vigilant

I have searched for guidance in this area and unless I am mistaken, it has not come up before. I currently drive a Ford Expedition to the airfield and as you might imagine, it can carry a pretty good collection of planes and flying paraphernalia. Recently, the cost of gasoline is making me consider a smaller car for my daily purposes, but I still need to be able to carry all of the afore mentioned stuff to the air field.

Any recommendations for smaller cars that can both get good gas mileage (25 to 35 mpg) and haul the goods to the air park in reasonable comfort?

bhole74

[sm=lol.gif][sm=lol.gif][sm=lol.gif]
E-powered Suburban?

warhwk

My Feedback: (3)

I drive a 7 seat mini-Van. With the back seat removed, it will hold several .40 sized planes. With both seats out it will hold Giant Scale planes. I made a removable plywood shelf over the rear area that almost doulbles my storage space, and it still gets 25mpg. If I need even more room, I have a trailer hitch installed.

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

I have a Nissan Frontier pickup. I have a shell on the back that is great for hauling planes. It's a work truck first, but a plane hauler second. I keep my tools in the back, but I put a couple of padded shower rods in and I can carry my planes above the tools. If I take my tools out I can usually load 3-4 planes. It's a 2000 model and I have 120,000 miles on it. That's why I'm glad I bought a 4-cylinder truck, especially with the price of gas now.

woodys3b

My Feedback: (13)

Dodge has a new van called the Sprinter. It is a rebadged Mercedes. In Europe, they are as common as a pickup here in the states. Anyway, it has a small turbo-diesel engine and is suppose to get around 30 mpg. It comes in passenger and work versions. Looks pretty good when it comes time to fill the tank.

Andy

britbrat

I have transported seven 40-sized models in my Chrysler Concord --- the trunk is gianormous

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

I can get 3 or 4 planes in my Chrysler Sebring convertable. That's why I like .25 size planes so much.

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

Yes, but it's so ugly only its mother could love it.

woodys3b

My Feedback: (13)

Yep, it sure won't win any beauty contests but you don't have to look at it when you are driving it. I don't own one but they sure make sense to me. We Americans have been spoiled with cheap gas while European have been getting soaked at the pumps. They have responded with smaller, more effeciant cars and more diesels. Last time I was in Germany, gas was about 1 Euro for a liter. That's about $5.00 a gallon. Not many Excursions on the road there

Nathan

My Feedback: (12)

Hatchbacks can carry quite a bit up to an 80" WS. Small pickups usually do well on gas and can carry about the same load. Minivans or vehicles like the Chrysler Pacifica have pretty good gas mileage and a ton of hauling capability. We have one guy who drives a mustang and tows a small trailer. I have a small 5-door hatchback and have comfortably put a 30 size heli, 80" WS Edge 540, 55" WS cap 232 and all support equipment without being concerned with damage. You can't have any passengers with that much, but it works for me.

There are many many vehicles that can carry quite a bit of airplane stuff, it just depends on what you like or want to drive.

bingo field

Try like my 2000 Buick Century, the back seats fold down, and you can put 3 or 4 planes and the tools etc. in there.... 30mpg...

TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

I can haul 3-4 giant scale planes in my Grand Caravan. Gets about 21mpg in town & I can use it to travel long distances to fly-ins as well at about 28mpg. It has a V-6 so I can haul a trailer as well if needed.
It going to need to be replaced soon and I don't have any idea what would do the job as well. Bet I will just get a newer on.

danace

My Feedback: (23)

well i get two efly in my 1970 cuda i get ther fast and i look cool getting there

MrMulligan

My Feedback: (314)

I have an'03 Pontiac Vibe. The split back seat folds flat and the front passenger seat folds flat. The seat backs have tracks in them for holddowns. The SUV is based on a Toyota Corolla and is very nice at fill-up time. It's twin is a Toyota Matrix. I've carried three and four planes in this car.

smitymax

Look at Ford's 2005 Freestyle....Very nice crossover vehicle between a car and a Suv. I just replace a 1999 Dodge Dakota club cab 4x4 with a shell on the back. Made very nice for carrying planes but cost an "arm and a leg" everytime I went flying. Just got the Freestyle and it getts 22-24 mpg and has plenty of room. Seats in back fold down into floor and make flat bed for planes. Even the passenger seat folds forward so you can get in an extra long fusulage...my 28% Extra 330L fits in nicely.

