[quote]Dorso wrote:
I guess I’ll be the first SUV dissenter. Environmental concerns aside, SUVs have always seemed kindof…stupid, to me. That is especially true of todays high-end models (BMW, Benz, Lexus, Porsche [are you fucking kidding me…a Porsche SUV]) with low profile tires and the ground clearence of a Honda Civic. What are you gaining? You can’t take anything like that “off road” without bottoming out and dinging your wheels and they have a high center of gravity so they handle like shit compared to any similarly priced sedan.
The first time I sat in my friend’s new Escalade all I could think about was what a poorly made POS it was. Cheap plastic interior and drove like shit. For that price he could could have bought a nice Audi that could drive circles around it in the snow.
The other thing I hate is the misconception that SUVs are safer than sedans. SUVs roll over. Sedans usually just spin or slide. Traction is another thing. Any car with a good all-wheel drive system and appropriate tires will drive well in snow. You might want to look into those features if you are buying a 1995-2000 Jeep or Explorer as most of them were actually RWD (ie bad in snow) unless you engage the 4WD system. This locks the front differential and you would only want to use it to get around town with a good amount of snow on the ground, not on the highway.
Note also that car enthusiests will probably make fun of you. I personally think that the Rover and Jeep families are the only acceptable SUVs (excluding the current Grand Cherokee with the low front air dam that looks like it would catch on a 6" curb). I guess some people might have a need for an SUV but most, I think, just have poor taste and are being trendy/yuppie. A person does not need a Navigator to drive to work alone in the suburbs. And there is no such thing as a high performence SUV. In fact, “sport” and “utility” are pretty much mutually exclusive when it comes to vehicles. Most SUVs posess neither.
Anyway, sorry for the rant. Good luck. [/quote]
You’re telling us that the Cayenne has the ground clearance of a Civic? Do the Civics in your area typically have suspension lifts? The Cayenne has an 8.5 inch ground clearance adjustable up to 10.5 inches.
I have 2 jeep liberties. Wifes is a 02 fully loaded, cost around 18,000 and I have an 03 liberty sport. got a great deal 12,000. good gas milage for suv. They last forever, bigger than they look. I am a DJ and carries all my equimpent. Test drive one. It is like a sports car of suvs. will nevery own anything else.
Get the new International MXT, it will definately screw with the environment, 12 tons of rolling steel, 28,000 pound towing capacity, air brakes, and will fit ina standard parking spot.
[quote]djbige05 wrote:
I have 2 jeep liberties. Wifes is a 02 fully loaded, cost around 18,000 and I have an 03 liberty sport. got a great deal 12,000. good gas milage for suv. They last forever, bigger than they look. I am a DJ and carries all my equimpent. Test drive one. It is like a sports car of suvs. will nevery own anything else.[/quote]
I just turned in my Liberty. It’s great for a small person, especially a girl. Solid truck. Goes through snow like nothing. It was way too small for me. Small cargo space. I also have DJ equipment and it was a huge hassle to haul anything. My best SUV was a 2001 Durango. I now drive an 06 F150 and that is awesome but probably not what you’re looking for.
[quote]K O N G wrote:
spaceking wrote:
Kuz wrote:
Good Lord! Do you work for a car dealership? If not, why do you own 4 SUVs? Sorry… the curiosity was getting to me.
Nah,I just like cars. I buy one keep it for 6 months to a year and then get something new. The longest I have ever owned a car is 2 years.
Good. So in 6 months you can buy American again. You live in America, but that’s another forum.
KONG
[/quote]
We are looking for a 8 cyl SUV, 1999-02 to pull a travel trailer across country for an extended time–Expedition or Jeep G C preferred.
I appreciate comments from anyone who’s had experience towing with these vehicles. (Not interested in off road or driving in snow.)
thanks.
FamilyMan, thanks for the info on your Expedition. Do you tow with yours and do you think an Exped would fit the bill?
thanks much.
FamilyMan wrote:
We finally traded in my wife’s mini van for a 2000 Ford Expedition. We took it on a road trip, and I think it got 17 mi / gal. In research, I found that there isn’t that much difference in gas mileage between our 5.4 liter and the smaller engines - we chose this one so we don’t have to worry about horsepower when towing. The expedition seats 8 comfortably, but watch the headroom in 3rd row seat on older models. Newer models have a 3rd row that will fold into the floor like the 2nd row. All wheel drive is cool, and the clearance is pretty good.
