Trying to figure out the right vehicle to purchase..

Altonymous

Altonymous

Lost Wheelin'
Joined
Nov 4, 2013
Location
Clayton, NC
I'm looking for an SUV in the < $15k range that has the following..

Seats 6+
Tows 6500+ lbs
4WD
Wife won't hate it (Ignore this one; just realize I'm working with a 3rd party here...)

Wife wants to trade in the minivan. Instead of having a tow vehicle and her DD we're hoping to combine down to one vehicle. So we need to find something with the above specs. So far all we've found that meets this criteria is the Toyota Sequoia. Would love some other ideas.
 
I was gonna say the Sequoia before I finished reading your post. My Tundra (same basic thing) has 146xxx miles and I drive it like I stole it.
 
What do you have against a Tahoe or suburban? Both exceed your criteria, and you get more equipment for your dollar with the Chevrolet. Not to say the Toyota isn't a great rig, but it's going to cost more to get into and repairs will likely be more costly.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk
 
catfishblues said:
What do you have against a Tahoe or suburban? Both exceed your criteria, and you get more equipment for your dollar with the Chevrolet. Not to say the Toyota isn't a great rig, but it's going to cost more to get into and repairs will likely be more costly.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


Disclaimer: fighting words..

Except repairs will happen a lot less frequently. :)~ Jeep/Ford/Toyota fan here.

Seriously though, I'll check them out.
 
Altonymous said:
Disclaimer: fighting words..

Except repairs will happen a lot less frequently. :)~ Jeep/Ford/Toyota fan here.

Seriously though, I'll check them out.
Click to expand...


I figured that might be crossing a line with some folks. I was being analytical, though. Your point, I'm afraid, may not be as valid as it once was. Toyota still makes a fine vehicle, but their quality seems to have slipped over the past decade and they really don't seem much more reliable than any of the other big guys. I've seen plenty of Tahoes with well over 300k on them. The LS motor really seems to hold up well.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk
 
7.3 4x4 Excursion. HANDS DOWN.

Love mine. Can put anything behind it and tow comfortably, and will still get better mpg's than ANY full size SUV you'll look at.
 
buddyantunez1 said:
7.3 4x4 Excursion. HANDS DOWN.

Love mine. Can put anything behind it and tow comfortably, and will still get better mpg's than ANY full size SUV you'll look at.
Click to expand...

X2

We are very happy with out excursion and the wife says she'll never have another vehicle. Its not our tow rig, but we've pulled with it a couple times and it tows very well. IMHO, the best bang for the buck out there even the V10.
 
Yepp, the 6.8l can haul just as much as the diesel, but the MPG suffers. They are much more affordable, so it depends on which trade off you prefer.
 
This may be one of those questions best left unasked. Its simple: Toyota owners recommend Toyotas. Ford owners recommend Fords, etc... Independent unbiased research will get you far. Specs and numbers don't lie and opinions are just that, opinions ;)
 
2004+ Hemi Durango. 8650# towing capacity. 13-15 mpg towing my Jeep.. HUGE 4 wheel disc brakes. People who know me, know how this thing tows!
My personal experience thru 156K miles has been beyond any expectations! Only thing I have had to replace are brake pads and one unit bearing.

Its comfortable on the long trips to Harlan and doesn't drive like a barge!
 
I just bought a new DD and backup tow rig. I went into it with an open mind and drove everything and looked at specs, etc. In the end I bought a 2008 Tahoe. It was just nicer all around than the others. It rode smoother, was quieter, more comfortable, and got better gas mileage than the others. I didn't want something as big as an Excursion because my wife drives it occasionally and her parking deck is hard to maneuver a vehicle of that size. My tow rig is a diesel extended cab longbed Chevy 2500, so really didn't need another big vehicle either. The Sequoia I wasn't crazy about the gas mileage. I have a good friend with one and he said the MPG is terrible. He said it tows ok, but the mileage goes WAY down once he puts a load on it. And I know this is personal preference, but I think the Tahoe looks way better than the Sequoia.

My personal preference is Chevy stuff, but at this point in my life I just wanted something that was comfortable and worked best for my budget and my family. I will say that if the size wasn't an issue, I would probably have ended up with a 7.3L Excursion.
 
Does it need to seat 6 real people or just have a 3rd row seat?
 
If you truly need to seat 6 the Suburban is really the best answer.
I'm not even s.tarting a brand war. Dollar for dollar when you compare what you are getting in a Suburban vs a Sequoia its not close. At a given price point you will be 2-3 years older and 60k miles more on the toyota. Parts on the GM SUVs are plentiful and cheap for repairs because there are so darn may of them.

But Im a brand whore. I hate GMs trucks and hate Fords larger SUVs. Have a Ford truck and a Suburban. The one thing I would eliminate from the get go is anything with a Ford 5.4. If you arent replacing coil packs every 20,000 miles after 100k you have spark plugs broke off in the head or being spit out of the head. Biggest POS motor ford ever put in a vehicle, and yes Im including the 6.0 and 6.4 in that discussion.
 
It definitely has to seat 6+. I don't care about brand bias. My wife is going to drive this thing most of the time, not me. We have 4 kids so 6 is a minimum for us all to fit. She would prefer 8, but I told her to give up on her dream and stick with the minivan at that #. She hats the idea of me getting a tow rig though.. so she's willing to compromise.

As I've never looked for a vehicle like this before I'm asking the question expecting brand bias from people.. the good news is it gives me a list of vehicles to look for instead of just looking for the ones I know.. like the Sequoia.
 
catfishblues said:
I figured that might be crossing a line with some folks. I was being analytical, though. Your point, I'm afraid, may not be as valid as it once was. Toyota still makes a fine vehicle, but their quality seems to have slipped over the past decade and they really don't seem much more reliable than any of the other big guys. I've seen plenty of Tahoes with well over 300k on them. The LS motor really seems to hold up well.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

You might be right.. they might be slipping, but I'm not buying a new vehicle so I still think it's a valid point.

Just to throw more fuel on the fire, I'm happy to buy any brand used as long as it meets the needs. The problem I have with buying anything new that's American has very little to do with quality, features, etc.. it has everything to do with how everyone except Ford took a bail out. Politics, always a fire starter.
 
I currently tow with an E-350, and love it as a tow vehicle, you can easily fit 6 in one, and a lot of gear too, but 4wd is a real preium on them since it has to go to a company like Quiggly for the conversion... so you're looking at $10,000 extra above the others for a used 4wd E-350....
 
Another vote for a 2500 Suburban or an Excursion. I love my 1500 Suburban but want more engine, bigger brakes and the extra load capacity of the 3/4 ton.
 
Altonymous said:
The problem I have with buying anything new that's American has very little to do with quality, features, etc.. it has everything to do with how everyone except Ford took a bail out. Politics, always a fire starter.
Click to expand...

I did the same thing. I was all pissed off about that and went out and bought a Subaru.

Then I was like WTF DID I DO after about a year and got rid of it and bought a Chevy truck. :lol:
 
Altonymous said:
Just to throw more fuel on the fire, I'm happy to buy any brand used as long as it meets the needs. The problem I have with buying anything new that's American has very little to do with quality, features, etc.. it has everything to do with how everyone except Ford took a bail out. Politics, always a fire starter.
Click to expand...

This was the precise reason we bought the Expedition we had. I (the wife) had owned 3 Tahoes at that point and all had served well. I refused to support GM and bought an Expedition. I found out why Ford didnt need a bailout. They sold their damn SUVs twice; once at the dealership and a second time in the service bay.
 
Back
Top