thinking about expanding my fleet

[intrigued]

Hey all,

My GF needs a car and can't afford one, so, since we are extremley serious with wedding bells in the future, I decided to be a good BF and get her one. Now I'm not going off half cocked and buying her a car that will be in her name in case things don't work out (It will be in my name and I'll add her to my insurance) but I'm find of excited by the prospect of getting an SUV to backup my Mustand for the winter time.

So I laid down the law and told her we could have 20-25k budget for anything domestic.

So this is what the options are

Saturn Vue-

2010 Equinox

Jeep Cheroke.

Normally these would would either be stripper models for the price range or used but these days you can get the Vue and Jeep really cheap. the new 'nox is an outside choice if we wait but it looks like a well optioned normally 35kish jeep with the Hemi can be bout for the low 20's.

What do you guys think? I think the hemi is a big plus. how is reliability of the jeep? Should I wait for the Chevy?

Also, my folks Aura is coming off lease soon. My dad is wondering if they will update the 'bu with the new DI engines from the Nox. Any chance of that?

[G. David Felt]

All are nice rides, I do not think you could go wrong with any of them. Good Luck and Congrats on the wedding bells.

[Sixty8panther]

I'd go with the Grand Vitara if I HAD to buy a modern Cute-Ute.

RWD + REAL 4x4 (only one left with true 4-wheel drive) & the

motor is placed as god intended, north-south, not sideways.

[longtooth]

'69 Panther affirms:

So let's review:

You'll end up paying $32,000 after interest & tax for a FWD, V6 car.

I paid $1500 for a RWD, V8 Mercedes that has ABS & an airbag

same as your $hitbox, I save 70% on my insurance, excise tax and

owe ZERO $ to a bank because my title is in my filing cabinet, not

stamped "Leinholder" in some safe three states away....

...and you're making fun of ME?

The lady doth protest too much methinks.

[CaddyXLR-V]

Why not a used SRX?

[NOS2006]

Either a used SRX or a used last-gen Grand Cherokee.

[Intrepidation]

I'd love to see a Grand Vitara out Jeep a Jeep, I somehow doubt I ever will.

Anyway, as far as reliability goes for the Grand Cherokee, most of the issues were isolated to the `05 model, with a few effecting `06 models. Their reliability seems to be pretty good after that. If you buy new you also have the plus of the Lifetime warranty, which is great if you plan to keep it for a long time. If you don't it's not such an advantage since the warranty is non transferable. And of course, it's a Jeep, the AWD system is some of the best you can buy anywhere, and it can tow a lot more than the cute Utes.

[Sixty8panther]

Longtooth:

What is your point in relationship to this thread?

I think it's funny how many on this forum think

I've got no standards cause I drive 30, 40 & 50

year old cars, but it's quite the opposite IMO.

My Mercedes was a millionare's daily driver, the

guy who had a Testarossa or a Countach for a

summer car but also needed a "family-friendly"

car, at least a 2+2 for the days he wanted to

go on a roadtrip with his wife & two kids or

perhaps it was for the guy who thought that a

it was worth paying twice what a 1984 Cadillac

Eldorado cost just to avoid the hassle of the

idiotic "8-6-4" motor and annoyance of FWD.

A new FWD, ill-proportioned & to my eyes ugly

Civic, Fusion, Corolla, Avenger or what have

you, NEW or used will never be anything

impressive and will never have the feel of a 2

ton car that was made to last half a million

kilometers before needing a complete rebuild.

I'll just stop right there and say:

Many of you Gomer Piles WISH you had ZERO

car payments in an era where 90% of people's

jobs are not safe & the econimic climate looks

about as healthy as a crackwhore. :wink:

I'd love to see a Grand Vitara out Jeep a Jeep, I somehow doubt I ever will.

Okay.... that's 100% true.

However a Suzuki Grand Vitara can certainly

"OUT-JEEP" a Vue and Equinox.

That's not even a close race/hill-climb.

[pow]

How about the Ford Escape and Jeep Patriot? You can get huge discounts on both. The Patriot depreciates instantly, so maybe look at a gently used one for $10-13K?

[Intrepidation]

I would go with the `09 one because it has a way better interior, and more refinement overall. Same for the Escape.

What about a Liberty or a Wrangler Unlimited?

