gf wants a newer SUV.

[T2urtle]

So me and my gf were looking and talking about mid-sized SUV's.

she just about finished her payments on her 03 lancer. giving it to her dad as he needs a new car, his 95 jimmy is dead, no heat/ac/ radio and etc.

She wanted a SUV. ideally she wants a white car with black leather but that option is rather hard to find. So we opted for a black interior, She really has a strong liking to the murano. i'm trying to talk her into getting a car/wagon but nothing is working. Because honestly she has NO use for a trunk, never really halling anything. No towing. Honestly she doesn't have a purpose aside from getting a larger car. trying to explain bigger cars can be bigger price to maintain and etc. But either way, she has a budget about 20k. looking for new/ close to new.

We test drove a 00 xtrerra and she liked the looks but didn't like the car.


I really do have a strong liking to Mazda Cx-7. I've seen a couple of DEMO's for 20k but we will need to see. I do like the 4 cylinder turbo truck, with AWD it seems to be a nice mixture. I haven't driven it yet but if its like any other new mazda i would love it.

I place the murano as a VERY VERY expensive trunk. that is over the budget but she loves the styling. I'm looking into the rogue but with that QR25 engine that keeps having issues in the altima, sentra's i dont think i want part of it.

Are their another trunks in the 20k range that is worth noting. She does like to get more options and little gadgets instead.

 

[necine]

Maybe the forester? Maybe show her a scion XB and that will change her mind?

 

[GenHoth]

You're just finishing payments and getting a new car? Jeez, I'd be celebrating the end of the bills not looking for new ones!

 

[T2urtle]

Originally posted by: GenHoth
You're just finishing payments and getting a new car? Jeez, I'd be celebrating the end of the bills not looking for new ones!

i'm with you on that but her father's car is getting costly on repairs. I suggested her getting a used accord/camry but no luck. Its her money and i cant do much about it.

My friend has a xD, her feelings on that is neutral. She always hated the wagon idea. because i have a thing for wagons like the madza3 wagon, legacy GT wagon, WRX wagon, she always called it ugly and blah blah. for i think the forester is out. xD,xB are considerable i'll try and work on those.

 

[jjanders]

$20k trunks? Those must be some nice trunks.

 

[nakedfrog]

SUV != truck (or trunk, for that matter)
Are you classifying the CX-7 as an SUV?

 

[BarneyFife]

Why doesn't her dad buy his own car?

 

[T2urtle]

her dad sadly is unemployed and is near retirement age. Recently widowed as well. So in the absent of her mother, my gf has stepped up and taken care of the house hold.

Me personally I've said repeatedly either to buy him a decent $5k car and be done with it. Like a accord/camry 4cylinder no features. But this is the path SHE wants to go down.


I classify a Cx-7 as a truck for the most part.

 

[ncage]

I am trying to give you something to think about here. She now has lancer which probably gets great gas mileage and she will go to a SUV that gets crappy gas mileage. Sure SUV look nice and your riding high but most people don't really need them and will regret getting one once you go to fill it up. This is coming from a guy who just got ride of his 03 Ford F150 FX4 4x4 just yesterday and went to a 4cyl accord. Gas right now sucks and its only going to get worse. I would really reconsider getting anything like that but hey its you and your gf money.

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

I think you should do a cost analysis with her on a SUV. Or get a new gf.

 

[T2urtle]

Originally posted by: ncage
I am trying to give you something to think about here. She now has lancer which probably gets great gas mileage and she will go to a SUV that gets crappy gas mileage. Sure SUV look nice and your riding high but most people don't really need them and will regret getting one once you go to fill it up. This is coming from a guy who just got ride of his 03 Ford F150 FX4 4x4 just yesterday and went to a 4cyl accord. Gas right now sucks and its only going to get worse. I would really reconsider getting anything like that but hey its you and your gf money.

I see that point, i'm against her getting one but she has the money and etc.

My maxima getting 20mpg is somewhat getting to me at this point. I haven't seen too many trucks with 20+ mpg.


i told her to drop 5k on a used camry/accord with 5k i think you should be able to get a 2000 4 cylinder, either car. Should have the features that a father would want.

 

[Arkaign]

Oil is projected to rise dramatically in price during 2008, and judging from the Pakistani situation (related to the sensitive ME region), that might be a conservative observation/prediction.

We have $3/gallon gas already, so $5 or even higher per gallon isn't unthinkable. I'd *really* hesitate to look at any option that didn't offer say 25/35 or better in fuel economy, unless :

(a)- You're made of $$$.
(b)- You have some compelling *need* to have the ground clearance, off-road capability, or large interior space that *some* SUVs offer.
(c)- You do very little driving, in which case the fuel economy issue is negligible.

Has she tested a Ford Escape?