JasonWilliam

Same boat. In fact, I just put in the order for a Dodge Magnum. I'm a taller guy (6'8") and have up till now been transporting my planes (and myself) in an '02 Sierra 1500 with a shell on the back. Nice truck, nice room, terrible gas milage.

The Magnum's seats all fold, the tailgate actually hinges in the roof, and the gas milage is fantastic considering the size of the car. The non Hemi versions get upwards of 28 mpg, while the 340hp Hemi's get around 25. Not bad at all. Can't wait to get mine!

bigchap

find yourself an old volvo 740 estate,that's what we call them here in the uk but i think you guys call them station wagons,i paid £100 for mine,with the back seats down i can get a 1/4 scale tiger moth in plus 4 40 size models and all my gear,it does about 25 to the gallon and is like sitting in your favourite armchair!one thing puzzles me,why do you guys worry about the price of fuel?i pay £4 for a gallon of unleaded!

AlphaWhisky

Four pounds a gallon!!! Why are you still there? Come to godzone. We`re hard-doneby at $NZ1.18 litre. That`s about $US3.35/gallon - 1.80 pounds/gal?

My model mover is a Mazda 6 wagon. I can get two IMAA models plus the gear, weekend survival kit, and my wife in there no trouble - and better than 40mpg when not pushing it on tiptronic!

Alan W

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

I'm curious, what size engine does it have? The ones in the US are listed at 20mpg city and 27mpg highway. I suspect it's because the only engine choice is a 3.0L V6.

TexasAirBoss

My Feedback: (22)

Volvo has a 320 hp wagon. The rear seat folds flat. Straight 5 twin turbo, sah weet !
or
Saturn large wagon for 1/2 the price....and gets 33 highway and 28 city

MajorTomski

I've been using a 96 Ford windstar since April of 96 with the back seats out just as mentioned above.

A point on media induced gas price panic.

My Windstar is getting a pretty solid 19 MPG, and I drive a fairly average 17,000 miles a year. So at $2.10 a gallon it's costing me $1878.00 a year to drive the van.

IF I got a car that got 30MPG and my driving habits remain the same and gas stays the same it would cost $1190 a year to drive.

A savings of only $690 a year, $59.00 a month. And $59.00 a month isn't going to make a new car payment.

So you're going to spend $300.00 a month in new/refinanced car payment to save $59.00 a month in gas? Stick with the explorer.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

had an accord once that would haul a ton. Back seat folded and you could get a quarter scale in the back almost. Its nice. I sure like my big dodge better though. Crappy on gas, but it will haul anything. Take the money you would spend on a new car and put it in the tank. It will last a long time. Well, maybe not.

Durangos get OK mileage and look good, well, before this years.

GrnBrt

My Feedback: (5)

I have a 2003 ford Windstar and love it. Have never figured out what my mileage is as it doesn't matter as it will take gas no matter what one is doing. I'm lucky in the fact that we don't use the van as a primary car so I can take the seats out and keep my flying stuff in there all season long. Now speaking of that it's loaded and ready to go and beautiful here, off to the flying field,

bhole74

>>>Take the money you would spend on a new car and put it in the tank. It will last a long time. Well, maybe not. <<<

I agree, I wouldn't take on a new car payment of $500 or more to save an extra $20 a month on gas. I'll just keep getting 17 mpg with my "paid for" Suburban.

AlphaWhisky

In reply to Piper-Chuck, my Mazda 6 has a 2300cc 4 cyl engine. Peppy enough for me. Legal speed limits here are 50kms/hr in the city and 100kms/hr on the highway.

Alan W