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Posted: 4/25/2024 10:50:44 PM EDT
If I were buying a new car right now I think it would be a CX50. I have been looking to replace my Impreza commuter for a while. The newer CX5's and 50's are basically better in every way for my uses. I am constantly surfing sites and have seen a few used rigs and came across a CX9. Biggest downside I can think of is that the 9 doesn't do as good on fuel mileage being rated at 26 highway which isn't ideal.
For some details. My commute is 100+ miles so I want something I can put a lot of miles on. I know that doesn't scream turbo but these cars interest me and Mazda set them up for 87 so at least you're aren't having to buy premium. I don't want another little car. I am too big fat and broken to get another little car. I'm over them. I do want AWD because we do get some heavy snow a few times a year and we are around some decent mountain passes so I like to have the option. It seems like the perfect size compromise are the CX5/Rav4/CRV sized vehicles. I liked the Mazda because I hear great things about them and they still do conventional auto along with the Rav but the last couple Ravs I was in just didn't impress me. I also need to check used car rates to see what the real numbers are. All the dealer calculators default at 10%. I am not sure on my budget yet or if I can swing a new car. I paid $12k for my Subaru and it only had 30k miles. Unfortunately it needs a bit of work and I don't really want to keep it so I am hesitant. |
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BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles. People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird. |
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BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles. People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird. |
Can't speak to the CX9 specifically, but I have a 2015 Mazda 3 that just hit 200k that has been the most reliable car I have ever owned.
It still runs and drives like it did when I first bought it. I'd buy a CX9 without hesitation. |
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"All planes close up tight . . .we'll have to ditch unless landfall . . .when the first plane drops below 10 gallons, we all go down together."
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The 9 is a boat compared to the 5 or 50 (I drive a 2019 CX-3).
I would go with the non-turbo version of any of them. |
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"It is a political convention. The criminals will be on the inside." -ParityError
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There is the Head Crack Coolant Leak issue for some years. Look up and see if the 17 is one.
A great motor, but allegedly has some run of defective heads. |
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all i can say is -- having owned one Mazda -- i have been impressed
used awd CX-9s with low miles can be had for pretty low prices due to the 'new model' CX90s being introduced as mentioned above i would not hesitate to look at one but to your point -- for commuting -- you could do better than 26mpgs on the highway with a sedan. probably would have to give up the AWD requirement. a Mazda 2.5L sedan like a 2020 Mazda 6 will get 35mpgs all day long at 70mph as far as financing is concerned -- i just checked Pentagon Federal CU-- they have used car loans offered at 6.6%. new car loans at 5.6% -- both 60 month term examples. FYI... |
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I daily drive a 2012 CX9 with a V6, I like the new CX90 Inline-6.
Mrs. Kubota has a 2017 CX5 with a 2.5L normal aspiration motor. To me the CX9 is a big vehicle that should have a 6-cylinder. That turbo 4 may make plenty of power but to me you will be working it to death. Before retirement I commuted 85 miles one way, luckily those 24 and 48 hour shifts made it easy. Comfort and room to put shit are a thing. With all that said I would lean towards a sedan as mentioned, for fuel economy, and long term reliability over the turbo-4 CX9, gasoline is just shy of $5.00 here and going up. |
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My Sister....."Damn girl, get over it, we have all had to get on our knees and suck a dick to get what we wanted."
Great Aunt Florence..."Life is too short to drink cheap booze" |
Pretty sure that all 2016+ CX-9s came with the turbo, so that’s the only way they come. That final generation was 2016-2023, I believe. They’re fantastic vehicles and (iirc) the mileage isn’t that much different than the same generation CX-5, although those came with both turbo and NA options. Might wanna check those out, though. A CX-5 with marginally better fuel efficiency might make more sense.
