Sister Looking For New Reliable Suv Under 30,000

Status
Not open for further replies.
Originally Posted By: whip
I don't understand the love for Hyundai, Kia. Just 10 years ago, they were cheaply made entry vehicles. They made a few good looking cars, threw some hamsters on TV, and people think they're great. They improved their marketing, not the quality of cars.



They have of course increased the electronics content and overall they are much, much better than when they arrived in the 1980's. Some of those were abandoned along with the boatloads of Yugo's that everybody hated.

I don't know if I would keep one past the famous warranty period myself, but I see lots of them driving around looking pretty well used so some of them might be surviving 10 years or more.
 
My number one pick would be a Forester.... with my fingers crossed hoping that I don't get one that drinks oil.
 
Originally Posted By: whip
I don't understand the love for Hyundai, Kia. Just 10 years ago, they were cheaply made entry vehicles. They made a few good looking cars, threw some hamsters on TV, and people think they're great. They improved their marketing, not the quality of cars.

It would interesting to drive them back to back, but my buddy recently bought a $44k msrp 2014 Honda Pilot and I don't think it was as nice inside than a well equipped last generation Santa Fe. The Honda dash rattled on mild washboard, and its interior was mostly hard monotone plastic. Maybe they were going for utilitarian and durable in the Honda, but it didn't really impress me much at all. If I was buying new, the price difference would be hard to ignore.
 
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Maybe they were going for utilitarian and durable in the Honda, but it didn't really impress me much at all.


In my humble opinion, the current Honda Pilot is a mess. Its interior is very cheap and is a horrible study in ergonomics, the platform is very aged by now, and they're still getting premium prices.

I love our cars. But I wouldn't buy a new Pilot.
 
how can any of you be recommending chevy equinox? total pos. my neighbor bought a 2013 and the timming chain failed at 25k. now its burning lots of oil . a qt every 500 miles. there are serious problems with the direct fuel injection . as for subaru- who wants a oil burning . rattleknocking engine that eats headgaskets? been there and done with them. toyota is best game in town. 200k with out a single prob on my 04 highlander. under 30k get a used one off lease
 
Originally Posted By: Brons2
My Kia dealer has jacked up their labor rates quite a bit - when I got my first Kia in 2006, the 30K checkups were very reasonable. Now they're like $450 so I just DIY.

The vehicles aren't that reasonable anymore either, when Kia and Hyundai were less popular, the prices seemed more competitive to me. I usually visit the dealer occasionally to buy Kia OEM fluids like ATF and anti-freeze and I see Sorentos (cousin of the Santa Fe) optioned up around $40K and I shake my head.

I've had two Kias and I would consider another Kia or Hyundai but I would certainly shop my business around.

The Equinox would be a strong competitor in this class of vehicles for me - I am 6'7" and the 'Nox is very roomy. The fuel dilution of the DI would be a concern but I would watch it obsessively like any BITOG'er.

I would not consider another Rav4 or CR-V, the front legroom is not enough for me. I told me wife that if I knew her when she bought the Rav4 that I would have steered her to a Highlander if she had insisted on a Toyota.

The prior gen Subarus had good legroom in the front but I don't know if that has changed with the new ones, and the HG issues make me wonder.
at last some one who has done his homework!
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Maybe they were going for utilitarian and durable in the Honda, but it didn't really impress me much at all.


In my humble opinion, the current Honda Pilot is a mess. Its interior is very cheap and is a horrible study in ergonomics, the platform is very aged by now, and they're still getting premium prices.

I love our cars. But I wouldn't buy a new Pilot.


+1, I don't get it either. That being said it is true 8 passenger in mid size with room for a decent stroller behind the third row. It is one of the few vehicles that hold 3 car seats across the middle row well and allows for the rear cargo area to be used. Box on wheels with a chinzy interior.

The only time I regret my 07 MDX purchase(two kid family then) is when we have 7 passengers and lack of any cargo space.
 
Originally Posted By: super20dan
how can any of you be recommending chevy equinox? total pos. my neighbor bought a 2013 and the timming chain failed at 25k. now its burning lots of oil . a qt every 500 miles. there are serious problems with the direct fuel injection . as for subaru- who wants a oil burning . rattleknocking engine that eats headgaskets? been there and done with them. toyota is best game in town. 200k with out a single prob on my 04 highlander. under 30k get a used one off lease


Your neighbor's Equinox is, obviously, one bad example out of a multitude of great-running vehicles. I know a lot of people with 'Noxes and they're great cars. Just as your Toyota is one example of a multitude of great-running vehicles, but there are hundreds or thousands of people who have been burned by the brand.
 
look on the equinox forms -you will see many people with timming chain issues at extremly low miles and oil burnings. it isnt just one car.
 
Your sister seems pretty undecided about what she wants or needs.
If she can live with a 4+1 passenger vehicle, I'd have to have to take her to a Subaru dealer.
We have a '99 Legacy wagon and an '09 Forester ATM and have been very happy with both.
If winter driving ease is a consideration, you really can't get anything better than an AWD Subie.
Subaru also offers the choice of NA, turbo or the flat six in the Outback, turbo or NA in the Forester and unlike Hyundai, Subaru really does know turbos, having offered them for many years and having had these engines prove reliable and durable in years of actual use.
These cars appear to hold up well to years and miles of use in general, as one of our professional tech members often remarks.
Warranties are only as valuable as the company that offers them intends them to be.
It's also pretty easy for any savy rep to weasel around any state lemon law.
Food for thought.
If she drives a Forester and Outback and finds one to be her cup of tea, she can then shop online to find the best price and offer this as a courtesy to the dealer who offered her the test drives.
They'd be entitled to it and could either agree or not.
Every dealer has exactly the same cost in every new car sold.
Whatever she decides upon, good luck to her with her new ride.
 
Good points fdcg27.

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
...
Every dealer has exactly the same cost in every new car sold.
...

Maybe up front, but don't high volume dealers get significant cash back from the manufacturer on a periodic basis when they reach various quotas?
 
do not consider a 4 cyl subaru! the 6 is fine. the 4 is a headgasket eating and oil drinker. our subaru was the only car we had to get rid of before it was paid for. 3 radiators -2 cylinder heads and head gaskets -all before 60,000k
 
Originally Posted By: super20dan
do not consider a 4 cyl subaru! the 6 is fine. the 4 is a headgasket eating and oil drinker.


The FB20 and FB25 engines have very different head designs to the old head gasket eaters, and the 2015 engines seem to have solved the oil burning problem in the earlier years.
 
once bitten-twice shy. still the way subaru handeled the whole head gasket issue was horriable. they would never admit there was a problem.there should have been a class action lawsuite and a mandatory buyback. their solution-stop leak!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom