Luxury dog suv/ski car

[newfydog]

We hate buying cars, and I'm afraid it is time for a new one. We dragged ourselves out to look at some today. We have a 1997 Toyota Tacoma and a 2004 Sienna AWD. We are used to driving crappy older cars, but I guess I can justify finally getting a nice one.

My grandfather was a shrewd Swedish immigrant, and in 1954, he invested $5000 in a New York office building. It was merged into a REIT last year, and my $833.33 share of the original investment brought me a windfall of $60,000. I have been thinking about going off to Sweden on the Volvo direct purchase deal, visiting the area my grandparents were born, and bringing back an XC 60 or XC 90 in his honor.

Before we do that, I'm going to look at other options, and thought I'd ask for some opinions from experts like Phil. Actually, everyone reading this thread knows more about cars than me.

We got the Sienna when we were in Canada and needed a bear proof camp site. We wouldn't mind something a bit smaller, but need good rear AC for the enormous panting dog in the back. One other reason we got the Sienna was the Newfy roasted in the back of a Subaru while we had down parkas across our laps, AC full blast trying to get some air back there.

We totally grossed out the BMW sales lady today when we started in the back, looking at the dog comfort. (in the end, the horrible run-flat tires with no spare nixed the BMW)

So, what should I look at, for a capable SUV or crossover, good dog and ski rig? What do you all think of the current Volvos?

 

[ChrisFromOC]

We hate buying cars, and I'm afraid it is time for a new one. We dragged ourselves out to look at some today. We have a 1997 Toyota Tacoma and a 2004 Sienna AWD. We are used to driving crappy older cars, but I guess I can justify finally getting a nice one.

My grandfather was a shrewd Swedish immigrant, and in 1954, he invested $5000 in a New York office building. It was merged into a REIT last year, and my $833.33 share of the original investment brought me a windfall of $60,000. I have been thinking about going off to Sweden on the Volvo direct purchase deal, visiting the area my grandparents were born, and bringing back an XC 60 or XC 90 in his honor.

Before we do that, I'm going to look at other options, and thought I'd ask for some opinions from experts like Phil. Actually, everyone reading this thread knows more about cars than me.

We got the Sienna when we were in Canada and needed a bear proof camp site. We wouldn't mind something a bit smaller, but need good rear AC for the enormous panting dog in the back. One other reason we got the Sienna was the Newfy roasted in the back of a Subaru while we had down parkas across our laps, AC full blast trying to get some air back there.

We totally grossed out the BMW sales lady today when we started in the back, looking at the dog comfort. (in the end, the horrible run-flat tires with no spare nixed the BMW)

So, what should I look at, for a capable SUV or crossover, good dog and ski rig? What do you all think of the current Volvos?

I drive an Acura MDX, and while I live in So Cal it works great in all weather conditions with AWD and has enough room for my golden retriever in the back. 98% of my driving is on paved roads in good weather and for an SUV it drives really great in these conditions too.

 

[Bad Bob]

Bought a Hyundai Santa Fe in 12 because I am cheap. Absolutely love that thing Nearly 300 HP a 6 speed and way smarter than I am. There is no flash to the thing but it is very comfortable and well engineered, Put 100K on the thing and am considering buying another one, but there is nothing wrong with mine,. Even more important Daisy, my 85 lb blue tick hound really likes it.

If your pride will let you take a look at it.

 

[Ken_R]

I really like my second generation Honda Pilot EX-L AWD. It has handled everything from 115º heat to -25º cold and snow in the Colorado High Country. They have a LOT of space inside and have a good rear AC. I would try and find the most recent ones (2013-2015) if possible. I have dont like the new ones look but they are very nice. Don't know if they are as rock solid as the second gens though.

 

[Wade]

I have the XC90. I imagine it would be great for a large dog. The trunk is enormous with the 3rd row seats folded (I can fit my golf clubs in lengthways) and it has multiple AC vents for both second and third row passengers you can control from the touch screen.

If you get the air suspension, you can also lower the car a few inches with a button in the trunk to make it easier for the dog to get in and out. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s way more noticeable than I expected.

On non-dog related stuff, it’s a great car. Amazing interior with super comfortable seats, great technology (the pilot assist feature is fantastic for long drives on freeways) and the power is better than i was expecting from a 4 cylinder (we got the Polestar upgrade taking it to about 330 HP and 340 lb ft).

The only real complaint I have is the user interface. Most controls are through the touch screen, and it sometimes takes 2 or 3 pushes on the screen to do something that should take one push of a dedicated button. Coming out if a BMW, it’s annoying, but perhaps to be expected from Volvo’s first move in that direction. It took BMW a few iterations of idrive to get that right.

I think the trip to Sweden is a fantastic idea, and the XC90 sounds like it might be a good fit for you.

 

[Philpug]

I did a Volvo TDS deliverly about 10 years ago. While the car was not for us, the customer wanted to take advantage of the discount and just let my take the trip. It was a great experience, sweden is a beutiful country. Even though the price of the European Delivery Process is less expensive, that the typical retail pricing, it is still negotiable. In going through this process, I would suggest working with a dealer that does a lot of these, my old one does, I would be glad to put you in touch with them.

 

[newfydog]

If you get the air suspension, you can also lower the car a few inches with a button in the trunk to make it easier for the dog to get in and out. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s way more noticeable than I expected.

.

I like that feature. One of the other reason we want to replace the Sienna is is just doesn't have the clearance to get to some of the trailheads here, and like the idea of having the adjustable height.
I worked for a French company in Indonesia which had a Citroen BX for the company cars. They had an adjustable suspension which was a nightmare, always leaking. In keeping with the oil change theme, we found out some of the drivers would top off the hydraulic fluid with Bimoli cooking oil, which basically turned the seals to spicy peanut sauce.

 

[Muleski]

Newf,

Great story. We have a couple of friends who have done the euro delivery with Volvo. Very positive experiences.

Good friend, who has two big Bernese Mountain Dogs, has had Volvo XC90's {run through his business} for years. For what it's worth, he says each car is much better that the prior one. I was with him in our Land Cruiser recently and he did mention that he loved the simplicity of our dash. I bought the last one made with no navigation screen and with a trans dip stick. Evidently the screen in his latest one has had a learning curve.

I would be remiss if I didn't suggest looking at a LC. We have always avoided the Lexus. Maybe it's the badge. Pretty identical vehicle.

The only downside is the gas mileage. We get 14mpg around town, and we get about 18mpg at 85mph on the highway, even with snows and a Packasport. It will run on any gas. Mid grade 87 octane seems best mix of price and mpg.

Incredibly reliable. Zero service issues. Very comfortable. Even for four. The third row seats have never been used in our two most recent and sit in the basement. I have driven these everywhere. Dirt carriage roads, etc. Dowtown Boston, and all over ski country. My most recent one was bought in Denver, and I did the ride back with one overnight stop. Very easy and comfortable. Drove the prior one from Boston to Panorama BC.

You may remember my roommate in college, now construction magnate. He has an Audi S8, and his wife drives a Range Rover. Has a very nice Porsche Cayman. And has a fleet of great company trucks. His favorite is their own Land Cruiser. Extra vehicle. He bought their first one after spending a weekend with us. He likes it because it's understated.

You can get a nice one, CPO, for less than your windfall. Miles on the clock? No real issue.
Son of a neighbor is a special forces guy. Saw him when he was home this summer on leave. He joked that our LC looked better that the one he's been driving "overseas." His has 600K plus on it.

I have a hunch. Not Euro Delivery option or experience, but you might really like the vehicle. BOTH of my kids want to buy our current one. I told our son a month ago that it was not happening, so he moved on. He had one of ours for a winter in Jackson; drove all over the place. He and his GF borrowed ours back East for adventuring for a couple of weeks last summer. Our daughter loves it, loves to drive it.

Just saying. Has nice venting side windows in the back. Great tailgate. Dog worthy. Nice rear AC.

We keep coming back to them. Had a Toureag for a few months. Had a Cayenne for two weeks. Missed the LC. Will always have one.

Just one more to consider. Drives smaller and "nicer" than a 6000 lb vehicle should.

Cheers!

 

[JeffB]

Our next new car will be another LC. Our current one has been ours since new is will soon hit 300k. It still looks and drive almost like new. I would not hesitate to get one off the used market, with service history, at under 120k or so in mileage - if you could find someone willing to part with it. That said, if you can save a little more and stretch a tad, buying a brand new LC is completely justifiable from an economic perspective, at least in my view. I firmly believe it is one of the world’s last truly well made cars. Excellent in fact. I would take one with 100k on it over a brand new XC90 all day long and twice on Sunday. It’s that good.

