nedc
Reader
6/2/18 7:38 p.m.
So my niece will be graduating soon and probably getting a job with the Dept. of natural resources or some other environmental type work and her BMW E46 probably won't cut it for any off road type of driving. I've been charged with finding her a smallish SUV w/ 4WD for $10K +/-
I know nothing about this class of vehicles. I was thinking fifth gen Jeep Cherokee because i like they way they look, but the oldest ones are 2014 and about $15k or more. So, the Ford Escape third gen (2013-present) w/ 1.6 ecoboost look promising. Or maybe a Subie Outback? Anybody got any good recommendations?
Sonic
UltraDork
6/2/18 8:32 p.m.
Find the nicest CRV you can in your price range and never worry about it again. They are the perfect car for most people and are freakishly reliable.
Sonic said:
Find the nicest CRV you can in your price range and never worry about it again. They are the perfect car for most people and are freakishly reliable.
This, or Rav 4 was going to be my suggestion. Unless she has some specific requirements regarding capabilities, features, etc.
+1 on the rav-4. There have been two in my family and they seem nearly bulletproof other than the easily fixed trans computer.
175,000 miles on our Jeep Patriot with few complaints. These are often overlooked because they aren't 'real' Jeeps and are based on the Dodge Caliber platform (or vice-versa). 2.4 liter engine is pretty much bulletproof. We went manual trans which can be a little hard to find. The automatic is 'okay'. The CVT in the older ones is a love it or hate it transmission and some have reported problems. I liked the one I had in a fleet vehicle. Good cargo space. Slightly cheap looking but easy to clean interior. Avoid sunroof models as they always seem to leak. Replace bad front ball joints with Moog and grease every oil change - they last nearly forever. Used car bargains and have been less maintenance than the Forester we had previously.
nedc
Reader
6/2/18 9:54 p.m.
Thanks for the suggestions-I had also considered the Rav 4 and CRV. Will look a little harder at them.
x2 for CR-V. We have two each with around 200k on them when we bought them, and they are dead reliable. And the AWD made getting around last winter’s monster snowfalls quite easy.
Get the CRv. My rav4 burns more oil than any other car I’ve ever owned at 100k miles. 800 miles per quart!
nedc
Reader
6/3/18 10:15 a.m.
OK, gonna go look at and drive some third gen CRVs. Seems like the best bang for the buck, but I do like Fords...no love for the Escape w/ ecoboost?
I'm a Ford fan too, and the Escape is a good vehicle. Given the user in question however I think the EB will add needless complication and maintenance cost in the long term versus the other options here.
TGMF
Reader
6/3/18 1:53 p.m.
Fueled by Caffeine said:
Get the CRv. My rav4 burns more oil than any other car I’ve ever owned at 100k miles. 800 miles per quart!
There's a special extended service campaign to correct this issue...new pistons and rings. Toyota covers it all. Don't remember the requirement to qualify, but its definitely worth a look.
Toyota forums say coverage is 10 years from date of first use or 150k miles or less.
Not be an idiot or anything, but shouldn't her employer be providing her with transportation to use for job related duties, especially if driving on unpaved roads or even off-road is a part of the job? I've worked for both private and public employers and in my experience private employers are more likely to want to pay mileage instead of providing a vehicle while public employers are more likely to provide a vehicle rather than reimburse employees for mileage.
nedc
Reader
6/3/18 3:08 p.m.
She's still in college and she MAY get a job with DNR but not a definite. She just wants a vehicle that can handle some light offroading or at least muddy roads in anticipation of having a job that might put her in that environment.
Want a 2015 Rav4 with a little body damage and 80k miles? I could probably hook you up...
nedc
Reader
6/3/18 6:16 p.m.
oldopelguy said:
Want a 2015 Rav4 with a little body damage and 80k miles? I could probably hook you up...
Where is it?-I'm in SC between Columbia and Charleston. How much $$
In reply to TGMF :
Mine was 6 months over the 10 year mark before it started using oil enough to pass/fail the oil consumption test. They won’t deviate from the campaign. Yes I involved several layers of corporate.
I have a nephew that has been flogging a 4wd Escape for his 4 years of college. Lots of back roads and camping/hiking trips. It's surprisingly capable off road and has been pretty flawless.
ultraclyde said:
I'm a Ford fan too, and the Escape is a good vehicle. Given the user in question however I think the EB will add needless complication and maintenance cost in the long term versus the other options here.
If you are worried about the complication of the turbo and DI, then get the 2.5l NA motor. They should be found to be cheaper, too- as they were the base engine for the base package.
nedc
Reader
6/4/18 7:11 a.m.
Toyman01 said:
I have a nephew that has been flogging a 4wd Escape for his 4 years of college. Lots of back roads and camping/hiking trips. It's surprisingly capable off road and has been pretty flawless.
Do you know what year/engine for his Escape?
TGMF
Reader
6/4/18 11:47 a.m.
If you are thinking Fords, My wife drives a 09 Ford escape with the 2.5 4 pot driving only the front wheels. She bought it new before I met her. We live in Michigan in the woods, snowplows do not often reach us. With good Michelin LTX tires this thing has no problems going through snow and returns 28mpg on the highway. Aside from shenanigans, I don't miss AWD in this vehicle. I've never been a Ford guy, but this one's been irritatingly reliable and highly functional. Just under 160k miles on it now. engine and trans run like new. Rust above rear wheel arches is a issue. You can find these dirt cheap. Parts are cheap and plentiful too. Rust will force its replacement due to cosmetics before it mechanically fails I suspect.
*edit 09 was the first year of the improved engines and 6 speed auto trans. 2012 was the last of the boxy body style.
2012 Rav4 was the last year of that body style. with the 2.5 I4 and "4"wd, 16" steelies and good tires, that would be my suggestion.