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What You've Owned Before and Why You're Interest in the Santa Cruz

17K views 46 replies 23 participants last post by  ToadVine 
#1 ·
This should be interesting:

What have you previously and currently owned, and why are you interested in the Santa Cruz?

Previously owned:
1993 Mazda Protege
2006 VW Jetta diesel

Currently owned:
2004 GMC Canyon 4WD
2008 Honda Accord coupe V6 manual

The Protege was my first car which I had out of high school. In my second year of college in Michigan I bought the GMC new and I've had it ever since. That worked well in the snow, and I also did some offroading. Moved to Florida and I got the diesel Jetta used for a daily driver since I was driving 150 miles a day (the 40+ mpg came in handy). The Accord was originally my mom's, and when I moved closer to work, I sold the Jetta and bought the Accord so I could have something a little more fun. My brother currently has my truck and he gets much more use out of it since he works on boats.

I compete in masters swimming, running and triathlons, so several times a week I'm carrying wet, sandy, dirty, swimming equipment or my road bike. I only have the Accord readily at my disposal so although it does have the room to carry my things it is not suited for it. I don't have any heavy hauling or towing needs, so a fuel efficient vehicle with an open bed would be useful.

I would also like to keep a two vehicle fleet to satisfy my need for something fun to drive. With a regular truck you give up fuel efficiency for versatility. With the Santa Cruz you get fuel efficient utility which can work well as a daily driver, and leaves room for something fun. I've also been eyeing the new Camaro SS. :D
 
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#2 ·
Previously owned and still driving a Toyota 2005 Rav4. It's still running fine but it's just so old!
Think it's time for an upgrade and I want more trunk space just so I have it if there's ever a need.

Last time I went camping with my Rav4, we packed up the trunk so tight part of the back window was covered thus reducing my visibility. Never want to do that again.
 
#7 ·
I'm not exactly in their target demographics. 75 and retired but my daily driver '14 Wrangler JK is up for sale if they will build the Santa Cruz. We also have a '12 Azera Tech sitting in the side of the garage for long haul driving. Over 65+ years of driving (farm kid) I have driven or owned a sample of most everything you can think of. The Santa Cruz looks to be a great fun/run around vehicle.

Arizonite
 
#9 ·
Current list: Dodge Ram 2500 diesel, Mitsubishi 1995 gas mighty max, Honda Insight 2000, 5 speed, 199 6 BMW m3
Favorite and best ever truck or car!####Mitsubishi turbodiesel in 1984-1991 BEST TRUCK EVER owned! 40+ mpg"s!! hit and totaled after 550,000+ miles, removed engine and installed it in a 4wd Ram 50 gas truck for another 200,000+ miles then traded on a Mitsubishi v6 gas truck. (Diesels unavailable, unfortunately)

This would be the "perfect storm" vehicle IMHO. It if inexpemsive, will get others into the turbo diesel scene and realization of mpg's possible, and reliability of diesels, also.
May buy a frontier if diesel is offered first, though...
 
#12 ·
Previous: '73 455 Trans Am 4 sp (great fun)
'78 Honda Accord Hatchback (manual)
'85 Toyota 4X4 (2.4 ltr. 4, manual)

Current: '90 Eagle Talon AWD, Turbo, 5 Sp, 300+ hp
'00 Tacoma, 3.4 ltr. V-6, ext cab, TRD, 4X4, 19-26 mpg
'11 Camaro, LS7(427 cu in, 505 hp) 6 sp (manual) capable of up to 26 mpg

My Eagle is mostly a track toy & I love it, the Camaro is my daily driver (lots of fun), the Tacoma is my work (furniture, appliance, etc mover) & fun off road - dirt, rock, sand - PU. The Tacoma is great but it's getting old, loud hwy road noise, lacks most modern creature comforts. Would love to replace it with the Santa Cruz, the current & ever since 2006 Tacoma's are mid size pu's can't get compacts any more unless Hyundai comes thru.
 
#14 ·
Have a Dak

Have a 06 4dr dakota ,would like to have something at least with awd ,3 or so doors with power and mileage (the dakota is terrible in that respect ) if it will carry 1000# in the bed ,thats all i am asking,would like the diesel or turbo gas engine and of coursed reliable .:cool:
 
#15 ·
previous:
'68 F-100 4x4 (w/ 428 under hood) <Still own it, but it no longer moves under its own power :(>.
'76 Colt
'82 Omni (VW 1.7l under hood - indestructible)
'88 S-10 (1st new vehicle)
'88 S-10 Blazer (lemon)
'94 Ranger s/c
'94 Explorer
'92 Yamaha FZR
'98 Ranger (now daughter's truck)
'02 Focus SVT
'05 S-10 Blazer
'98 Ranger s/c 4x4 + '98 Ranger 4x2 (331 V-8)

Not an automatic on list!

