Help me pick a SUV

[Epik]

I want this SUV now.

[UAxDEATH(NYC)]

Originally Posted by jetblk328i

Hello,

I am planning on trading in my old lexus rx for another SUV for the winter. Before, I was interested in purchasing new, but now i want either certified or a good pre owned.

My budget is roughly 25000.

Here are some limitations:

1.Must have AWD
2.Must be good in snow
3. X3 size preferred but can tolerate up to and including mercedes ML size.
4.Decent room inside.
5. OK(not range rover or hummer ) fuel economy.

Currently, i was thinking, X3 or LR2ish...
Any and all suggestions are appreciated!
*Edit* not interested in another Lexus Rx.

Thanks!

Well i`m a big fan of SUV`s, i had many of them, and according to what you need, you cant find any better than Touareg V6 (i personaly dont like this car).

All japs SUV`s are no good for real snow driving, i mean they are ok, but not that good as Touareg or Hummers. They never had a real AWD. I`d suggest you a Hummer but you already blacklisted it.

Plus the price http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/STUNN...item35a666d31c

this is a ebay, but if you`ll go to any brooklyn or NY auctions you`ll get 2008 for around 21-22, with aprx 30-40k miles. The car is pretty much big inside, simple.

As an side note you can take a look at Audi Q7 - but its pricy http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Audi-...item19b9968c88

i hope you`ll find what you are looking for

[Bimmer007]

i don't know why anyone would want to buy a touareg when it always tops the list of the most unreliable vehicle in the market

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/c...ginMethod=auto

[UAxDEATH(NYC)]

Originally Posted by Bimmer007

i don't know why anyone would want to buy a touareg when it always tops the list of the most unreliable vehicle in the market

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/c...ginMethod=auto

Well yes and no - it`s all about money. When you are buying used car - you have to be ready to pay for service any kind off. And again according to what he wants, he need to take a test drive of Touareg.

[jetblk328i]

update:

I've got a service appointment for my 328 to install a new lock actuator thursday so i will be checking out surrounding dealerships.

I plan on looking at:

a loaner certified GLK(pricey....)

a certified 2006 ML w/30k miles(they want 30K...i think theres some bargaining room there, but i heard 06 models were unreliable.)

Audi Q5(again, VERY pricey...)

Acura RDX certified 2007 w/28k miles

[CrimsonIvy35i]

Originally Posted by Epik

I want this SUV now.

HAHAHAHA TERRIFIC

[footie]

To me at least this is probably to most tasteful bodykit job to ever grace an SUV.

http://www.enco-exclusive.de/

If the money allows it I say the Q5 and once that is done, bag, borrow or steal to get this bodykit and wheels.

[jetblk328i]

wow, that does look pretty good footie. Not a huge fan of the hood though.

Anyways, the Q5 im looking at are actually NEW q5s.

I saw that they had a couple of NEW premium q5s avaliable which should fall between 37 and 39K. These are way over my budget and a lot more expensive than the 2008 certified land rover lr2 se priced at 26K.

However, i might as well take a look and perhaps hold off until more certified/preowned become available.

How much can i expect to take off a new q5's price? 2k? 3k?

[jetblk328i]

i'm trying analyzing the prices that i could expect to pay, so any additional help is appreciated.

Audi Q5: msrp around 38500 -2500=36000-7000(trade in)=29000

Acura RDX: certified 30k miles 26000-2000=24000-7000=17000

BMW X3 2006 certified 30K miles: 26500-2000=24500-7000=17500

Land rover lr2 mentioned in previous post:26500-2000=24500-7000=17500

Mercedes GLK certified loaner:36000-2000=34000-7000=27000

Mercedes ML certified 06:30000-3250=26750-7000=19750

Think these numbers are somewhat attainable? I knocked off about an average of 2000 from the MSRP/dealer's list prices.

I havent looked extensively into the VW tiguan,touareg, MDX yet.

[touareg]

I wouldn't pick a used GLK at 27K over a new Q5 at 29K. I tested drove a Q5 and was fairly impressed with it. Q5s were selling pretty well when it first came out and I'm not sure how much that's died down, so I'm not sure how big of a discount you can get on it.

Of the rest, I like the LR2 the most. I think you might be able to haggle more off of the LR2 than some of the others, just because it's not got quite the badge appeal in North America as, say, a BMW, and it's a bit of an oddball choice. I'd look at the RDX next but (eating my words before about all these SUVs being similarly good in the snow) I think the LR2 has significantly more ground clearance than the RDX, maybe to the tune of 2 inches or so.

