Car Suggestions, Anyone?

picky

Jan 4, '07 · 10:05 AM3,044

Now's the time to put your 2 cents in. We have to replace the late great Dodge Durango--thank you, Kurt for photographing it last August with the kayaks atop, because that's all that's left, memories--. :wub:

We need another hunk of wheels!

Requirements: (I already know I'm unreasonable but miracles can happen):

- must be able to support 2 kayaks on the roof rack

- must have 2" hitch for the bikes, or be hitch-able

- must have better gas mileage than the Durango's 13 city mpg (see, JohnR, I DO read your environmental posts!)

- must be used since I'm figuring we have in the neighborhood of $7,000 to work with, and I don't want to throw in that much more $$ extra (Durango was a '98 with 125K miles on it, bless her heart :razz:

)

I was all gung-ho on what my son affectionately calls a "girl's" SUV, the Ford Escape, but jdarg said the kids would never fit in the back seat, especially 6'2" #1 son. Plus she said the bikes and kayaks would tip the thing over. :lol:

I can't stand the idea of a minivan or station wagon (been there and done that), but since beggars can't be choosers, I'm never going to say never. I welcome any and all input because I'm going cross-eyed over at the Auto Trader & Edmunds website!!!

Replies

bean

Jan 4, '07 · 10:32 AM#2

Good luck car shopping! I know you'll find the best deal out there!

Edited Jan 4, '07 · 10:36 AM

bean

Jan 4, '07 · 10:37 AM#3

Don't forget to check out EBAY!

SoWal Insider

Jan 4, '07 · 10:44 AM#4

Sorry, can't help you much since I have not been in the car market for a while and when I am on the road, I haven't clue what the cars are.

Not sure how long they have been out, the Saturn Vue SUV. Apparently they have them as hybrids now with phenomenal gas mileage.

I found a site with used ones, but the earliest I saw was 2002 model.
Says it is a car designed for active families.

Edited Jan 4, '07 · 10:50 AM

Beach Fanatic

Jan 4, '07 · 10:47 AM#5

Mermy, good luck with your search. We are looking for one just like it to keep at the beach house. It must be able to hold Cap'n Crazy's new kayak. The Cap'n been searching online ~ no luck yet.

pickyAuthor

Jan 4, '07 · 10:59 AM#6

Mermy, good luck with your search. We are looking for one just like it to keep at the beach house. It must be able to hold Cap'n Crazy's new kayak. The Cap'n been searching online ~ no luck yet.

Gypsea, if you PM GoToTheBeachMom or FutureBeachBum, they'll give you details on a good-looking black Dodge Durango they saw yesterday outside of Kathleen's Kottage on 331 near the bay. The price on the window was $7K. If I weren't wanting to better our gas mileage a bit (this is the car that will be travelling between IN and FL) I'd have snapped it up in a red hot minute. The Durango is a great all-around truck.

Beach Fanatic

Jan 4, '07 · 11:13 AM#7

Thanks Mermaid ~ I'll get on it.

Beach Fanatic

Jan 4, '07 · 12:31 PM#8

Mermy, good luck with your search. We are looking for one just like it to keep at the beach house. It must be able to hold Cap'n Crazy's new kayak. The Cap'n been searching online ~ no luck yet.

How about a used Toyota 4 runner. Good gas milage, has a roof rack and also 4 wheel drive? They last for a long time.

margarita brocolia

Jan 4, '07 · 12:40 PM#9

Here you go Mermaid!

Haul your stuff AND improve your gas mileage.
Gotta love the Beetle!

Skunky

Jan 4, '07 · 12:46 PM#10

Honda Element :cool:

Edited Jan 18, '07 · 3:37 PM

SoWal Insider

Jan 4, '07 · 12:48 PM#11

Honda Element

Booby J has one of those...ask him about it.. i think they have decided it is not kid friendly because it is hard to load and unload the back seat...it has those funny little doors in back... :idontno:

booby j?

pickyAuthor

Jan 4, '07 · 12:55 PM#12

Here you go Mermaid!

Haul your stuff AND improve your gas mileage.
Gotta love the Beetle!

A '63 Beetle was my very first car (yes it was old when I got it ;-) ) and I loved it! I don't think Merman will buy, though.

Beach Fanatic

Jan 4, '07 · 1:08 PM#13

For used cars I have had several friends say great things about their dealings with Carmax. There is one in Indy, and they will ship cars from one location to another. You can view the inventory online.

http://www.carmax.com

btw, one of my first cars was a well used 1973 sunbug. Great car, but the old bettles had a gas tank located just about where we would put an airbag now. :shock:

superJfunn

Jan 4, '07 · 1:11 PM#14

Honda Element

that is what kfunn drives :floor:

Meow

Jan 4, '07 · 1:13 PM#15

Bdarg!!!!! :clap_1:

Mermy...I just took a solo bike ride in the fog. :clap_1:

Yes, we all know about those funky Element doors. You should have seen 3 out of 4 overserved women trying to open them up. Luckily we had overserved Kimmifunn with us and it was her car and she opened them.

superJfunn

Jan 4, '07 · 1:17 PM#16

what about this?

pickyAuthor

Jan 4, '07 · 1:20 PM#17

Bdarg!!!!! :clap_1:

Mermy...I just took a solo bike ride in the fog. :clap_1:

Yes, we all know about those funky Element doors. You should have seen 3 out of 4 overserved women trying to open them up. Luckily we had overserved Kimmifunn with us and it was her car and she opened them.

It's all coming back to me now...

... those car doors were the funkiest things ever... you're darn right about them being hard to figure out when you're overserved... ;-) ...was that why you sat in the front seat, smart kitty? :lol: