So sad, my poor baby
10-08-2013, 09:39 AM
#21
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: florida
Posts: 698
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I rode around in a car a seat in a 87 pickup reg cab when I was little, old blues sitting at 320k and still chug-a-lugin,she's only left us stranded once (broken belt). And my mom drove it for about 3 weeks with a blowed head gasket and the chocolate milkshake thing going on and it still never quite
10-08-2013, 09:50 AM
#22
Registered User
Yeah, I understand impact zones and all that, I did a bit of work on the Corolla. It's the frame that protects in a collision, and that 4Runner despite a major collision and rolling (which some SUV's had issues of the roof collapsing) held up really well.
10-09-2013, 10:59 PM
#23
Registered User
I'm going to be posting a writeup soon, but I needed to clean the rust out of paint my hitch receiver before installing, which I did today -- now to cure for a couple days...
But this product is pretty cool: http://www.superbumper.com/
Basically, our trucks have fairly rigid frames and no crumple zones, so having this helps to protect the frame in lower speed rear end collisions -- the rubber is like hockey puck material both inside to pin and outside to hitch receiver front and basically compresses when hit (there's a slot to allow movement rather than a solid hole on the bumper's male portion of the hitch with some rubber shims to help adjust hole lineup)... Definitely look at getting if you have a kid in the truck.
Also, I'm pretty sure the 94 comes with the doors braced for side impacts -- I know my 93 does not, but your 94 doors should be a direct swap if I decide to upgrade. That's really the only big safety swaps you can do.
From a young child standpoint, the two things you can control are:
1) Vehicle strength
2) Reduce shock to vehicle occupants
Airbags are worthless for kids b/c they do more harm than good.
And both of the variables you can control are overwhelmingly going to be correlated w/ a bigger mass and bulkier construction vehicle. The only caveat being be cautious of designs that would expedite a flip.
Personally, this wife concern when kids come along is part of the reason I decided I wanted an xtra cab. And for her (kids in the next couple years most likely), we're leaning towards and 80 or 100 series landcruiser (I want to diesel swap it, but depends on condition and price we get the rig for). With stock gas engine, the landcruiser's mileage sucks versus newer makes, but..
I did the math and versus buying a new Hyundai Santa Fe (one of the new models that she likes and is a great deal from a warranty standpoint and one of the best options we're considering on purchase price point) when accounting for purchase price and gas costs only, it would take 11.5 years (driving 15000 miles per year) before the costs of ownership buying the 22/33mpg 2013 Hyundai met the costs of ownership of the 12/16 mpg 2004 Toyota Land Cruiser...
I like the idea of high fuel economy vehicles, but with the Hyundai's, they (like many other new cars) are direct injection into engine cylinder and there have been a lot of issues with those injectors getting clogged w/ deposits and performance falling considerably. I'd rather know I have a straight six that delivers the same power as a turboed 4 (even if it costs me a mile or two mpg on the highway) than a turboed 4 that on paper can move the same mass with the same speed. Accelerating is just as important to avoiding accidents as stopping IMO (and one of the reasons I went with the 3.0 over the 2.4 w/ my truck -- to be a 3.4 I think [wanted to diesel it too, but can't justify the $ when the 3.4 is much more affordable and supercharged gives same or better power specs]).
Personally, I lean towards 3rd Gen 4Runners, but she likes the idea of, if having a larger SUV, of third rows that can seat adults comfortably... You have to work through all this in your own household, haha.
Just do your research, think about priorities, make the decision w/ facts rather than feelings, and I'm sure you end up happy. With my wife, having that repair budget and proactive rather than reactive maintenance definitely lessens resistance to the plan (e.g., we'll buy this older vehicle, replace X, Y, and Z, and ensure all the main points of failure are minimized as much as possible)...
But this product is pretty cool: http://www.superbumper.com/
Basically, our trucks have fairly rigid frames and no crumple zones, so having this helps to protect the frame in lower speed rear end collisions -- the rubber is like hockey puck material both inside to pin and outside to hitch receiver front and basically compresses when hit (there's a slot to allow movement rather than a solid hole on the bumper's male portion of the hitch with some rubber shims to help adjust hole lineup)... Definitely look at getting if you have a kid in the truck.
Also, I'm pretty sure the 94 comes with the doors braced for side impacts -- I know my 93 does not, but your 94 doors should be a direct swap if I decide to upgrade. That's really the only big safety swaps you can do.
From a young child standpoint, the two things you can control are:
1) Vehicle strength
2) Reduce shock to vehicle occupants
Airbags are worthless for kids b/c they do more harm than good.
And both of the variables you can control are overwhelmingly going to be correlated w/ a bigger mass and bulkier construction vehicle. The only caveat being be cautious of designs that would expedite a flip.
Personally, this wife concern when kids come along is part of the reason I decided I wanted an xtra cab. And for her (kids in the next couple years most likely), we're leaning towards and 80 or 100 series landcruiser (I want to diesel swap it, but depends on condition and price we get the rig for). With stock gas engine, the landcruiser's mileage sucks versus newer makes, but..
I did the math and versus buying a new Hyundai Santa Fe (one of the new models that she likes and is a great deal from a warranty standpoint and one of the best options we're considering on purchase price point) when accounting for purchase price and gas costs only, it would take 11.5 years (driving 15000 miles per year) before the costs of ownership buying the 22/33mpg 2013 Hyundai met the costs of ownership of the 12/16 mpg 2004 Toyota Land Cruiser...
I like the idea of high fuel economy vehicles, but with the Hyundai's, they (like many other new cars) are direct injection into engine cylinder and there have been a lot of issues with those injectors getting clogged w/ deposits and performance falling considerably. I'd rather know I have a straight six that delivers the same power as a turboed 4 (even if it costs me a mile or two mpg on the highway) than a turboed 4 that on paper can move the same mass with the same speed. Accelerating is just as important to avoiding accidents as stopping IMO (and one of the reasons I went with the 3.0 over the 2.4 w/ my truck -- to be a 3.4 I think [wanted to diesel it too, but can't justify the $ when the 3.4 is much more affordable and supercharged gives same or better power specs]).
Personally, I lean towards 3rd Gen 4Runners, but she likes the idea of, if having a larger SUV, of third rows that can seat adults comfortably... You have to work through all this in your own household, haha.
Just do your research, think about priorities, make the decision w/ facts rather than feelings, and I'm sure you end up happy. With my wife, having that repair budget and proactive rather than reactive maintenance definitely lessens resistance to the plan (e.g., we'll buy this older vehicle, replace X, Y, and Z, and ensure all the main points of failure are minimized as much as possible)...
Last edited by RSR; 10-09-2013 at 11:04 PM.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
dlaiben
3.4 Swaps
0
09-03-2015 09:57 AM
