woohoo...my dad's buying me an SUV

[EmperorNero]

I know how you guys detest SUV's so I can sneer and piss you people off on the road

actually, it's because I'm starting college in 2002 and need a good car that can drive in snowy weather so we're thinking of an SUV for me. It's going to be a used car around $20,000 or less. I have my eyes set on this silver 98 toyota and it's a beauty. my dad knows some stuff about cars and I know squat. any tips and links to buying car and maintaining them?

 

[Windogg]

SUVs behave differently from cars. Drive them like a car and you will get killed. Typically SUVs cost a more to maintain than cars because of their 4WD/AWD systems.

As for Toyota, a well maintained one will drive forever. I never had a problem with the one I just traded in.

Windogg

 

[tinneric]

Hey, you won't hear any trash talk out of me about SUV's. I snowboard and have a 1998 Jeep Cherokee Classic with a 2 1/2" lift and 30x9.50 Goodyear GSA's. It is a great rig. I would highly recommend it.

 

SUVs are nice if you have a need for them.
They do suck resources like crazy.
So when you see of them like only driven on the road, not even in snow. Its like riiiiiiiiiight.

I have a Mitsubishi expo, going on 260,000 miles.
Still live and kickin.

 

Home Equity loan.
He probably looked into that i would imagine

 

[vi edit]

Personally, I own an SUV, but would rather have gotten an AWD station wagon such as a Passat or a Subaru. I couldn't fit into the subaru, and the Passat was a little out of my price range.

I would really reccommend looking into the Subaru outback AWD wagon. It will outhandle a 4x4 on both dry highways and snowy highways, the gas milage is a lot better, and insurance is a lot cheaper.

The only thing that you really are "loosing" over an SUV is the ride height. And in 95% of your driving time, the ride hight will be more of a disadvantage, than a benefit.

Just my $.02

 

[Mister T]

windogg, come on now, you must be able to drive your X5 like a car!
BTW, how you like it?

 

[Nutcase99]

Hmm... trust me on this SUV's arn't a whole lot better than a good car in the snow. It depends on what car but they arn't the best cars for the snow at least in my opionion. Plus when there isn't snow you are just useing resources that could be saved but then again I'm more of a sports car fan If I had about $20,000 to spend I wouldn't be getting a SUV I'd get an Integra or something and mod the engine . No body mods maybe just a small spoiler but I hate ricers!

 

[Tominator]

EmperorNero...does he adopt?

For the $$ you could get a new Subaru Outback. Great milage. Good warranty. 4WD[kindof], and it's NEW!



<< The only difference between 2 and 4 wheel drive is a hundred feet of cable. >>

 

[shiner]

I have a 2000 Dodge Durango. Before that I had a Chevrolet Blazer and a Ford Explorer and the Dodge blows them both away. Great all around vehicle. Good luck with whatever you decide to get.

 

[Thanatopsis]

Whatever you do, don't lower it and don't bolt a spoiler anywhere on it.

GL. Hope you don't flip it.

 

[Windogg]

Heh heh, it's great so far.

It's the first truck I've every driven without the &quot;This vehicle is a.....&quot; warning sticker. The DSC does a great job of keeping it in line. I was driving up I-95 with a 40MPH crosswind. All the otehr trucks and a few cars were being tossed around. When ever I got hit with one, it would shudder for a split second and then continue dead straight.

I took it out on a patch of icy parking lot yesterday and tested how &quot;intelligent&quot; the transmision and DSC are. I drove in a tight cicrcle and the system kept the truck on course. Then I tried to downshift two gears to see if I could force a spinout. Both times I was locked out preventing loss of control.

Don't get me wrong, i'll still treat it respect if I expect to keep it for a while.

Windogg

 

[Soybomb]

You just cant beat a jeep in general off-road performance. If you'll even want to get into offroading get a jeep, there is no substitute If you want a pavement pounder get whatever......

 

[randomlinh]

SUV.. ewwww.. heh.. sorry, i just don't like drivin em.. i like bein' closer to the ground. Every time I turn in our Passport, it just don't feel right to me.

