Help me decide on a small SUV....

[IHStangFan]

So when I return from Iraq we're going to be looking to pick up a small SUV that will carry our family, is somewhat off-road capable, comfortable, well built, etc. etc. etc.

I've looked at the Toyota FJ Cruiser...which I like for it's off-road capabilities, but from most other standpoints, it is not a logical pick. Gas mileage is not great, the backseat was obviously designed for Umpa Lumpas, and nobody taller. It also doesn't come w/ a standard navigation system.

We also looked at the Honda CR-V. Nice car...fit and finish was good, comfortable, but lacked power and wasn't exactly something I'd trust at the deer lease to get me outa a jam off-road.

Today, we looked at the redesigned 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5XT Limited. I really like this car. It has Subaru's turbocharged 2.5L H4 which kicked out 224hp and 226ft/lbs of torque mated to Subaru's legendary all wheel drive system. It is comfortable, plenty of room, outfitted well, etc.

We also looked at the Mitsubishi Outlander, and while somewhat nice...there was just something about it that I wasn't impressed with...maybe it was overall fit and finish...or the fact that I almost vomited when I saw the price tag on the Lancer Evo sitting next to it...I'm not sure.

Anyway....gimme some ideas...input....etc. Thanks guys and gals.

[big daddy russ]

B, were doing the same thing right now... looking for a good car. Hell, we've been looking for one for over a year. A couple of questions for you.

1.) What are your priorities?
a.) Comfort (Ride, cabin noise, comfort of the seats, etc.)
b.) Luxuries
c.) Power
d.) Gas mileage.
e.) Utility (off-road capability, etc.)

2.) How long do plan on having this vehicle? Is this a long-term vehicle (do you plan on having it well past 100k miles?) or will you be getting into something newer before then? If you're getting rid of it early, reliability and long-term cost of ownership aren't as important.

The Subarus are great cars. The biggest problem with them concerns long-term ownership. They're a lot like Lexus... great cars with minimal repairs, but the repairs kill you when they finally hit.

The Honda Ridgelines are phenomenal trucks. Definitely a keep-it-for-200k-miles type of truck. They're not built to tow horse trailers or anything, but their reliability is out of this world. Great interior, judging from the smooth ride you'd never know it was a big brother to the Accord (hell, that big thing rides better than the Accord), and I've heard the four-wheel-drives are great off-road vehicles. Their powerplant, however, isn't going to floor you. A little doggish... somewhat like the small Ford and Dodge V8's from the early-2000's.

Actually, from everything we've seen, test driven, and read, the Ford Edge looks like a fantastic vehicle. Decent gas mileage (you can realistically get 20 real-world MPG, even better than my mother-in-law's Escape), a much-improved ride over previous Ford truck and SUV offerings, and they're great around town. Not much for towing, but they can get small jobs done great and they look a lot better than a minivan. They're not quite as nice as a Toyota 4Runner, but the gap's not that big. Definitely not worth an extra $10,000 (counting rebates and all).

I know that may be a little bigger than you were originally looking at, but definitely check them out. The Edge is a great around-town vehicle for a reasonable price.

I also sent you a link to Consumer Reports. Let me know if I can help you out any other way.

[IHStangFan]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
B, were doing the same thing right now... looking for a good car. Hell, we've been looking for one for over a year. A couple of questions for you.

1.) What are your priorities?
a.) Comfort (Ride, cabin noise, comfort of the seats, etc.)
b.) Luxuries
c.) Power
d.) Gas mileage.
e.) Utility (off-road capability, etc.)

2.) How long do plan on having this vehicle? Is this a long-term vehicle (do you plan on having it well past 100k miles?) or will you be getting into something newer before then? If you're getting rid of it early, reliability and long-term cost of ownership aren't as important.

The Subarus are great cars. The biggest problem with them concerns long-term ownership. They're a lot like Lexus... great cars with minimal repairs, but the repairs kill you when they finally hit.

The Honda Ridgelines are phenomenal trucks. Definitely a keep-it-for-200k-miles type of truck. They're not built to tow horse trailers or anything, but their reliability is out of this world. Great interior, a MUCH better ride than the Accord, and I've heard the four-wheel-drives are great off-road vehicles. Their powerplant, however, isn't going to floor you. A little doggish... somewhat like the small Ford and Dodge V8's from the early-2000's.

Actually, from everything we've seen, test driven, and read, the Ford Edge looks like a fantastic vehicle. Decent gas mileage (you can realistically get 20 real-world MPG, even better than the E), a much-improved ride over previous Ford truck and SUV offerings, and they're great around town. Not much for towing, but they can get small jobs done great and they look a lot better than a minivan. They're not quite as nice as a Toyota 4Runner, but the gap's not that big. Definitely not worth an extra $10,000 (counting rebates and all).

