How many drive SUV's? Thinking of getting one but not sure.

[Frontier Mom]

My minivan died - yep, I mean dead this time. It was 8 years old and has been fading slowly the last couple of months so it is time to get something else.

 

A good friend of ours has a car dealership so I know I am buying from him. He is willing to give us "one heck of a deal" on a SUV. I have always wanted one and am really tired of the minivans. We have had 4 now and we like to camp, travel, take bike outings so I want the room. Plus, my oldest is now 5' 10" and doesn't seem to be decreasing any time soon. LOL.

 

My dh has a car for running around so we are seriously considering either the SUV or crossover. However, the crossover doesn't have much room behind the back seats and I doubt our 80lb Lab and all four kiddos will go anywhere comfortably.

 

However, with lots of people trading theirs I am torn. It seems to make sense for us room wise and we typically buy cars new and drive them at least 7 to 8 years until they die. Just wondering how others like theirs and what would you do?

[TwinMominTX]

I love my SUV and can't imagine driving anything different (or smaller). I live fairly rural and have to drive on a major highway to get anywhere and I like the security I get from driving in an SUV.

 

I have a Toyota LandCrusier. This is my third one and this one has close to 200,000 miles on it. They run forever and have a fairly high resale value. Mine seats 8 people (5 adults very comfortably) with the back rear seats ok for adults in a pinch and great for kids all the time. It has room for cargo in the back and then seats fold easily to store extra items when the seats in back aren't needed.

 

Good luck in your hunt. You can get some great deals on SUV's right now.

[Frontier Mom]

Thanks. Yep, the deals are great and I have always wanted one. My dc's are fairly tall and I like the space! We actually have a family big enough to probably justify one - most people in our church that have one have two kids.

 

They told me the resell probably won't be that great but we have never resold anyway, just traded in when it was worn out and bought something else. This one is new but a year old (been on the lot) and I can get about 40% off the retail price. Plus, it has a 36 mi. bumper to bumper warranty plus other warranties that apply.

[AnnetteB]

We have a minivan and a full size Ford van (12 passenger). An SUV would use as much gas, but I couldn't haul a dozen bales of hay or a queen size bed or couch in the back. We have helped a lot of friends and family move over the years :)

[Plucky]

We don't plan on buying an SUV but the deals have certainly been tempting. I saw a gorgeous 06 Escalade the other day for $19,999. I'm not a luxury vehicle person but I did think about it. All our cars are paid off and our next purchase will be a car for our teens to use.

[AuntieM]

Love it! I am fairly new to the world of winter-weather driving, and this vehicle can get through just about anything, so I don't have fears of being stranded. Also, here there are SO MANY SUV's on the road, I am not sure I'd feel safe in a smaller vehicle (as in, crush factor, kwim?).

 

It has its drawbacks, though. Of course there is the gas issue. My Jeep is always hungry:tongue_smilie:

 

The other thing, one I didn't consider before hand, is that the rear doors open outward, like the front doors do. After driving a van for 11 years, I'd gotten used to just sliding the doors open, without having to be sure there's lots of space between vehicles. This isn't so much as issue when dashing around with my big kids, but I do still have one in a car seat and it is simply much harder to access in the Jeep.

 

Personally, I think it boils down to a few issues - price, your personal gas budget, and what vehicles are predominant in your area. I wouldn't mind driving a nice sedan, but for reasons mentioned above, my big gas hog gives me much more security.

[athena1277]

My dh has a Mountaneer that he loves. He gets to "haul stuff" which apparently makes him very manly. LOL

 

It is great having it when we go on long trips b/c we can put lots of stuff in it. We aren't good at packing light. You can put stuff on top and we have a "basket" that can be attached to the back for more stuff if needed.

 

Really the only drawback is the gas mileage. He averages about 15 mpg. If you can take the sticker shock of fill-ups if gas is $4 a gal again then I say go for it, especially when you can get such a good price on it.

