SUV Suggestions

[Miranda]

Date: 2/18/2007 7:12:38 AM
Author: msb700
hello all to go back to the main discussion of this topic, thought i''d give u an update on my car search.

Went to Infiniti to check the FX35. Initially I had concerns with the space/interior of the car, but after seeing it I liked what I had to see though they could have done a better job in certain areas. I then asked the dealer what colors were available and those that were available were not very nice

and the next batch coming in also didnt have the color i wanted and if i ordered one id have to wait 5 months or so....though that is not very relevant to the purchase/quality of the car, the biggest issue was that they didnt offer any ''test'' drives!!! I kept telling him how do u expect to purchase a car at that price tag when i havent even driven it!? he didnt have a response, pretty much said that u either take it or u dont as is..thing is, unlike the US we dont have multiple dealerships selling similar cars..its one dealership per ''brand'' coz we''re such a small island..anyhow, long story short, try as hard as i could to convince myself that the infiniti was the better option, i couldn''t...i just had my heart set on the ML350..

therefore, my amazing hubby is dealing with all the paperwork and the dealer and hopefully the ''official'' paperwork/payment on the car will go thru either today or tomorrow! wohoooo!!! so please keep ur fingers crossed that everything works out



so without further ado, here is a picture of the car and the color i''ve chosen

Yay!!! I love it!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 2/19/2007 10:50:37 AM
Author: IndieJones
I know that you''ve already made your decision... but I surprised that no one mentioned the Subaru Forester!?

That is what I have. A 2001 Forester. I love it and it drives BEAUTIFULLY in the snow. It also provides a huge amount of space in the back. . .the only down side is there isn''t enough room for more than four people unless the fifth person likes being squished between two childrens'' booster seats.

 

[msb700]

Yay!!!! I''m so excited...my husband finalized the paperwork with the dealership and the car has already gone in to be fitted with the new rims (hubby had to get his way on that one!) and getting cleaned, sun-protective tint and all that...the guy said it''ll take a few days so hopefully i get it on saturday or early next week at the latest...yippy!!! I''ll take some ''live'' shots as soon as i have it..

the funny thing that i need to get used to in this car is the keyless entry ...i mean with the amt of time i usually take rummaging thru my purse to find the keys, this is a blessing! but to just walk up to the car and it opening is still funny


Not to sure which car is the forester

Thing is, many models are either named differently in various parts of the world or those specific ''makes/models'' are just not produced here...

 

[diamondfan]

I think subarus really wrote the book on snow driving to an extent...maybe not a necessity in Bahrain though! Subarus are great and have a really loyal following.

 

[jetmal]

Good Luck with your ML...I love the way that car looks, so much so , that I had to go out and buy one! not a good move on my part.

I hope yours treats you better than mine treated me. I had an ML for a year, and it was THE biggest piece of crap I''ve ever owned. The service at the MB dealership is horrible, and any maintance costs you will incur are horrific!

good luck

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 2/20/2007 9:27:21 PM
Author: jetmal
I hope yours treats you better than mine treated me. I had an ML for a year, and it was THE biggest piece of crap I''ve ever owned. The service at the MB dealership is horrible, and any maintance costs you will incur are horrific!

Ah, oh no, that is horrible! Dh and I were planning to buy a Mercedes this summer, but after doing some reading up, I found that there were many mixed results as far as how well owners'' cars held up. Some really loved theirs, but a few of the horror stories scared me away!

 

[nejarb]

why does everyone need an suv to haul their 10 lb babies around? what''s wrong with a station wagon? plenty of room for a stroller in the back and your groceries.

 

[ellaila]

Date: 2/19/2007 11:52:21 PM
Author: diamondfan
I think subarus really wrote the book on snow driving to an extent...maybe not a necessity in Bahrain though! Subarus are great and have a really loyal following.

Amen!! I just got a Subaru in November and I *heart* it! I got the cute little Impreza wagon, and though it''s little, it''s a champ in the snow and on ice!! I will never get another non-AWD again now that I know how great it is.

I had previously had a Jetta GLS with more bells and whistles, but I''d take my simple and safe Subaru anyday over bells and whistles! (I also would not get another VW again, but that''s a different story.)

Plus I think my car is just a li''l cutie

 

[Miranda]

Date: 2/21/2007 3:25:32 PM
Author: nejarb
why does everyone need an suv to haul their 10 lb babies around? what''s wrong with a station wagon? plenty of room for a stroller in the back and your groceries.

OK, I''m not sure if these are questions or statements with question marks, but, I''ll be happy to assume they are questions and answer for myself.

why does everyone need an suv to haul their 10 lb babies around?

I don''t think ''everyone'' does. Some people just like the utility of them. They are higher off of the ground making them more convenient to access car seats, etc. Not to mention their 4WD capabilities and safety options that become a little more important after a baby arrives.


what''s wrong with a station wagon?

Nothing...Some people just don''t like them. Or maybe they are planning on keeping their car for a while and will eventually (like me) need that third row of seats. I have 3 kids, two of them are 11 and 12 year old boys which means I frequently have 4 - 11 and 12 year old boys in the car and all of their sports gear. Also, some people like to be up higher and see above the traffic.

 

[divergrrl]

Date: 2/21/2007 3:25:32 PM
Author: nejarb
why does everyone need an suv to haul their 10 lb babies around? what''s wrong with a station wagon? plenty of room for a stroller in the back and your groceries.

I checked out some station wagons (passat, jetta, volvo) and they weren''t big enough for my stroller, diaper bag, groceries 2 dogs (1 very big german shepherd who we take with us places) and the the cargo area wasn''t that great. (I do a lot of Costco shopping, picking up plants/planters at nurseries, Home Depot runs---we are year 7 into a 20 year remodel project on a large 103 year old home).

Unfortunately, babies don''t stay 10lbs for long. Before you know it, you have a 25lb monkey on your hand, and putting my child into my husband''s sedan in his carseat wreaked havoc on my 36 year old back. (I am a fitness and yoga instructor, so I take excellent care of myself physically, but the repetitve chore of bending and twisting to load my kid into his seat really tore it up).

Walking to the SUV and loading your child in without bending is a lifesaver.

We did a few roadtrips in my husband''s sedan to save gas (Portland, OR to Phoeix AZ) and it was hell with one child. There were bags everywhere...

So for pure convenience, I choose an SUV. Yes, I realize that I''m contributing to the carbon dioxide emission problem, but I address that by putting as few miles on my car as I can (less than 10,000 a year, I can walk to most places I need to go in my town),and by choosing to be green in other places (my house for instance is remodeled with the latest in environmentally sound materials).

My next SUV will be a ''green'' car, but once you''ve had an SUV, you realize how much more space you have, and with 2 kids....oy..have you seen the size of double strollers? They are gargantuan. Where is my dog supposed to go? She can''t ride in the main part of the car with the baby, I prefer her behind the barrier where everyone is safer.

Plus we have a boat, and have to pull that as well. We need a large enough towing capacity to get our ski boat to the rivers/lakes around here.

And finally, station wagons are aesthetically unappealing to me. I''d rather have a sedan than a station wagon.

I wish that it wasn''t such a gas hog, (19/23 mpg on a V6 engine) but like most SUV drivers, I''m unwilling to sacrifice convenience (and back pain) when what we need is for car manufacturers to step up and build SUVs that don''t pollute the environment. (Which they are--I''m saving for the hybrid Lexus SUV).

Hope that answers some questions!

Jeannine

 

[msb700]

divergrrl/Miranda: Thanks for responding to the SUV/station wagon question I have a lot of similar points...

nejarb: Selecting to buy an SUV is a personal choice that i had made as would someone else who might select to buy a station wagon. Personally I do not like the look of a station wagon nor do I think they really give u much 'benefit' except for the added trunk space which these days can be gained by buying any sedan that offers ample trunk space. an SUV to me on the other hand meets a lot of other needs such as: Ease of accessibility, trunk space, security and safety, height of the ground and overall sports feel over a station wagon. So maybe a 10lb baby is in no need for an SUV, but all the stuff/equipment that go with a new 10lb baby will...(car seat, stroller, baby gear, etc etc..) ..

 

[diamondfan]

the issue is not the baby who is small for a short while. Babies get bigger, sometimes you have more than one, and they also have friends in the car sometimes. There is a lot of stuff to carry, the car seats, strollers and other items. I think SUV''s and mini vans are the station wagons of today. If you live somewhere with snow, all the better. I loved not having to bend in and over a car seat, having a car that is higher up is soooo much easier on your back you cannot imagine. I got running boards so my kids can get in and out easier (the younger one) and the lift gate is great when you have your hands full...I also really do like being a bit elevated and having a better view of the road...

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 2/22/2007 8:38:10 AM
Author: diamondfan
the issue is not the baby who is small for a short while. Babies get bigger, sometimes you have more than one, and they also have friends in the car sometimes. There is a lot of stuff to carry, the car seats, strollers and other items. I think SUV''s and mini vans are the station wagons of today. If you live somewhere with snow, all the better. I loved not having to bend in and over a car seat, having a car that is higher up is soooo much easier on your back you cannot imagine. I got running boards so my kids can get in and out easier (the younger one) and the lift gate is great when you have your hands full...I also really do like being a bit elevated and having a better view of the road...

I pretty much agree with everything DF says here. . .

I think there are pros and cons to both types of vehicles but when my kids were little I sure loved having my Ford Explorer. I felt safer being higher up on the road so I could see the cars ahead of me. PLUS, I had a double stroller which took up nearly 2/3 of the back and left little room for groceries, plus loads of baby-related items. My subaru simple does not have the same amount of luggage space. . .AND I am sure my Subaru will be too small for us if my kids have a friend along with us on a car trip. It will be cramped! (I do not want a mini-van, though, so I''m not sure what we''ll do in the future. . . DH drives a truck so we *have to* have one car with decent gas mileage!