When I was that age, what I drove I had to buy myself.
When I was that age, what I drove I had to buy myself.
chaparral wrote: Not much said about the Lexus RX300/330 so far. They should win this one. It's a slightly raised AWD Camry. They'll run 200,000 so long as the engine doesn't sludge up.
I thought these had expensive transmission issues, which I never really understood since it is based on the Camry.
Look at explorers and make sure to get the 4.0 ohv..NOT the sohc
They are cheap, parts are cheap and you can throw a rock and got ten of them on a car lot
spitfirebill wrote:chaparral wrote: Not much said about the Lexus RX300/330 so far. They should win this one. It's a slightly raised AWD Camry. They'll run 200,000 so long as the engine doesn't sludge up.I thought these had expensive transmission issues, which I never really understood since it is based on the Camry.
I have that engine and trans combo in a minivan. No issues at 190k beyond being s bit tired.
The only advice I can give is to run far away from the Jeep Patriot/Compass if you decide to go smaller.
Fueled by Caffeine wrote:spitfirebill wrote:I have that engine and trans combo in a minivan. No issues at 190k beyond being s bit tired.chaparral wrote: Not much said about the Lexus RX300/330 so far. They should win this one. It's a slightly raised AWD Camry. They'll run 200,000 so long as the engine doesn't sludge up.I thought these had expensive transmission issues, which I never really understood since it is based on the Camry.
Oooooooohh, so do I. 
What about a Ford Escape?
I second the idea of a Saturn VUE with the 3.5 Honda Motor.
Are Liberty's (Liberties?) in that range yet?
I love the Tahoes, Explorers, Blazers, and Jeeps suggested in this thread. The only issue is that they are typically great mechanically but fall apart electrically every couple days or so. If that's not the case (Tahoe), it will be mechanical (4L60Es and LS-based motors don't usually like to play nice). So what about a balls-to-the-wall approach?
Wham and Bam. Side airbags and stability control, plus low range. What more could a dad want his daughters in? Coil spring suspension, so no air line/spring/compressor issues, and most common issues are minor electrical ones (power windows and power locks, mostly).
92dxman wrote: I second the idea of a Saturn VUE with the 3.5 Honda Motor.
Didn't they have transmission problems tho?
In reply to nepa03focus:
Yup. Pretty much any V6 early 2000s Honda will at some point have transmission issues.
I don't know much about them, but I see Hyundai Santa Fe SUV might be a candidate.
I would suggest a white car, preferably a Subaru Legacy, or another car on the 0 traffic fatallity list for that year.(2011 is the last year I saw statistics for, but that's a reasonable vintage for a college student. I live in a college town and resent all the students driving nicer cars than I do. It's all about statistics, big Suburbans's, etc are for loggers and rappers, few other folks have a defensible reason for driving one.
mlwebb wrote: big Suburbans's, etc are for loggers and rappers, few other folks have a defensible reason for driving one.
People need a defensible reason for what they drive now.
That'll sit well here.
RX 300 had engine sludge issues in the early years and were hard on its transmission. Couple that with typical owner lack of maintenance and lots of them grenaded. I'd look for RX330's.
So.e have mentioned the 00-04 pathfinder/QX4. Look for extensive rusting around front strut towers and front wheel wells. They have a recall and possible buy back for it. Mine completly rotted out where the front subframe bolts to the unibody and junked the vehicle. I've seen several around Michigan do the same. Those were not bought back by Nissan, just a complete loss.
I feel like Escape/Rav4/CRV is an excellent choice for the application personally. Small enough to park, reliable, good fuel economy, cheap to insure and pretty safe.
TGMF wrote: I feel like Escape/Rav4/CRV is an excellent choice for the application personally. Small enough to park, reliable, good fuel economy, cheap to insure and pretty safe.
Just keep in mind that early Escapes that are now pretty cheap have been known to rot in the rear strut towers
STM317 wrote:TGMF wrote: I feel like Escape/Rav4/CRV is an excellent choice for the application personally. Small enough to park, reliable, good fuel economy, cheap to insure and pretty safe.Just keep in mind that early Escapes that are now pretty cheap have been known to rot in the rear strut towers
Havent heard that before. What years? My wife has a 09, that's spent its entire life in Michigan's worst, parked outdoors. The underside is surprisingly clean.Is there somewhere I should be aiming my fluid film gun!?
Even in its good condition, her Escape is maybe 5k, so its right in budget, and aside from needing some suspension work at 130k it has been a great vehicle. Hers has shocks out back with coil springs off to the side. Struts only on the front.
Personally I'd put RAV4 and CRV way ahead of the Escape, but I wasn't in the picture back at time of purchase.
In reply to TGMF: Earlier than your wife's. First gens from 00-06ish that spent their lives in the salt belt. The unibody rusts out at the upper strut mount.
http://www.fordforums.com/f59/2005-escape-shock-mount-rusted-out-177762/
They also did a recall for rust causing the lower control arms in front to detach themselves from the subframe.
http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/almost-400-000-old-ford-escape-suvs-recalled-1560352974
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