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[HiProfile]

NOT FOR ME, for my sister's family. She just had a kid, but a week earlier her husband hit black ice & rolled their crewcab Ram. It was a service to the community IMO, but still they need a kid hauler. Minivans will not work unless movie stars all start driving them.

I'm actually leaning towards the Ford given all the actual research data like safety & reliability, not because I still think the Rav4 is a fagmobile. A Honda isn't out of the picture, but they don't offer as good financing/incentives ATM.


I welcome all comments. Including raydome-strike's typical interweb bullshit. Porn is a plus.

[bigwig]

Forrester.  It is ugly, but ALWAYS tops the list for light SUVs.

[90turboteg]

Id go with the ford over the rav4. but i would get a crv or something honda before anything else, just because of ease to work on, there inexpensive and get good gas millage. are they looking for something brand new or used? Toyota's are way overpriced for what you get, but the late 90s early 2000 4 runners didn't seem to bad. And my dads wife's kia sportage has 180k and hasn't had any major problems, they just keep up on basic maintenance. There are alot of options out there... Subarus are ok other than the glass transmissions

[HiProfile]

Id go with the ford over the rav4. but i would get a crv or something honda before anything else, just because of ease to work on, there inexpensive and get good gas millage. are they looking for something brand new or used? Toyota's are way overpriced for what you get, but the late 90s early 2000 4 runners didn't seem to bad. And my dads wife's kia sportage has 180k and hasn't had any major problems, they just keep up on basic maintenance. There are alot of options out there... Subarus are ok other than the glass transmissions

I think they're looking at new stuff. They know I can fix anything, but "Joe" doesn't like asking for help if he doesn't have to. I know the yotas are overpriced, but she drives an IS300 so we have to at least entertain that idea. I will mention the subi thing to them.


I suggested CRV because they can eventually turbo it, dunno why that idea was shot down. I have a feeling it won't make a Subaru argument any more legitimate either.

[90turboteg]

ya some people want a vehicle for aesthetics over reliability and millage. My sister wanted all sorts of pos german cars and gas hogs, that would be hard and expensive to fix. I told her i wasn't going to touch anything like that, and if she got a honda that it would last a long time and save her money on gas. So found a clean 93 4dr accord for 1700 and made her buy it. Everytime she buys a car on her own she ends up taking the bus to work, and the car just sits forever because its broken or she doesn't know what to look for.

People would save alot of time and money if they didn't buy cars off looks and names, but looked at the long haul to see whats more economical and practical, at least for family rigs.... but if everyone did that then i guess we would all be driving the same cars and mechanic shops would be out of business. Except for those few that are like "Oil, I thought that came with the car?"

[crttaz]

Ford Escape.

One totalled my Civic, it had a scuff mark on the bumper.

[ratcityrex]

If its an escape thats 4x4 and v6, throw it in the garbage, Because you will spend about another 4k for a new tranny. They are totaly fucked. Hardest transmission job ive ever done in my life!!

[highroller54]

take the kid seat with them when they go shopping, lots of cars make me fell like I'm in a jdm crx rear seat when the kids are behind me.

[1991civicsi]

If its an escape thats 4x4 and v6, throw it in the garbage, Because you will spend about another 4k for a new tranny. They are totaly fucked. Hardest transmission job ive ever done in my life!!

this

[snm95ls]

Never really understood the fear of minivans.   Sure they aren't cool to be seen in, but they drive 10x better than any small SUV out I have driven. 

Is it really cooler to be seen in an Escape or a Rav4?

Out of those two options, would go with the Escape, personally.

[magik123]

my dads rav4 drives awsome for a 4banger awd especially in the snow, just powers through it with a set of general 215/70r16s on it.  Nothin but pads and rotors on it with 90k so far.  The downside to it is that for a 4 cyl it seems to fly through the gas gauge pretty quick prob cuz the awd.  If you get an escape and get a cat efficiency/misfire code kiss the truck goodbye dealership dont even want to deal with the problem, dont know if they fixed that with the newer ones.