Our CX-9 was very reliable, and the gas mileage was great for our needs but I’m not sure you want to make a commuter vehicle out of one. I used to have a 90 mile total commute and would sometimes borrow it from my wife, and I think that once or twice a week was fine but I’m not sure about five days a week. Having said that, it was a great driver and I liked it’s handling characteristics and general driving experience much more than our current CX-90 which is a total whale, comparatively Oh, and is it a hilly drive? Any steep climbs? |
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I can't speak directly to the CX-9, but I've had 2016, 2021, and 2024 CX-5s with the latter two having the same 2.5L Turbo engine that the 2017 CX-9 had. None of them have needed anything other than oil / filter changes, and the 2016 needed brake pads and rotors. That's it.
Whether the turbo is worth it or not is a judgement call. I like it for highway on ramps and completing passes a little quicker. The NA version isn't a dog though and gets 2-4 MPG more in the real world. Something that Mazda does extremely well is interiors. All of mine have worn very well, felt quite upscale, and don't have annoying fit and finish issues. I doubt you'd be unhappy with a well maintained CX-9. |
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Originally Posted By M4-AK: There is the Head Crack Coolant Leak issue for some years. Look up and see if the 17 is one. A great motor, but allegedly has some run of defective heads. View Quote https://www.tsbsearch.com/Mazda/01-013-21 |
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"It is a political convention. The criminals will be on the inside." -ParityError
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related / un-related this is a cool video -- unmoderated -- of the Mazda facility in Japan. just interesting to see inside their production facility. i don't know that it is much different than others -- but you can tell they have a clean / modern / efficient facility in the Japanese way Mazda Production in Japan |
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My wife has put about 18k miles on her 22 CX9 since November. Got an extended warranty just in case, but no problems yet. She had a Cx5 prior and the 9 drives quite a bit better in my opinion. Had almost 100k on the ‘19 cx5 with no issues either.
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The 2.5L turbo in those is notorious for head crack issues. Avoid.
They are cheap for a reason. |
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undercover in a commie state.
trump 2024. |
Not enough time has gone by to know the long term reliability on the Mazda turbo engines.
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Originally Posted By slow3v: The 2.5L turbo in those is notorious for head crack issues. Avoid. They are cheap for a reason. View Quote Really? Our 2016 CX-9 had 66k trouble free miles on it when it got totaled in an accident and we still got $25k for it. A lot of the original comps were vehicles far above 100k. I’m surprised to hear this; most everyone I know with the 2.5 is happy with it |
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the head crack issue isn't widespread but it's there and there is a TSB for it. if you get one get a CPO that has the 100k mile powertrain warranty. you could also ask that they specifically look for any leaks in the inspection
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Originally Posted By MilHouse-556: Not enough time has gone by to know the long term reliability on the Mazda turbo engines. View Quote What kind of time frame do you think is sufficient? |
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BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles. People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird. |
Originally Posted By ALASKANFIRE: What kind of time frame do you think is sufficient? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By ALASKANFIRE: Originally Posted By MilHouse-556: Not enough time has gone by to know the long term reliability on the Mazda turbo engines. What kind of time frame do you think is sufficient? 200k miles. |
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Originally Posted By MFP_4073: but to your point -- for commuting -- you could do better than 26mpgs on the highway with a sedan. probably would have to give up the AWD requirement. a Mazda 2.5L sedan like a 2020 Mazda 6 will get 35mpgs all day long at 70mph View Quote There's plenty of awd stuff I can get 30mpg with including a normal CX5. The main reason I don't want another car is how low they sit. It's not just getting in and out of them that's a pain it makes it a lot harder to see over and around the cars. |
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BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles. People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird. |
Originally Posted By MFP_4073: but to your point -- for commuting -- you could do better than 26mpgs on the highway with a sedan. probably would have to give up the AWD requirement. View Quote My old 2021 AWD Altima would get usually get 40 mpg at 75 with cruise control. Lowest was 38, highest was just over 45. AWD worked well. No problems in my 3 years of ownership. |
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I got scammed on a CX7 recently.
