who wants to go car shopping with me?

[skubee-raw]

we wanted to wait till the end of the year, when they slash prices on the old models to make room for the new, but my wife's accord got rear ended. she was at a red light. some mexican (no, it's not racial, just stating the obvious) lady was driving without a license, hit her at about 45mph. the police report stated that since there was no skid marks, the lady didn't even brake. so needless to say, the accord is totaled, since it was hit at an angle, causing major structural damage.

needs? just suv's in general. we can afford the xc-90, and lr3, but we'd be eating out less and spending less on extra stuff, like the upcoming game consoles. the range rover porshe cayenne is beyond our reach. the 3rd row is a nice option, as the midsize suv's offer that. anything like a rav4, crv, escape is stupid. just get a station wagon if you're gonna get something that small. speaking of which, i also hate the so called "crossovers" like the freestyle, pacifica, forester, and pt cruiser.

and yes, unlike most posers who only buys the suv's to take their child to soccer practice, i will be taking the suv off roading, we live near jordan lake, it has off road trails, 3 hours from the blue ridge mountains and we live 2 hours away from the beach, with off-roading wild-life trails. so awd is a must (that's why i want the lr3).

anyway, we're going shopping, but for something big. what do you guys have? anything you want to point out? any we should avoid? we've tested the mitsu endeavour, the chevy tblazer, the ford explo, and the volvo xc-90. i really want the land rovre lr3, but my wife is turned off by it's spartan looks. we're gonna head to the honda dealership this weekend to take a look at the pilot.

we'll see.

[kman10587]

If you want to do any sort of off-roading, you're not going to like the Pilot. It's pretty much a car with a higher seating position and three rows of seats. I'd definitely take a look at the redesigned-for-2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. There are few better SUVs for off-roading, and it's still got a good amount of modern luxury and safety features, not to mention balanced handling and, surprisingly, a nice interior with good ergonomics and panel placement. The only thing is that it may be too small for your tastes (I don't believe it offers third-row seating, either). You might like the Toyota 4Runner or Nissan Pathfinder, as well. Though not quite as potent off-roaders as the Jeep, they offer a bit more refinement and third-row seating.

[MexSiR]

Viva Mexico!

Id buy a Used BMW X5, or one that is in your price range. Stay Away from the Mercedes M class, those go for very cheap but are a piece of S*it. The Volvo is another good option. I would stay away from any American or Japanesse car company, that is, if you can afford BMW or Volvo (which is kinda Ford hehe)

[Vip09]

Have you checked out the VW Touareg

[kman10587]

The reason I didn't suggest cars like the XC90, Touraeg, and X5 is because they seem to be out of your price range. If you can find one of those three gently used at the right price, by all means, go for it.

[GForce957]

i would also suggest the pathfinder or the 4Runner. And i noticed you live near Jordan Lake. Where at? I'm in Raleigh

[skubee-raw]

thanks for the suggest guys, but i went with gforce and checked out the pathfinder.

i finally got me a new one. i'll miss the accord. i've put a lot into her, but after 137K miles and one stupid ass mexican who can't drive, she now rests in the junkyard.

well, here's the replacement: a fully loaded nissan pathfinder. 76 speaker bose system with mp3 and 6 cd indash changer, 3 garage door/campass/temp/auto dimmer rearview mirror, sunroof, running boards, dual climate control, selectable 2/4 wheel drive...i guess i can learn to fall in love again,

here's me with the newest member to the family:

[del]

yeah, my brother just bought a brand new pathfinder. nice suv's. i like them a lot better than the 4runner and pilot inside and out. he got his pretty loaded with nav, leather and all that good stuff. i'm quite surprised how well equipped the car is. the price is competitive, but i still think overall SUV's are overpriced anyway. good pick!

[crayzayjay]

Looks nice. Congrats

[illegal_eagle187]

good pick

[nfg2184]

Wow 76 speakers that must be intense.

[skubee-raw]

thanks everyone...

Originally Posted by nfg2184

Wow 76 speakers that must be intense.

lol....i just made up that number, i don't know how much it has. i know it has a subwoofer.