I thought of another candidate.

2005-06 Mercury Mariner.

I wasn't crazy about the look, but it looks better than its Escape/Tribute siblings.

Nice interior, nice exterior, peppy V6 engine, generous standard features. I think it could handle 2,500lbs.

I was browsing around and found an 05 Mariner, loaded, with 55,000K selling for $8,000.

Anyone have any experience with Escape/Mariner/Tribute?

 

The other requirement you stated was good gas mileage. That's a FAIL on everything you are considering that will tow your jetski. Only Mini SUV's like Rav4 or CRV might be able to get 20+ MPG in real world driving.

2008 Mazda Tribute 4WD
Fuel Economy
Learn more about EPA's new MPG estimates!
Fuel Type Regular
MPG (city) 17
MPG (highway) 22
MPG (combined) 19

 

Well, I'm scratching out the Mariner. Too expensive to be a Ford product.

I'm still leaning towards the RX300. They seem to be pretty reliable, and well put together.

This is what I would be shooting for. F/S/R bumpers would be painted to match, and "mirror tint" would be removed.

 

The RX is nice. What year are you looking at? The newer ones can tend to be pricey.

 

The only RX that would fit into my preset budget would be the first generation. (99-03)

I'm scared to get a 4-Cylinder SUV, because if the car is already heavy, then plus another 2,000lbs.? I think the engine would be overworked.

But, I'm open to options. What are some good 4-Cylinder SUV's in the 11K price range?

I have drove a 98 4-Runner 4Cyl. and it definitely wasn't a rocket. But, around town and on the highway, it never felt sluggish. Even with the 4Cyl. I don't think the 4-Runner would get that good of mpg.

 

I'm telling ya....03 Pathfinder. You can get one of those for your price range with 4WD, and able to tow all you need. The gas mileage is not the best, maybe 17-18 mpg, but you will have the power you need. I have one and I think it's a great SUV for the money.

You may even be able to get one with leather seats, sunroof and fog lamps for that range.

 

I like the look of the Pathfinder. I looked at some of them, but the interior isn't really my style. I could get over that, though. As for gas mileage, I could handle 18mpg. What do you think the best year is for that generation Pathfinder? Pretty reliable?

 

I would say that the 02-03 models are the ones I like the most. The interior is not as nice as the Lexus. It never will be. But it is definitely very reliable and the upkeep is pretty affordable.

You can also check out the Infiniti QX4. Maybe you can find an 02 with a couple more miles for your price range.

 

The only thing holding me back from a RX is because its a Lexus. I don't want this to be an expensive car to maintain. (Insurance, scheduled services, parts, labor, etc.) They seem to be pretty reliable, and I could do most maintence on it myself, which saves some.

I like the look of the Pathfinder, but the interior feels dated. If I found one for a good deal though, it would be a breaker.

QX4 =

 

I can't argue with you on that. It is a bit boring compared to other cars I have owned or driven.

I've had mine for going on 3 years. It has about 25K miles more than when I bought it. So far, all I have had to do is change fluids and filters, and I had to get the front wheel bearings serviced. I put a new muffler and new tires on it last year. That's pretty much it.

 

X5. Don't get the Murano. You won't be able to pull anything up hill with that CVT.

 

Sorry I did not read your post very well, overlooked your budget when I was suggesting a Tribeca as a possible substitute. I wouldn't be so picky if I were you, not with a low budget and the fact that you still expect quite a bit on the utility side. There is nothing fancy about the pathfinders, but they are more than suitable for your needs, and reliable. If you want style, you are gonna have to pay the price!

 

Its a toyota, they dont get much cheaper to fix, except maybe Honda, and some domestics.

 

X5? You did read that he wants something reliable... right? I have never met anyone with an X5 who has used the word reliable when describing that vehicle.

The RX is a great vehicle. We almost bought one pre-owned a few years ago, but decided against it for no reason other then we were selling our home, building a new one, and moving ~800 miles, so the timing wasn't the best. But I know several RX owners and all of them love it... which is usually a good sign.

