Is it okay for me to get a mid-size SUV, if I use it for carrying my...

[Dawgs]

kayaks and bicycles to the mountains? Or, basically to use the SUV as it was meant to be used.

What should this liberal do? My wife and I don't have kids, but we need the extra space for traveling.

[aden_nak]

1. Some mid-sized SUV get better gas mileage than many sedans.

There is a difference between a Ford Erect - uh, sorry, Ford Excusrion and, say, a Toyota Rav4 or a Honda CRV. I do believe, as well, that both Toyota and Honda are coming out with hybrid versions of those vehicles soon.

[BlueEyedSon]

2. AWD Station wagon.

That's what I use to get to my earth-friendly sports.

Handling & safety of a car is MUCH better than that of a truck....

[blonndee]

3. Hmmm. I went through a similar dilemma last year.

I have 3 dogs and travelling by car is difficult, to say the least. I personally got a car anyway, but your situation may be different.

I guess one question is, how often will you be using the SUV for that purpose? If you only vacation a few times a year, perhaps you could rent a larger vehicle? Surely the difference in gas $ would make up for part of the rental fees. Or maybe a pickup truck or one of those new Subarus with a larger top would work? I see people all the time with canoes and stuff strapped to the top of their car racks.

Just my humble contribution...

[chicagojoe]

4. Why NOT get an SUV?

I don't understand the backlash against SUVs. I mean, Hummers and Escalades are ridiculous, but I don't understand all the hubub.

[seabeyond]

12. because i cant see joe

i cant see around or thru the suv's. i am carry kids in my car creating a greater risk for us, and have to sit and wait as an suv gets some space, before i can see if the lite is yellow red or green. they take up a lot of space. like the person that sits all spread out and everyone else has to scrunch

[chicagojoe]

20. A good point.

[Squatch]

24. Agreed. I love my Grand Cherokee.

Very comfortable car to travel with.

[Justitia]

5. We downsized SUVs

Went from the big honkin one to the small city-slicker one. Due to job and house change we went from exurbs to city life and the small one is great for hauling stuff around, but hardly bigger than a mid-size car.

[7th_Sephiroth]

6. get a dodge magnum

400+ horses

[goddess40]

7. Toyota is coming out with a hybrid SUV soon

It might be worth checking out.

WE just picked up our second prius yesterday and the salesman told us about the SUV.

[seabeyond]

8. dawgs....i dont like them, and fight them in traffic

but i will deal with it. members in my family have chosen bigger vehicles, i am a believer, get what you want. use it, love it. my husband has a trooper. loves it. packs it full for work. and spends a lot of time in it. i wouldnt want him to settle

on edit: he loves going off road. fishing, every trip to the mountains i have to embrace his explorative nature. as hard as he works for all of us, i would never make his choice less

[KittyWampus]

9. My Stationwagon hold and carries alot and is SAFE. For myself and

the other cars on the road.

[lukasahero]

10. SUV's shouldn't be used for carting around kids anyway

they don't have the safety ratings for it.

You're probably going to get slammed by some for even thinking about an SUV but I can relate. I have a small SUV and when I bought it, I bought a vehicle just large enough to fit me, my dog and our camping gear. (I should say my 100 lb dog so it's not like he'd fit in a Mini.)

I don't have a problem with my choice (btw, our other car IS a Mini which we use for most of our driving). You have to live with your decision, base it on that, not what others will think.

[Bridget Burke]

11. Do you have room to park more than one vehicle....

And use the more economical one for tooling around the city?

I'll bet you can get deals on used SUV's....

[TahitiNut]

13. The reason I opted for a small trailer ...

... is because I was determined to drive a compact for the 95% of the time when I was, at most, carrying one passenger or less. For the 3% of the time when I hauled sporting equipment (scuba diving tanks and other gear, often for two) or my motorcycle (mid-size), I'd tow the trailer.

