is a CUV/SUV overkill for everyday use?

[Rmay635703]

Originally Posted by WylieCoyote

The soccer moms here are stuffing money in the dealerships pockets for Tahoes, and their husbands all drive lifted F-150s with LED bulbs in incandescent headlight housings.


There are thousands of vehicles parked where I work, there are days where every one is an empty truck or minivan
With myself and 3 others with a car.

I should take a photo next time I notice, it's rather sad in a way

 

[supton]

Originally Posted by Rmay635703
People no longer spend money on retail stuff so they blow a wad on a bling mobile then complain about gas prices and transmission failures.

https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/i-always-car-guy-crossovers-suvs-ending-37841.html

Women especially like the high seating position.

As for me I used to be a car guy but the recent trend of only CUV and SUVs on road have made me loose interest.
They all look like minivans to me and are all boring, I rather have a funny little car than any of the current generic mobiles driving around.

I stopped being a car guy when I realized just how much I was spending on cars, and how I'd rather be retired...

I have a boring sedan at the moment, but that revolves largely around the fact that it's cheap to repair. In some ways I wonder if that makes me more a car guy than most, I buy something that I know will have me under the hood. Then again I'm thinking of getting rid of my truck before I need to repair it, so I must not be much of a car guy--and the fact that my driveway is nothing but Toyota seals it.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by Ws6
Originally Posted by MCompact
My wife and I wanted an F31 M Sport, but a CPO E84 X1 M Sport turned up at my dealer at an extremely attractive price. Unlike many xDrive models the M Sport package gets you the M Technic suspension, so it's actually entertaining to drive. With a six second 0-60 time and a mid-fourteen second quarter it's hardly a ball of fire, but it returns 23 mpg on average, so I suppose it all evens out.



Is that real average, or published? That just sounds low to me.

E84 X1 M sport has inline 6 engine, N55. It is old platform (and one that is really, really appealing to BMW enthusiasts).
Considering capabilities of that platform, steering feedback that NO ONE today can offer on the market, I would take E84 even if returned 15mpg on average over new X1 or Tiguan, or CX-5, or Audi, or whatever.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by bbhero
Originally Posted by fdcg27
Overkill how?
Wifey has averaged near enough 30 mpg with our newer Forester that its thirst really isn't an issue and she makes no effort at maximizing fuel economy nor does she avoid using the AC at all ever.
OTOH, my Accord Hybrid has averaged near enough 48 mpg in my use, but wife doesn't like the low seating position and the lack of a large greenhouse.
A good CUV offers reasonable fuel economy along with a high seating position and the better ones also offer plenty of glass.
Nothing wrong with that.
These CUVs are also very reasonably priced, although you can get a deal on a sedan, as I did, since everyone else wants a CUV.



You know what I'd worry about in a CUV??

Roll overs... And I don't believe those vehicles are all that good when it comes to real world circumstances if one needed to take sudden evasive action AND one side of that CUVs wheel got unbalanced and off the pavement... The test I have seen always show those vehicles on a paved surface with all 4 wheels on a paved surface the entire time going around cones... Well... If one is one a real two lane road or even 4 lane road and one side wheels gets off the pavement and it is a dropoff of more than 6 inches and the driver has a lot of steering wheel input going all one way I bet it could really get tough really quick... Plus I wonder seriously about the roof structure above the occupants heads... Will that crush easily upon the occupants ??

CUV/SUV today that are unibody are extremely capable and good handling vehicles. Also, ESP systems advanced A LOT. My BMW X5 35d I had would put to shame any appliance car in the curves if needed, with 5,200lbs weight.
Toyota SIenna I have now has a dumb proof ESP that almost stops car if you push it too hard, which I did. I tried several times to slide through curves on snow in the mountains, and that ESP ill immediately put to stop any attempt to do something stupid (very frustrating to me, but car is built with different audience in mind).
However, the rollover possibility is always there, and that is also danger for regular car too.

