Getting new car..advice?

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woofy

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
May 2, 2007
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Miami
So hopefully i should be able to buy a new (used) car this weekend. I definitely want to try my best to stay out of a 4 door sedan if i can afford it. My really want to stick with and suv or truck. I only use my car to drive near by on errands and take kid to school. Can anyone advise me on a good suv or truck (but it has to have a lot space i have three kids) that wont be a gas guzzler or can someone who owns one can tell me what their experience has been with gas cost? Any information and experience would help. I obviously cant go by what the car dealer tells me as he just wants to make a sale.

Cars i had in mind:

Chevy suburban
Chevy blazer
Ford explorer xlt
Ford expedition
Trucks that will fit two carseats and a 9yo comfortably and all their crap and my crap.


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woofy said:
So hopefully i should be able to buy a new (used) car this weekend. I definitely want to try my best to stay out of a 4 door sedan if i can afford it. My really want to stick with and suv or truck. I only use my car to drive near by on errands and take kid to school. Can anyone advise me on a good suv or truck (but it has to have a lot space i have three kids) that wont be a gas guzzler or can someone who owns one can tell me what their experience has been with gas cost? Any information and experience would help. I obviously cant go by what the car dealer tells me as he just wants to make a sale.

Cars i had in mind:

Chevy suburban
Chevy blazer
Ford explorer xlt
Ford expedition
Trucks that will fit two carseats and a 9yo comfortably and all their crap and my crap.


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Click to expand...

All of the above are gas guzzlers. I have had an explorer xlt for 3 years now and I get 11.9 mpg city. Like 17 highway though. I had an expedition before that, and mpg was actually a bit better in it, not much but some. My explorer takes flex fuel. It's a gimmick. Do not pay more for it. In my area flex fuel is usually 20 to 30 cents less than regular gas. But it reduces your mpg by 30%. So yeah, not worth it.

Both have third row seating. My husband is a tall guy, and he is cramped driving the explorer, but the expedition fit him perfectly.

I have only had a rental suburban, it was brand new and amazing. I'm not a fan of the older suburban body's but that's just IMO.

Haven't had a blazer since my mom had one in the late 80's early 90's so I can't be much help.

I bought big SUV's for the same reason, 3kids, two in car seats. With the exception of the blazer (not sure) we all fit comfortably. In an explorer, when the third row is used, there is zero trunk room. Just an fyi if you have strollers or luggage.

My explorer is a 2003, it has 158000 miles, and the only thing I have had to fix that wasn't routine was the alternator. It's been good to me. But it's fuel economy is terrible.

Hope I was able to help some!

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Go for a Honda crv. Great on gas and space. And it's Honda it'll go fir years. My mothers 04 has 240k km (150k miles) still going. 2.4l v4!

My fish life is sparked up with Polys :)
 
Oh yeah i also want a reliable car. My current soccer mom van is a 99 dodge caravn and that thing has new problem literally every month and is always breaking down. So i would like a make and model that has a good reputation for little mechanical problems.

Thank you moon. That helps a lot.

And i dont know if a crv is big enough. I really dont want those suvs that are suvs on the outside but sedans on the inside. My mom has a grand vitara and that thing is soooooooo small on the inside :nilly:

My current car gets 17mpg highway so its not that good anyways but i can deal with it so far. I never drive very far so for errands i usually have to refuel to half once a week.


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I had 2 Tacoma's(2000 & 2007) I loved them. The only reason why I got rid of mine was because I was putting 2,000-2,300 pounds in the back of them and towing a 20-foot center console fishing boat(fiberglass). I felt I was destroying the trucks esp since they were standards. So I upgraded to a GMC 2500HD Duramax diesel which is amazing. I it about 15-16mpg economy with the Tacoma and I get 19mpg economy with the diesel. I know the new Tacoma's are said to have better mpg's.

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Subarus are great cars in my experience. I've owned two Foresters (one got destroyed in an accident, the other I kept for 12 years) and now own an Outback. They run forever, have lots of room, and are the best cars for snow/ice/slick roads (no competition, really). My mom has a Tribeca, which seats 7, but the rest only seat 5 max.
 
I have a 2000 Honda Odyssey mini van never thought I would say this but I love it and it is good on gas and great for my 3 kids. Never goes to the shop.

I have changed my thoughts on cars dramatically. Used to have $30k sports car and $12k motorcycle. Now I have a $6k mini van and a $5k car. The difference is I was able to pay cash, no car payment liability only insurance. Cool factors and newness wear off on cars. With the cars you listed the newness will wear off real quick every time you go to the gas pump! The thought of not having a payment never wears off.

So my advice is get what ever car you can pay cash for.
 
a bunch of people are gonna come in here and bash all of those.

have you ever driven a trailblazer though? i think they handle like you're driving a boat
 
jkusnierz said:
I had 2 Tacoma's(2000 & 2007) I loved them. The only reason why I got rid of mine was because I was putting 2,000-2,300 pounds in the back of them and towing a 20-foot center console fishing boat(fiberglass). I felt I was destroying the trucks esp since they were standards. So I upgraded to a GMC 2500HD Duramax diesel which is amazing. I it about 15-16mpg economy with the Tacoma and I get 19mpg economy with the diesel. I know the new Tacoma's are said to have better mpg's.

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How was the space?


I forgot to mention for trucks i would need quad, crew or similar cab. Remember 2 car seats and a 9yo that needs to not be squished.


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Dan F said:
Subarus are great cars in my experience. I've owned two Foresters (one got destroyed in an accident, the other I kept for 12 years) and now own an Outback. They run forever, have lots of room, and are the best cars for snow/ice/slick roads (no competition, really). My mom has a Tribeca, which seats 7, but the rest only seat 5 max.
Click to expand...

Hmmm i never even thought about subarus thanks for that.


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