(Mostly economical) car recs for tall guys/gals with stuff

[fred_lj]

I thought I'd give this a try here since most everybody here is of above-average intelligence and sensibility: what in the heck is there out there in terms of automobile selection for A) a tall person with both long legs and upper torso (6'5"), B) this said person desiring commuting-worthy fuel economy and C) room in the back/trunk to carry a large musical instrument ('cello to be specific -- see my AI group pic). Right now I drive a '98 Tahoe, which does the job wonderfully except for the economical aspect; and this summer I may be commuting an hour to and from work daily.

I've looked hard for some time now, trying to find a balance between all those requirements, and just can't really lock onto anything (at least anything that's not completely boring and feminine -- no offense to anyone).

Help?
:???:

[pscates]

Have you looked at the VW Jetta? Two friends have them and one does indeed tote quite a lot of stuff in her trunk (it's gigantic). 4-door also (for easily getting stuff in and out of the backseat area) and they're both pleased with the gas mileage. I've heard no complaints. One has a 97 model (the older, squared-off style) and the other has a newer one.

What about some of the smaller SUVs? The Saturn VUE is quite nice, gets pretty good gas mileage for an SUV and starts under $20,000. I've owned two Saturns and have been EXTREMELY pleased with everything about them: quality, appearance, customer service, dependability, the sales staff, etc.

[der Kopf]

I'm that tall (I found out last week) but I can't help you, really. Well, I know Mercedes is quite good (you know, Mercedes over here is probably like Ford in the US, everybody has one or two ;), but other than that. I don't even know half of the cars that are popular in the US. Did you know I was just stunned by the huge amount of cars from a brand called "Lincoln" when I was in New York? (of course I knew what Lincoln was, but still, I don't think it's even possible to get one here if you tried).
Reading your title and your first two requirements, I thought I'd recommend you my current transport solution: motorcycle. Wonderful. I have no beef with the weather whatsoever, and it does rain here once in a while. But hey, I don't see myself transporting a cello on my lovely Honda Transalp.
Ah well. I guess that didn't help, but still, ;)

[der Kopf]

just upping the ole post count :embarrass

actually, I mishit the reply for the edit button. meee stooopid

[xionja]

hmm, my sister plays the cello. . .

The VW bug actually accomodates tall people extremely well. My friends father is over 6 ft, bought one, the roof archs right over the front seets. If it fits a cello, i would be pretty good, despite being sorta weird.

What about the new Honda CRV, I rode in one a few days ago, its a really nice car, and their was a TON of headroom. It would definatly fit a cello, dunno about its mileage however.

[pscates]

For some reason, every guy I know has an aversion to owning/driving the new VW Beetle. :???:

I think they look pretty cool! Especially that cool metallic pea green color they have AND the new burnt orange color that just came out!

[bunge]

I'd reccomend a Vespa because I love them, but I don't think it would do you much good.

Does anyone have any experience with the Honda Civic?

[trumptman]

Well I'm recommending what I always recommend darn it. :devil:

Get yourself a used Jeep Cherokee. The 4 liter engine gets about 18-21 with not to heavy a foot. You can probably get a really nice used one for under $5-6000. My brother drove one for years to Arizona and back. He is 6'3" tall and didn't mind it a bit. Also it is an SUV and will fit a cello in the back.

Nick

[Ari]

A 1998-2002 Saab 9-3.

[alcimedes]

the new Ford Escape is coming out with a hybrid engine. all the leg room and capacity of an SUV, with 40Mpg

[ColanderOfDeath]

Get a used Audi sedan. Decent gas mileage. Back seat folds down allowing you to combine trunk and backseat into a large space. And you can just stick your dome out the opened sunroof.

