vehicle advice

[043500]

Here's the back story. Last year we traded my wife's Honda pilot for an accord to save money on payments and fuel. 15 days after that someone rear ended her and totaled the accord. So she drove the scout for about 5 months and decided an old smelly vehicle isn't as cool as she thought so she bought an '07 liberty...which she now doesn't like as much as she thought.

I cannot talk her into an XJ...I wish to GOD I could since I can damn near rebuild one in a weekend.

I wish I could talk her into an early ford excursion with the 7.3 PS. But I think she will think it's too big. What I really wish it that dodge made something that big with the 6BT OR that she would be ok with getting something and putting a 6BT into it.

So I'm looking for some real world ideas. We had an '06 Nissan pathfinder and loved it but the new pathfinders are fugly and way too untruck like....but we do like the x-terras/frontiers.

I've thought about a 4 door jk but I don't know how much room for a family of 5 plus extra stuff we would have. But what about a WK or a commander.

I've also thought of a half ton ram quad/crew cab.

Just looking for ideas as we will be in a position in a couple months to maybe really do something.

 

[Cnickgo]

If you are looking at going back to something that big that sucks that much gas, why not another Pilot? I am a bit biased towards Honda but a Pilot sounds like a better family vehicle and investment than the rest of those options, except maybe the Commander.

 

[043500]

The pilot was a good vehicle...but for the money the pathfinder was (less $$) a lot better rig all around and got better mileage to boot.

I just don't know if I can talk her into a used one. I talked her into her 1st new vehicle 7 years ago...and that was a mistake because now she's go the mentality of "if it's not new it's crap".

Maybe I should see what it would take to make that damn new 4 wheeler she bought in Harlan street legal and she can just ride it back and forth to work.

 

[Cnickgo]

2006-2008 are the best years of the Pilot anyways. Still the older body style, easy to work on and deadnuts reliable. They also added c-pillar side airbags for the kiddos. The Honda is more to buy into at first than the Nissan, but holds it's value like no other. The only problem with my parent's 08 so far is the TPMS sensors.

Another part of my Honda bias other than the many my family has owned was working in a tire shop. The difference in ease for oil changes and alignments (they hold their alignments longer as well) as well as other basic maintenance compared to any other Jap. Honda>Toyota>Mitsubishi>Nissan. Oh how I used to curse at a Sentra oil change, or worse, a Versa alignment.

 

[043500]

That's one thing I can attest to is the difficulty of the pathfinder oil change. High enough off the ground but PITA to get the filter out and back in.

I dunno...depends on $$ more than anything and there isn't any of that right now so either way I have time to figure it out.

I just liked the Nissan more because it had a higher tow rating, RWD instead of FWD (I hate TQ steer), more HP and better mileage.

 

[xjtrailrider]

I love my Hemi Commander, it will haul the Jeep(7400# tow capacity) , the family(seats 5 easily or 2 kiddys in the third row) and it will haul ass! Real world mileage is going to be 13 in town, 18 running 70+(19-20 below 70) and 13 towing. When we travel I tow a 6x10 enclosed trailer behind us to throw our junk in. Sometimes I use the hitch hauler if its a short trip or nothing at all.

I know a bunch of folks that have them around here and I hear very few complaints.

I would also look at the 'burbs/hoes/kons. They are great trucks with the 5.3 with similar mileage/tow capacity as the XK.

Also, if a Ford is your thing, look at the Expedition

 

[RWKHausSupply]

IF you can afford it or find one for a good price, the Toyota Sequoia turned into a great SUV in 2008, up to current model yr! Only they are Not cheap when new. I haven't priced a used one though?

More power then most any SUV. Huge inside. If I remember correctly more room inside the 2nd and 3rd rows then a tahoe or expy. And on par with leg room and hig room and head room with a surb.

We use ours to tow a 31ft travel trailer or my race jeep on a 18ft trailer.

All 3 rows of seats recline independently, L & R. The front 2 rows both slide to adjust leg room. And 19 cup holders lol.

Wife drives it about 2K miles a month and she gets average about 14-15MPG total overall. she drives about 50/50 hwy/city with LOTS of stop and go traffic. On long trips we get about 18-20MPG. While towing (either 8000 or 10K) we get about 12-14MPG.

The 5.7 toyota motor I feel it a little better then the GM(320HP) or Ford(310HP) counter part, its quieter, and not only feels more powerful, but is more powerful(381HP). Not to mention the brakes are freaking phenomenal.



Just one other larger SUV that I feel some overlook.

Good luck with your search...

OH and if you really get froggy and want to smoke some muscle cars, bolt-on Toyota Racing Development Eaton's supercharger kit, ups the power to 504 hp (376 kW) and 550 lb·ft (750 N·m) of torque. Being from TRD, supercharger can be installed by dealers and will be covered under warranty.

 

[043500]

I will NOT have a chevy in my driveway! LOL YUCK! No offense to anyone that has one but I don 't care for them.

Whew...ok...I'll calm down now.

I've thought about the sequoia for sure just the $$ for them.

