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Comments
Bob
This will go head to head with the Tiguan I think for some buyers, and in that regard, the Mini is better, the Tig comes in over 3400!!
I think in terms of size it's more Suzuki SX4, only more upmarket.
tom
I will miss my STI but my neck and back (and ears!) are now much happier!
tom
Bob
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/12/cambertire-could-increase-mpgs-improve-handli- ng/
Bob
Bob- it's night and day how much more quiet this car is than the STI! It's pretty fast in a straight line too!
tom
Yours is a sport model with AWD. I'm assuming it has summer tires? My friends don't have the sport model.
Bob
A welcome change from the 3 series norm, IMHO.
Of course I jest; my list is longer than that.
No manual, but it has a 7 speed rev matching paddle shift auto which probably shifts better than I do! It sure makes traffic a lot easier too.
Colin, I finished all my projects and had to end it with some sort of a reward!
tom
Would probably make the car look funny too.
tom
Bob
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/13/video-jay-lenos-garage-talks-with-camber-tire- s-inventor/#continued
Bob
I would only use summer tires if I were still doing autocross or driving schools / track days.
My miata has the Sport package and that comes with summer tires.
Dry grip is great, sure, but it's undriveable in snow and even heavy rain. Fortunately it's my fair-weather ride. :shades:
Another complaint - noise and a harsh ride. I hope my replacement tires will have a little more give in the sidewalls. I may even try to fit a taller sidewall.
tom
I'd look more in to it or wait it out, til VW sorts it out.
Which reminds me... is it time for Juice's annual "100K Garage" discussion?
We started school today ... only 179 days to go .. LOL
I am assigned in three different schools in two different school districts ... I don't even start at the same school every day ... I think I'll set repeating reminders in my phone so I at least know where I'm headed every day ...
Yup, it was our annual "stocking stuffer."
Bob
tom
I am now thinking that perhaps I should get a small / midsize SUV so I can tow dirtbikes, ATVs and maybe even a boat (say 25' absolute max). Problem is, I've literally never been interested in this type of vehicle before. I am very sure I don't want a truck. I will tow probably a dozen times a year, but I'll use the interior space of the SUV all the time, and crew cab trucks don't cut it for me.
Likewise, large SUVs are out. I just don't want to drive something the size of a Sequioa, Armada, Suburban, etc. Yes, I do realize that medium SUVs that can tow a boat may not get any better mpg than a large SUV.
So it is:
Small/Medium SUV
$30k or less preferred, hard cap at $35k
New or CPO -- older than ~3-4 years not desired
Automatic
4WD or AWD -- low range transfer case not required
Able to tow at least 5,000 lb
Not overly concerned about mpg, but better would be nice
Definitely no hybrids. Would love a diesel but I don't think there are any in this price range since the bigger German SUVs have them and they're big $$$.
I looked in the Smart Shopper forum and did not see any active threads about vehicle suggestions so I posted here. I know you folks are savy, so even if most of you don't own vehicles like this I'm hoping for some ideas.
I'm really likin' the new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It finally has an interior worthy of the price, and the new Penastar engine is good enough that you probably don't need the V8. It's a poor man's Mercedes, too.
The main negative is it's not that big - but you like that about it. You don't need the interior space that I want. $33k list for a 4WD Laredo model. Discounts may be sparse - I can't even find one at Fitzmall.
I'd also take a look at the 4Runner. Fitz has 5 for $32-34k street price range w/4WD. May feel a bit big to you. Resale is strong and they win JD Power Durability studies all the time.
Gosh, everything else has gone unibody. Kia Borrego? Maybe if you like old-school trucks. Or a Nissan XTerra ($23,808 at Fitz, only 1 in stock) as well, the Pathfinder you'll find big.
Tahoe's too big. Explorer went unibody and it also big. A new Durango is coming but that'll basically be a long wheelbase Grand Cherokee.
Personally, I'd be comparing the Jeep and 4Runner.
In real-world driving, you'll still get better fuel economy in a mid-size than a full-size, unless maybe you opt for a V-8 option (as is available with the Jeep). The mid-size will net you 18-22, with the full size netting you 16-18.
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/20/video-get-your-f1-fix-during-the-break-with-3- 0-of-the-sports-g/
Watch him pass several other legends (Schuey, Hill, Prost) like they weren't even there. In the wet! On the first lap!
The guy was insane, and that's part of the reason we loved him!
I think Honda beefed up the trans in the Ridge, and then started putting it in other vehicles in the lineup. Ody problems dropped after it got it in MY2007, I believe.
So that makes sense.
For Colin, though, they're big and very trucky. I bet he'd prefer driving a JGC most of the time.
They do have that in-bed cooler and some other neat tricks, though.
Dunno, Bob likes those, but I never really fell in love with them, and I'm not sure why. I'm the perfect target buyer - a handy do-it-yourselfer with kids. Come to think of it, tossing beach chairs in the bed would be easier than using the van. I might even have been able to take the dishwasher AND the fridge, rather than one at a time...
I agree, though - it feels big. It is probably a little larger, dimensionally, than the Jeep, but certainly not bigger than your van. If someone gave me the option, today, of a Sienna AWD or a Ridgeline, I would probably go with the Sienna. Of course, I have always been a fan of vans.
I love the all-new '11 Grand Cherokee, and have driven several of them. It's based on the new MB ML model, as they were both engineered (together) before Mercedes split from Chrysler.
The V6 feels a bit weak, but it can tow 5K. V8 version has plenty of power, and can tow over 7K.
Pricing? A base V6 GC Laredo with QuadraTrac I (no low range, but still full-time AWD/4WD, and with a 48/52 front/rear default power split) might be in the $35K range. The 4x4 base MSRP starts at $32,215, according to the "Build My Own" section of the web site.
Here's the link:
http://www.jeep.com/en/2011/grand_cherokee/?bid=4672065&adid=226784106&pid=50558- - - - - - - - - - - - 913&KWNM=jeep+grand+cherokee%20&KWID=118116146&channel=PS
If you add the Off-road Adventure I Package you get: QuadraTrac II (has a low range), full-size spare, tow hooks, skid plates, Selec-Terrain (has several additional off-road settings: sand, sport, rock, etc.) it'll add another $950. I would get that, if it were my car, but you said you may not need/want it. They even offer an Off-road Adventure II Package, which adds a height-adjustable suspension (called Quadra-Lift Air Suspension), and a few other off-road-oriented goodies. Not sure of the price on that, as it has yet to be released. To me it just seems silly not to get a Jeep without real off-road capability, but that's just me.
The all-new Dodge Durango will be announced soon. It will be essentially a slightly stretched Grand Cherokee, with a 3rd-row seat. Pricing and equipment are unknown at this point.
The all-new Explorer is also interesting, but I'm just not attracted to it. It too has 3-row seating.
Same with the new 4Runner; just not interested. Full-time 4WD only comes with the top trim model.
You may want to look at a Highlander, as the optional tow package gives it 5K towing. Not sure of the pricing. If you go to the Toyota site, I'm sure you can price one out.
I see a lot of Honda Pilots around. They can tow 4500, I believe.
A Nissan Xterra can tow 5K. Pricing probably in the low 30K range, maybe less depending on equipment. It has part-time 4WD only (or RWD).
Even though you said no pickups, I would look at the Ridgeline. It's the best combo of car an truck out there, and can tow 5K. You can also put a dirt bike in the bed, so you wouldn't need to trailer it.
Bob
This is way off the current topic, but I rode in a 2005 Legacy GT last night that is heavily modified, including a souped up STi drivetrain; it runs a 12-second quarter mile. That was the first time I had actually been in a modded performance car, so the driver entertained me with a couple bursts of acceleration. :surprise: Dang! I almost wish I had never experienced that....
Oh boy, your done. It's all downhill from here!
Bob
I'd really like to replace the summer Dunlop SP Sport 01 tires with a good high-performance all-season tire—and one that doesn't cost an arm-and-a-leg. I'd also like a tire that doesn't produce a lot of road noise. The tire size is 225/45x17.
Any suggestions?
Bob
I did consider a Ridge, but I think I use the 3rd row more often than I feel the need for an open bed. I'll need it again next year for that big family trip to Florida.
For me the main thing that pushed me to the Sienna, though, is gas mileage. I can break 30mpg on trips, 27+mpg no matter how fast I go. :shades:
I didn't think that a new 2011 JGC would possibly fit into my budget, but now that I'm looking it might be possible to get a decent one for right at $35k. I see that the Flex EcoBoost AWD definitely is over $35k and it doesn't tow too much anyway.
What about older vehicles? Looks like 2007-2008 VW Touaregs can be had for $27k-$32k. They tow 7,700lb it looks like.
I will say that for nearly the same amount of money at the Tirerack you can buy the Continental Extreme DWS instead of the BFG Gforce Supersport A/S, which were my last 2 tire purchases.
The BFGs had acceptable snow and ice performance and good dry grip, but underwhelming wet road and actually had poor hydroplaning resistance. I had a few seat-puckering moments in what I felt was tame rainy weather, having driven the same roads for years and years in all conditions.
Much more impressed with the Continentals, although they do howl when pushed on dry road. They have good grip, but you'll hear them way before you would have heard the BFGs.
I like my tires to perform well, but I also want them to last a while (miles-wise) so that I am not replacing tires any sooner than 50,000 miles.
I would suggest the Goodyear TripleTred, but my experience with those is that they are a relatively noisy tire.
And you will need to launch and retrieve that boat at some ramps that may be slimy, so yes a 4WD and real limited slip rear diff are needed.
Most people tow well under the max tow rating. I've towed a lot of 25' fiberglass boats and the weight pushes the tow vehicle around, so you want a heavy vehicle, heavy brakes and body on frame construction. There is no small or mid-size SUV capable of the job. My current boat, a Scout 185SF center console, comes in at around 3500 pounds total with motor and trailer and I use a truck rated at 10K to tow it. Better to err on the side of too capable rather than not adequate. The greatest mistake people make is in figuring if the tow vehicle can pull the weight without considering if it can bring that weight to a stop when that critter or child jumps in the road, or a light changes, or any other reason why you have to stop quickly.