Do any of you have one of these SUVs
- Thread starter rcook
- Start date
I don't but my good friend has a CRV - she really likes it and has had it for a few years without any major mechanical issues. Her husband is tall (over 6') and he complains that it's uncomfortable for him to drive. They rented an Escape on a trip and they loved it, they're planning on getting one when they get rid of the CRV. My husband and I both have Fords, one of the cars (a Taurus) has close to 200k miles and has only had minor problems so we'll most likely buy another Ford in a few years- hopefully an Escape Hybrid.
Have fun test driving!
Have fun test driving!
I have a '99 Honda CRV. I have only ever bought Hondas... they are very reliable vehicles and the resale value tends to stay high. My CRV now has almost 130,000 miles on it and is still driving well. I get about 26 miles to the gallon which is phenomenal for an SUV. The dealer said I should get to 180,000 miles with no real technical problems because they're built to last.
I've put very little money into it...just the usual maintenance stuff and various odds and ends.... brakes once and a couple of sets of tires, but I don't think I've ever even replaced the battery! It is also great in bad weather.
I am going to trade in next year and will probably get another CRV or maybe an Accord because I would like a car for a change. I'm waiting to see how the Civic Hybrids work out, though... they get awesome gas mileage.
Good luck!
Marie
I've put very little money into it...just the usual maintenance stuff and various odds and ends.... brakes once and a couple of sets of tires, but I don't think I've ever even replaced the battery! It is also great in bad weather.
I am going to trade in next year and will probably get another CRV or maybe an Accord because I would like a car for a change. I'm waiting to see how the Civic Hybrids work out, though... they get awesome gas mileage.
Good luck!
Marie
Thanks so much for your replies... I got to test drive the Escape and the RAV4, not the CR-V yet, hopefully will do that tomorrow and next saturday, we are researching all of them, we want to get the best one with the best deal we can get.... our kids are grown so thats no problem......
And yes we have been looking at the resale value and Hondas and Toyotas are excellent with that..... they hold their value real well
thanks again, Rhonda:7
And yes we have been looking at the resale value and Hondas and Toyotas are excellent with that..... they hold their value real well
thanks again, Rhonda:7
DebbieH
Cathlete
Hi Rhonda. This is Dave, Debbie's husband. I have been in the automobile business for 37 years as a professional auto broker and sales manager. There are some questions you should ask yourself about your needs first in choosing your vehicle. Most of these vehicles are available in 2 wheel drive & 4 wheel drive. Some are available in front wheel drive and some in rear wheel drive. This has a major effect on how the vehicle rides, like a truck or like a car. Value and gas mileage are also two big factors. Your smaller SUV's like Rav4's and CR-V's ride fairly well and are pretty maintenance free and will deliver fairly good gas mileage. The Ford Escape and the Mazda Tribute (same production line) are actually on truck platforms. They ride more like a truck. What I mean by this is that they take bumps much harder and tend to have a rougher ride. As far as value, the best buy on the market is the Buick Rendevous. This vehicle was built to compete in the Honda pilot and Lexus RX 300 market but at a much more affordable price. I don't know if you are looking at new or used but if you are looking used, the Rendevous is a good choice because you get a lot more car for the money. This is all based on supply & demand. There are very few used CRV's & Rav4's in the market place therefore you will have to pay more for them. On the flip side, Buick Rendevous was used in the rental car market and therefore there are 1,000's avaiable. This makes them a great buy. Depending on the model & equipment you can buy a vehicle that was $30-$40,000 new for $15-$20,000 one to three years old with low mileage. At the same time you are buying a reliable proven higher gas mileage vehicle. (a much greater value.) I have sold many of these vehicles to my customers and they thank me every time I talk to them. I have personally owned 5 Rav4's for my wife Debbie to drive. We really liked the Rav 4's as far as driving in snow and gas mileage, a little short on the wheel base, making a rougher ride. We currently have a Lexus RX 300 which is the BEST vehicle we have ever had. Debbie loves the ride and handling and safety features. In the end, base your choice on vehicle ride, value, and cost to operate over the period of time you plan to keep it. This will equal the total cost of the vehicle to you. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have about vehicles or their values. I will be more then happy to talk with you.
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH (AKA "Den Mother Debbie")http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH (AKA "Den Mother Debbie")http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
Hi Dave,
Thanks so much for all the great info. We live in Oklahoma close to Tulsa, and we are looking to pay as less as possible hopefully between 18,000 and 19,000 ... low mileage, either a used 2004 or a new 2005... looking to pay no more than 400 a month.... thats why we are looking at these 3, I really want a SUV and hubby wants it to be small because of gas...
We have had Fords and Mercurys for yrs and now thinking about getting away from the ford.... we have found out that the Toyota RAV4 is higher in insurance but still a great vehicle, and see that is another thing we don't want our insurance to go up to much because we are still supporting our 18 yr old until he gets to where he is going as far as school....
Anyway I much appreciate your input..... I will print your reply so my husband can read it, thanks.. Rhonda:7
Thanks so much for all the great info. We live in Oklahoma close to Tulsa, and we are looking to pay as less as possible hopefully between 18,000 and 19,000 ... low mileage, either a used 2004 or a new 2005... looking to pay no more than 400 a month.... thats why we are looking at these 3, I really want a SUV and hubby wants it to be small because of gas...
