hudd

Did you not see front end crash test on the F150 and BMW mini. The report said the mini occupants would substain less injury. It not about mass it about the safety cage design of the vehicle.

iaink

Sure, if hitting a stationary concrete wall (like that happens often in real world collisions)

If an F150 (2500kg) hit a mini (1150kg), the F150 would apply twice the force (at equal speed) on the Mini that the mini applies to the F150.

The F150 would bounce the mini a few hundred feet back down the road. Mass (well, momentum in this case) wins. Plus the front bumper would hit about head high on the mini, and there is a good chance it will go straight over the top of it.

bsb

Been here 5 years and the offers never seem to end.
did anyone see top gear when they did the F150 sport ? if not find a copy on the internet its bloody hilarious, Jezza ripped it big as a pile of trash pretty much.
I like the look of a honda ridgeline. better all round than an F150

Stuarty

Took the Ridgeline for a test drive when over in March, it was excellent. Also took a Tacoma out but the ride was too firm without 2 bags of cement in the back. Have to agree about the Jeep. The build quality in the Uk is average at best. Drove the Pathfinder last week and it was excellent (it was a diesel though) the only thing about it, as with some of the smaller pickups, is the legroom in the back is restricted for long legs (both kids 6' tall and growing) as the floorpan is shallow. The Pathfinder seems to be built with the same shell as the Frontier (Narvana in the UK) so it is great as well. Still want to get a Truck if I can and the crossover Ridgeline or the Sportrac seem like the best bets, otherwise I will need to go for a SUV. The Volvo XC90 is a good one but European 4 x4's seem to be top dollar in Canada, any recommendation? Are the fords any better quality?

Atlantic Xpat

Can't speak for quality of Fords over here from personal experience but the F150's I test drove seemed well put together and comfortable inside. The new Explorer / Sportrack look quite nice but I have a problem with the concept of the Sportrack. If you want an SUV go get an SUV e.g. Explorer and if you want a truck with seating for 5 go get a Supercab truck. F150 Supercab is going to be way cheaper to lease/buy than a sporttrack with only marginally worse fuel economy.

If leg room is a key consideration then you might want to look at the Ram Megacab. Its bigger than the std Ram Quad cab which is a bit cramped in the back. (I'm 6ft). The Volvo XC90 is what Mrs AX aspires to. However with a starting price at $50k before taxes, aspire is all she is likely to do unless our lotto numbers come up! VW Toerag similar price bracket. Ranger Rover even more expensive yet. If you can contemplate that sort of money then mebbe leasing a Supercab F150 over 24/36 mths gets the truck fix out of your system for far less per month leaving change to pay for the fuel burn!

iaink

If you really have to do the truck thing then a used off lease GM is the way to go.

GMs quality much improved of late, but prices do not yet reflect that. $ for $ I would take a Chevy Silverado or GMC Sierra any day over a Ford. GM take their quality system a lot more seriously than Ford do. Ford would take "dev from spec" parts most of the time to support production objectives, GM seldom if ever did.

Imports like the Honda, Toyota and Nissan are probably better trucks, but you pay handsomely for it both initially and for repairs when necessary, and at the end of the day its still a truck, so will leave something to desire in terms of handling and economy anyway. GM parts are cheap, dealer servicing reasonable, and a two year old off lease vehicle should be in reasonable shape with any inital bugs long since sorted by the initial owner. It might even still have the new cab smell, and it wont be substatially different to a new model.

In the words of the ING man "Save your money"

Same goes for SUVs, trailblazer over Explorer any day. But then I wouldnt be seen dead owning an SUV over for example a Subaru Outback anyway, unless I intended towing something every other day. For the few days you actually need a truck or SUVs capability its cheaper to rent one, or even better borrow one from a friend.

Stuarty

Nah, I don't have that kind of dosh either. I checked out the lease prices on the Sportrac and you are right the F150 would be cheaper. Leasebusters for a F150 if I can talk her wee self into it, otherwise **** knows but probably a SUV.
S

Stuarty

Hi Iaink, thats interesting as we were looking at the Silverado on the web and the prices were good.
I like the Subaru, their stuff is top quality, but the missis will be travelling 50 rural miles each way to her work and fuel asside I worry about what would happen if some eeejit in a 150 rammed into her. No matter what the 'crash tests' say I don't believe that a normal car has a chance against a large SUV or truck
S

iaink

Well, most of us take that chance every day. Do you worry about the big transport trucks crushing you over there?

At least in a sube (or other car) you have a bit more handling capability to stop or steer around trouble when it comes up. Its not the trucks but the Moose you need to worry about

Stuarty

Unfortunately a good friends brother was killed in a collision with a van just before Christmas and he was driving a Smart Car. Statistically very unlikely to happen but .....................
In reality we should be looking at something like the Outback as it is a well priced long term prospect, am I right in thinking that Subaru are bringing out a new larger vehicle soon or am I rambling.
S
p.s those Moose are lethal, saw a Taho that had hit one near Jasper, what a mess, the people in it were very lucky.

bsb

With a small car you could almost driver under a moose (nearly did that near Thunder Bay) scary @ 1 am. with almost no traffic till I got to the Sou.

iaink

They currently make the larger Tribeca (greek for "really ugly"?) Cross over.

As a smallish company all their vehicles are based on the same modified legacy platform (I think, maybe Imprezza has its own), so its unlikely anything larger is about to appear unless its going to be a GM product badge engineered into a Subaru...like the Saab 9-2x, only in reverse (in fact, like the "Saab" 9-7, not a Saab at all really, but a GM ute in nicer clothes) .

iaink

The operative bit of advice was to go for lightly used. The prices are even better that way.

Stuarty

Maybe I should buy that Ferrari then
Stuarty

Stuarty

Just looked up the Tribeca on their web, costs a few bob for a well spec'd one. Liking the prices of the Outback though, how is it in deep snow (ground clearance) as rural Alberta has too wait a bit for snowploughs I believe.?
I have a saab 9-5 so had a look at the Saab 9-7 when I was over but the salesman admitted (when pushed) that it was a rebadged and more expensive GM suv.