Since our vehicles are paid off and we hardly drive, it makes no financial sense. So our gas consumption is down 75% easy. However, I still want to not stop at a gas station at all, and will go EV as soon as our driving is up. It goes well past saving money, for me. Same reason we have lowered buying synthetics and plastics by 75% or more.
Will you keep your 4runner if gas hits $8 a gallon?
- Thread starter Redsoxx1918
- Start date
BlackWorksInc
New member
Yeah, I can see that. If I found an EV that I truly fell in love with and we had the infrastructure to maintain them regularly I'd probably strongly consider it in that case. Or even if I had a spouse/significant other who wanted to get a hybrid or EV I'd be fine with that; I just don't really need to more than 1 vehicle right now.
But the times I would need an "efficient" vehicle would be for long trips and drives where I just don't want to spend more than 5-10min at the gas station (however long it takes to click off the pump is what I got for peein' and snacks lol).
Not sure if this has been covered in this thread, but to me an equally relevant question is when the hell is Toyota going produce a 4runner with better gas mileage? For the last 20 years gas mileage of T4Rs has basically stayed the same, which ain't exactly progress. I guess any engine efficiency gains are canceled out by ever-increasing curb weight and increasingly brick-like, non-aerodynamic body shape.
Hybrid 4Runner anyone? Supposedly by 2025. Until then maybe we'll just get a turbocharged four-pot that'll give better gas mileage in next year's 6th gen.
Hybrid 4Runner anyone? Supposedly by 2025. Until then maybe we'll just get a turbocharged four-pot that'll give better gas mileage in next year's 6th gen.
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A hybrid makes a ton of sense but you know how old and stodgy Toyota has become. It will catch up to them finally, if they don't make the turn soon. If they are going to make a hybrid, they really should make it effective and efficient. Getting 2-4 MPG more is uninteresting and unintelligent design.
IndominusHuman
New member
I am with you here. I wont get rid of my 4R just because of temporary above average price increases.
I honestly think it is a way for people to justify their desire for new things, but by all means..let them put themselves in a hole.
It had been a while since we took the wife's Rav4 Hybrid to the mountains. We usually go in the 4Runner but we took the Rav this weekend to save on gas since we were just hanging out in Breck.
The engine was absolutely screaming going up the pass to eisenhower tunnel heading east back to denver. It did "fine" but it's not pleasant.
There is no way in hell I will buy a vehicle the size of a 4runner with a 4 cylinder petro engine. Even if its hybrid.
I've said it before but I can't believe Toyota put the same engine from the Rav4 into the Highlander. It's idiotic.
Right now the only mid-size SUV i would consider is the X5 PHEV b/c it's a decent V6 combined with electric. Obviously this would be a road trip vehicle and no offroading.
In theory the turbocharged inline-4 used in the Lexus NX350 has more HP and torque than the current V6. Maybe the new Tundra 3.5l V6 (also a turbo) will be the other option in the 6th gen, so hopefully that will give us better gas mileage and perhaps the 4runner will also get the Tundra's 3.5l V6 hybrid, too.
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asianinidaho
New member
Yes. I'll keep it when gas hit $8 per gallon.
Sure, but how does it actually feel to drive that engine, in a much heavier vehicle, when you're needing the high end of its torque (at altitude, going up a pass)? It's not going to be a good driving experience.
Redsoxx1918
New member
Not temporary.
I drive 10 miles a day to work so I'm not really being affected, but if I were the case I would go for an enduro type motorcycle. I have not owned a bike in 30 something years so gas would need to be $15+ before I would even consider it. Very dangerous for riders these days.
Oldmanb777
New member
I do some of my errands on my murdercycles. Yes dangerous with the inept aggressive drivers on the road. I'm not really sure its that much cheaper than driving the cage. Gas is still probably one of the cheaper things in driving. Motorcycle parts are expensive, and there is more maintenance to a bike. For example, the last set of tires i bought for my Africa Twin was well over $350. I do my own maintenance, so changed the tries myself. I expect to get something just over 6000 miles on the tires before I change them out again.
I get just under 50 mpg on average. If you can;t do the valve checks yourself, its probably $1000 and first one is at 15000 miles, then I think every 25000 after that. Two air filters every 12000 miles are $35 each. A qt of motorcycle oil will be at least $10, my bike takes 5 qts, the filter is $18. 4-5000 miles changes. There may be spokes to tighten, and with a bike there is alwasy something that need addressing. I just did the fork seals, I think i had at least 4 hrs in the job and probably $80+. That bike has 17000 miles on it.
So yes I ride, and I like to ride. Yes i do some of my errands on my bikes, but not always because I think it cheaper.
I get just under 50 mpg on average. If you can;t do the valve checks yourself, its probably $1000 and first one is at 15000 miles, then I think every 25000 after that. Two air filters every 12000 miles are $35 each. A qt of motorcycle oil will be at least $10, my bike takes 5 qts, the filter is $18. 4-5000 miles changes. There may be spokes to tighten, and with a bike there is alwasy something that need addressing. I just did the fork seals, I think i had at least 4 hrs in the job and probably $80+. That bike has 17000 miles on it.
So yes I ride, and I like to ride. Yes i do some of my errands on my bikes, but not always because I think it cheaper.
Oldmanb777
New member
I'm still in teh camp that says..........If you would learn how to properly use those pedals on the floor and pay attention several blocks ahead, you save a lot of gas money, and tires and brakes as well.
kentaaronj
New member
I get 19mpg in my gen4 but my girlfriend gets about 48mpg in her Honda Insight, so I've thankfully been able to use that lately!
Exactly right. Early 80s in Texas every third vehicle was a bike. Totally different culture there and then. Now? gas would need to be over $15 before I would again, reflexes and everything that goes with riding are just not there anymore...Maybe we'll see more VWs being restored, there a couple in my town.
