SUV Recommendations

okiron

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I'll be finally getting my license this year and I'm wondering which car would be the right for me. Needing a SUV or I'd go with a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla. It'll be my first car, so automatic and easy to drive. Decent on gas please though I know that's a bit too much to ask when shopping for SUV's. Nothing too big. Something that's in the $5k price range.
 

gailc

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Why don't you look for a Ford Escape or perhaps a Jeep Liberty??
The only thing with the price range you are looking at is going to be an older (10 yrs) vehicle with lots of miles (well over 100,000). You might be better off looking for a car at this time!! How about a Ford Focus???
 

capt_jordi

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you wont be able to find a honda or a toyota for under $5k unless you look at ones that are much older. Why do you have your mind set on those cars?
SUV's look at Hyunda Sante Fe's, or Ford Escapes, or Kia Sportage's
Car's I have a nissan that has been...okay. It hasnt been too bad until after I hit 100,000 miles. My BFs kia sephia has 200,000 miles and has never had a major problem.
 

buzbyjlc10

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If you need a lot of cargo space, I personally wouldn't suggest the Escape - my dad has one through his company and there's really not a lot of space in it at all... I've borrowed it a few times and it's an ok ride, but it seems to be a really noisy ride and kind of bumpy - just my two cents

I have a 99 Buick regal and I could pack so much into that car it's amazing, yet it doesn't feel like I'm driving a boat - I love it.

You are going to be really limited if you have a $5000 budget though, like the others said, you'll be looking at much older cars which are of course not as good on gas - my car was about 10K when I bought it used in 2004... I can't wait to hit the lottery so I can get a brand new Ford F150
(the lottery's probably the only way I'll ever get one haha)
 

blondrebel76

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just my opinion but i would honestly stay away from the Kia line. My sister has has nothing but trouble with Kia. Jeep is pretty decent for a first car, i had a jeep grand cherokee that i LOVED. I cried the day it died and am waiting to see if my sister's bf is gonna put a new motor in it. Honestly if you arent in NEED of a suv i would stick with something smaller because of the insurance and gas prices. Have you thought of a small truck like a s10 or ford ranger?
 

capt_jordi

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Originally Posted by blondrebel76

just my opinion but i would honestly stay away from the Kia line. My sister has has nothing but trouble with Kia. Jeep is pretty decent for a first car, i had a jeep grand cherokee that i LOVED. I cried the day it died and am waiting to see if my sister's bf is gonna put a new motor in it. Honestly if you arent in NEED of a suv i would stick with something smaller because of the insurance and gas prices. Have you thought of a small truck like a s10 or ford ranger?
I think pretty much ANY car company you suggest will have people say that their car was amazing and then others say it was horrible.
 
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okiron

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Originally Posted by capt_jordi

you wont be able to find a honda or a toyota for under $5k unless you look at ones that are much older. Why do you have your mind set on those cars?
Because they're reliable cars even at the age I'll be looking at. I'm perfectly fine with trusting a '86 Corolla with tons of mileage. They're good cars.

*edited to add: I just reread what you said, the SUV doesn't have to be those 2 companies. I'm just naming off 2 cars I would get if I wasn't interested in an SUV.


Originally Posted by blondrebel76

just my opinion but i would honestly stay away from the Kia line.
I hate Kia and wouldn't trust my worst enemy's life on it lmao.

Originally Posted by sarahp

What do you need an SUV for? ie. How much room do you need?
I want to be able to fit my entire family in the car at the same time in case of emergencies, hospital visits, moving, etc. I have 3 cats, 3 rabbits, 3 rats with plans of adding to the family. So...it has to be able to fit quite a few carriers in it.
 

liza24

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I would say a Honda Pilot is a good bet. My BF has one, and fills it for $55, and gets about 350 miles to a tankful, and its a 4x4!!. Lots of space, and a smooth ride.

If you cant spend much tho, i would go with a Ford explorer, like a 2000 or so. Look for a v-6 one. Their are easy ways to get better gas mileage out of ANY car or truck.

Best ways i have found is to replace the air filter with a cold air intake, about $40 on ebay. This is a device that enlarges the pipe that the air to the engine is, and increases the cold air the engine needs.

Also, a tune up, including using the right grade oil, and using cleaners for the fuel injection and engine. The less gunk, the better fuel is burned. Also, check to make sure the fuel pump is in good working order, and changing the spark plugs and wires, to get a better fire and working engine. Also, using a gas additive helps extend gas mileage as well.

Pm me anytime with questions, and i will help
.. If you choose to go car, please stay AWAY from 4 cyl cars, they have alum heads and the WORST to work on!!
 

jcat

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Originally Posted by okiron

I want to be able to fit my entire family in the car at the same time in case of emergencies, hospital visits, moving, etc. I have 3 cats, 3 rabbits, 3 rats with plans of adding to the family. So...it has to be able to fit quite a few carriers in it.
I often use our car to transport multiple cats in carriers (for/between shelters). That's why we got a station wagon (VW Passat diesel) - it holds as much as an SUV, and is much better on gas.

I've managed to put 8 medium-sized dog carriers in the car, with the back seat down, of course - two vertical rows of 3 carriers, with 2 carriers placed horizontally.

You can probably get an SUV for $5K - I know my niece did - but it's not worthwhile, because you'll "bleed" for gas, as she put it.
 

sharky

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maybe a focus wagon ??? should be a decent car.. my escort ran for 11 strait yrs and then blew an engine ... my Pt crusier is a heep of junk and worth only about 1/3 the purchase price and it is only 2 yrs old ... Now I am driving MOMs ( RIP) olds intregue and it is a great car
 

trouts mom

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I would go with the Honda CRV
You can't beat the quality.

Be sure to check out Epinions.com and safety ratings. You'll notice domestic vehicles simply do not measure up.
 
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okiron

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One baaaad thing about me and station wagons. I have a tendency of cutting my corners short so a long car = gonna clip something. A 1990 Pontiac Bonneville is too long a car for me.
 

ms cat love

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with the price of gasthese days, your better off with a toyota or a honda they run forever with few problems...im still driving my 1993 chevy 4 wheel drive truck for 14 years now and it sure has become a gas guzzler..every day im running on empty...
 

jcat

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Originally Posted by okiron

One baaaad thing about me and station wagons. I have a tendency of cutting my corners short so a long car = gonna clip something. A 1990 Pontiac Bonneville is too long a car for me.
In California??? I'm an American who lives in Europe, and believe me, it's almost impossible to "clip corners" on U.S. roads, if you compare them to some of the Medieval (or older) roads here. SUVs have never really caught on here, because gas prices are twice as high, and streets are narrow and twisting, so the "in" cars are station wagons now.
 

buzbyjlc10

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If you're looking to fit lot's of carriers, then I'd definitely stay away from the Ford Escape haha - the trunk is way small (my dad has trouble fitting all his tools in in for work) and even taking out the seat/folding it down doesn't give you much extra - I always feel squished in the back seat... I know it's very "soccer mom" (80's soccer mom even haha) but a good station wagon may be the way to go for what you need, flip that seat down and you can get tons of carriers and tanks in there
 

starryeyedtiger

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Get a Ford Escape!!!!!!!


I disagree with the previous poster- there's tons of room in the back! And the seats fold ALL the way down- so you can definitely have as much room as you like! We recently moved into our new home and all we used was our Ford Escape and my sister's mini vans for our move! We didn't need a u-haul because our vehicles had plenty of room!
For an SUV it doesn't get much better. My husband and I just bought a new Ford Escape back in December and omg i LOVE it!!!!!!!!
It's amazing! I love all the features, it rides well, so for not a single problem, and it's the most fuel efficient suv you're gonna find!

I love all the room too! I use it all the time to transport animals (i work for Animal Control), get groceries, haul stuff, etc you name it! Colin adores it too!

The only thing i would say is for the moment being- i don't recommend the Escape Hybrid- it's WAY more expensive and that cost alone will take about 10+ yrs the way we calculated it to "pay for itself" as far as gas goes- and that's calculating the gas costs right now- not the inevitable increase! It's not worth the money at the moment- by the time time it starts to pay for itself so to speak- it'll be older and you'll likely be ready for a newer car with better technology and one likely even better on gas/etc than they make at the moment. So i would honestly wait for the technology and fuel efficiency to improve over the next few yrs and the costs to go down and THEN later on consider a hybrid. At the moment- the cost is just not worth it. Even the non-hybrid Ford Escape though is amazing on gas milage though! Our escape gets better mpg than my Mercury Sable


Definitely look into a Ford Escape! We love ours
(we got 4 wheel drive on ours just because of where we live).
 
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