Advice buying a new SUV

SevenSamurai said:
This. Face the facts -A minivan is superior in every practical functional way except ground clearance over SUVs.

SUVs are mostly for people who are holding on to their self image of being adventurous ad exciting.

I own both -and their is no comparison
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I bought a Lincoln Aviator 5 yrs ago for my wife because we needed 3 rows of seating and 4WD (the city rarely plows our street, my wife would be lost without the 4WD). Plus it was really cheap. I would never do it again, i would just buy a Subaru or possibly the new Explorer.
 
TheDerpWeb said:
Why's that?
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The SRX is too heavy for its slightly inadequate engine, the handling was meh, interior was hard, chintzy and unintuitive. Basically, everything the SRX does, the Lexus RX does better. Come to think of it, the new Kia Sportage does everything better.

But personally, I don't like compact SUVs. What you're getting in the Q5, for example, is just a heavier, lifted A4 wagon with higher center of gravity and worse handling/acceleration.

TheDerpWeb said:
Thks. This would be a smarter choice for sure but I just can't get into the body style. We can finally afford to enter the luxury class SUV market so I'm leaning towards something a little higher end.
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How is VW "luxury class"?
 
therealdope said:
I bought a Lincoln Aviator 5 yrs ago for my wife because we needed 3 rows of seating and 4WD (the city rarely plows our street, my wife would be lost without the 4WD). Plus it was really cheap. I would never do it again, i would just buy a Subaru or possibly the new Explorer.
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If you need 4WD -I see the reasoning for an SUV. The SUV that has impressed me lately is the new Ford Explorer. It drives like a damn luxury car -I don;t know how they accomplished htis. Ive rented several this year.

however -i always laugh at people trying to get their kids in baby seats in an SUV -when if the had a minivan it would take 1/8 of the time and anguish.

Minivans are awesome -they just aren't cool.
 
SevenSamurai said:
If you need 4WD -I see the reasoning for an SUV. The SUV that has impressed me lately is the new Ford Explorer. It drives like a damn luxury car -I don;t know how they accomplished htis. Ive rented several this year.

however -i always laugh at people trying to get their kids in baby seats in an SUV -when if the had a minivan it would take 1/8 of the time and anguish.

Minivans are awesome -they just aren't cool.
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it only takes me 2 minutes in winter with my 20 month old in full snow suit to put into the baby seat in the q5

you can make fun of the car by saying it's a chick car (which i kind of agree with, because my wife mainly drives it) but the baby/car seat thing, i just don't get
 
I've always like the BMW SUVs but could never justify the price tag.
 
SevenSamurai said:
If you need 4WD -I see the reasoning for an SUV. The SUV that has impressed me lately is the new Ford Explorer. It drives like a damn luxury car -I don;t know how they accomplished htis. Ive rented several this year.
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Yup - I rented an Explorer too and in addition to what you said ^^^ they are great on gas. The Aviator was the highest depreciating car and I bought mine used (20,000mi). The value was ridiculous and it's worked out well but i would never do it again -- It's a truck FFS. The advantage over the minivan is larger wheels, 4WD and towing capacity. If you don't need that then SUVs are a waste.

We did a west coast trip this summer and had an Outback. Would seriously consider it.

however -i always laugh at people trying to get their kids in baby seats in an SUV -when if the had a minivan it would take 1/8 of the time and anguish.

Minivans are awesome -they just aren't cool.
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My old company had a Ford Windstar and that thing was great.
 
wlu29 said:
it only takes me 2 minutes in winter with my 20 month old in full snow suit to put into the baby seat in the q5

you can make fun of the car by saying it's a chick car (which i kind of agree with, because my wife mainly drives it) but the baby/car seat thing, i just don't get
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The sliding door on a minivan is infinitely more practical for getting kids in baby seats as opposed to a hinged door. Agree with Seven on this one.
 
wlu29 said:
it only takes me 2 minutes in winter with my 20 month old in full snow suit to put into the baby seat in the q5

you can make fun of the car by saying it's a chick car (which i kind of agree with, because my wife mainly drives it) but the baby/car seat thing, i just don't get
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I don't care about chick car versus manly car BS. I just am talking basic functionality. You must not have tried both to see the differences -It's significantly easier because of the low floor and high ceiling -plus sliding door.