 

Hope that helps and good luck.

[lllll]

We own a 1999, GMC Suburban. 96,000 miles on it. Seats 9, 4WD. Never had any problems with it. Gets about 16mpg for the kind of driving we do (35 miles to town). I love it. Wish we'd bought one years ago instead of the Ford Aerostar van (a real lemon:glare:). It's a comfortable ride and has leg and book room for all of us (7 people, youngest dc is 15yo).

 

We use it to haul firewood with our trailer, haul junk to the dump in the trailer, plow our 3.2 mile gravel driveway after the rare snowfall, and so on. We can also fit all the shopping into it along with all the people - a real plus. And it's fun to ride through the woods in it.

 

Also, I feel a little safer when teaching dc how to drive, if you get my drift. ;) (Note: another thing that helps me feel safer is the bright, red and white, magnetic "STUDENT DRIVER" signs stuck to each side and the rear of the car. I highly recommend these. Bought them on the net. Other drivers seem to be a little more patient - or wary- when they see those signs. But be prepared for a lot of gawkers.:))

 

We do, however, stay home as much as possible. I'm not running a taxi service for dc and dh does 95% of the family shopping. (He drives a Toyota Matrix, 4WD, and carpools with another guy.) The high mileage comes from our trips (rare, these days).

 

A couple of things we added to it that have really helped:

 

mud flaps - if you travel dirt roads, helps keep the gunk out from under the car as well as off the sides

 

running boards - if you're shortish, something to stand on when climbing into the car

 

cloth upholstery - for the seats, esp., so you don't 'stick' to them in hot weather (I hate leather seats ... and couches, etc. A saleswoman at a furniture store once tried to sell us a leather couch. When I blurted out 'Yuk!' after she suggested leather - not known for my tact - she dropped the 'sales' look and admitted that the only people who bought leather were people who had never owned it before. For what that's worth.)

 

HTH.

[TraceyS/FL]

I'd only consider a full size one with 4 kids. The rear cargo room behind the seats becomes a major player - not sure what kind of mini van you hd, but like in mine there is a well behind the rear seats that allows for more cargo room.

 

Gas wise, the Honda i drive is within 800 pounds of a suburban - and not that much different in gas mileage. But that is a consideration too. I get 14-15 with all in town driving, and about 23 out on the hwy.

 

But for me with 3 kids even i wouldn't want smaller than a suburban. I need room back there! LOL!

[Tree House Academy]

My dh has a 2007 Toyota Rav 4. He loves it. He drives a good bit to work and back and the gas mileage has not really been too bad for him.

[Colleen]

When I feel sad about how quickly my children are growing up, I comfort myself with the knowledge that fewer children on board means release from driving The Bus. "The Bus" is my blah-colored, blah-in-general 2003 Suburban. It drives like a truck because, well, it's essentially a truck. It's an environmental pimple on the face of society. It looks and feels cheaply designed ~ particularly since my previous vehicles were an Audi Quattro and an Acura MDX.

 

There is one reason and one reason only I drive this thing, and that's the fact that I have five children. Any fewer than that and it'd be a no-go for me. (So I guess, technically, the "one reason" is Kai, my youngest, since he moved us up to five.;)) When we're all in there togethere, we're often doing something outdoor/activity related, such as skiing or soccer games or kayaking/canoeing or biking. We do use up every inch of space then, but it's not like that's a daily deal. I've been seriously considering trying to downsize, but I so don't want a mini-van, and when I recently test drove the new one from Volkswagen, it was hard to imagine squeezing all of us plus our "stuff" in there.

[danybug]

I have questioned giving up our SUV (thru the gas crisis). But couldn't do it. I adore my 2005 Honda Pilot :auto:. This is our second one.

 

All of the features are perfect for me. Everything is designed ergonomically and there is alot of storage space throughout the car. I love the large sun roof too. There is a third row of seats. When we use them we can seat 8 comfortably or 9. The cargo area holds a ton and all of the back seats can lay down to fit large items.

