One of my unshakable prejudices is that people who drive SUVs are jerks and they should drive smaller cars, or take their bicycles, or ride public transportation. Anything but those big smelly gas guzzlers. I have been speaking out against them for, well, decades. (Okay it’s not the gas for many of those years I myself have driven a champion gas-guzzler but not an SUV, no way.)
So. I just bought one. Aaarrgh!
Actually it was a joint purchase. We got it because, um, my husband wanted it, but somehow it was made to sound like I needed it. And he will be driving the little car, since he has farther to go and should take the vehicle with better mileage, while I can actually walk to work.
Which I think I will be doing. Always.
So where’s the justice? Still…I agreed to it. (Buyer’s remorse, big time.)
The thing won’t even fit in my garage.
I know it’s a slippery slope. Someday soon I will find myself parking in a handicapped spot, just for a minute (cause I don’t fit anywhere else?), or taking my cats in to have them declawed…
Hey, great advice. I’ve been blonde before and I can be blonde again. And: I have a cell phone and I’m not afraid to use it. Although I prefer to work the crossword puzzle while driving…
Silly question - what reason did he use for your need for an SUV?
If you need to lug lots of people/stuff, a minivan is way more practical. My previous minivan [a caravan] could hold mrAru and myself, and enough camping gear to live through 2 weeks at pennsic in luxury - including a double rope bed/four poster and futon mattress.
Snow? Get a smaller 4wd vehicle - suzuki makes a good line of smaller 4wd vehicles.
Safety on the road? Pray like hell the asshats in the SUVs that don’t know how to drive learn to drive.
Lugging around seed/feed/hay? Get a frelling pickup truck
Towing a trailer? Again, said p/u does a good job and actually is cheaper to insure.
Plowing snow out of the driveway? Unless your drive is seriously long, a snow blower or employ a kid with a shovel.
Damn, you beat me to it. I have a cousin who did work for them. I don’t think he is anymore, but the Dark Side jokes were so obvious when he got that job.
A friend of mine, when the lease on his Honda Accord expired recently, replaced it with a lease on a Honda CRV. He mentioned that since he was now driving an SUV he was damned for eternity. My wife comforted him with “That’s OK Kevin; it’s a small SUV, so you’ll just be sentenced to an outer circle of hell.”
Your husband wanted it? Why? This is key. And why buy it only to make you drive it (and pay $$ for gas)? If it’s a status thing, tell him you’re embarassed to drive it and he’ll have to start driving it. If it’s a snow thing, mention that although 4WD helps acceleration and hill climbing in snow, it doesn’t help cornering much and braking not at all (both of which are poor in SUVs to begin with). You can often make huge differences in how a 2WD car handles in the snow by buying 4 snow tires (mounted on their own rims to make the changeover convenient). Notice I said snow tires, not all-season tires. If you need the carrying capacity infrequently, rent one as needed.
I just got an ’06 Pathfinder to replace my ’93. Love it.
We need 4x4 for snow. 4x4 with ground clearance and low-range. I discounted the Explorer for its bad ground clearance, and, well, our family never did have good luck with Fords.
Towing capacity. 6000 lbs.
It’s not huge. And very easy to see out of and drive.
It’s on a truck frame. Strength and durability. Helps for towing, off road and pulling others out when they get stuck.
Size/cargo room. Just right for us. Very comfortable for me with the adjustable pedals. The Toyota 4-Runner (The other vehicle I considered) doesn’t offer them.
The mid-sized SUV works great for my Wife and I and our two dogs.
This will be my 2nd SUV. And my fourth 4x4. My Wife is now on her second SUV. Because of where we live, and what we do every day, they are the most practical vehicles for us. I thought about getting another 4x4 truck (I have an old truck that I use to plow). But it made no sense.
Don’t need another truck. To plow at my place, the vehicle has to be chained up on all four. I’m not gonna do that dance every time I need to plow. My old beater truck works great for that.
The SUV’s we have, the Grand Jeep and the Pathfinder can get us to work through up to about 2 feet of snow. Coming home is sometimes a different story.
Anyway, wad’ya get. I hope it wasn’t shovels and rakes and had to pick up the garbage.
:mad: