So Julie needs a replacement for the Taurus... like yesterday.

She's so damn picky it's been driving me bananas.

I can't afford a new BMW or a Cadillac so we're

thinking something new with a warranty but still

under $24K.

I might have found a winner, see if you can guess what it is....?

- It is & isn't a GM product

- RWD (with rear-biased 4-wheel drive optional)

- Motor is longitudinally mounted

- 5-speed manual available (I'm hoping I can convince her to go manual)

- Timing Chain driven valvetrain

- 24 valve V6

- 4-wheel independant suspension

- Liquid-filled engine mounts

Can't be a Subaru, they're all AWD... It's not a Matrix/Vibe either...

Just to clarify, it it new??

Grand Vitara?

It's unibody but does have a substantial frame stamped into the undercarrige.

Just to clarify, it it new??

Yup... 2007 MY

Question: DO you have your own place yet? If not how the hell can you afford a car at that price?

Edited September 11, 200718 yr by Dodgefan

XL7?

Remember it has to have a manual transmission option...

Yup.... Grand Vitara is it.

The XL7 is gross, it does not offer a manual trans & more

importantly it has a transverse motor with FWD & F-AWD.

DF:

Still staying at the Condo... not to get too into the details

of all of that but I think we'll be moving to southern N.H.

As far as Julies' set of wheels have you seen her Taurus?

She can't afford to NOT replace that POS. Last thing that

I want is to have my pregnant wife spend an hour on the

side of the road in a snowstorm.

Now if the money situation was different I would buy her

something for a grand or two cash but I'm thinking since

I might be able to finance with $0/down and get a 100K

mile warranty in a vehicle that does not make me want

to projectile vomit it might not be a horrible way to go...

It's an IDEA, I'm still hoping for some 180K mile 1980s

Diesel Benz to pop up localy and MAYBE I'd be able to

get financed on it.

Now it seems completely crazy that I'd be looking at a

Japanese made NEW car but show me ONE car for $21K

that I can find with those specs: RWD, truly capable 4x4,

manual transmission & baby/kid friendly 4-door, not to

mention the Suzuki warranty.

Gotta tell you the Equinox is not my cup of tea, the

Cobalt sedan looks like @$$ and the HHR is still FWD &

Julie hates the styling... what else is out there?

where did you find a Grand Vitara in a Riviera Hard Top?

where did you find a Grand Vitara in a Riviera Hard Top?

LOL

I glanced at a CLK430 the other day as we passed by a

highline used car store and Julie said without missing a

beat "yes, yes... no B-post!"

Congrats Sly.

I think in the pack of small SUV's GV is very underrated. I have test driven one with Manual Tranny. Not as fun as a RWD sedan, but certainly not trucky.

The interior was done under GM so is decent. The quality is somewhat not spectacular, but that is what to expect for a vehicle under $25k.

The V-6 is throaty and kinda not refined. But posts decent fuel economy numbers.

Why not a Torrent?

Congrats Sly.

This thead is just a sort of brainstorming session for me.

I have not even decided to look into it officially just yet.

Why not a Torrent?

Too many deadly sins. Rear the first post.

I'll keep B-pillars out of this one for the sake of the real world.

Here's a few reasons why the Torrent would not work for me:

(so let's not go suggesting it to Julie)

- Transverse (sideways) mounted motor...

- FWD based drivetrain

- Not so great in the styling dept. styling

- That dreaded, hideous FWD overhang (it's like a fanny-pack)

- No manual trans.

Oh and a base FWD Torrent is almost $24K.

I don't think so....

The particular Grand Vitara I looked at is $21,500

with the 5-speed manual & I can get a super low

price & maximum discount along with the rebate

since I'd be buying to off my own employer.

Again, just an idea.

LOL

I glanced at a CLK430 the other day as we passed by a

highline used car store and Julie said without missing a

beat "yes, yes... no B-post!"

You Picked a winner

Good luck. You'll need it.