 

[newfydog]

Hmmm, there is a Land Cruiser in Oakland, 2015, 30,000 miles, 60k. I could fly down, visit my sister, drive home. Tempting.

In 1976 I went home to New Hampshire, borrowed $2600 from my parents and bought a Land Cruiser. Drove it back to Arizona to use for my field research on the Navajo Reservation. Rather different vehicle, but I drove that thing places only an indestructible college student would go.

 

[Philpug]

Large/Premium SUV's? This is where GM has the market cornered. As much as Ford has tried to dethrone the General, it is hard to argue that the Suburban/Tahoe/Yukons are great values when it comes to space, feature, reliability and economy considering that these will get about the same MPG's as the smaller imported options.. See how many of these are out there with solid 6 figures on the odometer and overal operating costs are pretty good.

 

[Muleski]

And your own backyard, the PNW, is a place that LC buyers from all over the country target for cars. In your price range you are right in the wheelhouse of buying one that is coming off lease, and will be IMO, as good or better than new.

I'm a nut about these. Our most recent one is the original 100 model. I like the look. I know the car/truck real well. I wanted three features. No Nav. Five speed auto trans. Dipstick on the trans. We wanted a gray one. Bought one that was a one owner car, fully "booked up" service wise. They owner was a young family, and they had baby three, and wanted a Sienna. It had about 70K miles on it. Jumped on it.

It has 140K on it, and I can't tell you how many people think it's brand new. The people unfamiliar with it get in it, they all say something like "Wow, this is REALLY nice." Great ride, and kind of reassuring form a safety standpoint.

I don't want to dump on any other cars. Everybody has their own experiences and preferences. We will always own one.

I'd try to drive one. See if you can get one for a day or so. Then if you want one, you're going to be in a really good place to find one. No rust issues out there, so you could pretty much keep it for a LONG time.

One of my friends says that the LC does everything, and passes muster everywhere. Dresses up, or gets down and dirty. Can explore, and is a tremendous highway trip vehicle. No Newfies in ours, but multiple terriers love it! And plenty of room between the front seats for even a Newfy to check things out, say hi, etc.

You will also appreciate the simplicity and efficiency of the powerplant and design. 100% confident in that.

Worth a look, for sure.

 

[Muleski]

Large/Premium SUV's? This is where GM has the market cornered. As much as Ford has tried to dethrone the General, it is hard to argue that the Suburban/Tahoe/Yukons are great values when it comes to space, feature, reliability and economy cinsidering that these will get about the same MPG's as the smaller imported options.. See how many of these are out there with solid 6 figures on the odometer and overal operating costs are pretty good.

My sister in law has a eight year old GMC Denali with about 150K on it as one of their vehicles. It has been a GREAT one. Agree on the whole lineup. Another brother in law just rented a Tahoe for a 1000 mile college drop off trip, and was raving about how it drove.

You know where my thinking is. Our first LC came after three Suburbans, two of which blew apart at about 60-70K. Our next door neighbor was the dealer. The last one was a 1998. His comment was "Hey, they are a shitty American car, what do you expect?" Honestly. So we met him at his Toyota store and bought a 1998 LC coming off a 2 year lease, from AZ. That was LC one. We drive both #1 and #2 well over 250K.

The build quality and everything about the Yukon/Tahoe platform seems like it's so much better, not just now but even 10 years ago compared to 5 or so years before that. For some reason, friends with GMC branded ones seem to have the best luck. I have no idea why that would be? We had good luck with our one GMC. My friend convinced us to trade it. My wife did not want to as she loved it. The two Chevy models that followed were dogs. Maybe lemons? Eating the transmission in BOTH, was a bad sign. Ha!

But yeah, the newer ones. Great. I also spent the weekend recently with friends who have a brand new Explorer. Pretty darn nice.

Still, in this house, LC it is. Lotta love. I know I keep talking familiarity and reliability. Big for me.

 

[JeffB]

At 60K, give or take a tad, my list for dog friendly SUV for ski and family adventure vehicle, along with a buy and hold mentality, would be

1. 2014 or newer LC. I wouldn’t be enamoured of the Lexus trim because it really doesn’t add much in terms of refinement and I’m not wild about the extra body cladding.
2. New 4Runner Limited and loaded.
3. Grand Cherokee in Overland trim. New. Depreciation can suck on these if you care about that. If you are buy and hold it doesn’t matter.

X-factor choice: V90 Cross Country. I love that car and am seriously considering it for my next DD. Our LC belongs to my bride. I would pick the wagon over the Volvo SUV offerings - we had a 2004 cross country and I regret parting with it.

Outside the box decision: new Outback, along with a well-appointed FJ-40 or a BMW 2002, depending on your 3 season preference and driving desire. I’m currently in the market for the FJ, so there’s a bias in me. And I had a 41k original mile 2002 that I sold 5 years ago and still wish I had kept. I never should have sold that car.

The good news is that 60k is a good bit of automotive money, especially when the money is a windfall and not solely post-tax blood, sweat, and tears. Why not get two vehicles?

 

[tch]

Just for curiosity, I read some reviews (cars.com, etc.) on the LC. They don't have much good to say about the new ones.
Just my $0.02.

 

[Muleski]

Just for curiosity, I read some reviews (cars.com, etc.) on the LC. They don't have much good to say about the new ones.
Just my $0.02.

My impression is that many of those reviews are from a few who have an axe to grind. May have had a bad car. Sort of like the guy who says that EVERY Subaru will blow a head gasket. No, they won't.

If you want to self educate on a Landcruiser, go to Ih8mud.com. That's the real LC community. I would go right to the VDJ200 forum. That's the model number of the latest generation of LC. 2008 and newer. Think you'll find a lot of pleased people.

Cars for sale in classifieds tend to be really well set up, and well maintained.

If I were buying right now, I would try to buy the best 2007 that I could find, in any rust free part of the country. I'm just very, very familiar with that model. And we love them. Finding an elusive one with 60K or so miles, I'd plan to drive 300K. And I would drive one with 300K miles coast to coast with our blinking an eye.

I know many people who now own the newer platform. All my friends are pleased. I can't say the same about the legion of Range Rover owners that we know, the Cayenne drivers, etc.

I will say that friends who have recent Yukons and Suburbans seem really happy with them, too.

If you are interested in a LC......ih8mud.com Gold mine of info.

 

[ScotsSkier]

OK, an alternative view. I ran Audi Q7s , BMW X5s etc. When we got our Bernese Mountain dog, I worked out that even with the Q7 there was no easy way to carry him and skis etc comfortably. So, I went for an F150. I am now on my second one. With the the 3.5 EB great performance (not so great full mileage but Ok) and like a limo in the back seat area ( not in the pickup bed!) for the dog with separate air , lots of space and he can look outthe window. I also went for the power running boards which are waaay better fro him than the fixed ones as they basically split the distance between the ground and the cab. And no ramps needed like we need in my wife's macanTurbo. While he will ride in the Macan his first choice is always the F150. To be fair, I have a top end lariat with all the bells and whistles but I can honestly say I dont feel shortchanged even after my Audis etc.

Oh, and don't bother looking at the current gen Range Rover sport. when you fold down the seats they dont even go flat, the dog absolutely hated it!! (Plus it drove like a POS!!!)

 

[Monique]

All of my plans went out the window when I realized I had to be able to squeeze into Boulder parking garages. After all was said and done, my only option is Outback. But if I had infinite space, I think I would like a Suburban. Or, sure, the Land Cruiser, why not.

(Save a lot of money on an Outback, though.)

 

[kingsalami]

Bang-for-the-buck, the Outback is really hard to beat. We put over 170K trouble-free miles on our '97 before selling it and buying an Odyssey.
In the snow, that wagon was unstoppable! The wife's got a Q5 now, but I think the Outback beats it in cargo hatch room.

 

[scott43]

OK, an alternative view. I ran Audi Q7s , BMW X5s etc. When we got our Bernese Mountain dog, I worked out that even with the Q7 there was no easy way to carry him and skis etc comfortably. So, I went for an F150.

Yeah..I've recommended to some, get a pick-up with a cap and access to the cab. Sort of the poor-man's Suburban.