So we are getting ready to retire our Land Rover- poor thing has over 145,000 miles on it (2000 Range Rover) and believe me, things are falling off of it on a weekly basis! When repairs = car payment, it’s time for a switch.
My first choice would be another used Range Rover, of course. But if not, we are thinking about a Chevy Suburban, or a Nissan Armada. We need plenty of room and I really want that 3rd row of seating this time.
Ideas? Experience? Anecdotes?
And no anti-SUV thread-shitting, please. This isn’t that kind of thread. Thanks!
I drive a 2006 Ford Expedition which has third row seating and tons of room. I can fold down both the second and third rows for cargo space if needed.
It tows our 21 foot Bayliner boat up Snoqualmie Pass with no effort at all. In fact, it pulls our boat better than my husband’s big F250 Super Duty V-10 pick-up truck.
For as big as the rig is, I can’t complain about the gas mileage. It does about the same on gas mileage as our old '97 Ford Explorer did.
It handles nicely and while driving it, it doesn’t “feel” big.
We’ve never really taken it off-road, so if that’s what you’re looking for I can’t really tell you anything about that.
Oh, wow, finally a thread where I might be able to generally field some expertise.
EJsGirl, you say you’d consider a used vehicle. That’s awesome, because used vehicles have 100 times the character and 1000 times the looks as any factory-new, contemporary rounded-jellybean blob that calls itself a 4x4 today. The age of the true 4x4 is over (that age was the 70s and early 80s with the great classic full-sized Broncos, Blazers, International Scouts, Jeep Wagoneers and many others.) If you’re looking at used vehicles, just be sure to have your mechanic inspect it thoroughly, or do it yourself if you have the knowledge.
Range Rovers are beautiful vehicles, especially the older ones (I love the 80s-era ones) but those are known for having frequent problems that are costly and difficult to address with old age, due to their distinctive engineering.
If you want a vehicle that will truly be a war-horse and survive for hundreds of thousands of miles (and, not to mention, be really badass,) what you want is an FJ60 Landcruiser. No, not one of those “FJ Cruiser” monstrosities that Toyota just shitted out - you want something like this one. If you want to turn heads everywhere you go, and be able to go everywhere in the first place, that’s what you want. It’s the AK-47 of 4x4s. There’s a reason why the old Landcruiser and its many variations are the vehicle of choice to be made into “technicals” (improvised armed vehicles) by insurgents and guerillas all over the world.
I think there are FJ60s out there with third-row seats. I’ve definitely seen them before.
If you can find an Diesel version, that’s even better.
Many people love the Grand Jeep. And it has never let my Wife down. It always gets her home (a foot of snow last night). But. It’s a Thousand dollars for ‘fixes’ every year. Never again will we buy a Jeep.
. But things are ‘falling’ off it after only 145,000 miles?
Compared to most folks, I beat on my '93 Pathfinder every day. Gravel roads and going into 4x4 180 days out of the year. Towed too much weight and pulled out other stuck vehicles.
I traded it in with 208,000 miles, with very very little problems. Let’s see, ball joints was about it (I’m suspect because I’m in 4x4 about half the time). Oh, and you had to turn on the inside light manualy.
That’s why I bought another Nissan Pathfinder. An 06. I fully expect to put 200,000 miles on the vehicle with no major problems.
I like the Pathfinder but it seems too small. Do you think the Armada is comparable in terms of reliability and quality?
Argent Towers, my husband loves those old FJs! That’s why he cried when he saw the current monstrosities. But it would probably be more appropriate as a 3rd car, not my primary Mommy vehicle.
While we have taken all three of our Land Rovers off pavement in the past, we don’t hardly use them for it anymore. Young kids and all that… I am looking for more airbags than I currently have, a bit of style, and lots of room. Towing and 4x4 aren’t as important as they might have been in the past, but cargo space is important- we have boys 6 & 8 plus the Newfoundlands.
I am reading these with much thanks- I would much rather base a purchase decision on someone’s actual experience.
Taters, I actually like the Expedition, I had an Exploder a few years back. But we were involved in a lawsuit with Ford that got quite nasty, and I swore off the nameplate for good… They bought LR after I did, I swear!
Getting off track a bit… My Plow truck is a '76 Chevy short bed.
