Yeah, I did look for a truck but everything I found had much higher miles and very lacking on features. I like luxury stuff, enjoy leather, cushy seats, power everything and the like. Under $12-13k the trucks are either loaded with 200-250k+ miles on them, base model with very spartan features and about 150k miles on them, or very old with a mix between the two and maybe 100-120k miles. Really don't want to buy another car that's as old as my '03 Altima. I'd love a 2010+ something, but they're all just too expensive. Plus there is definitely a factor of wanting what I get to look cool to me. Most trucks aesthetically look like crap to me. A Denali truck or something would be nice, but there goes getting something cheap...also tons of the trucks look like they have been used as intended and worn, I like the idea of getting a vehicle that is capable of all that from someone who rarely ever did it. That Yukon XL was very nice and hadn't been used to tow or haul much of anything, but I was just not ok with 208k miles for $8k.
Need some honest advice on what SUV to get
- Thread starter Vistance
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Ok, so I ruled out the older style FX35. I think it would probably make do for me even though it's not as big, but they have a serious problem with the dashes bubbling and melting and it's $1k+ for the dash plus installation. Nissan dropped the ball on supporting their product, so I'm not really interested in those now despite everything else. I wouldn't mind the newer style that came out in '09 and it has a better 7 speed auto and nicer interior, but the price jumps quite a bit for one of those. So I'm basically down to the 4Runner or Tahoe.
What I am wondering is, how well I could haul stuff with a hatchback? I found a great deal on a 2010 Mazda3 hatch, I love driving manual cars and normally I like my cars pretty powerful. The Mazda3 isn't, but it would be more practical than my Altima and for $7,500 it's very affordable. Next to nothing to worry about reliability wise because they're so simple. A bit more, but I've also seen some VW GTIs in this price range. I love quick cars, while I wouldn't call them fast (My Altima eats up GTIs) they do have the advantage of hauling ability that I don't and they're not that much slower. The Mk6 GTIs (2010-2014) are much better built than the older gen VWs which I fully agree are junk.
I did find a few Silverado/Sierras that looked nice. Most had 150-175k miles on them with the 5.3 around 2008-2009 range. I much prefer the newer style look on the trucks, on the Tahoe I like it too but heard there were quite a bit of reliability issues that came with the '07 and '08. Actually it seems like the most solid years for Tahoes are this generation the 2000-2006 style. Are the Silverado/Sierra trucks also affected by the same reliability issues, or are they less prone to it than the same year Tahoe/Yukon?
Also this is what I meant about security stuff
Can anything be done to prevent this? I'm in the Midwest in a decent area, but I'd like to be confident if I went somewhere else that it couldn't be stolen super easily. I already worry a bit on the Vette because I had to disable the column lock due to stupid issues they have and GM never fixed it proper.
What I am wondering is, how well I could haul stuff with a hatchback? I found a great deal on a 2010 Mazda3 hatch, I love driving manual cars and normally I like my cars pretty powerful. The Mazda3 isn't, but it would be more practical than my Altima and for $7,500 it's very affordable. Next to nothing to worry about reliability wise because they're so simple. A bit more, but I've also seen some VW GTIs in this price range. I love quick cars, while I wouldn't call them fast (My Altima eats up GTIs) they do have the advantage of hauling ability that I don't and they're not that much slower. The Mk6 GTIs (2010-2014) are much better built than the older gen VWs which I fully agree are junk.
I did find a few Silverado/Sierras that looked nice. Most had 150-175k miles on them with the 5.3 around 2008-2009 range. I much prefer the newer style look on the trucks, on the Tahoe I like it too but heard there were quite a bit of reliability issues that came with the '07 and '08. Actually it seems like the most solid years for Tahoes are this generation the 2000-2006 style. Are the Silverado/Sierra trucks also affected by the same reliability issues, or are they less prone to it than the same year Tahoe/Yukon?
Also this is what I meant about security stuff
Can anything be done to prevent this? I'm in the Midwest in a decent area, but I'd like to be confident if I went somewhere else that it couldn't be stolen super easily. I already worry a bit on the Vette because I had to disable the column lock due to stupid issues they have and GM never fixed it proper.
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iamdub
Full Access Member
Overall, I feel the "NBS" ('99-early '07) trucks are more reliable than the late-'07+. The newer ones are more refined, but seem to have quite a few corners cut in their parts/materials (dash, electric locks, leaking weather seals...). I prefer the look and feel of the NNBS trucks and SUVs, but I was looking hard at the NBS Yukons and Sierras before I found my Tahoe. I was either going to pay cash for an older one or pay a nice down payment on a newer one, and I was offered a deal too good to pass on my Tahoe. It has the ubiquitous issues as expected, but they're nothing major nor anything I can't fix. I'm quite happy with it. The Tahoe of the previous generation just looks dated by comparison, but is easily and vastly improved with a few easy touches such as a color-matched grille and bumper. Drivetrain- and accessory-wise, I believe they are more solid. Fuel economy may be 1 MPG lower, if not the same as the newer generation. I don't know for sure if the trucks are more or lesser reliable than the SUVs, but I'd say they would be the same for their respective generations.
How well could you haul stuff with a hatchback? Only you can answer that by knowing what you have to haul. Obviously, nothing you've listed will have as much interior payload capacity as a fullsize SUV. But how much and how often are you gonna haul things? My thinking is I'd rather have it and not need it than the other way around. Also, while fullsize trucks/SUVs arent as zippy around town, they're more comfortable than smaller cars and they fare better in collisions. You already have a zippy, more-for-fun-not-comfort car with your 'Vette. I see clean NBS Tahoes and Yukons around me with 130-160K miles for 4-7 grand all the time. I find that the southern market is better for these things or for vehicles in general. Maybe pick up one here if they're cheaper for you and if you find you don't need it after you've moved, you shouldn't have any problems offloading it for a hatchback or whatever later.
How well could you haul stuff with a hatchback? Only you can answer that by knowing what you have to haul. Obviously, nothing you've listed will have as much interior payload capacity as a fullsize SUV. But how much and how often are you gonna haul things? My thinking is I'd rather have it and not need it than the other way around. Also, while fullsize trucks/SUVs arent as zippy around town, they're more comfortable than smaller cars and they fare better in collisions. You already have a zippy, more-for-fun-not-comfort car with your 'Vette. I see clean NBS Tahoes and Yukons around me with 130-160K miles for 4-7 grand all the time. I find that the southern market is better for these things or for vehicles in general. Maybe pick up one here if they're cheaper for you and if you find you don't need it after you've moved, you shouldn't have any problems offloading it for a hatchback or whatever later.
I do genuinely like the Tahoe/Yukon, but I'm not seeing any response anywhere online to how easy these are for thieves to jack by breaking the shift lock and putting them into gear. Plus without a column lock, it can be steered easily without the key. Maybe it's a non-issue for most, I guess the odds are low someone might do this but if there's not a fix for this it's going to eliminate this as a possible choice for me. It sounds like GM started working on making them harder to steal around 2010, but that's NNBS and way out of the price range I'm looking to spend. This is really disappointing, GM can make some nice stuff but then they have issues like this that make it hard for me to support them. I love my Vette, but my list of other GMs I like has dwindled as time has gone on and been replaced by Japanese cars.
There was a point where they removed them because of the security system on them being considered decent enough not to need the column lock anymore. I'm sure the NNBS from '07-'09 didn't have it, but the phrasing I keep seeing sounds like the NBS also didn't have it. OBS I am pretty sure did have it. Would need someone else to confirm?
I'll check my 06 Denali when it's get back from the Audio stop.
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Martinjmpr
Full Access Member
Have you had a lot of cars stolen? Or do you live in an area with a lot of car theft? I'm only asking because in nearly 40 years of car ownership (since 1979) I can honestly say that this has never been a factor I've considered when shopping for a vehicle.
As far as your choices go, I currently own an 04 Suburban and previously owned an 07 4runner.
The 4runner was a great vehicle and I loved it, but it didn't quite have enough power or enough room for pulling our trailer and hauling all our stuff on camping trips. The V6 models have a slick "multi mode" 4wd system that lets you run in 2wd, 4wd with a center differential (basically full time 4wd or AWD), or 4wd with a locked center differential (conventional 4wd) for off road. At 236hp the V6 isn't a powerhouse but it's decent if you're not pulling a trailer (and honestly, lots of people pull trailers with them, I just found it to be "marginal" in terms of power when pulling our 2000# travel trailer across the country.) The V8 is nice but the V8 also gives you full time 4wd with no way to put it in 2wd. MPG on my V6 4runner typically ran 15 - 16 in town and on the highway - not towing - 20+ was fairly easy to achieve. With a 23 gallon tank that led to a decent range.
Pulling the trailer was a different story, MPG rarely exceeded 11 - 12. To put it another way, I've gotten better MPG with my V8 Suburban when pulling the trailer, as high as 14 on long highway trips.
Is there any reason you left the Nissan R51 Pathfinder (2005 - 2012 I believe) off your list? The Pathfinder of that generation was a body-on-frame SUV that was a bit longer than the 4runner and most models had 3 rows of seats. It had a larger interior compartment and would certainly be a great suburban vehicle. Unlike the 4runner which had a solid rear axle, the Pathfinder had independent rear suspension. The Pathy also had a more powerful 4.0l V6 than the 4runner. Unlike the Tahoe/Yukon/Suburban of that era, the Pathfinder had a 5 speed auto.
There were some models that had a V8 (the one pictured has a V8) and the 4wd V8 models had full time 4wd.
I sometimes think if I had gotten an R51 Pathfinder instead of a Suburban I might still have it since the more powerful V6 engine would have made pulling our trailer easier.
IMO one of the biggest drawbacks to the 4runner is the dreaded "Toyota Tax" that you pay for one. An R51 Pathfinder would give you many of the pluses of the 4runner without paying the Toyota Tax.
As far as your choices go, I currently own an 04 Suburban and previously owned an 07 4runner.
The 4runner was a great vehicle and I loved it, but it didn't quite have enough power or enough room for pulling our trailer and hauling all our stuff on camping trips. The V6 models have a slick "multi mode" 4wd system that lets you run in 2wd, 4wd with a center differential (basically full time 4wd or AWD), or 4wd with a locked center differential (conventional 4wd) for off road. At 236hp the V6 isn't a powerhouse but it's decent if you're not pulling a trailer (and honestly, lots of people pull trailers with them, I just found it to be "marginal" in terms of power when pulling our 2000# travel trailer across the country.) The V8 is nice but the V8 also gives you full time 4wd with no way to put it in 2wd. MPG on my V6 4runner typically ran 15 - 16 in town and on the highway - not towing - 20+ was fairly easy to achieve. With a 23 gallon tank that led to a decent range.
Pulling the trailer was a different story, MPG rarely exceeded 11 - 12. To put it another way, I've gotten better MPG with my V8 Suburban when pulling the trailer, as high as 14 on long highway trips.
Is there any reason you left the Nissan R51 Pathfinder (2005 - 2012 I believe) off your list? The Pathfinder of that generation was a body-on-frame SUV that was a bit longer than the 4runner and most models had 3 rows of seats. It had a larger interior compartment and would certainly be a great suburban vehicle. Unlike the 4runner which had a solid rear axle, the Pathfinder had independent rear suspension. The Pathy also had a more powerful 4.0l V6 than the 4runner. Unlike the Tahoe/Yukon/Suburban of that era, the Pathfinder had a 5 speed auto.
There were some models that had a V8 (the one pictured has a V8) and the 4wd V8 models had full time 4wd.
I sometimes think if I had gotten an R51 Pathfinder instead of a Suburban I might still have it since the more powerful V6 engine would have made pulling our trailer easier.
IMO one of the biggest drawbacks to the 4runner is the dreaded "Toyota Tax" that you pay for one. An R51 Pathfinder would give you many of the pluses of the 4runner without paying the Toyota Tax.
Well, I normally don't think about it so much (theft) other than I know Escalades have a horrible theft problem relative to basically anything. Since the Tahoe/Yukon share a platform, it sounds like they're equally as susceptible if a tad less desirable. Wouldn't normally be a thought for me, but insurance will no doubt go up on something like these due to that.Have you had a lot of cars stolen? Or do you live in an area with a lot of car theft? I'm only asking because in nearly 40 years of car ownership (since 1979) I can honestly say that this has never been a factor I've considered when shopping for a vehicle.
As far as your choices go, I currently own an 04 Suburban and previously owned an 07 4runner.
The 4runner was a great vehicle and I loved it, but it didn't quite have enough power or enough room for pulling our trailer and hauling all our stuff on camping trips. The V6 models have a slick "multi mode" 4wd system that lets you run in 2wd, 4wd with a center differential (basically full time 4wd or AWD), or 4wd with a locked center differential (conventional 4wd) for off road. At 236hp the V6 isn't a powerhouse but it's decent if you're not pulling a trailer (and honestly, lots of people pull trailers with them, I just found it to be "marginal" in terms of power when pulling our 2000# travel trailer across the country.) The V8 is nice but the V8 also gives you full time 4wd with no way to put it in 2wd. MPG on my V6 4runner typically ran 15 - 16 in town and on the highway - not towing - 20+ was fairly easy to achieve. With a 23 gallon tank that led to a decent range.
Pulling the trailer was a different story, MPG rarely exceeded 11 - 12. To put it another way, I've gotten better MPG with my V8 Suburban when pulling the trailer, as high as 14 on long highway trips.
Is there any reason you left the Nissan R51 Pathfinder (2005 - 2012 I believe) off your list? The Pathfinder of that generation was a body-on-frame SUV that was a bit longer than the 4runner and most models had 3 rows of seats. It had a larger interior compartment and would certainly be a great suburban vehicle. Unlike the 4runner which had a solid rear axle, the Pathfinder had independent rear suspension. The Pathy also had a more powerful 4.0l V6 than the 4runner. Unlike the Tahoe/Yukon/Suburban of that era, the Pathfinder had a 5 speed auto.
There were some models that had a V8 (the one pictured has a V8) and the 4wd V8 models had full time 4wd.
I sometimes think if I had gotten an R51 Pathfinder instead of a Suburban I might still have it since the more powerful V6 engine would have made pulling our trailer easier.
IMO one of the biggest drawbacks to the 4runner is the dreaded "Toyota Tax" that you pay for one. An R51 Pathfinder would give you many of the pluses of the 4runner without paying the Toyota Tax.
I hadn't really thought of the Pathfinder mostly because I didn't really care for the looks. I really don't need the off road capability or towing power of any of these big utes, I just kind of like the look. Practically speaking, a crossover or something is probably more sensible. Wouldn't cut it for those of you who tow but I don't tow nor plan to tow hardly anything. I'm not going on a trail or anything either. I just can't find any wagons that are reliable or appealing to me. I agree about the higher prices on Toyota, but it seems to be with good reason. I found a 5th Gen 4Runner for $16k, not crazy about 160k miles on it but it has leather and is an SR5. I like the looks too. 4th Gen 4Runners seem fine I just can't find one with my required side curtain airbags. I've thought too about a 2010+ MDX or RX350, I feel these two can be sort of associated as girly utes but they seem highly practical for my intended use. The FX35 was also one I liked, but the '03-'08 have horrid dash problems and they're always inevitable. '09+ have better transmission and interior, but next to impossible to find in my area even if I raise the price quite a bit.
So I'm somewhere between a 2010+ MDX or RX350, a 4th gen V6 4Runner, or a 5th gen 4Runner if I can find one (They're scarce in this price range of under $17k).
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