Allroads fleet management

So here is the question. I currently have 4 in my fleet of gas powered transports. Each serves a purpose but I find myself wondering if I should juggle them around a bit.

Miata: racey autocrossy and fun *keep

Ranger: inherited from my father, handy and free useful for the daily commute and little side jobs *keep

99 Suburban: here's where I have questions. It's a running/driving good looking rust free Suburban but it's got 233K on the clock and despite my modest efforts it's feeling its age and I'm losing confidence in it. We use it for family road trips and being broken down 1,000 miles from home is NOT my idea of a good time. It is paid for however.

07 Passat: Our nice car. Sounds great and AWD is nice for the winter. SWMBO commutes it this but I'm paying $320 a month on its loan. Payoff and value probably about even with one another so trading out of it isn't impossible.

So my thought is this: trade the Passat on a 2003-2005 Suburban 2500. Get the 6.0 and the better transmission, something with just over 100K on the clock and from a rust free area for under 10K. Payments go down $50 a month or so and I have a truly tow capable beast that will handle 7 passengers and their luggage more comfortably.

Sell the old 'burban for 2500-3000 and buy a beater (maybe a 9-3?) for SWMBO to commute in (5 miles each way).

So what do we think? Opinions, ideas, snide remarks?

If her commute is only 5 miles each way why not buy the 03-05 Suburban for her to commute in.

EvanB wrote: If her commute is only 5 miles each way why not buy the 03-05 Suburban for her to commute in.

10 miles/day X 21 workdays almost eats up $50 in gas in a suburban. So could negate the car payment savings, but does eliminate a car (and makes multiple assumtions that are untrue like free cost of gas for the passat now).

Commute in the miata?

Sell the 'burban and buy a Volt/Hybrid.

I hate getting rid of things that are paid for, still work well and/or are reliable. I vote for keeping the Passat; it's a nice car and you know the history. Sell the old Suburban and use that cash towards the newer 2500.

However, since this is GRM, the Suburban is rust-free, and no one else has thrown in any ridiculous left-field ideas yet, this sounds like the perfect opportunity to drag home a couple of wrecked 2500 Suburbans and Duramax pickups, invite all of GRM to come down for the weekend, and concoct some sort of monster 900ft/lb road trip/towing beast that gets 40mpg. Kind of like one of those ridiculous 'reality' shows done GRM-style, only where the owner gets something useful that he likes in the end.

XLR99 wrote: I hate getting rid of things that are paid for, still work well and/or are reliable. I vote for keeping the Passat; it's a nice car and you know the history. Sell the old Suburban and use that cash towards the newer 2500. However, since this is GRM, the Suburban is rust-free, and no one else has thrown in any ridiculous left-field ideas yet, this sounds like the perfect opportunity to drag home a couple of wrecked 2500 Suburbans and Duramax pickups, invite all of GRM to come down for the weekend, and concoct some sort of monster 900ft/lb road trip/towing beast that gets 40mpg. Kind of like one of those ridiculous 'reality' shows done GRM-style, only where the owner gets something useful that he likes in the end.

Ha! I like this idea best of all so far. Maybe we can get the magazine to sponsor the project and call it "Towing it all, for nothing" (or something better, it's late and bourbon). In exchange I'll provide all the beer and pizza people can stand, perform wedding ceremonies of utmost gravitas, and a half decent garage of moderate quality tools.

Is a 99 suburban with 230k really worth 3k?

Hey-wheres the Allroad?

dean1484 wrote: Is a 99 suburban with 230k really worth 3k?

Rust free is a biggie. I paid about that for a 2005 Yukon XL Denali with 180k and a bit of rust (Id have paid more for less rust but it's not bad).

dean1484 wrote: Is a 99 suburban with 230k really worth 3k?

It's pretty well loaded down with new parts so to the right person I think it should be.

MrJoshua wrote: Hey-wheres the Allroad?

Sold in the divorce. I'd like another one but finances preclude expensive (maintenance-wise) German toys.

rcutclif wrote:

EvanB wrote: If her commute is only 5 miles each way why not buy the 03-05 Suburban for her to commute in.

10 miles/day X 21 workdays almost eats up $50 in gas in a suburban. So could negate the car payment savings, but does eliminate a car (and makes multiple assumtions that are untrue like free cost of gas for the passat now). Commute in the miata?

You're really not losing much to gas mileage with that trip. An AWD '07 Passat only gets about 19mpg combined according to the EPA. Suburban is 15mpg average. You're looking at 16 cents a mile in the Passat vs. 18 cents a mile in the Suburban. Total difference is only 5 bucks more in gas a month, for the work trip.

I say:

• DD the Ranger
• Keep Miata for Auto-X and fun stuff.
• Sell the Passat and break even, lose that payment and insurance and registration each year.
• Sell the Burb. Take the cash and put it towards a nice used Chevy Volt for her DD and road trips.

Not sure how big your immediate family is but the Volt being a hatchback should offer enough luggage room for the average 4 person family for road trips, and you'll save a ton of money on gas vs. Driving a Burb for those trips.

Unfortunately, I need a monster vehicle. She has two kids, I have two every other weekend and we often have a tag along (my brother). Hauling 7 people and all of their stuff is a requirement. Ability to tow a race car is also in there. Not being helpless in a snowy winter is also worth mentioning. All of that points to a Suburban.

If the Passat is SWMBO's DD, what are her thoughts on this? How close to paid off is the Passat?

The Passat is 3 years from being paid off. It's currently near perfect but as we all "know" a VW with over 100K on the clock is a ticking time bomb

She doesn't mind. I'm the one paying for it and will for anything we get so she's good about driving what is provided.

KyAllroad wrote: Unfortunately, I need a monster vehicle. She has two kids, I have two every other weekend and we often have a tag along (my brother). Hauling 7 people and all of their stuff is a requirement. Ability to tow a race car is also in there. Not being helpless in a snowy winter is also worth mentioning. All of that points to a Suburban.

Well poo. If towing a car wasn't needed I wold say a Ford Flex would be a good option for MPG and butt capacity. So yeah Suburban, sell the Passat and let her drive the Burb to work.

I have an 03 Suburban 2500, and while it would be excellent at what you have planned for it, it gets truly awful mileage. 10-11 around town, 13 pure highway, driving moderately. The 2500 is significantly heavier than the 1500, the strong 4l80 trans takes more power to turn.

Thanks Sonic, that's the sort of thing I'm wondering about. The 99 burb gets something like 10-12 around town and all the way up to 15-16 interstate. But towing it has that weak sister 4L60 and loaded up with people and gear it wallows. I feel like the heavier 2500 chassis will handle all that better. The other possibility (and here I'm a bit ignorant) would be a Z-71 package 2005.... I think those have the 4L65 which is evolutionary from mine but how do they hold up to towing?

KyAllroad wrote: So my thought is this: trade the Passat on a 2003-2005 Suburban 2500. Get the 6.0 and the better transmission, something with just over 100K on the clock and from a rust free area for under 10K. Payments go down $50 a month or so and I have a truly tow capable beast that will handle 7 passengers and their luggage more comfortably. Sell the old 'burban for 2500-3000 and buy a beater (maybe a 9-3?) for SWMBO to commute in (5 miles each way). So what do we think? Opinions, ideas, snide remarks?

I am not sure this is possible. MOST lenders will not let you have a payment this low. It costs them more to process the payment than they can make.

Sell the Suburban, Trade the Passat, get the price down on another beast, then put Suburban money down on principle.

Have a $300 payment for 1 year vs 4

Or trade it all in for a 996. Seems to be a thread on that...