 

With how many miles on it?

 

If you've ever towed anything near that weight with a Pilot, you wouldn't recommend it.

 

Also if you figure 2000# out back then another 3000# inside, any V6 will have an incredible hard time pulling down 20+MPG

 

I don't expect 20mpg while towing.

Everyone that has a RX seems to love it which is nice. I'm just worried about upkeep cost because its a Lexus.

I'm going to look into the Pathfinder more. I found a few with around 70K miles for around $7,000-$9,000. All were loaded and most were 2WD.

 

Get the 4WD model. Otherwise it is RWD.

 

on the RX i dont think you can remove the mirror tint. it came that way from the factory (not film)

 

My sister has a 2003 Lexus RX300 FWD with about 110k or 120k miles on the clock. The only thing that has failed on the car was the IACV (Idle Air Control Valve). It tends to get sticky after 50k miles. It's a pretty common problem on this motor.

The first time it failed, the dealer replaced it free of charge. It then got a little sticky again at about 85k miles and instead of replacing it, I cleaned it with carb cleaner and it came back to work flawlessly till today. The symptom is intermittent failure to idle during colder day when the motor is cold. The motor would die but will restart OK. Google or go to clublexus.com for more info.

Other than that, that car is super cheap to maintain. Nothing else ever breaks on that car. Even the interior holds up very well. Oil filter is maybe a little more expensive than Honda's but not that much more. You can run 87 gas without an issue. My sister's car has been seeing 87 since new with 0 effect. She nets about 20 mpg combined.

Some of the fast moving parts are shared with Toyota V6, like the oil filter. Brake pads last virtually forever. I think we haven't touched the rear brakes and the fronts were replaced at 75k miles.

 

Oh, yes, the greenish tint is not film so it can't be removed. It's the color of the glass itself. If you can find the Sport Edition (IIRC) or Coach Edition cars, they don't have the two tone color.

One more thing, the cargo room behind the second row seat is actually very good. I think it's almost 40 cu ft which is a feat among small SUVs.

 

If you're attracted to the Highlander, I'm not sure what about the Pilot you don't like. I think the Highlander and Pilot are somewhat similar in looks. Both vehicles don't look off-road aggressive like a 4-runner for pathfinder. Having owned a Pilot and having neighbors that own a Highlander, I have to say the Pilot is a better tow vehicle of the two. The Pilot also holds more.

I too wasn't a big fan of the Pilot when it came out, but I have to say it's one great vehicle having owned one for 4 years. We have taken ours on some pretty aggressive terrain and it has done very well. We tow a 2500 pound tent trailer with ease and even get 19mpg if I drive at the speed limit (55). I just changed the oil and notice some scraps on the oil pan so I'll probably back off a little more next time we go off-roading.

I recently rented a Murano on a family vacation where we flew across country and rented the car there. I was pretty impressed with the Murano- it drove pretty nice and compared well to our Pilot for highway MPG (about 23). My biggest issues with the Murano was the blind spots in the back and the lack of cargo space. We really pushed it putting 4 peoples worth of luggage in the back- I could put double that in our Pilot. The Murano seems a little lower so I would have some concerns about ground clearance for the off-roading we do. Since most SUV owners don't venture much off-road this might not be an issue for you but it is for me.

Anyway, there's no comparison in reliability between a Toyota/Honda/Nissan and the Jeeps and some other domestic makes you have listed. I would really think twice about those products if you're not going to use the Jeep's off-road abilities. Since you already have a TL you'll find the Pilots use many of the same parts which makes things easier if you do your own maintenance and stuff. If $ is an issue, you really need to look at total cost of ownership: depreciation, maintenance, gas mileage, insurance, etc. I think you'll see that you might actually save money in the long run buying a vehicle that costs more initially.

Good luck in whatever you wind up getting.

 

OP - Any updates?

