Buying a new car...
 

Hey, here in the next couple of months, as soon as get settled back home in Alaska, I want to get myself a decent vehicle, and I think I've narrowed it down to three or four choices and I want yalls input.

Basically, I want a new (within two years) cheap entry level SUV ($23,000 and under). 4X4 is a must and I prefer a manual transmission. Four doors is a plus, but two door is fine. Good gas mileage of course. No Chevy products. I don't need any frills or fancy stuff (except a killer sound system). Just a good, reliable vehicle that will last me.

I've heard good things about these:

Toyota RAV4
Saturn Vue
Jeep Liberty

I also like:

Hyundai Santa Fe
Kia Sportage
Jeep Wrangler (My mother had an '01 and I really liked it, but it was horrible on gas)
Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute

I drove a Ford Escape for about 6 months and I liked it. Not as big as my truck, but it got me out in the fields with inches of snow on the ground. However, I don't think you can get it in manual, but I could be wrong. I had the 6 cylinder, which wasn't too good on gas. Of course, Ford has the Escape hybrid out, but I doubt you will find a used one on the market right now since Ford is having a tough enough time keeping them in stock. The Tribute is the same frame, but I didn't like the gearing of the transmission when we test drove it or the suspension. It seems as though the Escape was geared a little closer together (i.e., better acceleration and towing power) and the Escape seemed to have a tighter suspension, which you might not want if you want a smooth ride.

Toyota The best of the bunch!
 

If you want a low maintenance good gas mileage vehicle. Out of what you named The Toyota Rav 4 will give you just that! I think you would be more than satisfied with the Toyota. :)

Well if ya don't want the Chev. products I guess you just out of luck LMAO
From what I have seen of the new Jeeps they sure are not what they used to be and in fact some of them are down right cheap in the wrong places bumpers ect.
Toyota might be a good bet .?

jeep is a travesty. they forgot about durability and stressed comfort for all these candy a$$es nowadays. darn shame.

i'm still holding out for a lamborghinni countach. i guess i'll have to wait till i get to hell and it freezes over. :eek:

Liberty is a TJ wrangler with a fancy body. If you dont need a lot of room a wrangler is good off road and get good mileage. I pull a 34 foot boat with mine with no problem.

Take a look at the Nissan Titan 4 door

I'm not too big into trucks, honestly. I don't think I need anything that big, either. I need something small and conservative with decent gas milage for traveling around town and hauling a couple friends. I do like Ford Rangers and Toyota Tacomas, but they really lack in the "friend hauling" dempartment.

Rubicon, I love Wranglers, and they have plenty of room for what I need and I love the way they are set up. Definately a consideration if the 4 cyl models get better gas milage than the Sport with the 4.0L V-6 my mother had. We were gettin about 13-18 mpg with it. My mother recently traded it off for a Dakota. The dealership still hasn't sold it. Would probably buy it if it wasn't for the poor gas milage.

Anyone have any input on Subaru vehicles? Supposedly the Outbacks are pretty nice.

Can't beat a Toyota product for reliability. Subarus are very reliable also.

Unless you want a 4 wheel drive CAR don't get the RAV-4. They are built on a light car chasis, I have heard from a few former owners that they are sturdy and they wouldn't own another one

Isuzu makes a great suv. I bought a '95 Amigo brand new. They are called something different now. Only thing I ever replaced was the clutch at 100,000 miles. I did some heavy towing, probably heavier than I should have.:D Engine gave up the ghost at 180,000+ miles. Definetly got my moneys worth.

My wife had a Subaru AWD wagon, it was a great little car that just wouldn't quit. We sold it to a buddy who used it as a hunting/trapping car, it was great for pulling a fish house out on a lake - light and not a big investment. He got over 200,000 miles on it and sold it to someone else. It was a basic model, no frills - just great cheap transportation. I think they're quite a bit more expensive now than in the late 1980's. High resale too.

If I don't get 200,000 miles out of a car, I consider it to be a bad investment. I take good care of them, so I expect them to last. My Taurus is turning 8 this May and it has 140,000 on it right now.

Don't overlook the Honda Pilot. If you'r not going out bushwacking for moose, and just want room for friends and need a 4x4, they are pretty good. Easy on fuel too. 23 grand might get you a used one, but I know they don't drop in value to quickly.

Got a Suzuki (Zuki - Hummer 4.5) Sidekick. Beat the squat out of it. Goes places the power strokes can't (they're too wide) decent rock crawling kit <$700 (old man emu).

Kind of like an 80mph ATV W/heater/air and roof.

Dirt cheap. Can replace most stuff on it for about 250. Runs forever. Great MPG. Wouldn't pull a sick ---- of a thunder mug but put it in 4 low and plow snow, after larger tires installled.

Too really trick it out, do the zebra strip thing like the nuges jeep.