I would definitely look at pricing out a Tiguan and test-driving one, I loosely see it as a cheaper Q5.

[Bimmer007]

here is a cool video comparing acura's, lexus, and audi's awd system...

all suvs are ridding on stock oem all season tires while the TL's are on snows

[jetblk328i]

hmm thats a pretty interesting video, looks like SH-AWD is pretty good. Luckily we are getting pounded with snow right now...I might be able to find some back/snow covered roads to test on tomorrow.

That background music is catchy btw.

[footie]

Originally Posted by jetblk328i

How much can i expect to take off a new q5's price? 2k? 3k?

I can't speak for the US market or their dealers but in the UK you can get about 6% off an Audi that needs to be ordered and a bit more for a broker. If the car you are looking is in stock then without a trade I would expect 10% to be a figure worth pushing for.

[BlackSapphireZ]

so.... UGLY! (i mean the acura)

regardless of its performance, i still wouldn't be caught in it.

[freshwhite335]

I like the GLK for the tech but I think that for the price you cant beat a CPO ML

[ChrisV]

Originally Posted by mtla4

Unless you need to use your car has a status symbol skip the Cayenne's,Range,X5 my friends only use them to show that they have money.....thats their only purpose.Never went off roading,nor pull anything with these.

Just because your friends are losers doen't mean that's what these vehicles are for. I know MY Range Rover isn't a status symbol (how can it be when it's almost 10 years old and of the last bodystyle, and only cost me $10k a year ago?).

I'd never get a halfway useable SUV. The Rangie tows great, goes offroad great of you want to, carries a lot of stuff inside, is INCREDIBLE in deep snow, and comfortable. Mine gets 18-19 mpg on teh highway, which is adequate. yeah, you can get cute-utes that get better fuel mileage, but then you are limited in the actual trucklike capabilitys AND you don't get any of the benefits of being in a car for handling and the like.

Personally, I'd spend $10k or less on an older Range Rover that's been well maintained. The fuel mileage won't be the greatest, but you can go a long way on the $10-20k you'll save. Same for repairs. My '01 has cost me $50 in the last year for repairs. My last one (the '95 County LWB) cost about $200 in 2 years.

Here are both of mine:

[Zephyr15]

Originally Posted by ChrisV

The Rangie . . . is INCREDIBLE in deep snow

Did you take it out this past Saturday and Wednesday just for fun? I know I would have.

Edit: Had to fix my hack job of a first sentence.

[ChrisV]

Originally Posted by Zephyr15

Did take it ou this past Saturday and Wednesday just for fun? I know I would have.

Sure did!

[jetblk328i]

hmm ive always heard that those old range rovers were pretty unreliable, seems like you have 2 nice ones though!

[ChrisV]

Originally Posted by jetblk328i

hmm ive always heard that those old range rovers were pretty unreliable, seems like you have 2 nice ones though!

People that buy beat up ones and have to take them to the dealers to be serveice will definitely feel they are unreliable and costly. But that's the same for any car, really. My 7 series is supposed to be unreliable and expensive tomaintain, but mine hasn't been, due to the fact I don't let hacks work on it.

An example, on Top Gear, they bought some cheap, beat up old 4x4s to drive across soutn America, and even though it was cheap, beat up, and poorly maintained, the Range Rover did the job and ended up being the best of the three. One that had actually been maintained by someone who gave a crap about it would have been even better.

Ones that were owned by, say, mtla4's frineds would be poor candidates to own, as they don't care about them at all...

[M3 vert]

Try to locate a 03+ Lexus LX470, the smoothest, quietest, most durable, best 4*4 Offroad SUVs out there, esentially a Landcruiser but with lexus refinements!
Its quieter then the LS430, and drives like on too!
We had one in the family before we replaced it with the LX570 2.5 yrs ago!
The LX's are big, a bit fuel thirsty, but hey which SUVs arent
But they have proved to be amazing trucks for city/highways etc.

Good Luck!

[graider]

honda cr-v if I'm in your shoes.

btw, i think q5 is better looking than q7. q5 is also a good choice if you are into small SUV or wait for the new x3. it looks very promising and i'm pretty sure the driving dynamic is up in the top level compare to it rivals.