[V8] car searching

[Dave Saad]

I can't remember your preference for SUVs :-)

So if I were me, I would go with the Explorer.  They are practically  
free now, and meet all of your requirements but gas mileage.
About all you have to do to make them ride like a car is put on good  
shocks and tires.  The only negative I have with them (beside 15MPG  
around town - that sucks) is they eat up front end parts.  Even at  
that, mine have been remarkably cheap to own. My '98 is at 150K miles  
now and going strong.  I am very likely to get another when this one  
is done.  I bet you could get a nice one with under 100K miles for the  
money you are talking.

As for the rest of your list, the Subaru is the only one I would stay  
away from.  I don't know why those things have the reputation they  
do.  All of my data says they get relatively crappy mileage, have no  
power or room or capacity to do anything more than haul your snow  
board up to the ski hill. Oddly, everyone I know that has one is happy  
as can be to replace head gaskets every 50K miles - because they are  
such darn good cars.


Dave

On Feb 9, 2009, at 8:53 PM, diemarthadie at aol.com wrote:

> So I find myself in need of a new family hauler.? I'm pondering the  
> bazillion possibilities and trying to decide what makes the most  
> reasonable sense (yes I know Honda Accords make sense, but then so  
> do V8Qs after a couple of beers).? I've decided to enlist you as my  
> assistants in the search since I can't make up my mind...? Here's  
> the scenario:
>
>
>
> * You have $4000 to spend on a car.
>
>
>
> * You do not want a car payment so no more than $4000 total.?
>
>
>
> * It is possible that you will need to spend some small additional  
> amount state inspecting the car if it needs it.
>
>
>
> * You need the car to be a wagon or large enough hatchback to haul 5  
> people (3 are little kids) with bikes (3 fit on the tail rack, 2  
> probably on roof)
>
>
>
> * 3 kids haul a lot of supplies even just to the store, and these  
> kids might be camping and stuff so too small a cargo area is a no go.
>
>
>
> * 3 kids can trash an interior faster than rabid monkeys so ideally  
> the car would be fully tiled inside and have a drain hole for easy  
> hosing ;)
>
>
>
> * You do not want a truck, SUV or Minivan.? I will repeat, you do  
> not want a truck, SUV or Minivan.
>
>
>
> * AWD is a plus but not a requirement.
>
>
>
> * Manual is fine, Automatic is a bit better when the kids are  
> singing and poking each other and generally vying more for your  
> attention that the jacknifing tractor trailer up ahead.
>
>
>
> * You are capable of doing reasonable maintenance at home and have  
> owned German, Swedish, Japanese and American cars.? Your tools  
> include more than 'both kinds of screwdriver'.
>
>
>
> * You would like said vehicle to survive 3 years and 30,000 miles  
> without exploding or making you homeless.? You are ok with it ending  
> its life in a junkyard in 3 years if it has not made you homeless in  
> the interim.
>
>
>
> * You would prefer it came from the era of shoulder belts, despite  
> how cool a Nomad would be as a family car.? Airbags are ok too.
>
>
>
> * You would prefer the car was not a POS, rusted out, 300k miles,  
> beater.? Your family will be seen in this car and your neighbors are  
> snobs.
>
>
>
> * High mileage with good maintenance does not scare you.? Lack of  
> verifiable service records scares you.
>
>
>
> * The dog will be in the car sometimes too... He likes to nose the  
> windows.?
>
>
>
> * You would prefer to get a lot more than 20mpg in any conditions.?  
> Deisel or Unleaded is fine.? Leaded is not ;)
>
>
>
> So, given those parameters I've seen all sorts of things, but the  
> common items in that range are Volvo 240/740/960/850/V70/XC, Subaru  
> Legacy/Forester, Ford Taurus/Focus, Honda Accord Wagon, Toyota Camry  
> Wagon, Saturn SW2, older Mercedes 300 Wagon, Oldsmobuicrolet Wagon,  
> Audi A4/A6/200/100 Avants, etc... The Matrix/Vibe looked possible  
> but they lack cargo space when full of kids and current laws keep me  
> from strapping the kids on the roof rack.? I'm still looking for the  
> right car and could use some additional suggestions or info if you  
> have direct experience with any of these models good or bad.?
>
>
>
> In other words, given all of the above parameters, what would YOU buy?
>
>
>
> I know Roger would buy an A4 Avant and swap parts with a V8 and such  
> but I don't have THAT much spare time ;)
>
>
>
>
>
> -John
>
>
>
>
>
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