CAR Best SUV for under $30k?

[Guest]

What, in your opinion or experience, is the best SUV for under $30k? I was looking into the Exterra and the GMC Envoy, but I don't know how much the Envoy retails for? The Acura MDX looks cool but it's over $30k.

I'm looking for something in 4x4 with a comfortable ride that I can strap the baby seat into and has low road noise. I have eliminated the Ford Escape as it sucks!

Any thoughts for a newbie to the SUV world?

Thanks!

 

[nucl3ar]

Do you plan on taking it off-road or are you just a poser?

 

[Sibs]

look at a used 4runner, you wont be disappointed...

strong reliability (in fact, highest rated in reliablilty), great satisfaction, good looks....

its comfortable, its not bad...


im very pleased, its a great SUV, and if you plan on offroading, there is a large aftermarket for the 4Runners, so you'd be able to hit the trails without a problem...

and if you've got a heavy foot, there's always the TRD supercharger and other TRD goodies ready for the pickin...


well, there's my input, coming from a very pleased 4Runner owner

 

[nucl3ar]

Or you can just get a Jeep and it will be better off-road yet still faster without the need of a supercharger.

 

[Sibs]

Originally posted by XtremeGod
Or you can just get a Jeep and it will be better off-road yet still faster without the need of a supercharger.

ok buddy... no need to spew the jeep-nazism...

we all know Jeeps are good, but if this guy wants reliability in his SUV (if he plans on using it as a daily driver)... he'd be better off with a Toyota...

 

[nucl3ar]

Originally posted by Sibs


ok buddy... no need to spew the jeep-nazism...

we all know Jeeps are good, but if this guy wants reliability in his SUV (if he plans on using it as a daily driver)... he'd be better off with a Toyota...

Sound like a bit of a hypocrite to me.

 

[Sibs]

Originally posted by XtremeGod


Sound like a bit of a hypocrite to me.

no, read my post...

I noted that Jeeps were good...

im just saying that Toyotas are always an option too

 

[SycoPhant]

If I were to buy a new SUV, I'd go with the supercharged Xterra. I love my Explorer, but I'm not too happy with the offroad capabilities of it. I've owned Nissans previously, and I know they're perfectly capable when offroad.

 

[Sibs]

Originally posted by SycoPhant
If I were to buy a new SUV, I'd go with the supercharged Xterra. I love my Explorer, but I'm not too happy with the offroad capabilities of it. I've owned Nissans previously, and I know they're perfectly capable when offroad.

nissans are also very good, the Xterra is very capable... pathfinders not so much so... but they are great for more on road comfort...


sorry to say, but the explorer has as much ground clearance as a honda accord wagon... if you plan on taking it off road, plan on mods...

 

[SIMPLEmatrix]

i personally would go for a tahoe, its right around 30 g's, or if you want to do some climbing, id go for a jeep, none of this cherokee business, but a real jeep

 

[nucl3ar]

Originally posted by SIMPLEmatrix
i personally would go for a tahoe, its right around 30 g's, or if you want to do some climbing, id go for a jeep, none of this cherokee business, but a real jeep

So a Cherokee is not a real Jeep? What about a Grand Cherokee? That's not real either? Not to mention the fact that they are both best or tied for best in class for off-roading. How many times have they been 4wheeler of the year? A few for each.

 

[Platnum Toof]

Obviously I would go for the Supercharged Xterra.....

It 0wNz Jo0

 

[flynfrog]

id go with either the envoy or the tahoe both are pretty damn nice

 

[SycoPhant]

Provided you're not going off road. GM did the same thing with the Envoy/Trailblazer as Ford did with the Explorer, they made it more road driving friendly.

 

[Platnum Toof]

Originally posted by flynfrog
id go with either the envoy or the tahoe both are pretty damn nice

For the fully loaded ones they are well over $30,000. Hell, even one with minimal options is over $30,000...Just an FYI

 

[flynfrog]

i wasnt sure on the price my bad

 

[We_Todd]

Originally posted by SIMPLEmatrix
i personally would go for a tahoe, its right around 30 g's, or if you want to do some climbing, id go for a jeep, none of this cherokee business, but a real jeep

Are you a Liberty owner?

 

[Guest]

I am kind of leaning towards the Jeep Liberty. Not too big, 4WD, etc., under $30k.

 

[SycoPhant]

Icky.
The only props I'll give it from what I hear the engine has some balls to it for the size, however you'd get more out of a Ford 4.0.

 

[nissanpower]

I've owned two Jeeps (95 Wrangler, 98 Cherokee) and they were both pieces of shit. I had various electrical problems with both (guages stopped working, window fell in, heater wouldn't turn off, engine stalled, etc.) I will NEVER buy another Jeep.
I currently have a 2000 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab that I bought with 0 miles, and haven't had any sort of problems at all. I just turned 30,000 miles, and haven't spent a dime outside of routine oil changes. I will admit that my truck has no balls, but the new Frontier or XTerra with the supercharger kicks ass, and can be had for well under $30k. There are nicer trucks out there, but when you consider what you get for what you pay, Nissan is the way to go.

 

[Pat McCrotch]

I think that if $30K is your cap that like the others said, the X-terra or Frontier might be the best fit for you. You can opt for the S/C but there are times that I feel that its bark is worse than its bite... I have a 2001 Frontier Crew Cab S/C and really like it. It has given me the best of both worlds: room for people and an open bed to haul all kinds of stuff. If you want a covered cargo area, there are a variety of bed toppers and tonneau covers for the bed all for around $1,000 depending on what you want. Some good sites to check out and talk to the owners are: www.nissanfrontier.net and www.4x4parts.com

Good luck with your decision!

 

[nucl3ar]

I think you last two guys are missing the point, he said he wants an SUV. He also said it has to be quiet which would rule out S/C anything. At which point he would have to get a regular XTerra, but they are kinda slow, not that the S/C is fast or anything.

 

[Platnum Toof]

Originally posted by XtremeGod
I think you last two guys are missing the point, he said he wants an SUV. He also said it has to be quiet which would rule out S/C anything. At which point he would have to get a regular XTerra, but they are kinda slow, not that the S/C is fast or anything.

What are you talking about the S/C Xterra is quiet. Except when mashing the pedal to the floor, you just hear the spooling at about 4-5grand.

 

[nissanpower]

I was just trying to offer alternatives. The Crew Cab has the cargo space of an SUV and the bed of a truck. If you need a full-on SUV, the XTerra kicks ass. Either way, Nissan is the way to go for under $30k. If we were talking about $50k, I'd be singing a different tune...........

 

[nucl3ar]

A year and a half ago I was looking for an SUV that I could drive 400+ miles to school and also take it off-roading when I got there. If it wasn't for the 400 miles part I would have gotten a Wrangler. So in the end it came down to the Cherokee or the Xterra. I drove a fully loaded Xterra and a mid-range Cherokee. There is no question that the Cherokee is better off-road, but it was also much faster. I also feel that it corners better (not that it should be driven like a sports car) and that the Xterra has too much body roll. Then I went to price the two. For equally optioned vehicles the Xterra ended up being over $100/more a month, not to mention the fact that the salesguy was a complete asshole and talked to his girlfriend on the phone for 15 minutes in the middle of dealing with him, very unprofessional. My mind was easily made up at that point.
My mom has also have trouble with Nissan salespeople at a different dealership. She was the one getting the car, yet the salesman refused to put it in her name. He kept trying to use my dads name, he was sexist. It ended up with my mom sueing the dealership and him no longer having a job.