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Am zero automotively inclined. Car talk goes right over my head. Car dealers see me coming and start salivating. I need to tap on the bottomless pit of knowledge that is Hatrack and get some recommendations.
Points:
*The cheaper the better *Gas mileage *I have the aesthetics of a warthog so I don't care how it looks.
The Kia Sportage has been floated to me as a possibility by people that I know. Anyone have an opinion on the Sportage?
Thanks in advance for your time and assistance.
Posts: 13123 | Registered: Feb 2002
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My advice, don't get one. Don't get and SUV that's cheap. SUVs are not as "safe" as they're made out to be. A Kia SUV is not very safe at all.
If you want a good SUV, you would have to pay a little more money for one. Another thing: SUV=gas hog=bad gas mileage SUVs that get good mileage are lightweight cars that a raised a little higher (minivans) and are not as safe as say a real SUV. That's all you're paying for when you buy an "SUV". Basically, most of them are minivans with a different name.
I'm sorry, I can't stand SUVs.
I bet you most people don't know what the acronym "SUV"" stands for anyway.
Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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We love our Subaru Forester. It gets good gas mileage, has a comfortable ride and has plenty of juice when you want to GO even though it's just a 4 cylinder. As we approach 200K on it we're looking to replace it, quite possibly with a newer model of the same. Consumer Reports has consistently rated it very highly. And you can get them at a pretty good price now...if you want to buy ours, we're looking to sell it. Posts: 5948 | Registered: Jun 2001
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quote: We love our Subaru Forester. It gets good gas mileage, has a comfortable ride and has plenty of juice when you want to GO even though it's just a 4 cylinder. As we approach 200K on it we're looking to replace it, quite possibly with a newer model of the same. Consumer Reports has consistently rated it very highly. And you can get them at a pretty good price now...if you want to buy ours, we're looking to sell it.
Subaru is a great CAR, but I wouldn't brand it with the term SUV.
I drive an Outback myself and believe me... It's no SUV. Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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They don't make Kia Sportages anymore. Got replaced by the Sorentos. As SUVs go, they're cheap. They ride nice. Mileage is okay for an SUV.
Posts: 14745 | Registered: Dec 1999
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Don't get a Dodge Durango. They're the cheapest of the true SUVs (i.e., as opposed to six cylinder minivan frames with SUV style seating) but Dodge products are garbage. We had nothing bot problems with ours. Now we have a fake SUV (Pontiac Aztek). While it is really just a glorified station wagon, it is pretty well designed inside, gets much better mileage, and we've had no problems yet. I'm not recommending one, because it's more of a family car than you might want (and it looks weird, though you might consider that a plus), but just using it to make the comparison. If you're going to get a real SUV, Ford is the way to go, but then you're looking at paying more. Ya pays your money and ya makes your choices, as OSC says. Posts: 1001 | Registered: Dec 2002
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quote: If you're going to get a real SUV, Ford is the way to go, but then you're looking at paying more.
Oh man, I don't want to debate or anything, but do you think you could wipe this from your mind Storm Saxon? Fords (no offense to Ford owners) make AWFUL products in my opinion. I have never seen a Ford that is newer that 1995 run at all past 100,000 miles. They hog gas.
Get a truck. Much better if you get a nice, big truck. Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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fugu, this car actually isn't for me but for my mom. Her reasons for buying one are probably about the same as mine would be--someone mentioned something good about a Sportage at some point and it stuck in her head. I think she wants room, gas mileage and cheapness. Points that I listed.
I googled around for Sportages before I posted and what I'm getting is that they get a three out of five for safety from whatever government agency that judges these things for safety; they are fairly fuel efficient; they actually have an SUV (truckish) frame, rather than a car frame with an SUV built around it; they are not roomy. They come out about average from on-line review sites that have these things. In other words, it seems to be an average SUV with good gas mileage.
Nick, I hate driving trucks--at least, I hate driving my mom's truck the few times I've driven it. I think she has an F150. I'm sure they are Fine Pieces of Engineering, but to me it's like driving a large boulder on wheels.
