Four Paw Drive - dog vehicle reviews!

stardogs

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#1
Today I launched a new project: a blog on dog friendly vehicles! I'll be measuring, photographing, and poking around various vehicles at local dealerships here in the next few months to post to the site, but I thought I'd give you all a heads up about it *and* open it up to review submissions from my fellow Chazzers since I know we've had some great discussions on vehicles here!

My goal is for this site to become a good resource for serious dog people who need info on dimensions, crate arranging, etc. in vehicles vs the typical "you can fit 4 large dogs loose in the back, it must be a perfect dog car" stuff I keep finding. :p

Anyway, the site is Four Paw Drive: www.4pdrive.wordpress.com and I've also set up a facebook page as well, also under the Four Paw Drive name: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Four-Paw-Drive/258869994196137 :)
 

stardogs

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#3
Awesome! Thanks! I'm really excited about this project and think it could be a super resource for everyone - it's always nice to get positive feedback from others! :)
 

katielou

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#4
I liked!
I am thinking of picking up a HHR so it was great to see that review.

A fiat 500 is certainly not a good dog car :D
 

CharlieDog

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#5
I liked it too :) I've got a Ford ranger. Its not very good if you want your dogs inside the vehicle but I could totally fit four 400 crates in the bed under the camper.
 
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Backward_Cinderella

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#6
LIKED!!! And I loved Leah's review of the HHR. I think it might possibly be my favorite vehicle we've owned so far. :)
 

Saeleofu

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#7
Fantastic! My caliber will eventually die (hopefully not for a few more years at least! :yikes:) and when it does I'm determined to get a dog-friendly car. I was wanting an Element but they don't make them anymore :(

A caliber would be dog friendly if my dogs were a little smaller ;)
 

stardogs

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#10
Seriously guys I will take any and all reviews you want to send me! The email for the blog is 4pdriveblog (at) gmail.com and I at minimum need a good side shot of the vehicle, a shot of the interior, and dimensions of the cargo area if applicable (height at the tallest and shortest points, depth at the deepest and shallowest points, width between wheel wells, etc.). Information on and pictures of your crate arrangements is great as well.

I'm going to post a list of "top vehicle reviews needed" this evening after work, but even cars that may not be the best dogmobiles are welcome since it's good to know what *doesn't* work as well as what does!

I'm also hoping to get different model years of vehicles so that people can compare the different generations within a given model and so that people looking at used vehicles are able to use the site as well.
 

Shai

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#12
This is a great idea -- may be able to add a few reviews as well.

Definitely a need for this project since dogcars went down, and reviews with actual numerical data in addition to the perception side of things would be superior to what that site did anyway.
 

stardogs

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#13
Thanks guys - I'm always in need of reviews, so feel free to check out the submission guidelines on the blog or fb! My last Kia review is going up this afternoon and I'm headed out of town this week, but once I get back I'm hoping to hit up the Ford and Nissan dealers next! :)
 

Zoom

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#14
I can't wait until we get more info coming out on the Crosstrek in July. This is going to be the perfect dog car!
 

stardogs

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#15
Oooh I hadn't seen the CrossTrek before. Looks nifty, though I'm wondering how much cargo room it'll really have given the severe slope on the hatch...
 

FG167

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#16
Love the blog! Really neat! I am intrigued by the HHR. I am checking measurements for my personal dogs. I have one in a 36" regular wire or SUV crate, one in a 30" regular wire or a 36" SUV crate and one in a 24" regulare wire crate. IF I can fit them, I will be looking to buy one of these - per your review - before I read that, I would *never* have even considered it! :)

ETA: nope, they aren't going to fit. I did the logistics work. If you know of a vehicle off-hand that would have interior crating space for 40"x54" (the HHR fits 36" x 48" if I found the right measurements) then I'd be golden. And good gas mileage. I am thinking I have to go with a van unfortunately :(
 
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PWCorgi

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#17
Have you looked at the VW Passat wagon at all? Ryan just bought a 2006 Passat wagon and :hail:

We brought it to my work and loaded the biggest crates we could find into it. PURE. LOVE.


And not only does it haul everything you want and more (plus a spot in the doorwell for your umbrella), but it also has some awesome towing capability for a non SUV/truck, which we plan on utilizing.

And most importantly, Ryan can still autocross the hell out of it :rofl1:
(though he prefers to co-drive Miata's these days, if you want to get into the LEAST dog savvy cars available)
 

stardogs

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#18
Falon, if you had someone handy with tools you could easily fit your 40x54" needs into the Kia Sorento, but with the seat slope you'd need a platform to do so. I haven't done the formal review yet, but the Toyota Highlander and the Toyota 4Runner might also accommodate your dimensions without the need for a platform (both have fold flat seats) and without going to a van. Both have mpgs around 17/23 with AWD and 18/25 without iirc. I'm also hoping to see how the redesigned Ford Explorer and the Ford Flex would do for similar crating layouts.
 

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