So sad, and tragic...

[kode3]

So I've done the unthinkable... I sold the Marauder. With gas prices here on Kaua'i touching $4.50 a gallon I just can't afford to get 12 mpg around here anymore :( But I did get a good deal on a 2006 Nissan Frontier, I guess a truck makes more sense here anyway... could never put the surfboard on the Marauder! But I think it went to a good home ;)

[Aren Jay]

I guess no one told you your truck gets worse gas mileage than a Marauder.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/Feg/bymodel/2004_Nissan_Frontier.shtml

vs

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/Feg/bymodel/2003_Mercury_Marauder.shtml

[kode3]

I guess no one told you your truck gets worse gas mileage than a Marauder.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/Feg/bymodel/2004_Nissan_Frontier.shtml

vs

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/Feg/bymodel/2003_Mercury_Marauder.shtml

Those are estimates for the old Frontier, not the 2005+.

Well there's no highways on Kaua'i and the Marauder averaged 10-12 in stop and go traffic. So far the Nissan is getting 17-18, it's an improvement.

[Aren Jay]

ahh 2006 I thouhgt it was a 2004.

anyway not much better.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/Feg/bymodel/2006_Nissan_Frontier.shtml

And even without highways, you can get better than 10-12 mpg if you don't press so hard on the gas pedal.

You could also get a valet tune or the like from Dennis or others and then control your urge to have fun.

But it really is up to you, hope you like your truck. Someone else should like their new Marauder.

[Motorhead350]

I guess with everyone selling their cars this proves who loves their car and who sees it as another car. Prices here in Chicago are very bad, but I find ways... like taking the train or eating cheaply.

[vkirkend]

It may get better gas mileage but it won't be as much fun to drive:(.

[TAKEDOWN]

So I've done the unthinkable... I sold the Marauder. With gas prices here on Kaua'i touching $4.50 a gallon I just can't afford to get 12 mpg around here anymore :( But I did get a good deal on a 2006 Nissan Frontier, I guess a truck makes more sense here anyway... could never put the surfboard on the Marauder! But I think it went to a good home ;)

I'm I the only Filipino/Hawaiian that refuses to drive or sell out to an import, jeeeeeeezzzzz American Born, American Made! Chicago prices have been in first place in the nation more than several times, I'm not giving her up! At least keep the car for about 30 years and sell it to some yuppie scum on Barret Jackson Auction show for $80 grand, by then I'm pretty sure Mercury as a Company won't even exist. Some say smoking crack and running around gives better gas mileage...LOL! Just my opinion!:beatnik:

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

I'm I the only Filipino/Hawaiian that refuses to drive or sell out to an import, jeeeeeeezzzzz American Born, American Made!

Your MM is Canadian made, so you already drive an import. Yeah it might not be china, but it is not the US for sure.

[TAKEDOWN]

Your MM is Canadian made, so you already drive an import. Yeah it might not be china, but it is not the US for sure.

Still better than a honda or any of those fast n furious cars!

[sailsmen]

@12K per year you save $125 per month.

Assuming an even swap.

The press has got it so hyped up many are making poor financial decisions based on emotion. Example using a a o money factor the Tahoe has to go 400,000 miles to break even!

HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAH! Fools born every minute.

In March 2008 Gas was 10% less than March 1982.

[kode3]

@12K per year you save $125 per month.

Assuming an even swap.

The press has got it so hyped up many are making poor financial decisions based on emotion. Example using a a o money factor the Tahoe has to go 400,000 miles to break even!

HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAH! Fools born every minute.

In March 2008 Gas was 10% less than March 1982.

I only posted that I sold the Marauder because I am excited with the new truck, and it was a wise choice for me. $125 a month matters to me, I live on an island where milk is $10 a gallon, and bread $8 a loaf... every little bit counts. At the end of the day it's a car, If I decide in the future that I want another one there will always be someone willing to sell. This was the best move for ME(notice I didn't say YOU) at this time.

