlded

Administrator
Jun 4, 2004
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chrisdixonreports.com
2011 Honda element - the last year they made 'em. We used to have one w 4wd and it did very well. Not super fast, but super reliable, super spacious and just a great car with decent gas mileage. Put a set of AT/KO2's on it and you'll do remarkably well offroad. You can also add an ecamper top.
[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJAoz99de2k[/video]
 

Boneroni

Tom Curren status
Mar 5, 2012
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RickyBobby said:
A Ford Flex will handle boards inside, drives great and offers combination lock on door, so you can lock your keys inside the car.

I love mine!!!
+1. Wife has one and it's t!ts! I love to drive it.

MPG less than we hoped though. About 20. It's a 2013.


My CRV suits surfing needs well, and I get about 25 per gallon. :shrug:
 

littlewave

Michael Peterson status
Nov 15, 2009
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Orange County
OneWorldEd said:
2011 Honda element - the last year they made 'em. We used to have one w 4wd and it did very well. Not super fast, but super reliable, super spacious and just a great car with decent gas mileage. Put a set of AT/KO2's on it and you'll do remarkably well offroad. You can also add an ecamper top.
[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJAoz99de2k[/video]
I have a 2003, the first model year, still going strong at 190K miles and counting. No major problems, just maintenance and some parts here and there.
 

studog

Duke status
Jan 15, 2003
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littlewave said:
OneWorldEd said:
2011 Honda element - the last year they made 'em. We used to have one w 4wd and it did very well. Not super fast, but super reliable, super spacious and just a great car with decent gas mileage. Put a set of AT/KO2's on it and you'll do remarkably well offroad. You can also add an ecamper top.
[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJAoz99de2k[/video]
I have a 2003, the first model year, still going strong at 190K miles and counting. No major problems, just maintenance and some parts here and there.
had the '02 CRV which is same engine/chassis. got it to 213K miles. but did have some major engine repair around 190K. with good tires & AWD that thing was fun to drive in the rain. done a blizzard too in it with no chains. gas mileage I'd say was mediocre. low 20's usually. back in about '04 after I bought it got a survey from Honda about what you'd like to see in a new version which i did online. 80% of it was about cupholders :socrazy:. emailed the people and told them screw cupholders, I'd prefer a hybrid engine option. this was back when gas was $2/gallon. they said "that's a good idea". looks like they've never followed thru. 4 boards easy inside or ontop. room for a 9'2" longboard inside. element is more camper friendly compared to the CRV. took me a long time to come around to the Element body style. the new CRV's though hate the rear design. also the lack of engine power starts to get frustrating if you're doing hill driving.
 

Boneroni

Tom Curren status
Mar 5, 2012
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Test drove a couple new CRVs and they seem cheap compared to the older ones. Almost like the chasis is smaller, but I don't know.

Mine is a 2006 (130K mi).
 

Mr Doof

Duke status
Jan 23, 2002
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nexttozen said:
Also subarus r not very reliable compd to the toys. Had 2 in family that had head gasket issues. That 2.5 liter motor is known fo those issee
The 2.2 l engine I have is at 180K while the rest of the car falls apart around it.

Had front end engine seal replaced at 100K due to tiny oil leak, but that was it for the engine repair....just regular maintenace.

Anyway, I've been looking for a new car for the last three years and slowly ruling things out due to lack of headspace when I sit in the driver's seat.
 

Chee-to

Michael Peterson status
Jan 11, 2002
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My girlfriend has a CRV. I hate driving it - weird sight lines and not comfortable for me.

Right now I'm leaning towards the Prius v wagon. The real sexy option is the RAV4 hybrid, but its so new there aren't any used models on the market. Maybe I'll get a cheap truck now and buy the RAV4 in another year or two when trade-ins start to hit.

Driving my rental Nissan Sentra has made me appreciate the Camry a lot more. I catch myself thinking "wow, this thing is really zippy/faster than the Camry!" and look down to realize I'm going 45 instead of 80. My old, crusted-shock having, beat-to-sh!t Camry is just that much smoother at speed.