Car Buying Advice

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Baiting Guru Joined: 07 Jan 2007 Posts: 2922

The girlfriend and I are in the market for a lightly used SUV. Max three years old and somewhere around 15K with less than 30,000 miles (the lower miles the better)

So far we have narrowed the choice down to a Hyundai Santa Fe (my preferred choice), a Toyota Rav4 (the sensible option) and a Subaru Tribeca (girlfriend's preferred choice).

Does anyone have any experience good or bad with the above mentioned models, so far we have looked at Consumer Guides, Edmunds, JD Power and Kelly Blue Book.

Must have requirements are auto, leather and 4wd/awd everything else is negotiable.

Other makes we have looked at and discounted is anything American (Ford, GM etc) Jeep Liberty, Suzuki SL7 (Grand Vitara) and the Honda CRV. Is there anything amongst that lot that is worth a second look? Or anything that i have overlooked?

Also does anyone know where there is a cost per mile indicator for running costs etc.

Lastly Hyundai have a 10yr/100,000 mile warranty-does anyone know of any warranty issues with them?

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 7103 Location: Yes

The new Santa Fes and RAV4s (meaning 2006 model or later) are both excellent choices. Two different family members have the newer RAV4s -- one is V6, leather, Limited; the other 4-cylinder, Sport. The amazing thing is that the reported (and actual) gas mileage for the V6 is only about 1-2 mpg less than the 4-cylinder. The V6 (which I've driven a few times) is very very quick (for a small SUV). The 4-cylinder is also peppy, but not as full out quick. Quality is great according to family members.

Have a friend that sells the Santa Fes (among others). He says very reliable and have not had problems with them at dealership (he admits other models have been problematic -- moreso with older models of Hyundais).

I'd go with RAV, but the Santa Fe is probably cheaper.

Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 1:15 am

I've rented the new Santa Fe and this year's RAV with a 4. Both were very well done and not too thirsty but not econoboxes either. I remember the Santa Fe taking more gallons per mile but Hyundai has come a long way. I got a ride in a V6 RAV Limited recently and was stunned at its straight line performance. I've also rented a Liberty this spring and was not impressed and suffered in a Grand Vitara for 57 days. Who is going to drive your new purchase?

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 21 Oct 2008 Posts: 82

Gotta ask, why do you want an SUV? Do you need one, or is it a style choice?

419Eater is my life Joined: 20 Oct 2008 Posts: 280

Do you have a price range? That will help me help you.

Baiting Guru Joined: 07 Jan 2007 Posts: 2922

To answer the questions, weather conditions call for the use of a 4wd/awd and for the price, i believe i posted that in the OP-somewhere around 15K.

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 21 Oct 2008 Posts: 82

Land Rover Discovery? The V6 TDi should tick all the boxes, you don't mention whether you have an age limit though, and where are you, UK, US?

Link

Mod edit: fixed huge link that was blowing out the thread -Ima

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 21 Oct 2008 Posts: 82

Nissan X-Trail is capable:

long link

Only the Nissan has leather and neither are auto (I'd want a manual in a 4x4 if the weather conditions were bad enough to *really* need one) but it sort of shows what's out there.

Shortened link. -luckey

train boi Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 697

If they want Western Union as a payment method run like the wind

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 5

I would think the RAV4 would be the ticket. I was told by the owner of my company to go car shopping a few months back. (My company car then was a Tahoe, terrible gas milage.) Like you I looked at all of them, Jeep, Ford, Chevy, but was drawn to the RAV4 and the Honda CR-V.

With a four cylinder motor the american cars didn't offer much of an accessory list. You had to get a 6 cylinder to get any good options. (There goes the gas milage.) However, the Toyota, and the Honda with a four cylinder had many options. I ended up with the top of the line Honda, leather, very nice interior, great radio, sun roof, and 6 way power seats. (To mention a few.) For about $ 25,000.

I chose the Honda becase the back hatch open in the upward position; the Toyota opened to the side. I also liked the visability more with the Honda than the Toyota. (Personal preferences I'm sure.)

All in all, they both were great little cars for the buck. Much better than the American autos I'd looked at.

Hope this helps,

Bumpy

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 21 Oct 2008 Posts: 82

bumpy wrote:

but was drawn to the RAV4 and the Honda CR-V.

A relative has a CRV and I can't fault it, other than I don't reckon it'll be as good in the bad weather as the X-Trail (having done a few k miles in an X-Trail), IMHO of course. And Top Gear Australia gave the RAV4 a good write up, but relative mentioned above had a RAV4 before the CRV and the RAV4 boot space was pretty crap TBH.

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 21 Oct 2008 Posts: 82

Oh yeah, Bumpy you look like a Yank? What's the availability of diesel cars/SUV's like out there? I know you can get e.g. Rams with Cummins engines, but that's the limit of my knowledge there.

I'm guessing they're not as common as here in Europe?

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 5

Yank... yep right. Smile

You can't get diesels in small SUV's or small trucks here. I wish you could. Years ago, during the gas shortage there were all sorts of small cars and trucks with diesels available. The VW Rabbit had a small diesel truck, and even some Japanese and American makes.