[sailsmen]

It's your money do what is right for you. Thats all that matters.

Everytime I see a post I had to sell due to mileage I find out after throwing out some actual numbers that mileage/gas prices is not the real reason just an emotional justification.

There is a guy who is a radio host bragging about the Tahoe Hybred. He never talks about the fact that it cost $15K more and at o money cost it takes 400K miles to break even.

But heck he could not afford a car that got 15mpg so it does not matter that he could afford another $15K for a car that gets 17mpg!

[Aren Jay]

So how much more did the truck cost?

worked it out 17 mpg, and 12 mpg at 12500 miles a year, which is alot for someplace with no highways. Half that might be more realistic. But say 12500 miles a year.

EPA says 15 mpg they are almost never low, but ok.

so that come out to $108 a month.

Insurance on the truck is more than the Marauder, say $15 to $25 a month.

Crew cab pickup prices 4wd range from $18500 - $21000.

Marauder trade in on a 300B would be $11-$12000, sold privately, maybe $14,000 to $18,000.

So the truck is costing you. $3000-$7500 more.

At 108-20= 88*12= $1056 a year, or 3 to 7 years to break even.

now if you drive 6250 miles a year, that is:

$54 a month less gas. (12 and 17)

54-20=34*12= $408 a year leading to you needing 7 to 18 years to break even.

Please do not justify your need for a truck with gas mileage.

[mrjones]

NOTE TO SELF:

When I sell my Marauder, post on the board that I sold my Marauder, and I'll miss my efriends, and then not come back to take the emotional beating given by those who feel they've been betrayed or who have made a bad decision.

Geez guys, it's only a car. A beautiful, roomy, eye-catching, but poorly built car.

I'm thinking I'd rather be driving a truck on the beach in Hawaii as well.

[huot5]

I think the M would have a tough time on the sand. good luck with your new ride, kode3.

[offroadkarter]

Good luck with your new nissan

You will find your way back to another marauder though ;)

[sailsmen]

NOTE TO SELF:

When I sell my Marauder, post on the board that I sold my Marauder, and I'll miss my efriends, and then not come back to take the emotional beating given by those who feel they've been betrayed or who have made a bad decision.

Geez guys, it's only a car. A beautiful, roomy, eye-catching, but poorly built car.

I'm thinking I'd rather be driving a truck on the beach in Hawaii as well.


It's your money spend it how it makes you happy.

The press and certain others have gotten thousands if not tens of thousands so worked up they are making very poor financial decisions when they in fact erroneously think they are "saving money". That was what my and anothers post are pointing out.

Do the math before you spend thousands to "save money" on gas.

The hysteria that some have generated is self serving.

Thats all there was to my post. Please do not read anymore into it.

[CRUZTAKER]

What's really odd is that with all of my mods and as hard as I drive it...I have never gotten gas milage THAT bad.

I'll never never sell because of gas prices.
Screw that.

[Mesencephalon]

Note to self: Proceed with dual CNG / Gas conversion, move bass bins into back seat facing driver to make room for extra tank

[Master]

Your MM is Canadian made, so you already drive an import. Yeah it might not be china, but it is not the US for sure.

- Nope. It sure ain't.

[Bruce Wayne]

nice nissan

[Vortex]

Just sold my 67 GTO yesterday, it was a Hawaii car bought new at Kapiolani Motors back in Feb of 1967. I bought it in 1995 from the original owner, he had put 215,000 miles on it in 28 years on Oahu! I was the second owner. Im keeping my Marauder! As Lippy Espina used to say, " hale on bruddah!"

[kode3]

So how much more did the truck cost?

worked it out 17 mpg, and 12 mpg at 12500 miles a year, which is alot for someplace with no highways. Half that might be more realistic. But say 12500 miles a year.

EPA says 15 mpg they are almost never low, but ok.

so that come out to $108 a month.

Insurance on the truck is more than the Marauder, say $15 to $25 a month.

Crew cab pickup prices 4wd range from $18500 - $21000.

Marauder trade in on a 300B would be $11-$12000, sold privately, maybe $14,000 to $18,000.

So the truck is costing you. $3000-$7500 more.

At 108-20= 88*12= $1056 a year, or 3 to 7 years to break even.

now if you drive 6250 miles a year, that is:

$54 a month less gas. (12 and 17)

54-20=34*12= $408 a year leading to you needing 7 to 18 years to break even.

Please do not justify your need for a truck with gas mileage.

Since you have a desire to know ALL my personal facts, here they are.

The Marauder, which I bought October of 2007 for 11,500 I sold for 14,000 locally. Made 2500. But was costing me an average of 200 more a month on gas than my '04 Tacoma did. So I consider what I "made" a wash with what money I burned away.

My 6 month Geico policy went DOWN 106 to 336 with the truck.

I got the truck from a dealer here that I have bought 3 cars from already(excluding the Marauder, it was from the Ford dealer) for 20000 OTD 5000 less than island retail. I owed a little over 2k on a 12 month loan on the Marauder... So 20000 - 12000 = 8000

My new 8k loan at 6.0% with the local credit union for 36 months is almost 250 a month, when the Marauder was 356.58 for 12 months.

I drive about 8k a year, so using your math(I rounded up a little) thats a savings of...

80 a month on fuel
100 a month on payment
18 a month on insurance

Total 198 a month LESS than the Marauder.

Before you say, "You idiot, now you owe 8k, not 2k... your DUMB". The Nissan resale is WAY higher than the Marauder will EVER be for the time I would have owned it. So as far as I see it, I owe 8k on a truck worth 20-25k and I'm nowhere near being upside down in a loan. That makes me happy.

Since I work in retail and make 45k a year, I live paycheck to paycheck so saving 200 a month in CASH makes a big difference to ME(again, notice I never said you).

Here's a little reality check about living on Kaua'i...
My cost of living...
400sf STUDIO apartment $1200 a month(in the hills, no ocean view or anything, just a normal place attached to another house)
Premium fuel $4.69 a gallon
Milk(depending if you can get it, always sold out) $8-$12 a gallon

A few side notes about resale value on an island 2500 miles from the mainland. You can't trust KBB, a Toyota Tacoma that's lets say 20k on KBB will be 25k here. It's not easy or cheap to ship a car here from the mainland, and if there's a loan on it and it's within 3 years old, Hawai'i will charge you a portion of sales tax AGAIN. They do this to discourage people from buying cars for less on the mainland and shipping them here, which hurts our island economy.

[huot5]

thanks for the info on the standard of living in hawaii. it's a world away from us living on the mainland. even tho it's expensive in Chi-town and LA and NYC and Miami and just about everyother big city, we can always make a short trip to the rural areas or burbs for better deals. and shipping across the lower 48 is way less than to hawaii. good luck to you, and I hope to make a visit over there, hopefully on FD business!!

[mrjones]

[QUOTE=kode3;620549]
Here's a little reality check about living on Kaua'i...
400sf STUDIO apartment $1200 a month

Sucks, but not as bad as I would've expected

Premium fuel $4.69 a gallon

Not nearly as bad as I would've thought


Milk(depending if you can get it, always sold out) $8-$12 a gallon

That totally blows it for me. I buy 4 gallons at time at Sam's here. My youngest daughter lives off the stuff. Couldn't make it there. Why the shortage?

[CRUZTAKER]

Why the shortage?

They live on a freekin island!

Same prices on Grand Cayman...that's why I visit, and don't live there. :cool:

[Aren Jay]

Anyway

From a Finacial perspective, your truck purchase doesn't make sense.

It will lose 20-40% of it's current value in 4 years.

You will lose $3624 in three years, in payments. Paying less for longer is not a gain, when you end up paying more as the 6% is compounded each year.

