New SUV recommendations - need 3rd row

[Pnwrider]

My wife loves her Toyota highlander. She was insistent on a 3rd row (which we have used twice in 2.5 years). Granted I wouldn’t want to tow with it or any other suv that is not based on a truck frame. 

[Sixer]

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/712964446/overview/

This is almost identical to what I have.  Mine is at 105k miles, and still going strong.  I had one emissions issue that wasn't covered under warranty, but after a complaint to Lexus corporate, they fully reimbursed me for the repair.  I do all oil changes and service at a Toyota dealership, saves a ton of $, and it's all the same fluids Toyota/Lexus use (Toyota guys are certified to work on Land Cruisers which have many similar parts to the GX).  Tows my VTX great.  All time 4 wheel drive.  Overall between winter and summer, towing and snowing, I'm at about 17.5 miles per gallon.  Premium gas, but that doesn't bother me a bit.  Good luck!

[KSwakeA22]

Around here in Kansas, I'm getting excited seeing all the 2015 Denali XL's being traded in with 30-40k miles on them and the dealers listing them in the mid $40k range.  Sounds doable to me since only two years ago they were close to $70k!   I have a feeling I will be selling my Sierra crewcab for an Denali XL in the future.  

[Badger]

Since I was on posting suspension for a week (jk...lol), I wasn't able to give everyone an update.  Last Sunday my wife and I went for a drive to about 8 different dealers.  We had decided that we were definitely going to buy used, because she doesn't really want a 3 row vehicle for much longer.  (our oldest will be driving next year).  In my mind, that definitely took me towards something with better resale value that we could trade in again in a couple of years.  I had even made the offer that we look at 4Runners and I'd drive it the majority of the time and she could drive my Escape when she didn't need the space.

After driving around, she basically didn't like the looks of much of anything, and didn't really want a foreign OEM car, for now.  After looking at the interiors, she decided that she wanted to keep our current configuration of 2nd row captains chairs with a walk-through to the 3rd row.  I do admit that this makes it pretty easy to get kids into the 3rd row.  So, this basically limited our search back to a Traverse/Acadia or a Ford Explorer.  After a bit more investigation on pricing and some resale values, we went out on Monday and came home with a 2015 Traverse.  It was just off-lease with about 36,000 miles and relatively clean for about $22k.  From a value standpoint, we could have probable got a new 2017 very cheap, but our trade in value in a couple of years would have been crap.  We are going to try limit the damage on depreciation with this one.

Overall, she's happy with the car and likes to drive it.  Obviously it's very similar to our Buick Enclave we traded in, but seems to drive much more "sporty" and I think the AWD makes a big difference in that.  Our snow is gone now, but the day we got it, we tried to get it stuck in the same areas that our Buick would have been buried.  This thing wouldn't even think about spinning tires.

This definitely would not have been my choice, but the good news is that she will be driving it most of the time.  Without driving any cars, I think I would have been leaning towards the 4 runner for a "value" car and the Audi Q7 for a luxury choice.   The good news is that I get to pick a car in about 10 months and will be trying everything under the sun to narrow that down.

Thanks for all your help.

[Badger]

I added the roof rails and put the car top carrier on yesterday getting ready for a trip back to the homeland (Northern Wisconsin).  Kids thought I was going to hit, but I spent a lot time researching this before I bought the Yakima last year.  The tower on the VTX has about the same clearance going in and out.

[ahopkins22LSV]

Woot! What do I win for suggesting the winning vehicle?  

[Badger]

48 minutes ago, ahopkinsTXi said:

Woot! What do I win for suggesting the winning vehicle?  

You can come over and help me wash and wax it. It's always fun trying to keep it black car clean.

[ahopkins22LSV]

30 minutes ago, Badger said:

You can come over and help me wash and wax it. It's always fun trying to keep it black car clean.

Meh I have our own vehicles for that fun! Lol

[oldjeep]

funny how when you put regular doors on a minivan it becomes an acceptable Mom mobile;). 

[ahopkins22LSV]

23 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

funny how when you put regular doors on a minivan it becomes an acceptable Mom mobile;). 

True but I’d take the traverse or Acadia over a minivan or Pacifica every day of the week, 365 days a year. 

[RyanB]

If you put regular doors on a Pacifica it would sell like crazy. For work, I sometimes have to drive through Utah, Iowa, and Montana.  The Pacifica is one of my rentals of choice.  They drive much better than the CUVs.

[ahopkins22LSV]

37 minutes ago, RyanB said:

If you put regular doors on a Pacifica it would sell like crazy. For work, I sometimes have to drive through Utah, Iowa, and Montana.  The Pacifica is one of my rentals of choice.  They drive much better than the CUVs.

Haven’t driven one but I can see that. They are also way over priced imo. 

[Badger]

22 hours ago, oldjeep said:

funny how when you put regular doors on a minivan it becomes an acceptable Mom mobile;). 

I think what's left of my Man card would be shredded if I pulled into the Off Road park towing my 4 wheelers with a mini-van.

[Soon2BV]

Great choice with the Acadia / Traverse.  I have rented several for long road trips and they are nice.  

I considered the Acadia before buying my last truck, but they won't handle the travel trailer.  Boat is only one launch / retrieve a year, so it would have been fine for that. 

[ahopkins22LSV]

1 hour ago, Badger said:

I think what's left of my Man card would be shredded if I pulled into the Off Road park towing my 4 wheelers with a mini-van.

I’ve seen worse. Like a Cadillac V series on 20’s pulling a 1980’s bow rider. 

Edited December 25, 2017 by ahopkinsTXi

[NWBU]

Could be worse. Merry Christmas everyone!