Have You Ever Bought Something...

...that you thought would just be practical but turns out you really, really enjoy?

After years and years of driving gas-guzzling pickups, which I love, I bought a car strictly for the mileage. A 2015 Cruze turbo-diesel. If you would've told me that not only would I buy a small car but I'd like it, I would've told you to stop smoking crack. Turns out it's a really fun car to drive AND the mileage is fantastic. It's nice to buy something once in a while that FAR exceeds your expectations.

Snapped this at a stoplight today:

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...pssr80cnhh.jpg

Tagged for regular updates.

What is your expectation of service costs vs gas? Overall maint cost vs gas?

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Have always been a fan of VW turbo diesels and small diesels in general.

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Welcome to adult hood. :)

I always thought a little Toyota pickup with a small, four cylinder diesel would be pretty cool. Too bad they never offered one here in the states.

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Originally Posted by Bailey Guns

Have You Ever Bought Something...

...that you thought would just be practical but turns out you really, really enjoy?

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That's kinda how I feel about my wife (aside from the "bought" part ... not that she's cheap or anything)

First "asian" import was a versa hatchback. Has lots of room and 33 mpg, the way i drive.

Picked up a Tacoma cab over last year. 1 owner 59K, paperwork, garaged, dealer maintained, warranty till 120K . Who'd have thought i really like it. PLUS.. We can drive anywhere (heavily armed) and not draw attention. Oh yeah the pups like it too.

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Originally Posted by buffalobo

Tagged for regular updates.

What is your expectation of service costs vs gas? Overall maint cost vs gas?

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Honestly, I have no idea. It's still under the 3yr/36k warranty for 6k miles and the powertrain warranty is 5yr/100k. Aside from the normal stuff (oil/filter changes, etc...) there isn't really any scheduled maintenance until 97k miles when the timing belt is scheduled to be changed. A tank of DEF (4.9 gals) is said to last between 8k and 10k miles so that's not really an issue.

What I'm more worried about is finding a tech at the dealer to work on the motor...at least for warranty issues. From what I've heard most have never seen one. I had mine delivered from a dealer about 250 miles away. I was talking to the sales guy (this is at a Chevy dealership) prior to delivery and asked him to please make sure the DEF was topped off. He told me the Cruze diesel didn't use DEF and said that had been verified by his service dept manager. Needless to say, they were both a little surprised when they found the DEF filler cap just where I told them it would be. If that's what can be expected in terms of knowledge of these cars, it has me a bit concerned.

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Originally Posted by ray1970

I always thought a little Toyota pickup with a small, four cylinder diesel would be pretty cool. Too bad they never offered one here in the states.

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I agree, the Hilux with a solid front axle and small diesel motor would be my dream pickup.

You are quickly convincing me I want one of these (for the wife at least). It will be a couple years before I'm in the market to finance another vehicle (have to pay the Xterra off), perhaps I'll try to find a low mileage 2016 and buy the wife a car. We could damn near make it to her parents place in California on one tank of diesel, that's impressive.

I think with the diesel technology we have now, more people are open to the idea. Back in the 80's there were some diesel cars, but the exhaust smell put most people off. More manufacturers should capitalize on the small diesel car market. The DEF emission systems are better than a DPF only system, less problems as long as the DEF is of good quality.

ETA... the new 2019 Ford Ranger will have a diesel option.

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Originally Posted by Great-Kazoo

First "asian" import was a versa hatchback. Has lots of room and 33 mpg, the way i drive.

Picked up a Tacoma cab over last year. 1 owner 59K, paperwork, garaged, dealer maintained, warranty till 120K . Who'd have thought i really like it. PLUS.. We can drive anywhere (heavily armed) and not draw attention. Oh yeah the pups like it too.

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Welcome to the club. The Tacoma is a fantastic value and mine has been dead-nuts reliable.

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Originally Posted by hurley842002

You are quickly convincing me I want one of these (for the wife at least). It will be a couple years before I'm in the market to finance another vehicle (have to pay the Xterra off), perhaps I'll try to find a low mileage 2016 and buy the wife a car. We could damn near make it to her parents place in California on one tank of diesel, that's impressive.

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They only made about 11,500 total for 2014 and 2015 model years and discontinued the diesel model due to slow sales. But, they're bringing it back in 2017 with a 1.8L (?) diesel engine. Between Europe and Australia GM sells almost 1/2 million diesel-powered compact cars per year. Americans just haven't warmed up to them yet...but I'm convinced they will.

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Originally Posted by Bailey Guns

They only made about 11,500 total for 2014 and 2015 model years and discontinued the diesel model due to slow sales. But, they're bringing it back in 2017 with a 1.8L (?) diesel engine. Between Europe and Australia GM sells almost 1/2 million diesel-powered compact cars per year. Americans just haven't warmed up to them yet...but I'm convinced they will.

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That's good to know, thanks for the info. Spread the word Bailey, maybe the US will warm up to small diesels (probably not, because they make too much sense).

Why would the US warm up to small diesels? The diesel Chevy Colorado averages over 40mpg in Europe. People couldn't process buying a pick-up as the gas saver vehicle.

I always thought the suv market was perfect for diesels. Jeep made one, but cost cutting ideas made it a poor product once it reached production, and they put it in a low seller to begin with. Fortunately, they are doing it again in their flagship vehicle.

Yes!
My Shark Navigator vacuum cleaner.


