So my mom is looking for a midsize SUV. By midsize I mean not one of these super tiny compact SUV-things like the Infiniti QX30 or MB GLA.
What are your opinions / suggestions?
She likes the X3 but of course she would because it’s the first thing she drove, lol. I’m told the 2.0T engine is a pile of garbage in the X3 so 3.0 it is. The X1 surprisingly isn’t that far of a divergence from the X3 so we’re going to check those as well.
VW Tiguan is definitely an option, and I haven’t seen @Beck in at least a year, lol.
She’s going to check out a Subaru Forester even though it’s a bit bigger than needed.
She likes the MB GLK but compared to what’s out there is a bit more that she wants to spend.
I hear nothing but bad things about Schmitt’s Audi so she’s not even going to look at the Q3/Q5. Anyone have any different first-hand experience?
Infinity & Lexus are not totally ruled out but they’re not at the top of the list.
As much as I love LR I won’t suggest one for her :oj:
Hey I just went to Schmitt’s and spent over $300 for what amounted to an oil change. Good deal!
Are you looking only at new? I love my 2010 Cayenne GTS and they can be had for about $25,000. It is quite quick and handles like a world champ. The AWD with snows is amazing.
My “oil changes” are twice that, but that includes DEF service :suicide:
And this is for a nearly retired school teacher. I’m sure she’d love it too but from a practical standpoint she needs something smaller and with warranty peace of mind. Otherwise I’d make her buy @EvoMR’s Touareg, lol.
I wouldn’t consider any of the ones you’re talking about “mid sized” suvs. Mid sized is a Murano, Explorer, X5. Full sized you have your Acadia/Traverse/Enclave twins, Tahoes, Audi Q7 etc.
VW calls the Tiguan a compact crossover SUV and based on most of the others you mentioned that seems to be where you’re looking. So looking at compacts, I’d look at the RDX for sure, and since your other choices were all over the budget range the CR-V as well. Toss in the Mazda CX-3 and CX-5 too because Mazda has been making some great suvs. I loved our CX-9 right up until I needed more towing capacity. Those little Buick Encores are really popular in my neighborhood but I know nothing about them. I had a Nissan Rogue as a loaner and it was a POS. As much as I loved the CVT in the Murano behind the 3.5 V6 it was just terrible behind a buzzy 4 banger.
Yeah not going with the Rouge. They’re lagging behind the competition.
The CX-5 is actually great and even has radar cruise control + other goodies.
As far as the size goes, there are so many options out there that the more I look it looks like I have no idea what I’m talking about, lol.
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I’ve driven a few and I like them, it’s the dealer experience that I hear is horrible. But again I have no first hand experience there. Has she had a smooth experience with them?
My wife has a 2017 Grand Cherokee Limited. Heated steering wheel, leather, front and rear heated seats, 8.4" touch screen with nav, 4wd with snow/mud/rock/sand modes. It feels small, easy to drive, and park. We both love it.
I purchased my A4 Avant from Schmitts, they definitely treat you much different when you buy the car from them, I can say that for sure. But the problem is they are typically so terrible to strike a deal/make a sale that you won’t buy from them. Even when I bought my wagon from them I had to sell my mini cooper outright because the way they deal with your trade in is that they pick up the phone, call a guy that wholesales cars, give him a description of the car and he low balls the hell out of the offer and that’s it. Worst used vehicle program I have ever encountered.
Thoughts on a Rav-4 for your mom? Beck can typically help you out on one of those too. He helped us out with one for my mom last year and she loves it. Plus it’s very reliable.
wife got the new rav-4. it’s little underpowered but fun to drive on all pavements. pretty cool video, throw in suspension and brake pads and you get a rally rav-4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od3kLRKPlPE
Wife has a Infiniti fx37 just picked up off lease. Loaded minus sport package. The 360 camera is sweet and has heat and cooled seats etc. infotainment system is quick and responsive. And who dosnt like 300hp under the hood? The qx70 is just a rebadged version. Didn’t notice any thing different when we test drove than then the fx37
If Cayenne is too big, I don’t think she’s shopping SUVs. The GLK is the only thing in that segment smaller than the Cayenne that I don’t absolutely hate - are you confident that the used GLK exceeds her budget? I thought they were extremely affordable and the MB certified warranty is actually pretty great. MB Williamsville just did a warrantied timing chain for my wife’s G wagen plus at least a couple grand of other odds and ends.
http://goo.gl/9v17vD - cheap, relatively low miles, CPO starts at end of factory warranty w/ unlimited miles for 2 years. I’m sure that could be had for $23-25k and likely could be shipped in for $500-600 if you didn’t want to drive to get it. That’s my two cents.