[xterra48]

it depends what you want to spend here are some awesome choices in increasing price order.
-Suziki Aero SX big cargo for small car strong value
-Suburu Impreza wagon (WRX variant extra nice)- true wagon cargo hold, slightly unrefined drivetrain.
- Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe- consider this over the Suburu if you need an electrical outlet in your car, or desire a strong cool factor, otherwise Suburu.
-Honda Element- cool factor, value, cargo, econemy all through the roof a good choice.
-Mazda MPV- a small minivan, tons of cargo space, fold flat 3rd row seat good economy, but it is a minivan.
-Volvo V40- a good ol' volvo wagon thistime with style!
IF you realy want an suv or crossover Nissan Murano is a shure bet, good econmy because of the cvt, sport value murano has it all.

[JRC]

Honda element
base chrysler/dodge minivan (which I have and like)

[Splinemodel]

If you do highway driving, get a GM car with a 3800 or 3400 series engine. Tey do preety well in town, but great on the highway in terms of mileage. American cars get far better mileage than japanese and german cars with the sme power (and they have more torque as a added bonus.) Plus, they're intended for big americans.

The trucks and SUVs are made to entirely different standards. The Pntiac Grand Prix / Buick Regal / Oldsmobile Intrigue (if it's still around) will get you 30mpg on the highway, they have a generally good ride, and they can fit your 6'5" frame easily. Anyways' I recommend that you look at GM cars. They are insanely reliable (The 3800 engine is a ****ing rock. 150k miles is no prob), bargain priced, and quite comfortable.

Consider that this advice is coming to you from someone who owns a thoroughbread imported sportscar: For value, reliability, and comfort, nobody on Earth beats GM.

[fred_lj]

Wow -- I'm so happy with all the responses! (Sorry -- 've been out; haven't had a chance to interject yet) I tried a 9-3 the other day -- I liked it a lot, but I'm guessing the steering wheel's tilt mechanism was shot (could barely get in, let alone drive at the level it was stuck at). I guess if I were to come across one with a working tilt wheel, I might consider that. Heh.

I've heard good and bad things about the Saturn Vue; I was really considering it for a while but have read some negative comments about its mechanical reliability (see carsurvey.org -- great customer review site).

And the Civic --- I saw one of the new model hatchbacks today driving home. They don't look half bad -- wonder how the room is inside? If Honda made a 4-door hatchback I'd leap on that (been looking at the Hyundai Elantra GT hatchback, too).

Wish I could wait for the hybrids! (But I don't know if I could actually afford one anyway - maybe in 10 years when money is actually coming TO me! :)) The Escape is very, very nice, especially with the 6-cyl. engine -- but I would have to limit my color choices on that number (can look quite the girl-car quickly).

I'd be curious to hear from anybody that's had either the Vue or ANY Subaru vehicle. My dad's always cautioned me about all-wheel-drive cars and their tendencies to fail rather readily. How have Subarus worked out for anybody here (esp. the Forester if anybody's had one)?

Oh, and the GMs --- can't agree with you more. I test-drove the Impala the other day. LOVED it, but I don't know about ground clearance. Do the other models do any better (supposedly Chevy says that it is within the specs of the Impala's design to bottom out in certain circumstances) in that area?

[pfflam]

Get a VW Bug . . . . didn't Kareem drive one . . . . . in a commercial?

[pfflam]

Originally posted by trumptman
Well I'm recommending what I always recommend darn it. :devil:

Get yourself a used Jeep Cherokee. The 4 liter engine gets about 18-21 with not to heavy a foot. You can probably get a really nice used one for under $5-6000. My brother drove one for years to Arizona and back. He is 6'3" tall and didn't mind it a bit. Also it is an SUV and will fit a cello in the back.

Nick My brother also had a Jeep Cherokee . . .but it was brand new and FELL APART IMMEDIATELY AND CONSTANTLY


But everybody seems to have one . . . .

[drewprops]

yeah I'm doing car shopping a year ahead of time....gone through a lot of the options mentioned so far. The other day I started noticing the Protegé5 wagon thingy (http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/handleHomeFlash.action?vehicleCode=PR5&modelYear=2003). A wagon's not "cool", but I think that's changing as wagons and SUV's and minvans and cars all blend together.

Take a look at that thing.

Another vote for looking at the Element.
The VW Bug is a great looking car.....if you're gay. (sorry, had to say it)
The Jetta's trunk doesn't actually LOOK all that spacious....I'd need to see one up close.

I don't know if a cello gets stuffed into a gig bag, but it seems to me that you'd want something big enough to accomodate the instrument with a little room to spare.

[JRC]

Originally posted by pfflam
My brother also had a Jeep Cherokee . . .but it was brand new and FELL APART IMMEDIATELY AND CONSTANTLY


But everybody seems to have one . . . .

Our number one seller's remorse was our 92 Jeep Cherokee (pretty much base). I wish they still made them. My wife really regrets getting rid of it. It was a very versatile small SUV. And power to spare.

Tough as nails. Only had one problem toward the end, after driving it 100,000 miles in 8 or 9 years. The ball bearings on a pulley siezed up and caused it overheat, which required replacing the radiator. Not really that bad of deal for that many years, IMO.

But, I dare say that I would NOT buy a used one. They could have been abused in SO MANY ways, unless you know the owner/driver.

[Splinemodel]

Oh, and the GMs --- can't agree with you more. I test-drove the Impala the other day. LOVED it, but I don't know about ground clearance. Do the other models do any better (supposedly Chevy says that it is within the specs of the Impala's design to bottom out in certain circumstances) in that area?

Most GM's actually ride a bit higher than competing models from other manufacturers. The other non SUV models you listed have lower ground clearances. Basically, unless you're doing something stupid, you're not going to bottom-out the impala.

[Scott]

I have a civic and the rear seat folds down nicely. Plenty of cello room. I doubt you'd fit in it but it may be worth a stop at the dealer. The Accord is much bigger.

My new boss has a Subaru waggon/SUV thing. He likes it and the AWD.

[xterra48]

Suburus with all wheel drive are great, well not the outback (overpriced), or foraster (built like a POS) but the Impreza wrx wagon o yeah. DON NOT GET A NEW OR OLD CHEVY, my experiance with GM vehicles is totally negitave. MY three picks for diffrent styles

tall body-Element

Minivan-mazda MPV (do not go for chrysler or dodge, unreliable and no magic 3rd row seat)

wagon- volvo v40 or v70 volvo just dose wagons right

SUV- Nissan Murano- CVT, tons o cargo just great

hatch- Mazda protege 5 not a lot o power though or toyota matrix more power

[CaseCom]

Originally posted by bunge
Does anyone have any experience with the Honda Civic?

I have a '96 Civic sedan. It's a good economical sedan; I've been thoroughly pleased with it. The engine's not very powerful, but it's smooth as silk, and the car handles well. It has a decent amount of length for a small car (175 inches, longer than a Cherokee) and it'd probably fit the cello with the back seat down. Also, I'm 6'1" and headroom is not a problem. 6'5" might be pushing it though.

Originally posted by xterra48
Suburus with all wheel drive are great, well not the outback (overpriced), or foraster (built like a POS) but the Impreza wrx wagon o yeah

Foresters are built like a POS? Subaru reliability is up there just below Toyota and Honda. And the 2003 Foresters have redesigned interiors that are quite nice, definitely better than a Legacy, which I found a little chintzy. I don't own one, but I've driven the '03s a couple of times and I liked them a lot. The roofline is nice and high so headroom should not be a problem, especially if you don't need a sunroof. Plus the driver's seat on all models is height-adjustable, which helps a lot.

I'm also a big fan of the VW Passat. Very roomy inside, and the wagon version is great. The 1.8T four-cylinder turbo engine is economical and powerful, especially with a manual transmission. And they also all have height-adjustable seats.

[Luca]

You might want to check out Consumer Reports... it seems like VW makes some awesome cars but they tend to be not very reliable. It depends on the model.