 

Another plus...we were in an accident last week where we were rear ended by someone in a large pickup truck going 40 mph. And our Pilot kept us all totally protected and really took the hit well.

 

So needless to say...I am all about my Pilot and cannot imagine ever wanting another type of car.

[Colleen]

Guess I got a little emotional there, but I s'pose the subject line gets my point across anyway.:tongue_smilie:

[Highereducation]

We have a Honda CRV and a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

 

We love the CRV - it's more like a wagon. The Cherokee we can do without. It guzzles gas and it's more room than we need.

 

When the lease on the CRV is up we're going to buy it, no sense in financing a new car since it's only got 15,000 miles on it after 3 years.

 

When the lease on the Jeep is up, it's going back and that will probably be the end of leasing SUV's.

 

I want a Volkwagen Eos.:)

[TraceyS/FL]

I want a Volkwagen Eos.:)

 

Oh me too...... :D :auto:

[Amy in NY]

When we first got it, I thought it was way too much vehicle for me to drive. Now, I can't live without it. We do a lot of traveling and camping; it's size has come in handy for what we do. Plus, when the seats are down/out, you can fit a lot into it for local transport, like our refrigerator that dh just brought to the transfer station.

 

Plus, with the 4wd and the size of the truck - that's essentially what it is - I feel very safe driving in winter weather. In fact, I had to drive to work yesterday during the ice storm, early in the morning. While I had to go slow, I had no doubt that I was safe on the roads. One last thing, even though a Suburban is really a truck, mine rides like a car. It's really a great vehicle. I would get another one in an instant.

[Guest]

We got a '91 suburban. DH is very mechanical so he can fix an older car much easier than the new computer cars. That being said, it is HUGE. (Way bigger than the newer models) and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I tell him at least once a week how much I love and am thankful for it. It easily fits 8 adults (legally with seatbelts ;)) and I can pile multiple strollers, a potty and a whole grocery trip in the back. It gets better gas mileage than my old car did. I try to stay local and not drive too much, but bottom line: it is spacious, safe and cheap to register and insure!

[Frontier Mom]

Thanks everyone and we are going for it!! Just hate having to pay for it IYKWIM.

 

Anyway, dh called our friend and he is starting the paperwork. Hopefully I will get it Monday or Tuesday as my dh's car is in the shop there because he was rear ended. They like us at this dealership. LOL.

 

BTW, though I wasn't thinking safety, after dh was rear ended it has made me think of having a big car. He has a Torrent and it sustained hardly any damage. However, the guy who hit him had a totaled car and broken foot after the accident. Of course, he was talking on his cell phone.

[MichelleWI]

We have a 9-passenger Suburban and it is the perfect vehicle for our family.

 

Five of our six children are still in some form of car seat and all easily fit in the Suburban. This was not true of the minivan we had before the Suburban.

 

We can fit a month's worth of groceries in the back of the Suburban without piling bags around the feet of the children. Again, this was not true of the minivan.

 

We have been caught in winter storms and easily switched to 4WD. Another option not available to us with our former minivan. The heavier build of a Suburban is safer on wintry roads, too.

 

Yes, the gas mileage is less than the minivan but the trade-offs were completely worth it. We even have an aftermarket tank that holds somewhere around 50 gallons in gas. We did *not* know that when we bought it (used, obviously). The first fill-up really shocked us!

 

Now, however, we feel much safer when we set off in winter. We have room for the emergency supplies that are recommended.

 

When we head down a road we've never traveled, only to find that it peters out into little more than a wide path, we are able to crank around and get out without panic.

 

All of the nature paraphernalia that my children insist upon toting around now fits without a scuffle over who brought too much stuff. LOL We can also accommodate all the things they pick up to bring home!

 

It feeds the Adventurer in my husband. :001_smile:

Edited December 13, 2008 by MichelleWI
Silly mistake.

[Amy in NY]

We even have an aftermarket tank that holds somewhere around 50 gallons in gas.

 

 

Oh, I so want your gas tank!

:thumbup1:

[Melinda in VT]

We traded our Honda Accord in for a Honda Pilot right before the birth of our fourth child. (It's our only vehicle.)

 

I went back on forth on whether to get an SUV or a mini-van. During snow storms (we live in the mountains and many of my kids' friends live on dirt roads), I'm glad we went with the SUV, but the rest of the year I wish we had the mini-van.

 

Some of it is gas mileage, but I also think mini-vans are more convenient. (We rent one once or twice a year when we are on vacation.) I like that my kids can open the van doors without risk of dinging other cars. My 3yo can get into the van by himself, but he still has to be lifted into the Pilot. There is a lot more room for the kids to get in and for me to strap the youngest into his car seat. (In the Pilot, someone is always waiting for the kid who sits in the back to climb in.) There is more room for stuff. And my toddler can't reach the heating and cooling controls. (In the Pilot, he sits in the middle seat--because there isn't enough room for him to sit behind one of the front seats--and he can kick the heating and cooling dial with his foot, much to the annoyance of the other kids.)

[Frontier Mom]

I got my Christmas present yesterday!! We bought the Yukon XL. I'm loving the room already.

 

Thanks for everyone's response.

[texascamps]

I have a Durango Limited with the Hemi and I love it. We got a special deal on the LTD or I never would have been able to get it. On the -2 degree days, I love my bun warmers and my sun roof....I'm so spoiled. When my husband said we should probably get a Suburban I was wary. I don't think he'll get the nice appointments for what we can afford.

 

The newer Durangos seat 8. Mine seats 7 but the rear seat is so big it can easily seat 3 and its split to fold down in stages. Plus the 3rd row has more foot room than the 2nd row. We drove the Trailblazer, Escalade, Expedition, Excursion, 4 Runner, Pilot, Highlander,Commander,Suzuki something or other, Yukon, Envoy, Outlook (my favorite) and the new Ford thing (which was nice but only sat 6). The Outlook gets 26 MPG on the highway and it was everyone's favorite It has the comfort of a Mini but the styling and aggression of an SUV. I didn't want a Durango because I'm short and I thought it had a blind spot. But we got such a deal that I'm happy we got it. Gets 16MPG in city and I've gotten as much as 22 on the highway when its tuned up. The Hemi means I've got to watch my speed because it wants to go fast.

 

For Christmas I'd like my DH to get it detailed so it will be like I'm driving a brand new car!!!!

[LG Gone Wild]

I have a Durango Limited with the Hemi and I love it. We got a special deal on the LTD or I never would have been able to get it. On the -2 degree days, I love my bun warmers and my sun roof....I'm so spoiled. When my husband said we should probably get a Suburban I was wary. I don't think he'll get the nice appointments for what we can afford.

 

The newer Durangos seat 8. Mine seats 7 but the rear seat is so big it can easily seat 3 and its split to fold down in stages. Plus the 3rd row has more foot room than the 2nd row. We drove the Trailblazer, Escalade, Expedition, Excursion, 4 Runner, Pilot, Highlander,Commander,Suzuki something or other, Yukon, Envoy, Outlook (my favorite) and the new Ford thing (which was nice but only sat 6). The Outlook gets 26 MPG on the highway and it was everyone's favorite It has the comfort of a Mini but the styling and aggression of an SUV. I didn't want a Durango because I'm short and I thought it had a blind spot. But we got such a deal that I'm happy we got it. Gets 16MPG in city and I've gotten as much as 22 on the highway when its tuned up. The Hemi means I've got to watch my speed because it wants to go fast.

 

For Christmas I'd like my DH to get it detailed so it will be like I'm driving a brand new car!!!!

 

I only have three kids but because of the car seats, a sedan or smaller SUV would be difficult. I'm a small lady and like small SUVs.