Whoo boy, before it became our plow truck, I took it some places. Back in high school I helped a friend drop a 327 into an FJ-40 (pretty silly really).
My brother had a '76 Chevy short bed too. So did another friend. In '79, we did Colorado for 2 weeks. Things where different.
What the hell is up with all the new SUV’s? Like the Xterra and such, they added this weird window box on the back that looks like a perfectly normal looking SUV suddenly grew a greenhouse.
If you want a new, 3 rows of seats SUV, I have no idea. They are all quickly turning hideous. The Mitsubishi Outlander is really sporty, the CRV is awesome as an everyday car for people who don’t need many frills, the Mazda something something 9 is all right, and the Subaru Forrester is a classic, Will Not Die vehicle, but personally I find it ugly. Most of these are ugly, Argent Towers is right about the styling.
I love a good SUV, but unless you’re wealthy you really want to consider gas mileage in your decision - gas may be almost twice the price it is now by summer. Those $200 fillups will hurt.
So I’d look for an SUV that gets reasonable mileage (16-20 mpg would be good for a full-size SUV), and avoid the real pigs that only get 8-10 mpg.
Something like a Toyota Highlander Hybrid would be good - 7 seats, and it gets 27 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. Or get it without the hybrid powertrain, and it gets 20 mpg. That’s pretty good. The really big SUVs like the Expedition and Suburban are getting more like 12-16 MPG.
If gas is $4.00/gallon, A 20 mile commute to work will cost you $3.00 in the hybrid, $4.00 in the non-hybrid, and almost $6.00 in something like a Hummer H3 or an Escalade.
Or looked at another way, if you drive the vehicle 200,000 miles, over that period of time the hybrid will burn about 7,400 gallons of fuel. An Escalade will burn about 14,200. If gas is $2.00 a gallon, the thirstier SUV will cost you about $13,700 in fuel, the more efficient one only about $6900.
Also, if gas doubles, the resale value of big SUVs will plummet.
I’m not saying you should avoid the huge ones - just know what the size premium in fuel and resale is going to cost you so you can factor it into your decision making.
It is not as big as the Suburban but I love my Pilot. I debated between that and the Highlander (06 models, both) for a while before I decided on the Pilot.
Both are 3rd row vehicles, and get similar gas mileage (not talking about the Highlander hybrid, but the regular one) with the Highlander getting maybe slightly better.
2 things decided me on the Pilot - storage and 3rd row comfort and access. In the Pilot, if you have the 3rd row up you still have enough room to put several bags of groceries, strollers, whatever in the storage area. Highlander, no way.
Both the Pilot and the Highlander you have to climb into the 3rd row by flipping the 2nd row forward. The climb in was easier in the Pilot. Andthe 3rd row far roomier and more comfortable.
Ok, you didn’t ask about either of these SUVs but maybe the points of comparison are helpful?
Also, have you thought about the Tahoe? Though my friends who have a Tahoe complain about the lack of storage behind the 3rd row.
Finally, anyone I know who has a Minivan loves it, and I kinda wish I’d bought one instead of my beloved Pilot. Coolness, no but utility, yes.
Ohhh edited to add I loved my former car an 01’ Subaru Forester and if they somehow managed to stick a 3rd row in a new Forester (and made if hybrid, might as well dream big) I’d switch back in a nanosecond.
Of course, I happen to work for Ford and build them, but it’s still my honest opinion. When we built F-150s I didn’t love the way they handled, horrible turning radius IMO.
The Expedition rides so much more comfortably, handles better, has all the airbags you could want, you can get the longer version if you need the extra cargo space along with the 3rd row seating.
Plus, I work there and can get you my employee discount, so even though I can certainly understand your swearing off after the Exploder thing, if you reconsider let me know.
Go with the Nissan, or other Japanese built model. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, I know, the Americans are very close (or tied) in terms of quality, but for the most part, the Japanese have nailed the little details, and it’s those thing which you’ll really notice in your every day use of the vehicle.
If the Discovery II is too small, what you want is a Land Rover Defender 110, or if you need even more space, a Defender 130 station wagon. Here’s a nice picture of one.
However, I’m not sure the Land Rover Defender is that easy to get over there.
