Holy crap - wife wants a minivan

[potzer25]

Everyone around here seems to get a mdx.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

Funny thread for someone who will never need 1. Seems to me tho a thought might be taken towards "re-sale" value when the nightmares over.

This coming from a guy who like US cars...

Toyota might be your best shot.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

The wife has changed her mind again and now wants a Grand Cherokee.

Now your in worse trouble...Those things have major saftey issues. Better read up on that ticking time bomb.

 

[MISKO]

JTG's new song

 

[JuiceTheGator]

Now your in worse trouble...Those things have major saftey issues. Better read up on that ticking time bomb.

Lemme' clear that up for ye':

1.) That's only on older models
2.) It's all BS anyway. What a bunch of crap: Chrysler expected to formally refuse Jeep recall

 

[SEC Official]

I can't have that shit in my garage! She went to look at the big infiniti SUV today and came home with the comment, "I think I want a Nissan Quest." The woman has no sense of vanity. Of course, the money I'd save would be spent on myself...but still!

​

We still have a Honda Odyssey.. but to be honest Mini-vans are out now and on the decline. There are so many good cross-over SUV women are starting to buy... and 7-8 years down the road they are much better that a minivan once the kid gets older (or at least the women feel that way).

My wife equates the mini-van to having young children ... so as our children grow, she is itching to get a car or SUV.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

Lemme' clear that up for ye':

1.) That's only on older models
2.) It's all BS anyway. What a bunch of crap: Chrysler expected to formally refuse Jeep recall

Yesterday 6/18/13, I heard Chrysler WILL recall late model Jeeps due to customer worries about resale values and exploding gas tanks if in a wreck.

 

[JuiceTheGator]

^ Hmmm. Well, she changed her mind, yet again, and now thinks she wants the Explorer. But if the G Cherokee have some bad press right now I might be able to hammer them for a good deal? It's not supposed to have anything to do with the 2014s on the lot now, but who cares...people are fickle.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

But if the G Cherokee have some bad press right now I might be able to hammer them for a good deal? It's not supposed to have anything to do with the 2014s on the lot now, but who cares...people are fickle.

Like your angle here...waltz in there with your bottom dollar price telling them your doing Chrysler a favor now...might just get yourself a fair price for 1.

 

[JuiceTheGator]

So, the wife decided to get a Ford Explorer. It was the right size and everything else and they gave me a pretty good deal. She test drove the one she wanted 2 times and the saint-like salesman spent like 2 hours with her going over every gadget and gizmo.

So, I drove it for the first time today. It is pretty nice but I noticed at exactly 65mph and higher there's a air-drumming under the front left wheel. How could she test drive it twice and not take it up to highway speed??! Damnit.

You know how when you open just one back window sometimes it make that weird pressure drumming noise? This is much less because it's outside under the car but still really noticable...would drive me nuts on a long trip. There's no vibration or anything tangible, just this fucking noise.

 

[ktg8trgrl]

That Dodge does look a lot more palatable than the feggy Jap vans. I used to have a 1500 and the thing was flawless despite my beating the living shit out of it. This is a lot for $25k: Dodge : Caravan R/T in Dodge | eBay Motors

Womens are such a PITA though. She wanted a minivan. Then she wanted an Explorer...then a Land Rover LR4...yesterday a Toyota 4Runner...

A woman doesn't know what she wants - it's a universal law.

ahem.. not me.. I know exactly what I like in a vehicle.. I drove a Chevy Venture and a nissan quest when my kids were little.. but as soon as the lil buggers got school age.. I went right back to my Chevy Silverado crew cab 4x4.. and I can put 6 people in it. just not very comfy that wat

 

[JuiceTheGator]

^ Well, as you know, you're exceptional. No matter how I'd discuss her options, she just couldn't seem to imagine the utility or lack of it. So, she ended up with an Explorer because it's the best compromise of everything. As you know, that means it doesn't do any one thing particularly well.

 

[potzer25]

Explorer? I think we are going to look at the 14 MDX and explorers this weekend. Needing > 5 seating is a pain!

