Throw some roof racks on it and it still can be a lumber hauler
Nah, I'm planning on picking up a HF utility trailer at some point, I'll get my son to fab up a receiver hitch, and we'll drag the wood home on the trailer. Oh, and that will be going on my parents' buick, which we've got on semi-permanent loan.
Get a lighter color!! Trust me, it's gonna save your caboose!
Jim, you might recall I used to drive a large black sprinter... this thing has 1/4 the solar gain possible, simply because of its diminutive size. The solution in the Sprinter is the same as this car's... AC has to work!
Also, my son Adam is going to college for bodywork right now, I'm going to have them repaint it down the road as a 'project'... I'll rent something for a couple of weeks, and come out with a lighter color.
and why is that??? heat build up on the vinyle or cloth? roll down the window and go
exactyly, I will roll down the appropriate windows, and 'go'
Remember, he's in upstate New York. With the exception of the three weeks of summer he gets there, he's probably gonna appreciate the solar heating aspect of a black car.
Vaughn, you forget that for much of the time, we have that nasty white stuff all over the place. No, I'm not talking about snow... I'm talking Salt. It will be a Gray car in no time flat almost half of the year.
My criteria for THIS car were extremely simple:
1) I Had to be able to get in and out of the driver's seat with a minimum of fuss. As those who've met me can attest, I'm a big guy... I have Long Legs, and folding them in under the steering wheel is a given in anything approaching this class of fuel economy. I sat in a Subaru Impreza, which had been on my list of 'possible' cars. Now it is far down the list, as even with the column tilted all the way up, I had a Hard time getting behind the wheel. The Aveo however, and also the Sonic (updated platform, slightly new sheet metal, but essentially the same car) are surprisingly roomy regarding my getting in and out. It is a little Low, but I can manage it.
2) AC... dark car, it is a Must Have in my opinion. My wife and kids disagree, but they won't Be in this car much at all.
3) Cruise Control... it either had to have it, or I'd be adding it aftermarket, as I use it all the time to keep the pace steady when I'm doing long stretches of driving. Plus, if I'm in an area where I know the cops hang out, I can simply set it at a reasonable speed and not worry about them.
other than that, It also had to be as 'low mileage' as I could find (56,000, this certainly qualifies), and get as good mpg highway as I could find... in this case 30+. I'm not quite a tree-hugging eco-driver (Heck, I Drive TOO Much in their opinion...), but If I get better mpg, I get to keep more of my mileage rate in my pocket.
I Preferred a hatchback vs a sedan, but would have taken either. I didn't care about color, stereo, or other features... it has a decent sound system, and it even has power windows and door locks... which will be appreciated, but again, wouldn't have been a deal breaker had they not been there.
As it stands, I have the economy car I need to make money, and it isn't going to cost me an arm and a leg. I will simply grab a few more 'stat' delivery runs to help cover the payments, and it will be relatively comfortable doing it. I may throw a set of seat covers on it, and I am definitely going to tint the rear side windows and the back window as well.