I know that may be a little bigger than you were originally looking at, but definitely check them out. The Edge is a great around-town vehicle for a reasonable price.

I also sent you a link to Consumer Reports. Let me know if I can help you out any other way. Hey bro...thanks for your input and the Consumer Reports linky and login.

My aunt Patty has the Edge, and it is quite nice. I do plan on having the car until the wheels fall off of it. I'm not really concerned w/ towing w/ it considering our other vehicle is an F250 Powerstroke crew cab, LOL. It'll tow a small town. The Ridgeline is VERY nice....looked at them when we looked at the other Hondas...believe it is built on the same platform as the Pilot. I'm really looking for a vehicle that'll seat my family comfortably, get decent mileage, last for awhile, have a decent resale value should I ever change my mind. Something sure-footed enough to get me around at the property should it be a little sloppy, etc. I'm looking for all of the creature comforts, i.e. navigation, power everything, the works. Comfort, ride, etc. will come into play as well....another reason I like the Subies ...their H4 engine configuration give it an extremely low center of gravity and reduce vibrations from the engine to almost nothing. They are coming out w/ an H4 turbo diesel later this year, anxious to see what that's all about. My only problem w/ the Forester is that it's only got a 4speed auto......but rumor is that they're going to mutate the 5speed auto from the Legacy into the 2010 Forester......All in all, I think there are several that I need to just get out there and drive.

[big daddy russ]

Anytime. Those Subarus are really nice all around cars. Good luck.

[IHStangFan]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
Anytime. Those Subarus are really nice all around cars. Good luck. hey....did you ever get your truck? what'd you go with?

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by IHStangFan
hey....did you ever get your truck? what'd you go with?
Nah, we're buying a house instead. We're supposed to close on it on the 31st.

Looking back on it, we would've probably got a Ford. After looking at everything, test driving every half ton imaginable, and searching countless website and forums (JD Power, Consumer Reports, etc.), I'm completely convinced that GM makes the best half ton on the market. Problem is, they're not worth $6k more than the Fords.

The Nissans are nice and have a ton of power, but the ride isn't as comfy and the reliability reports were low. The Tundras have a ton of power, had the second-best comfort level of all the trucks we drove, and could tow a house, but they didn't have the best reliability, and their bottom line was the highest of any of the major pickups.

Dodges had that lifetime powertrain warranty, looked great, had a decent ride, and the Hemi had more than enough power, but they were noisy, the interior was nowhere near as comfy as the other brands, and long-term reliability didn't look good at all. On the flip side, they were selling 4x4 Crew Cab Ram half tons for half of the sticker price. That along with the lifetime powertrain warranty made us seriously consider Dodges, but in the end we would've probably gone with the Ford. They seemed like the best combination of reliability, comfort, power, and price.

[IHStangFan]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
Nah, we're buying a house instead. We're supposed to close on it on the 31st.

Looking back on it, we would've probably got a Ford. After looking at everything, test driving every half ton imaginable, and searching countless website and forums (JD Power, Consumer Reports, etc.), I'm completely convinced that GM makes the best half ton on the market. Problem is, they're not worth $6k more than the Fords.

The Nissans are nice and have a ton of power, but the ride isn't as comfy and the reliability reports were low. The Tundras have a ton of power, had the second-best comfort level of all the trucks we drove, and could tow a house, but they didn't have the best reliability, and their bottom line was the highest of any of the major pickups.

Dodges had that lifetime powertrain warranty, looked great, had a decent ride, and the Hemi had more than enough power, but they were noisy, the interior was nowhere near as comfy as the other brands, and long-term reliability didn't look good at all. On the flip side, they were selling 4x4 Crew Cab Ram half tons for half of the sticker price. That along with the lifetime powertrain warranty made us seriously consider Dodges, but in the end we would've probably gone with the Ford. They seemed like the best combination of reliability, comfort, power, and price. HEY! Congrats on the house man!! Yup...always the ONLY way to do it....do the research...test drive everything you think you MIGHT want....and choose what best fits your specific needs. You guys buying up near where you are now?

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by IHStangFan
HEY! Congrats on the house man!! Yup...always the ONLY way to do it....do the research...test drive everything you think you MIGHT want....and choose what best fits your specific needs. You guys buying up near where you are now?
Yeah, off Highway 6 north of I-10. It's exactly halfway between both mine and Amanda's work, and it was a great deal. We came to an agreement on price mid-September, and it was $15k-$20k below real-world market value. Owned by a sweet, little old lady who just couldn't take care of herself anymore. Everything's brand new, including the carpet and outside A/C.

Amanda's dad is a real estate broker, so he helped us out through the whole deal. We started looking at foreclosures, but quickly found that they weren't the way to go. About half were more expensive than other homes in the neighborhood because the banks were waaay upside down and didn't want to lose too much money in the deal. This lady has lived in the house for decades, the house was paid off, and it's in a stable area as far as home prices go.

We'll come back to cars soon enough, though.

[IHStangFan]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
Yeah, off Highway 6 north of I-10. It's exactly halfway between both mine and Amanda's work, and it was a great deal. We came to an agreement on price mid-September, and it was $15k-$20k below real-world market value. Owned by a sweet, little old lady who just couldn't take care of herself anymore. Everything's brand new, including the carpet and outside A/C.

Amanda's dad is a real estate broker, so he helped us out through the whole deal. We started looking at foreclosures, but quickly found that they weren't the way to go. About half were more expensive than other homes in the neighborhood because the banks were waaay upside down and didn't want to lose too much money in the deal. This lady has lived in the house for decades, the house was paid off, and it's in a stable area as far as home prices go.

We'll come back to cars soon enough, though. Awesome man...congrats again. Yup...we need a 2nd reliable, suitable vehicle. We have the Ford...then there's Kristen's Dodge....I plan on dropping a new engine it it and making it my "beat around, pasture/farm truck" and then I have the little BMW...which...I mean it gets me from point A to point B...but it's just old and not sold on it's reliability. Going to give it to my dad for a project car....for whatever reason he REALLY wants it to restore.

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by IHStangFan
Awesome man...congrats again. Yup...we need a 2nd reliable, suitable vehicle. We have the Ford...then there's Kristen's Dodge....I plan on dropping a new engine it it and making it my "beat around, pasture/farm truck" and then I have the little BMW...which...I mean it gets me from point A to point B...but it's just old and not sold on it's reliability. Going to give it to my dad for a project car....for whatever reason he REALLY wants it to restore.
That's awesome.

Kristen's Dodge would be great around the pasture, and the Ford does everything else you need it to do.

Amanda's old Focus is getting old, but it gets me from point A to point B. We just sank $1000 into it last summer, so we're going to keep it until it falls apart. It's perfect for a little work car for me. We'll probably keep the pickup, too. It has 115k miles (same as the Focus), but I wouldn't hesitate to drive it to Alaska. The only problem I've ever had on that truck was my own fault. The speedometer went out and I didn't get it in to get it fixed before the expiration (it was a recall). Found out after the expiration that it was $500 to fix it.

No worries. I just bought a Garmin for $200 and had a speedometer right there.

It's been a great truck and I've never had a single other problem with it. I'll wind up running it into the ground. I figure that if I got 300k miles out of the Suburban and I can easily get that out of this truck.

[IHStangFan]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
That's awesome.

Kristen's Dodge would be great around the pasture, and the Ford does everything else you need it to do.

Amanda's old Focus is getting old, but it gets me from point A to point B. We just sank $1000 into it last summer, so we're going to keep it until it falls apart. It's perfect for a little work car for me. We'll probably keep the pickup, too. It has 115k miles (same as the Focus), but I wouldn't hesitate to drive it to Alaska. The only problem I've ever had on that truck was my own fault. The speedometer went out and I didn't get it in to get it fixed before the expiration (it was a recall). Found out after the expiration that it was $500 to fix it.

No worries. I just bought a Garmin for $200 and had a speedometer right there.

It's been a great truck and I've never had a single other problem with it. I'll wind up running it into the ground. I figure that if I got 300k miles out of the Suburban and I can easily get that out of this truck. LOL....that old Surburban was a tank...they don't build em like that anymore.

[espn1]

Ford Explorer Limited! Flex is incredible!

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by IHStangFan
LOL....that old Surburban was a tank...they don't build em like that anymore.
Sure don't. My parents still see it cruising around Ingleside. It's still going and I got rid of it almost two years ago.

[IHStangFan]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
Sure don't. My parents still see it cruising around Ingleside. It's still going and I got rid of it almost two years ago. It's a testament to how things were once built, and if maintained how long a good vehicle can last. I was down in Corpus awhile back and saw my old (not THAT old but still) '01 GMC running around over off of Saratoga. Still had the "US Army" sticker on the rear window and all! LOL.