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted by edyvw

E84 X1 M sport has inline 6 engine, N55. It is old platform (and one that is really, really appealing to BMW enthusiasts).
Considering capabilities of that platform, steering feedback that NO ONE today can offer on the market, I would take E84 even if returned 15mpg on average over new X1 or Tiguan, or CX-5, or Audi, or whatever.


I like the E84 over the F48 as well, but my X1 has the N20 I4. Of all the small CUVs it's one of very few that have a default 60/40 torque split- so it handles like a RWD vehicle most of the time.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by supton
Was mulling this over this morning and realized that I would not want to haul trash to the transfer station in my sedan. It could be done but it's no real joy. I could get a small trailer and use that, and that does have its value for larger items, but a CUV would make it a snap to just open the rear door for anything tall. I had a Jetta station wagon but that seemed to be a bit short in the rear for trash cans, IIRC I had to take the tops off. I suppose that's due to using regular old trashcans--could have just bought something different. But still. If I could only have one vehicle then I'll opt for the one with a larger cargo area. If I can have two then I kinda like the sedan & van approach, although you just never know when you'll be out and about and find something you just have to have but won't fit in your sedan (like something off of CL).

I do wonder about renting a truck when I "need" one. I have a Home Depot that is 16 miles & 35 minutes away; the other HD is 30 miles & 40 minutes the other way. Seems like I'd waste a lot of time doing vehicle pick up and drop off.


You can also rent a truck from Uhaul. The 20' one was $40, but they have smaller ones like the 15' which might be 30 or I think their smaller vans and trucks are $20. You just pay for the mileage. While Home Depot only charges you for the truck, they only give you 75 minutes with it and don't charge for mileage so it may be a wash. The point is, how often do you think you'll need to do it? The ladder was a special case because I needed it in two locations. Could have just paid $65 to have it delivered, but then I would have needed to move it the second time. Otherwise you're stuck with a truck all the time which you may find handy just once or twice a year. At that frequency, you're better off just renting a truck when you need it.

As for stuff on CL. Maybe that's a good thing that you can't transport it. You don't end up buying stuff that you don't need.

 

[PimTac]

Both U Haul and Budget have large vans or trucks that can be rented cheaply. I needed to pick up a couch. A 12 foot cargo van for under 4 hours was less than $30 plus a gallon of gas to replace what I used.

 

[supton]

True, true. I definitely have stuff I don't "need" but sure wanted. But CL is tempting when you're trying to avoid buying new.

But part of why I have a truck is that it's part of my plan--I have older vehicles that aren't reliable. Just this week my wife's Camry went down: our dog ate two of the seatbelts so she's driving our spare. This spring it was pressed into service for 3 or so weeks while I worked on my car (because mailorder and some mistakes in the repairs). If I "have to" have N+1, it might as well be a big one! Although it is getting towards the end and I am thinking of getting... a CUV.

 

[blupupher]

Depends on your use.

For us, we have 4 in the Santa Fe on a regular basis, and carry 5-6 every few weeks.
It is one of the reasons we got it and upgraded from the (very tight) 5 seater Scion (which went to my daughter).
We were looking at Mini vans, but they were too long to fit in our garage.

It will be our last "large" vehicle though.
Kids will be gone in 5 or so years, and will keep it at least 5 years after that.
By then, electric may meet our driving needs (it actually meets my wife's driving needs now, mostly short local trips, occasional 50 mile trip to her mom's, but no 6 seater electric out there). I drove an Ioniq at a car show last year and really liked it.

For you, sounds like a car is more what you need. You don't seem to need any "advantages" of a SUV/CUV (more room being the primary one).

This is the same reason I ride my motorcycle to work.
I ride it because:

• It is fun and I like to
• Better parking
• No need to drive my truck that seats 5 and has a 5.5 foot bed when it is just me with an empty bed

I don't use the "better gas mileage" reasoning since even though I am saving on gas, the $2000 I spent on the bike + insurance and maintenance will take a long time to break even.
I have debated getting rid of the truck, but it is paid off, insurance is not that much, I am comfortable in it, and use it at least monthly as an actual truck

 

[4WD]

No doubt about our Tahoe … very common to have 2 or 3 inside … and small cargo space utilization
It has 2nd row buckets so 4 is roomy and comfortable on road trips … 3rd row is more like we are already at destiny and taking 6 people to lunch etc.
The back end gets stuffed when we hit Costco 50 miles away … and when it's 98 degrees outside those items ride in the well vented AC …
My 18 Z71 is a single cab … so the SUV gets the call often and allowed me to buy/drive what I prefer
(I'm long past HD series and 4 door trucks)

 

[supton]

Originally Posted by blupupher


For you, sounds like a car is more what you need. You don't seem to need any "advantages" of a SUV/CUV (more room being the primary one).


Been thinking about it. I really like 4WD in winter though, a rwd pickup is kinda useless but even my fwd cars with snow tires get stuck. I just need to convince myself to get rid of my enclosed trailer, I seem to wind up using that every few months. I bought it to move with, so it is "paid for" but only costs $25 per year, and is stupid nice for moving things. In the year I have owned it I saved on at least 10, maybe 15 days of rentals. Toying with getting something like an older Highlander, just for its towing capacity and awd.

 

[Railrust]

My thoughts...

With vehicles, don't ever think "practical" if you don't have to. Think function, sure, think enjoyment more. And try to mix the two as much as possible. There is nothing "practical" about a car, so why look for something practical? They're bad investments anyway, so try to get as much joy out of that bad investment as you possibly can. They all end up in the junkyard anyway, and so will you. Enjoy it as much as possible.

And as far as subcompact vs SUV? Oh my lord! SUV all the way. Higher vantage point, more space, good fuel economy anyway, better in snow, more versatile, more comfort, easier to get in and out, and probably better resale (people want the SUV).

 

[PimTac]

WhyMe started this thread. Where is he? Does he have any further questions or responses to those who responded here?

 

[ndfergy]

CUV's are not large as you think. They're the new family vehicle without too much of a gas penalty over the gold standards Accord and Camry. The Honda HR-V looks like a wise choice for a young family of five or less.

See below:

 

[Ws6]

Originally Posted by supton
Originally Posted by Rmay635703
People no longer spend money on retail stuff so they blow a wad on a bling mobile then complain about gas prices and transmission failures.

https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/i-always-car-guy-crossovers-suvs-ending-37841.html

Women especially like the high seating position.

As for me I used to be a car guy but the recent trend of only CUV and SUVs on road have made me loose interest.
They all look like minivans to me and are all boring, I rather have a funny little car than any of the current generic mobiles driving around.

I stopped being a car guy when I realized just how much I was spending on cars, and how I'd rather be retired...

I have a boring sedan at the moment, but that revolves largely around the fact that it's cheap to repair. In some ways I wonder if that makes me more a car guy than most, I buy something that I know will have me under the hood. Then again I'm thinking of getting rid of my truck before I need to repair it, so I must not be much of a car guy--and the fact that my driveway is nothing but Toyota seals it.


I can relate, lol! CUV is just so much more practical from a standpoint that it will do anything I need, any time, anywhere. Sports cars were very...niche.

 

[Ws6]

Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by Ws6
Originally Posted by MCompact
My wife and I wanted an F31 M Sport, but a CPO E84 X1 M Sport turned up at my dealer at an extremely attractive price. Unlike many xDrive models the M Sport package gets you the M Technic suspension, so it's actually entertaining to drive. With a six second 0-60 time and a mid-fourteen second quarter it's hardly a ball of fire, but it returns 23 mpg on average, so I suppose it all evens out.



Is that real average, or published? That just sounds low to me.

E84 X1 M sport has inline 6 engine, N55. It is old platform (and one that is really, really appealing to BMW enthusiasts).
Considering capabilities of that platform, steering feedback that NO ONE today can offer on the market, I would take E84 even if returned 15mpg on average over new X1 or Tiguan, or CX-5, or Audi, or whatever.

X1 35i is a helluva awesome choice. The only reason I didn't go that route is reliability. Otherwise? Killer CUV!

