I am 6'2" and recently bought a 2018 Subaru Forester XT Touring. In the XT you get a slightly detuned WRX engine which renders sub-7 second 0-60. It is huge inside, and I quite literally was comparing it to the GMC Yukon XL which I didn't buy.
Fuel economy is decent, I'm averaging 23.5 just in-town driving. However it does take premium fuel so there's that.
For family travel duties this car is an excellent fit for our family. I also find it sort of nerdy-cool, but that's subjective on my part.
Have you tried a lot of newer cars? Like I said, I'm only 5'8" so I can't personally relate. However, when you said you were very tall and had issues fitting into cars, I was thinking you were 6'8' or something like that. At your height, I would have to think that quite a large number of cars built this century can slide the seat back far enough to accommodate you? Giving out rental cars is part of my job, and I don't get complaints very often at all from people that they can't fit. What cars have you tried?
As for the feet thing, even with my less than super tall height, I have a size 12 foot, so I can kind of relate to that. Cars with a tight footbox are always fun....
Pete. (l33t FS) said:codrus (Forum Supporter) said:docwyte said:Don't buy a beater german car. I've said this a bunch of times but on an old german car you're buying the seller more than the car. You want to buy one from someone who's maintained it obsessively and has the service records to prove it. Otherwise you're going to get buried in bills on it. At this point I can't recommend a 955 Cayenne, they're just too old and can cost a ton of money to keep going.
Yeah, you want a one-owner car. Someone who paid $80K for a car and has owned it since new has likely taken better care of it than someone who paid $20K with 100K miles already on it, even if the total miles on the two cars are the same.
Eh. My P2R's first owner was a leasing company, apparently it was a company car for execs at some place in Michigan (smells like Ford, Ford owned Volvo at the time) and I am the fourth owner. It is quite reliable. I used to work in a very Euro-friendly shop and I noted that the P2s never rusted or never needed any more than maintenance and PCV system rebuilds.
...okay, I have been putting off replacing the leaky rack for a few months. But I have been doing roughly 4000-4500 miles a month and I just feed it fuel and oil changes. And CHF11S. At 287k miles I will cut it a little slack.
Okay I'll bite. Wth is a P2/P2R and CHF11S?
OHSCrifle said:I'm 5'-17" so I know your pain.
Recently leased a new Outback Limited and even with sunroof it's fantastic for tall. Has extended seat bottom thigh supports too. Wife's car primarily though. I also fit in my 2nd Gen highlander with lots of room to spare but that's a boring vanilla suv.
...my new fascination is with a Porsche Macan. Apparently they are great for tall. Too bad they cost 2-3x my personal max price.
Yeah, the new Outback was the best I could find after sitting in tons of cars at the LA auto show. I actually currently drive the first year Outback, the new ones are definitely at or past the limit of what I could afford but it's one possibility.
yupididit said:Pete. (l33t FS) said:Eh. My P2R's first owner was a leasing company, apparently it was a company car for execs at some place in Michigan (smells like Ford, Ford owned Volvo at the time) and I am the fourth owner. It is quite reliable. I used to work in a very Euro-friendly shop and I noted that the P2s never rusted or never needed any more than maintenance and PCV system rebuilds.
...okay, I have been putting off replacing the leaky rack for a few months. But I have been doing roughly 4000-4500 miles a month and I just feed it fuel and oil changes. And CHF11S. At 287k miles I will cut it a little slack.
Okay I'll bite. Wth is a P2/P2R and CHF11S?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_P2_platform
CHF11S is a pentosin mineral oil power steering fluid that was used by many Euro cars around that time.
As for Pete's comments about relability, I don't have much experience with Volvos. I'm mainly talking about my experiences with Audi and BMW.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:Eh. My P2R's first owner was a leasing company, apparently it was a company car for execs at some place in Michigan (smells like Ford, Ford owned Volvo at the time) and I am the fourth owner. It is quite reliable. I used to work in a very Euro-friendly shop and I noted that the P2s never rusted or never needed any more than maintenance and PCV system rebuilds.
...okay, I have been putting off replacing the leaky rack for a few months. But I have been doing roughly 4000-4500 miles a month and I just feed it fuel and oil changes. And CHF11S. At 287k miles I will cut it a little slack.
I looked at a few and they all were leaking oil out the cam seals, power steering pump was leaking, needed motor mounts, etc, and the only awd one i drove clearly wasn't awd anymore. And in reading about them it sounds like most need the subframe dropped to replace the transmission valve body too. I guess that's not terrible for a 20+ year old car, but cars of that area seem to decompose way faster than those 10-15 years older and take way more time and effort and special tools to work on.
In reply to SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) :
Yeah I walked around the LA and SF auto shows and sat in a bunch of cars, and test drove several more.
-Regal TourX is good.
-Hyundais are all too small, the steering wheel and mirrors don't have enough adjustment.
-Toyota trucks/SUVs are too small and/or extremely uncomfortable.
-Mercedes are all too small, the W221 S Class is the newest I have tried that I can fit in.
-Honda Civic is too small
-Camaro doesn't have enough room for my feet to operate the brake or clutch.
-2 door Bronco and Defender both work, 4 door of both don't because of the location of the huge b pillar with the shorter door.