Edit: Didn't say it, but thank you for all the responses and recommendations. I will float them as possibilities to her.
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I was kidding about the truck. I don't know how good the new Jeep Grand Cherokees are, but I had a '94 with 206,000 miles on it when I sold it and it was still going strong. It had a big 5.2 liter V8 too. Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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Bob's a better car man than I -- especially considering how relatively uninvolved I am in the latest models -- but I'd recommend going with a Japanese brand. Toyota's got the 4Runner and Honda the CR-V. Subaru's an excellent brand as well, if she wants to tackle it.
Kias are made in Korea, I believe, and tend to be tin cans on wheels. I would never recommend one, despite their supposed improvement over the past couple years. Hyundais are higher than Kias, but not by much; but if Bob drives one and loves it, I'm sure there's a flaw in my knowledge, not his. As a general rule, though, stick to the Japanese brands.
And it's a given that unless you're doing heavy-duty construction, you stay the hell away from Dodge.
Posts: 3293 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Okay, here's the deal. Subarus are not SUVs, but if your mom isn't towing anything, or if she's not putting more than a few hundred pounds of extra load on the axle, it's a waste of money.
If she's buying it for space, go for the Subaru. They're fast for little 4 cylinders. And they're great in snow or slick road because of their all-wheel-drive.
Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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If 'the cheaper the better' and 'gas mileage' are issues, then stay the flying hell AWAY from SUVs. Posts: 2532 | Registered: Jul 2001
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We've got a Mitsubishi Montero Limited and love it. But cheap, it's not.
The Montero Sport is a reasonable lower priced version, but next year they should be introducing the Pajero (after renaming it) to the US. It's basically a scaled down version of the new Monteros, so it has great stylying and a fabulous drive train. Mileage should be good.
If you can get your hands on an older Montero, you should see a good return on your investment. Mileage is fair for SUVs, but if you are looking for a gas-sipping, 4WD, I'd suggest look at Subarus. They've got a great track record and the company really stands by their product.
Posts: 2848 | Registered: Feb 2003
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We drive a Honda CRV. Here are its good points: much more roomy than any car, pretty good acceleration for a 4 cylinder, excellent gas mileage, good reliability and resale value.
The bad points- its not a real SUV (can be good or bad) hence it is not as roomy as a real SUV.
On the whole I would certainly recommend it.
Posts: 4548 | Registered: May 2001
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I will personally send you $10 if you decide not to buy a SUV, as you're doing at LEAST that much good for the rest of humanity.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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The (ahem) Pajero has been in Japan and Asian markets for a little while, but sadly, they didn't check up on the multi-lingual ramifications of the name. Talk about a marketing nightmare.
Not exactly a shining moment for the marketing department. Posts: 2848 | Registered: Feb 2003
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quote: I bet you most people don't know what the acronym "SUV"" stands for anyway.
I had a horrible couple of minutes when I couldn't remember! Something about having it put that way. But I knew that I knew, and reading it later on in context the information came back quite naturally. I'll have to look up pajero now. I hope we don't all get whistled... I know, I'll start a thread entitled "Someone tell me what a p*****o is before I explode!".
I agree about not buying an Submarine Undertaker Vest, by the way.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I've found the Xterra to be, flimsy at best. And my sister's has been in the shop fairly regularly. Great styling let down by marginal performance.
But hey, it does has a built-in first aid kit.
Posts: 2848 | Registered: Feb 2003
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I meant SUVs. The little Rangers are actually pretty good. I don't think they make them anymore. Now they have the ugly explorer trucks. *sticks finger down throat* *vomits*
quote: But hey, it does has a built-in first aid kit.
That doesn't make it more rugged. I know for a fact that all the Mercedes-Benz cars come with them standard as well. Not just their SUV, the M Class. Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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quote:The little Rangers are actually pretty good.
Yes they are. I really like mine ('93, manual, 130k miles and it's still in great shape, my dad bought one too, several months after I bought mine, but his is a '94).
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