Need new car / wagon / suv recommendations!

[HGraceMom]

I've been driving an awesome 1995 Range Rover - though it's almost 10 years old, it "only" has 98,000 miles and is in spectacular condition. Unfortunately, this is the second time in a month that something has gone wrong (first it was a battery, now there was a flood of antifreeze and it wouldn't start...)

So...

DD & I decided it's time to lease a new car / station wagon / suv... ughh...

We have a great sedan, but like the "cargo" room with the Range Rover. DD is, and probably will always be, our only, but we travel a lot to and from the lake with our 100 pound Chessie, and frequently deal with snowy / icy driving conditions, so it's only a "little bit" of overkill, size-wise.

I love the look of the Chrysler Pacifica, Volvo XC90 or Station Wagon, but we have a good friend who's a GM dealer, too. I really am not excited about driving a mini van, but we did seriously look at the Odysse (sp?) when it was first released, and really liked it.

Does anyone have any recommendations? I can't believe I have to go car shopping - what a horrible weekend project...

[Marisa6826]

We're heading straight for the Volvo XC90 as soon as we can get out of our Camry lease. It expires in June, but I'm hoping to get out of it a little sooner.

Every person I know that has this car loves it - I've even stopped people in parking lots and mall garages to ask their opinions! ;) I also really love all the safety features of it. It's big enough to carry my sherpa loads, but not so big that I feel like I could mow somebody down without realising it.

Do you want something as gianormous as another Range Rover? I have to ask - just how bad is that milage on one of those? ;)

Have you looked at Consumer Reports and Edmunds for reviews?

-m

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

do you have any to share????
Does your chessie smile/grin????

Neve and Tristan born Feb 25, 2003
* EDD 3/19/05 IT'S A GIRL
* DOSSIER IN THE HANDS OF TRANSLATOR

http://home.nc.rr.com/ourbabytristan

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

since you sound like you like to hand on to your vehicles (so do we) I am wondering if you'd like the Lexus 450/470...that is what we have and it is several years old and hasn't cost us a cent except to get new tires...

we are actually in the amrket for the Oddy but if we were sticking with the SUV this is a nice one...except the gas mileage...
great windows on the side that slide open and our chessie loves to put her head out of them!!!

Neve and Tristan born Feb 25, 2003
* EDD 3/19/05 IT'S A GIRL
* DOSSIER IN THE HANDS OF TRANSLATOR

http://home.nc.rr.com/ourbabytristan

[steph2003]

We just got done car shopping.

As Marisa suggested edmunds.com is a useful site - I referred there a ton.

SUVs we considered:
Honda Pilot
2005 Acura MDX
2005 Nissan Pathfiner (2005 comes w/3rd row seat)
Volvo XC90
Toyota Sequoia - while it has a V8 it does get horrible, horrible gas mileage but you might be used to that with a Range Rover :)

Don't know much about mini van as my DH wouldn't consider one.

Ultimately we decided on the 2005 MDX for 3rd row seating, DVD entertainment system option, navigation system option which now is equipped for Onstar if you are interested in that, satellite radio!!! Plus it drives like my Acura TL sedan - smooth & not like "truck." :)

Good luck shopping!

[JacksMommy]

Neither DH nor I loved the idea of a minivan, but wound up getting the Toyota Sienna, and we both now adore it. Once we got over feeling lame about driving a minivan, we fell in love with all the space, the comfy seats, the fact that we don't have to bend over to strap DS in his car seat, etc. And it's built on a car chassis (sp?) so it's not quite as enormous as some others. The new models have all the features of the Honda Odyssey and more. We found that SUVs are big but don't have anywhere near the same cargo space or room for as many people to sit comfortably.

Laurel
WOHM to Jack, 6/4/02
EDD baby girl 12/24/04

[Marisa6826]

Steph-

I was considering the MDX but it looks like the third row is tiny. At least with the Volvo, I know it would fit adults.

Did you sit in the 3rd row yourself?

-m

[jk3]

We have a 2001 Acura MDX and so far so good. It's a great SUV that drives like a car but as ample room for all of our needs. It has been maintenance free to this point. Next time around, we're deciding between another MDX, a Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna or Volvo Cross Country station wagon.

Jenn
DS 6/03

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030603/2/5/1/-5/.png

[HGraceMom]

In town it's not so good... maybe 13mpg with premium gas (the premium's the kicker in my book!) the highway is a little bit better... I hate to type it... 16mpg.

I don't put loads of miles on my car, so it was never much of an issue until the day I paid $2.33 for a complete fill-up - over 50 bucks - Aack!

I'd love another Range Rover, but now that I'm a SAHM, $80,000 just isn't feasable!

Off to Edmunds & Consumer Reports to take a look - thanks for the suggestion, I'd forgotten about those sites.

[HGraceMom]

I just switched from my ibm to a mac and can't figure out how to transfer all of my photos... once I do, I definitely would love to share.

IMO... she's gorgeous! Chocolate colored (with one albino toenail and an acceptable white patch on her chest) with the cutest darned smile you've ever seen on a Chessie - she's a great guard dog because she's so excited to see anyone who comes to the door that they think she's baring teeth! If I didn't know any better, I'd run the other direction, too!

I had a portrait of her painted (as a puppy) for DH that hangs above our office desk - it's amazing how much she's changed in 6 years - I imagine that's just how DD will change, too...