How do you Ride?

[SLP-NYCT]

So tell us about your ride.

• Do you use Vehicle Wraps and create Mobil Billboards
• Do you go for Economy?
• SUV or Sedan?
• Hybrid or Gas Guzzler

At 6'4" there are very few vehicles I fit it. Those that I do fit it will leave very little room behind me for anyone to sit except the larger SUV's

So right now I am rolling in a Yukon and I am considering going to a more economical vehicle that gets 30mpg or better. My problem; There are a number of Dirt Roads up here and that makes getting around during the Spring Thaw difficult in a car. That plus my height makes this difficult. I am also considering wrapping the vehicle so I need to decide if I am keeping this one or getting a new one before I wrap it.

[Michael Paul Eau Claire]

Larry-

check this thread out:

http://www.realestatewebmasters.com/thread19407.html

[coastal]

But it is always fun to talk about cars again

I drive a BMW X5. The GVW was 6005 lbs. 5 pounds over the 6000 GVW requirement to qualify for a major tax deduction a few years ago.

It's significantly nicer than the Jeep Cherokee I drove previously. Smoother, more solid, less creeks and squeaks and BMW service has been incredible. I had a break issue last year and BMW replaced the entire caliper and rotor at no charge as well as washed and vacuumed the car and may I add, also gave me a coupon for a free lunch across the street and a brand new 7 series to drive myself across the street in while they worked on the car. I've had my share of broken American cars and have NEVER seen that level of customer service and have always walked out of the dealership with a huge bill in my hands.

Better gas mileage would be nice but other than that I'm pretty happy with it (18 - 19) mpg.

Believe it or not I also think it has increased my sales numbers. I look more professional, act more professional and feel more professional. A nice car inspires confidence and projects a successful image. People think "He must be good at what he does if he drives a nice car"

I know it's cheesy but I also have custom plates that say something real estate related along with the REALTOR logo in the back window.

I used to use big 24" x 12" magnets on the side of the jeep but they scratched up the paint and every now and then one would get stolen or blow off in the wind if a corner was not 100% flat. The magnet was however responsible for at least 2 sales and people in the neighborhoods that I worked certainly recognized me and the amount of time I spent in their neighborhoods.

[satxproperty]

I drive a Cummins Turbo Diesel. 4 door, 4x4 Dodge Ram pickup. I get 14-16 in town and 18-21 on the road. I burn blends of biodiesel when available (my way of helping keep money in the US rather than send oil money to terrorists.)

I also ride in a fairly well maintained Mercury Sable.

I go for the cheap advertising... magnetic signs for the tailgate. I have one regular sign which lists the company, name, website and number. Then when I am in rural areas another that says "Real Estate Agent On Duty" so hopefully I don't get shot at by the neighbors (this is Texas after all) as I drive around half lost looking for the property.

I only put signs on the tailgate. (I figure more people have time to see them on the tailgate than on the door as I whiz by.)

I have a similar philosophy about the car I drive as Michael; I'd rather get better mileage too, but four-wheeling on a ranch in a Toyota Corolla doesn't work too good.

[coastal]

satxproperty,

Did you get that with the machine gun turrets, 44" Baja Belted Mickey Thompson tires and the 18" lift kit?

Just teasing ya. That's what I'd be driving if I lived out west too. Those diesels will last forever. All I haul around here is NY, NJ and DC clients who drive pretty much he same thing I drive for work. I just try to fit in with the type of clients in my local market.

[satxproperty]

Sorry, no gun turret. Tires, lift and stacks might be on my wish list though. (Maybe not the 18" lift though.)

You know what they say, "when in Rome, do as the Romans do..."

[SLP-NYCT]

Hey this thread got activity finally!

Well I am still contemplating my new ride. I use to drive a Lexus RX300, but the payments were as much as a mortgage so I gave it up. I use to have a Jetta back in 99 as it was one of a few good gas mileage cars that I actually fit it. Was a really fun car too.

I have been riding in SUV's since then, but now that $4.00 per gallon is closing in, I am going to sell off the Yukon in favor for more mileage.

Morgan, I love that Chrysler 300, only in White. Might be one of the few cars I fit in and would enjoy to drive. Is your AWD? I am seriously thinking of buying my fathers Pacifica. OK gas mileage and its AWD and he has really low mileage, plus its white and I know who and how well its been taken care of. Also has lots of room for Advertising, Is a bit classy, yet not pretentious.

[AZAgent2]

Chevy Tahoe LT with 20' rims and some off road BF Goodrich tires, Also when taking out buyers I will take my Acura TSX w/ Navigation

[SLP-NYCT]

Well I have been out test driving cars and SUV's with my benchmark set to a minimum of 30mpg average. That cut out a lot of competition. Remarkably, even more got cut out when I discovered that Chevy and Saturn will not be shipping Hybrids until MAYBE July. Thats their quote, not mine.

My biggest surprise, remember I am 6'4" and drive a Yukon right now, was the Toyota Prius. First, Toyota is the only manufacture with 3 Hybrids. Honda stopped making the Accord Hybrid. Chevy, well if you can;t deliver it...its all talk. So back to the Prius: At 6'4" I not only fit in the front drivers seat, but I can also fit in the seat directly behind me with the seat still where I needed it. So the Prius won for most leg room. With all that leg room, you still have a trunk large enough to put most Real Estate Signs in. It also won for highest MPG and had enough gadgets to keep me busy. Navi, Back Up camera, Bluetooth interface, Voice Recognition, power seats and leather. Plus a really cool systems monitor that will cause me to pay more attention to my MPG than the road

It is now between the Ford Excape / Mercury Mariner and the Prius, though I have yet to test drive the Nissan Altima Hybrid. Thats tomorrow. Nissan has the highest Government rebate in place at $2,350. There is confusion over the Ford/Mercury rebate which might be $3000, but I can not get a solid answer on it.

One thing I found strange is the Governments rebate program on the Hybrids. Once a company hits 60,000 units in production, they kill the rebate. It was only a couple of years ago that I could get $5,000 (YES FIVE GRAND) off a Hummer H1 or H2 if purchased for my business. But the same government will only give me $3,000 at best for a Hybrid. They really Don't care much about saving gas do they.

So will this be worth it? Check this out. At 15k miles per year and a projected gas price of $4.00 per gallon. I would be spending $4,000 per year on gas in the Yukon or $333 per month. In the Prius: $1,304 per year or $108 per month. In the Ford Excape: $1,875 per year or $156 per month.

So at worse, I'll be saving over $150 per month or at best over $200. per month.

I have to weight it carefully as I have always driven either an SUV or Pick Up. Owned a Jetta once. Great car, but no room int he back for clients. Oh, same thing with the Camery and Civic.

My early opinion, You you work with buyers, you should be driving a Hybrid at the very least. They all get better MPG around town than on the highway. In case you are wondering, I do not think the Prius is a good looking machine! But then again, I still have my Harley for a Good Looking machine!

[SLP-NYCT]

So her she is. The New Car. I went with the Nissan Altima Hybrid w/Leather and Navi. As it turns out, the Prius was just a bit too small for me. More room for a back seat passenger behind me in the Prius, but not for me. The Altima also was appointed much nicer inside even though the they both have the same equipment.