you should be able to find a 5 y/o or newer 4runner in that price range.

it'll cover all of your requirements. The rear window also rolls down, which is a huge plus if you're carting around a dog. I pretty much chose that over other SUVs I was looking at for that feature alone(2 dogs that ride in the vehicle frequently).

Roomy enough back seat for a kid to be comfortably in the back from infant till they get out of a carseat altogether.

You pretty much won't have to worry about reliability. I'm coming up on 8 years on mine, and other than scheduled maintenance and consumables, the only repair i've had to do was a catalytic convertor last year at ~130k miles.

[Edited on March 27, 2013 at 1:31 PM. Reason : .]

3/27/2013 1:30:34 PM

You can't get a luxury SUV that has low miles and is new and is cheap

I assumed the 4runner was outside of the budget (I didn't price it), if that's not true its a good recommendation. It is a bit bigger than the escape, but not as big as a Tahoe or something.

3/27/2013 1:45:56 PM

Quote :

"You can't get a luxury SUV that has low miles and is new and is cheap"

I pretty much knew that. I was hoping to find something in the 3-5 year range with maybe 50k miles though. Looks like everything in my range has around 100k miles though.

^^The 4runner is what I'm looking at now. Definitely an option.

[Edited on March 27, 2013 at 1:49 PM. Reason : .]

3/27/2013 1:48:45 PM

it's a little bit on the bigger side in the mid-size spectrum, but it's more nimble than other midsize SUVs that I've driven (Pathfinder, Grand Cherokee).

3/27/2013 1:57:16 PM

Quote :

"I thought the grand cherokee diesel was a brand new for 2013 model?"

nope they made WKs with the desiel

also...the 4Runners are awesome! When I was looking for an SUV they ones I liked were more then I wanted to pay, so I got the Jeep with same options plus a V8 for less.

3/27/2013 2:00:55 PM

bttt...

I ended up getting an '03 4runner...love it. Pretty much everything I wanted. Didn't want that many miles, but wanted to pay cash...so it worked out. So much more spacious than what I thought. We take 4 people, 2 big dogs, tent, cooler, beach chairs, etc. to the beach every weekend during the summer and it fits it all. Also a good ride and hasn't had any mechanical issues yet (knocks on wood). So thanks for the people who suggested that.

Now we're looking at switching the wife's car out. She has a convertible Mini...and it's just not practical anymore. Its also getting to the point where we're having to get a lot of stuff fixed and it's expensive as fuck and we want to be able to switch out cars without any hiccups...so now we're looking at getting her a mid-sized SUV. Pretty much the same qualifications I started out with. We think we can get anywhere from $10-$15k for her Mini...so we'd like to be able to do a clean swap or at least not pay too much more. So I can go up to $15k, but would prefer to be closer to $10k.

Her concerns...she doesn't want anything that has as many miles as her Mini...which I think is around 70k right now. She also needs leather seats (can't live without a seat heater).

We don't need a bad-ass offroad car. Just something that has decent space to fit our big ass dog and other things.

For some reason she likes the Jeep Patriot right now. She likes the old boxy Cherokee type SUVs...which they don't make anymore. From my research...its seems to be an extremely mediocre SUV. I guess that's okay because it puts it in our financial wheelhouse...but I don't want to get her a shitty vehicle. I'm trying to push her towards an older Escape that has that boxier look...but she still likes the Patriot better.

Any other suggestions? I don't think she'll like the CRV, but I think its perfect for what she wants and needs. It probably doesn't matter, because she won't get anything that she doesn't like the "look" of.

12/12/2013 11:13:00 AM

DO NOT LET HER BUY A PATRIOT

12/12/2013 11:19:02 AM

I would think something Mini-sized would be useful in a city like Savannah for dealing with street parking. I don't suppose she'd consider a hatchback? Those could be dog-appropriate with the rear seat folded down. Something like an Audi A3 or VW GTI? I'd suggest a Kia Soul or Scion xB but I doubt heated seats were an option on either of those.

Or, and this is a slightly oddball suggestion--but if she likes boxy--Honda Element SC? That was the non-offroad version, did away with the contrasting plastic body panels and high ride height. I always liked those things though they'd be a lot harder to find than a standard element. And, again, heated seats may not have been on the option list.

[Edited on December 12, 2013 at 11:22 AM. Reason : d]

12/12/2013 11:20:10 AM

^^Ha...that's what I'm looking for. A few more of those comments and maybe she'll change her mind.

^ We live in Charleston, but we also live downtown...so we do a lot of bike riding and walking. That also being said, she parallel parks my 4runner like a champ. Not your average "woman driver". And no...I don't think a hatchback is a possibility, but we're going to have to sit down and go over all the options. I got looks/performance/everything with my car...so I don't think she's going to settle for something that she doesn't like the look of. She's obsessed with her Mini too...so it's going to take something she really likes for us to make the move.

^ Definite no-no on the Element.

We love our 4runner so much I wish we could just get a 2nd one. I'm going to look and see if I can find a model of Highlander that might fit her "looks" qualifications. Her sister drives one of those extended Wranglers...and she loves that. I'm going to do a little more research into that one as well.



[Edited on December 12, 2013 at 11:25 AM. Reason : .]

12/12/2013 11:20:29 AM

Regarding Patriot:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/03/the-disappointing-dozen-cars-that-fail-our-tests/index.htm
(and that terrible score is for a brand new one!)

just google the patriot, they have terrible reviews new and even worse long term reviews and reliability

[Edited on December 12, 2013 at 11:23 AM. Reason : ^why not just get a lower-mileage mini?]

12/12/2013 11:23:20 AM

Quote :

"why not just get a lower-mileage mini?"

here:

Quote :

"She has a convertible Mini...and it's just not practical anymore.....we want to be able to switch out cars without any hiccups.....Just something that has decent space to fit our big ass dog and other things."

12/12/2013 11:27:12 AM

Mazda CX-5, may be just out of your price range though

Nissan Rogue/Juke- I think the Juke is interesting, the rogue is about as "meh" as they come

12/12/2013 11:32:48 AM

Why would you want to get another 4Runner and own 2 of the same vehicle?

Mini Countryman, BOOM problem solved. I know that's way out of the price range, but if she already bought one Mini why is the budget so much lower this time?

[Edited on December 12, 2013 at 1:01 PM. Reason : just not interested in outlaying that much cash again?]

12/12/2013 1:00:10 PM

Yeah...we don't want a car payment right now (I've never had one). We just got married and are starting the process of combining our finances and making financial goals. I've always purchased used cars straight up and have had great experiences (BMWs in the past...4runner now).

I understand not wanting two of the same car (and I doubt we do it anyways)...the 4Runner has just been perfect for us. Wish they just had a smaller version (highlander maybe??).

12/12/2013 1:17:51 PM

Aha, I understand. Yeah car payments suck.

The Highlander is based off the Camry. The 4Runner off of their truck platform.

I don't really know what to suggest, this isn't my area of specialty, haha. GL.

12/12/2013 2:57:31 PM

Quote :

"The Highlander is based off the Camry. The 4Runner off of their truck platform. "

And this is why I come to the garage...I had no idea.

With that being said...I like Camrys.

12/12/2013 3:01:31 PM

Many small and mid-sized SUVs are car-based these days, more of them than not I'd say. CR-V and Civic are related, RAV-4 and Corolla, Highlander -> Camry, Escape -> Focus (this may not apply for the older version, but definitly for the current model), Explorer -> Taurus (again this is only the current model), Murano -> Maxima...the list goes on. I don't know if the Equinox/Terrain are related to the Cruze, but it wouldn't surprise me.

12/12/2013 3:43:00 PM

I drove the previous model Escape on a 4 hour road trip and liked it a lot

12/12/2013 4:05:32 PM

Interesting. I never rode in one that long but feel it was one of the worst vehicles in class from what time i have spent in them.

12/12/2013 4:30:51 PM

Everyone I know who has owned the older model Escape (and that's at least 4 people) had good things to say about them.

12/12/2013 4:57:14 PM

^^what was better in its class?

12/12/2013 4:59:33 PM

Xterras are pretty boxy, and I think actually got good reviews? I know NMSJ but I think I remember them rating well

12/12/2013 8:05:04 PM

Rav4 or CRV.

12/12/2013 10:17:14 PM

I'd say 4runner but since you already have one I guess get something different.

Lexus RX330/350? It's car based, no where near as good off road but it'll get better MPG. You could also get a GX470 which is very close to your 4runner.

My buddy actually just got his wife a Tribeca because that's what she wanted. It's not that bad.

I wouldn't spend too much money if I lived downtown Charleston because some drunk chick is going to plow into it anyway.

12/12/2013 11:01:45 PM

Kia Soul is probably about there, now

looks funky, but kinda roomy inside

12/12/2013 11:25:08 PM

People don't seem to realize just how much a non economy car costs today.

I couldn't believe I spent almost 40 on a jeep but... It's worth it...

Btw I've said it before and I'll say it again if someone is actually considering a soul my wife got ours and I wasn't happy about it but it was her turn to get the car and dude I love the thing now.... I drive it like the Italian job (yes I know they are minis) every where I go and it still gets 28 mpg with the 2.0 6 speed. It fits 4 adults better than my legacy did. The only complaint I have about the entire car is they didn't offer manual transmissions with cruise when we got ours.... I don't know if they do now. Doesn't really bother me cause I like to drive while I drive but it bummed the wife out some.

And as much as I love our jeep that thought what we could have got 2 souls for the price of our jeep makes me say... Damn that was dumb... Till the weather is nice enough to take the top off or we got to uwharrie.

12/13/2013 6:44:29 AM

Quote :

"^^what was better in its class?"

I would say everything except that horrible twosome from Jeep, the Compass & Patriot.

12/13/2013 8:08:01 AM

new suggestion:

12/13/2013 11:55:53 AM

^Aha, the Vehicross. I actually knew someone who had one. We joked that it was the only SUV designed by Nike, but it was actually pretty cool.

Basically a SWB trooper with a blower and wacky styling.

12/13/2013 12:58:45 PM

I think Maugan had one back in the day.

12/13/2013 2:57:19 PM

we bought a 2010 rav4 earlier this year and i'm impressed with it for the most part

12/13/2013 3:23:42 PM