My family has an 11 year old Toyota Corolla with about 180k miles on it and apart from a few failed mufflers, a brake job, and a pair of new headlights, it hasn't really needed any service. It's starting to get rusty but it's still a great car. Too small for you though, probably. But that's something to keep in mind - Toyotas are extremely reliable. I'm kind of surprised when I hear people talking about cars with 100k miles as if they're "old" because I'm so used to this Corolla.

Anyway, according to Consumer Reports, Honda and Toyota generally are the most reliable - other Japanese companies are pretty good too, and some recent GM and Ford models are about average (though many are really poor). It's the scattered few German cars, as well as the Korean ones, that get the really bad scores. So I'd check out one of their auto issues and see what's good and what's not.

[fred_lj]

Yeah, that's what I'd heard about VW in general -- once they hit 40k/50k miles, things just start happening that get very expensive. Otherwise, I'd jumpt to get a Passat.

The Toyota RAV4s look interesting, but has anybody been inside one? Are they less of a tin-can than they look? (I know the CR-V is quite nice inside, as well as the Escape.) But I'll probably narrow my choices to the Honda CR-V, Chevrolet Impala LS, or Toyota Avalon (more headroom and bigger trunk than Camrys). Model years probably 98-2000, 2000-2001, and 98-99, respectively.

I love the Avalon - just wish it didn't have so much of a fuddy-duddy appearance. Same for the Impala's interior. But when it comes down to it, I'll take Toyota reliability and fuel efficiency before Chevrolet this time. Then there's that CR-V ----- would love to find an SE model for under 14k. In no hurry, though; got to get finals outta the way and then try to sell the Tahoe -- fun, fun, fun.

[Timo]

One of the selling points for our getting a Passat is that it had more cargo room than several SUVs out there today.

[Willoughby]

I have a 99 VW Jetta (the new model) and it has 71,000 miles on it already. I drive a lot.

I haven't had any major problems and the ones that I have had didn't cost me that much at all.

Also, I'm certain a cello would fit in the trunk (with the rear seats down) because I've transported my wife's when we moved.

So as far as I'm concerned its roomy, reliable and fun to drive. I can't comment on the head room....cause uh...I don't really have to worry about that. :D

[tmp]

I'm 6'3" and I fit in my Civic with a bit of seat travel to spare. My friend who is 6'5" looked a bit squished in the passenger seat, but driver's seats usually have a bit more travel. The back seat folds down for a trunk pass-through, so you should be able to fit large/ long items (the trunk is pretty big in general, though). I get about 28 mpg in the city, and I have a pretty heavy right foot. The car isn't exactly my dream car, but it is very good transportation.

I can't recommend ANY VW. Friends who have had them have found out the hard way that they have the German car thing of every little part costing a fortune to replace. And the interiors on the new ones are total $hit. My friend's New Beetle is falling apart- the soft-touch plastic on the console and the door skins is peeling off like a bad sunburn, and the drivers power window switch is breaking off. This from a two year old car.

[Matsu]

Let me confirm the bullet proof nature of the 3800 V6 from GM and the really rather amazing highway fuel economy of the 3800+4speed auto. I've driven one to NY and back a few times and it easily competes with the 4cyl competition on highway mileage, except that it's big, comfortable, and silent at 140Kph (85Mph) Great engine.

Jeeps. I've driven a couple and find all but the latest body type Grand Cherokee and ergonomic disaster. If you can find one of the new types, then why not, some of them do tend to fall apart though, especially the older models.

Passats are also a very nice choice, great ride/handling for a sedan/wagon at their price. Ditto the Impreza, but tighter inside and not as nicely finished.

Depends what you want out of a car. A long distance commuter puts the smart used money on ubiquitous old fart cars. Plenty of great deals on Buicks and Caddies, and Olds Auroras out there, not more than 3 years old, great running and reliable. Will easily run for another 7-10 years for a pittance compared to a new car.