WMJ:

Almost bought the EXACT car with 30K less for $500 but then I backed off when I noticed a rotted strut tower.

Aren't the '70s & at least early '80s M-B's particularly known for rotting out prematurely?

The rare occasion when I happen to see one- it's always doing a quick impression of the Tulsa '57. There are 2 in the next town, look like early '80s, and both are toast at this point (one never moves tho it's parked on the street, another is parked on the grass of someone's lawn).

A Suzuki? I am shocked and appauled. The very thought of you of all people, who proclaims he hates most Japanese cars on a daily basis buying on just isn't right.

Now it seems completely crazy that I'd be looking at a

Japanese made NEW car but show me ONE car for $21K

that I can find with those specs: RWD, truly capable 4x4,

manual transmission & baby/kid friendly 4-door, not to

mention the Suzuki warranty.

*Slaps you*

Starting at $21,190

Edited September 11, 200718 yr by Dodgefan

He won't buy soft tops.

He won't buy soft tops.

Hardtop is available.

You simply cannot do this.

A Suzuki? I am shocked and appauled. The very thought of you of all people, who proclaims he hates most Japanese cars on a daily basis buying on just isn't right.

*Slaps you*

Starting at $21,190

The wait for it is like 4 months and he needed the car day before yesterday.

The wait for it is like 4 months and he needed the car day before yesterday.

I don't buy that as an excuse from someone who is so pro-American and anti-Japanese.

Next thing you know he'll be looking to trade that Buick in for a Camry

Edited September 11, 200718 yr by Dodgefan

The Wrangler?

1. The new Wrangler is uuuuuugly, even though the four door looks better than the two door.

2. Ride is too harsh for a practical family vehicle.

3. I'm not going to buy a cloth top truck for my pregnant wife.

4. The hardtop 4 door is not going to be anywhere near $21K unless it's a 4x2. I'm not buying a 2wd Jeep & spending $22K

& most importantly

5. Julie hates Jeep Wranglers, her ex had one & she hated every minute of it.

-----

Anywho.... I wish I could get a quick loan for $2000 and buy Julie some

RWD car that would suit her needs and not repulse me, she's one of

those women convinced that a Crown Vic. or Caprice Classic is H-U-G-E

and she would hit things with it.... but she loves BMWs that we can not

afford right now.

Balthazar:

Mercedes Benz cars up here that I notice rusting quickly are the 1960s

and 1970s ones. The 1983 I looked at with 240K on it had no more rust

than the average vehicle fom that era and much less than the average

Honda or Toyota. Even the MBs that are VERY rusty and have severe

rot through are still a lot safer than the average Japanese car with rust

on the rockers & rear 1/4s... the Mercedes sheetmetal is MUCH thicker

than the Pepsi-can thick sheetmetal that Hondas & Toyotas are made of.

Given the choice I'll take a German car over a Japanese one anyday.

The 535xi & even the 3-series are a little out of my price range.

and the 1-series, even if it was available already, is quite ugly.

CPO CTS under extended warranty.

Seriously, if you get a Grand Vitara, good luck; you'll need it. My friend had a Tracker, an '02. Man. It was a 4cyl and he never used the a/c but rarely (yes, in Florida, yes, in summer) and he got maybe 18, 19mpg.

18-19 mpg in a unibody "truck" with a built in ladder frame is not horrible.

Granted it's all the more reason to buy the Banana Boat off XP and get 13-16.

CPO CTS around here is $25-27K, and it's very hard to get financed on a used

car with not-so stellar credit. I would need like $1500 down and if I had

$1500 cash in hand I'd already be driving that Diesel Benz from Tewksbury or

I'd have bought the Banana Boat ('77 Caddy Coupe deVille) back from XP &

have Julie drive that for the time being and then get her a car before snow hits

so I could use the Caddy for a winter beater.

Grand Vitara has an ugly center stack and a whole lotta plastic in the interior.

And an ugly center stack!

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did I mention the UUUUGGLLLLYYYYY center stack?

hahahahahaha

Change your mind now, while you still HAVE a mind!

:wink:

Uh.... seems to be a pretty nice interior to my eyes... quite elegant.

I'm not a mouse-fir & dash-pad panel feeler-upper like so many here.

Most modern cars have cheap, plastic interiors, some have better fit

& finish & layout than others, the Suzuki GV does not dissapoint.

It's a GM product and as such shares a lot of GM convenicance, plus

it really is THE best warranty in the USA. Look it up.

Uh.... seems to be a pretty nice interior to my eyes... quite elegant.

I'm not a mouse-fir & dash-pad panel feeler-upper like so many here.

Most modern cars have cheap, plastic interiors, some have better fit

& finish & layout than others, the Suzuki GV does not dissapoint.

It's a GM product and as such shares a lot of GM convenicance, plus

it really is THE best warranty in the USA. Look it up.

Hahahaha

See? It has the same layout as a new Caravan with the center stack, yet nobody cries about it outside the "Other Guys" forum...

:wink:

LOL

What's the warranty? I'm pretty sure it isn't "THE" best offered nowadays.... lifetime drivetrain warranties and 10 year warranties etc....?

Hahahaha

See? It has the same layout as a new Caravan with the center stack, yet nobody cries about it outside the "Other Guys" forum...

:wink:

LOL

What's the warranty? I'm pretty sure it isn't "THE" best offered nowadays.... lifetime drivetrain warranties and 10 year warranties etc....?

No.

I like these Grand Vitaras. They're good little SUVs.

Oh, you're talking about the new ones where the license plate doesn't fit right?

No.

NO WARRANTY?

WOW, that's not very good!

Seriously Suzuki really stands behind their stuff.

3 year 36,000 miles

$0 deductible, bumper to bumper, roadside assistance & (this is important) a courtesy vehicle (rental)

7 year 100,000 miles

$0 deductible, powertrain fully transferable just like the 3/36

Not the non-transferable B.S. like Mitshubishi, Hyundai & Kia

----

Now again I implore you; find me a RWD/4wd car OR truck OR SUV

with a ladder frame & (obviously) with a longitudinally mounted V6

that has an available (5-speed) manual transmission all for under

$22,000 including destination, MP3 compatible stereo/CD with a no

extra charge white-diamond paint option & a good warranty?

*crickets chirping*

Edited September 14, 200718 yr by Sixty8panther

Keep in mind this would be for my wife... not for me.

She's all about how the CRV is "cute" and "if we had the Money I LOVE BMW M5s...."

Stylistically the Grand Vitara is quite pleasing to the eye...

The headlights, and the "mini-ventiports" are pretty cool looking IMHO.

EVERY other cute ute... EVERY one, has a transverse mounted motor

and as you guys know that makes me want to hurl. I hate FWD and I

despise motors mounted the wrong way.

I'm doing my best to keep her car either RWD or at least 4wd/RWD.

Magnum?

Seriously Suzuki really stands behind their stuff.

3 year 36,000 miles

$0 deductible, bumper to bumper, roadside assistance & (this is important) a courtesy vehicle (rental)

7 year 100,000 miles

$0 deductible, powertrain fully transferable just like the 3/36

Not the non-transferable B.S. like Mitshubishi, Hyundai & Kia

----

Now again I implore you; find me a RWD/4wd car OR truck OR SUV

with a ladder frame & (obviously) with a longitudinally mounted V6

that has an available (5-speed) manual transmission all for under

$22,000 including destination, MP3 compatible stereo/CD with a no

extra charge white-diamond paint option & a good warranty?

*crickets chirping*

The next time I see you I swear I will slap you.