 

[JuiceTheGator]

Yep. We really looked at them all. She felt, and I have to agree, that the Grand Cherokee had the nicest ride and was the most refined...it's 8 speed tranny is silky. It really drives much better than the MDX and even the MB M Series that actually uses the Cherokee's chassis. The infiniti was her least fav. because it felt "light and cheap" to her. They were all just a tiny bit too small to hold her baby carriage and all the other shit for the kids.

Of the cars big enough, it came down to the Ford Flex or MB R-class. Then, she decided sitting a little higher was preffered so she grabbed the Explorer and is very happy with it. I guess she likes the heavier feel of it for imaginary safety reasons. The mileage and all those other stats were either comparable or better than jap makes.

 

[FSUmanager]

I am extremely happy that my wife is a country girl. I will never have to suffer driving a minivan. I feel for those that have to. If it is not a 4x4 truck or muscle car she does not want it.

 

[potzer25]

Yep. We really looked at them all. She felt, and I have to agree, that the Grand Cherokee had the nicest ride and was the most refined...it's 8 speed tranny is silky. It really drives much better than the MDX and even the MB M Series that actually uses the Cherokee's chassis. The infiniti was her least fav. because it felt "light and cheap" to her. They were all just a tiny bit too small to hold her baby carriage and all the other shit for the kids.

Of the cars big enough, it came down to the Ford Flex or MB R-class. Then, she decided sitting a little higher was preffered so she grabbed the Explorer and is very happy with it. I guess she likes the heavier feel of it for imaginary safety reasons. The mileage and all those other stats were either comparable or better than jap makes.

M class doesn't have a third row, though. (Is the R class even offered anymore?)

I considered a Flex for about five minutes. That thing looks too strange and practical.

 

[JuiceTheGator]

M class doesn't have a third row, though. (Is the R class even offered anymore?)

I considered a Flex for about five minutes. That thing looks too strange and practical.

The Flex is just the cheaper version of the Lincoln MKT we've had for the last 3 years. The MKT was an exceptional car. For highway driving, city driving, utility, luxury and tech, the MKT was better than any of those she considered. That's the thing about womens though, they don't know what they want but just know it's not what they have right now. You should test drive one because I'm curious if you'll find it as superior as I did.

 

[potzer25]

The Flex is just the cheaper version of the Lincoln MKT we've had for the last 3 years. The MKT was an exceptional car. For highway driving, city driving, utility, luxury and tech, the MKT was better than any of those she considered. That's the thing about womens though, they don't know what they want but just know it's not what they have right now. You should test drive one because I'm curious if you'll find it as superior as I did.

for some reason the MKT never came up on my radar when comparing cars after deciding on three rows or seven people seating... it looks interesting so I'll try to check it out but there aren't many Lincoln dealers out here and I don't recall seeing any on the road.

 

[potzer25]

We went to look at the MKT...looks like the MDX will win this round. The new '14 has better gas mileage and has a FWD model now, which gets even better mileage and is cheaper. You lose the handling of the SH-AWD but for driving around town the FWD is probably enough.
The dash of the MKT is definitely better. Even with the new layout and reduced buttons of the '14 MDX, the controls of the Ford system are better. I've read that it is buggy, though, (Microsoft?) but that is hard to find with just a test drive.
The back of the MDX is better than the MKT, though. When the seats are folded down the MDX is flatter and has more storage. Center console of the MDX is better. The non-leather portions of the interior in the MKT are carpeted (is that right?) fuzzy material. It felt pretty much like the inside of the Explorer but with a bit more technical features.

 

[JuiceTheGator]

Well, their kinda' apples n oranges. Basically, the MKT is like a Town Car station wagon. The rear bucket seats blow a/c on your ass and it just flows on the highway at 110mph. But it's a big car and not an SUV. My brother's MDX had such a nice, refined feel but I didn't think settled-in as nicely on the highway...which makes sense sitting up higher and making a little more air noise n such.
I don't know what changes they've made to the MKT lately either since mine was a 2010. I notice they are 6 - 8 thousand bucks cheaper now so maybe they cheapened them a bit. My wife preferred the higher feel of the SUVs.