Need something that hauls mountain bike in summer, hockey bag in winter; sheet of plywood/few 2x4s,etc. Doesn't flinch at few cm of snow or a little mud (parent's farm is 15km from pavement).

Wife's '10 Escape will need to be replace by '20, and I need some time in between for the savings to recover...
 
#18 ·
Previous Owned:
1988 Mazda B2000
1990 Pontiac Sunbird
1995 Chevrolet Cheyenne 1500
2004 Hyundai Tiburon GT

Currently Own:
2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS

I don't have a need for a truck but would like something with a few more options for the Home Depot runs or trips to the creek.

:D
 
#21 ·
69 Ford Falcon (3 on the tree!)
74 Chevrolet Chevelle Laguna S3 Type
69 Chrysler Town and Country Wagon
74 Volkswagen Scirocco
82 Ford Escort
79 Datsun 310 Wagon
86 Volkswagen Jetta
78 Ford Thunderbird
90 Plymouth Voyager
94 Volkswagen Jetta
96 Chrysler Town and Country
92 Toyota Corolla
99 Dodge Stratus
2002 Hyundai Santa Fe
2003 MB C230K Coupe
2006 Kia Sportage
1988 MB 560SL **
2009 Audi A3
2010 Hyundai Tucson **
2013 Hyundai Sonata
2016 Subaru Outback **

** = Currently Owned

Yeah, I'm old.
 
#23 ·
Still have it. She's a beauty. :) We bought it in 2007. We are going to drive it one more summer, then sell it when we move south when we retire in 2017. The manual ragtop would get far too much of a workout in Florida! We will pick up a used SLK with a retractable hardtop for down there.
 
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#26 ·
That would be a great move.

I like the SLK but there's just something about it that won't let me spend money on it even if I had the money, over the years i've grown into the S-Class coupe, have my eyes set on an S63 AMG Coupe, S65 would be sweet but at that point you're in Rolls Royce Wraith price range.
 
#27 ·
The S-Class Coupe sounds pretty sweet. Don't see many of those up here in Michigan.

Anything that says "AMG" on it, I wouldn't trust myself in! Especially if I consider that I never drove a car like that when my eyesight and reflexes were in a much younger man's body!!!

It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.
 
#31 ·
Its been several years since the Santa Cruz concept first debuted. For those that couldn't wait any longer, or your desires or requirements changed, what have you moved on to?

I wanted a vehicle with more practical room than what my 08 Accord coupe V6 manual offered. I'm pretty active with swimming and cycling so I wanted something that had room for my bike and could handle my wet equipment. I originally wanted to own two vehicles (practical and sporty), but I've since decided to go to just a single vehicle.

I ended up getting a Buick Regal GS. Its a great combination of sportiness, comfort, and practicality. It has a 310hp V6, AWD adjustable suspension so its pretty quick and handles pretty well. It has awesome heated, cooled and massaging sport seats. The hatchback design has a ton of room especially with the rear seats folded flat. Yes my wet equipment is stuck inside the cabin so I just had to get a rubber liner for the trunk.
 

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#33 ·
OK, I realize this in old forum with little activity but here goes... Ive had 2 toyo 4wd mini trucks 84 and 92 as well as 2 4runners 1988 auto and 1991 the 3.0 v6 I always buy 3-6 years used (older if a Toyo) and I loved all of them with a passion, but they never had fuel econ worth a crap (could have been my driving).....
Now I am older and fatter. I cannot seem to get into the newer Tacos or 4runners. The best all around truck i owned was the was the Quad Cab Dodge Dakota 2004. 4.7 v8 4wd and the size was perfect, power was good and acceptable fuel mileage . Well now I am at the point were I can am drawn to the newer GM 4 Crew cab 4x4s. and the Honda Ridgeline has the size, power, and fuel mileage similar to my old Dakota, but rubber timing belt!!?? Really a belt!! that is the 1 and only thing that keeps me from pulling the trigger on the Ridgeline, well that and the fact there is low range but i think i can deal with that. I have been driving a 2004 Cadillac EXT truck, AWD. I have pulled out buddies with 3/4 4x4s stuck in the mud. My Cadillac truck is truly good truck, runs great with the 6.0 v8., and I drive it like a nut, even in the rain and it just grips the road like amother. The fuel mileage is abysmal. I am trying so hard to wait on this Santa Cruz... We shall see I guess.
 
