Good used SUVs?

AdamZ

AdamZ

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Adam Zucker
My lease on my 2008 Honda Pilot is up in a month and I'm thinking I'm going to buy it off lease as the residual is a few thousand below what they are going for at auction. Its a good vehicle, my wife likes it and even though there are only 3 of us we can pack it up with stuff or my daughters friends when needed.

Before I pulled the trigger though I though I'd ask opinions on what folks thought were good moderate sized SUVs on the used market that have decent fuel burn. A CRV or Escape isn't the size we want and I'm not paying for new and I know SUV fuel burns are not wonderful but just though I'd throw it out there to see what comes back
 
AdamZ said:
A CRV or Escape isn't the size we want and I'm not paying for new and I know SUV fuel burns are not wonderful but just though I'd throw it out there to see what comes back
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Can't fool mother nature, heavier vehicle, more fuel. I do like the CRV's but they will be MUCH smaller than your Pilot. Considering your Pilot's condition and miles, buying it off lease isn't a bad deal at all. Everyone likes it, been reliable and quite useful.

Besides, how else are you going to pack all the Fly-B-Q supplies to the airport?

Gary
 
Once gasoline gets done doing its annual price climb those SUVs won't be worth much.
 
I have a 2003 Ford Explorer and I absolutely love it. I know several people that have had them and have gotten over 260000 mi out of them. I would say buy what you like, I happen to really like the explorer and have had very few issues with 118000 mi. Gas mi isnt that bad not sure exact mi per gallon but I get about 200-300 out of a tank. Are there more fuel efficient sure.
 
I'm a Nissan fan. Recently sold my '97 Pathfinder with about 150K miles - still going strong. Replaced it with a Nissan truck....
 
Come to the minivan side!!!!!!!!!!!! Utility and gas mileage!!!!!!!!!!!!:D
 
As the price of fuel climbs, maybe the automakers will start giving us the same options they have in the UK. A couple of years ago we drove a Chevy Captiva (maybe an equinox). It was a standard with diesel. Last year was a VW Touareg, also diesel and standard. This year it was a Mitsubishi Shogun. This was auto and diesel.
All got 26 to 30 MPH.
Roomy enough for 5 adults and some cargo.
On the other hand, I still drive a Chevy Suburban.
 
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Ford Excursion.

Poor gas mileage, tons of room, and it's an urban assault vehicle.
 
How about a Toyota FJ Cruiser for those of us who don't need 4 doors? I have to try one for size.
 
The Honda Pilot is a nice ride. My parents both bought CR-Vs several years ago. Upon trading those in they switched to a pair of Honda Pilots. Dad drives the heck out of his and loves it. I've driven it a few times and like it, too. You could do worse but it's tough to do better IMO.
 
Toyota Highlander with 4 cylinder engine will give you excellent milage per gallon, plenty of room and optional 3rd row which is good for young kids but not adults.
 
Adam,

I am sure you'll do a payback analysis before you purchase. A lower purchase price can offset better gas mileage for several years to the point it may be worth buying that less expensive, higher mileage vehicle over the less capable, more fuel effecient vehicle.

Plus, you just may be able to use the old, less hours en route argument that we use to justify faster, more effecient, yet complex planes. :D
 
ebacon said:
The Honda Pilot is a nice ride. My parents both bought CR-Vs several years ago. Upon trading those in they switched to a pair of Honda Pilots. Dad drives the heck out of his and loves it. I've driven it a few times and like it, too. You could do worse but it's tough to do better IMO.
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Anthony said:
Adam,

I am sure you'll do a payback analysis before you purchase. A lower purchase price can offset better gas mileage for several years to the point it may be worth buying that less expensive, higher mileage vehicle over the less capable, more fuel effecient vehicle.

Plus, you just may be able to use the old, less hours en route argument that we use to justify faster, more effecient, yet complex planes. :D
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Yea this theories are kind of where I'm at in my thinking.
 