 

Well, I'm going to pick up my new car Monday. It is a domestic, but please no bashing. lol

I ended up going with a 07 Chrysler Pacifica. It met most of the standards I had set. White, V6, SUVish, Okay Gas Mileage, and atleast leather. I know the reliability of them hasn't been great, but the newer ones, (06-08) seem to be doing alot better.

The only thing I didn't like was that it was a base model. But what confuses me is that it has leather, 6-CD Changer, Power Seats, Heated Seats, DVD Player, etc. Pretty much everything but a sunroof. Which is kind of a bummer, I really enjoy the TL's sunroof. It does lack the 3rd row. After looking, the interior doesn't look big enough to have a 3rd row.

Despite the curb weight being pretty high, the car moves well around town. The suspension is very smooth, but never floaty. It doesn't lean as much as I thought it would. The only part that disappointed me, was the 0-60. The car performs really well, but it doesn't like to be pushed to high speeds quickly. The 3.8L is fine for me. After what I've read, its not much of a gain going with the 3.5L. Afterall, its not meant to be fast. Its a "sport tourer". I guess I'm just used to my TL-S.

Overall, I'm really happy with the vehicle, and I think they are seriously under-estimated. I love the design. Sporty, but with utility, but still luxurious.

It doesn't have all the chrome pieces on the exterior, which is a love-hate thing for me. I can't decided if I like the chrome, or if I like the look it already has. The anti-chrome makes it look more sporty, but the chrome makes it look classy. I'm not in to paying for 19" tires, so the optional chrome wheels are out. And without the wheels to match the trim, it wouldn't look right. I think I'm just going to add the chrome strips to the grille, and let it be. Also, the black strip of plastic that runs down the doors will get painted white to match the car.

I'll post up some pictures soon!

 

Congrats. My Aunt and Uncle have a Pacifica and it is a very comfortable riding car. I just wish it had a little more zip.

 

Well, from what I've read, the new 4.0L and 6A/T for 2007 boosted performance alot. Also increased mileage a tiny bit. I haven't drove anything but the 3.8L, and its enough for me?

 

Good choice. I like the Pacifica.

Good luck with it.

 

Actually the fuel mileage is slightly less on the 4.0, although only 1 MPG city & highway, but it does have the 6 compared to the 4 A/T as you stated.

 

I hope it works out, CR shows the 07 as better but still worse than average.

Good luck

 

h2

 

I thought the mileage increased with the 4.0L and 6A/T. Thought I read that somewhere. Guess it wasn't increased.

I have to get a reciever hitch put on it now. Dealer found one for $185. Think that is a fair price?

As far as the reliability of the car, we have good connections with the dealership. We have bought about 5 cars from the salesman that sold me this car. They would take care of it, if something went wrong.

 

Here are some pictures. I don't have that many of it, and these were taking with BlackBerry.

 

I drive a new MDX and even with that 300HP V6, it still cannot get out of it's own way, not to mention it's way more than 11K......

 

Here is the CR data:

 

ouch i don't want to show that consumer reports reliability thing to my girlfriend's parents cause they have an 07 Pacifica.

anyways, have you ever looked at the Mitsubishi Montero or Mitsubishi Outlander, both are reliable, but their styling isn't anything to write home about.

 

We have an 06 Montero comfortable, decent mileage.

We use it as a long distance hauler and it has almost 90k on it.

No issues at all

 

Awesome, love the Montero. I just hope Mitsu will decide to bring the new one over to these shores. I know they don't sell well, but it has a solid fan base.

 

I recommend Kia Sorento, Borrego, or Hyundai Santa fe.

They have highest customer satisfaction rating for SUV, for example go to MSN.com.

Jeep are horrible company and at the blink of bankrupcy also....worse car than GM..

Hyundai and Kia > Jeep

http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/de...rego&state=new


http://autos.msn.com/research/userre...?modelid=13204


http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/de...del=Santa%20Fe


http://autos.msn.com/research/userre...?modelid=13214