Also considered the expedition but I've worked on the 4.6L and 5.4L and they aren't my favorite motors to work on. I actually do like the expedition I just don't want to work on one (I hear they are $$ to work on too).

She did mention wanting to look at a crew cab pickup...I'd love to get her into a 1500 ram or maybe (goes against the grain) an F150. It would be nice to have another truck that can tow and haul some stuff. The MJ can...but it's more set up for wheeling than anything now.

 

[Ghost]

I will NOT have a chevy in my driveway! LOL YUCK! No offense to anyone that has one but I don 't care for them.

Whew...ok...I'll calm down now.

I've thought about the sequoia for sure just the $$ for them.

Also considered the expedition but I've worked on the 4.6L and 5.4L and they aren't my favorite motors to work on. I actually do like the expedition I just don't want to work on one (I hear they are $$ to work on too).

She did mention wanting to look at a crew cab pickup...I'd love to get her into a 1500 ram or maybe (goes against the grain) an F150. It would be nice to have another truck that can tow and haul some stuff. The MJ can...but it's more set up for wheeling than anything now.

You know the '14 Ram 1500 is going to have a diesel.....

 

[RWKHausSupply]

LOL yeah and likely starting about $45K

 

[Ghost]

LOL yeah and likely starting about $45K

Yea that is what I have not heard yet. Price.

 

[RWKHausSupply]

its said to only add about 3K to the price, but you have to get a mid level package and up to even get the option as an option.

 

[Boveevil]

My wife has a 2009 Pilot. We bought it with like 4 miles on it. Not one problem or issue in 65k miles. Driven it from FL to WI and NY with my wife and 3 kids. According to the display we avg. about 24mpg mixed driving. I would buy another one

 

[xjtrailrider]

I will NOT have a chevy in my driveway! LOL YUCK! No offense to anyone that has one but I don 't care for them.

Whew...ok...I'll calm down now.

I feel this way about any foreign branded vehicle. I WILL not own a Toyota(I was a toyota tech and service mgr in the mid 80's. I hate that company and the junk they make), Nissan, Rover, none of that crap! I don't care how many foreign parts are on my Jeep, at least it says "Jeep" on it! Its American at heart just like Dodge, Chevy and Ford!

 

[043500]

I'd probably have to trade in my dually and her libby to come close to getting a reasonable monthly payment on a new 1500 ram diesel. Not saying I wouldn't consider it but I'm getting attached to the old 12V cummins!

I heard ~$3K added to the price as well which is better than the monster premium they toss onto the cummins/d-max/power stk. What would be cool is once they hit...I'm sure a couple used ones will turn up fairly quickly...if we could jump into one of those that has already hit the initial depreciation it may be more affordable.
Sigh...I don't know...I have a feeling she is going to vehicle hop for a while. yay

 

[Molly Ann]

Hey there, have you thought about a WJ? If you could rebuild an XJ in a weekend you could do the same with a WJ. The 4.0's are as slow as a Chihuahua pulling an RV (according to some - I have driven much slower junk and never had a problem getting out of anyone's way) but a heck of a lot better than the 4.7 sludge factory. I have a friend with a WK and driving it is almost identical to a WJ - with a much much smaller price tag and without the 3.6 (I think?). The '04 WJs have a very slick, simple, modern interior much like the newer vehicles and are running about half as much as they were before the recall. (Around here anyway) If you can find the Laredo Special Edition, they don't have any black plastic that could be sun faded but still have the 4.0.

It's not super new and they don't get great mileage, but I absolutely LOVED mine. The cheap initial price would help to make up for the crap mileage. Just keep reminding her you can fix anything that breaks on it in a day and how much money you'll be saving over a new vehicle!

Good luck car shopping!

 

[043500]

WJ is for sure on the list. A friend of hers just got an '04 and seems to like it and I like it if only for the fact it has the 4.0L.

I've researched just about anything I can think of (that I wasn't already knowledgeable about) and it's a long list.

Time and money will tell. Maybe we'll get lucky and a tree will just fall on the libby...but then having 2 totaled rigs in less than a year might not look too well on the insurance.

 

[Talyn]

The 4.0's are as slow as a Chihuahua pulling an RV (according to some - I have driven much slower junk and never had a problem getting out of anyone's way) but a heck of a lot better than the 4.7 sludge factory.

Yes, teh 4.0L in a WJ is slow, but its not that bad. And the 4.7L sludge issue is over blown and boils down to a lack of maintenance. I have been inside several of well maintained 4.7Ls and they weren't any worse than any other high mileage engine.

 

[FlexdXJ]

Yes, teh 4.0L in a WJ is slow, but its not that bad. And the 4.7L sludge issue is over blown and boils down to a lack of maintenance. I have been inside several of well maintained 4.7Ls and they weren't any worse than any other high mileage engine.

My aunt and uncle had an 01 that they passed on to my cousin. it was maintained and pretty much trouble free(even with him romping on it) until 215k when it randomly decided to throw a valve through the #1 piston!