Mid size SUV's...
#1
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Mid size SUV's...
I am going to purchase a new vehicle before July 20th. (that is when current lease expires) Would like to start looking around the middle of April for it. I am looking to purchase a used SUV. Probably 2002-2004 Trailblazer, Grand Cherokee or Explorer. Does anyone have suggestions for any of these vehicles (likes or dislikes, common problems). Also, my wife is going to be the main driver for this one; dont know if there is anything I should consider because of this. I do want a 4x4 though. Thanks.
#2
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When I purchased the new 2005 Grand Cherokee Laredo my deciding factors over the Explorer and Blazer were the following:
1) Newer desing -- the 2006 line for Explorer and Blazer were no out
2) Better style -- according to personal taste
3) Great price -- 21/22K for a brand new SUV was a great price
4) Quality of finish -- I tought was better
5) Better resale value
If you decide to purchase the Laredo I strongly suggest the following:
1) Get V8 not V6
2) If you or your wife are 5'5' or less make sure to have adjustable pedals
- My wife is 5'4 and had very hard time to reach the pedals.
Overall the car given the price payed for is a good value. But the gas milage is poor (14-17 miles x gallon at most) and the car seat are not comfortable at all.
Personally if I were on the market for a new SUV i would consider an import car. I used to own a 2003 Nissan Murano AWD and that was by far superior in quality, comfort, power and resale value to the Grand Cherokee... But that is my own opinion
If you planning to lease the new SUV, then one of the consideration would be what type of program/s is available at the time of the purchase.
1) Newer desing -- the 2006 line for Explorer and Blazer were no out
2) Better style -- according to personal taste
3) Great price -- 21/22K for a brand new SUV was a great price
4) Quality of finish -- I tought was better
5) Better resale value
If you decide to purchase the Laredo I strongly suggest the following:
1) Get V8 not V6
2) If you or your wife are 5'5' or less make sure to have adjustable pedals
- My wife is 5'4 and had very hard time to reach the pedals.
Overall the car given the price payed for is a good value. But the gas milage is poor (14-17 miles x gallon at most) and the car seat are not comfortable at all.
Personally if I were on the market for a new SUV i would consider an import car. I used to own a 2003 Nissan Murano AWD and that was by far superior in quality, comfort, power and resale value to the Grand Cherokee... But that is my own opinion
If you planning to lease the new SUV, then one of the consideration would be what type of program/s is available at the time of the purchase.
#3
We bought an 01' Blazer 4x4 a few years back w/ all the bells and whistles. It was only 2 years old when we purchased it with 28k miles. It has given us zero problems except for that stupid anti-freeze that GM put in it. At 40 k I flushed all that out and replaced it. The ride is very good and we've put over 50k on it. The 4.3 vortec engine is very powerful. We chose it because we're a Chevy family.
#4
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I've never heard anything good about Jeep Cherokee reliability. GM and Ford products are definitely better. But the only real reliable midsize SUV's are from Toyota, Nissan and Honda - expect to pay accordingly.
#5
Get used to the "best built American cars" being built by foreign manufacturers with plants here in the U.S. I always bought American until they had all their parts made overseas for cheap labor and were only "assembled" here. Even that is changing. My step-daughter and her husband bought a Kia SUV and are very happy with it. Not 4 WD though. Good luck.
#6
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thanks...
for all the info. Wife and I are not too short so not much of a problem. Also, I was thinking of getting the 03-04 because the still have the inline 6 (which has been a workhorse for many years) Plus Chyrsler switched to the 7year/70000 mile warranty in 03 (I believe).
Did you purchase a blazer or trailblazer. My sister had a 99 blazer and I thought it a little tight for me.
Reliablity. I looked up several sources and found there to not be too many recurring problems with any of the three vehicles.
Thanks again for all your help and post back with anything else you can think of.
Did you purchase a blazer or trailblazer. My sister had a 99 blazer and I thought it a little tight for me.
Reliablity. I looked up several sources and found there to not be too many recurring problems with any of the three vehicles.
Thanks again for all your help and post back with anything else you can think of.
#7
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Ol' reliable
I bought a '00 Xterra new with all the bells and whistles. 176K later, the only unplanned repair work has been replacement of a A/C line and replacement of the master window/lock switch assembly.
#8
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Love our Trailblazer
We purchased an '06 Trailblazer EXT. Gobs more room than the competition, I am extremely satisfied with the handling, HP, and the overall value. It is a beautiful truck, styling is awesome, driver controls easily accessable, love the dual climate and the rear air. Tons of cargo room. The inline 6 is so smooth you can't even feel it running, infact if you try to start it when it is running, the computer reckognizes the vehicle is already on, and won't let the starter engage. There is no accelerator cable, meaning this truck is drive by wire, everything is computer controlled. The ride comfort is unbelievable, we drove the explorer and felt it had a jerky ride feel. Personally speaking I would never own another Chrysler product I have had an Intrepid and a '02 Wrangler Sport depreciation was horrible, enough to commit yourself. Anyway, good luck I hope my experience has given you useful information.
#9
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I have a patient with a Trailblazer that she says she wouldn't buy again because of the milage. My mechanic bought his wife a Kia SUV a couple years ago (don't know the model name) and they've been please with both milage and reliability.
#10
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Why cry about mileage?
You know that may be one of my largest issue's with people today. When you look at an SUV in this class ie. Trailblazer, Explorer etc., etc., you should expect the gas mileage they get mine gets about 14-16 in the city depending on driving and about 20-22 on the highway. Not good, but not the worst I have seen either. If you are going to cry about the gas mileage by a sedan 25-30 miles per gallon. There is no way I would get the leg, head, side room in a kia, or a saturn that I do in a Trailblazer EXT. So I pay for it, it's a given. With gas prices on the decline it makes my purchase even sweeter. I don't buy my vehicles based on mileage, I buy based on comfort, style and personal preference. Otherwise I would be driving a little Honda hatchback hybrid. Moral of the story, some SUV's get better mileage than others in their class, but a 1-2 mile difference is minimal. When you decide to buy an SUV, you have decided to deal with the mileage issue, but remember you are getting that much more vehicle.
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I agree with lamerem ...if you want great gas mileage, don't buy an SUV. It's that easy. Anyone who complains about gas mileage of an SUV has little common sense. SUVs are heavy vehicles (5-7K lbs) ...heavy vehicles use more gas. My wife and I both have SUVs and I don't think at this point we would own anything else. Ours get maybe 15 mpg average with city and highway and I'm happy with that.
From the 3 options that mexican163 posed, the Trail Blazer seems to be the best option for the value, engine, styling, and features. This thread is pretty old now so I wonder what he/she ended up going with??
From the 3 options that mexican163 posed, the Trail Blazer seems to be the best option for the value, engine, styling, and features. This thread is pretty old now so I wonder what he/she ended up going with??