-Bronco Sport and Maverick actually have enough room, but the seats are bad and I drove the Bronco Sport and couldn't get used to the brake pedal feel enough to even really drive it safely, and since that's the only car out of dozens I have had that issue with that one is a no.
-Current Subarus work if they have a push button start vs a key, the ones with a key it's jammed into the side of my knee when I drive.
-Fiat 124 and Miata don't work.
-New Supra my head is so far up into the weird bubble roof that it hurts my neck to get in and out and I can't see out the windows.
-Alfa Stelvio is good (about like a 955 Cayenne) and the Guilia is ok.
-Jeep Wrangler doesn't have room for me to fit my foot on the gas pedal, and the door check strap pokes my shin.
-New Cadillacs have a weird point sticking out of the dash that pokes my right knee.
I could go on but I have tried quite a few. It's hard to decide between buying a car that I know I will be unpleasant to drive even before I buy it, a old euro car that's nice to drive but would always be broken and I'd hate working on it, or a new car that I'd like driving but is expensive enough I wouldn't have near as much money to do the stuff I wanted it for to begin with.
Tk8398 said:Pete. (l33t FS) said:Eh. My P2R's first owner was a leasing company, apparently it was a company car for execs at some place in Michigan (smells like Ford, Ford owned Volvo at the time) and I am the fourth owner. It is quite reliable. I used to work in a very Euro-friendly shop and I noted that the P2s never rusted or never needed any more than maintenance and PCV system rebuilds.
...okay, I have been putting off replacing the leaky rack for a few months. But I have been doing roughly 4000-4500 miles a month and I just feed it fuel and oil changes. And CHF11S. At 287k miles I will cut it a little slack.
I looked at a few and they all were leaking oil out the cam seals, power steering pump was leaking, needed motor mounts, etc, and the only awd one i drove clearly wasn't awd anymore. And in reading about them it sounds like most need the subframe dropped to replace the transmission valve body too. I guess that's not terrible for a 20+ year old car, but cars of that area seem to decompose way faster than those 10-15 years older and take way more time and effort and special tools to work on.
Huh. I have not seen any of that in my experience. Blown cam seals mean whoever owned it was too indifferent to bother getting the PCV serviced.
The Internet says I will suffer untold issues because I have a pre 2007 TF80 with the original valve body. Works fine.
My S40 (same AW55 5 speed trans as 99% of P2s) did have a hiccup with 3rd gear. I had it from 184k to 227k. It shifted differently hot vs cold. The first hot shift to 3rd would be sleazy and then it would adapt. Same for the first cold shift to 3rd. Only noticed it maybe four or five times. Car had deep into the 200s with no further degradation. Last I saw, the second owner after me was at 260,x a year before a deer sent it to Valhalla.
That car was also absolutely wonderful. Sadly it did NOT have the rust protection of a P2.
clutchsmoke said:Used Toyota Avalon? Honda Element?
The Element is absolutely massive inside. I am 6'2" and I am fairly confident I could be 7'2" and still fit. Now it isn't the most fun car to drive (at least stock), it isn't quick and at least with a stock automatic the gas mileage isn't amazing. But for usability and reliability they are hard to beat. A manual converted to 6 speed gets decent mileage (I have heard 30 on the highway) and there is a decent aftermarket.
My boss is 6'8 roughly and the only vehicles he fits comfortable in are domestic pickups (F-150, Sierra/Silverado) and domestic bigger SUV (Burban, Expedition). He drives a 21 F150 and puts almost 500 miles a week on it.
In reply to 93gsxturbo :
I agree completely. The Chevy/GMC trucks tend to have great basic seats. But the Ford's have been shocking reliable and post 2016 the all aluminum nature promises not to rust as bad as Chevy /GMC does.
You will need transportation the rest of your life. Buy new and you won't have to worry for 20 years or more.
Frankly in your situation do the math. Buy a F150 lightening. Even at $45,000 over the next 20 years you'll save its cost many times over.
I'm 6'2" and 350 pounds. My DD is a 2006 Honda Ridgeline. 0-60 is a little slow at 9 seconds. 20 mpg is possible if you baby it but around town expect more like 17-18.
The front seat has gobs of room. I don't have to fold myself in half to climb in or out of it. It's not so high in the air you feel like you need a step nor so low it's a climb up to get out of it. Knocking down a 3000 mile trip you don't feel cramped at all, even with 4 people in it.
It is uninspiring but that makes it a very good DD. It just works. Mine turned 255k a couple of weeks ago and I'll probably keep driving it another 50k or so.
The newer body style will get you over 20 mpg and under 7 seconds 0-60.
frenchyd said:In reply to 93gsxturbo :
I agree completely. The Chevy/GMC trucks tend to have great basic seats. But the Ford's have been shocking reliable and post 2016 the all aluminum nature promises not to rust as bad as Chevy /GMC does.
You will need transportation the rest of your life. Buy new and you won't have to worry for 20 years or more.
Frankly in your situation do the math. Buy a F150 lightening. Even at $45,000 over the next 20 years you'll save its cost many times over.
It isn't the cabs that rust, it's the frame that rusts on Fords.
I mean, the cabs rust too, but the truck won't break up the middle because the windshield is held in with duct tape or whatever.
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