....and you can just wipe the smirk off your face right now! That vacuum kicks ass.

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Originally Posted by TheGrey

Yes!
My Shark Navigator vacuum cleaner.


....and you can just wipe the smirk off your face right now! That vacuum kicks ass.

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My Shark navigator does an amazing job. It cleans up the mess the Dyson leaves.

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Originally Posted by Irving

I always thought the suv market was perfect for diesels. Jeep made one, but cost cutting ideas made it a poor product once it reached production, and they put it in a low seller to begin with. Fortunately, they are doing it again in their flagship vehicle.

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Love my 3L diesel Grand Cherokee. The hemi is faster but when pulling a trailer the diesel is amazing, especially at Colorado altitudes. Also get 26mpg around town, 30 highway.

UpLULA
http://www.maglula.com/product/uplula-9mm-to-45acp/

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Originally Posted by TheGrey

Yes!
My Shark Navigator vacuum cleaner.


....and you can just wipe the smirk off your face right now! That vacuum kicks ass.

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No smirking here. Over the winter I bought a Bissell upright vacuum...a Pet model something or other. Cost like a whopping $79 shipped. Outperforms the wife's $800 Miele by a longshot. She's pissed. So she bought a Bissell carpet shampooer. Works fantastic!

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Originally Posted by encorehunter

My Shark navigator does an amazing job. It cleans up the mess the Dyson leaves.

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+1. We had a Dyson before the Shark, and I was stunned with the amount that the Dyson left behind.

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Originally Posted by Bailey Guns

No smirking here. Over the winter I bought a Bissell upright vacuum...a Pet model something or other. Cost like a whopping $79 shipped. Outperforms the wife's $800 Miele by a longshot. She's pissed. So she bought a Bissell carpet shampooer. Works fantastic!

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Really? Wow! I heard that Miele vacuums are really something. I have a Hoover carpet shampooer that rocks.

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Originally Posted by Rumline

Love my 3L diesel Grand Cherokee. The hemi is faster but when pulling a trailer the diesel is amazing, especially at Colorado altitudes. Also get 26mpg around town, 30 highway.

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Amen to my ecodiesel! we're averaging 22-24 city, then it jumps quick up to 28-30 highway, we just don't do enough highway. Love the power. 420ftlbs. cool.

You rollin coal in CDA yet? [LOL]

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Originally Posted by ray1970

I always thought a little Toyota pickup with a small, four cylinder diesel would be pretty cool. Too bad they never offered one here in the states.

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I've got an 81 Isuzu Pup with the 2.2 diesel. Need to get that back on the road. Great little truck.

Usaually it's the opposite.

That's how I feel about my '06 Liberty CRD; I love that thing; what an awesome mountain commuter and great MPG for a 4x4. I'm about to turn 220,000 on it, and I expect a lot more.

Thought I'd resurrect this thread.

I had the first oil change on the Cruze and a voluntary recall on a nox sensor done. So far, that's the only maintenance. Still averaging 44 to 48 mpg as a commuter. Shortly after buying mine, wife decided she wanted one. She traded her (paid for...bought used) '14 Impala LTD basically straight across for a 14 Cruze diesel with about 30k miles on it that looked brand new. We picked it up in Missoula, MT and it averaged 54 mpg on the 225 mile drive home. Her's gets more highway miles than mine so the avg economy is better. Filled it with fuel the other day (15.9 gal tank) and the computer said "719 miles" for range to empty. :) She drives 47 miles one way to work so it takes her about 2 gals to make the round trip.

Attachment 70926

Electric blower. Paid about $21 at Amazon. Always thought they were gimmicky. This thing is amazing. Blows spider webs off the house, grass, leaves...you name it. Handiest thing I've bought in a long time. Makes quick work of blowing dust and dirt out of the shop and garage, too. Awesome.

Attachment 70927

Electric mower. I have several small patches of grass that are too small to get to with the riding mower and too much for the weed wacker. Plus, the weed wacker really tears up the grass and it's nice grass. This was on sale at Amazon for $89 and I had a gift card for $50. It's absolutely perfect for the small areas the rider can't get to. It's really light, and bags, mulches or uses the standard side discharge. Never thought I'd be using an electric mower but this thing is great. The extension cord is heavier than the mower. I thought the cord would get in the way but you just keep the cord between you and the area to be mowed and it's like it isn't even there. I can only imagine how well one of the higher end, more powerful mowers would work.

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Originally Posted by buffalobo

What is your expectation of service costs vs gas? Overall maint cost vs gas?

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Almost a year. Total service costs have been about $85 and consisted of new wipers, O/F/L service and a gallon of DEF at about $2.80. And I just put tires on it today. Drove 130 miles to CDA to Discount Tire because of an awesome 4th of July sale. Curious how the Michelin fuel saver tires would do so watched the fuel economy closely on the way home. This is the result. Just like before it's a rolling 25 mile average. Yeah...60+ MPG is a good thing:

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...psib7usdmv.jpg

Maybe...but I'd have to crawl into the trunk to do it. And it's kinda cramped. And the filler hole is a pretty small target. And I'd probably break a hip getting out. I'll just spend the $2.80 and buy a gallon. Probably worth it.

60 MPG is better than all but one of my motorcycles...dayum!

666
Score!

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Originally Posted by TFOGGER

60 MPG is better than all but one of my motorcycles...dayum!

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Yeah. I've only had one that did better. An F650GS I had got about 65-ish.