SUV's

Hi all,

I need to start 'car' shopping next month since my lease is up soon, was wondering if anyone had any recommendations that will not 'break' the bank

Thanks

My friends got a great deal on a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, which they love! They are extremely cost conscious (not cheap, just efficient), and are very good at finding the best (whatever they are searching for) for the money. (I, on the other hand, usually wait till the last possible minute and buy out of convenience, so I am hoping they rub off on me!)

Car shopping is fun! Test drive everything and enjoy yourself. Let us know what you end up picking.

I have an Excursion and love it!


We had a Toyota 4-Runner and that was a great truck!!! Never any problems. Toyota is great with service too! We wanted something bigger, hence the Excursion.

just wondering what your thoughts are about the gas?

I had a wrangler (very small) and it barely got 20mpg...I just remember how the prices skyrocketed during the gulf war...if there is more conflict there...would it be a big deal?

I keep thinking I want my wrangler back (new version of course) but am so used to my fuel efficient cars...

i would just die to get the new hummer!

yabbobaby, are you referring to me? or all the girls in general?

As for me, it's definitely costly. I avg. 9.7 mpg. I don't have to fill the tank often, but when I do it's a $60 purchase.


jennbaby, the H2s are sweet looking!!!

try looking at the 'smaller' SUV's - they are better on gas and usually at the cheaper end. But I think they all start at about 25K and up. I looked at the Ford Explorer and empty is was almost 30K

maybe a site like cars.com could help you narrow your search....GOOD LUCK

The Subaru Foresters are really nice. I was joing to buy one about 4 years ago but at that time it was out of my price range but I did get to test drive some. It handled really well, it is smaller compared to other SUVs so you don't have to stretch to climb into it and it has the 'beauty of all-wheel drive' (as the commercial goes). I have a subaru impreza and the cars are really nice. One thing...because it is all-wheel drive all the time it does eat gas a bit but not as much as a SUV.

I know there are good deals out there. Someone at work got a brand-new fully loaded Honda Civic for 15,000.

Good luck car shopping.

My brother has the Chevy Tahoe, and DH would LOVE to have one. He loves how it drives, but we cant afford those payments

Thanks for all your input, we were considering an SUV more because DH likes them

The car will be mine and I actually don't take it very far except when we got to LI on the weekends to go house hunting

Right now I'm driving an older Jeep Cherokee, but within the year or right after getting married I hope to buy a new car.
I was thinking of getting the Honda CRV. I love the way it looks and I've test driven it, and it's great.

jenny,...holy cow!! 9.7 mpg

I have a 2002 Honda CR-V, and I love it! The cargo area is a decent size, but you can fold up the back seat to make it bigger. It's comfortable, and it has a pretty smooth ride, the handling is ok, the gas mileage is great. I only wish it had a bit more power, but then the gas mileage wouldn't be so good. I bought mine last December, and fully loaded (awd, automatic, 6cd in dash player, moonroof, side airbags..etc.), it was under $25k.
My mom has a 2003 Subaru Forester, and I love that too! The gas mileage is great, and the handling is awesome, it drives like a small sedan, it's really nice to drive. It has a bit (like 5hp) more power than my C-RV, but it's definitely more like a station wagon than an SUV. It's still a great car, and she paid about the same price as the C-RV, although the Forester only has a single cd player, and no moonroof, but side airbags are standard with the 2003 Forester.
My dad aslo had an Outback, and it was a great car as well, but they're a bit more expensive than the C-RV and Forester. The car has a more luxurious feel to it though, and it definitely offers a smoother ride than the Forester. It's nice, but I think the C-RV is a better value for your money.

If you've seen my other posts, you may know that my hubby, along with his dad and uncle, own and operate a car and truck dealership. As a 'dealers' wife, I can honestly say I have driven in about every SUV there is known to man. I myself find them completely huge and not condusive to driving around LI. However, I find myself outnumbered in my little car these days. But I love only paying about $20 a month in gas.

As far as some nice recommendations, I love the GMC Envoy. I drove a GMC Jimmy for awhile, but they no longer make them. And believe it or not, the Buick Rendesvous is a great little SUV.

I like the Toyota 4-Runner and the GMC Yukon. I could never afford that though.

Call me an old fart, but right now I am in a test drive for several months in a Pontiac Vibe. It's a cross between a wagon and a SUV. It kind of resembles a Subaru Outback. I love it. Great gas milage, 4-wheel drive and small enough to get around and big enough for a weekend trip away.

Good Luck.