[LovinLife]

Not a day goes by I am not in absolute awe of SC forum members. Some bring info (spreadsheets). Others bring technical assistance. Others bring daily doses of, "wow, I.. DID NOT... know that."

My questions to all of you:

What are you currently driving?
Why are you moving on?
If you recently purchased a SC, in what ways is it better (not better) than your previous vehicle?

Hoping your responses not only help us learn about the Santa Cruz but also the Pro's and Con's of your previous vehicle.

😊🤚

 

[LovinLife]

2014 Ford F-150

Friend sold it to me (cheap) when my vehicle was totaled in an accident. If I lived in a rural area, I would still be driving it. I live in Southern California. Parallel parking it not easy. Squeezing into "compact" parking spaces is impossible. These are actually the main reasons I had to let it go. Firm ride and less than stellar gas mileage can be added to the list (minor issues I would have lived with).

Reasons I am looking at the SC: I wanted a smaller vehicle that is easy to park and that has a tight turning radius. Covered bed, luxurious interior, spacious interior for its size, comfortable ride, etc. etc. are icing on the cake. I'm 99% certain I will love the SC. Checks off most boxes on my "must have" list.

Edited: Thank you JASmith for reminding me.... The SC will be soooooo much easier for my parents to enter and exit the vehicle. Huge huge huge issue with the F-150.

Edited: Can't believe I failed to mention... The SC will fit in the garage.

 

[SC-421]

Assuming that I do buy a SC (very likely), I'll be trading in my 2020 Miata that I've had for about 18 months. It's a super fun car but it obviously has it's limitations and is probably one of the least practical cars to have. Again, it's a fun car, but I have another car that is really the fun/go fast car; so it's also a bit redundant in some ways too. With the SC, I can gain a lot of practicality while also having something different and stylish. I've even thought of getting a small camper to and I can broaden my leisure activities with some camping trips. I've considered a mid size truck (Ranger) but even that is actually more truck than I need. Finally, with the used car market currently the way it is, I'm not upside down on the Miata. Not sure if it's the same for all other states (I assume it is) but in AZ, whatever I trade in is deducted from the sales tax calculation; so I might be paying sales tax based on $5000 for for a Limited SC which saves me about $2900 in sales tax.

 

[Jrnsx]

Currently driving a 2019 Ford Ranger Lariat but want something a bit smaller that is easier to park, has better turning radius and generally just looks better. Ford is ok but the fit and finish of the Ranger leaves a lot to be desired. Can’t wait to get my sc hopefully in a month as per the dealer here in Canada 🇨🇦
Cheers all

 

[Old Dan]

2017 Chevy Silverado 1500 crew cab.

Been driving full sized pickups for a long time. But I no longer really have any need for something that big. Plus they’re hard to maneuver on congested roads; annoying in parking lots; lack safety features found on other vehicles.
As mentioned earlier, the used car market helped with my decision. The dealer where I purchased my Chevy contacted me about buying it back. Finally decided to clean it up and go see what they’d give me. My truck was clean, low mileage, their offer turned out to be $200 less than I paid for it when new 4 years ago.
Been following news on SC and Mav, liked the styling of the SC way more than the Ford. After test driving, I was pretty much sold on SC. Checked dealerships in the area and found my SC Limited.
Not missing the Chevy.

 

[CASD]

The Avalanche in my signature..will be going...Don't need a full-sized Truck... I've always liked small trucks....NOT Mid-size plus the Chevy is a gas-hog 13.7mpg city and that is coasting down hills when possible..coasting up to lights..etc.. and waiting for the AFM system to self-destruct the motor I'm just not a happy Camper ...So I saw the Cruz and Maverick being talked about...and I was ready to buy the Cruz since it hit the street first..but with the price gouging going on..It has soured me from any future Hyundai's, It makes me sick how these Stealerships are treating customers.. I guess they never heard of repeat business or word of mouth via social media.... So I'm in the Maverick camp at this time...

 

[JMII]

'02 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab SLT V8 4.7 auto 2WD
125k in mileage, I custom ordered this vehicle and have taken great care of it, thus its still in great shape both inside and out. Never let me down, very minor repairs over its lifetime, but its starting to wear out as various suspension, hoses and belts are showing their age. It's my weekend tow vehicle, I use it about twice a month for medium distance hauling (200+ miles round trip) of a 2,500lb rig (boat + trailer) in south Florida. Also used for your typical Home Depot/Lowes trips for gardening and landscaping supplies.

