Need a vehicle for hauling..

[RNRage]

Hey y'all.. My names Brian.. This is my first post here.. In a debate over what kind of vehicle to get.. I've done enough research to drive me bananas.. So I figured input besides my own would be helpful.

I need a vehicle for hauling.. But not a typical load of stuff, lol.
My wife and I show chickens and geese. What were looking for is going to have to be reasonable on gas (20mpg+ would be great) and be able to haul about 3 medium sized dog carriers and one smaller one. We're looking at station wagons right now. I'm torn between a Volvo (V70 XC), Ford (Focus), and a Subaru (Outback). We're not looking to spend a whole lot of cash.. Perhaps 5 grand at the most.. Something in the 3,000 dollar range would be ideal as I'd be able to do any repair work short of an engine or transmission replacement. Higher mileage doesn't scare me so much on the Volvo or Subaru. Is does however, on the Focus.. If it's a pre 05 with a timing belt rather than the timing chain.

This vehicle will ultimately be my daily driver.. I'm going to probably sell my 05 Mercury Sable LS to help fund the vehicle.. We have been taking the wife's 04 Explorer with the big V8 to the shows and the gas is killing us.. Though we have room for 4 medium sized crates AND our stuff for when we stay at week long shows. I figured with a staton wagon (with roof racks), I can get one of them roof top cargo carriers.. Easy enough.

Next question for those of you that have one of the said vehicles I'm looking at.. How much cargo can you actually squeeze into one of them? I'd think the Volvo/Subaru would be easier to haul more as they both have more room.

Last question.. Are there any vehicles that I have perhaps overlooked?

Thanks for your help in advance, I truly appreciate it!

-Brian

[Dave B.]

My first thought would be a Honda Element, although I doubt that it would be easy to find one in any kind of decent condition for $5K. For a small hauler, they hold a LOT of stuff and get good fuel mileage. As far as Subarus go, check out the Forester. I owned one for several years and liked it - until a very careless twit in a big 4wd towing a trailer lost control and totaled my Subie (I was unhurt)...

[RNRage]

I'll look into the Honda Element. Perhaps I can stretch the budget if it REALLY does the job well.. Any love for Pontiac Vibes/Toyota Matrix? They seem to be reasonable, too.. And I can find some 03/04 Vibes in my area for around 4-5k with around 100-120k on the odometer.. 30+ mpg on highways looks fantastic for 6-7 hour rides that are a few hundred miles away.

[Dave B.]

I have two friends and one acquaintance in the Matrix/Vibe owner category. All really like their cars. The drivetrains are, as far as I know, all Toyota and very reliable. One owner has updated his Vibe with an engine swap from another Toyota product for more performance. If you're sure that these vehicles will have enough space to haul all your gear, one might make a very good choice for you.

One comment that I would offer is this: If you don't have experience with Japanese 4 cylinder motors, you should be aware that almost all of them are 'interference' engines. What this means is that if you break/stretch a timing belt, have a belt tensioner fail or have a water pump lock up, you're going to have a LOT of engine damage; as the valves will hit the tops of the pistons and do all sorts of nasty stuff. The key here is to read the owner's manual carefully to determine how often the belt needs to be changed and follow it to the letter. Even if there is no mention of the tensioner or water pump, change both of them each time you change the timing belt. If you buy a used vehicle without a service history, assume that this service hasn't been done. Yes, this approach is a bit more expensive, but it's pocket-change compared to the cost of repairing or replacing the engine after one of these components fail.