I love it a lot more than the wife’s mini van! We did a lot of reading, comparison, and test driving …and the Expedition is what we landed on. Cargo space and 4wd were big issues for us, and gas mileage was a minimal issue(I walk to work).[/quote]
[quote]trailrash wrote:
K O N G wrote:
spaceking wrote:
Kuz wrote:
Good Lord! Do you work for a car dealership? If not, why do you own 4 SUVs? Sorry… the curiosity was getting to me.
Nah,I just like cars. I buy one keep it for 6 months to a year and then get something new. The longest I have ever owned a car is 2 years.
Good. So in 6 months you can buy American again. You live in America, but that’s another forum.
KONG
American owned or American made?
[/quote]
OH SNAP!
that’s funny you ask that question.
think about it, Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep isn’t an american product anymore. Daimler-Chrysler, you’re buying a foreign owned auto. then again, a lot of toyota’s are american made, providing jobs for our economy.
What about a dodge? foreign owned, and aren’t a lot of them made in mexico?
Range Rover - Owned by Ford, not built in America though.
2005 H2. Love it. Never had a problem with it. Have 50K miles on it. Have towed everything from boats, to horse trailers and campers. Mileage is about 13mpg. It’s actually too big and I like big trucks. I’d buy an H3 if I stay with the Hummers but will probably go back to a pickup truck. I run a contracting company so I wouldn’t recommend this type of truck to drive to the train station. Too much empty space.
Wife has a 2002 Grand Cherokee. I like it a lot. I’ve owned Jeep Cherokees and like them too. Usually put at least 150K on them. We have 100K on her truck and it’s running with no problems. We have the 6 cyl. version. YOu should be able to get a 2001 or 2002 Cherokee for around $10K with high miles on it.
[quote]CU AeroStallion wrote:
trailrash wrote:
K O N G wrote:
spaceking wrote:
Kuz wrote:
Good Lord! Do you work for a car dealership? If not, why do you own 4 SUVs? Sorry… the curiosity was getting to me.
Nah,I just like cars. I buy one keep it for 6 months to a year and then get something new. The longest I have ever owned a car is 2 years.
Good. So in 6 months you can buy American again. You live in America, but that’s another forum.
KONG
American owned or American made?
OH SNAP!
that’s funny you ask that question.
think about it, Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep isn’t an american product anymore. Daimler-Chrysler, you’re buying a foreign owned auto. then again, a lot of toyota’s are american made, providing jobs for our economy.
What about a dodge? foreign owned, and aren’t a lot of them made in mexico?
Range Rover - Owned by Ford, not built in America though.
Something to consider.[/quote]
My point exactly. I just bought a 2006 Dual Cab Tundra LTD that was made in Princeton Indiana. Not too mention the brand new plant Toyota just built in San Antonio where the 2007 Tundras will be built. I forgot how many jobs they created with that plant but I know it was a substantial amount.
[quote]trailrash wrote:
CU AeroStallion wrote:
trailrash wrote:
K O N G wrote:
spaceking wrote:
Kuz wrote:
Good Lord! Do you work for a car dealership? If not, why do you own 4 SUVs? Sorry… the curiosity was getting to me.
Nah,I just like cars. I buy one keep it for 6 months to a year and then get something new. The longest I have ever owned a car is 2 years.
Good. So in 6 months you can buy American again. You live in America, but that’s another forum.
KONG
American owned or American made?
OH SNAP!
that’s funny you ask that question.
think about it, Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep isn’t an american product anymore. Daimler-Chrysler, you’re buying a foreign owned auto. then again, a lot of toyota’s are american made, providing jobs for our economy.
What about a dodge? foreign owned, and aren’t a lot of them made in mexico?
Range Rover - Owned by Ford, not built in America though.
Something to consider.
My point exactly. I just bought a 2006 Dual Cab Tundra LTD that was made in Princeton Indiana. Not too mention the brand new plant Toyota just built in San Antonio where the 2007 Tundras will be built. I forgot how many jobs they created with that plant but I know it was a substantial amount.
TR
[/quote]
And your money you spend on those vehicles built in Texas, Indiana, wherever ultimately goes back to the homeland of Japan.
[quote]K O N G wrote:
trailrash wrote:
CU AeroStallion wrote:
trailrash wrote:
K O N G wrote:
spaceking wrote:
Kuz wrote:
Good Lord! Do you work for a car dealership? If not, why do you own 4 SUVs? Sorry… the curiosity was getting to me.
Nah,I just like cars. I buy one keep it for 6 months to a year and then get something new. The longest I have ever owned a car is 2 years.
Good. So in 6 months you can buy American again. You live in America, but that’s another forum.
KONG
American owned or American made?
OH SNAP!
that’s funny you ask that question.
think about it, Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep isn’t an american product anymore. Daimler-Chrysler, you’re buying a foreign owned auto. then again, a lot of toyota’s are american made, providing jobs for our economy.
What about a dodge? foreign owned, and aren’t a lot of them made in mexico?
Range Rover - Owned by Ford, not built in America though.
Something to consider.
My point exactly. I just bought a 2006 Dual Cab Tundra LTD that was made in Princeton Indiana. Not too mention the brand new plant Toyota just built in San Antonio where the 2007 Tundras will be built. I forgot how many jobs they created with that plant but I know it was a substantial amount.
TR
And your money you spend on those vehicles built in Texas, Indiana, wherever ultimately goes back to the homeland of Japan. [/quote]
And if I buy GM then the money goes back to them so they can what? Build more plants overseas? You don’t think that automakers building plants here and creating jobs for AMERICAN workers ultimately doesn’t help our economy? In other words you’re telling me that just because GM is American owned we should buy their product no matter where the money will end up?
[quote]K O N G wrote:
trailrash wrote:
CU AeroStallion wrote:
trailrash wrote:
K O N G wrote:
spaceking wrote:
Kuz wrote:
Good Lord! Do you work for a car dealership? If not, why do you own 4 SUVs? Sorry… the curiosity was getting to me.
Nah,I just like cars. I buy one keep it for 6 months to a year and then get something new. The longest I have ever owned a car is 2 years.
Good. So in 6 months you can buy American again. You live in America, but that’s another forum.
KONG
American owned or American made?
OH SNAP!
that’s funny you ask that question.
think about it, Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep isn’t an american product anymore. Daimler-Chrysler, you’re buying a foreign owned auto. then again, a lot of toyota’s are american made, providing jobs for our economy.
What about a dodge? foreign owned, and aren’t a lot of them made in mexico?
Range Rover - Owned by Ford, not built in America though.
Something to consider.
My point exactly. I just bought a 2006 Dual Cab Tundra LTD that was made in Princeton Indiana. Not too mention the brand new plant Toyota just built in San Antonio where the 2007 Tundras will be built. I forgot how many jobs they created with that plant but I know it was a substantial amount.
TR
And your money you spend on those vehicles built in Texas, Indiana, wherever ultimately goes back to the homeland of Japan. [/quote]
I hate giving money to japanese people. Especially when they’re making superior products. Assholes.
own a 2000 Jeep grand cherokee
v8
I get about 14.1 mpg (on a good day)
I keep my foot it in about 80% of the time so i probably get less.
Do i love my jeep, YES - would i buy it again if i had to do it over again?
Cant say that i would…
the 4.7 v8 is a strong motor, but i’ve had a bunch of nickle and dime things… the auto 4x4 system sucks… locking into 4 low works pretty good though.
IF you know how to drive off road or in snow, it performs pretty good.
I’ve only towed once with it and it did fine.
if you decide to purchase an older jeep Grand cherokee (99-2004) def. go with the “quadra drive” 4wd system… the qtII (quadra tract II) system sucks.
Currently, my wife and I own 1) a 1998 Dodge Dakota, V-8 w/ extended cab (mine) and 2) a 2005 Jeep Liberty (Renegade model) (my wife’s).
They’re both great vehicles – I love having the truck available for those times when you want to transport something (or many things). I’ve had it since law school, and it was incredibly handy to move (and help friends move) back when nobody had 8 rooms full of furniture.
If you live anywhere with snow, the 4WD is a must (even though I don’t trust anyone else on the road when it snows, I at least trust that I’m not going to slide off or get stuck if I’m not driving like an idiot).
The gas mileage is a bit worse on the truck, with its V-8, than with the Jeep and its V-6. The mileage on SUVs/Light Trucks has been getting a little better recently. I’ve pretty much only ever owned SUVs and light trucks – Jeep CJ-7, Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota SR-5, and the Dodge Dakota.
I find that most people that claim to need a 4WD in snow don’t know how to drive in it to begin with.
[quote]BostonBarrister wrote:
If you live anywhere with snow, the 4WD is a must (even though I don’t trust anyone else on the road when it snows, I at least trust that I’m not going to slide off or get stuck if I’m not driving like an idiot).