Help me find the next vehicle for my wife...
- Thread starter sixstringsteve
- Start date
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
My good friend Dempsey (Turbominivan) helped me out a lot in the search, I really want to publicly thank him. If anyone is sick of looking for cars, he can look for you, he's a great guy. I would definitely buy a car from him. Thanks Dempsey.
See, now wouldn't it have been nicer if she knew what she wanted because it was "cute"; despite the fact you may have hated it for whatever reason. Had she known a model of car that she was in love with that whole shopping experience could have been avoided. 
Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
LOL. I hear you. Congrats on the Accord!
How much windshield time I spend is directly proportional to how much I am spending, though always tons of 'puter research. I drove 20+ Suburbans when I bought my '99 in '01, 15 or so when I bought my eXcursion in '05 (would have been more, but there weren't as many that I could afford). Maybe 4-5 when I got Lori's van a year later. However, only 2 or 3 when I picked up the blower blazer, mainly because I knew I was going to replace stuff anyway. The current search has been kind of stop and go, since we are trying to do a few things at the same time, ie, refi the house and keep her car going (replaced a radiator today). Drove a friend's '09 Rav4 yesterday and loved it. I talked with Dempsey when we were on Hanging Tree, he's gonna hook me up with driving some Kia's, Subaru's and whatever else he has. (Dempsey, you have PM)
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Samersen
Active Member
- Location
- Heber City
I am curious along these lines... has anybody had an long term time with a Liberty CRD, 05-07 Outback or Rav4. Those are the ones I have narrowed it down for my wife. Pro/con of each one from personal experiences?
Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
What year RAV4? My wife bought a '13 Outback last year and my mom bought a '10 RAV4. I was pushing for the RAV4 V6 for my wife, but she really preferred the Outback after driving both. My wife loves her Outback. My mom loves her RAV4.
I think the AWD system in the Outback is more sophisticated...which is to say there is more computer control, but the bottom line is that the center diff will engage "aggressively" and it has a rear limited slip. The RAV4 is perhaps less aggressive...until you hit the "center diff lock" button. The biggest problem with most of the AWD's is that they don't have a locking center diff.
My coworker had a CRD Liberty that we took to Nevada a few times. He didn't really love it after having it for a couple of years.
With Blizzaks on the Outback, it was getting up to the cabin easier than either of my trucks, unless I was running chains. Duratracs on the X, Toyo AT's on the pickup.
I think the AWD system in the Outback is more sophisticated...which is to say there is more computer control, but the bottom line is that the center diff will engage "aggressively" and it has a rear limited slip. The RAV4 is perhaps less aggressive...until you hit the "center diff lock" button. The biggest problem with most of the AWD's is that they don't have a locking center diff.
My coworker had a CRD Liberty that we took to Nevada a few times. He didn't really love it after having it for a couple of years.
With Blizzaks on the Outback, it was getting up to the cabin easier than either of my trucks, unless I was running chains. Duratracs on the X, Toyo AT's on the pickup.
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Samersen
Active Member
- Location
- Heber City
Good info the rav4 is a 2008 4 banger. Or I just found a 2005 crv that looks pretty nice both are around 80k and $11k. Actually if I remember right from the jordenelle rescue last spring isn't your cabin up tollgate? My parents are up there year round. Anyway, I digress I do see a few outbacks up there, have you ever feared getting stuck in the outback?
Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
Yes, we have a cabin up Tollgate. Apparently Outbacks _never_ get stuck up there
We've never worried about getting stuck in it...mainly because my wife only takes it up there when others are up there. And because we have a vehicle-puller-outer (see pic). I have a specially sized D-ring that fits the Subaru tie-down hooks on the frame.
I have to admit that with the Blizzaks on it last winter, it was pretty impressive and even in some nasty snow, it never had an issue. I don't know if I would have tried it in some of the stuff where I had the trucks chained up though, like the occasion that I was stuck in the X in the pic. The Outback may have stayed on top...or may have become seriously high centered.
Honestly though, just about any AWD with Blizzaks (or equal) would do well, and I think the RAV4, Outback and any other vehicle that has an aggressively engaging and/or locking center diff will do even better. Most of the folks up there run the Blizzaks and rarely have to chain up. I have to chain up regularly with the Toyo's and occasionally with the Duratracs.
Have your wife drive all the cars and go with the one she's the happiest with.
Attachments
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- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
... Have your wife drive all the cars and go with the one she's the happiest with.
Most valid point in this entire thread!!
We are going thru finding my wife a new vehicle, and she has considered quite a few different options including Subaru's, Toyota's and BMW's. She wants something that is all wheel drive, perfectly reliable, gets a minimum of 20 miles per gallon and has leather interior with heated seats. We spent a full day running around town test driving and looking at a few different vehicles, and test drove a couple of Subarus. She really liked the looks of the BMW X3, but after driving the Lexus RX 330 she found a winner. It doesn't matter how much horsepower it has, how the transfer case works, how much ground clearance it has, or anything else that a guy would care about... She likes the way the interior looks and feels and how the car drives. She is very happy with the idea of a Lexus, so once we get the finances squared away and sell her old car we will be looking for a clean, low mile Lexus RX 330.
Samersen
Active Member
- Location
- Heber City
We are out driving a few over the weekend, just making sure there weren't any big red flags from others experiences. Thank you guys!! I always read these forums when I need good info.
TurboMinivan
Still plays with cars
- Location
- Lehi, UT
This is very true, much more so than you made it sound. I know I'm gonna appear biased, but time and time again real-world testing has shown the Subaru AWD systems to be much more effective at putting torque to the wheel(s) that need it compared to the vast majority of other brands. I also like that, unlike Honda and Toyota, Subarus do not default to FWD-only until there is a loss of traction. Subarus send torque to both ends at all times on all surfaces.
Not even all the RAV4s have it. Without it, there are instances where the system cannot send significant torque to the rear axle when there is serious resistance (such as climbing a dirt hill). The CR-V is similarly crippled in such situations.
This statement is perhaps the most impactful one in this entire thread (at least for this crowd).
Did you intentionally choose not to use the OEM tow hook?
jentzschman
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Sandy, Utah
^ this guy knows, period.
TurboMinivan
Still plays with cars
- Location
- Lehi, UT
THIS x eleventy billion.
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
For the winter I'd rather have a fwd with snow tires than an awd with all seasons. My honda civics with snow tires do extremely well on paved roads with snow.
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NYCEGUY01
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Willard, UT
Yes...
We ended up with a Forester...lol
Although talking smack to the Subaru dealer guys was kinda fun...
They really enjoyed all my jokes...
I asked them how hard it was to get all the granola out of the trade in's...
I also wanted to know how many womens flannel shirts they had in the lost and found...
It went on for an hour or so and they laughed along while secretly wanting to strangle me....
Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
I have not intentionally chosen to not do anything yet. I looked at recovery attachment points front and rear and sized the d-ring accordingly. Tow hook or whatever it may be called, I really don't recall what I saw. I just wanted to know there was something before I was digging through snow to find it. BTDT with a Cadillac and a couple others stuck in the driveway.
Haven't needed it yet though. Except almost to pull someone else out, but we used the blazer, since it had chained up 35's and 3000 lbs of counterweight.
That is one of the reasons I went with the Outback, there is a video showing those others not able to give the rear wheels enough power. However, they didn't show a RAV4 with the center diff locked, and I think I learned later that a couple others had that option too.
I simplified my description because once you cut through the marketing hype, if the center diff is engaged, the only difference in the total traction department between an Outback and a RAV4 with the center diff locked is that the Outback can have a rear limited slip. (Do they all? Does mine?) I'm sure that the many different algorithms in the Subaru system can make subtle adjustments to conditions that the RAV4 and most others can't, but that typically doesn't matter when you are climbing a snow/snot/slush covered road. I told my mom that if there is snow on the road up there to push the center-diff button. Seems to work. Score one for driving. And for the same reason, my wife prefers the Outback and not having to push a button. Score one for happy wife.
Up in Tollgate, tires (and cables/chains) will make a bigger difference than whether it's a RAV4 or Outback.
You can pass this on to the marketing dept: some of the Tollgate locals don't like some of the new Subaru's because they cannot turn off the traction control or skid control or whatever it is that keeps you from fishtailing. Some of the roads require speed and fishtailing to get around curves and maintain momentum and the Subaru system just cuts power and then they can't make it up. I don't know what model this is, maybe the Crosstrek? New Outback? (seems to me I could still make our '13 Outback fishtail and do donuts) Bottom line is their older Subi's make it just fine and the new ones don't and they can't find a button to turn the nanny-mode off.
Oh ya, we're still making the jokes as we drive along in the Outback. She doesn't have any bumper stickers yet though.
Subaru, it's what love is. Or something.
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Most valid point in this entire thread!!
We are going thru finding my wife a new vehicle, and she has considered quite a few different options including Subaru's, Toyota's and BMW's. She wants something that is all wheel drive, perfectly reliable, gets a minimum of 20 miles per gallon and has leather interior with heated seats. We spent a full day running around town test driving and looking at a few different vehicles, and test drove a couple of Subarus. She really liked the looks of the BMW X3, but after driving the Lexus RX 330 she found a winner. It doesn't matter how much horsepower it has, how the transfer case works, how much ground clearance it has, or anything else that a guy would care about... She likes the way the interior looks and feels and how the car drives. She is very happy with the idea of a Lexus, so once we get the finances squared away and sell her old car we will be looking for a clean, low mile Lexus RX 330.
100% agree. Funny because when we recently went through this same thing with my wife, I pretty much told her she had an unlimited budget, get what she's happy with. She was convinced she wanted a small SUV (she was coming from a Landrover LR3). After driving a ton of different vehicles, she drove a Lexus IS 250 F Sport AWD. Fell in love. The AWD in that car does amazing. The reliability of the Lexus is a good thing, I'm thrilled with her choice.
- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
nanny traction control stuff SUCKS on the 2012 Jeeps as well. Thanks for trying to kill me sometimes. I think that shit is insurance company mandated, so I think we are screwed