teh CL

iTrader: (1)

It's been a long time coming & as shocking as it sounds, I'm officially looking for some ground clearance...

The wife's Matrix was written off early last year & she's been a trooper rolling around in the RL... slammed lol. Unfortunately, there's a steep learning curve with teh low life & the RL has racked up some battle scars. With that said, she "really loves" the extra power & considering the RL has almost double the power over the matrix, it might as well be a freight train in comparison.

Anyways, I'm looking for a SUV for her but still something I can have fun with of course. We're also planning to move out to the west coast (BC) later this year & want something that's plenty capable on mountain/logging roads to take full advantage of the mountain life. Also looking for something that can tow a decent amount incase some toys pop up in the near future.

She's always wanted a GLA AMG but those are still pretty priced & too soft for what I'm looking for. I've showed her Tahoe''s but they're a bit big for something she'd drive every day.

Looking to spend $20-25K CDN max & as mentioned above, it needs to..

- Tow decent amount
- Plenty capable off road
- Sporty
- Luxury
- Reliable

I'll be honest, I know what I want to get which I've wanted for years & would already have it if the V didn't come around. Maintenance would be a bit more than average but a 957 (08-10) Cayenne GTS 6MT is what my hearts set on.

As usual, I've done extensive research on them & they do have the potential to be a crap shoot but properly maintained examples are pushing well over 200k miles. With the solid amount of DIY info available for these things & investing in a quality scanner, I believe I can have a lot of fun... as long as there's no cylinder scoring issues..

I'm open to any other ideas & opinions on the GTS of course. Not looking to pull the trigger for another few months unless a unicorn emerges which is a GTS with PDCC


Thanks,

Allani

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

I really want a Macan! went from very low $30's into the high $20's! and they look sexier than the cayenne...if you wait a little longer, i'm sure they'lll come down in price to hit your $25k target

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

Yea the Macan's are so nice but if I'm getting into the Porsche game, it gotta be minimum a GTS & those are still quite priced up here.

Also, the ground clearance isn't the best for sketch roads & I'm a sucker for a 6MT..

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

dont discredit the Macan S.

I know as enthusiasts we want the top trim....but to save coin, the S is plenty...(plus, you can tune to hit GTS numbers)
and yeah, that's the only thing the macan is lacking...three pedals.

SamDoe1

The GLA AMG won't do many of the things on your list regardless of price. To be honest, the only one I can think of that'll do all those things AND be luxury is a G Wagen but that will be a lot more expensive than $25k loonies. That said, if you remove the "sporty" requirement you can look into a used Land Cruiser.

00TL-P3.2

Never done the AMG GLA, but was not a huge fan of the mid-tier GLA250 I had for a loaner. The GLC is a much better SUV. Apart fro mthe towing & off-road parts a GLC43 could fit the bill, or GLC63 for full mode.

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

G Wagon would be sick but anything AMG Is $$$$ & a headache.

Land cruiser is interesting tho..

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

3 pedals isn't a must have but sure is bad ass..

I just love the GTS models for their looks & they're catered more towards the driving experience.

00TL-P3.2

Go for the rare bird non-AMG G-Wagen. G550 or G500 should be attainable, and a G550 still gets the 4.0V8TT in the later models.

Edit, looks like 2018+ gets the TT V8, pre-2018 is still the N/A 5.0 V8 @ 383/391.

SamDoe1

Definitely not for $25k

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

you modify cars anyway!! lol

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

wait, SHE wants a 6mt?
or do you want her to want a 6mt.
That'll land you in owning a car that doesn't fit the bill for her and having to get another pretty soon after.
As me how I know...


I think for a wifey...there are so many good options...
I'd stick with Honda for reliability and because you know the platform so well...
maybe a pilot or crv or something. It'll feel like a rolls compared to a matrix.

Don't make her car a project too...make it the reliable low maintenance workhorse
it needs to be...you can still make it your own and cool and make her happy about it.

I even did it with a minivan!

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00TL-P3.2

Hadn't realized how much they held value.
A couple local 13s for $60k
An 07 for $43k

CCColtsicehockey

What about Audi SQ5? I have seen a few in the mid to high 20s as of late. With a pulley upgrade they can make close to Gen 2 CTS-V 0-60 times with the AWD.

Edit: Ignore my suggestion cause just realized you said 20-25k CDN. Yeah doesn't fit that.

SamDoe1

They, like Jeeps and most "off roaders", tend to hold their value alarmingly well. Not really sure why but here we are. My guess is it's because they sell a lifestyle more so than a vehicle. Most of the people who own an off road vehicle will never actually take it off road.

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

Browsed a bit and the cheapest G anything is an 03' for 40k

Well played lol.. but except for a legit set of tires, it's staying stock.

As shocking as it sounds.. she's down with the 6MT. Now if an auto pops up that checks all the boxes with solid service history, that'll be a different story. I can realistically see it being an auto over the 6MT since they're a lot more to choose from. The 6MT would have to be the perfect car, at the perfect time.

I've definitely thought of staying true to my roots & picking up a 2nd gen MDX. It'll do everything I need & maintenance is a walk in the park over a German V8. The Cayenne is just an overall badass SUV & the Porsche touch is top notch. Decisions..

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

I've played with the idea of a Q7 but never really dug deep to see what they're really about.

She has mentioned that she'd drive a Pathfinder Armada (think that's what they're called) since she drove one her old boss had and loved it..

Aman

Infiniti FX50 is a dark horse option that's pretty close to most of your wants. Older body style but I still kinda like them.

It's gonna be tough to hit the nail on all of those things dude, but it sounds like you're kinda flexible.

Jeep GC or Durango? Doubt an SRT8 would fit but you can get something clean and with a Hemi.

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

Never even thought about the FX & I've always liked the way they looked. Nissan/Infiniti always rubbed me the wrong way though, never enough to pull me from Acura anyways.

As for the GC/Durango, I've heard mixed things about the GC long term reliability but the Durango is a nice idea..

00TL-P3.2

I'd have an FX50 over an Armada or QX80

One of the mgrs here is on her 2nd trouble free Jeep GC.

thoiboi

@Yumcha don't you still have your FX?

Yumcha

Yessir. Still have the Sea Cucumber...still going strong. Sure, it's a bit thirsty but otherwise, issue-free. There are a couple of us on AZ that own the FX50 and the only caveat is to really check out the rear seating (space-wise) and ensure the trunk is viable for your needs. While the car does look big, it's a bit deceiving as cargo space may be a factor depending on what the hauling/storage parameters for you are. And per the rear seat, well, it is fine for my family but we're all ...so, if we're talking about people who are over 6 feet, well, that may present challenges possibly.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

I actually wanted to go test drive one of those porsche 6mt suv when I was researching as well...
I didn't though cause I would have been tempted and you know I'm a moron.

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

I haven't test driven one yet but I'm sure that would seal the deal. I went to go check one out that was for sale down the street from me for dirt cheap (10k) which I'm assuming needed a motor but clean otherwise & the interior really caught my eye. Porsche is really a level above.

As for gas mileage, I'm assuming most V8 SUVs are thirsty, just comes with the territory. Definitely can't be worse than the V though..

Some great options so far though, have plenty of reading to do.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Yeah, my Mom's guy has a Cayenne...not even a high level one, but it is so nicely put together.
I guess if you're gonna go German, it's the way.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

as usual, fucking dealers list all dicktronic transmissions as manual
but this one is
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/invent...ting=242845096

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

How's the reliability been for him?

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

His is newish...it's been good, from what I gather. He loves it.
I keep trying to convince him to have him give my mom that, sell her CRV and get a 911 turbah!

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

It has to be the most annoying thing selecting manual transmission & they're all auto..

There's a lot more options down south, would have to be a unicorn to make it worth it the hassle of crossing the border. I'm a sucker for a cruise though...

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Cancun?
sail out of Port Everglades!

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

Turbo Porsche..

There's a few Turbo S Cayennes that "fit" the budget but something about $4k for brakes is uhhh...

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

if you were any good at plotting your route and planning when you leave your house you can probably get where you need to without brakes.

that's just parts, huh?

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

... just rotors

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

fuck
that
shit

00TL-P3.2

Knocks off the Lux part, but something like an Explorer/Edge Sport as an option?

SamDoe1

$4k for brake rotors? Good lord. Is that just parts or installed?

I'm sure there are some aftermarket options that are quite a lot cheaper though.

Aman

$4000 da fuq. That's a supercharger for some cars.

SamDoe1

Looked on Tire Rack that you can get Stop Tech brake rotors for a 2008 Cayenne Turbo for ~$170ea. $4k must be for OE rotors installed at whatever ludicrous labor rate that a Porsche dealer charges.

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

With the Turbo S, a lot of manufacturers claim to sell compatible parts but from what I've read they're not the right size. Cheapest I've seen is $1900 for front pads/rotors without shipping. Only plus is that they supposedly last a long time.

As for the Explorer/Edge options, the sports are really nice but I don't think they're capable on roads that aren't maintained. We were out in BC earlier this year & my sister's BF has an 08'ish Edge which he used to show us around. He tried to take us down an old logging road to do some exploring and the Edge just didn't have it. It got through most of the road but when it came to a noticeably steep/uneven incline, it wasn't up to the task. With that said, it's not set up for that kind of situation with generic all seasons but they're just not built for it.

My mom also moved out there last year and had a AWD Chevy Equinox & within a month she was in a GMC Sierra

More than anything, it's gotta be capable & we want to do some legit exploring once we're out there, which is the beauty of BC. Not like I'm trying to climb rocks & go hardcore off road but piece of mind goes a long way.

Aman

If a Ford Edge is gonna struggle on some logging roads, so will a Cayenne and half the suggestions in this thread. I think the sport and luxury requirements are gonna suffer a bit.

Jeep Wrangler is capable, can tow some toys (snowmobiles, four wheelers), and comes in an MT. Loaded Durangos aren't too shabby inside. Subaru Foresters aren't exactly luxurious but are probably somewhat capable off road and are no slouch with the XT. Can you get something like a Volvo XC60 in your price range?

I am gonna throw this out there - Range Rover Sport/Evoque. It will not be reliable at all, but they are somewhat capable, nice inside, and sporty for an SUV.