 

[sniperruff]

it's her money. it's better to have her buy the car she likes, not the car you THINK would be good for her.

although i have to say the CX7 would be a good car. also, other than the recall earlier, i don't think the QR25 is constantly having issues. afterall, it's already in production for a few years.

 

[T2urtle]

QR25 has been made since 02 i think when the first V-Spec II sentra came out.

since then there has been that major recall in 06 pulling all 05-06 models i think with teh QR25 mainly altima's and a few sentra's then recently say 2 months another recall on related to QR25 as well. Now those 2 cars are the only ones with the Qr25 and not supposely i put in the rogue, she likes the rogue and thinks in a mini maruno.


Yes i do agree its her money, and i want her to buy a car SHE likes. She doesn't do much research, hence why i'm doing all of it. I'm just giving her options of cars that she MIGHT like. to add to her list of choices, she shot down all my subaru's, a mazda 3 sedan/wagon, and almost every car that i've mentioned. She likes the CX-7 but perfers the muarno still. i'll throw in the escape and see how that goes.

 

[sniperruff]

Originally posted by: T2urtle
QR25 has been made since 02 i think when the first V-Spec II sentra came out.

since then there has been that major recall in 06 pulling all 05-06 models i think with teh QR25 mainly altima's and a few sentra's then recently say 2 months another recall on related to QR25 as well. Now those 2 cars are the only ones with the Qr25 and not supposely i put in the rogue, she likes the rogue and thinks in a mini maruno.


Yes i do agree its her money, and i want her to buy a car SHE likes. She doesn't do much research, hence why i'm doing all of it. I'm just giving her options of cars that she MIGHT like. to add to her list of choices, she shot down all my subaru's, a mazda 3 sedan/wagon, and almost every car that i've mentioned. She likes the CX-7 but perfers the muarno still. i'll throw in the escape and see how that goes.

well i don't want to turn this into an L&R thread, but from my personal experience, it's quite hard to change a girl's mind once it's settled. it can be frustrating to convince someone who doesn't know about cars to buy a car that's superior but isn't of her liking.

 

[hans007]

i suppose if she wants a car that looks like an SUV but really isnt one (like the cx7 which is basically a mazda speed 6 that gets even worse than the bad gas milage the 6 gets) then

maybe you could convince her something like the 2009 matrix xrs was a good idea...

i have no idea why women are in love with the whole "riding high" idiocy, but for 20k, you are probably not going to get a new cx7 since those run closer to 30k with options. 20k is getting you a nissan rogue, a really stripped crv, a ford escape, etc... or a used car.


i bet if you look around you could get something like a 2004 bmw x3 2.5.. might as well drive a pointless suv and get a designer badge while you are at it (i know my mom bought an x3 3.0 when it came out chiefly for those reasons)

 

[redgtxdi]

I would definitely keep fuel economy in mind........BUT........


I was totally proven wrong recently when I had suggested that when gas went back up over $3/gallon again, that all this Titan/Suburban/Tundra/monster SUV of choice purchasing would STOP!!!

Bzzzzzzzzt!!!! I couldn't have been more wrong!!!

I think it's quite possible that it's actually INCREASED!!! :shocked:

I am seeing more brand spankin' new, low-teens mpg type trucks/SUV's than EVARRR in my LIFE!!!!!!!!


WTF are these people thinking?? At $4/gal a fillup on some of these things isn't just gonna go *approach* $100.....it's gonna shoot OVER $100!!!! Do these people even know this yet??

(Buick Enclave be damned!! I love the beauty of that car but it would have to get DOUBLE the mpg for me to even CONSIDER it!)

 

[Mermaidman]

The new issue of Car and Driver tested nine mini "SUVs" and the Rogue finished 3rd. RAV4 and CR-V tied for first. (In the back of the pack were, from 4th to 9th, the Mitsu, Suzuki, Saturn, Ford, Hyundai, and Jeep.)

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Lincoln MKX?

EDIT: Sorry, just noticed you said 20k limit. I would definitely still look at a Ford Edge.

 

[sandorski]

If she can Afford it, the Fuel, and the rest of the stuff she wants/has come accustomed too, let her. She'll be wasting a ton of money though. If she starts leaning on you to get her stuff she used to pay herself, it's time for a little talk.

 

[Pliablemoose]

CRV, RAV4, Rogue in that order...

 

[TimeKeeper]

I can't even reason w/ my wife, I doubt you can reason w/ your girlfriend who is not even under your payroll? LOL..

But seriously, provide your opinions but not force upon her.
If things turn out great, it will never be your credit.
BUT, if things go wrong, you will get hammered!
(you know cars tends to break down sooner or later and every time the car you make her bought goes for unscheduled service, you know who will be blamed! )

 

[Pliablemoose]

Give a Ford Edge a shot if she likes the Murano, you might be surprised with it...

 

[AMCRambler]

The new Hyundai Santa Fe's look pretty nice. Kinda like the Lexus SUV.

 

[Pandaren]

Honda CR-V