[DaninVan]

"...he has to use premium gas at a much higher cost"

I know we've had this discussion before. The claims I've seen state that the highest octane non-Ethanol fuels are up to 20% more efficient. ie they use 20% less gas to accomplish the same work.
So, bottom line, it's not really more expensive. Or so they claim.

https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/ethanol-free-fuel-vs-higher-octane-fuel.2331111/#post-35268595

 

[Gaffboat]

I am also looking at the Hyundai Sante Fe. Locally the Quebec provincial Police our version of State Troopers; are using the Explorer and everyone I have spoken to so far claims they love it ! I'm usually a Chevy man, I'm on my 4th Impala, but the GM full size SUVs are all V8s. I want a V6 and no turbos. My boss has a Ford Edge with the twin turbo Ecoboost engine and he has to use premium gas at a much higher cost. I want just a regular V6 that can run on regular gas. I also looked at the smaller SUVs but again they almost all have 4 cyl. with turbos. The amount of mileage I do I don't want the turbos for when they break the cost is usually high !

I've got a Hyundai Santa Fe and I love it, but I think my wife's Subaru Forester has it beat. Of course, neither of us has to drive in winter conditions or on any type of rough roads. Well, that's not entirely true. Our Louisiana roads keep getting worse and worse.

 

[JOAT]

"...he has to use premium gas at a much higher cost"

If you mean my son's Suburban, it uses regular.

 

[DaninVan]

If you mean my son's Suburban, it uses regular.

Nope; I was quoting from Quebec Dan's comment.

 

[JOAT]

Nope; I was quoting from Quebec Dan's comment.

Ah, missed that one. In your position I don't know if I would want to go with a full size SUV, or a medium size. I'm guessing you could be a choice of V6s in the mediums. Medium should get better gas mileage, even if the same size engine. I'm with you on no benefit for premium, if you can get something uses regular instead. You seem to want 4 wheel drive, which is a wise move. Personally I'd be willing to settle for a medium, or even smallish 4 wheel drive pickup, with a camper shell, preferable one I could stand up in. But either way I would stock up the back section with a propane or cataletic heater (crack a window), a cot or pad, sleeping bag or blankets, some drinking water, and a stove to heat up food (possibly MREsiI) and water for tea or coffee. I'd toss in a composting toilet too. All this for just in case you got snowed in for a few days. I read once about a hunter that got snowed in while hunting way down a dirt track. He would get up, eat, then shovel snow, move truck, repeat until noon, noon meal, then shovel, then supper, relax a bit, then sleep. Repeated this for I can't recall how many days, but do recall over a week. They had given him up for dead, then he showed up. Which reminds me, might want a shovel too. You've likely already thought of all this, but I'm a firm believer in just in case, so told you, just in case.

 

[thomas1389]

Not helping with the Global food supply though. I heard they're unpalatable. >

I love the play on words. Just when you think it's reached it's limit there's always another sharp wit to move it on.

 

[thomas1389]

I've got a Hyundai Santa Fe and I love it, but I think my wife's Subaru Forester has it beat. Of course, neither of us has to drive in winter conditions or on any type of rough roads. Well, that's not entirely true. Our Louisiana roads keep getting worse and worse.

you'll lose your fillings on some of our roads in the spring when the frost comes out of the ground. It's a full time job for a few weeks for the city crews in Toronto to fill pot holes. A few of them get deep but they've never yet found a homeless person living in one.

 

[Danman1957]

Tom,
I hear ya, but there are apparently no sawmills in TO ! I am anxious to do Northern ON. and the Algonquin areas. Some parts of Northern ON. will be easier to do by flying to Winterpeg and renting a vehicle there to backtrack, then go west from there.

 

[thomas1389]

Tom,
I hear ya, but there are apparently no sawmills in TO ! I am anxious to do Northern ON. and the Algonquin areas. Some parts of Northern ON. will be easier to do by flying to Winterpeg and renting a vehicle there to backtrack, then go west from there.

Yes, it's a lot of ground to cover. Vast amount of forest but stay out of it in the springtime.

 

[David Bradford]

I've got a Hyundai Santa Fe and I love it, but I think my wife's Subaru Forester has it beat. Of course, neither of us has to drive in winter conditions or on any type of rough roads. Well, that's not entirely true. Our Louisiana roads keep getting worse and worse.

I loved my Santa Fe then one December day I drove it into the forrest and that was the end of it.

 

[Bstrom]

I had read somewhere that pallet tree plantations were becoming fewer and fewer. The last remaining are just hanging on by their nails. The workers are board.

And I suppose while they're waiting to harvest those trees they play poker on, you guessed it, cardboard? (This is getting too silly...)

 

[Frank Kerman]

Great explanation for different types of wood. thanks for sharing this very informative post.