TRINITONY

+ cardan shaft, + coils, + starter, and make sure the brakes and tires are in order. Rumor has it that they luvvv to eat tires..:thumb up:

solomonschris

I have an Audi A6 Avant which is fun to drive and at 90,000 has yet to present a major issue. Parts are outrageous, but thanks to RL'ers, I have found major savings. The very best, most dependable, most durable SUV on the planet is the Chevy Suburban. A properly maintained 350 small block will likely last longer than any of us reading this. It's not that much fun to drive compared to the Audi but mileage is much better than you might guess. I got 17-19 for most tankfuls. Parts are waay cheap. Anybody can work on it. When my wife was showing horses we put 270,000 miles on a 92 with zero unscheduled work needed. If you don't require the room there are Tahoe alternatives. If you want more spiff you can pay through the nose for a Caddy version. I see no need to buy new. I paid 34K for a 2010 LT AWD Suburban with 31,000 miles. The only reason I sold it was because I have no longer need to tow big numbers, and as a single guy I was looking pretty silly with two Porsches, a Suburban, an Audi, a Ducati, a Harley and don't even ask about all the boats.

Reddy Kilowatt

First blush reactions:

Porsche Cayenne - yes, it's outside the price range. Great rig. Would happily drive it. Too many damn buttons. Very premium equipment and price.

Audi Q5 3.2 - probably wouldn't buy the 3.2, but no 2.0 vehicles on the lot. Wife's favorite for undetermined reasons. Nice vehicle, and I would be happy enough owning/driving it.

Volkswagen Touareg VR6 - I liked it more than my wife. I like the interior more than the Porsche... less blingy. Driving dynamics are good... the differences between the Q5 and the Touareg were subtle, at least in the short test drive.

Ford Escape Titanium - I know this is much smaller than the other vehicles, but we don't need to put more than 2 people and a dog in our car very often, and never for long trips. A cargo box on top and a bike rack in the hitch receiver could make this plenty big for us. And it was VERY impressive, even after driving a bunch of $40-60k rigs. Lots of power, good handling, and an interior that's a couple of light years from the previous Escape.

Next stops - Acura (RDX), Jeep (Grand Cherokee), and Volvo (XC60).

CamsPorsche

Saving the best for last!

fanny bay r1

Bought my wife an SUV last year and we looked at all the permutations and combinations, cost, reliability, best 4 wheel drive system, looks, seven seating capacity and the best warranty in the business (10 years) and I bought her the Mitsubishi Outlander V6. Fantastic vehicle!!!

Reddy Kilowatt

Yeah, not only is a 3rd row seat not a plus for us but is a negative.

XR4Tim

I would definitely recommend the 2.0T over the 3.2 in the Q5.

DC from Cape Cod

I wanted a loaded Q5 (Prestige) and I think you can only get the base model with the 2.0...yes? In any case, the 3.2 gets me 21 MPG around town and about 25-26 on the highway...pretty good.

I used to dislike Audi's....until I drove one...now I like them very much. I have had great luck but would caution against owning one without a warranty. You can buy an extended warranty for a very reasonable price and the one I had on my A3 was accepted without question at any Audi dealer.

Reddy Kilowatt

They just got a 2.0 Q5 today. It's sitting there waiting for us to drive it. We don't want loaded... we have simple tastes.

DC from Cape Cod

How can you have simple tastes and own a Speed Yellow 993? =)

Reddy Kilowatt

I didn't say "unsophisticated", "unrefined", "bad", or "inexpensive"! Just simple.

chris walrod

Plus one on the Outback! We recently bought a new 2012 3.6 R in dark grey. We've got 4k miles on it and like it. Very comfy and quite torquey, if that is a word. Like the 3.6l flat 6 like the paddle shift as well. Nice to use for decel instead of constantly on the brakes to slow down in traffic or hills.

Just needs more rear rebound damping and a little more rear roll stiffness.

Reddy Kilowatt

Drove the Volvo XC60 (both the 3.2 and the T6), Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Q5 2.0 tonight. The XC60 3.2 is pretty sedate and wouldn't win our money. The T6 is a great car, though Volvo gets less out of 300 horses than seems possible. The 2.0 in the Q5 is very nice and I can't imagine a scenario for me where I would spend the extra money on the 3.2. Sometimes an engine upgrade is a no-brainer (like for the Volvo). For the Audi, the engine "downgrade" is a no-brainer. The Jeep was a nice enough vehicle, but we are veering towards the more car-like tendencies, not the trucky feel of the Jeep. (Which is light years ahead of the '03 Grand Cherokee she had before.) Don't get me wrong... I would be happy to drive the Jeep if that's what we had, but it probably won't win our money.

Current shortlist:
Q5 2.0
XC60 T6
Escape Titanium

Wild cards:
RDX (haven't been able to drive it yet)
Audi allroad (one is arriving in the next few days)

I could buy any of the top 3 and be happy

95 C4 993

The suspension has been upgraded on the 2013's.....I can tell the difference from the 2012 2.5i I once had.

All models get improved ride, handling and steering due to upgraded body structure with stiffer front strut mounting points and rear frame rails, upgraded suspension that includes a larger rear sway bar, slightly stiffer rear springs and bushings, and upgraded steering. The result is a more responsive car with improved handling and steering and less body sway....

fanny bay r1

Do not buy a Jeep Grand Cherokee what ever you do!! Most dangerous SUV on the market!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=zaYFLb8WMGM