Shopping for a New SUV

[Quadman2]

I had a Suburu Outback Wagon, great car but it was a Lemon from the day I drove it off the lot. It suffered from an earlier year recall of something in the right front drive mechanism. If you took you hands off the wheel and gave it gas, it turned right. The forester is not as big as the Rav4 I am getting rid of.

Not big enough, no full passenger power seats, same with 4runner

I would have bought a Highlander already if they came with full passenger power seats. The only Toyota you can get that in is the top model Avalon.



I know the Acura is a Honda, just like Lexus is Toyota. That is why I am looking at all 3 GMs, I have been leaning towards the Enclave from the start and leaving it for last.



Not big enough and ugly. Have they figured out a way to get the windshield wipers not to stop right in the middle of the windshield yet?

Again, not big enough, measured it when we looked at the 90

Not big enough, too stiff of a ride, I will take the ride of my Buick LaCrosse over a BMW any day.


Anyone I missed and those who replied, Thank You for all the suggestions and input. The hardest feature to find is the full power passenger seats. My wife and I don't have His & Her vehicles and we both have back issues. We don't want to be stuck in a position on long drives. I was 1 day from picking up a Toyota Avalon when we realized this and found the Buick which I absolutely love.

Yes, I do want an SUV and not a car or wagon. The way they are making cars/suvs now sucks as they roll off the back and steal cargo and entry dimensions to save MFG money as they pass it on as gas millage, bullshit. Then they add up every possible square inch unusable nook and cranny and post is as Cubic Feet of Cargo space, more bullshit. We Cross Country Ski and Snowshoe and do more long distance road trips than fly anywhere. I also want to be able to fit my Clearfields in the back LOL.

This week is shot for more test drives so I will start again next week. We will look at the CRV because of the urging here. The 07s were toys for tots.

Sorry to hear about the Sube letting you down. This is the first time I've heard of this happening. I do know they suffered in the late 90's with gasket probs, like VW did, both trying to squeeze more outta the mills, but got this fixed.

I'd do my due diligence. Check out the so called car pundit reviews. Talk to some in the dealer waiting rooms wherein it's dealer fix.(They will more than fill ya in) Talk to friends with the vehicles they have and their takes on their rides. Check the used car lots and see what's out there for late trades (SUV's they got rid of). Check the responses to what Joe Public has to say on the different brands, not putting much reliance on the public polls. Check what the resale value is on your narrowed list and the number that are available for sale.

You well know that there are certain makes/models out there to avoid...these are the obvious with really poor track records. Keep in mind, there's always the proverbial lemon, that for some reason passes quality control... that in itself is another topic for another thread, eh?

Good luck on your quest. Some times the flip of the coin is the best choice...but don't get caught by the SO doing this!


Q

 

[mhardy6647]

https://allwheeldriveauto.com/subaru-changed-there-head-gasket-for-the-2010-25l/

 

[Quadman2]

https://allwheeldriveauto.com/subaru-changed-there-head-gasket-for-the-2010-25l/

Thanks for the correction on the date.

Q

 

[BMWCCA]

Not big enough, too stiff of a ride, I will take the ride of my Buick LaCrosse over a BMW any day.

Just checking to make sure you drove the 2018 model, 3rd Generation of the X3, not the 2017. If so and it's still not your cup of tea, good luck with the search.

 

[relaximus]

My neighbor just bought a 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Ultimate 2.0T and I must say I am very impressed by it. The build quality, fit and finish are right up there with the likes of Honda and Toyota. And the warranty offered by Hyundai can't be beat.

 

[Hyfi]

Just checking to make sure you drove the 2018 model, 3rd Generation of the X3, not the 2017. If so and it's still not your cup of tea, good luck with the search.

Did not bother driving one due to cargo space, another one they keep rolling the back off farther every year. Beautiful vehicle tho.

 

[Hyfi]

Someone suggested the Honda CRV again, still too small but the Pilot is basically the Acura MDX so I will look at the Pilot.

 

[2011etec]

Anything from Mitsubishi catch your eye?Me I like the lancer or the rvr.Stellar warranty and nobody can teach them about awd systems as they have arguably one of the best if not the best awd system.I just bought a 2013 ford edge v6 awd ,will pick up tomorrow.Like new cond.

 

[Hyfi]

Anything from Mitsubishi catch your eye?Me I like the lancer or the rvr.Stellar warranty and nobody can teach them about awd systems as they have arguably one of the best if not the best awd system.I just bought a 2013 ford edge v6 awd ,will pick up tomorrow.Like new cond.

I may just look at the Outlander, it seems to have my pre reqs, Thanks!

 

[2011etec]

Check out the stellar warranty ,they back their vehicles like nobody else.I played with the build your own feature for the outlander and loaded it up big time and still couldn't crack 40 grand .

 

[BMWCCA]

Hyfi said: ↑
Not big enough, too stiff of a ride, I will take the ride of my Buick LaCrosse over a BMW any day.

(then)

Did not bother driving one due to cargo space, another one they keep rolling the back off farther every year. Beautiful vehicle tho.

That's what I figured when you said "too stiff of a ride". I knew you hadn't driven it. And the cargo area of the new generation is larger than the previous, and not really less square.

I've taken GMC Terrain, Chevy Equinox, and Cadillac SUVs in trade on X3s. Even old folks like them these days. I even sold one to a woman whose deceased husband was a GM engineer going way back to the Corvair days, testifying against Nader, she said. She traded her Cadillac SUV on her first BMW, an X3, and has never enjoyed a car as much as this one. But if you say the ride is too stiff—without driving one—I suspect you're just not the right prospect for the car. Again, best of luck with your search. BMWs aren't for everyone and thanks for proving my point!

 

[jblnut]

I'm a big proponent of buying 2-3 year old cars with the maker's CPO program. You essentially get a nearly new car for 30-40% off, and you'll have the same warranty as if it was new. You can get a nicer car for the same money this way, and get the amazing dealer service experience of the luxury brands .

I'd look at the Benz ML/GLE or Lexus RX. My buddy has a 2010 turbo-diesel ML that has been stone reliable (and ~30mpg too). These are everywhere in my neck of the woods and there has to be a reason. And the Lexus will never break.

The Acura will rust before it should - our friend's 2006 MDX is rusty in several places while my wife's 2006 Volvo V70 is not.

Too bad about your wife and the Volvo seats. Volvos do cost some money to keep running, but they don't rust and they run forever. We finally let our 1994 850 go this spring after 25 years of being in the family. And we still miss the seats :-(

jblnut

 

[Shadowdog]

I don't think new Volvos are built to last like the 70's and 80's ones plus they were easy to work on and affordable back then. They became FWD based later so hard to work on & expensive for parts. More throw away parts. Hopefully they rust proof them now as well as years ago!

 

[jblnut]

Our experience with the 1994 850 and my wife's current 2006 V70 tells me they are built just as well as the old ones, and they are certainly even more rust proof . Yes the FWD layout makes things more difficult and parts are more expensive. But so is buying a new car every 8-10 years instead of 15-20 .

Volvo ownership is not that far removed from BMW in that "it's not for everyone". People have strong brand stereotypes about the cars and the people that drive them, and those may be off-putting.

At the end of the day, it's just a car. Buy and drive what works for you and yours....

jblnut

 

[2011etec]

At the end of the day, it's just a car. Buy and drive what works for you and yours....

BINGO!!

 

[BMWCCA]

Volvo ownership is not that far removed from BMW in that "it's not for everyone".

It is pretty far removed if you actually enjoying driving a car! I don't really care what others think of me as a BMW owner. I'm having fun every time I get behind the wheel!

Not that far removed from others' stereotypes of JBLs and their owners. I know what I'm listen to and I don't care what many who've only read about the L100 think—and write—about all other JBLs.

 

[WillVT]

It is pretty far removed if you actually enjoying driving a car! I don't really care what others think of me as a BMW owner. I'm having fun every time I get behind the wheel!

Not that far removed from others' stereotypes of JBLs and their owners. I know what I'm listen to and I don't care what many who've only read about the L100 think—and write—about all other JBLs.

Volvo's can be fun to drive. I used to have the low pressure turbo (glt, vs R) version of the car in this video, and it was a pretty fun car to drive.

 

[BMWCCA]

Volvo's can be fun to drive. I used to have the low pressure turbo (glt, vs R) version of the car in this video, and it was a pretty fun car to drive.

Fun video. Brings back memories. Thanks for posting.
I doubt most Volvo owners would stomach a stripped-out wagon with no insulation, headliner, carpet, or door panels. Obviously driven by a professional driver—or do all Volvo owners use Sparco racing gloves on their dead-ahead-indicator steering wheel? For all we know the M4 driver was an American tourist on their first visit to the Ring!

 

[2011etec]

I get what your saying BMWCCA.I had a audi 5000s in the 90,s and I enjoyed every minute in that amazing car .My brother gave it to me and I believe it was a 1980 or so .I painted it Nason urethane Pewter Metallic and it looked gorgeous.It was only the second vehicle I ever painted but for some odd reason I took to painting like a duck to water.

 

[Wildcat]

Acura MDX - First one we looked at thinking we would not like it, but we did. Very comfortable and I like how it goes to 4cyl in cruise control.

Don't rule out the brand new RDX--it was just released for sale within the past month or two. Costs less, slightly smaller, but will get slightly better gas mileage. (But if you prefer the V6, stick with the MDX, as the RDX is using the 2.0L turbo now.) I am probably swinging towards a used RDX or MDX when I replace mine in a few years. Friends of mine in Connecticut are on their second RDX, having traded their 2013 for a 2016. Prior to that, they had a 2nd gen CR-V that they put a crap ton of miles on.

The Pilot is another option, since it is getting its mid-cycle refresh, although I'm pretty sure the upper trim levels still have that rotten-ass German ZF transmission that everyone hates. They make their own 10 speed auto now that is far better, and I think it's in the new Odyssey. (Given the similarities between Pilot, Ridgeline and Odyssey, you'd think they'd dump that ZF trash in the Pilot once and for all.)