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BIG ski SUV  

post #1 of 578
4/15/08 at 11:50am
Thread Starter 
The little H3 is just that...little, more so than the exterior leads one to believe, so I am giving it back later this year to get a larger truck. I would get a Jeep Grand Cherokee (not much bigger, but still bigger inside than H3), but my GF hates Jeeps (maybe because I already have two which are perpetual works in progress...a must for any true Jeep enthusiast).

So since I dont trust FirstOnRecallDay quality, and we are not about to get a $100k LR or even lease it for the price of a mortgage on a ski home, and I wont buy Japanese, and my GF does not like the looks of the G series Benz, that really only leaves us with GM trucks. We are looking at the H2, Suburban, Yukon Denali, and the Escalade in all three of its itinerations.

Do any of you have one of these? How are they as a ski a vehicle? As a daily use vehicle? Are the interiors durable? Do they hold up to daily use and sports gear carrying?

I am a bit apprehensive about the Escalade, even though I think its gorgeous, I am thinking it might be too "fancy" a ride to be tossing ski gear in the winter, beach junk in the summer, and gardening stuff and Home Depot purchases all other times. H2 I also am not too sure of, its really too big and obnoxious of a truck for any normal human and I am not sure about its cargo space, but she loves them. Thoughts? Thanks
post #2 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:04pm
Is your need for such a large car compensation for some personal shortcoming?
post #3 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:06pm
Thread Starter 
Yeah, as a matter of fact it is!

I have a shortage in real estate, were I able to afford a ski home near all the ski areas I frequent I would not need to haul around so much crap.
post #4 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:08pm
Somehow you have just backed yourself into the corner with the lowest-quality, least-efficient, most ridiculous vehicles available. All for carrying 1-2 passengers 90% of the time, I presume. How about a do-over using common sense this time?
post #5 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richie-Rich View Post
Yeah, as a matter of fact it is!

I have a shortage in real estate, were I able to afford a ski home near all the ski areas I frequent I would not need to haul around so much crap.
Frequent!? 11 days/year?
post #6 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:10pm
so what american brands would you consider?
post #7 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:11pm
With a little simple fuel price forecasting common sense should steer you away from one of these. Do you have a real large family? What do you think fuel prices will realistically be in five years? If for some reason they go a lot higher, the resale on a vehicle that size will suck.
post #8 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:11pm
Thread Starter 
Nah, I need a big vehicle....if you saw the amount of junk we carry with us when we go away you would understand. Not to mention it would be nice to be able to actually fit 4 people in the truck rather than have luggage up against the back of my head and the seats moved up until my knees hit the dash.
post #9 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:13pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by telerod15 View Post
Frequent!? 11 days/year?
Working on that , weak year for me what can I say.
post #10 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:14pm
Yeah, I only got 7 days so far.
post #11 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:14pm
I'm sorry, but.....YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING! What do you pay for a tank of gas for one of those monsters? How far can you go on one tank? Compensation for lack of real estate? At least real estate has a *chance* of appreciating.
post #12 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:15pm
Thread Starter 
I think most if not all of these are or will be available as Hybrid and or diesels....but to be honest that wont make a difference, I realize if you wanna play you gotta pay.
post #13 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:15pm
May I suggest.....


You might want to get that in an automatic,unless your familiar
with the 18 speed Fuller Roadranger.
post #14 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:23pm
Thread Starter 
Guys, I appreciate you letting me know the wrongs of my intended ways...but I have discussed it at length with my GF (she is basically my unofficial wife), and after this winter and the inconvenience we had with our baby Hummer, both driving upto VT and going to Home Depot we decided that enough is enough and at that moment of zen I realized what other land yatch owners already know, we need a vehicle that can accomodate our lifestyle. Its going to be 1yr that we bought our new house and as you home owners know there is much to do anytime you move into to a new place so Lowes and HD are frequent visits, I need to be able to fit things in the truck.

So that being said any owners have feedback on these GM trucks?

