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2016 NISSAN TITAN XD PRO-4X DIESEL
Arrival: July/2016
Miles: 14,537 Observed mpg: 15
—
COLLECTORS OF VA RIOUS and sundry crapheaps that we are,
we recently welcomed a 2016 Nissan Titan XD into our fleet to help
with the moving of said crapheaps (and other detritus). Not a crap
heap but a curious tweener, the XD version of the secondgen Titan
is technically a heav yduty truck, yet its 12 ,037pound tow rating
is closer to a halfton rig’s. We opted for a massive crewcab Pro4X
model, which nets four-wheel drive, additional off-road gear, and
loads of standard equipment. The Convenience ($3310) and Utility
and Audio ($1100) packages add leather upholstery, a booming ste
reo, and a raft of amenities, with a few smaller extras upping the
MSRP to $57,155. But the Titan doesn’t impress like a $60,000
truck—especially from inside the cabin—and its sixspeed Aisin
automatic is short on refinement. A 310-hp Cummins V-8 diesel
with 555 poundfeet of torque makes the Titan an able tugboat,
but at 7280 pounds, the truck dawdles to 60 mph in a noisy 9.4 sec
onds. Besides returning a disappointing 15 mpg, the Cummins has
a serious thirst for emissions-scrubbing diesel exhaust fluid
(16 gallons added so far). Even so, the Titan’s first 7500 miles of
crap hauling rolled up in just two months. –Mike Sutton
2016
Chevrolet
Camaro SS
coupe
Arrival: Feb/2016
Miles: 20,859
Observed mpg: 20
—
Because power-
slides are loved by
eight-year-olds and
C/D editors alike,
we've taken to
cramming our
families into the
455-hp coupe at
every opportunity.
Having spent the
summer logging
miles in and around
Ann Arbor, we fitted
a set of Pirelli
Sottozero winter
tires to continue the
Stig Blomqvist
impersonations into
the low-grip season.
Though it's not
leaking or overtly
smoking, we've
added 4.5
unscheduled quarts
of oil to the LT1's
crankcase over the
course of the
Camaro's first
20,000 miles (in
addition to regular
changes at 7000
and 15,000 miles).
GM says that falls
within the range of
acceptability. Even
so, when fully
throttled, no other
long-termer makes
us want to channel
Lee Greenwood.
—Josh Jacquotphotography by MICHAEL SIMARI2016 BMW
740i
Arrival: Apr/2016
Miles: 28,090
Observed mpg: 27
—
We didn't expect the
740i's small engine
to be so perfectly
suited to this big
car. The 3.0-liter
inline-six seam-
lessly alternates
between enthusi-
asm and subtlety.
And if it has to work
harder at times to
motivate 4385
pounds, well, that
just helps showcase
its range. The
remarkable fuel
economy allowed
one driver to stretch
the 20.6-gallon tank
to 700 miles. That's
one of many
attributes that
make this quiet
cruiser a divine
road-tripper. But
while the 7-series
floats down the
freeway like a
pontoon in calm
waters, the tires do
hammer the
pavement. To date,
we've replaced two
damaged Bridge-
stones at a total
cost of $874. We
also paid $486 to
replace a fog-light
cover and a lower
side grille after a
raccoon crossed the
street without
looking both ways.
—Eric TingwallFleet Files:
Here’s how our other long
term vehicles are faring
in their 40,000mile trials:
2017 JAGUAR XE
9418 MILES2016 MAZDA CX-9
1160 MILES
2015 TESLA
MODEL S P85D
38,956 MILES2016 Ford
Mustang GT
coupe
Arrival: Oct/2015
Miles: 32,123
Observed mpg: 20
—
Life has been pretty
quiet for our
Mustang GT lately,
mostly commuting
locally and tooling
around the Midwest.
Our car’s spartan
interior and Recaro
sport seats have
steered most
drivers toward some
of the more
accommodating
alternatives in our
fleet for lengthier
trips. The presence
of the quicker and
more luxurious
Camaro SS certainly
hasn’t helped,
either. We still love
the Mustang’s
435-hp V-8, as
attested to by a
heavily worn pair of
rear Pirellis ($480 to
replace). That we’re
averaging 20 mpg is
impressive, too. Its
brakes have become
excessively grabby
during the Ford's
stay with us, and the
drivetrain makes
disconcerting
clunks when shifted
through the lower
gears. But we’re
still not looking
forward to giving
the GT pony car
back in 8000 miles.
—Mike Sutton2016 MAZDA MX-5
MIATA CLUB
29,324 MILES- LONG-TERM TEST. CAR AND DRIVER. MAR/2017