Your truck will lose in 4 years, (looking up figures)

Turns out that Brand new 2008 MY trucks like yours start at $23,845.00 Plus tax.

On the first year on resale a truck and or car will lose 30%, and 10% each year there after.

Say say $29K high side tax in, for a 08 MY. That is $8,700 depreciation. Remember dealer retail and trade in value are not the same. Private sale retail is also not the same. Slightly more than trade in less than dealer retail. Everywhere.

year 2 another $2,030. or $10,730 or $18,270 trade in price. You effectively have a $18,270 truck. Maybe $19,000 private sale.

$1000 gone.

each year that price drops another 10%.

and in three years that is 1,900, 1710, 1539 = $13850 private sale.

now that means your Marauder in three years will have saved you 9750 plus 5% on 3600 a year simply put about 180 a year or $360 + 9750 = $10,110

[Aren Jay]

Now a little reading later, you drive across your island, one side to the other 3 times a day, every day.

Have you ever considered getting a bike? Schwinn makes some great mountain bikes with electric assist to get you up that one hill you have.

Now you might not like your Marauder and you got rid of it, but now you say you miss it and obviously you like it after all.

So why did you get rid of your Marauder?

[kode3]

Now a little reading later, you drive across your island, one side to the other 3 times a day, every day.

Have you ever considered getting a bike? Schwinn makes some great mountain bikes with electric assist to get you up that one hill you have.

Now you might not like your Marauder and you got rid of it, but now you say you miss it and obviously you like it after all.

So why did you get rid of your Marauder?

I'm not going to argue with you anymore, I got rid of the Marauder because monthly I was dumping 300-400 in gas. I got rid of it because of GAS MILEAGE like I said 1000 posts ago. Believe what you want, I will not be visiting this forum anymore.

[BAD MERC]

I took on a second job and bought a 2006 Taurus - paid free and clear. It gets 19.8 city on a 19 mile daily round trip. Uses cheap gas, runs forever and easy to fix if it ever breaks. The Marauder is happily camped in the garage.

[sailsmen]

For many purchasing a vehicle is an emotional based decision.

kode3 did the math and knew what he was getting into.

There are 3 radio show host I hear on a regular basis raving about the Tahoe Hybred. What they don't tell you is at 0 money cost it will take 400,000 miles to break even.

The Pirus is about 70,000 miles to break even. The Camry Hybred is about 95,000 miles to break even.

When the Fed Tax incentive for hybreds was in effect for certain tax filers the break even comes in sooner.

Edmunds has a good total cost of ownership. Althoug insurance maybe off for your particular case the comparison of one vehicle to another is accurate.

For example the 5 year total fuel cost of ownership for a Frontier is $16,455 and a Grand Marquis is $15,169 based on 15K per year and 15/23MPG for the GM. The Marauder is rated at 17/23MPG.

The Frontier is rated at 15/20MPG.

It would be interesting if he would report back on his actual mileage with the Frontier.

[jimlam56]

Good luck man, and enjoy your truck.
Just don't forget, opinions are like...:P

[Aren Jay]

I just hate it when people justify a purchase with a fake reason.

If he said he wanted a truck and the Marauder wasn't great for surfing, hey no problem. But to blame gas mileage sounds like just another doom sayer who knows nothing about money or how it works.

Enjoy the truck for truck stuff.

Ahh that is what threw me, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapaa,_Hawaii Kapa is a town on the island not an island itself.

Kapa is 9.8 sq miles.

The Island is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kauai Kauai 552 sq miles.

I thought it was a little tiny island, I couldn't figure out how anyone could drive around on a little tiny island 8000 miles a year.

Still 8000 miles is a long way to go in a small space, but then I wonder if any of us other members here drive outside of a 550 sq mile area very often?

PS this is the area.

http://www.state.hi.us/dot/highways/hwy-p/kapaa_relief/