[Splinemodel]

Originally posted by xterra48
Suburus with all wheel drive are great, well not the outback (overpriced), or foraster (built like a POS) but the Impreza wrx wagon o yeah. DON NOT GET A NEW OR OLD CHEVY, my experiance with GM vehicles is totally negitave. MY three picks for diffrent styles


The 4 cylinders from GM are kind of iffy, but the 3400 and 3800 are rock solid. In the last decade & change my dad has had 3 3800 based cars, one 3.5L (24v version), and one 4.0 (32v V8). None of them had any problems except the Aurora, which had a wheel out of alignment. (Fixed under warranty.) It's a 50 year old platform that has evolved quite a lot, but at the same time has been perfected more than any other drivetrain on the market.

I'll also credit Toyota for developing an excellent platform in the Camry/Avalon, but, again, Toyota's V6 (3.0L) is the best of its line, so get the V6 at all costs. (FYI, it is technically possible to boost a Supra with the same block up to 1000hp. . . crazy turbo action) The Toyota Camry/Avalon is a very solid car, though highway fuel economy is actually better on the GM 3800 with 4sp auto.

I'm only 6'0," but If I were to buy a "beater" I'd probably be looking at many of the same cars: Camry, Pontiac Grand Prix, used Olds Alero V6 (actually a favorite of mine), perhaps also the Corolla and Mazda6. (waiting for new Rx-3)

[Eugene]

Most basketball players seem to like Escalades and Bentleys...that might be a good starting point. :D

[Retrograde]

I would recommend the Fiat Multipla which has won numerous awards but is one "distinctive" looking vehicle :smokey:

http://www.justrentals.gr/cars/fiatmultipla.jpg

What makes this vehicle neat is that it fits 6 seats into only two rows and should give you ample room for toting a cello.

http://www.rpjf.com/Sites/cab-nation/images/page_index_17.jpg

However I doubt they are sold in the US?

[Luca]

No they aren't, in fact I haven't seen a single Fiat here in the US. I saw tons of those Multiplas when I went to Italy a couple years ago though. And Smart cars too, those tiny two-seaters.

[Matsu]

GM push rod engines really are amazing. I know they seem like old tech, and have been in a lot of rather unfortunate cars, but they deliver a lot of power and economy per pound if not "per liter." An all aluminimum small block can be built lighter and lower than an equivalent DOHC engine. My cousin bought a C5 Vette last year. It's damn fast, but actually gets respectable highway mileage in real world driving. If you bury your foot, it still has a huge appetite, but if you drive it like a normal car, it gets over 25MPG. This is 400HP engine we're talking about here. Similar 400+ outputs from Eurpean exotica or turbo rice-japination mobiles, hardly come close. Only BMW's M5 comes close to returning the same power and economy.

What's more, you can fairly easily build a 450-500HP small-block, that's very inexpensive by performance car standards, and that runs and idles virtually indestinguishably from the stock configuration.

Now if GM could only put this thing in a some kind of body that wasn't an utter disgrace, it'd be a killer. I hope Lutz makes an impact soon.

[bunge]

Originally posted by Luca Rescigno
And Smart cars too, those tiny two-seaters.

The Smart car seats four. It's a two-door, four seater.

3It's so short that it can park nose first towards the curb and still not stick out as far as an average sized car. Probably shorter than a cello.

[murbot]

Take a new Nissan Altima or Maxima for a spin. Tons of interior room, and that 245 HP V6 is silky smooth.

If I could convince the old lady we don't need a minivan, I'd be driving one.

:\

[Splinemodel]

Originally posted by Matsu
TSimilar 400+ outputs from Eurpean exotica or turbo rice-japination mobiles, hardly come close.

The Mazda 20B gets solid highway mileage. . . especially if you somehow have a Side Port 20B, which at this stage only exists within the company.

:)

But yeah, turbo and big injectors = bad mileage. Higher compression requires a higher fuel air ratio in order to moderate combustion temperature, and usually there's a bit of buffer put in there because you don't want your engine to knock, blow a piston, or worse. So lower compression pushrod engines are can be built with more favorable fuel/air tolerances, thus giving you more power per weight and power per fuel.