(They still dont make a Canyonerohttp://youtube.com/watch?v=RoPon3xuCjE )
post #15 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:26pm
Why don't you just get a pick-up truck? Tacoma or mid sized would be all the room two people would ever need.
post #16 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richie-Rich View Post
I think most if not all of these are or will be available as Hybrid and or diesels....but to be honest that wont make a difference, I realize if you wanna play you gotta pay.
the problem is that they probably don;t make a vehicle that fills everything you are looking for-starting with reliability. there are some features that are polar opposites. like "coolness versus practicality".

i mean if you want the ultimate gear hauler, a Hummer or a Suburban sounds about right. you could probably pick one up for cheap nowadays as everyone is dumping them due to the 120$ fill up charges.
post #17 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richie-Rich View Post
I realize if you wanna play you gotta pay.
See, I don't agree with that. I think if you're smart about it, you can play and not have to pay. People somehow convince themselves they need a big SUV, but I personally don't see the need unless A) you tow a large boat/camper, B) you go off-road, and C) you have 7 kids. And I mean all of the above, because there are vehicles that make more sense if you only do some of those things.
post #18 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:32pm
one suggestion for "ultimate gear/people hauler" is an AWD minivan.

Pros-it;s the best combo of gear to space to power ratio and sliding doors and captain chairs are the bomb atleast in the Toyota Sienna.

Cons-well it's a minivan and if sliding doors and captain chairs are not your thing then look elsewhere.
post #19 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richie-Rich View Post
both driving up to VT and going to Home Depot
You are such a city slicker
post #20 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:37pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by PBR View Post
Why don't you just get a pick-up truck? Tacoma or mid sized would be all the room two people would ever need.
Actually we have considered a big pick up, but they are basiclly the same as the large SUVs, but usually have even worse economy.
post #21 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:40pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tekweezle View Post
one suggestion for "ultimate gear/people hauler" is an AWD minivan.

Pros-it;s the best combo of gear to space to power ratio and sliding doors and captain chairs are the bomb atleast in the Toyota Sienna.

Cons-well it's a minivan and if sliding doors and captain chairs are not your thing then look elsewhere.

I suggested an affordable and well built R series Benz crossover thing....but she hates it. There is a coolness factor involved here too, I will admit to that.
post #22 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:41pm
Unimog
post #23 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:47pm
Thread Starter 
Unimog...dont I wish!
post #24 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:48pm
Pick-ups are far more versatile, than monster SUVs. Having had both, unless you've got lots of passengers, the truck will let you do a lot more. You won't worry about 2Xs and sheet goods bumping you in the head after those trips to Home Depot, and with a camper shell and tailgate you've got base camp on four wheels for all your outdoor fun. And given the size and power of these vehicles, gas economy is not really different; although I reconsider going desiel with current prices.
post #25 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:48pm
utility is it;s own "coolness"!

Acura MDX is awesome and feels like a sports/rocket ship. Lexus RX300 as well. too bad you don;t like Japanese cars.....

if you are dead set on GMC, just pick the biggest vehicle you can get that has decent reliability ratings. you can;t drive it if it;s in the shop.

for american cars, i like the style of the new Chrysler and Dodge vehicles. don;t know if they are any good though.
post #26 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richie-Rich View Post
Actually we have considered a big pick up, but they are basiclly the same as the large SUVs, but usually have even worse economy.


Why does it have to be so big? What are you towing that a v-6 won't work? You have a whole bed to fill with suitcases or whatever even with a smaller truck.
post #27 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:52pm
maybe he wants to shuttle him and all his friends to the slopes. i did that for a while.
post #28 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:53pm
Thread Starter 
Its not the towing, the vehicle weighs so much that without enough power it cant move out of its own shadow even when unladden.
post #29 of 578
4/15/08 at 12:54pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tekweezle View Post
maybe he wants to shuttle him and all his friends to the slopes. i did that for a while.
That is another thing I would like the option to do. As it is now if me and my GF with the dogs go away....it can only be us. With a big SUV I can actually invite freinds and family.
post #30 of 578
4/15/08 at 1:03pm
I'm not going to judge.... you can justify anything to yourself if you really want to buy it.

Friends just got the Escalade ESV after trading in the "smaller" Escalade. It's got GOBS of really torquey power and is amazingly agile for a HUGE SUV. You can put 5 adults and a cord of wood into it without issue. Add a Thule pod on the roof to further kill the 13 or so MPG you can expect on the highway and carry everything you own right there with you. I'd say the interior is durable enough to be a hauler/driver unless your going to lease it and have to keep it showroom fresh.

Personally I just downsized to a small SUV with AWD. Didn't think my lifestyle would allow for it (House, skis, bikes, kids) and accustomed to a true 4x4, but you find a way around it. (Saving $120 to $200 a month on gas helps)

I would think that if you have the glue for a $50-75k SUV that you can swing having Home Depot deliver your stuff or renting that little delivery truck they have for a couple bucks, but that's just me.
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