Turbo blown. I guess I find out next week if I can finally drive it. Good news was the engine seems to be okay for now. The turbos seem to be a big part of the issue with the CX's. |
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Originally Posted By Bacon_Grease: I got scammed on a CX7 recently. Turbo blown. I guess I find out next week if I can finally drive it. Good news was the engine seems to be okay for now. The turbos seem to be a big part of the issue with the CX's. View Quote The 7 has the Ford MZR Mustang Motor. The 9 is a different motor altogether. |
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View Quote There is still some question as to whether Mazda will pay after the warranty expires. |
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BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles. People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird. |
Originally Posted By sirbordsalot311: Pretty sure that all 2016+ CX-9s came with the turbo, so that’s the only way they come. That final generation was 2016-2023, I believe. They’re fantastic vehicles and (iirc) the mileage isn’t that much different than the same generation CX-5, although those came with both turbo and NA options. Might wanna check those out, though. A CX-5 with marginally better fuel efficiency might make more sense. Our CX-9 was very reliable, and the gas mileage was great for our needs but I’m not sure you want to make a commuter vehicle out of one. I used to have a 90 mile total commute and would sometimes borrow it from my wife, and I think that once or twice a week was fine but I’m not sure about five days a week. Having said that, it was a great driver and I liked it’s handling characteristics and general driving experience much more than our current CX-90 which is a total whale, comparatively Oh, and is it a hilly drive? Any steep climbs? View Quote It's got some hills but not really. Biggest issue is that we're at 4500 feet which is one reason a turbo would be nice. I put turbo in the title just to clarify it. The 5 is certainly a better option fuel wise. I really wish I had some more first hand data with real world MPG at highway speeds. Some cars are dead on their EPA rating and some seem to do better. |
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BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles. People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird. |
Okay, minimal hills and you will probably see decent mileage at hwy speeds. I found that the 2.5 in our CX-9 tended to lack enough torque to climb a good hill from a dead stop. Even with the turbo there just wasn’t the displacement to provide enough torque to overcome that climb and it would sit at 3-3500 rpm to get up a steep hill. Hit the hill running and the engine would sit pretty at 2k.
It did get fairly good mileage for a vehicle its size, especially on the highway. If you’re simply looking for stupendous mileage then go elsewhere like a compact car. If you’re willing to pay a bit more for gas each week *but* want a larger vehicle that is easier for you to enter/exit then it is a very good choice. It has decent cargo capacity and I regularly stuck 10ft 2x4s and rain gutters in there. I can vouch for their ability to withstand a side impact at 45mph, too. We walked away with some scratches |
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Thanks. Like I said I wasn't looking for a 9 just found one that seems like a decent deal.
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BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles. People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird. |
We bought my now former wife a CX9 Signature in 2017 after test driving Volvos and Acuras. I drove it a lot when we went on trips. It was very comfortable, and had excellent handling/good power. Gas mileage was decent if you kept your foot off the floor.
She stills drives it and continues to be happy with it. If we are taking our kids to do something, I still drive it occasionally, and it seems to be surviving well. Close to 100k on it. |
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Originally Posted By M4-AK: The 7 has the Ford MZR Mustang Motor. The 9 is a different motor altogether. View Quote It's a MAZDA MZR motor, Ford licensed the design from Mazda, just want to clear the air here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_MZR_engine As far as what engines Ford and Mazda shared over the years, in the final years of the partnership, Ford used Mazda MZR 4 cylinders. Mazda used Ford Duratec 6 cylinders. |
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undercover in a commie state.
trump 2024. |
Originally Posted By slow3v: Lol.. wait. what. It's a MAZDA MZR motor, Ford licensed the design from Mazda, just want to clear the air here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_MZR_engine As far as what engines Ford and Mazda shared over the years, in the final years of the partnership, Ford used Mazda MZR 4 cylinders. Mazda used Ford Duratec 6 cylinders. View Quote I meant to say that Ford still uses it in the Mustang. My Mazda 2.0 motor has Ford on the dipstick. Dave Coleman at Mazda is looking into Yamaha as the possible designer, but cannot prove it. |
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View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By cavedog: Originally Posted By M4-AK: There is the Head Crack Coolant Leak issue for some years. Look up and see if the 17 is one. A great motor, but allegedly has some run of defective heads. https://www.tsbsearch.com/Mazda/01-013-21 Just had a customer in the shop with this issue. There is now a class action lawsuit on it and will be turned into a recall IIRC. |
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Wish we had a Mazda dealer within 50 miles.