[nobogey72]

Hey, my aunt has a green Ford Pinto. (Just thought I'd throw that in)

[JasperDog94]

We rented a Toyota Rav4 when in Wyoming this summer and we loved it. That dude got 30 mpg on the highway!!! That's better than my Altima.:(

[IHStangFan]

Originally posted by nobogey72
Hey, my aunt has a green Ford Pinto. (Just thought I'd throw that in) LOL!!! funny you mention that.....when I was a child...we had TWO Pintos...a wagon and the hatch. I have a hat I found at a local Ford dealership here that has the Pinto emblem on the front and a blue oval on the back. :D

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by IHStangFan
It's a testament to how things were once built, and if maintained how long a good vehicle can last. I was down in Corpus awhile back and saw my old (not THAT old but still) '01 GMC running around over off of Saratoga. Still had the "US Army" sticker on the rear window and all! LOL.
Like I said, full size GM trucks have treated my family and I well. On the other hand, that green S-10 was the worst vehicle I've ever owned.

[LH Panther Mom]

I haven't driven an Edge, but I like the way they look. :)

[IHStangFan]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
Like I said, full size GM trucks have treated my family and I well. On the other hand, that green S-10 was the worst vehicle I've ever owned. Yup....my S10 was a GREAT truck...till it rolled about 90K miles...and then it just fell apart literally in a month's time. On the other hand, the only problem I ever had w/ my GMC was the rear end.....after I did performance mods to the truck, I kept tearing up rear ends..but that was my fault, not the truck's.

[ImPrEsSiVeArEu]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
B, were doing the same thing right now... looking for a good car. Hell, we've been looking for one for over a year. A couple of questions for you.

1.) What are your priorities?
a.) Comfort (Ride, cabin noise, comfort of the seats, etc.)
b.) Luxuries
c.) Power
d.) Gas mileage.
e.) Utility (off-road capability, etc.)

2.) How long do plan on having this vehicle? Is this a long-term vehicle (do you plan on having it well past 100k miles?) or will you be getting into something newer before then? If you're getting rid of it early, reliability and long-term cost of ownership aren't as important.

The Subarus are great cars. The biggest problem with them concerns long-term ownership. They're a lot like Lexus... great cars with minimal repairs, but the repairs kill you when they finally hit.

The Honda Ridgelines are phenomenal trucks. Definitely a keep-it-for-200k-miles type of truck. They're not built to tow horse trailers or anything, but their reliability is out of this world. Great interior, judging from the smooth ride you'd never know it was a big brother to the Accord (hell, that big thing rides better than the Accord), and I've heard the four-wheel-drives are great off-road vehicles. Their powerplant, however, isn't going to floor you. A little doggish... somewhat like the small Ford and Dodge V8's from the early-2000's.

Actually, from everything we've seen, test driven, and read, the Ford Edge looks like a fantastic vehicle. Decent gas mileage (you can realistically get 20 real-world MPG, even better than my mother-in-law's Escape), a much-improved ride over previous Ford truck and SUV offerings, and they're great around town. Not much for towing, but they can get small jobs done great and they look a lot better than a minivan. They're not quite as nice as a Toyota 4Runner, but the gap's not that big. Definitely not worth an extra $10,000 (counting rebates and all).

I know that may be a little bigger than you were originally looking at, but definitely check them out. The Edge is a great around-town vehicle for a reasonable price.

I also sent you a link to Consumer Reports. Let me know if I can help you out any other way.


My fiance had a ford edge for about 4 weeks and she got rid of it, she hated it...bought a Hybird GMC Denali, i'm really impressed with it.

[IHStangFan]

Originally posted by ImPrEsSiVeArEu
My fiance had a ford edge for about 4 weeks and she got rid of it, she hated it...bought a Hybird GMC Denali, i'm really impressed with it. to the fine tune of? Denali = expensive, hybrid = even more expensive. 35K or less is where I'm shopping. With that said...the Denali is a nice vehicle.

[Electus Unus]

2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
Starting MSRP: $29,305
MPG: 34/31

There is also a Ford Escape Hybrid Limited(Has the same MPG)
Starting MSRP: $31,635

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by Electus Unus
2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
Starting MSRP: $29,305
MPG: 34/31

There is also a Ford Escape Hybrid Limited(Has the same MPG)
Starting MSRP: $31,635
The hybrid's nice, but not worth the money just yet. You'll have to replace that several-thousand-dollar battery every 100k miles or so. Not a good choice for someone wanting something with good long-term reliability and low cost of ownership.

[orange machine]

My wife and i bought a Jeep Patriot a year ago and like it alot. It gets around 30 miles a gallon and is built very well. You can get it in 2 wheel drive or 4 wheel drive. Sticker price was like $19,500. At first i was worried about the performance and how it would hold up, but i couldnt ask for a better family vehicle.