My other vehicles are a '14 Corvette Z51 and '14 Infiniti Q60 which the wife I share for daily driving. My wife works from home and I only work in the office two days a week so both of these vehicles see low mileage. My C7 does get occasional track day fun in Sebring and Homestead.

Why is the Dakota going?
1) Terrible mileage, gets around 11 MPG towing.
2) A bit oversized, while it fits in my garage I can't walk around it without opening the garage door. I never use the full bed so I'm just dragging around this extra empty space that gets in the way when maneuvering in parking lots. My wife has twice backed into other vehicles (no reverse camera or backup sensors).
3) I really want radar based cruise control and lane keeping for those highway towing trips. No idea why but people see a trailer and immediate pass only to slow down once in front... drives me nuts.
4) Not that comfortable, crappy seats, poor ride quality, loud. Its gotten to the point where it brings me no joy, its depressing and ponderous to drive. The AC has two settings: freezing and warm with nothing in between.
5) Being an 2002 model it has no zero modern day features aside from cruise control and power windows, it doesn't even have 4 wheels ABS (rear only), traction control or side airbags. It has served its purpose and owes me nothing, just time to move on.

My timeline for a SC purchase is November. Due to the break-in period buying one now would cut into my fall fishing season. I rather miss winter (well its FL so call it non-hurricane season) when its often too windy to go fishing anyway.

 

[Jim 99]

2006 Subaru Baja with 185,000 miles on it. Have loved this little truck from the first day and will to the last day. Great little truck for my hauling needs, biggest draw back is can not get a 4' x 8' sheet of material in bed , otherwise perfect truck for me. Towed small open wheel race car across the midwest for ten years. Only reason I even considered getting rid of Baja is just the age of it. Still has many of original water hoses on it, time bomb waiting to explode. The Santa Cruz is the modern Baja and fifteen years of a newer luxurious interior and many new safety features that the old Baja does not have. Local dealership is forecasting delivery of Ice White Limited on 9/9/21. The downside is $3,000 market adjustment over MSRP. At 72 with a couple of minor health issues and 185,000 on the old Subaru, I'm not going to screw around, I'm just going to buy the Santa Cruz and enjoy it even though I don't like the price.

 

[SmoovC]

In preparation for retirement, we started "thinning the herd" a couple of years ago. Got rid of my one owner 2000 Dakota R/T Garage Queen, and a 2014 Cadillac CTS V-Sport Premium. Purchased a cheap daily driver; a 2019 Soul+ w/ Primo Package to beat around in; and banked the remaining funds. It has really been a good car (and fully loaded w/ adaptive cruise, BSM, cross traffic alert, auto braking, auto climate control, heated/ventilated seats in front, heated seats in rear, panoramic sunroof, Android Auto), but is just that: a car to beat around in; nothing special.

I was originally very interested in the Genesis GV70 Sport Prestige, but feel like it comes in at about $10k more than I feel it is worth. That led me to the SC: $25k cheaper in top trim (LTD), and more functional with the bed.

My wife was interested in the Mazda CX5 to replace her car, and we ran across the 2022 Tuscon Hybrid Limited. Still up in the air on that one. 🤷‍♀️

 

[Boilerman]

I traded in a 2018 Crew Cab Frontier SV. It had 48,000 miles. It was the first new vehicle I ever bought. When I got it I was waiting for the Santa Cruz and/or the New Ranger (also hadn't been out yet) I rented a Ranger for a week on vacation last year and really didn't like it much. Never even considered the mid-size GM clones. I had reserved a black one but when 1/2 a dozen white ones showed up in my area I went with the "Spork" The build date on my was 7/12 and I wound up getting 22000 for the Frontier I paid 27000 for in Feb of 18. I find that driving the Spork is like driving a go-cart with the bridge of the starship enterprise. I have at least 3 or 4 people tell me each day. (got it Friday) that it is the coolest thing they have seen for a long time.

 

[JASmith]

2009 Ram 1500 5.7L RWD Crew Cab

While its super practical in some ways with giant roomy cab w/ leather ventilated seats, front and rear cameras, huge tow rating, ram boxes, very reliable, and 400hp is plenty even for that weight, and so forth:

• Doesn't fit well in home garage
• Parking garages a hassle even with cameras
• 15-16MPG
• Corners like a truck
• Huge so washing it is a real chore, use a ladder for the roof
• Difficult for elderly passengers to climb in and out of (this is a big one, as they don't like us having to help them)
• High resale value on market right now for pickups

 

[zroger73]

