Newkar
We have been saving and waiting for a higher milage AWD to come out an finally decided to go ahead and get a 2010 Subaru Outback. It is a 4cylinder CVT model that should get 30ish miles to gallon at this altitude. Woooo. We are selling elena's jetta wagon and considering what to do with the golf, but we are considering going down to one car. Maybe. We shall see.
Secondly, through some miracle I was actually able to use my frequent flier miles to get us to New Zealand in October. Somehow I managed to accumulate an ungodly shitpile of British Airways miles thanks to a number of trips on BA and AA over the last decade and some credit card miles, I have tried to use them repeatedly but never was able to. I am still in shock they became useful. So SS worlds here we come. I actually got up at 4 this morning to register, but it looks like registration is still open. So Aida, Elena and I will be bound for Aukland in 11 months or so. We should get there a couple of days before the race and then have 10 days to mess around NZ. Woooooooooooooo! So now I need to figure out what to do with the family in NZ an how to get around and where to rent a baby trailer and a bike for elena, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. But we gots time to figure it! WOooooooooooooooooo!
11 comments:
I know I'm s'posed to be all "kill your car" and everything, but cars are still cool and Subies are nice. Hope it meets your needs and you enjoy it!
And for the SS worlds, AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congrats and great luck!
My 2008 Outback wagon (4c stick) got ~28 mpg highway stock, down to ~27 with a bare Yakima rack and 'deflector' shield. Prolly lower if we put a cargo box up there...
CT,
Yeah, even with me commuting 100% by bike we still pretty much need a car and the VW's are not aging as gracefully as we would like. I am all about killing your car, and did most of 5 years in Berkeley/Oakland without one, but we do pretty much live in the middle of nowhere and it is hard to get to XC ski races in colorado in the winter without a cool car and we are fortunate enough to have the option to do so...so I think this is a good thing for a long long time.
I am over the moon we are going to be able to go to NZ. It was impossible without FF miles, and I still am shocked that they actually worked. Anonymous BA employee who figured out how to make it happens gets my eternal gratitude, because hot damn, not 48 hours ago, it looked to be an impossibility.
Nordic_68
Thanks! So far it seems good, all of 50 miles in! The test will be the box on the top and bikes on the top. Living as high as we gets us an extra mpg or 2 even with stuff on the roof.
Jebus, you've just reminded me I've forgotten to enter! Hope I can still get a place.
My wife's car was stolen and used to hold-up an armoured-car before Christmas so we are coping as a one-car-family at the moment. Not much of a problem in the summer holidays but when school starts and you need to be at swim-training, water-polo, basketball and mountainbiking all at the same time it gets tricky.
I have a 2006 Outback XT (turbo baby!) 4 cylinder, stick, and if i drive at reasonable highway speeds average around 25mph with bikes, Thule box, etc...so I bet you have no problem with 30mph with the latest (non turbo) version. I do a lot of NM to Colorado commuting, especially up 285 and through the high country, and this car does it beautifully in all conditions. This is my 3rd Subaru, and all have been very good friends. Congrats.
so jealous you are getting to NZ fer no cost....have fun there, TS!
@Margo: I've been looking at the Forester XT models. WRX drivetrain in a more useful vehicle. Very hard to find though. They're on my wishlist!
We've found being a one car family to be great. Not having the option to take the car (because my wife needs it for the kids) forces me to use other methods which generally makes me happier in the end. The trick is to have a backup plan for times when bike &/or public transit just won't work. Here (SF Peninsula), I end up taking an expensive cab ride a couple times a year, but we budget for that and it works well enough.
I'm seriously tempted to ask about buying your Jetta Wagon.
I like our Forester, but I loved our Jetta Wagon. We've been talking about selling the Subaru and switching back. Mostly it is that getting 20ish mpg (city, with turbo) and buying fuel more expensive than diesel makes me sad.
NZ is awesome.
What a great way to ring in the new year! Congratulations.
Antoine,
Glad to have reminded you! Look forward to seeing NZ
Margo,
We hit the western xcski corridor in colorado alot, antonito up to leadville over the pass to kremling/granby or the other backroute up to Crested Butte. I look forward to being able to do it in the winter. We are still smiling about NZ.
Christian, We have been essentially one car for a while now, its just going the extra step... I figure we will see how the rest of the winter goes and make a decision in spring.
Alex,
Alas the Jetta wagon is a 2.0 gas version, not the TDI, so probably not what you are looking for. It gets about 30mpg on regular.
Julia,
Thank you!
And happy new year.
Thanks for reading.
Tarik
Yeah - for using those FF Miles and going somewhere so cool - I had a bug about going to Spain this summer so tried to use the miles no go but the Alaska Airlines folk tried really hard to route me this way and that - last time I used them for an international trip I booked about 11 months ahead which is what you did the only way to go. Also sporting a new car - an 08 Element which is fun fun fun - just throw the bike in the back.
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