Small used SUV search

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Originally Posted By: itguy08
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Chevy HHR.

May as well add the PT Looser in there too...

Ugh on both. And yes, I've driven both as rentals. The same guy designed the same horrible POS for both companies and it shows. (Both were designed by Bryan Nesbitt.)


I like the way you think.

If you can find something old lady driven that started with an MSRP of $13-15k, you'll get more for your sister's money.
 
I had 98 Rav DD/beater (actually was in very nice shape in & out). I had put 200k on it myself no issues, just book maintenance. Since I had such good luck with it, I went to go shop for a newer earlier this year. I don't know what happened... came across a low miles (39k) Hyundai Tucson for a tad more than what your looking for. Coming up to putting 20k miles on it, not a single issue, decent mpg, better power than the Rav & 6-speed auto/sport shift, only a couple very small pebble paint marks up front, less maintenance than the Rav, it still hauls my 2 little doggies and gear (day trips, camping, fishing, metal detecting etc). But I'll probably take a harder look at some Subaru's next round.
Wife's Escape (2001 almost 130k), has had nothing but routine maintenance. Has never let us down. I was going to replace it last year but she wanted to keep driving it. Guess she likes it. 3.0 V-6 getting less mpg in town, she just likes it. I didn't like changing out the back plugs but it's done and that was probably the biggest maintenance I've done to it.
 
Originally Posted By: itguy08
There is always the Escape. Plentiful in numbers as it has been a top seller since it came out in 2003. Reliable 3.0 V6 (as well as 4 but it can be a tad underpowered), parts can be cheap due to the numbers and platform sharing. Just make sure the OP changed the transmission fluid every 30k and you'll be good to go. Wife's got 140k on hers and it's running fine.


While the RAV4 and CR-V are both great vehicles, the Escape/Mariner/Tribute triplets will provide newer model year and lower miles for the listed budget.
 
For about $8,000? I would have her look at a Chevrolet HHR LS

No, it is technically not an SUV, but the Cobalt derived chassis and ecotec powertrain is proving itself to be pretty reliable.

I like our PT Cruiser, and it has served us well for 100,000 miles now. it's carried everything a small crossover could and adults can actually sit in the back. But that timing belt is akin to a big balloon payment down the road if she does not have someone mechanically inclined to do it for her.

Jeep Liberty should fit in at that price range right under 100,000 miles. It won't get the fuel economy an HHR will get.

Maybe an Escape. Probably a 4 cyl XLS. I'm not a big fan of the transmission but they can be pretty good.

Honda Elements do not seem to hold their value as well as the CR-V. It doesn't have 4 real doors but if she has dogs



Originally Posted By: bepperb

I'm wondering why you don't like this segment of cars. I mean the driving dynamics are seriously lacking, but I don't see why that matters to you. Compared to a sedan they offer a lot more space and don't get much worse fuel economy.


My car is not really a sedan, it's a hatchback. But I can carry as much as a lot of small crossover SUVs and when the road gets twisty, well, if it isn't a premium marque like Infiniti EX it will not fare well.
lol.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Those are called Crossovers,not SUVs.
I'm no Subaru fan,but a Forester might be good choice.


I'd sort of agree, but with the US penchant for having automatics, I've found auto Forresters to be unlikely candidates for having enough tractive effort to pull a greased knitting needle out of a porcupine's bum...they are woeful compared to the manuals.


I would never have thought of that analogy...
 
We got her an '05 CRV with 150k miles for $6,6xx out the door. one previous owner. I drove it and an '04 with 40k less miles and couldn't really tell any difference except the '04 idled slightly smoother, and they wanted 3k$ more for it. Service records indicate an OCI of 5 to 6k miles and all book maintenance was done on the dot.

She is very happy with it. We didn't notice until we got back that the key fobs do not work, and the key will not work in the driver's door to unlock it as it will not fully insert. I'll see if new batteries in the fobs does anything and get a bottle of redline SL1 for the gas tank to see if the idle smooths out a bit. It is also due for an oil change so I get to do that as well.
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I do surf and usually miss the season's best west swell when I'm on the east coast for the holidays. Luckily I got an excellent longboard session last Sunday before flying out the next morning
 
I forget; sometimes do you have to sync the fobs with the car? Put in the ignition, turn x times, push a button... I read about that once, never had an issue with mine; but recently my fob died and I'm not sure if it's battery or not.

Sounds like a good deal. Hope it works out well.
 
3 different stores did not have the CR1616 batteries for the key Fobs. I don't have my voltmeter on me but could not discern any voltage on the battery/tongue test. I have read about how to program the fobs but will replace the batteries first, once I find them locally.
 
im in Orlando....just so you know there is a store on Colonial that is called batteries plus....they will have it.
 
Wound up getting the cr1616's at the batt+ on Colonial as it is very nearby, but got them before reading the post above.

The new Batts, when installed, fixed the key fobs and my sister danced a Jig.

Was at Wally world before this and they were out of the cr1616's too. While there I bought 5 quarts of M1 5w-20 and Fram's synthetic 15K mile Filter and just changed it out. It had a Genuine Honda filter on it which has a silicone ADBV. Previous OCI's appear to be in the 5 to 6k range if the service records are accurate. I said this oil/filter will do 7500 miles easy or I'll just do it again next year when I am here if she does not exceed that mileage before then.

I also put some Gumout Regane in the fuel tank for her, we'll see if that smooths out the idle somewhat.

I showed her how to check the oil level and not to worry if the oil goes dark quickly as there is some visible varnish when looking down the oil fill cap and that the M1 would perhaps clean up the conventional oil varnish.

While under there I noticed the passenger side sway bar link were the likely cause of the rattle as suspected/hoped, so I ordered some new Beck Arnley ones for her from Amazon.

And that both encompasses and concludes my Xmas shopping.
 
For future reference you can't get an accurate state of charge from a primary lithium ion cell by using a volt meter at rest. You can however get a better idea if you load them and check voltage. You can load them using a cheap led key chain light.
 
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