I have no idea why people want to "tow their trailers" 100% of the time. Seems idotic to me. :shrug: For the very rare occasions I need SUV capabilities, I rent. (I tend to avoid having 'friends' who drive gas-hogs. I don't regard it as 'friendly.')

[Trailrider1951]

14. Well, I went for the Toyota RAV4

4 wheel drive, 28 miles per gallon, and, so far, 120,000+ trouble-free miles. And it hauls all the bikes, skis, dogs, camping gear, etc. I need.

[seabeyond]

17. a friend bought one recently

i like that car. she let me drive it all over town. was fun

[NV Whino]

15. My solution was two vehicles

The truck (21-27 mpg) mostly sits until I need to haul something. The car (30-35 mpg) is what I use to zip around in most days.

[JanMichael]

16. Subaru Legacy wagon

nt

[rockymountaindem]

19. You know it.

They never need repairs and they're great in the snow. That's why you can get well above blue book resale value in Colorado for a used one.

[CottonBear]

18. Get the vehicle that you need.

An AWD station wagon would be ideal. The Subarus are great. I think Ford is coming out with a hybrid mid-sized SUV. The Toyota Highlander looks nice. I'm pretty sure it must get OK gas mileage. Toyotas are good vehicles. I couldn't afford an AWD station wagon one so I bought a used truck instead.

I have a 4WD,mid-sized, 6 cylinder truck.My truck is a work truck.I use it to haul horse supplies (bales of hay, 50 lb bags of feed, tack trunks, saddles, water containers, blankets etc.) I drive it on a farm where I need the 4 wheel drive in wet & muddy conditions. I also use it to haul my bikes and kayaks. I can camp in it since I have a camper top. (I slept in the back at the last horse show I attended.) I can pull a small horse trailer or a boat with it as well.

The problem with most of the SUVers is that they're never going to go off road, get the vehicle dirty and muddy or pull or haul anything.

[JanMichael]

21. The New Fordaru Outback

That thing is pretty cool looking... I wonder how Ford's AWD system is going to stand up to Subies over time--

[happyslug]

22. My Father purchased his first Suburban in the 1970s

He had ten kids and used it mostly for time when he took the kids out as a group. He took the local Streetcar to work and back.

This shows you how you should look at your new car purchase, How will you NORMALLY use the Vehicle? If you are driving the car to work each day, buying it for that once a year trip does NOT make sense (You can rent a can or SUV for that vacation trip from the saving in gasoline by driving a more efficient car).

On the other hand if you are using the SUV on the weekends it would be better to own the SUV than to rent the SUV every week. The key is HOW you are going to use the Vehicle NOT the Vehicle itself (This is from someone who owns a Jeep Wrangler, but rides bicycle to work every day, even in winter. The Wrangler is used when it is bad weather and I have to make a long trip i.e. greater than five miles, less than five miles I ride my bicycle).

[bahrbearian]

23. Why Not a Cowboy Cadillac

for less than $600 a month.

[BlueEyedSon]

28. That $600 a month is just for the GAS, right?

[bahrbearian]

29. I gets an amazing

Operating Cost Per Mile $1.41 with Financing

[CindyDale]

25. Here's an article discussing this

http://members.tripod.com/lunas_2/suv.html

For one thing, they aren't safe.

I just wouldn't do it on principle, personally, because I think it's making a political statement at this point. To me, it's saying overconsumption is OK.

I might rent one if I really had to, but I'd definitely get a car with better mileage for every day.

Here's another page published by an academic that discusses making decisions about transportation as well as other ways to cut down comsumption:

http://webhost.bridgew.edu/jhayesboh/RESOURCE/Env_ican.htm

[Squatch]

26. What kind of kayaks?

[GregW]

27. Why ask us permission?

Dude ... just do it!

[RedEarth]

30. self delete.........wasn't able to post pic

[Dawgs]

31. Thanks all...

I know I will end up getting one anyways, but I've been feeling guilty about other big purchases lately and needed some support on the SUV.

Thanks again.