[robtcorl]

My ride is a 2001 Chevy Silverado.
We just traded in my wife's 2000 Jeep GC we purchased new, with over 200,000 miles on it, for a 2015 Ford Explorer.
I'm retired, she will be in 2017 so hopefully it won't have too many miles on it by then.
She's lovin' it.

[kadajawi]

That's plenty of Explorers here... what's the obsession with such obese vehicles? I'm curious.

Surprisingly few German cars. The number of Italians surprises me, the lack of French ones saddens me (I'm the only one with 2?). The high number of Mazda 3s surprises me too.

[Tom S.]

My current ride, though I'm thinking of selling my trailer, in which this will probably go too.

[mattb123]

I've got two that my wife and I trade off depending on who is going where or carrying what.

2004 Subaru Forester XT (AWD Turbo H4)
This is a humble looking car that is surprisingly fast (sub 6s 0-60) and fun. I like that it's not flashy but drives well. I don't want to call attention to myself or my car.
Likes:
Fast!
Great in snow.
Good cargo room, back seats fold down and I can sleep back there in a pinch.
Fun to pretend I'm a rally driver on the back roads with it.
Turbo is great at high altitude

Dislikes:
Mileage isn't great, especially if I'm having fun.
It's getting a little rattly but it's no spring chicken anymore.
Lots of plastic
Cruise Control is flaky
Starts pretty rough at -20 F or colder.
Road noise
----
2007 Toyota Tacoma extended cab (4x4 V6)
Likes:
gets me places the Subaru can't go for lack of clearance
Cargo capacity in the bed - good for a couch, piano, mountain bikes, kayaks, camping gear, etc.
Room for 4 passengers (plus driver)
Has an AC outlet in the bed
Limited slip rear differential gets me unstuck!
Starts smoothly below -30 F
Clearance

Dislikes:
Bed is short, I have to put the gate down to sleep in it.
Turning circle is a little wide
Road noise
Not that good on slippery roads

Edit to add:
The vehicle I use the most is a bike for getting to and from work and errands that don't require more than a backpack for cargo. I frequently go 1-2 weeks without starting a car.

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Last edited by mattb123; 07-16-2015 at 10:49 AM.

[hks_kansei]

I have a 1999 Mazda MX5 (Miata to the USA)

Like:
Cheap, great fun, easy to work on.

Dislike:
It's gutless, needs more power... and unfortunately where I live pretty much anything beyond basic boltons (intake exhaust) is illegal.

Just realised I dont have any recent photos....

[csa]

what's the obsession with such obese vehicles?

Well, I drive a GMC Suburban; what else would you suggest I haul a 100-gallon water tank in?

[dadipentak]

Sierra Gold 5-speed manual 2003 Subaru Forester Bought new now has 130,000 miles
Essential add-on equipment: Yokohama tires, Yakama Roof rack, lefty bumper stickers (no, they're really not factory installed.)
It's kind of a mess--especially inside--on account of coffee and pastries and the dog.

I love it! It's nimble, reliable, carries my gear and gets me where I want to go--and back. As a matter of fact, I think I'll run up to the Potomac for some fishing right now.

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Last edited by dadipentak; 07-28-2015 at 06:31 AM.

[csa]

The Subaru Foresters are really nice. I had the opportunity to drive a new one for a few days, while the Suburban was getting new rear brakes. The Subaru handled like a dream on my rough road!

Of course, I'm partial to Subaru, having a mint 1982 Brat with a little over 100,000 miles in it.

[loco]

2009 Mazda MX-5 Miata, black, 117,000 miles

Love it, it's my second Miata. First was a '92 Mariner Blue. Wish I still had it. Both of them have been bullet proof (knock wood!) and it handles so well. I'm a Mazda girl. I'm thinking my next vehicle might have to be something more "practical" - maybe a Mazda3 hatch or CX-5.

Here's my baby in b/w....

[wtlwdwgn]

The Subaru Foresters are really nice. I had the opportunity to drive a new one for a few days, while the Suburban was getting new rear brakes. The Subaru handled like a dream on my rough road!

Of course, I'm partial to Subaru, having a mint 1982 Brat with a little over 100,000 miles in it.

Neat Brat Carol!