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I survived the cockpocalypse of 11/21/2012.
Bacon grease, the Muslim approved .mil lubricant. |
Just get a CX-5 and be done with it. Wife has a 2023 Preferred Plus non-turbo with 8K miles. Does an 80 mile round trip everyday. It’s flawless. I steered her away from the turbo because of the unknowns. Reliability and longevity were what she needed.
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I would be looking at a Toyota hybrid.
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http://www.guntechtips.com
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Originally Posted By 1975: Just get a CX-5 and be done with it. Wife has a 2023 Preferred Plus non-turbo with 8K miles. Does an 80 mile round trip everyday. It’s flawless. I steered her away from the turbo because of the unknowns. Reliability and longevity were what she needed. View Quote A five is what I want or a 50 same same as far as I am concerned. The whole reason this car came on my radar is because it seems like a good price. 60K miles and Grand Touring trim for $20,000. I've been looking at some of these for a while and don't usually seen the 9's for the same money as 5's or a little less. |
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BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles. People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird. |
BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles. People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird. |
Get a 2019 with a high enough VIN, or get the 5 any year sans turbo.
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We have had several mazdas and all were great. One was a cx9, but it was like 10 years ago. It was a very nice vehicle but it was too big for our needs at the time. Coming from a compact sedan, I was not used to driving bigger vehicles and didn't really like it. Also it wasn't great on gas so we ended up trading it in for a mazda 5 (not the cx5 but their version of a minivan, now discontinued).
At this point in time I would like it, but don't need a full sized SUV as a daily driver. Given that you have a long commute you may want to look at a smaller one if economy is a priority, but overall mazdas are good to go. They are reliable, handle well and are nicely finished. If you value comfort over economy I'd go for the 9 no question. |
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BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles. People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird. |
I own a 2021 CX-9 Carbon Edition, and love it.
My previous car was a 2018 Camry SE. I really liked it, too. Only reason I replaced it with the CX-9 was because I needed something with a third row due to my kids. If I had to choose between the Camry and the CX-9 on a long commute (you said 100+ miles), I would pick the Camry over the CX-9, simply for the gas mileage savings. The 2018-2024 Camry with the 4-cyl engine could easily do 39-42+mpg highway, even on the non-hybrid models. I could be doing 70mph in the Camry with the engine at about 1,700rpm. With the CX-9, you'll be lucky to get 25mpg highway. Over the course of an entire tank of gas, with the Camry I'd usually average about 32mpg, while I generally average 17-20mpg with my CX-9 (lots of city driving these days). With how much driving you do, that will end up being a substantial cost difference. |
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Originally Posted By SparticleBrane: I own a 2021 CX-9 Carbon Edition, and love it. My previous car was a 2018 Camry SE. I really liked it, too. Only reason I replaced it with the CX-9 was because I needed something with a third row due to my kids. If I had to choose between the Camry and the CX-9 on a long commute (you said 100+ miles), I would pick the Camry over the CX-9, simply for the gas mileage savings. The 2018-2024 Camry with the 4-cyl engine could easily do 39-42+mpg highway, even on the non-hybrid models. I could be doing 70mph in the Camry with the engine at about 1,700rpm. With the CX-9, you'll be lucky to get 25mpg highway. Over the course of an entire tank of gas, with the Camry I'd usually average about 32mpg, while I generally average 17-20mpg with my CX-9 (lots of city driving these days). With how much driving you do, that will end up being a substantial cost difference. View Quote I really don't want another low car. They really annoy me. I know the Camry is a great option as are a bunch of other cars. I really want a little ish SUV. I haven't been in any of the new CUV's but I'm guessing I won't like the room and/or height in them either. |
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BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles. People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird. |
Understood. Have you considered one of the newer RAV4 hybrids? They're nice.
Actually, as someone who used to have a 100+ mile/day commute, my honest recommendation would be to find a job with less of a commute. |
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Originally Posted By SparticleBrane: Understood. Have you considered one of the newer RAV4 hybrids? They're nice. Actually, as someone who used to have a 100+ mile/day commute, my honest recommendation would be to find a job with less of a commute. View Quote It's the best option for me at the moment. Yes I've considered the Rav Hybrids but most of what I read says the Hybrid isn't gaining much if anything when the whole commute is highway. |
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BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles. People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird. |
For that Commute I'd buy a Tesla Model 3.
Looks like your rates are about 0.12 per kWh. That would cost 0.026 per mile. |
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Originally Posted By OregonShooter: For that Commute I'd buy a Tesla Model 3. Looks like your rates are about 0.12 per kWh. That would cost 0.026 per mile. View Quote I like Tesla and know someone who uses one for my commute but they are expensive. I think the Y with the tax credit is the cheapest right now and it's $20,000 more than the mazda I'm looking at. I'd have to do the math on everything but that's a long payback. I also don't have indoor parking at the moment and I know that's not required necessarily but I feel like it makes more sense to have that with an electric car. |
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BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles. People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird. |
Originally Posted By ALASKANFIRE: I like Tesla and know someone who uses one for my commute but they are expensive. I think the Y with the tax credit is the cheapest right now and it's $20,000 more than the mazda I'm looking at. I'd have to do the math on everything but that's a long payback. I also don't have indoor parking at the moment and I know that's not required necessarily but I feel like it makes more sense to have that with an electric car. View Quote Probably a 4 year payback on that. |
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Originally Posted By ALASKANFIRE: It's the best option for me at the moment. Yes I've considered the Rav Hybrids but most of what I read says the Hybrid isn't gaining much if anything when the whole commute is highway. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By ALASKANFIRE: Originally Posted By SparticleBrane: Understood. Have you considered one of the newer RAV4 hybrids? They're nice. Actually, as someone who used to have a 100+ mile/day commute, my honest recommendation would be to find a job with less of a commute. It's the best option for me at the moment. Yes I've considered the Rav Hybrids but most of what I read says the Hybrid isn't gaining much if anything when the whole commute is highway. I don’t know if the Venzas are in your range, but they are nicer than the RAV4. I have about the same commute as you and have been getting 40 mpg. |
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http://www.guntechtips.com
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Originally Posted By OregonShooter: Probably a 4 year payback on that. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By OregonShooter: Originally Posted By ALASKANFIRE: I like Tesla and know someone who uses one for my commute but they are expensive. I think the Y with the tax credit is the cheapest right now and it's $20,000 more than the mazda I'm looking at. I'd have to do the math on everything but that's a long payback. I also don't have indoor parking at the moment and I know that's not required necessarily but I feel like it makes more sense to have that with an electric car. Probably a 4 year payback on that. $5,000 a year? |
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BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles. People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird. |
Originally Posted By ken_mays: I don’t know if the Venzas are in your range, but they are nicer than the RAV4. I have about the same commute as you and have been getting 40 mpg. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By ken_mays: Originally Posted By ALASKANFIRE: Originally Posted By SparticleBrane: Understood. Have you considered one of the newer RAV4 hybrids? They're nice. Actually, as someone who used to have a 100+ mile/day commute, my honest recommendation would be to find a job with less of a commute. It's the best option for me at the moment. Yes I've considered the Rav Hybrids but most of what I read says the Hybrid isn't gaining much if anything when the whole commute is highway. I don’t know if the Venzas are in your range, but they are nicer than the RAV4. I have about the same commute as you and have been getting 40 mpg. I like the Venza but most of them I've seen are too expensive or too high mileage when the price is right. Same old same old. |
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BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles. People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird. |
Originally Posted By ALASKANFIRE: $5,000 a year? View Quote I was off a bit. But it's tough to compare a new vehicle with a used one. A used Model 3 1 year old would be 25-30k. Attached File |
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