[intrigued]

my girl doesn't want any fake jeeps. She does like the wrangler unlimited but i'm stearing here away from that because it takes a year and a day to get to 60 and it can't go muh faster than that. Plus on road it handles like $h!, I've driven one a few times.

As a general rule I like fast cars. so factor that in to the equation since I will be driving this on ocassion and I am paying for it.

[Sixty8panther]

Yeah... anyone entertaining a Jeep Patriot or Compass

but refusing to take a look at a Grand Vitara is NOT

looking at the facts or figures.

Half of tjhe $hit today that people call SUVs or Trucks

are nothing more than cars with tall greenhouses &

oversized tires.

[Intrepidation]

If you're not going to be helpful and constructive don't post in this thread. He asked for suggestions and thoughts, not rants.

[Satty]

Who the hell takes SUVs off road?

My vote would be CPO V6 SRX. The V6 is quicker 0-60 than at least a couple of V8 competitors. A link to Cadillac's SRX CPO site.

My dealer only has one used SRX listed online, an '08 V6 RWD with 20k for $29,000 and change.

Edited February 25, 2009 by Satty

[longtooth]

Longtooth:

What is your point in relationship to this thread?

Commenting on your overweening projection of insecurity.

I feel that you go out of your way in defending your 'choices'.

As though being investigated by Interpol or agents of Stasi.

With your spittle-flecked, hastily typed-ad hominem diatribes.

We get it.

'B'-pillars to you are as Holy Water to Nosferatu.

Peace out.

[Intrepidation]

Who the hell takes SUVs off road?

My vote would be CPO V6 SRX. The V6 is quicker 0-60 than at least a couple of V8 competitors. A link to Cadillac's SRX CPO site.

My dealer only has one used SRX listed online, an '08 V6 RWD with 20k for $29,000 and change.

SRX would be a nice way to go too!

[Satty]

If you dont mind the less attractive interior, '05 SRXs pop up on eBay for $15-20k, usually you can find something pretty close to what you want, V6, V8, RWD/AWD, and so on. '07+ run a little higher, but you'll get the nicer dash and likely fewer miles.

That said, if you're set on getting something new, flip a coin between the Equinox and the Escape.

Oh, and there is a reason you can get a "brand new" '08 Grand Vitara for $13k. Nobody buys them because the dealer network sucks (Sorry, its going to take 3 weeks to get your new widget in, enjoy this Aerio loaner) and because they're Suzukis. The "Scarlet S" isn't exactly something sexy people want to wear.

Edited February 25, 2009 by Satty

[daves87rs]

So much drama, so little time....

Anyways, back to the topic at hand....

Something tells me the Nox might be a good choice.

If you like fast, stay away from the Vue..we took the v6 6sp on the freeway and damn near got run over by a truck because the trans took too long to shift....not good if you want to merge into traffic....

Drove an Escape too w/ v6, moved much faster...

[vonVeezelsnider]

go for a previous gen GC :AH-HA_wink:

[NOS2006]

Half of tjhe $hit today that people call SUVs or Trucks

are nothing more than cars with tall greenhouses &

oversized tires.

Dude, a little sophistication doesn't turn a truck into a bitch ride. Take the new Ram for example. It tows way more than any "real truck" of the 70s (something you'd end up buying) could dream of towing. And, at the same time, it's got a very comfortable ride, spacious and nice interior, and many more amenities that trucks of the past never possessed.

Seriously, stop bitching about everything.

[CaddyXLR-V]

I'm thinking about getting a used SUV in the next couple of months. If I go the SUV route, I want something sportier, something still fun to drive, so I'm considering an SRX or X5. Possibly an Infiniti FX35/45.

[intrigued]

hmmmm. an 07 srx is interesting but i'd only want it AWD northstar which would get pricy fast. She likes the new Nox quite a bit and a nicley optioned LT with the 255hp 3.0 v6 shouldn't be too expensive. We're not in a rush right now. I won't even be up for an isurance renewal to add her to my plan for another 2.5 months, I prepaid my insurance for the last 6 so I don;t want to go adding stuff mid policy.

We eliminated the Vue so we're down to the Nox or the jeep with an outside chance of the SRX. She like's caddies but feels they are a little to flashy for people our age to own.

[NOS2006]

Yeah, a used Murano or FX45 wouldn't be a bad choice either.

