Which SUV to buy?

[Gloaming]

Try the Veracruz Limited- my friend has the infiniti QX Monster truck and he is now looking at a Veracruz when the lease expires on his infiniti- of course, you don't get snob appeal.

[The_Professor]

My brother has a Pilot and says it has been one of the best cars/trucks he's ever owned. It luxurious enough inside, powerful, roomy, cheap to own, and has been bulletproof in terms of reliability. Also, I see a fair number of them on the roads so I'm not sure what ES is talking about.

My only gripe with the Pilot is the styling, it's so boring.

I looked at used XC90's for my wife a while ago. I really wanted to like it since I have a soft spot for Volvo's, but I just couldn't. There are so many little problems and issues (check out the online forums), the interior seems very dated, and the model in our range had only a 4 speed automatic at a time when everyone else was offering 5 speed automatics.

I suggest taking both for a test drive.

[brendonp]

We would have bought an LR3 too. We found a great one about 5K more than our Pilot. I absolutely love Land Rovers/Range rovers (too expensive). It's just, coming from all Toyotas, which never ever broke down even with little maintenance, my parents didn't want the hassle.

Ahhh maybe some day ... I'll get a Land Rover

We picked up an '06 LR3 last week - head and shoulders nicer then any other SUV we drove (didn't look at many cross overs) and cheaper then any of the V8 XC90s we saw (parents have a 5cyl XC90, and I've never really liked it). Oddly enough it's also shorter and more maneuverable then the XC90 (heck, it's shorter then a new Honda Accord). Fuel economy obviously isn't great, but you can squeeze out 14-15L/100km if you're easy on the go pedal. And it's also really the only one we found with an adult sized third row seat...

(just don't step to hard on the gas - fun, but expensive!)

[ES_Revenge]

Funny how SUV's are a topic for buying again, now that gas prices have gone down. Weren't they the topic for "how to get rid of them" not so long ago?
I await round two, when prices go back and all the SUV owners begin to whine and want to dump the gas guzzlers again.

I was thinking the same thing. A friend of mine commented on how he saw lots more hummers driving around since the gas dropped, and though I didn't notice it at first it seems to be true.

2. Wicked discounts on LR3s. $12,000 manufacturer's discount even before we started negotiating. The on-the road price was comfortably less than a comparably equipped XC90.

Wow that's pretty good. Probably because LR doesn't move many of these units (or many units period, heh). LR3 is certainly a nice vehicle and probably more capable off-road than vehicles like the Pilot will ever be.

3. Sorry, I didn't save any of my links/research. My mistake, it's not the 2.5T. It's the T6 with autobox that has had a flurry of failures. Just Google "XC90 transmission problems".

Ah yes according to the Wiki Volvo use a GM transmission that they modified for the XC90. The 4T65 doesn't really have any significant problems in the GM vehicles it was in but then again they never used it in an SUV (though it was in the minivan based "SUVs" like the Aztek/Rendezvous); and who knows what changes Volvo made to it...

Going back to the Pilot for those buying one you may want to be sure to get a super-huge HDMI cable to use the port on the front. Don't get conned into buying Monster Cable though, get it from monoprice

[bythehour]

Going back to the Pilot for those buying one you may want to be sure to get a super-huge HDMI cable to use the port on the front. Don't get conned into buying Monster Cable though, get it from monoprice

LOL! Ever since I read that USB thing somewhere (TTAC, I think), I chuckle everytime I see the new Pilot.

I really wanted to like the Pilot. It is a smart purchase. But, I've never been accused of being smart.

If the OP is buying used, beware of US cars (not necessarily a bad thing, just be informed). I noticed that certain dealers were bringing in big volumes of the same cars; must be a volume discount? I even came across a couple authorized dealers doing the same (i.e., Volvo dealers offering US XC90s). Some were upfront about it; others were not. Caveat emptor.

[Ben Jr]

OP has gotta be the most indecisive car shopper I've ever seen; without searching I'm guessing 2 years comparing the XC90 to every SUV on the market.

[Kayne]

Between those two I would go with the Volvo.

[lockec]

go with the 2008 Jeep Wrangler Unlimted Ruibcon
i also have a 2006 lexus gx470 and love my jeep more than the lexus.

Got an '09 wrangler unlimited here and agree Jeep is the way to go!

[bahasad]

He wants a 7-seater. Jeeps are cool, but I personally think someone who is looking at a Pilot or XC90 will find them quite crude.