Dodge Nitro SXT w/SXT B Package (base model) in Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat (not quite regrigerator white but close enough)

$19,350 + $660 Destination Charge

• 3.7-Liter V6 Engine
• 6-Speed Manual Transmission
• AM/FM Stereo Radio w/In-Dash CD/MP3 Player
• 6 Speakers
• Air Conditioning
• SXT Base Cloth Low-Back Bucket Seats
• 16" x 7.0" Styled Steel Wheels
• P225/75R16 BSW All Season Tires
• 3.21 Axle Ratio

Base MSRP*: $20,010

Total Discount†: - $500

Net Price: $19,510

LIFETIME Powertrain Warranty

Automatic, if you must have one, is $825

Upgrade to SLT and you get, in addition to body color fascia and fender flares...

• 3.7-Liter V6 Engine
• Incl.
• 4-Speed Automatic Transmission
• AM/FM Stereo Radio w/In-Dash CD/MP3 Player
• 6 Speakers
• Air Conditioning
• Premium Front and Rear Floor Mats
• Sun Visors with Illuminated Vanity Mirrors
• Fog Lamps
• Speed Control
• Universal Garage Door Opener
• SLT Premium Cloth Bucket Seats
• 17" x 7.0" Aluminum Wheels
• P235/65R17 BSW All Season Performance Tires
• 3.73 Axle Ratio
• Deep Tint Sunscreen Glass

Base MSRP*: $23,420 (including $660 Destination)

Total Discount†: - $500

Net Price: $22,920

Keep in mind you can probably haggle the price even further, since Dodge dealerships probably have plenty to move.

So there you go...RWD, BOF, V6

Keep in mind the this lovely Japanese car who you'd be sending the profits back to Japan for is not a true BOF, it's a Composite Unibody...part BOF part Unibody, not a true BOF

There's also the `07 Liberty that has hefty discounts plus that Lifetime Warranty

2007 LIBERTY LATITUDE EDITION 4X4 Y Pkg. $24,945 (this is the mid-grade model) + $660 Destination

Stone White Clear Coat

• 3.7-liter V6 engine
• 4-Speed Automatic VLP 42RLE Transmission ($825)
• AM/FM Stereo with CD Player & CD Changer Control
• 6 Speakers
• Air Conditioning
• Fog Lamps
• Cloth High-Back Bucket Seats
• 16" x 7.0" Luxury Styled Steel Wheels
• P225/75R16 OWL All Season Tires
• Command-Trac® HD Part-Time 4WD System
• Corporate 8.25 Rear Axle
• 3.55 Axle Ratio
• Deep Tint Sunscreen Glass

Base MSRP*: $26,430

Total Discount†: - $3,500

Net Price: $22,930

That's before any dealer incentives. You can get a Sport with AWD for even less. It comes with a 6-speed manual too.

RWD, BOF, V6

There's also the Magnum if you want SUV utility without actually needing an SUV (which most people don't anyway)

2007 DODGE MAGNUM SE C Pkg. $23,370 + $675 Destination

Stone White Clear Coat

• 2.7-Liter V6 DOHC 24-Valve MPI Engine
• 4-Speed Automatic VLP 42RLE Transmission
• AM/FM Stereo with CD Player
• 4 Speakers
• Air Conditioning
• Cloth Low-Back Bucket Seats
• 17" x 7.0" Steel Wheels
• P215/65R17 98T BSW All Season Tires
• 3.90 Axle Ratio

Base MSRP*: $24,045

Total Discount†: - $2,000

Net Price: $22,045

It's unibody, but it no doubt handles better than an SUV, it's RWD, V6, Lifetime Warranty

It's not as good of a deal as the SUVs, especially since you have to go up to SXT if you want AWD and that jacks the price up to the 28,000 neighborhood.

Yes the Warranty is not transferable, but so what? If the vehicle is covered for life than you've got a sweet deal until you're ready to give it up, costing you nothing in powertrain repairs.

I'm surprised that someone who is so good at car shopping and works in the car sales business overlooked these...I mean, really. Unless you really have your heart set on something Japanese

Edited September 15, 200718 yr by Dodgefan

D.F.

The Liberty appeals to me a little, it's not all that bad of an "suv" but Julie hates its styling.

As far as the Nitro: