Best Value Vehicle for Cave Divers?

[Slüdge]

Whenever people use the words "budget" and "new car" in the same sentence I just wonder. A three-year-old car is just about as good for half the money.

[MORGAN]

Whenever people use the words "budget" and "new car" in the same sentence I just wonder. A three-year-old car is just about as good for half the money.

Yup - I always buy a two or three year old low mileage vehicle and then run it until it's toast. I bought my 2001 Toyota Tacoma in 2003 with 30,000 miles on it. It now has 210,000 miles on it and has never given me any trouble. I drive it back and forth to work every day. The best part is that it has been paid for since 2006.

[WFLS]

Down here in Tulum I have seen a ton of small, efficient hatchbacks with enough room for a full cave kit plus stages & scooters. The one thing they all have in common: None of these vehicles are sold in the States

Hyundai Atos
Volkswagon Fox
Ford Ka
Nissan March
Chevy Spark

[WEPIV]

I'm going to stick to my trusty old Land Rovers as I was in my 2004 this past Sunday and was involved in an accident while driving back from a photo shoot in south Florida on I-95.
I'm fine, as is my camera, computer and dive gear but my Discovery took one for the team and now I'm on the look-out for another used one.
When I finally came to a stop in a partially water filled ditch, I heard a tank hissing, and went back there and turned off a single I had full of Nitrox. Might have been a differen story if it had been my O2 Al40, which was next to it.

[FW]

Whoa! I am glad your are OK. AL40s don't have a great reputation when it comes to physical damage

I'm going to stick to my trusty old Land Rovers as I was in my 2004 this past Sunday and was involved in an accident while driving back from a photo shoot in south Florida on I-95.
I'm fine, as is my camera, computer and dive gear but my Discovery took one for the team and now I'm on the look-out for another used one.
When I finally came to a stop in a partially water filled ditch, I heard a tank hissing, and went back there and turned off a single I had full of Nitrox. Might have been a differen story if it had been my O2 Al40, which was next to it.

[Slüdge]

When I finally came to a stop in a partially water filled ditch, I heard a tank hissing, and went back there and turned off a single I had full of Nitrox. Might have been a different story if it had been my O2 Al40, which was next to it.

Another good reason for a dive trailer.

[lv2dive]

I get 20 in my Explorer. Granted, you take I-75 and I take US-19, so the numbers are deceiving. If I were to do it all over again, I would seriously consider Escape. Well built, good gas mileage, plenty of space, and has a keypad entry.

I did a ton of research before I bought my truck - I had bought a Mini Cooper Clubman in the past year and while that was a great car there was NO WAY two people travel and dive out of it. So anyways, i was looking for something that had three characteristics - wasn't going to break the bank (it was a second vehicle), got good gas mileage (I'm driving from Atlanta to FL twice a month), and could store dive gear for at least two people very well. The Escape met all three criteria the best. I got the base model with the only options the keypad and the mat for the back, and I'm getting an average of 28 miles per gallon. I've easily hauled kit around for two people and it's super-roomy for one. The price was phenomenal and I got 5 years same as cash on a new car which made it silly (for me) not to get new. I love my Escape.

[spelodiver]

I just got a Chevrolet Equinox for the same reason...Enough room for two full cave divers...and 30 plus MPG at 75+ mph........

[FW]

...I had bought a Mini Cooper Clubman in the past year and while that was a great car there was NO WAY two people travel and dive out of it...

I have seen two divers, and gear in a "Smartcar", and a Mini Cooper is bigger However I agree, an escape is a nice dive vehicle.

[sskasser]

I have seen two divers, and gear in a "Smartcar", and a Mini Cooper is bigger However I agree, an escape is a nice dive vehicle.

LOL, yes, but Mike is a magician and I suspect some hoodoo was involved