The problem you're facing is being used to the enormous size of Pilot, while it being a CUV. If you want the size, your only alternatives are BOF SUVs (e.g. Sequoia), Ford's D3-based offerings may work: e.g. Freestyle/Flex... (it's the same bones as new Explorer has, but those aren't on the used market yet). Poooossibly Edge, but that's halfway down to a RAV4. Journey is the same size, too. GM Lambdas, sure, if you hate yourself.

A semi-modern minivan, such as a used Oddy, will beat Pilot in capacity, despite sharing the platform specifically in case of Odissey. I would give it a good thought.
 
Anthony said:
Adam,
Plus, you just may be able to use the old, less hours en route argument that we use to justify faster, more effecient, yet complex planes. :D
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Agreed! All those dollars you will save should be spent on Av-gas!

Gary
 
I'll stick with my Yukon with the big V8.

Scares people out of neighboring lanes in their tiny cars, and wins mass-wise if they're dumb enough to stay there. ;)
 
zaitcev said:
The problem you're facing is being used to the enormous size of Pilot, while it being a CUV. If you want the size, your only alternatives are BOF SUVs (e.g. Sequoia), Ford's D3-based offerings may work: e.g. Freestyle/Flex... (it's the same bones as new Explorer has, but those aren't on the used market yet). Poooossibly Edge, but that's halfway down to a RAV4. Journey is the same size, too. GM Lambdas, sure, if you hate yourself.

A semi-modern minivan, such as a used Oddy, will beat Pilot in capacity, despite sharing the platform specifically in case of Odissey. I would give it a good thought.
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Yeah I agree. I don't think an oddsey will work as the SO will not approve.
 
denverpilot said:
I'll stick with my Yukon with the big V8.

Scares people out of neighboring lanes in their tiny cars, and wins mass-wise if they're dumb enough to stay there. ;)
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Ford Excursion. 6.8L V10.

Game, set, match. :D
 
We recently got Junelle a used 2007 Nissan Murano. Fantastic vehicle! Very roomy, excellent ride, and surprisingly decent mileage (20/26 is what I've been getting over the last couple months) for the size/performance. And that's with the big turboed engine. It hauled a fully loaded 8' U-Haul trailer 1946 miles over four days (and the Blue Ridge mountains) without a hiccup. And of course it's a Nissan, so you can light it on fire and sink it in the ocean and it will still be alive longer than you.

Oh, and you won't have to tow a gas station with you like Ted does in his boxy monstrosity. :D
 
Gotta tell you, I know several people who have gotten the Buick Enclave, and absolutely love it. Really nice inside, drives well, adequate mileage for its size and outstanding build quality.
 
Doggtyred said:
Actually Hitachi and Toshiba ;)
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And they did a pretty damn good job too! It withstood a 9.0 earthquake and a Tsunami without losing containment.

Anyway on to cars, once you go Honda, you don't go back. I'd suggest another Pilot, the new ones are even more capable, and more fuel efficient. Or your old Pilot. Or an Odyssey if you need more space. I have an '02 and love it. It's much faster, better handling, and gets better mileage than any SUV, and carries more stuff than all but the most ridiculously large wastefull POS Excursiburbans's. There is no more comfortable way to haul 4 people and any amount of stuff you can think of.
 
woodstock said:
Are any of these big enough to throw a bike in the back WITHOUT disassembling it?
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LOL! Only thing you can do that in is an Odyssey. I've had 3 in there with the middle seats still in it.
 
Adam,

I've always liked the Toyota 4Runner with the six cylinder. Gets low 20's gas mileage, yet still moves/pulls, and is big enough to actually take stuff. It will probably be my next vehicle when the Jeep gets lifted and 35's to become just a trail rig.

I don't think you can go wrong with the 4Runner and if you don't like it, you can get your money back. I can't imagine why you wouldn't like it though.
 
There's a company that builds a very passable, factory-looking imitation of Excursion. You bring them the F-250 of a specific configuration, and they build and outfit it, including the stampings necessary for factory-like rear doors. Quite a few people want that, apparently, even though Ford decided not to build it anymore.
 
eMKay said:
LOL! Only thing you can do that in is an Odyssey. I've had 3 in there with the middle seats still in it.
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Ahem.

