Recommendations for used SUV? (preferably w/ spare on back)

Appreciate the feedback guys.

I found a AAA survey of 2017 SUVs that still provide spares:
http://newsroom.aaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAA_SpareTireList_2017_121817.pdf

Problem is, there is no detail for where the spare is located or if the spare is full size or just a mini-donut.

Doesn't seem any 'recent' models offer rear mounted spares, although there are 'kits' I could buy that are hitch adapters.

So that is a possibility - but extra cost.

Under carriage spare - struck off the list.

No spare at all - struck off the list (well, if it does have a hitch, maybe)

Still deciding how old of a used SUV is acceptable (and mileage).

2018 SUVs with any type of spare is a rare animal.
 
Tahoe. The spare tire is underneath on most of them. Exactly what the OP doesn't want.

Pretty simple fix - remove tire, place in back. Plenty of room, especially if one doesn’t require third row seats. But whatever.
 
Tires on the back lead to higher damage rear-end crash tests. Back up into a tree or post, and the tire breaks out glass and dents in the door. I'm not surprised they have fallen out of favor, as vehicles with them cost more to insure.
 
Subaru have a light duty engine (delicate) & CVT trans.
One can still (AFAIK) get manual transmission in the entry-level Subaru models.
Our daughter & Son-in-law just bought a used 2010 (or 2011) Outback with a manual. Nice car.
Earlier Subarus had issues with the head gaskets at ca. 100-125k miles -- but that's been improved.
They're pretty much the default wintertime vehicle up here; I intend to look at them when the time comes to replace my '06 RAV4. I have been pretty disappointed by the RAV4; wouldn't recommend that generation of RAV4s, FWIW. Dunno about the 'current' generation.
 
Pretty simple fix - remove tire, place in back. Plenty of room, especially if one doesn’t require third row seats. But whatever.
Well, I plan on using the SUV for road trips.

Last one we took to New Mexico was back in October and we filled up most of the 'cargo' area. It would be more desirable if the spare were elsewhere.

The mandate for a spare popped into my head on that same trip in New Mexico, when we were in some pretty remote areas, no cell phone coverage, and a dirt road, supposedly a NM 'highway', for 30 miles on Apache Indian reservation land - and NO ONE around - I mean not a soul.
 
Well, ended up getting a really clean 2014 Honda CRV LX, Certified Pre-owned.

Our mechanic was impressed - he could find nothing wrong and noted that this would be a good buy.

Did have to negotiate a bit (backstory to this if anyone is interested) and the search from start to finish did suck 3 days from my life.

It's all over and I'm really liking this SUV.
 
According to Allpar, the '81 and up /6 switched to hydraulic lifters, so that shouldn't be a concern. Correct?

There was a period of ''overlap'' on the lifter changeover, and it can also depend on where you are located.

If you do have solid lifters,the proper (and best) way to perform the lash adjustment is engine warmed up and running.Just turn down the idle,and off you go.You can drop the idle to around 100rpm on most engines,and some will go even lower.Takes a bit of practice,and watching an old hand is like watching a good piano player:)

Man,I haven't thought of (or done this!) in years....
 
Well, ended up getting a really clean 2014 Honda CRV LX, Certified Pre-owned.

Our mechanic was impressed - he could find nothing wrong and noted that this would be a good buy.

Did have to negotiate a bit (backstory to this if anyone is interested) and the search from start to finish did suck 3 days from my life.

It's all over and I'm really liking this SUV.
We have a pair of low mileage '09 EX-Ls here that we bought within the past couple of years. Mine proved to be quite the traveling companion last summer, tallying 12,500 miles across two trips. I dropped in a Pioneer head unit to get Android Auto, and the ability to play back high-res files in the car, replacing the "Aux in" jack in the center console with a dual USB port connected to the Pioneer. With that and two separate USB adapters (one four-port, the other two-port) for the two front 12v outlets, plus a 120V inverter (which I plugged into the rear of the car, and ran a power strip to the floor behind the rear seat), we were prepared to run or charge just about anything. Plenty of room for "stuff"! On the second trip, where I had to carry two "monster" suitcases...no problem! The back end was packed with luggage and the Focal subwoofer, and the rear seat was for anything else picked up along the way.

Follow that maintenance minder, and it'll last a good long time. That K24 series engine is durable and proven. My '97 CR-V has the old B-series engine and she still runs fine! (Too bad crap Michigan road salt and potholes have taken their toll, though.)
 
Use a good synthetic engine oil & change it more often in city, stop & go , short trip, & winter driving with a top notch oil filter at every change of around 3K miles.

Look at the oil as it may look like it needs a change even sooner. Long highway trips will usually let you go 6K miles with an oil filter change half way through.

The maint. minder can just net you a worn out engine (burns oil) at 100-120K which they want so you will need a new engine or buy another vehicle.

A friend bought a brand new Accord in 08 and that was the result for him! Honda just said that was normal to burn a quart in 600 miles after 100K miles.
 
They made the Jeep Cherokee for decades and they are the cheapest to keep on the road or off road.....

1978 Jeep Cherokee Chief...
 
The maint. minder can just net you a worn out engine (burns oil) at 100-120K which they want so you will need a new engine or buy another vehicle.
I've owned four that have had recommended oil change intervals (7,500 miles on our older Hondas, 10k on newer ones) with no issues other than the usual wear and tear. The only really bad oil loss I've had is from gaskets getting old and drying out (especially the oil pan, and the camshaft cap). My '09 CR-V with the K24 engine has 125k miles on it, and the oil barely moved at all on the dipstick at its last two oil changes (and the second had a lot of high-rpm runs through the mountains). The maintenance minder is also set to suggest other routine maintenance (from brake inspections to tasks like coolant changes).

My '97 currently goes through a bit of oil from an oil pan leak, but at 290k miles, yeah, it's not going to be as tight as a new engine, and it did use a little more than when we bought it new. It'd still be a daily driver if it hadn't rusted so much. (It had a couple of "unfortunate incidents" at the hands of my ex, plus our road salt and potholes pretty much tear up any nice car.)

Full synthetic, premium filter--it's all good per the recommended maintenance schedule. Other owners concur with that schedule (including at the handful of Honda forums I am a member of), but will also change it up to severe duty based on what the manual says. The oil change shops love the 3,000 mile service interval, for obvious reasons, but they're the only ones that push it... ;)
 
You have to look at the oil from time to time and when it starts to change colour etc. use that as a guide also and some brands are better than others and synthetic for sure really helps.
Oil change places push 3K intervals as it covers their backs for people that just drive short trips which wears out the oil much faster. That type of driver may actually need 1K oil changes in
some cases using non synthetic and may get away with 2k with a good synthetic.

If you use a premium synthetic and change it according to condition I believe you will be changing it more often than the oil change minder and you will get better engine life. In fact if you if you do that and warm it up to full
operating conditions before driving hard or fast you can have a nice tight engine (doesn't use oil and runs like new) at even 600 or 800K miles.

In other words what you aren't being told is that going by the oil minder or any max recommendations you are making a compromise of lower engine life by saving a few dollars on oil changes. This of course is the one the manufactures want you to be temped to take of course as it will result in many more sales of new vehicles. You will be then conditioned to accept that a certain mileage (of course over 100K) is the norm for engine life though it will be much lower than it can be!

As for keeping the rust at bay one has to try Krown or something similar from my reading.
 
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