If maintenance and broken parts don't matter really, common failures are: The oil housing gasket is prone to leaks, the coolant expansion tank is known to crack along the seam, oil pan gasket is known to leak, the plastic charge pipe is known to blow up even at stock boost levels, water pump failures are common around 96,000 kms, and the serpentine belt is known to be eaten by the crank pulley if it breaks, most people replace around 100,000 kms.

 

[Ws6]

Originally Posted by MCompact
Originally Posted by edyvw

E84 X1 M sport has inline 6 engine, N55. It is old platform (and one that is really, really appealing to BMW enthusiasts).
Considering capabilities of that platform, steering feedback that NO ONE today can offer on the market, I would take E84 even if returned 15mpg on average over new X1 or Tiguan, or CX-5, or Audi, or whatever.


I like the E84 over the F48 as well, but my X1 has the N20 I4. Of all the small CUVs it's one of very few that have a default 60/40 torque split- so it handles like a RWD vehicle most of the time.


I've had SUV with 52/48 split, and my current, which is 98/2 split, and with lock-up electromagnetically, you literally cannot tell with a fast reacting system. It's just free mpg increase, basically. 200x per second, it's monitoring and will shift if needed to the rear. What I also found interesting is that traction is still increasing with mild tire slip. You cannot even notice it as t he driver. By the time you sense tires slipping, you're well past the threshold of a system that is properly designed, and losing momentum/traction. Dave Coleman did an interesting video on this once.

This is example of properly executed front-biased, reactive AWD (98/2, static, to 50/50 (full lock) dynamic, in this case)

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted by Ws6


If maintenance and broken parts don't matter really, common failures are: The oil housing gasket is prone to leaks, the coolant expansion tank is known to crack along the seam, oil pan gasket is known to leak, the plastic charge pipe is known to blow up even at stock boost levels, water pump failures are common around 96,000 kms, and the serpentine belt is known to be eaten by the crank pulley if it breaks, most people replace around 100,000 kms.


I've replaced a couple of oil filter housing gaskets and one expansion tank- none before 100k miles. With my wife's annual mileage I likely won't replace either for 8-10 years.

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted by Ws6

I've had SUV with 52/48 split, and my current, which is 98/2 split, and with lock-up electromagnetically, you literally cannot tell with a fast reacting system. It's just free mpg increase, basically. 200x per second, it's monitoring and will shift if needed to the rear. What I also found interesting is that traction is still increasing with mild tire slip. You cannot even notice it as t he driver. By the time you sense tires slipping, you're well past the threshold of a system that is properly designed, and losing momentum/traction. Dave Coleman did an interesting video on this once.

This is example of properly executed front-biased, reactive AWD (98/2, static, to 50/50 (full lock) dynamic, in this case)



To each his own; I simply don't like FWD in anything larger than a Mini- although my MS3 was fun in its own unhinged way. Given the choice I prefer RWD, but my wife likes AWD. I consider myself extremely fortunate that she also hates minivans and prefers smaller vehicles that are entertaining to drive.

 

[Ws6]

Originally Posted by MCompact
Originally Posted by Ws6


If maintenance and broken parts don't matter really, common failures are: The oil housing gasket is prone to leaks, the coolant expansion tank is known to crack along the seam, oil pan gasket is known to leak, the plastic charge pipe is known to blow up even at stock boost levels, water pump failures are common around 96,000 kms, and the serpentine belt is known to be eaten by the crank pulley if it breaks, most people replace around 100,000 kms.


I've replaced a couple of oil filter housing gaskets and one expansion tank- none before 100k miles. With my wife's annual mileage I likely won't replace either for 8-10 years.


That's good and I hope it continues to treat you well. I have a lot of friends who own/owned BMW, though, and it seems to go like this: One of them lasts 300K miles without anything but tire changes. The next one is "never right" and goes through parts like crazy and runs like trash. I had a friend with an E46 M3 that was like that, while another friend had a 2002 3-series (non-M) that was just a boring Swiss watch of a car. I just don't trust it, and I put a lot of miles on a car so I don't want to deal with my schedule being disrupted while it's in the shop, etc.