#38 ·
The best all around truck i owned was the was the Quad Cab Dodge Dakota 2004. 4.7 v8 4wd and the size was perfect, power was good and acceptable fuel mileage.
Same here!

My interest in the Santa Cruz comes from my primary hobby - fishing. I need a weekend tow vehicle and nothing previously on the market checked all the right boxes. Any truck I buy must fit in my garage so that rules out pretty much anything full sized.

Recently I started shopping for a new Ranger but even it seems oversized, the darn thing is jacked up a good 4" more then necessary. So I held off buying one waiting for a lowering kit, then the Santa Cruz was finally launched and it has the same power plus a similar tow rating... hmmmmm very interesting: modern, lots of great tech (radar cruise, all around cameras), cool styling, clean design, lockable bed, 4 doors, small but not too small - hey this could work for me!

I've owned many vehicles since I started driving in the mid 80s. Most were smaller or sporty cars like a Mustang, two Civics, Prelude Si, Eclipse GS-T, VW Passat, Volvo C30, Nissan 350Z, and now an Infiniti Q60 along with a C7 Corvette Z51.

Along with the cars listed above I've owned several trucks - an Isuzu Rodeo, Ford Ranger Splash and my current Dodge Dakota Quad Cab. I've waited for YEARS for an updated Dakota, something modern that got better mileage but was a touch smaller. I want an non-truck vehicle the wife feels more comfortable in, something with a car-like driving experience, quicker and more nimble, not a ponderous and thristy SUV. Seems the Santa Cruz is the answer for my needs.
 
#34 ·
Reallly interested in the Santa Cruz....
Previous cars have been...

1997 Ford Escort Wagon...
1991 Pontiac FireFly Convertible...
2000 Ford ZX2 S/R...
2006 Mitsu Lancer Ralliart...
Currently... 2014 Ford Focus ST

Moving up north (Ontario Canada) and looking for AWD and this reminds me of the old Subaru Baja... and I thought that thing was awesome.

Tim
 
#35 ·
96 Ford Cobra
01 Chevy Corvette
09 Ram 1500
13 Fiat 500T
18 Mercedes GLA 250

Future: 22 Tucson Hybrid or Santa Cruz, still deciding while waiting for more info... I've tried to buy American/European, but now that a Chevy Trailblazer is designed and built in Korea and a Santa Cruz is designed and built in the United States, I've abandoned loyalty to "Western" vehicles since its all so globalist now anyway. So this will be my first ever not-so-Asian-technically-Asian vehicle ever! :D
 
#36 ·
List would be too long if I were to go through them all since getting my drivers license...

Currently:

Me - 2012 Mini Cooper (sold into the used car price explosion already)
1968 International Harvester Travelall 4X4 Adventure Rig (ever lasting project)

Brother - 2005 Ford F250 4X4

Mother - 2007 Honda CR-V (She's 96 now and gave up her DL, so this is my daily driver currently)

The Honda is the only car our mother can easily get in and out of; the Mini is too low and the F250 4X4 is too high. As a family both my brother and I need vehicles that can transport mom and serve us through our 60's and possibly beyond. After seeing what I was looking at, my brother jumped on board the Santa Cruz band wagon too. The Ford F250 4X4 and Honda CR-V will go once we are (hopefully) into our dual Santa Cruz's (Sage Gray for him and Blue Stone for me).

The Travelall 4X4 Adventure Rig will probably be around for life, but with a 392 V8, manual 5-speed, 12" clutch that is a bear to depress and 4" lift; it's never going to be a daily driver. Plus it drinks way too much and is all over the road with tires humming at freeway speeds! 🤪
 
#41 ·
... The Honda is the only car our mother can easily get in and out of; the Mini is too low and the F250 4X4 is too high. ...
This is really an important issue for me, too. I'm pretty tall but also officially an Old Geezer, so I don't want to go through any gymnastics getting in or out. Maybe it's just 'optical confusion' from body styling, but the SC looks about as low as a Baja to me. Until I can sit in one in the real world, I will remain uneasy.
 
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