Analysis Paralysis...help me pick a family truckster (what car thread)

While I know it's a car that gets a lot of love around here, I hate my 2012 Mazda5 as a DD/family truckster. So I'm changing. Thing is I can't figure out with what. Here is what I determined to be my needs and wants:

• Something wagonsish (I got three kids)

• AWD/4WD/4x4...I live in winter wonderland and after suffering the 1WD of the Mazda, I want traction.

• Can tow a bare minimum of 2000 lbs preferably 2500-3000 lbs (for when I finish my b-mod...it will happen)

• Doesn't completly suck to drive, so no trucks

• Around 4K$.... I do not want a car payment again.

• Not too bad reliability....I'm not against wrenching, but the more I spend wrenching, the less time I have for my B-MOD

With that in mind, I have a couple of candidates:

• 2005 Dodge Magnum AWD: they are really hard to find for 4K$ and I'm not too sure about the first years (2005) which is the most common

• 2007 Ford Escape V6 AWD: Reasonable, but I'm expecting a really boring drive...drop springs and low profile tires might help?

• 2006 Subaru Forester or Legacy: I know those well, but I am afraid of their low tow rating.

• 2004 Volvo xc70: Really afraid of the reliability on that one. Should I be?

There just doesn't seem to be a perfect candidate. I guess I'll have to compromise. Am I missing something? Any personnal experience you want to share? Which one would you choose?

Thanks for the help.

If you want something that can realistically and easily tow over one ton, carry 3 kids and be good in snow, it's probably not going to be super fun to drive.

I'll throw in my usual vote for a larger minivan here. Most of them can tow 3500lbs and with good tires are great in snow. Our Sedona is a beast, I've driven them through mid-Atlantic snow storms with no troubles.

Maybe find an AWD Caravan or Astro? Or deal with an older 3-row SUV (burb, etc).

Three kids (plus the SO?) in a 4 seater sounds like a bad day. The Subaru's aren't rated to tow that much and those years probably won't be that cheap yet.

2nd Gen Caravan/Voyager/T&C AWD.

Sorry, but anything with AWD that can tow and haul 3 kids is going to suck to drive, especially for only $4K.

Have you tried actual snow tires on the Mazda5? I had Hankook iPike's on my old 06 Mazda5 and I hooned around in 6" of snow no problem.

The misses had an AWD Escape for 5 years. It was like driving a bucket of Novocaine and the fuel mileage kind of sucked, but it was super reliable and had good power.

Trailblazer SS/Saab 9-7x Aero for LS power!

Or maybe Infiniti FX45- they sound incredible with a decent exhaust.

The choices I presented can all be found easily for 4K$ around here and tow 3500 lbs (except for the Subaru's)

Snow tires are required by law here. I have nice Pirelli's installed actually. But I've been pretty spoiled by driving only AWD or LSD Nissan's for the past ten years. And the Mazda5 is the car with the suckiest traction I have ever driven. Summer or winter

And a four seater will do because there is no more SO.

I thought of the AWD Caravan but they all turned back to the earth around here.

The FX35/45 are closer to 7K around here, but a good suggestion.

Are the SAAB 9-7 really a nicer drive than the Trailblazer? I've driven a trailblazer once and it sucked. How about reliability?

Edit: Just checked and the SAAB's are CHEAP...a nice 2006 v8 for 2.3K sound like a deal...this might be it.

I have no idea if the Saab is better to drive, but the interior is certainly nicer. Try one? You can get deals on them because everyone is afraid of the Saab badge.

We have some Escapes at work. They do fine in the snow but i wouldn't consider them fun to drive. I also don't know if three kids would be comfortable in the rear seat for long.

We have an 06 Toyota Sienna LE. Dead nuts reliable over the past 9 years. I mean weld the hood shut reliable. Ours isn't AWD, but they are readily available. That would be my suggestion. So comfortable to drive long distances.

I don't think I would be scared of an XC70. I've had a pair of 850s in the past (same engine, basically) which were both reliable as gravity despite being high mileage, hard driven, and maintained on starving student budgets. Parts do tend to be a bit pricey when things do break and the AWD systems have a bevel gear somewhere that some will have you believe could explode at any moment, although I think that's typical internet fueled overblowing of the issue.

What about a Honda Pilot? My mom's has been dead nuts reliable for over a decade now and is quite a competent, if boring, drive. No idea where prices are on these now, though.

Can you really get a TBSS/9-7 Aero for $4k these days? Last I noticed, they were much closer to $10k, or even beyond for really nice examples.

How about an Explorer? There has to be a reason Ford has sold as many of them as McDonalds has sold Big Macs. Neither are great but they do exactly what you need done.

Three kids means you want a third row. Third row means it WILL NOT be "sporty and fun to drive" once you get past that you get to a place where you appreciate the drive for what it is, not what it can't be.

We bought a 2003 XC70 in July 0f 2014 as my wife's DD/family car. It had around 107k at purchase, now has 121k. I've had a bunch of cars, and I think the Volvo may be the best all around car I've ever owned.

It is nice to drive, comfy seats and interior, handles better than it should. , Back seat has built in flip up booster seats, and with third row rear facing seat can carry loads of munchkins (who love to ride back there, BTW). HUUUGE cargo area. Pretty easy to work on, though I haven't had to do anything to it except brakes and R&R a power window motor SWMBO broke. (long story, but see my thread on how to help her learn to park...) Parts are readily available and reasonably priced from eeuroparts, fcp and IPD. Heater works amazingly well. Its great in the snow, esp. with the Nokian WRG3s I put on last winter.

Its downsides are: (1) fairly crappy MPGs, especially city, and (2) the shape of the upper belt line on the doors means that you're pretty much guaranteed to get door-dinged by SUVs in parking lots...

Three kids, awd/4wd, easy to work on, and towing... I find trucks fun to drive. More fun than a car based SUV. I think you'd do yourself a favor and try a $4k Suburban.

http://plattsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/5428902549.html

http://burlington.craigslist.org/cto/5388491486.html

http://wwwa.autotrader.ca/a/Honda/Pilot/Lachine/Quebec/5_26454420_CT2004322111029107/?ursrc=hl&showcpo=ShowCPO&orup=1_15_1

http://wwwa.autotrader.ca/a/Acura/MDX/L%27%C3%AEle-Perrot/Quebec/5_26668869_20090922100604757/?ursrc=hl&showcpo=ShowCPO&orup=1_15_1

RossD wrote: Three kids, awd/4wd, easy to work on, and towing... I find trucks fun to drive. More fun than a car based SUV. I think you'd do yourself a favor and try a $4k Suburban.

Or Tahoe. In fact I know where one can be found with a rebuilt engine needing the fuel line from the tank replaced for really cheap. Like a third of the budget cheap.

In reply to 92dxman:

I think MDX is a good idea if the price is right. Have ridden in one and was surprised how well it rode.

In reply to 92dxman:

See...I was sure the Pilot/MDX were going to have a huge Honda tax, but they are cheaper than the Toyota equivalents. Another good candidate. Thanks!

Hi marks in the "doesn't suck to drive" column. Low marks in the "awd" column but a damn good compromise.

Dodge Nitro - great tow rating, great in the snow, you can deal with the mediocre fuel economy.