Estimate Vehicle

[wesley 15]

How are you guys doing your estimates? What I mean is have any of you gone to a small truck for giving estimates or a car?

I am looking at getting something more economical for giving estimates and going behind my guys. I also need it to be some what practical. Right now I do all my estimates and checking behind my guys in my diesel truck that sits on 35" tires. After 72,000 miles I'm ready to save a little in fuel cost. So any vehicle is almost instant fuel savings.

Volkswagon has a diesel motor for the Jetta that gets 50+ mpg, but I have never owned a car so still unsure about this. Any feedback or ideas are appreciated.

[plainpainter 217]

you've never owned a car?

[wesley 15]

plainpainter you've never owned a car?

For myself no. My wife has had a few, but not me.

[CCPC 26]

you've never owned a car?

I thought everyone knew there ain't no cars in Georgia.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Wow 50+mpg! Wonder if that thar thing might mount up in some Porsche.

Edited July 4, 2008 by MMI Enterprises

[alvisishere 66]

Whats a CAR? Do they sell them in Ga.?????

[Joe Ortiz 14]

93 toyota tacoma 4cy. 4x4 is what you need about 25+mpg anyone selling one?

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Can't imagine a 4x4 four banger getting that much in real world conditions. I always got closer to 18 city and 20 hwy. Then when I went to 6 cyl street tacoma without the 4x4 I got about same or a tad less.

[HotShot 34]

Love the new Jetta...but I don't like cars.

Wesley, I would go with something like a 4 banger Tacoma, Frontier or Ranger. You will need a ladder sometimes. Those fold up ladders are nice, I have a couple myself. Plus, chicks dig trucks ;)

just kidding.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

yea..just say "get in the truck woman!!".. some like that.. :)

[RMedbery 26]

Yeah 50+ is pushing it. Have a 99 Golf that consistently gets 46. There are guys that get above 50 but thier working hard at it.

[Rick2 42]

Just bought a new Santa Fe for the wife. It only gets about 20 mpg. I really thought it would do better than that.

[HotShot 34]

It may after it's broken in a little...but not a whole lot better.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

That's the 6cyl all wheel thingy right. Looked at them but went with the 4x4 Xterra.

[Rick2 42]

Yup, we bought the 6 cylinder. We tried the 4 but it just didn't have the power I expected. Merging onto the highway was a little scarry in an underpowered SUV.

It should be broken in by now with 8 thousand miles on it. What do you think?

[Mathew Johnson 123]

We were spending a ton on estimates and fuel, 2-3K per month. I bought my daughters car back from her - that I bought for her. It is a small geo metro. Lettered it up, we use it for estimates and use it to run from our office to our equipment warehouse in our Binghamton market ( I leave my one ton at that warehouse and use other equipment locally). We knocked about 1K a month off our fuel bill

.

It used to cost me 80-100 a day to run the one ton (V10) back and forth, It cost 16.25 to run the geo back and forth.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Rick.. You asking if I think mpg will get better after breaking in?..

If so I have to say I have yet to see that idea work out on my vehicles. For me it seems that just the slightest use/wear on a vehicles emission parts results in canceling out of any efficiency gains from the tollerances of the valves or rings or whathave you settling in. I would guess that the ultimate would be to have a totally blueprinted engine and then have the emissions adjusted via computer chips, sensors, while hooked to flow equipment or dynos..etc.. Heck who does such stuff though in a world of $100 an hour shop labor on their everyday car or truck?

Inflate tires, carry lite loads, put a block under the gas pedal only thing I got.. :)