New Commuter Car

[darin]

When I moved to OK in 2020, gas was $1.50-1.60/gallon. The 15mpg in my tacoma wasn't such a hardship. Add to that i lived 10 minutes from work. Fast-forward and after 50M people voted for Biden, and he was given the presidency, gas is now about $2.85/gallon - AND My commute is now 170 miles per day.

To that end I picked up a new commuter - rated at 36mpg and tons easier to drive than my lifted Tacoma; more comfortable in every way and safer (better acceleration, braking, stopping, turning).

It is a mineral gray 2015 228i, 8-speed auto transmission, MSport suspension, 2L turbo 4 Cyl, 240hp/255lbs-ft, weighs about 3400lbs. It's slightly shorter than my RX8 (which gets about 16mpg on the freeway, and I will sell next month), but it's strikingly faster on the straights and very close to as fast around corners. All-told i'm very happy with this Bimmer. Priced right, low miles for the year, and comfortable as heck. Yes, I bought a 3rd-party warranty and no, it's not super sporty to look at.

[Abbey Marie]

Nice looking car, D! And you’d be nuts to commute that far with the truck.



(But as a fellow Mazda owner, I’m sad about your RX8).

[NightTrain]

I like it. And I like the color, too.

How the hell did Mazda manage to make a small car get 16 mpg? My old '01 GMC half ton gets 20!

...or did you do that hopping it up under the hood?

[darin]

Nice looking car, D! And you’d be nuts to commute that far with the truck.



(But as a fellow Mazda owner, I’m sad about your RX8).

Thank you! I'm sad too, but I think it's just time to let it go.

I like it. And I like the color, too.

How the hell did Mazda manage to make a small car get 16 mpg? My old '01 GMC half ton gets 20!

...or did you do that hopping it up under the hood?

Thanks!

Best i got was 22 or 23mpg on an extended road trip - but that was 50k miles ago. The Rotary engine is pretty horribly inefficient - and there isn't a ton one can do short of turbo that can really help the power, though adding a turbo system affects other aspects of reliability so wasn't a choice i wanted to make.

[MtnBiker]

Nice looking car! I'm still enjoying my Tacoma, my windshield time has actually gone down and at $3.71 a gallon here that is welcomed.

Fast-forward and after 50M people voted for Biden, and he was given the presidency,

I see what you did there, nice!

[icansayit]

Here's a good question to ask Sleepy Joe about his Electric cars.

[darin]

Nice looking car! I'm still enjoying my Tacoma, my windshield time has actually gone down and at $3.71 a gallon here that is welcomed.





I see what you did there, nice!

What year is your Taco? Did i know you also had one? Mine is a 2008; OME lift and 33x10" mudders.

And thanks - most folk miss that when i use it in real life

[MtnBiker]

It is a 2009 TRD. Bought it with 6 miles on the odometer, now has 209,000. No lift kit, but I always put a shell on the truck bed.

[darin]

It is a 2009 TRD. Bought it with 6 miles on the odometer, now has 209,000. No lift kit, but I always put a shell on the truck bed.

I'm looking to pick up a TopperEZLift to truck-bed camp. Lifts the shell about 18" to allow me to sit-up in the back; has tent/canvass material to close up the sides and tailgate to make a huge hard-top tent for the back. Added bonus, for short runs, i can fit things that otherwise wouldn't by lifting the top a bit then delivering that thing.


16-Tacoma-EZ-Lift-Tent.jpg