Well, I certainly wouldn't go buy a new Subaru. I bought my 97' with 92K miles for about $7400 around 6 years ago. It's got 212K on it now and other than an alternator around 140K, all it's needed was a water pump last week. Though I'll agree, the mileage might not be that much better than some truck you're considering if it's small enough. However, if it's a Chevy, I could almost guarantee the Sube would be more reliable. However, if you find yourself hardly ever carrying more than two people and frequently using the bed, then the truck might be the better bet. (though personally I'd go find a used Toyota at that point).
The E-bikes are kind of like the E-cars. They work well (you can use them without pedalling at all), but they're greatly effected by hills. And if you don't pedal at all, they can drain pretty quick. But you can travel at around maybe 12mph with a pretty gental pedal on flat pavement. you can do 20mph or better if you're willing to really go at it. It just all depends on the conditions as to how well they will work. The nice part with them is that the chargers are small enough that if you use up the juice on the way to work, you could pop off the battery (even if you leave your bike outside) and plug it in at work so it's good to go for the ride home. I bought a second battery for fear of running out. Problem is the weight. I bought a rack, but it's hard to keep that 35lbs-ish of battery back there without falling off if you go over anything rough... And it feels like I'm pulling the seams apart if I try to put it in a backpack... Levi (: On 2/3/06, Curt Raymond <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi Levi, > > I wonder if one of the electric bike add-ons would work for my wife? Its > her need to walk those stupid dogs that keeps her from just using her bike > full time. Theres nowhere to shower at work so she'd end up being all sweaty > in the afternoon. > I commute 40 miles a day and we have adverse weather here in New England > (plenty of ice this year) and I've never had a problem with my 240D. The > 190D should cut my fuel usage by 1/3. > As for camp, its 3/4 of a mile of pretty rough road, a Subaru might cut > it but spending $20,000 on a new car just doesn't make any sense. I can buy > a tremendous amount of gas for that money. A Colorado pickup is only going > to $16k or so, the extra money to get into the Subaru doesn't make any sense > for the small amount of gas saved. If you go over to fueleconomy.gov and > compare the small engine manual shift for each the Subaru is 4mpg better, > which breaks down to only $269 a year more for the pickup.... > > -Curt > > Date: Thu, 2 Feb 2006 16:30:39 -0500 > From: Levi Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [MBZ] W's concern abt oil > To: Mercedes Discussion List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Message-ID: > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Sounds like you could probably do most of your work with just a car and > trailer. > I used to have a little Toyota 4wd pickup for the occasional hauling of > something, but I finally figured out that it just didn't make sense. > Between the registration, inspection, insurance and general upkeep, it > was > costing a good chunk of change for the handful of times we used it a > year. > I've since just got a little 4x8 trailer with side racks. That works > for > hauling mulch or the flail mower or barrels or trash or whatnot. > It works fine behind my 83' 300D, and either of my 97' Subaru Imprezas. > Not > sure how rough the terrain is to your campsite, but if you don't need > more > than about 5 inches of ground clearance a Subaru would probably work > for you > there as well. > > I live like 40 miles from where I work, but generally I'm only over > here 4 > days a week and my parents live about 8 miles from work. So lately > I've > been staying here for the 3 nights. It's a bit cold here in upstate NY > this > time of year and sometimes adverse road conditions, but come summer I > think > I'm going to try my electric bike. You can still pedal, but if you > want to > go faster or need some help up a hill you can kick in the electric. > The > problem where I live is the hills. If I lived on flat land I'd be on > the > bike no question. It can be done with a regular bicycle, but it takes > some > time and effort. I'm hoping the electric bike won't run out of juice > up the > hill. But I have about 600-800 feet to climb from work back up to my > parents. And of course there's valleys in the way depending on which > way I > go, so more hills. > > I agree, I'd love an electric or otherwise more efficient vehicle. I'm > just > trying to use my 83' 300D on oil during the summer season. Once I get > that > figured out I might try it in the winter... (: > > Levi > > > > --------------------------------- > Brings words and photos together (easily) with > PhotoMail - it's free and works with Yahoo! Mail. > _______________________________________ > http://www.striplin.net > For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ > For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://striplin.net/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_striplin.net > -- It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about. -Dale Carnegie
