Mazda - I'd look at 6 not 3, 3 is noisy on open road, rental ones gave too much try noise to be pleasant, and 6 with same engine on open road will use hardly any more gas at all and gets more space.
kazbanz,
Mar 11, 5:24am
3-4 people on board -want a combination of economy and longevity AND enough oomph to get up hills. dang it im thinking Toyota Blade. Bigger engine but really good longevity
bwg11,
Mar 11, 5:39am
Yes, a 3.5 Blade is what I would buy in the OP's situation, but of course I'm known to be pro-Toyota and pro-petrol.
craigs_workshop,
Mar 11, 5:57am
Advice for hills and high mileage:
something high torque
mals69,
Mar 11, 7:07am
With it being one mother of a hill the bigger the CC the better, manual to save on brake pads. If I was doing that long trip everyday be doing it in a Nissan Patrol, Terrano Hi Lux etc would seem half the distance compared to a car, handy for carting supplies back to paradise
bwg11,
Mar 11, 7:25am
Yep, a 3.5 Blade would go up that hill like a rat up a drain pipe.
mals69,
Mar 11, 8:14am
They pretty roomie ? What's MPG on the rocket ? Like the formula of big motor in small body
captaink,
Mar 11, 8:22am
Seriously? I've got a turbo patrol LWB and a Hilux that are worth around 10k, I would seriously prefer to do that trip in a Mazda 6 / Camry any day of the week. The only way to get economy out of an older diesel is to keep the revs up and make them work, low speed 'lugging' is a fallacy, to say nothing of the cornering ability of a mangy old 4 x4
mals69,
Mar 11, 8:39am
That is why I said if I was doing it not you, my terrano pulls like a school boy up hill and handles like a car shod with firehawks. I'm putting forward my opinion on my experience, why is it on message boards some people think we all have to have the same opinion and try and ram their's onto you ? Seriously ? Give over ! The trip in question feel twice as long in a car, nothing soaks a road up like a large vehicle not to mention last twice as long especially given the hill you most probably never been up ?
skull,
Mar 11, 6:37pm
You are not going to get good gas mileage with a 3.5 litre Toyota Blade if you are using a Primera as your yardstick. #38 looks interesting, mileage looks reasonable considering it is a diesel plus it is manual, so if maintained properly you should expect a fair few more kms than petrol before you need to scrap it. I'm not very familiar with the 1800cc diesel in #38 you will need to look into that one and see what the experts say. I know the 2 litre motor in the diesel Mondeo is a pretty good unit, made by Peugeot and Ford have been putting them in several models for approaching 10 years now. If they were crap I'm sure they would have been given the flick before now. They have been updated over their lifetimes with kW and nm boosts every few years. If I were you I'd see if I could get a diesel road test to Akaroa and back so you can have an informed opinion on how you feel about such a radical change.
tamarillo,
Mar 11, 6:47pm
Couldn't agree less, extra feul, tyres expensive, less grip, less road holding. Get a car designed for job IMO.
tamarillo,
Mar 11, 7:00pm
Yes mate it's good to get everyone's opinions. AND, road tyres might give you better grip, but handle like a car? Yeah right.
richardmayes,
Mar 11, 7:48pm
+2
I'm usually one of the faster vehicles crossing the Rimutaka hill, late at night (on my way home from band rehearsal!)
One of those Fords caught me and passed me one night, doing a truly impressive speed. the driver obviously knew exactly where the limit was and how to stay on/near it.
mrfxit,
Mar 11, 7:54pm
Depends on how large your DNA supply tanks are ;-)
mals69,
Mar 11, 10:46pm
Good for you having those thoughts, in my experience owning both cars and a 4WD, on long trips in 4WD you are there before you know it - probably something to do with change in perception from being up higher and with the seating position akin to a couch. They are A/T firehawks 80/20 and stick to the road like the proverbial. Its not like a terrano has a lift kit on it and you could drive a car under it. The person behind the wheel who knows how to line a corner up is a big part of the equation too - its cars slowing me down on my trips :) I could not think of anything worse than being 4 up in a hatchback, small sedan on that particular trip everyday, rather be shot in the head or go on the dole in paradise.
tamarillo,
Mar 11, 11:25pm
Fair enough, and as we agree its personal opinion. Rather like the idea of being on the dole in paradise though, thinking I could get by quite well in Rarotonga on little money. Need a good bike though. Cheers.
OP what's younrthoughts on all these ideas?
trogedon,
Mar 12, 12:48am
+2 Excellent car.
ldra,
Mar 12, 9:15am
Thanks all, Have been out all day to keep off the dole so just getting back to this now. Great to get all the suggestions and some of these I will look into more closely. Diesel options look like they are worth investigating further and thanks for model suggestions. Blade would be out due to fuel consumption. Will take a trip around some of the yards and look at some of the models suggested. By the way - anyone got any idea how the hybrids would perform on these conditions?
tamarillo,
May 3, 12:00pm
Wouldn't, they are okay around town, stop start especially as they don't use any gas then. But on open road it's just a small petrol engine lugging around extra weight. Road tests show they use no less gas than equivalent petrol and more than diesel cars. Note I'm discussion the earlier ones within budget, newest ones have started to change ball game again. Then you've got battery replacement. If you could stretch to a Nissen leaf, and can recharge at work, it should easily make it on charge. I say should as you'd want to check first. Then you'd be electric all the way. Maybe you have solar power at home? But they're $20 at least. But think of the petrol savings? No good as only car though as electric only so no trips anywhere else.
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