[crxvtec91]

Never really understood the fear of minivans.   Sure they aren't cool to be seen in, but they drive 10x better than any small SUV out I have driven. 

Is it really cooler to be seen in an Escape or a Rav4?

Out of those two options, would go with the Escape, personally.

This is true. I drive a 2003 mpv 5 speed auto. Thing handles better then a lot of cars, and talk about reliable. I started driving it with 190k now she is almost at 240k, and I driver her like I stole it every day I work; can you say it tops out at 115mph with no problem .

[88dx]

Put the kid up for adoption or abort the mission and buy a Z06

[ApexSilver06MR]

yukon XL denali is my vote

[d16forlife]

We have an 09 4x4 Armada and we love it. If that's too big the Pathfinder is quality, with no sticky gas pedal

[Joseph Davis]

NOT FOR ME, for my sister's family.

I was about to say... 

Uhm, I haven't paid attention to the RAV4 since it came out so I still have a mental image of the 1G version that's too fucking small for use as a family mobile. 

I, also, would go with the Escape over the RAV4.  If they are buying new they are under warranty for a while so you can take ratcityrex's $0.02 with a grain of salt - I'd still do some serious research on the subject, though.  There's a lot of stuff that sucks to wrench on, especially your first time around on the job, and most modern automagics will fail at some point even if you regularly change fluid and filter UNLIKE 80% of owners.  Especially if they are the sort who own something the "usual" 3-5 years and then flip it, I wouldn't worry too much.  Just make sure it's not a total piece of shit.

I'd also toss in a vote for a NATURALLY ASPIRATED Subaru, and put it on equal footing with the Escape.  Those are fun vehicles to drive, they do really well in rougher terrain than any woman with kids will seek out.  The turbo units are maintenance pieces, though... they are fine stock IF you are anal about servicing them, but most men/all women never change oil regularly and drive shit into the ground when they should be calling a tow truck.  Plus, it's an excuse to buy a Tactrix 2.0 cable and you can disable those silly CELs when the vehicle has a few miles on it and it's time to pass emissions.

[HiProfile]

NOT FOR ME, for my sister's family.

Uhm, I haven't paid attention to the RAV4 since it came out so I still have a mental image of the 1G version that's too fucking small for use as a family mobile. 

Same here, I just picture this little Suzuki Samarai-like thing.

I think they'd go for a 4cyl with a warranty. They just need to replace the truck (or car, not sure as insurance is dicking them around), has space for 1 kid and be reliable enough.

[Ravage70]

FORD = Fix Or Repair Daily
true yesterday, true today and guess what their future has in store...

[crttaz]

RAV4 that my exwife bought, my son got it off her.

100k, LF wheel bearing
120k, both front struts leaking
125k, autotragic issues

I drove it before the issues, I4, only issues were I needed to get out of OD on some hills by the little button on the shifter.

Scooby's AT's haven't changed much in 10 years for a reason, they work and are capable. Gas Mileage sucks and the fuel door is on the WRONG fucking side!

[Joseph Davis]

Warrick, you stupid fucking French-Canadian, Ford has ALWAYS been a brand you had to pick and choose between models/drivetrains.  2/3rds of their products have been and will continue to be solid, but you very much have to be an INFORMED consumer before purchasing one.

[HiProfile]

Okay I got some bad info, its Ford EDGE, not Ford Escape. Fucking vehicle names.

[Teg2boo]

For some reason I can only read FUDGE and can't read Ford Edge. Damn dyslexia lol

She only has one kid?? Buy a fucking CRX then.

[Phate]

She only has one kid?? Buy a fucking CRX then.

If there is only one kid, why the fuck does it need to be an SUV?  Get a sedan like a normal person.  This is especially good if they are concerned about gas mileage (why else would you get a 4 cylinder SUV).  Non-turbo subaru impreza/legacy, 7th gen honda accord, whatever.  You could even get the V6/turbo versions of a sedan and get the same economy as a 4 banger SUV, but have something decently punchy.

I drove a 4 cylinder highlander once.  It was a miserable experience, and it probably got worse gas mileage than the V6 because you had to boot it all the time to get anywhere.