Lewie'sMom Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I have a 2001 VW Jetta TDI (leather upholstry for easy clean-ups) and a 1998 Chevy Silverado. The Jetta is my everyday vehicle and is fine for Lewie and me. The truck is only used for trips to the big box stores (which isn't often) for stuff that doesn't fit in the Jetta, and that's most everything except groceries. I'm contemplating getting a 2nd dog and I think the Jetta would get a little crowded. I'm playing with the idea of trading in the truck for an SUV of somekind, a vehicle that I can throw the dogs in the back after a good romp at the dog park. I'm really thinking of non-winter weather when we have some pretty wet, muddy conditions. Or should I keep the truck and crate the dog(s) in the bed if they're really nasty dirty? What does everybody use to transport your BCs and their other canine buddies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoxgloveBC Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Right now I have an 01 Toyota Tundra. I hate the truck, it gets terrible gas mileage and the brakes suck. When I get done with college... Im not sure what I am going to get. I have two dogs right now, the most I think I would ever have in the near future (in the next 5 years) would be 3 dogs... So I am not sure what to really look at. Im a huge fan of the Chargers (I know its a car, but its fairly roomy for a car), but I think it might be a bit too small for the two dogs right now. I was looking at the Nitros as well... but Im not sure. Any other kind of SUV looks too "soccer mom" to me and that is the last thing that I want to look like....*sigh* So I dont know what I am going to get.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.DaisyDuke Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 don't cha love small cars! I have a little 2 door Tercel, which is fine for one dog, maybe two for trips to the park, but we have decided when we get more dogs, we will get a more logical vehicle. I am picking between an Element because you can basically take out the seats and hose it down if you have to, or a Highlander hybird because I love toyota that much and can't justify buying a truck with gas prices as high as they are!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurae Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Toyota Tacoma with shell (or camper, or topper, or cap, or whatever you may call the roof that goes over the bed): I love it and will probably get another when this one wears out (in 10 years or so, I imagine). And my last vehicle was a Jetta. I replaced the shell window screens with heavy-duty security screens and the dogs stay safe while the back stays cool in the summer. I can fit three crates back there, and Taz rides in this crate in the half-back seat: Apologies to everyone who has seen these pictures before... Pros: -Roomy -4WD -Can sleep in it at trials -Cooler for dogs to stay in in summer, since they can stay in the back -Safer for dogs to stay in year round, since the security screens mean no interior windows need be left open for air circulation -Stinky dogs who roll in nasty stuff (I'm looking at YOU, Sophie) can ride home in the back, far away from my nose or interior upholstery Cons: -Most crates fit in the back, which means those dogs in them are riding in a whole separate compartment from me -That's the only con for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewie'sMom Posted February 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I kind of eyeballed the Element too. I've never driven one but they are so darned cute one the road! My problem is that I have champagne taste on a beer budget. What I'd like is a brand-new luxury SUV with all the bells and whistles, but that, of course, defeasts the purpose of a dirty-dog-hauling vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BustopherJones Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 When both dogs need to be transported, we use my Chevy Cobalt with a cover thrown over the back seat. (Heaven forbid that we should use DW's Impala SS with the leather seats!) But it does get a bit cramped for the dogs in that car. When it's just me and Annie (for instance, when we go fishing together), the jump seat in my extended cab Chevy Colorado 4x4 suits her just fine. The Cobalt is due to be traded in soon, and after much research, we have settled on either a Chevy HHR or a Subaru Forester. (Both have plenty of room for the dogs, as well as for groceries or whatever else we might want to transport, when the back seats are folded down; and with 4-cylinder engines they get decent gas mileage). The final decision will depend on whether we really want a FWD or 4WD drive vehicle; after all, we also get some nasty weather here in New England as well, but we already have the 4WD truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Right now we are in "just pay off the cars we have" mode, which means I'll probably hang on to the Queen Mary (2001 Suburban) until the wheels fall off. If I do get the chance to swap her for a Silverado, I will, however. I had one, and wrecked it, and thus started my search for "something better" that ended me right back where I started. I had a '97, which didn't quite have enough room in the cab for the kidlets, but apparently the 98s and on fixed that. For the family car we'd like to find a van, an older model for which we'll pay cash. That way I have the option of taking the van (better gas mileage) on dog runs and events