need a car for the wife. help

[T77911S]

we need another car for the wife. just to let you know kind of what she likes.
we have Mercedes wagon and a Volvo v70 wagon.
we have had several other Volvo wagons in the past
she wants to be up hi or higher.
pretty good gas mileage. IE no suburbans.
she likes the space of a wagon.

the Mercedes tranny is bad, we think the Volvo may be going bad so we need something reliable.
looking in the 10-20k range

she found an 09 Honda pilot. I did a little research. may have issues with hi oil consumption.
she has mentioned Volvo XC? maybe 70 or 90. I think they had some tranny issues but I have not researched them yet.
I was also thinking maybe a Hyundai something.
I really liked the Mercedes wagon but the 2000 e320 was not comfortable for her.
I may look into some subarus but they may be too small.

my brother has a gen I Honda pilot with 240k on it. still very reliable and has been a very good car.

[GothingNC]

Toyota RAV4?

[billybek]

We have been looking for a similar vehicle.
What we have looked at so far.
Lexus RX350 (used) and 300 NT (used)
Toyota RAV4
An extremely low mileage Nissan X Trail (what she has now)
Mazda CX-5

Then my wife tells me yesterday that she wanted to buy a Land Rover Discovery Sport!
We are still looking....

[LakeCleElum]

Add Acura MDX to the Lexus and Rav4 suggestions. Early ones had transmission issues, change fluid often.

Friends/family don't let Friends do Land Rover.....

You shouldn't need AWD where you live. If she wants to sit high, get her a Mazda sedan with a phone book to sit on.

[Seahawk]

I had Toyota Highlander for a few years...I would still have it if it was four wheel drive - mistake on my part.

Zero issues in 80 plus thousand miles.

https://www.carmax.com/search#Distance=all&ExposedCategories=249+250+1001+1000+265+999+772&ExposedDimensions=249+250+1001+1000+265+999+772&FreeText=Highlander&MaxPrice=20000&MinPrice=0&Page=1&PerPage=20&Refinements=4294963153&SortKey=0&Zip=20613

[recycled sixtie]

A used Lexus RX350. Super smooth, quiet and feels solid. Reliable but like Toyota lacks soul.

[T77911S]

found a 2012 Honda pilot for 16k I may go look at.

I like the lexus, might be too much $$ and I doubt the gas is very good.
talked to a girl here that has a Toyota four runner. she said stay away from it. hi insurance.
afraid the lexus may fall into that range too.

the accura Is an option.

looked at more Volvo xc's. little worried about tranny issues and gas with it.

[T77911S]

when you do a search for problems with a car do you think it is an issue when 200 people say hi oil consumption or engine issues?

[Steve F]

Another vote for the Rav4. It has a timing "chain" ,not a belt, very reliable ride

[recycled sixtie]

Originally Posted by T77911S

when you do a search for problems with a car do you think it is an issue when 200 people say hi oil consumption or engine issues?

Yes!
My son in law bought a used Landrover and he is happy with it. Instead of a Lexus next time I might look at an Audi Q3 or Q5 with some warranty left on it.

To me it is Toyota/Lexus for reliability or anything else more fun to drive but less reliable. I don't think too much about insurance premiums when buying a vehicle. Perhaps it is more of a factor in your part of the world....

[Roswell]

Toyota 4Runner, 2012 or newer, Limited Edition. Just an awesome SUV

[Laneco]

Ford Edge.

You can get them in FWD or AWD. Just sold mine to our daughter in law. Absolutely dead reliable ride. Surprisingly sporty. One of the newer turbo V6 ecoboost Sport versions will probably be my next ride.

angela

[rfuerst911sc]

My wifes daily driver is a 2007 Toyota RAV4 that we first leased then purchased . It has the 3.5 V6 and has plenty of power , very smooth and very good fuel economy for 250 hp . It is front wheel drive only which is fine for FL. where we bought it and GA. where we retired . We are coming up on 120,000 miles and it has been as reliable as a stove ! Front brake pads that's it . As someone stated earlier it has a timing chain vs. a belt , not sure that is true today you'd have to check .

It is quiet , rides comfortably and you are up higher for good overall view . Comfortable for four adults you can squeeze in five . I have nothing bad to say about it EXCEPT the amount of recalls we have had with it . Been recalled three times just for the bolts on the rear axle ! Most have been piddly crap but still annoying . We have two open recalls if I remember correctly that we need taken care of . When we go to get rid of this one I would look at them again .

[vash]

my wife is gonna need a car fairly soon..

i'm not sure she is even involving me in her decision. maybe i'll give her a ride to the dealership.

having said that..that new Chevy Terrain looks good in the commercial.

[RKDinOKC]

Friend of mine's wife swore by and always drove Hyundai SUVs until he got a Mazda 3. She fell in love with it and now they have 2.

[mikeferg75]

Honda CRV

[T77911S]

i think the RAV 4 is too small. CRV may be too small too.

she likes to haul a bunch of crap. she goes out of town and her and her friend hit IKEA and the junk stores and no telling WHAT she will come back with, but the car is usually full.
don't ask where we put it all because I have no idea. it just seems to vanish.

[GothingNC]

Originally Posted by T77911S

i think the RAV 4 is too small. CRV may be too small too.

she likes to haul a bunch of crap. she goes out of town and her and her friend hit IKEA and the junk stores and no telling WHAT she will come back with, but the car is usually full.
don't ask where we put it all because I have no idea. it just seems to vanish.

2013 and up Rav4 has plenty of cargo room and lots of leg room in the rear with a flat floor.

Also has a normal automatic transmission versus the Honda with the CVT

[NutmegCarrera]

Check out the Subaru Outback.
Holds a ton, gets great mileage, comfortable.
Wider inside than a RAV4 and smoother ride. Longer wheelbase.

[NutmegCarrera]

...of course if you buy one used - make sure you peel the rainbow sticker off the back before you set your wife loose in it!