Parents want to buy sister an SUV

[Christ]

Tune it, advance the pump, and move up the fuel rack limiter, and you can get close to 30 HWY without really trying, from what I'm told.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

...anyone who has owned 4wd for any length of time usually has had to make some sort of overpriced repair because of it, especially if they actually use it.

Got to disagree about that. I've owned a number of 4WD vehicles - several pre-1985 Subarus and a couple of Toyota pickups - and have never had a 4WD-related problem. I admit I don't use it much - the steep half-mile of packed snow down to my friends' ranch in winter, a few trailheads at the ends of steep, rough dirt, up the mountain to ski in a snowstorm, &c - but when I do, it's usefull, not a security blanket.

[Clev]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Got to disagree about that. I've owned a number of 4WD vehicles - several pre-1985 Subarus and a couple of Toyota pickups - and have never had a 4WD-related problem. I admit I don't use it much - the steep half-mile of packed snow down to my friends' ranch in winter, a few trailheads at the ends of steep, rough dirt, up the mountain to ski in a snowstorm, &c - but when I do, it's usefull, not a security blanket.

I had to have the locking hubs rebuilt at a cost of around $700 on the Goat, but I wouldn't have noticed if I never used 4WD. Oh, and that was after 160,000+ miles. Otherwise, I only notice the difference at the pump.

[gasstingy]

The news today shows that Consumer Reports said the fancy new Lexus SUV got a Don't Buy rating for instability. Show them that if an SUV does not have a quick functioning stability control system, Consumer Reports suggests you don't buy it.

[wagonman76]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Got to disagree about that. I've owned a number of 4WD vehicles - several pre-1985 Subarus and a couple of Toyota pickups - and have never had a 4WD-related problem. I admit I don't use it much - the steep half-mile of packed snow down to my friends' ranch in winter, a few trailheads at the ends of steep, rough dirt, up the mountain to ski in a snowstorm, &c - but when I do, it's usefull, not a security blanket.

My dad has owned 4 Jeeps over the last 25 years, put tons of miles on them, and has never had a 4wd problem.

But on the flip side just about everybody I know with a GM pushbutton 4WD has had the actuator fail.

[Keller]

Hello I'm new hear been lurking for bout 6 months...

Anyway. Your parents are crazy. Her first car needs to be a $500 POS

almost every body wrecks thier first car. It is crazy to spend any thing more
than a couple grand.

Ok I said ALMOST every body. I know some of you dident. But out of them few who
dident get hit in the school parking lot LOL.

[bhazard]

My best friends girlfriend (well...fiance...) recently went from a 97 altima that probably got 25-30 mpg and was comfortable to an 05 liberty that we checked the mpg on once, 15.7 mpg. It also rides so horribly it hurts my kidneys. I do NOT feel safe in it at all. It also has a good share of issues that I would not expect a 5 year old vehicle to have. They already had to replace the rear rotors and pads. They thought they got a deal on it but even the tires are needing replaced. Id take a FWD with decent tires any day over a 4wd with bad tires.

[Frank Lee]

Schaudenfreude!

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by Keller

almost every body wrecks thier first car. It is crazy to spend any thing more
than a couple grand.

Ok I said ALMOST every body. I know some of you dident. But out of them few who
dident get hit in the school parking lot LOL.

My first vehicle was a 1982 diesel suburban, I didn't wreck it but I was only allowed to drive it when pulling a 26' trailer (and a 10' in winter)

I did try to wreck it by driving to the floor but it is still hooked up to that 10' trailer and still runs OK just looks like a brown pile or rusted crapola.

[zjrog]

Originally Posted by Keller

Anyway. Your parents are crazy. Her first car needs to be a $500 POS

almost every body wrecks thier first car. It is crazy to spend any thing more
than a couple grand.

Which is exactly why my daughter's 1990 Jeep Cherokee ($700) has served her so well. She has had it for 30 months and hasn't wrecked it. She DID slide on ice on the freeway but didn't hit anything. And the 4x4 has only been in use on snow and in offroad situations. There is no AWD function in this vehicle like I have in my own Jeep Grand Cherokee's transfer case.

Why I chose the Cherokee, it was cheap, easy and cheap to find parts for (I got a FREE parts Cherokee even). When she drives it around the state, I have friends with Jeeps and they can help her if needed. I *FEEL* it is a safer alternative than others because it has some mass, but is still fairly lightweight and has a low CoG. Certainly weighs less and has better outward visibility than the 1976 Gran Torino Wagon I drove frequently as a teenager... I have seen the abuse dished out on Cherokees and find them quite durable. And despite its 225,000 miles, it starts easily, and of late, has been getting her 24-25 MPG average. She pays her for her gas and tries to conserve where she can. She wants a replacement (the thing is old), and prefers to sit a bit higher like her Cherokee sits. But at the same time, she doesn't want to spend a lot of money for something newer that gets better mileage.

Just my nickels worth...