 

We got our new Durango (not fully loaded but with nice amenities) which seats 8 for 16,000 out the door. The crazy thing is that the (way) smaller vehicles with less features cost more than the Durango.

 

Now that kiddos are getting older, I might end up taking friends along to .... whatever.

 

I think I get about 19 miles per gallon.

[PrairieAir]

We have a 1999 GMC Suburban that we are trying to sell. We loved having it when gas was cheap, when there were four kids at home, and when we were doing a lot of camping. Right now it just isn't practical for us. We live in a rural area and it's nice for the rough dirt roads around here, but it's so expensive to drive.

 

For the past three years I've had a Saturn Ion which I use for running the kids around and doing my errands. I've really noticed a difference in how much money I'm saving on gas. At one point I was using at least $80 a week in gas for the Suburban, sometimes $120. Since my kids are older now, we don't always go everywhere together and my oldest is no longer living at home. The Saturn works fine for getting us where we need to go, though I do miss the space and the four wheel drive. The kids are also not doing 4-H dog training any more, so we don't take the dogs anywhere but the vet (2 miles away) most of the time.

 

You really just have to consider your family's specific needs and whether or not you can afford to pay extra for gas or a smaller car will meet your needs just as well most of the time. We do have dh's work truck (5 seats) for when we need to haul things or need a little more room.

 

Another thing to consider is resale value. Suburbans and other SUVs used to hold their value, but nowadays you can barely sell them for what they'd bring in scrap. No one wants them because they cost too much to drive.

[riada]

So glad you love your Yukon. I'm with those that love their suburbans. I started with a Tahoe and then went to Suburbans. I'm on my second one and wouldn't settle for anything else. The safety, room, and comfort are awesome! They handle great in winter weather, pull our four wheelers and camp trailer, and the gas mileage isn't as bad as people think.

 

I hope you enjoy yours as much as we have enjoyed ours.:001_smile:

[astrid]

We actually have a family big enough to probably justify one - most people in our church that have one have two kids.

 

I'm reading this as, "Only big families justify the purchase/use of an SUV."

 

I have an only child and drive a GMC Suburban. Here's how I justify it:

I also have two dogs who outweigh many people (over 150 lbs. each.) We show them, so I have to have room for crates, dogs, luggage, show stuff, etc. in my SUV. I've not met a minivan yet that can fit the crate sizes we need for our dogs. In addition, we need 4-wheel drive, as we drive across the country and back for dog shows.

 

My point is, it's not only family size alone that dictates vehicle size.

 

astrid

[Frontier Mom]

I didn't mean that only large families should drive them, one is definitely entitled to drive what they want. I just meant for my family of 6, 95% of all cars on the lot won't fit us anyway so we have very few choices.

 

 

One of the reasons I wanted lots of space is because of our Lab. He was so uncomfortable in our minivan.

 

By all means, if you want a SUV I say go for it. Size shouldn't matter.

[Kate in Arabia]

We have a Nissan Patrol, and I love it. (I don't think they sell this model in the US.) We bought it used. It does cost more in gas, but we do quite a bit of off-roading. After getting stuck several times in sand in our old car, I was really excited to have something that could handle most of what we get into.

 

Size is less of an issue for us, it's more about the off-roading capabilities.

[KatieJ]

I am driving a Yukon XL and it is our 4th suburban. We love them!

WE consider it our truck and they have hauled just about everythng in them over the years..

Sand for sand boxes

Refrigerator

Washer AND a dryer and 3 people, same trip!

Couches

Hot water heater

Stoves.

People, lots of people!

 

We moved away from extended family 12 years and I have logged many miles in our trucks over the years. I feel safe and I can see the roads. I also feel like if I do something dumb, everyone else can see me do the dumb thing and stay out of my way!

Since I am and have always been a stay at home MOm, the gas isn't as bad as if I was out and about continuously. When our married daughter and her family fly here, they don't have to rent a car because we have room for them in our big ole truck.

Love it!