Need to buy an SUV, need opinions...

2

Replies

  • Colliex3
    Colliex3 Posts: 328 Member
    Depends on your meaning of "Good Sized" My brother just bought a used Chevy Traverse around 25k or less I think and its a 8 passenger, not the best on cargo space but its an amazing SUV.

    Also look at the Hyundai Santa Fe They used to look stupid but now they are beautiful!
  • CountingCaloriesSuxass
    CountingCaloriesSuxass Posts: 387 Member
    Just get a van..
    And dont forget the candy.
  • MichelleWagner50
    MichelleWagner50 Posts: 240 Member
    We recently bought a 2008 Saturn Outlook. 7 passenger, but you can get it with a bench in the middle to make it 8. LOVE IT! It doesn't have a ton of storage space in the "trunk" though. I have 3 kids: 14, 10 & 7. All play baseball/softball. 3 bat bags is tight. Other than that, I wish we had upgraded from a mini van about 3 years ago! :-)
  • CountingCaloriesSuxass
    CountingCaloriesSuxass Posts: 387 Member
    Get a MINI! Sooooo fun - you'll forget that you "need" to buy a SUV!!:bigsmile:

    I would love to see him in a MINI..or in one of these SMART cars
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    no offense to those with them, but nissan killed the pathfinder. it looks more like a mini van now than a truck.

    the ford flex is pretty cool. unique looking, and roughly the size of an expedition.

    the sequoia is also a good size.

    tahoe too.
  • homerjspartan
    homerjspartan Posts: 1,893 Member
    Well, not a SUV, but just as functional. VW Jetta Sportswagen TDI

    You get SUV storage, and great fuel economy.

    I don't think there are really that many people that actually "need" an SUV. It's an american thing.

    3 kids dude. I need an SUV. A jettasportswagon seems like a chick car. A decidedly un-American thing.

    Born, rasied, and currently in Detroit, it is really hard to read this thread.

    For 25-35k, your best bet is to buy a GOOD used SUV. You can get a fairly loaded 2012 or 2013 Durango for 30-35k. We have a 2013 Durango, loaded and love it. We have 3 kids and drive cross country often.

    Highly recommend them.

    PS - For anyone that is about to post "But Toyota and Nissan are made in the USA......".... just don't. They are not. They may get snapped together here....but they are not made here.
  • Cliffslosinit
    Cliffslosinit Posts: 5,044 Member
    I have a Chrysler Aspen 4WD 5.7 L Hemi.....
    Gets the job done!

    dodgechrysleraspenhybri.jpg

    what job is that?:)
    Hauls the kids, grandkid, pulls a boat, driving trail roads up through Big Bear, CA, etc.
    Seats 7
  • justlistening
    justlistening Posts: 249 Member
    Honda Pilot w/ 3rd row, seats 8 comfortably, very versatile and dependable, easy to maneuver, gets about 17/mi city. They last forever.
  • StarChanger
    StarChanger Posts: 605 Member
    Seriously fun = BMW X5!!!

    Drives like a sports car, tough enough to climb mountains, and haul 250+ lbs of dogs in the back. :drinker: :smokin:
  • eperezamora
    eperezamora Posts: 42 Member
    i just got the nissan pathfinder, 3rd row seating and not a gas hogger!

    Ooooo, really?! Tell me more!

    Got from Christmas. Fills up with 60- and that usually last over a week.. and its 4 wheel drive =) I fell in LOVE, lol

    What is the actual gas mileage? I do a lot of running up and down the roads between work, daycare, home, church, softball, volleyball, groceries, family events...you get the idea. My husband thinks a mini-van is in our future. He's lost his mind if he ever thinks I will drive a mini-van, so I'm trying to find an SUV big enough for the family that isn't a total gas guzzler.

    I completely understand, I have 3 kids and am also running around like crazy.. At first my husband also wanted a minivan, But I am in my 30's and really wanted something that still would make me feel young and cool( even if its just running errands) As for gas, It averages 17-18 miles a galloon.
  • Lone_Wolf70
    Lone_Wolf70 Posts: 2,820 Member
    no offense to those with them, but nissan killed the pathfinder. it looks more like a mini van now than a truck.

    the ford flex is pretty cool. unique looking, and roughly the size of an expedition.

    the sequoia is also a good size.

    tahoe too.

    im actually driving a 13pathfinder as my rental this week. IDK, I kinda like it.
  • Linli_Anne
    Linli_Anne Posts: 1,360 Member
    Subaru Tribecca. Great makes of vehicle, we have a forester, which is a smaller SUV, and no 3rd row option like the tribecca, but overall the make of vehicle is wonderful. All wheel drive gives you control all the time.
  • eatcleanNtraindirty
    eatcleanNtraindirty Posts: 444 Member
    If you didn't say 3rd row seating I would say get a Jeep Grand Cherokee. I learned how to drive in a suburban, got a tahoe after that, got a grand cherokee after that, got a gmc denali, and now I have a Lexus LX470. By far my favorite car of these was the Jeep!

    Buy American! I think the Dodge Durango have 3rd row seating and it's made on the same platform (I think) as the grand cherokee. So that might be a very good option for you.
  • jessizona80
    jessizona80 Posts: 108 Member
    Another one for the Nissan Pathfinder, but I can't speak on the new models. Mine is an '06 and it's been a fantastic vehicle! Third row seatting is SO easy to put up and down. Good luck on your purchase!
  • sukatx
    sukatx Posts: 103
    2013 Hyundai Santa Fe. My family (Hubby, Mom, Dad, myself) has driven nothing but Hyundais for the past 10 years and you get so much for your money. 3rd row seat is available on the new 2013 model. And you can't beat the 5-year, 60,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.

    I promised myself I would drive my Elantra for 100,000 miles. But once I've done that, I can't wait to get into my own Santa Fe.
  • celtbell3
    celtbell3 Posts: 738 Member
    Sick of cars and gas prices. I drive 30 miles to work or I'd just ride my bike and get rid of all the cars.
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  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    no offense to those with them, but nissan killed the pathfinder. it looks more like a mini van now than a truck.

    the ford flex is pretty cool. unique looking, and roughly the size of an expedition.

    the sequoia is also a good size.

    tahoe too.

    im actually driving a 13pathfinder as my rental this week. IDK, I kinda like it.

    fair enough...you clearly have more experience with it than i.
    im going solely on aesthetics. it seems to me it went from a more rugged looking truck to a wannabe crossover.

    if it drives well though, and youre diggin it then its an option on the table. :drinker:
  • Lovdiamnd
    Lovdiamnd Posts: 624 Member
    Totaled my car two weeks ago...need a good size SUV (new or used) with preferable 3rd row seating. Price range of 25-35Kish...


    any recommendations?

    I really like my 2009 GMC Acadia. With the bucket seats in the middle row it will seat 7 but you can get the bench for 8 seats. Don't remember the gas mileage, but it doesn't seem to bad.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Tahoe or Suburban, IMO. Or anything American that's comparable, at least.
  • Keto_T
    Keto_T Posts: 673 Member
    I have a Hyundai VeraCruz with ~225k miles that is really comfortable but the electrical system is crappy. Irritating more than a huge problem. It has 3rd row seating. The slightly smaller Hyundai Santa Fe does as well. We looked at lots when we bought but we got the most car/features for our money with this one.

    Had I not been as concerned with price i would have gone with the Volvo SUV. Loved that one the most.

    ETA: VeraCruz gets about 21-22 mpg with us commuting 2+ hours a day mostly highway and running around town the rest of the time.
  • DesDawn24
    DesDawn24 Posts: 147 Member
    I can relate to needing an SUV, when you get over 5 feet of snow every winter! I have a Pontiac Torrent, it's great. It drives really nice, it's great on fuel and it's roomy. No third row seating, though.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
    I love my jeep grand cherokee...it's a 5.7 litre hemi...lots of fun, easy to fix, expensive on gas in the city...drives like a dream on the highway
  • _Danno_
    _Danno_ Posts: 165
    As a Brit I am so jealous of your cheap fuel prices it's so expensive to run a car here everybody is downsizing ????
  • jporter2004
    jporter2004 Posts: 60 Member
    I have a Mitsubishi Outlander...Really nice to drive and has the extra seating, however; it's a V6 and I don't reccommend if you're looking for something fuel efficient :smile:
  • gobonas99
    gobonas99 Posts: 1,049 Member
    My wife drives a Mazda CX-9 and it is honestly the best car I've ever owned. Mazda did well with the CX line.

    Good to know! :)

    I am impatiently waiting for the CX-5 Sky-D to be released in the US. My Accord has at least a few years left in her, but my fiance's truck is falling apart (literally....although the engine still runs great). We need to replace the truck before it strands us (in the middle of winter) - the replacement needs to be able to tow, but we also need great gas mileage (I'd prefer 30+) when we're not towing - the CX-5 Skyactive Diesel SHOULD be able to meet (and in the case of MPG, exceed) our requirements. They just need to release the darn thing already! LOL :) if it weren't for the towing need, we'd get the CX-5 Sky-G now.
  • StarChanger
    StarChanger Posts: 605 Member
    Born, rasied, and currently in Detroit, it is really hard to read this thread.

    I am a true lover of American Muscle, but as the owner of the two of America's most famous (modern) muscle cars, I can tell you, completely unbiasedly that we have fallen behind. I LOVE my hotrods, but my 2000 VW New Beetle took 200K worth of punishment before it had it's first breakdown (timing belt), and my X3 has had no issues that weren't self-inflicted (at 80K).

    My cobra & vette have cost me THOUSANDS, each, in repairs (and the vette is stock). The Cobra broke down so much that it was literally easier, and cheaper, to turn it into a "real" race car than continue to put stock parts back on. The vette has an electrical gremlin that I've spent 3K on trying to trace, and still can't figure out. Neither car has ever been what I consider "reliable"...I won't even start to talk about comparing fit and finish.

    Granted, I don't have a brand NEW vette or cobra, but I did get both of them "new-used". Even then, they were already having issues.
  • thoshowski
    thoshowski Posts: 135 Member
    I love my Hyundai Sante Fe. It doesn't have a third row, but apparently the new ones you can get with a third row. They are the Sante Fe XL.
  • LFDBabs
    LFDBabs Posts: 297 Member
    I love my Jeep Grand Cherokee, and they do have some models with third row seating. 4 wheel drive laughs at the snow, drives fantastic!! The Jeep Commander is great, just too much vehicle for what I needed. That has 3rd row seating.
  • megalin9
    megalin9 Posts: 771 Member
    i just got the nissan pathfinder, 3rd row seating and not a gas hogger!

    Ooooo, really?! Tell me more!

    Got from Christmas. Fills up with 60- and that usually last over a week.. and its 4 wheel drive =) I fell in LOVE, lol

    What is the actual gas mileage? I do a lot of running up and down the roads between work, daycare, home, church, softball, volleyball, groceries, family events...you get the idea. My husband thinks a mini-van is in our future. He's lost his mind if he ever thinks I will drive a mini-van, so I'm trying to find an SUV big enough for the family that isn't a total gas guzzler.

    I completely understand, I have 3 kids and am also running around like crazy.. At first my husband also wanted a minivan, But I am in my 30's and really wanted something that still would make me feel young and cool( even if its just running errands) As for gas, It averages 17-18 miles a galloon.

    You nailed it! And thank you!

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