SUV or...?

[buck91]

Well, its time to start car shopping again. Been "DD" the Mustang for the past year with the wife driving my F150 and now we can finally pick up a second daily driver and retire the stang to weekend use only! The main problem here is that she REALLY likes driving the truck. Only vehicles she seems to like are the Yukon/Tahoe/Expedition... Myself, I can't justify two full size trucks and I want mine back!

Any suggestions on vehicles which can handle 2 kids + 2 dogs and weekend gear other than Yukon/Suburban/Expedition? My main reservations here is that you simply cannot pick up a low mileage used SUV like that for any reasonable price. At least not in my area!


...of course, she seems to abhor anything van or van-like... despite the excellent functionality.

 

[wemay]

Hyundai Santa Fe, 3.3L V6

 

[OneEyeJack]

I purchased a 4 door pickup with a permanent well sealed camper shell. It's called a 4Runner. If you want a vehicle that you can drive until the wheels fall off it's a pickup of some kind or an almost pickup like a 4Runner.

 

[DuckRyder]

Originally Posted By: buck91
...The main problem here is that she REALLY likes driving the truck. ... ...


If you want your truck back, it sounds like you have your answer...

 

[fdcg27]

The conventional advice used to be that one could just wait for a rebound in gas prices and nice new and used SUVs would be available cheap as chips. It's happened enough times in the past. By the end of 2008, following the first summer of four buck gas, dealers couldn't give away new ones and used ones were also hard to move.
That day appears to be years off this time around, though.
If your wife really likes trucks and you want to be able to drive yours, then just buy her another truck.
Deals abound on these high-volume vehicles and at fuel prices likely to obtain for the foreseeable future, cost of operation won't be that great of a factor.
Either that or let her actually try driving a minivan before saying she'd never have one. These are very comfortable vehicles that have handling no truck-based vehicle can match as well as huge interior space. She may get over her concerns about look and image once she actually tries a few of these on test drives. They do make great family vehicles.

 

[SatinSilver]

I'd just put her in a new 2016 Dodge Caravan for $18k and be done with it. As soon as she smells that new car scent and the brisk acceleration from the V6 she'll be hooked. Get one with the tinted windows because the non tinted ones look like ultra bare bones model. Where the deep tinted glass dresses it up nicely. Worse comes to worse, you drive the Caravan and she gets the truck back. Plus they're good in the snow with decent mileage.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

a diesel M-class or GL-class? GL/ML320 CDI, GL/ML350 Bluetec? The R-class is good, too.

The Cayenne diesel might be worth considering, too.

What's your price range?

But of course, a minivan or wagon is better.

 

[crazyoildude]

Im with you wemay i second the Hyundai santa fe 3.3 very nice vehicle with the best warranty
forget the Mercedes they look nice but they are certainly Not trouble free like Hyundai usually is.

 

[itguy08]

Ford Flex Ecoboost.

 

[Ethan1]

First and foremost, it's best to keep your wife happy. Your best bet to avoid ponying up for that Expedition is to get her to test drive a bunch of vehicles if possible. She might be surprised at how high up an Explorer sits. I've known women who switched from an F150 to a Journey, too.

I really hate to generalize, but most women can't even name all the cars on the road, so they benefit from lots of test drives and comparison. They tend to shop based on features and the highly-engineered illusion of "feeling safe" in the vehicle. Test drive... test drive... test drive.

 

[panther427]

Originally Posted By: itguy08
Ford Flex Ecoboost.


What he said

 

[umungus1122]

If you DIY, there's no reason you can't find a little older model Suburban and have it running like new. They're not hard to work on at all. Being in MI, rust might be your issue though on local ones. Look to the South for one.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
I purchased a 4 door pickup with a permanent well sealed camper shell. It's called a 4Runner. If you want a vehicle that you can drive until the wheels fall off it's a pickup of some kind or an almost pickup like a 4Runner.



Very true-owned one. However, those things can't be had for reasonable prices in many parts of the U.S.

 

[horse123]

An outback will run any of the engineering nightmares mentioned in this thread into the ground 10 times over before even needing the coolant changed.

 

[HotDog15]

Toyota 4Runner.

 

[CT8]

SUV and stinky dogs?

 

[horse123]

Originally Posted By: CT8
SUV and stinky dogs?


Oh right no point in stinking up a perfectly fine outback. Better throw the dirty doggies in a more deserving car like an egoboosted ford.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: itguy08
Ford Flex Ecoboost.



Sounds good...or non EB....or your wife gets her own truck.

 

[crazyoildude]

Subaru has lots and lots of engine problems in the last 10 or so years we did lots of them

 

[horse123]

Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
Subaru has lots and lots of engine problems in the last 10 or so years we did lots of them


Not really. Since 2012 all issues have been fixed, and 2008-2011 were minimal too. Nice effort at trying to look smart though

Since someone will inevitably bring up oil consumption I'll save them the keystrokes. It's actually been proven to be a lower percentage of excessive oil burners than the average of all other vehicles. Subaru owners just seem to be more educated and bring it up more online, so everyone is making a big deal about it.