Help Mysteefied Pick a Car!

[Mysteefied]

[concerned]

If you want something that gives you a little more space go for a minivan. Do not get a SUV. An SUV is built on a truck chassis and is higher off the ground and thus more dangerous to drive than a vehicle on a automobile chassis like a minivan. I bought a used Dodge Caravan a couple of years ago and I love driving it.

[Dodgergirl]

Traded my Durango for a Subaru. A very good & safe car for mountain driving conditions. Also, pretty good gas mileage & storage. I have a manual transmission & no problems so far....

[Mysteefied]

Currently I have a 1989 Dodge Grand Caravan. I LOVE IT. I hate to see it go, but little by little its starting to fail. I was planning on getting another caravan, but my kids, now teenagers are freaking out, NOT that I am buying a car based on them, but I figured I could be open to other possabilities.
That is one reason I love the Uplander, They love it too, but I'm a little wary about buying a car its first year out on the market.

[CatdaBrat]

I have heard good things about Subarus, especially for the Mountain Area's winters. After having owned many different makes/models of vehicles, we currently have two Nissans. One is a Pathfinder and the other is a small pickup and we are so pleased with them that we wouldn't buy anything else in the future. The Pathfinder is a very well-balanced vehicle and when you go around a turn, you don't feel like you are being flung around or that the vehicle is leaning one way or the other. (I am talking about at normal speeds, not like the "race-car" drivers you so often see!) We also know of people who LOVE their Mitsubishi Monteros.
(No, I am not Japanese!)

[beautiful_mess38]

Myst. as you know I was car shopping also. I wanted a Tahoe, but bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo this morning. I was also looking at minivans and was seriously considering a windstar.
Then I had to take a look at my life. The kids, dogs and all the hauling of stuff that I do.
A minivan would not be functional for that. The back seat on the laredo folds all the way down for hauling big things. The camping that I plan on doing this summer will fit everything that I have to bring. So the SUV better fits my lifestyle then the minivan.
Take a look at my post about the best and worst vehicles I posted on this thread.
I hate car shopping. I'm glad it's over for me for now. I will buy a truck later this year.

[Sandman]

What year is your Jeep messy? Did you get the '05 model or do you have the same body style as mine?

[MtnBreeze]

Have owned a number of vehicles over the years and the best ones have been Subaru and Toyota. Especially for mountain driving. ummmmm....I don't want all you jeep owners mad at me but ask a tow truck driver what the most towed vehicle is http://oakhurstforums.com/icon/wink420.gif But there are many happy jeep owners too. I just don't like breaking down http://oakhurstforums.com/icon/stretch.gif
Anyway I put many many miles on all my vehicles...I used to deliver the Fresno Bee in North Fork and drove 100 miles a nite for 9 years....My Subaru's proved to be the most reliable during that time in both dependability AND handling in poor weather conditions.
If I were able to purchase a new vehicle right now I would buy a Toyota Tundra 4x4 or if I couldn't afford that I would get a Subaru Outback. Anyway...whatever you decide...I hope you enjoy it http://oakhurstforums.com/icon/lol420.gif

[Yosemite Joy]

Originally posted by MtnBreeze:
Have owned a number of vehicles over the years and the best ones have been Subaru and Toyota.


I second that. My subaru has 140,000 miles on it and still going strong.. however it is in the backyard currently waiting to be sold to a friend of mine..

I had a toyota pickup that went for a long time with only a clutch problem.. it had some where around 120,000 miles on it..

I have had Nissan, Honda, and a Dodge cars.. They were all pretty reliable.. don't know about the Dodge but the other two were very reliable past 100,000+ miles..

I would highly recommend you stay away from new Fords and Chevys..

You should get online and investigate as much as you can.. go to consumerreports.com and pay a little bit to get into the site. You should go to AT LEAST 5 dealers..
drive a dozen different cars.. see what you do and do not like..

I recently bought my 4-Runner.. after driving and considering a X-3, Toureg (I loved that one..) a huuuge Dodge Truck, Honda SUVs, and a bunch more..

Remember, there are three things you need to be comfortable and are worth spending a lot on.. Shoes, your mattress, and your auto...

[Mysteefied]

I've decided to buy a Honda Pilot.

Its everything I need in one car/suv

Thanks for all the comments http://oakhurstforums.com/icon/stretch.gif

[only1alphafemale]

Well, Did you buy it? AND how do you like it?
What swung you over to thid one?

[only1alphafemale]

Well, Did you buy it? AND how do you like it?
What swung you over to thid one?

[Mysteefied]

Oh gosh, an update would be good I suppose.

Well, after a good week of going back and forth over the Pilot, or a used car, I got the Pilot on Friday! Its awsome! Everything I wanted, I love it! It has all the room I need, it drives like a cloud. My kids also love it.
I also love the third row seats that are flat as the floor but pull up to be seats and not little itty bitty seats, they are good size and comfortable. There is also a stablization system that I am fond of. and the 6cd changer doesn't hurt. http://oakhurstforums.com/icon/lol420.gif

Thank you all for your help.

[only1alphafemale]

Glad to hear it...!! and yes..the cd changer is a great plus!!! Happy you found one you love! I am right now in the thinking I am going to need one here pretty quickly...so.. I have a ways to go..and I will check one of those out ! http://oakhurstforums.com/icon/wink420.gif

[Mysteefied]

do you have kids to think of when buying a car? if so, I have a great website for you to check out. its called Mother proof , I found it to be VERY helpfulMotherProof (http://www.motherproof.com/reviews.asp)
Another couple of sites I went to that might be helpful are, Vehix at vehix (http://www.vehix.com) and Edmunds at edmunds (http://www.edmunds.com) All of these sites have a wealth of information that are extremely helpful with information, Pricing, and also test ratings.
Good Luck!!

[TOT]

It's perdy http://oakhurstforums.com/icon/yes.gif

Congrats again!

(Years ago my dad told me that as long as i have our last name i won't get a new car! http://oakhurstforums.com/icon/lol.gif So i enjoy looking at others' http://oakhurstforums.com/icon/stretch.gif )

[Sandman]

I like the color. I had a silver Honda.

[Yosemite Joy]

I have a silver Honda.. and subaru..

[Sandman]

Silver is a great color for a car. Very easy to keep clean. I have a darker gray color now and I miss the silver.

[Mysteefied]

Sandman, where did you see my car? http://oakhurstforums.com/icon/sneaky.gif
TOT, I'm glad you liked it, I just love the leather seats, I just can't believe its mine still and now I'm worried about washing it, I can't really wash it in my driveway, and I'm so worried I'll scratch it. YIKES!!! http://oakhurstforums.com/icon/anxious.gif

[Dodgergirl]

Well. I saw it sittin; up in your driveway, with the minivan delegated to the street http://oakhurstforums.com/icon/bigcry.gif
Nice color, my Durango was silver, I kinda miss it........

[Mysteefied]

ahh, I know, my poor van, its been so good to me over the years, That van was so mad the day after I got the new car, it wouldnt even start. I haven't decided what to do with it yet.