We have had Fords and Mercurys for yrs and now thinking about getting away from the ford.... we have found out that the Toyota RAV4 is higher in insurance but still a great vehicle, and see that is another thing we don't want our insurance to go up to much because we are still supporting our 18 yr old until he gets to where he is going as far as school....
Anyway I much appreciate your input..... I will print your reply so my husband can read it, thanks.. Rhonda:7
dss62467
Cathlete
I'm an "anti-SUV" person. I'm someone who won't even consider a car unless it gets at least 30 mpg on the highway. I don't like how it's impossible to see around an SUV if it's parked next to you in a parking lot. You just have to back out slowly and pray nothing is coming. I love my little Honda Civic and will be getting a hybrid for my next car.
DebbieH
Cathlete
Rhonda
With a good credit score of over 700 you can basically double the first two figures in the amount borrowed to equal your payment at today's interest rates on a 5-year loan. Example:
$15,000=$300/month
$18,000=$360.00/month
$20,000=$400/month
This is give or take $10.00 based on actual bank processing fees. Example: An 04 Buick Renedevous under 20,000 miles with full remaining factory warranty would be between $18-20,000 depending on actual model & equipment. You CAN extend financing term to 66 or 72 months decreasing payment approximately $20/month for each 6-month period. Your term should be based on how long this vehicle will last for you. Example:
How many miles do you drive per year?
12,000 miles/year X 5 years = 60,000 plus beginning miles of 20,000 = an 80,000 mile vehicle at the end of 5 years
15,000 miles/year X 5 years = 75,000 plus the beginning miles of 20,000 = a 90,000 mile vehicle at the end of 5 years
Do the math respectively for 5 1/2- 6 years. You want the vehicle to last for as long as you are paying for it with minimal maintenance. Nothing worse then a huge maintenance bill plus your car payment just to keep your older car going. Food for thought. Hope this helps.
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH (AKA "Den Mother Debbie")http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
With a good credit score of over 700 you can basically double the first two figures in the amount borrowed to equal your payment at today's interest rates on a 5-year loan. Example:
$15,000=$300/month
$18,000=$360.00/month
$20,000=$400/month
This is give or take $10.00 based on actual bank processing fees. Example: An 04 Buick Renedevous under 20,000 miles with full remaining factory warranty would be between $18-20,000 depending on actual model & equipment. You CAN extend financing term to 66 or 72 months decreasing payment approximately $20/month for each 6-month period. Your term should be based on how long this vehicle will last for you. Example:
How many miles do you drive per year?
12,000 miles/year X 5 years = 60,000 plus beginning miles of 20,000 = an 80,000 mile vehicle at the end of 5 years
15,000 miles/year X 5 years = 75,000 plus the beginning miles of 20,000 = a 90,000 mile vehicle at the end of 5 years
Do the math respectively for 5 1/2- 6 years. You want the vehicle to last for as long as you are paying for it with minimal maintenance. Nothing worse then a huge maintenance bill plus your car payment just to keep your older car going. Food for thought. Hope this helps.
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH (AKA "Den Mother Debbie")http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
> I love my little HondaCivic and will be getting a hybrid for my next car.
If someone could make a way to fit 4 dogs plus crates and ez-up in the back of a small car, I'd love one that got 30 mpg also
. At a minimum I have 2 dogs plus crates when I go to dog events and dog 50 lbs and up....so I have a Tahoe myself. I had to choose between safety and milage so I opted for safety.
Colleen
If someone could make a way to fit 4 dogs plus crates and ez-up in the back of a small car, I'd love one that got 30 mpg also
. At a minimum I have 2 dogs plus crates when I go to dog events and dog 50 lbs and up....so I have a Tahoe myself. I had to choose between safety and milage so I opted for safety.Colleen
jacqued
Cathlete
I agree with Colleen. Smaller cars aren't practical for everyone. My husband is 6'8". I also have 3 kids one of which is a 12 year old who is almost 6 feet tall, and a baby in a car seat. We take alot of trips out of town together and need something comfortable so we drive a full-sized SUV.
As far as the ones mentioned here, I agree with Dave on the Buick. These are very nice vehicles and you can get a pre-owned one reasonably priced (as he mentioned). But if you have your heart set on one of the other three I'd probably say go for the Toyota. I also drive a Lexus RX 300 and it's a wonderful vehicle and it's made by Toyota. You don't hear very many bad things about Toyotas they're probably the most reliable car out there. Just my 2 cents.
Jacque
As far as the ones mentioned here, I agree with Dave on the Buick. These are very nice vehicles and you can get a pre-owned one reasonably priced (as he mentioned). But if you have your heart set on one of the other three I'd probably say go for the Toyota. I also drive a Lexus RX 300 and it's a wonderful vehicle and it's made by Toyota. You don't hear very many bad things about Toyotas they're probably the most reliable car out there. Just my 2 cents.
Jacque
I don't have any of the ones you mentioned. However I do have a Mazda Tribute which is a Ford Escape, just packaged by Mazda. I absolutely love mine. When I was first looking at SUVs I wanted either a Tribute or an Escape, and bought a Tribute instead just because the dealer incentives were much better. Also Ford does not offer special interest rates on Escapes and if they do it is very rare.