 

[Grendel99]

SUV's are nice, and Toyatos will last a good while. As long as you take good care of it. Wash it about once a month, change the oil and oil filter every 3 thousand miles. Rotate the tires, it will double the life of the thread. Change the airfileter every 3000 miles I believe, or just get a K&amp;N air filter that will give you better fuel economy, a few more HP, and will last 1,000,000 miles garunteed. But you do have to clean it every 30,000 miles. I have a 97 Chevy full size pick-up and I love it, it r0x0rs so much.

 

[dcdomain]

Well, I'm driving a Infinit QX4... basically a slower and heavier Pathfinder. I've heard great things bout the Pathfinder...

However, I'm in New Jersey, and two days ago we had that big snow fall. I saw a Jeep Grand Cherokee sliding around, my mom's Merc ML320 didn't do much better... and my dad took my QX4 to work... he said there weren't much problems with it. But what I was really impressed with was the Range Rover. From the first day I saw that thing, I hated it, the looks and everything about it turned me off... but that was the best performing SUV I've seen so far. Whereas all the other SUV's I mentioned before were having some problems, this sucker just kept on going!!! It's got this kick butt button where it raises and lowers the SUV.

Of course, the Audi Allroad does that too... that thing is pretty damn nice, only Audi I like...

Ok, I know everything I just mentioned doesn't really have anything to do with your question... but Toyota's kick butt!!! Here's a link that might be of use to you... got it from a friend who used to drive a 4runner

http://www.geocities.com/Baja/4300/oldindex.html

 

[hpkeeper]

you suck... I'm going to college in 2001, a year earlier than you... and not only that, I'm going locally so I'll be commuting... and my parents aren't buying me a vehicle... much less an SUV. Be sure to thank them when you get it... some of us aren't that lucky.

 

[JeremyJoe]

be careful they cost a lot of mulla for gas...damn suv's

 

[dopcombo]

heh...bloody rich, pampered kid.

I saved like crazy in my first 2 years of college and finally managed to scrape 5k for a 93 cherokee sport for myself
Been the coolest car i ever drove. Handles well in snow when i turn on the 4WD.
Guggles gas though, and gas in NY isn't cheap.
But my favorite thing about it is that I have lots of leg space. My feet are actually not cramped in that thing, unlike when i test drove corollas, or nissans. (in case you're wondering, i'm 5'11.)

 

[randomlinh]

i got lucky as hell w/ my car. my cousin basically handed it over, just need tires and some alignment. A 93 MX6 it is, and handles nicely, and not too bad on the gas like our passport. lucky we had it tho, cause we were coming back from canada on saturday... thru NY.. in that nice little storm.. the 4wd came quite handy.

 

[EmperorNero]

hah! If I was a rich, pampered kid, I would be getting a brand new lexus suv...god, I want that so much. *drools*

I'm really afraid of how much gas is going to cost me. I'll probably going to the university of cincinnati (UC) and it's about 30-45 mins away from my house when driving on the freeway. the car dealer says that toyota runs about 20 miles on a gallon (I think he's lying..but I dunno...) while another car dealer for the cherokees said their SUVs run about 15 which sounds more believable. with this in mind (driving 45 mins each way to and from school), do you think I should still get an SUV? and does driving in a snowy weather justify getting an SUV?

 

[vi edit]

Like I said in my post, and AWD vehicle will outperform/handle an SUV in 95% of the conditions. Only when the snow is higher than 6&quot; on the road will the ride height prove to be superior.

A car like an Audi, Subaru, or a VW, will prove to be superior to the SUV on a snow covered road. Lower weight, lower center of gravity, and superior handling will prove to be a better solution than an SUV. They also get better gas milage, and have lower insurance rates.

I would have gone w/ a used Audi A4 quattro, or a subaru, but I didn't fit in the subaru, and the audi didn't provide me with the hauling space that I needed...hence the interest in the Subaru station wagon.

I strongly urge you to look into one of the vehicles that I mentioned before purchasing an SUV.

 

[vi edit]

BTW - an Audi A4, 1.8t will pull about 29 MPG on the highway. I'm not positive on the subaru, but I think it gets high twenties as well.

Believe me, when you are driving as much as you will be, that milage adds up FAST.

 

[LordMaul]

Get a Tahoe. MMMMMMmMmmmmmmmm.......

 

[vi edit]

Sorry for any confusion, when I say ride height, I'm talking about ground clearance.