I still own one to haul boats and kayaks -but don't drive it regularly.
 
TheDerpWeb said:
#7 --> http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/Luxury-Midsize-SUVs/

70 grand for the loaded TDI
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Overpriced, I get. I've just never associated luxury with VW. When I do think of the two words together, I think Phaeton and its W-12.

From the list that you linked, I'd go with the Infiniti FX long before any if the others, if you're into the whole luxury branding thing. I haven't driven the FX but the last two rental Infinitis I was in were nicer than their competition. Esp the German makes.
 
therealdope said:
The sliding door on a minivan is infinitely more practical for getting kids in baby seats as opposed to a hinged door. Agree with Seven on this one.
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My wife has an SUV and I've never seen any problem getting kids in a car seat. I can see where the slider would be easier in a parking lot where space may be limited to open the door. Of course, nothing seems impractical for me. When my oldest was born, I was still driving a Jeep Wrangler. Talk about a pain in the fooking arse. You had to climb in the back seat to get the kids buckled up.
 
therealdope said:
Yup - I rented an Explorer too and in addition to what you said ^^^ they are great on gas. The Aviator was the highest depreciating car and I bought mine used (20,000mi). The value was ridiculous and it's worked out well but i would never do it again -- It's a truck FFS. The advantage over the minivan is larger wheels, 4WD and towing capacity. If you don't need that then SUVs are a waste.

We did a west coast trip this summer and had an Outback. Would seriously consider it.
My old company had a Ford Windstar and that thing was great.
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I like Outbacks and Foresters -If I lived in Colorado I probably would own one.

That new explorer is impressive -the only thing I didn't like was the Resistive Touchscreen -which is annoying compared to actual buttons or Capacitive touchscreen
 
BRF said:
My wife has an SUV and I've never seen any problem getting kids in a car seat. I can see where the slider would be easier in a parking lot where space may be limited to open the door. Of course, nothing seems impractical for me. When my oldest was born, I was still driving a Jeep Wrangler. Talk about a pain in the fooking arse. You had to climb in the back seat to get the kids buckled up.
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Exaclty ^^^.

Plus you are not squeezing between the door and the SUV while handling the kid. It was a bit of a pain when our kids were smaller. Now I just tell them to get their collective asses into the SUV.
 
therealdope said:
Exaclty ^^^.

Plus you are not squeezing between the door and the SUV while handling the kid. It was a bit of a pain when our kids were smaller. Now I just tell them to get their collective asses into the SUV.
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We don't run into that too often. She's got a Kia Sorrento, so it's not a bus like a Suburban or something along those lines. She would never be able to drive something that big. We just needed to get something with 4WD for our driveway in the winter and she liked the Kia. And yeah, our kids are 8 & 5 so it's get your asses in the car and buckle up for them as well.
 
therealdope said:
Yup - I rented an Explorer too and in addition to what you said ^^^ they are great on gas. The Aviator was the highest depreciating car and I bought mine used (20,000mi). The value was ridiculous and it's worked out well but i would never do it again -- It's a truck FFS. The advantage over the minivan is larger wheels, 4WD and towing capacity. If you don't need that then SUVs are a waste.
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Considering that they make minivans with AWD these days, you have even less reason.

SevenSamurai said:
SUVs are mostly for people who are holding on to their self image of being adventurous and exciting -rarely are they used for their advantage.
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I had a salesman try to pitch an SUV to me when I was car shopping last year, along with the whole adventuresome spiel. I turned it around on him when I told him that SUVs made sense to me when I lived in Africa but I didn't see the need for high ground clearance in fucking Korea.
 
BRF said:
We don't run into that too often. She's got a Kia Sorrento, so it's not a bus like a Suburban or something along those lines. She would never be able to drive something that big. We just needed to get something with 4WD for our driveway in the winter and she liked the Kia. And yeah, our kids are 8 & 5 so it's get your asses in the car and buckle up for them as well.
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Do you use the third row?

Against my better judgment, I rented a Suburban for a group trip once. Less than a day later, guys were bitching about getting into the back row. I'm thinking, "I fucking told you we should have just rented the damn minivan."
 
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