i_am_the_swammi Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Time for us to bite the bullet and get a ride that can comfortably hold the wife and our four kids. We need a bunch of space, since our kids will be late teens by the time we upgrade this purchase We already have the Odyssey for our gentle family ride, so I want something with more balls, that can carry the bikes to the shore, have the legroom inside for young adults, and yet still be something the wife can drive and not be totally consumed by the size of the vehicle. After much research, we have narrowed our choices to (in order): Toyota Sequoia Chevy Tahoe Nissan Armada Ford Expedition GMC Yukon Anyone own any of these? Pluses and minuses? other ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddahj Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 I'd go with the Sequoia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbpfan1231 Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 I have a Land Cruiser. Big Big vehicle and runs forever - have never had an issue. Want to buy it? Not sure why I have it. Single dude - never haul anything - no dog no boat no jet skis - just me and a big frickin car. Awesome vehicle though and Seqouia probably similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caddyman Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Time for us to bite the bullet and get a ride that can comfortably hold the wife and our four kids. We need a bunch of space, since our kids will be late teens by the time we upgrade this purchase We already have the Odyssey for our gentle family ride, so I want something with more balls, that can carry the bikes to the shore, have the legroom inside for young adults, and yet still be something the wife can drive and not be totally consumed by the size of the vehicle. After much research, we have narrowed our choices to (in order): Toyota Sequoia Chevy Tahoe Nissan Armada Ford Expedition GMC Yukon Anyone own any of these? Pluses and minuses? other ideas? Expedition...love it...fits all of your requirements. Get the Eddie Bauer...the little extras are worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i_am_the_swammi Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 Expedition...love it...fits all of your requirements. Get the Eddie Bauer...the little extras are worth it. Our friends have one and just love it. Only thing is that the cabin is wide (which I think is a plus), and when we drove it, my wife said it felt like she was driving a tank (due to the size, and the fact she's 5" 1"). it was a top-2 for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Dick Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 (edited) We have a Suburban. Works great for kids. Has the captains chairs for the second row so the kids can just walk through and buckle themselves in. Plus, the cargo area behind the 3rd row seat is very large. Edit to add: the front end is short, so driving it and getting it into parking spaces is a breeze. The Fords can be a bit cumbersome because the turning radius is a lot larger. Edited August 8, 2011 by Chief Dick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh 0ne Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Owned a Tahoe and owned an Expedition. Loved 'em both. Ford sucks with leasing big SUV's nowadays, but if you're buying, it shouldn't matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoopazz Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Our friends have one and just love it. Only thing is that the cabin is wide (which I think is a plus), and when we drove it, my wife said it felt like she was driving a tank (due to the size, and the fact she's 5" 1"). it was a top-2 for me. Our friends have one of those also. They just had to replace the tranny on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caddyman Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Our friends have one of those also. They just had to replace the tranny on it. Happens on every vehicle. I own a GM, Ford, and Chrysler. The Ford is the most well built of the three by far. It has the most miles and is the oldest vehicle I own. It is the tightest and most reliable vehicle of them all. The other two vehicles are each the top of the line of GM and Chrysler. When I have a choice, I drive the Ford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 We have a Suburban. Works great for kids. Has the captains chairs for the second row so the kids can just walk through and buckle themselves in. Plus, the cargo area behind the 3rd row seat is very large. Edit to add: the front end is short, so driving it and getting it into parking spaces is a breeze. The Fords can be a bit cumbersome because the turning radius is a lot larger. We'll be in the market within the next couple of years for something matching the layout of the Suburban - 2nd row Captain's chair and plenty of cargo space. Have a Honda Pilot currently and we know space wise we are running short as it has the bench seat for the second row and we have to bring up half the third row to properly fit all 3 car seats, making cargo space a premium when hauling crap for the kids' sports, plus making it real difficult if I have to get the kid in the back out at night if they've fallen asleep. Hoping to make do with the Pilot for about 2 more years then look for a slightly used larger vehicle to replace the Pilot. This all assumes that my F-150 with it's 210,000 miles keeps running like a champ (knock on wood). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seattle LawDawg Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Traded in my Tahoe a few months ago on an Expedition EL (Extended Length - same size as the suburban). A little back story: When I bought my Tahoe in 04, I drove it and the Expedition. At the time, I felt that they were both solid vehicles, but the comfort and ride of the Tahoe was just so much better and it was an easy decision to make. I loved that Tahoe. Put 150k miles on it and with the exception of oil changes, tire change (once) and replacement of 1 belt, I did nothing to it. It was still running strong. (and a lot of those miles were used pulling a boat over mountain passes). So, when I started shopping around again I wanted something a little bigger - Something with a 3rd row that was actually usable and still had some space behind it. I planned on test driving the Suburban as well as the Expedition EL (which wasn't added to Ford's lineup until they did away with the Excursion). Given my previous buying experience and my level of satisfaction with the Tahoe, I completely expected to buy a Suburban. Just due to scheduling, I was able to test drive the Expedition first and was incredibly impressed at the improvements they have made to the ride and quality of their vehicle. A few days later I went and drove a few Suburbans and couldn't believe that they've made basically no improvements. I had to go back to drive the Expedition again just to make sure I was sane because it seemed so odd to me that the quality of the Expedition was easily surpassing that of the Suburban. True enough though and it was a pretty easy decision. A couple other factors if deciding between these two vehicles: 1.) If you want to put anything of size in a Suburban, you have to take out the seats completely and store them in your garage or wherever. They weigh about 100lbs a piece. If I want to put something large in the Expedition, I hit a couple buttons and the back two rows fold down into the floor. 2.) The Ford will be cheaper but the price difference isn't what it once was. 3.) I can't say for sure why the quality of the Ford seems to have jumped that of the GM, but it seems like while GM was busy paying back the govt, Ford just focused on making better vehicles. Also, Alan Mulally is a freaking genius. He is the only person that I've ever had the pleasure of meeting that I put into that category. He thinks in ways I can't even comprehend. 4.) Quality of ride and comfort are easy to check, but that doesn't really give any insight as to longevity. The day I bought my Tahoe, my dad bought an Expedition. It has about 150k miles on it as well at this point and is still running strong. He's only had to do the same maintenance I did on my Tahoe and have some rewiring work done to fix the horn. 5.) If pulling everything, horsepower is about equal but the Ford has a little more torque. Someone mentioned the Eddie Bauer models - they changed their model names so there is no Eddie Bauer. I think the available models at this point are the XL, XLT, Limited, and King Ranch. But then you can add certain packages to make one line basically the same as another, so you can get lost in all the options. I got the Limited which had as many extras as I could use - Sync system, GPS, backup cam (which shows the top of the tow ball if you're ever backing up to a trailer), disappearing running boards, heated and cooled seats, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch Oven Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 I bought a 2011 Expedition a few months ago and I love it so far. Tons of room. We drove it to Florida and it was a smooth and comfy ride for the family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 I bleed Ford blue, so I second all the folks on the Expedition. Get the EL, the extra 9 inches is WAY worth it with four kids. That being said, the Chevy is going to be almost as good. If getting one though, go with a Suburban or Yukon XL rather than Tahoe. Again, extra length means you have plenty of room for the kids and all the luggage. The Sequoia and Armada are Tahoe/Short Expedition sized. Again, I cannot emphasize the difference that 9 inches or so makes (ask your wife! ) Other than that, Lawdog said everything else I would have said. And perform the maintenance on time. Also, and I'd bet Tbimm would second me on this, DON'T use the 3K mile schedule if you don't meet the requirements. If you don't idle a ton and put the miles on quick, the 5k mile schedule is usually fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Couch Potatoe Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 In the same situation and we have a Tahoe and love it but we've outgrown it with the 4 kids. So now we have narrowed it down to Suburban, Yukon XL, or Escalade XL. The third seat with the extra cargo space in the back is what we need and I'm sure it is what you will need as well. Good Luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seattle LawDawg Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 I bleed Ford blue, so I second all the folks on the Expedition. Get the EL, the extra 9 inches is WAY worth it with four kids. 15 extra inches with the EL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 This thread wants me to not have any more kids. Seriously, I could never own one of those beasts. That said, we're planning on having #2 within a year or so. So we'll probably need something bigger than the Escape. We'll top out at a Tahoe or somethin'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 15 extra inches with the EL! I didn't remember it being that much, but it's been 4 years since I sold them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i_am_the_swammi Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 So we finally drove all the vehicles we wanted to research. We have kept our cars an average of 9 years, so it hit us that if we do the same with our new purchase, our kids will be 21, 19, 17 & 15 when we are ready to do this all over again That being said, in order to have enough 3rd-row room for all those teenage heads, we narrowed it down to either a Yukon XL or Expedition EL. While the Expedition was indeed a great ride, we just loved the Yukon. When we drove the upgraded Denali version with all the extras, my wife looked at me and said "write the check". So we did. We pick this up later today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delicious_bass Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 I have a Land Cruiser. Big Big vehicle and runs forever - have never had an issue. Want to buy it? Not sure why I have it. Single dude - never haul anything - no dog no boat no jet skis - just me and a big frickin car. Awesome vehicle though and Seqouia probably similar. Hang on to it. If you ever get a date with a Wisconsin girl, you will appreciate the bigger vehicle... So we finally drove all the vehicles we wanted to research. We have kept our cars an average of 9 years, so it hit us that if we do the same with our new purchase, our kids will be 21, 19, 17 & 15 when we are ready to do this all over again That being said, in order to have enough 3rd-row room for all those teenage heads, we narrowed it down to either a Yukon XL or Expedition EL. While the Expedition was indeed a great ride, we just loved the Yukon. When we drove the upgraded Denali version with all the extras, my wife looked at me and said "write the check". So we did. We pick this up later today Fine choice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yukon Cornelius Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 F 350 for me..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoopazz Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Nice. How many gallons per mile does it get? I meant to post that I borrowed our friends Expedition again (we borrow it when we need lots of room like college move in day), and I just hate that thing. Lots of bs problems like window switches don't work etc. plus just a terrible handling and noisy vehicle. Maybe they just don't take care of theirs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i_am_the_swammi Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 Nice. How many gallons per mile does it get? Not great...like 14 local, 19 highway. Good news is I work from home, so the miles I put on it will be minimal except for running the kids around, and weekend family jaunts. We put only 86,000 on our Camry that we owned for 11 years, and that was with me working in the city for 3 years. Had it been an everyday, drive-to-work vehicle, it likely would have affected my decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt770 Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 F 350 for me..... Definitely jealous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Neutron Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 So we finally drove all the vehicles we wanted to research. We have kept our cars an average of 9 years, so it hit us that if we do the same with our new purchase, our kids will be 21, 19, 17 & 15 when we are ready to do this all over again That being said, in order to have enough 3rd-row room for all those teenage heads, we narrowed it down to either a Yukon XL or Expedition EL. While the Expedition was indeed a great ride, we just loved the Yukon. When we drove the upgraded Denali version with all the extras, my wife looked at me and said "write the check". So we did. We pick this up later today Nice. I recently drove a similarly appointed Tahoe on a business trip and wanted to trade my '99 for it. Only bad thing is they are kind of lacking in power unless you back off the factory settings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaP'N GRuNGe Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 So we finally drove all the vehicles we wanted to research. We have kept our cars an average of 9 years, so it hit us that if we do the same with our new purchase, our kids will be 21, 19, 17 & 15 when we are ready to do this all over again That being said, in order to have enough 3rd-row room for all those teenage heads, we narrowed it down to either a Yukon XL or Expedition EL. While the Expedition was indeed a great ride, we just loved the Yukon. When we drove the upgraded Denali version with all the extras, my wife looked at me and said "write the check". So we did. We pick this up later today 40,000 miles for $40k...ouch...I guess none of the big rigs are in my future... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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