By Marcal Eilenstein
There comes a time in every man’s life when he’s got to break free . . .
Sorry, wrong blog. Started singing a Ricky Van Shelton song there for a minute. Anyway, there comes a time in every married couple’s life when they have to decide: sell our economy car and upgrade to the requisite crossover SUV, or soldier on for a few more years with a reliable, but older, car? You might be asking what in the world I’m talking about, but let me explain. You see, when a man and a woman love each other very much, they buy a cheap, fun car and drive it for years. That’s exactly what my wife and I have done, and for the most part it’s worked out well. At some point, though, that’s not enough. When that happens, well, I’ll let you figure out that part yourselves. I don’t want to brag, but this blogger is 4 months closer to being a proud father. That’s right – my lovely wife is with child, and we’re starting to worry that our Focus just isn’t big enough to handle the daily necessities of life with a little one. So, it’s decision time. A decision like this is too big for one couple, so we’re turning to you, the Hooniverse.
Our requirements are simple: midsize crossover SUV, 4-wheel drive, V-6 (I have to save some of my dignity), plenty of room in the back seat, and capacity to carry enough supplies for a small kingdom. I’ve got several options here for your consideration. Tell me what you think.
1. Volvo XC-90
The Volvo XC-90 has never really been on my radar: I always just assumed it was out of my reach and too much of a suburbmobile. While the last part is still true, this one is priced pretty well, and I like how spartan the dash is, compared to cars of today. It’s only a 2005, but in design years, that’s ancient history. It’s not a V-6, of course, but it makes more power than my truck.
2. Honda CR-V
This particular example is definitely out of our budget, but it’s hard to overlook a reliable, comfortable, well-built Japanese car. Again, no V-6, and a 166hp 4-cylinder does not sound very inspired to me. Still, I know for a fact that Hondas of this age are holding their value quite well, and still look good.
3. Kia Sorento
Here’s one that even I didn’t see coming. I’ve always given a nod of appreciation to Kia, and respect the work they’re doing these days. However, I’ve never seriously considered one until recently. This one’s got everything – a strong V-6, 4-wheel drive, and low miles. It appears the seller has already pulled the ad on this one, but after reading it I realized I should probably give the Sorento a second look.
4. Ford Edge
A friend of mine bought a black Ford Edge a few years ago, complete with black leather, and I thought it looked awesome. Today, they still look pretty good to me, and they’ve managed to hold their value. Even though this is a full-size SUV, this is one we have considered recently. With 265hp on tap and plenty of room for the family, you can see why it’s high on my list.
Now this is something different. I got this idea after many discussions with the wife about the cargo hauling capability of a car-based SUV vs. a truck-based, body-on-frame SUV. She insists on a big back seat for a car seat and bags: I want something that can haul gravel and dirt on occasion. I even offered to sell my F-150 if she would consider a crew-cab pickup, but she wouldn’t bite. Should she?
6. Ford Escape
In all honesty, this is really what we’re looking for. Mid-size, V-6 power, low miles, and good condition. It’s a little more than we want to pay, but it’s probably worth the extra cost, considering the miles. It also happens to be about three minutes away from the house, and we drive by it every day. It’s in really great shape.
I’m only including this one because I think it looks great, and you’re not likely to see many on the road. Otherwise, it’s virtually identical to every other Escape and Tribute on the road.
8. Ford Focus?
Excuse the grainy, old picture from our apartment-dwelling days. Why am I including my own car in the list? Well, I feel we need to consider the option of spending several thousand dollars going over the car from bumper to bumper and get it running like a new car again. We could save a lot of money by keeping it on the road another ten years this way. On the other hand, we could spend a bunch of money on it now, and have it crap out next month. It’s a 2004 model, has 150,000 miles on it, and almost as many miles of dirt and crud ground into the carpet over the years. We’ve also had a fair bit of trouble with engine reliability, or rather engine accessories reliability. In the last 12 months, we’ve replaced the alternator, water pump, PCV valve and hoses, spark plugs, and several other little things. The electrical system on early Foci was never a strong point, either, and we’ve seen various components fail over the years. Still, the darn thing is paid for and running. That’s hard to beat these days.
Over to you
I need your help, fellow hoons. I’ve given you a rundown of the cars we’re considering; now I’d like to hear from you. Of the ones I laid out here, which is best, in your opinion? Is there any other vehicle that we haven’t considered? You’ll notice most of them are Fords, and that’s definitely our preference, but I’m willing to entertain other options. Let me know what you think in the comments.
Jeff Glucker