Sienna.

My Manwagon!!! I have more than enough testosterone coursing through my veins. I don't need to pretend so through my choice of vehicle.
:D
 
Teller1900 said:
We recently got Junelle a used 2007 Nissan Murano. Fantastic vehicle! Very roomy, excellent ride, and surprisingly decent mileage (20/26 is what I've been getting over the last couple months) for the size/performance. And that's with the big turboed engine. It hauled a fully loaded 8' U-Haul trailer 1946 miles over four days (and the Blue Ridge mountains) without a hiccup. And of course it's a Nissan, so you can light it on fire and sink it in the ocean and it will still be alive longer than you.
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You just have to maintain the reserve fund for the new CV transmission. The good news there is it's supposed to be $4000 per now, not $6000 like it was.
 
SCCutler said:
Gotta tell you, I know several people who have gotten the Buick Enclave, and absolutely love it. Really nice inside, drives well, adequate mileage for its size and outstanding build quality.
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I spotted an Enclave on a dealer lot a couple years back with a sticker that read $50,000+.

It is good to be rich.
 
mikea said:
I spotted an Enclave on a dealer lot a couple years back with a sticker that read $50,000+.

It is good to be rich.
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Yukon Denalis cost more than that. I shake my head every time I see one. Usually has a dopey "I've been there phoney European country abbreviation for some place like Martha's Vineyard" sticker on it, and some soccer mom on the friggin' cell phone cutting me off in traffic.
 
flyersfan31 said:
Yukon Denalis cost more than that. I shake my head every time I see one. Usually has a dopey "I've been there phoney European country abbreviation for some place like Martha's Vineyard" sticker on it, and some soccer mom on the friggin' cell phone cutting me off in traffic.
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I don't get the Denali at all... my SLT has add-ons that give it everything a Denali has without that look of "Wow, I'm an idiot and spent $15K on fancy badging."
 
denverpilot said:
Nissan engineers built Fukushima didn't they? :hairraise:
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Doggtyred said:
Actually Hitachi and Toshiba ;)
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You knew I was kidding, right? ;)

zaitcev said:
There's a company that builds a very passable, factory-looking imitation of Excursion. You bring them the F-250 of a specific configuration, and they build and outfit it, including the stampings necessary for factory-like rear doors. Quite a few people want that, apparently, even though Ford decided not to build it anymore.
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My favorite use of large Fords is here...

http://earthroamer.com/

Bill Swails (CEO or COO or something...) probably doesn't remember me, but we were neighbors mucho years ago when he lived in the same condo complex.

He built his first prototype after cashing in on some early AOL stock and quitting his job at Qwest/US West. It was on a Dodge frame, and I don't even know if he has the original stories of taking it to Mexico and working out the bugs still on the website.

I remember him putting in some really long hours in front of his tiny garage at the condo complex building that thing... no room in those garages for a full-sized pickup truck -- it was just where the tools were kept.

He had a dream, and he made it happen. Driving northbound on I-25 north of Denver recently, I was happy to see that EarthRoamer has a big building now up there, and apparently business is good -- considering a down market and all.

I'd love to have one, but they're ... pricey. Real pricey. Used ones are still pricey, too... and hard to come by.

Want. ;)
 
I'd love an Earthroamer. Very cool. I have absolutely no need for one, whatsoever. Still. I want one.

I note that they are no longer advertising them as NBC-safe. I was wondering what they did to make them capable of protecting against NBC - apparently, not enough. :D
 
flyersfan31 said:
I'd love an Earthroamer. Very cool. I have absolutely no need for one, whatsoever. Still. I want one.

I note that they are no longer advertising them as NBC-safe. I was wondering what they did to make them capable of protecting against NBC - apparently, not enough. :D
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You would need it to take the family to DairyQueen, also, the dogs to the dog park!
 
DSO (Dobbertin Surface Orbiter).

http://www.dobbertinhydrocar.com/Dobbertin Surface Orbiter.html

ORBITER_AT_CHARLOTTE.jpg
 
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