Assuming that I do buy a SC (very likely), I'll be trading in my 2020 Miata that I've had for about 18 months. It's a super fun car but it obviously has it's limitations and is probably one of the least practical cars to have. Again, it's a fun car, but I have another car that is really the fun/go fast car; so it's also a bit redundant in some ways too. With the SC, I can gain a lot of practicality while also having something different and stylish. I've even thought of getting a small camper to and I can broaden my leisure activities with some camping trips. I've considered a mid size truck (Ranger) but even that is actually more truck than I need. Finally, with the used car market currently the way it is, I'm not upside down on the Miata. Not sure if it's the same for all other states (I assume it is) but in AZ, whatever I trade in is deducted from the sales tax calculation; so I might be paying sales tax based on $5000 for for a Limited SC which saves me about $2900 in sales tax.

You're gonna miss that Miata!

I currently drive a 2021 Ridgeline RTL-E and 2019 MX-5 Miata GT-S with less than 5K miles. I was very tempted by the used car market recently - I could have got back 90% of what I paid for the Miata two years ago from Carvana, but I chickened out on the day the pick up was scheduled and I'm glad I did.

I'm not in the market for a Santa Cruz at this time, but I've watched Honda's quality decline over the last several years and I like to keep an open mind. If this Ridgeline turns out to be a lemon like my 2019 was, I want to be prepared for my next move.

As a general automotive enthusiast, I enjoy learning and sharing knowledge of all makes and models, helping correct misinformation where I see it, and bringing some level-headed comparisons between vehicles without the typical automotive journalist bias.

 

[LovinLife]

2009 Ram 1500 5.7L RWD Crew Cab

• Difficult for elderly passengers to climb in and out of
• Doesn't fit well in home garage
• Parking garages a hassle even with cameras
• 15-16MPG
• Corners like a truck
• Huge so washing it is a real chore, use a ladder for the roof
• High resale value on market right now for pickups

Difficulty for elderly parents entering / exiting the vehicle... Huge Huge Huge reason my truck had to go. Can't believe I forgot that one.

Also failed to mention the SC fits in the garage! 😁

 

[SC-421]

You're gonna miss that Miata!

I'm sure I will but I've been thinking about all the things I can do with a SC that I can't so with the Miata. The Miata is a blast to drive around but I've got a dedicated track car for road course action so in some ways the Miata is a bit redundant.

 

[monogodo]

What are you currently driving?
2017 Piaggio BV350 ABS

Why are you moving on?
Safety (Airbags/crumple zones > Helmet & armored jacket), protection from the elements, and I want something with more utility.

If you recently purchased a SC, in what ways is it better (not better) than your previous vehicle?
I can carry a whole lot more in the Santa Cruz than I could on the scooter. My daily commute to work has gone from 30-35 minutes on the scooter to 20-25 minutes in the truck (I only rode surface streets on the scooter for safety reasons). I now have more flexibility for going out for lunch (I don't have to gear up, and can get a fountain soda to go), and for picking up breakfast on the way in. I can pick up dinner on the way home much easier than before.

This is the first time since the first week we were married 19 years ago that we've had two automobiles. My car got totalled shortly after we got married, and we never replaced it (we had no need to, for 8 years I lived across the street from work). Five years ago my job situation changed, and I needed a vehicle to commute on. Went with a scooter due to cost & fuel savings. Our car is a 2012 Hyundai Veloster. Now that I have the Santa Cruz, the Veloster will be my wife's commuter, and we'll use the Santa Cruz for everything else.

I'll miss the 55+ mpg of the scooter, being able to park wherever I want, and the ease of getting through traffic on it. I won't miss being invisible to drivers (even when wearing high-vis yellow helmet & jacket), being rained on, being baked in the summer sun, and being frozen in the winter. And my wife's worry level will be reduced.

I've been wanting a truck as our second vehicle ever since my car was totalled. We just could never afford to get one, or we didn't have the room for it, or the need for a second vehicle. When I saw the Santa Cruz concept, I knew that's what I wanted. I really liked the last gen Ranger, too. But then Ford dropped it. I'm not a fan of the new generation Ranger. To get an equivalent spec'd Tacoma or Ridgeline as the Santa Cruz I bought, I'd have to pay at least $2k more, before TTL, than what I paid including TTL for the SC. And they're bigger. I love the size of the Santa Cruz.

 

[JASmith]

I'm sure I will but I've been thinking about all the things I can do with a SC that I can't so with the Miata.

Can we get three guesses each, and see who the winner is?

• Slide into the vehicle without buttering the steering wheel and edges of the door frame
• Leave home without the remote
• Pack the larger deluxe hairdressing supplies case

Just teasin, we used to have a tiny Fiat so have heard everything.

 

[Walking Black Bear]

It's replacing TWO vehicles in my driveway. My 1997 GMC Sierra extended cab RWD and our old daily driver, a 2012 Dodge Journey. It will share the driveway with my wife's 2020 Chevy Equinox, which we bought last year when she took a job out of town to replace the aging Dodge for the commute. (I followed her to the same company 4 months later, so now we drive together.)

Why am I moving on? The Sierra was supposed to be a "two year vehicle" that I bought 7 years ago when we suddenly needed a second vehicle when my wife went back to college after being outsourced as a 911 dispatcher. The transmission went out a few years back, and we eventually decided to drop about $3600 to repair it, since the rest of the drivetrain was top notch. (The short-term/long-term fuel trim numbers still amaze me, rarely straying more than 3% in either direction.) Body suffers the standard 90s GM rust-belt rot, but a few 'hack and patch' jobs have kept it okay enough. Biggest issue, no AC. It was equipped, but never worked. I'm a spoiled princess who doesn't want to do summers without AC for any length of time. A short trip around town? Sure. Two hours or more? Nobody wants that. LOL And the 5.0 V8 isn't exactly a fuel sipper. Worst it's done to me in the last few years (since the tranny) has been a couple of blown brake lines. But they're 24 years old ... it happens eventually. I'd drive that truck anywhere, if it's not scorching hot. But the body is failing it. I've spotted some big cancer holes in the cab between the back seat and the bed ... rockers are shot ... fenders are shot ... bed is getting some rust spots around the wheel well seams too. It will be a great truck for someone with the means (and a garage wouldn't hurt) to replace the body panels. That's not me though, although I've debated it. Realistically, I don't have the time or a proper space to do the work. So it's going to go.

The Journey has served us well, owes us nothing, but it tends to sit unused for months at a time and needs a few bits of suspension work that I'd do if I was planning to keep it longer, but with a new vehicle in the plans, I'll sell it cheap to someone who wants to fix it. Brake pads/rotors, rear calipers are ceasing up (again ... replaced a few years ago), front ball joints are shot (original though, over 200,000km on them), rear lateral links need replacing (again). It's not BIG stuff, but pricey if you take it to a shop to do the work. A younger, hungrier me wouldn't have batted an eye at some driveway destruction on that stuff. Dealer quoted about $4,500 for all of it ... it MIGHT be worth that much on a good day, especially if it's just to turn around and sell it. I'd be better off giving it away for free than sinking cash into it and hoping to recover it in the sale price.

So the SC will take over as the backup "SUV" commuter - probably the primary commuter for the first year to balance out the mileage between the two vehicles - and as my "truck" when I need to haul or tow something. It's really the ideal vehicle for my situation. Literally exactly what I've been wanting. So I expect to hold onto it for the next 10 years. Maybe less if they have some kind of [email protected]$$ upgrade to it in 6 or 7 years. Time will tell.

 

[_metafizik]

Replacing a 2006 Sonata LX. It's been a trouble free vehicle with excellent performance.

Although it was loaded feature wise for vehicles at that time it's old-school and laughable compared to today's vehicles.

It needed a new home & I needed to move on.

It just occurred to me that it was one of the first Hyundai's built at the Montgomery plant. I just remembered how it smelled when I first got it.
It wasn't pleasant but went away after a few weeks. It smelled like glue.

 

[355rockit]

Like Walking Black Bear, I am replacing two vehicles with the SC... a 1998 Tacoma and a 2005 Highlander. This will drop me from 4 vehicles to 3.

 

[SantaCruzFan]

2011 Tundra Limited Double Cab 4x4 5.7 L

My Tundra is a nice truck and in almost 11 years it has never been to the dealer for a repair, which is why I have owned so many Toyotas. But I no longer really need a 1/2 ton pickup and it feels huge in the city and tight to park in most lots. It fits in my garage, but only parked against a stop which puts it less than 2" from the front wall. So far I am not impressed with the mileage reported by some SC owners, but it has to be better than my 14-15 mpg average in the Tundra.

I had considered not even having a truck but I really need a bed sometimes when I haul things I don't want inside an SUV. I considered a Taco but they are bigger than what I currently want, although I had several of them in the past.

The SC gives me the bed, better handling, nice feature set, reasonable size, better mileage and I absolutely love the design. The only way it could look better IMO would be for it to look exactly like that gorgeous concept SC, but we all knew that would never happen.