where it's just me going. We're saving up for that now - we are looking forward to owning another car free and clear! I understand that you don't want to hose out the Element. It does have a highly washable, rugged interior that you can swab out easily, but if you squirt it with a hose you'll short out all the electric. From the great website, dogcars.com As I’ve mentioned before, you cannot hose out an Element. Taking the leaf-blower idea from a reader, however, I used my forced-air dog dryer to blast any dirt and dog hair from the cargo area. It worked great! Link to article on element Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerfulgazelle Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Dear dogs at our house ride in the back of the 98 Honda CRV. The new CRV's are different, so not as amenable to loading dogs in the back... Of course, dear dogs also ride in the backseat of DH's Civic too. Make a note not to sit in the back of DH's car in nice clothes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sluj Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I drive a 2000 Jeep Cherokee, and have to say I am very sad they are not making them anymore. More than enough room for two dogs (or one dog and 17 puppies): plus it handles mud really well. Gas mileage is not great, but better than most SUVs. I'd get another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I dirve a 2005 Safari, but then I have 9 dogs to carry and it's perfect for stacking three sets of two intermediate Vari-Kennels, plus a seventh (or a large). I can put a medium over the 7th crate, and then a final, ninth crate in front of the stacked crates. Fortunately, I generally carry just seven dogs at most, and more often five, but either way it holds them all! J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.DaisyDuke Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I understand that you don't want to hose out the Element. It does have a highly washable, rugged interior that you can swab out easily, but if you squirt it with a hose you'll short out all the electric. From the great website, dogcars.com Link to article on element Ya, no, I wouldn't actually take the garden hose to it, that's just silly. Although someone tried it i'm sure. But I have heard wonderful things about the washable, durable interior from other dog owners. Personally I think they are ugly, so would get one based on their versatility, and the ride is half decent too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurae Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Fortunately, I generally carry just seven dogs Hahahaha! It's all in the perspective Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthfieldNick Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I have a single-cab Dodge Ram 2500 HD. I love my big diesel truck because it hauls the trailer like there's nothng there. I hate it because it eats fuel (although it gets twice what a gas truck of the same size would). I also hate it because the cab is perpetually gross because both dogs ride in there. I load the bed so often that I don't want to put crates back there for the dogs. I'm currently looking for something small & fuel efficient to drive around and put the miles one (the truck has 251.800 miles!) My bro-in-law has a little Honda hatchback. It's prefect! Both dogs fir quite happily in back. My short self fits fine in the front, Scott would be cramped, but there's always his car (which is always too loaded with field work gear to fit the dogs). A friend of mine calls her Element the rolling dog crate She loves it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieDog Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 99 Subaru Impreza. Fits two dogs loose in the cargo area with plenty of space or a 30" crate in the cargo area sideways and still accessible, or the 30" in the cargo area and a 36" wire in the back w/ the seat folded down and room for one loose dog next to the 30", or a 36" Varikennel wedged into the space of one seat folded down (60/40 folding split, 60 down) and room for another dog in the cargo area next to it. Can you tell I do this regularly?! I get 30mpg hwy in my Impreza with AWD, which is wonderful since most of my drive nowdays is highway. I've got 99,100 miles on it so far and no signs of slowing down. My next car will likely be an older version CRV (two 30" crates will fit side by side in the cargo area with back seats up!), or a Pilot or hybrid Highlander. Need room for 2 30" crates and 4 people in the new vehicle, plus decent gas mileage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Toyota Tacoma with shell (or camper, or topper, or cap, or whatever you may call the roof that goes over the bed): I love it and will probably get another when this one wears out (in 10 years or so, I imagine). Don't count on it. Mine is going on 17 years and runs as well as the day I got it I agree with all your pros, and your con. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Oop Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 A 1992 Isuzu Trooper is my ride. I LOVE my Trooper and hope it lasts forever. The dogs love it, too. It still looks almost like new, gets 25 mpg on the freeway and has had very minimal costs for repairs. (Too bad they don't make them anymore or I would buy another one in a heartbeat!) I can haul a total of 4 medium hardside kennels or 7 dogs (if one rides shotgun). My spouse has a 2008 Nissan Xterra, in which he put a doggie net so the pups can't jump over the back seat - party pooper. It will really only hold the two dogs, maybe 3 if we push it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Fosher Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I drive a 1998 Toyota T-100 extracab with a cap on the bed. I have two dog crates ratchet-strapped into the back and can easily put two more in front of them. If I were clever and built some sort of riser to get above the wheel wells, I could probably get three intermediate crates across, for a total of six in the back. I also put one crate on the jump seat like Laurae does. The T-100 was the precursor to the Tundra, but is nowhere near the gas pig. I get a solid 20 miles to the gallon driving around back roads and as much as 22 on the little bit of highway driving I do. I have 155,000 miles on this rig and am fully expecting another 100,000 out of it. It's the most capable 4WD truck I've ever driven. Drop the transfer case into 4WD Low and it'll pull itself up a cliff. I have a sliding back window in the cab and a sliding front window in the cap, so I can open a passageway between the two compartments if I want or need to. In the summer, I generally ride with the cap window open and the cab window closed, which seems to give the best airflow through the rear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 Devils Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I have a 2005 Chrysler Town and Country minivan (short bed). Unless I know folks are going to ride with me I take all the seats out. I can fit all 4 dogs, flyball box, dog stuff, my stuff and even my husband I also use the van as a commuter vehicle. I get 23 MPG city and 27-29 MPG hwy. It has 93,000 miles on it and hope it will last another year or so. It has attracted accidents unfortunately. The front torn off at low speeds by a school bus and been rear-ended. The total repair costs have been $8000 but I was never injured (except for typical back pain)... I am undecided on whether to buy another minivan or to go for a crossover vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSmitty Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Toyota Matrix. With the back seats folded down, I can get at least two good sized crates back there and plenty o' other junk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruger's Dad Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 This is easy. If its just Ruger and me on a nice day, the vette. If I have both dogs its the wifes van. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afrancis Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 This was very entertaining! But nobody mentioned a mini! No, I don't have one but I'm still convincing the hubby that we could get the dog, us, suitcases and a cooler in it and drive down to Florida for the winters! As it is, we have a Mazda Tribute and it works great for dog, husband, suitcases, cooler and anything we bring back with us, although Skye likes to lie spread-eagle in the back seat. If we were ever to get a second dog, we'd have to get a Hummer! A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soda-pop Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 I managed to fit three dogs in the backseat of a Ford Taurus. No crates, but buckled in. I'm getting a '96 Ford Taurus Wagon that I'm SUPER excited about. I realllly want a Subaru Forrester, but those are kinna expensive. My mom has one and I l.o.v.e it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrayburn Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 I absolutely LOVE my Subaru Outback wagon (it's my second). I can fit three crates in it and have fit five border collies in it for transport before. Gas mileage isn't bad and the drive/handling/upkeep are great! I would rather have an Outback than a Forester - Dad replaced his Outback with a Forester and wishes he hadn't. He feels the seats aren't as comfortable and it really doesn't get any better gas mileage despite being on a smaller frame. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowwown Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 I have an awesome 2006 BMW X3. It's called a SAV -- Sport Activity Vehicle -- instead of a SUV. That's because the rear compartment area has this cool tarck system to add cables, cross ties, bike rack, etc. for whatever our needs. Two dogs could fit very comfortably in the back area. I have a Weathertech rubber mat back there and a cushy dog bed for Cody to sit or lie down on. I don't let Cody on the back seats due to mud. I love the leather interior and all the bells and whistles, especailly the panoramic sunroof and navigation in-dash. I average 21 mpg in mostly city driving. It was expensive but BMW warranty is 50,000 miles or 4 years, EVERYTHING included. Even oil changes, tire rotations, etc. The only thing not included are new tires. The SAV/SUV concept beats a car hands down. I have him in the back cargo area and can still fit five passengers or a lot of gear or luggage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsnrs Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 We also have a diesel Jetta (2006). It gets at least 40 mpg. We take 2 dogs in crates to training every Wednesday. Our Sammy rides in the crate and Alfie in the back seat. We also have a big diesel truck but only use it when we need to haul something big or take the RV. It gets terrible mileage. Narita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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