Quote:
Originally Posted by brucepick
Do you have snow and ice, or other issues that might make a Jeep a good choice? I deal with snow regularly in New England - and I'd pick a fwd car with four snow tires over a fuel-sucking 4x4.
If you're dealing with mud or other hazards, do tell.
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Well, I've given this a lot of thought the past couple of days, kind of dealing with a crisis of conscience. Right or wrong, the local culture here worships pickups, muddin', and racing. I live just a few miles from a county drag strip. Buying this Jeep was a little scary for me; it's the first vehicle I've ever owned that wasn't a pickup. It's also the first I've ever owned to break 20 mpg. I'm also restoring a '78 F-250. I chose to devote a significant portion of my income to vehicles and fuel, but it's my form of entertainment. I rarely eat at restaurants or go to movies. I also own a very small house and spend less on heat/electricity than most do on cable alone.
I know that some may never feel my vehicle choice is justified. They may be right. On the one hand, before I found this forum, I felt my choice was really an improvement, but now I realize that I could have gained a lot more efficiency.
I deal with light to moderate snow some winters. Dirt, gravel, and muddy driving most of the year (sometimes by choice, I'll admit). I also pull a small trailer frequently.
I was really looking forward to open-air driving all summer in this Jeep, which is honestly the biggest reason I bought it!
I'm doing some real soul-searching. I hate the process of buying vehicles. I got 200,000 miles out of my Dodge before I traded it in. There are a lot of viable high-mileage options that I didn't consider before I bought this Jeep. I'd at least like to try this Jeep for a year (I just registered it and paid the state sales taxes). But in the meantime, I'll research other efficient, robust options.
At the very least, I'm fighting to make the most of every drop of gasoline I burn. If I hadn't bought this Jeep, some other guy would have, and around here, the odds are pretty low that he would care about fuel economy.
I do genuinely appreciate ya'll's willingness to advise me, even if my vehicle choice isn't ideal!