will be buying an SUV within the year

[iamwiz82]

CX-7 prices have plummetted and it's a great vehicle. I would highly recommend one.

 

[KentState]

My gf and I have been looking to get down from 2 cars and an SUV to 1 car and a SUV. We are planning on trading in her '99 4Runner and '03 Altima, but still need something we can take the great dane, bikes, and so on in. So far, we really like the road manors and roominess of the Pilot. We found a 2005 AWD w/45k miles and a complete service record for $17k. The also had a 2006 FWD w/24k miles for $18k. We compared it to similar vehicles like the Highlander, new RAV4, and CX-7/9, but it was one of the few that had a lot of room in the back with the hatch being square allowing the dog to get in a stand up.

 

[KentState]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
CX-7 prices have plummetted and it's a great vehicle. I would highly recommend one.

Depending on the type of dog, the rear does not have great room since it is at an angle. I know our dog wouldn't be able to fit.

 

[desy]

Problem is, you have 3 total posts and bring a sample of one to describe a vehicle which by most measures CR, JD Powers, True Delta, Edmund's agree is a fairly reliable vehicle.

Everyone knows of someone who had a car that dumped from ALL the manufacturers.
When you produce millions of cars every year some will be bad.

Personally if he's not towing or off roading, a Pilot Highlander CX-9 Murano Outlook, would be my first choice.
If he can go smaller a Saturn Vue 06/07 with Honda's V6 powertrain would be my second choice. Third choice for a 'real' SUV would be the Explorer used because its a good one and a bargain on the used market

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: KentState

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
CX-7 prices have plummetted and it's a great vehicle. I would highly recommend one.

Depending on the type of dog, the rear does not have great room since it is at an angle. I know our dog wouldn't be able to fit.

He did say dog, not horse

 

[vi edit]

We had a Highlander for 3 years and our 80 pound lab/rhodesian mix had plenty of room in the back. You could put two of them back there pretty easily if they got along well

Milage wasn't that great with the 4WD version we had though. Best we ever pulled was around 22MPG on the highway.

Prices should be decent after the recent redesign makes the previous model look outdated and underpowered. The previous gens are still plenty functional, comfortable, and reliable people & stuff movers.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Why not rent a mini-van for your vacation?

I have a wife, a son, a large dog, and a cat and we get by just fine with two 4 door sedans.

Edit-You could probably get an SUV for a song in this economy though.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Why not rent a mini-van for your vacation?

I have a wife, a son, a large dog, and a cat and we get by just fine with two 4 door sedans.

Edit-You could probably get an SUV for a song in this economy though.

Why buy two cars?

 

[amish]

i'd like to thank everyone for their responses. there are cars that we just tossed out of our list because we didn't like the way another vehicle by the same manufacturer drove, specifically the mazda 3. so i'll take another look at the other recommendations.

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Why not rent a mini-van for your vacation?

I have a wife, a son, a large dog, and a cat and we get by just fine with two 4 door sedans.

Edit-You could probably get an SUV for a song in this economy though.

well, my parents live 2.5 - 3 hours away and i'd be taking a trip up north fairly regularly. i don't think it would be cost effective to rent. i'd also like to get back into camping. having an off-road vehicle would be nice since it would allow me to drive to a base camp if i wanted to.

the last reason that i would like a bigger car is because i drive a 2 door civic. apparently it is difficult to get a kid in and out of the back of it. i think it is difficult to get a black lab in the back of it.

so i'm really in the planning stages since i'm still technically just doing family planning.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO
Oh? Didn't know that, it is still on their site.

not if you go to build your own there.

Originally posted by: amish
the last reason that i would like a bigger car is because i drive a 2 door civic. apparently it is difficult to get a kid in and out of the back of it. i think it is difficult to get a black lab in the back of it.

Hell yeah it's difficult with the carrier. No way in a 2-door. You really need something at a standing height or your back is gonna kill you after a few times. My kids are 16 & 18lbs right now @ 6mo. and I am barely able to use the carriers anymore - really heavy. Thank god.. cause carrying those things around suck, let alone grabbing them in an out of the car. Too bad they can't walk yet either.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: amish

well, my parents live 2.5 - 3 hours away and i'd be taking a trip up north fairly regularly. i don't think it would be cost effective to rent. i'd also like to get back into camping. having an off-road vehicle would be nice since it would allow me to drive to a base camp if i wanted to.

the last reason that i would like a bigger car is because i drive a 2 door civic. apparently it is difficult to get a kid in and out of the back of it. i think it is difficult to get a black lab in the back of it.

so i'm really in the planning stages since i'm still technically just doing family planning.

what base camp can't you reach in a minivan that you could in a softroader like the pilot? my grandfather takes his minivan deep into the woods for hunting and fishing.

not to mention i doubt your kid wants to share the seat with two labradors. 3rd row = a must and if you've got that in most small SUVs you've got no cargo room for a week's worth of stuff.

 

[Turin39789]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: KentState

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
CX-7 prices have plummetted and it's a great vehicle. I would highly recommend one.

Depending on the type of dog, the rear does not have great room since it is at an angle. I know our dog wouldn't be able to fit.

He did say dog, not horse

Heck, we've got a scion x-a and I've had the great dane and the chow mutt in the rear with the wife and I up front, with luggage.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: kevman

Originally posted by: bpjz24
Just want to add my 0.2 a friend of my daughters tried out a new ford Escape, drove off the lot, was away from lot about 10 minutes, called lot to come get them because the car wouldn't move, mechanic went to retrieve it, transmission went out, now tht is pretty good, one tranny every 10 minutes..

sounds like a more like 90's Ford Taurus to me. Glad to see that they have improved their transmissions in the last two decades.

I got 150K out of my 93 taurus before I junked the car, and it still ran too but the car just rusted out and needed all new suspension.

 

[kevman]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO

Originally posted by: kevman

Originally posted by: bpjz24
Just want to add my 0.2 a friend of my daughters tried out a new ford Escape, drove off the lot, was away from lot about 10 minutes, called lot to come get them because the car wouldn't move, mechanic went to retrieve it, transmission went out, now tht is pretty good, one tranny every 10 minutes..

sounds like a more like 90's Ford Taurus to me. Glad to see that they have improved their transmissions in the last two decades.

I got 150K out of my 93 taurus before I junked the car, and it still ran too but the car just rusted out and needed all new suspension.

ours lasted for about 90k miles, but it took 3 transmissions to get there.