Or a Ford Edge.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Don't forget that in about a month & a half the 2010 GMC Terrain will make it's debut and then be offered for sale late summer/early fall. The wife and I liked the 2010 Chevy Equinox that was on display at the Philly Auto Show earlier this month, and I'm sure I'll like the GMC version a tad bit more anyway :AH-HA_wink:

[Sixty8panther]

DF:

One of my two "rants" was a response to your comment.

Nos:

I never called the new Ram a bad product. It's certainly

a vehicle that demonstrates what modern vehicles

COULD be if we make an effort.

Longtooth:

You took the bait...

[Sixty8panther]

Oh, and before I forget, now that I'm done

with all those topics... I agree, an SRX,

esp. CPO would be a great choice in V6 or

V8 variants.

As far as Satty's coment:

"who trakes SUVs off road anyway?"

Poeple who do NOT drive Toyota Priuses

for starters.... I've never owned an SUV

that did not GET muddy in the summer

& did not kick up snow over its roof in the

winter. I guess that makes me a redneck

and a mullett-head too now, right.

Puh-leeeaze.

This is why I don't even post in some

topics any more and stay away from

so many threads.

But I'm the bitch, right?

[Satty]

Wow, I forgot, you represent the entire population of the world.

Back here in reality, 99.9999999999999% of SUV owners never get further off road than some wet grass or maybe a gravel road. Really, for every Wrangler with a 6 inch lift and 40 inch tires, there are a million CR-Vs. Hell, even some of those jacked up Jeeps dont see a trail.

[Intrepidation]

DF:

One of my two "rants" was a response to your comment.

Nos:

I never called the new Ram a bad product. It's certainly

a vehicle that demonstrates what modern vehicles

COULD be if we make an effort.

Longtooth:

You took the bait...

It doesn't matter who the rant was too, it really is unnecessary for this thread, and I'm asking you to stop ranting in this thread. We have plenty of other threads for it, or you could make (another) one dedicated to ranting.

He asked for suggestions about vehicles, not rants.

[G. David Felt]

We'll I for one would go for a nice 2 or 3 year old AWD SRX or Escalade.

If you really want some fun, then get the AWD Trailblazer SS, that SUV Rocks!!!

Personally it looks awesome in Black and take the OEM Chrome rims which are sweet and the Grill and have it black chromed and the windows limo tinted in the back section and the legal 35% on the front doors. That way you have a very stealth AWD SUV that will eat up the road with it's LS Corvette engine.

Nothing wrong with 400 Ponies in AWD.

Sweet!!!

[Satty]

She like's caddies but feels they are a little to flashy for people our age to own.

I had that exact same issue come up, we wound up with a Prius instead of a CTS. I think my problem was that I didn't make her drive the CTS. My advice would be to just start driving. An hour or two on a Saturday afternoon will help you guys make the right choice.

As far as the SRX, give the V6 a shot, Car and Driver liked it. Its plenty quick, just not nearly as sexy as the Northstar.

[G. David Felt]

I had that exact same issue come up, we wound up with a Prius instead of a CTS. I think my problem was that I didn't make her drive the CTS. My advice would be to just start driving. An hour or two on a Saturday afternoon will help you guys make the right choice.

As far as the SRX, give the V6 a shot, Car and Driver liked it. Its plenty quick, just not nearly as sexy as the Northstar.

Plus I bought one for my parents and they are in the mid 20's for gas milage pretty consistant compared to the high teens low 20's for v8.

[Intrepidation]

I like the Trailblazer SS...but the interior is just terrible, and I'm not overly picky with interiors. If you want something with a little more kick, and a halfway decent interior (plus better handling)...

Also, the `08+ interiors of all GCs got at least a little better:

`07

`08/`09

[Satty]

9-7x

[Intrepidation]

Those are nice too.

[G. David Felt]

I like the Trailblazer SS...but the interior is just terrible, and I'm not overly picky with interiors. If you want something with a little more kick, and a halfway decent interior (plus better handling)...

Also, the `08+ interiors of all GCs got at least a little better:

`07

`08/`09

True the GC SRT8 are HOT SUV's, Even come with plenty of "EXCITEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!"

[G. David Felt]

9-7x

Actually I will disagree with DF here as I think the Trailblazer SS is better than the 9-7x. I just did not like the interior or exterior.

But to each their own.