I bought my daughter a 2011 Forester and drove it around here for a couple of months and then drove it down to San Antonio. One of the nicest cars I've ever driven. I love my little Saabaru but I'd love to have some more ground clearance to explore some Montana 'improved' roads.

[csa]

Thanks Steve! It's so funny, I've yet to drive it to town that someone doesn't come up to me, wanting to buy it!

[grhazelton]

Hey Subie owners and others with all wheel drive. I've read that having all four tires of the same make, model, and with equal tread depth is vital to avoid rapid wear and thus expensive repairs to the three differentials. My daughter and her husband have a Forester with about 65K. What's been your experience in this area?? Many thanks!!

[wtlwdwgn]

I'd say that excessive wear could be a problem with different tires on AWD. Even if the size is marked the same there are still differences between brands. I'd expect some handling problems too especially on slippery surfaces.

[redrockcoulee]

This! No longer made since Saab went bankrupt after being shed by GM during it's own bankruptcy. I still own a Saab 900, but it is not the SPG. I had to sell that when I moved countries. This has a huge trunk, and can be slept in with the back seat folded. Another thing - I don't see myself on every second street corner. Built like a tank, and Saab Led the way with small turbo charged engines. The industry caught up 40 years later.

I parked my last 900. a 1988 Turbo last May when my sister sold me her 2002 RAV4 for below market value. My Saab needs a new instrument cluster and the pre 1988 ones do not seem to work on it and it needs a new headliner, which means taking out the old one and putting in the one in my storage shed into it. I need to get working on it next summer and put it back on the road.

My wife and I each have a RAV, hers is a 1998 which is the first generation and has the world's worse design for a cup holder. It is in the central consule so that it is actually slightly behind the driver and so you need to reach behind you on and then pick up your cup which in itself is awkward. But the cup holder itself just is part of a insert in the console so picking up your cup by reaching behind you half the consule comes with it so then while holding it with one hand the other hand is needed to separate the cup from the console. At least that is better than our 1988 Grand Caravan was, the holders were about 2 millimeters deep so it would only hold a cup if the cup was very short or the vehicle was parked. My wife solved this by using a deer antler on the floor and her drinking container fit nicely between the tines. The oine thing I do not like about the Ravs is that the back seat folds forward and you do not gain much in the way of additional space, not like the SAAB. We have solved this by using my wife's RAV for carrying stuff and camping and her back seats are nicely put away up in the attic. I like my RAV much better and it only needs the cruize control and rear door lock fixed.

Eventually we might just buy a small utility trailer, sell the 1998 and get the SAAB back on the road. And buy a small camper van as only a couple of years away from retirement. My only dislike with my SAAB is that being a 1988 the wheels from all the earlier ones do not fit and that means I only have one set of rims for it and 4 or 5 sets that do not fit it. I have owned other 900 and have been given a couple for parts cars over the years so lots of rims, even think I still have a pair of soceer wheels from a model 99.

Rubert, does the rear seat fold down on the Audi? They sure look like nice cars.

---------- Post added 07-27-15 at 11:41 AM ----------

I drive a 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis. Out of all the vehicles I've had this is the one that I like the most.

Pros:V8, rear wheel drive
styling(I've been a LTD/Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis fan since the 80s)
Fuel economy-17mpg city/26 hwy. Much better than a truck or full size SUV
gear shifter on steering column and bench front seat with fold out armrests
Comfortable on long trips
Terrible resale value-I got it for 12000usd when it was 3 years old and had 30,000 miles
Very reliable

Cons:not much luggage space(there are times when I wish I had a gas guzzling truck or SUV)need to haul a washing machine-forget it
2.73 axle ratio hurts performance-but that's how it gets 26mpg
2010 was the last year they were made so this will be my last one-gotta hang onto it as long as I can

We bought a used washer and dryer a few years back and my wife was a bit upset that we could not fit both of them in the SAAB at the same time.

[wtlwdwgn]

I've had about 12 used SAABs over the years wearing them out when I was commuting. They kinda messed everybody up changing the wheel hubs. Even worse was the Michelin TRX wheels used on the early 900 turbos for which the tires are no longer available. The pre-1993 900s were the last of the true SAABs. Even the 9000 was a collaboration with Alfa Romeo and Lancia. Before the Saabaru my last one was a SAAB 9000 S with a 5 speed. It had 207K miles on it when I retired and sold it. Shoulda kept it as it was barely broken in.