[lovemysan]

Today we went down to Oklahoma city and purchased a 2005 suburban LT 2wd. This thing is loaded with options that I didn't even care if it had. DVD, 6 disc in dash, on star, adjustable pedals, heated seats, all the stuff that breaks around 200k which is how long I try to keep my cars.

We had been "soft shopping" for a larger car for 6 months. We found a few decent deals on minivans but nothing really interesting. I had been trying to find a nice roadmaster wagon. Gas prices have driven the cost of cars that get reasonable mileage outside of what I find acceptable. I needed 6 passenger seating minimum. Prefer 8 passenger (roadmaster wagon, chevy astro, suburban, toyota sienna) I shopped a 500 mile radius for my 2nd choice(vans, burbs) and I shopped nationally for a roadmaster. I just couldn't get comfortable going 1500 miles for a roadmaster. Not to mention the market for them has exploded. I found there were tons of suburbans to choose from and I think I got a real good deal. I bought it at trade in.
I found I could get the suburban for $2500- cheaper than a same year/mileage sienna. I can buy several years worth of vacation gas for $2500. With a sienna I'd be looking at only getting a few basic options and averaging 26-27mpg. I didn't consider the 2003 and older sienna because of the "SLUDGE" issue and the I ruled out the 2004 because it was the first year of production for that body. I considered the 2004-2006 quest but after recently replacing 2002 maxima engine twice, and finding they had some severe quality control issues I scratched them off the list also. I also considered the mazda5. But there rare to find in a 5 speed, and were crippled in the US market buy installing only 2 seats in the center row, which for me was a deal breaker. This is my current favorite car but they removed the 7th passenger seat for the US market for product seperation purposes. I guess so we could have a LOUSY mazda minivan instead.


I should be able to hit 20mpg highway. We plan to carry 6 people and gear on vacation this year. The saturn has been averaging 10-12 trips home a year + 1 2 week vacation. Traveling with 4 people and stuff on board an S car for 2k miles is kinda hard on your body.