Need help on choosing a suv!

[Tjbell]

Hey all long time no see! As we know life happens and such so here I am asking for help.



So the wife and I are looking for a used suv. It's main duties will be daily driver, towing a 5k ish lbs camper (once we buy one) minor overlanding , road trips, etc. Comfort and reliability are up there. I doubt It will see much more than fire roads in upstate Maine.

I am really trying to stay under 15,000. May go 17 if the right one comes.



So my top contenders in no order are - 2011 and up expedition, 2007 and up tahoe/yukon/burb, 2007 and up 4 runner, 2011 and up grand cherokee, 2010 up pathfinder (the body on frame version)



So I am aware of the GM DoD afm nonsense, and the ford 5.4 chain/phaser nonsense, but neither really worry me. Complete timing job on a 5.4 is a day and 1,000 of oem parts. Most of the gm offerings have substantially more miles than expeditions and the same price too. 130k compared to 160k and up

 

[NatersXJ6]

Once you get into that price bracket, miles are generally high enough that condition is a crapshoot and you are going to work on anything quite a bit. I basically consider all of those vehicles to be roughly the same. I would personally pick the Ford, mostly because I personally like the interiors over the other choices. In my opinion, they are simpler and more robust and laid out better for ergonomics and tactile feel. Others will likely disagree.

 

[Wilbah]

I am a fan of the tahoe/yukon platform. And for what you're describing it will be perfect. I think the biggest issue here in the NE will be the rust condition for what you are describing. So pay attention to that. As for mechanical you might want to do the fuel pump (when they fail, they fail leaving you stuck - GM uses an in tank one and if the previous owner didn't keep it over half full most of the time it will have worn (the fuel cools the pump)). I put 260K on our Yukon and I replaced 1 front hub, the fuel pump (fortunately I was at a store nearby so it wasn't a huge issue) a couple of batteries, 1 air bag sensor and that's it. I replaced the original serpentine belt at 200K or so because the new one I had bought as a spare had been sitting for years. ha. The engine is bulletproof, ease of finding parts etc.

But as I say I think in the NE the biggest issue for used in the time frame you're likely looking at will be rust issues. Might make sense to look south or west if you can. Lots of soccer mom mall crawlers out there that would be a good buy. Although having said that I don't know what the prices are right now so you might have to look a while to find one at a good price- I know in general used prices are kind of nuts.

 

[TeCKis300]

There's lots of great choices out there and I think a $15k budget is reasonable.

Personally, for older cars with higher mileage, the largest potential guarantee for some semblance of reliability will be found in Toyota/Lexus vehicles. Stay away from the mainstream cool models, and you might find a gem. Meaning don't chase 4Runner or Land Cruiser models. Toyota's lineup has a host of other models that equally share much of the premium DNA.

- GX470, aka Land Cruiser Prado, AKA V8 4Runner that's gone to finishing school
- Last or current generation Toyota Sequoia. These have V8s, tons of reliability, capability, and all the goodness of other Toyota products.

 

[Buddha.]

I would want a real half ton for that weight. Tahoe/expedition/sequoia.

 

[Jmz01]

Tahoe is by far the worst pick on that list.

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[Wilbah]

Tahoe is by far the worst pick on that list.

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Why do you say that?

 

[Rovertrader]

I’m a bit of a Land Rover guy, but recently nabbed a ‘13 BMW X5 diesel, and love it! For your criteria, it would be great, and yield 30mpg to boot. Worth a look/see, just be sure to get one with good maintenance history, and a good one can be bought under $20k with decent miles (<75k), no rust, etc…
I was actually looking at LR3 &4’s, but came across these for considerably less, and glad I did!!

 

[deserteagle56]

Towing a camper? If you want a pleasant towing experience, stay away from ANY short wheelbase vehicles. Which means Expedition/Suburban size rigs. Not much fun trying to keep a short wheelbase rig on the road when cross winds/18 wheelers are buffeting the trailer, pushing it around.

Advice from someone who tows A LOT.

 

[Todd780]

Towing a camper? If you want a pleasant towing experience, stay away from ANY short wheelbase vehicles. Which means Expedition/Suburban size rigs. Not much fun trying to keep a short wheelbase rig on the road when cross winds/18 wheelers are buffeting the trailer, pushing it around.

Advice from someone who tows A LOT.

Beat me to it.

 

[twodollars]

As family vehicles we have had a yukon, commander, and now a expedition. Best value per dollar was the expedition with a 5.4. Did not command nearly the price a comparable gm did. I'd get a other but I dont want a ecoboost in it.

 

[Martinjmpr]

For a camper of that weight cross the 4runner off your list. My '07 V6 4runner really struggled pulling a 2,000 lb teardrop camper. No way would I pull a 5k trailer with one, unless it was literally just going across town. Now mine was a V6 but I don't think the 4.7 V8 that was offered through 2009 helps much in terms of towing.

Maybe if you live in Florida and never, ever, go to the mountains you could get away with it. But I wouldn't risk it in any kind of mountainous terrain.

I think at minimum you need a half ton truck or equivalent SUV. Also think about gears. If you are towing in mountains or in heavy wind, those 4 speed transmissions that the older SUVs came with will be constantly shifting up and down as they search for the right gear. In turn, this heats up the transmission which can lead to early transmission failure.

In case you're wondering, this is what transmission failure looks like:



And my favorite picture (because of the shirt I had chosen to wear that day):



Starting around 2009 many of the major manufacturers (I know Ford and GM for sure) went to 6 speed transmissions. This narrows the gap between gears and keeps the transmission from heating up excessively.

Bottom line: If you're going to tow (especially long distances, like we do) don't skimp on the tow vehicle. It will cost you in the long run.

 

[ThePartyWagon]

I went first gen Sequoia, I spent $5K, put around $3K into and I'm feeling pretty confident in the reliability at this point. I could have spent around $10K for a lower mileage specimen but it wasn't in the budget for a second vehicle. The 4.7L V8 is one of the few motors I'd buy with high mileage.