Duncs

Just a quick test here. I was thinking about spending my wifes money on a car and i am strongly attracted to the idea of an SUV (go figure). It came up in discussion with some friends that nearly every Brit we knew who had moved to the USA had subsequently brought an SUV.

So fess up then who on here did exactly that? is it just something about burning petrol at around £1 a gallon instaed of the usual £4 thats makes us all throw caution to the wind?

regards,

Duncan

(P.s. Rayman and Patrick no squabbling on this thread its banned!)

Stumpyguy

I have owned an old Bronco for the last few years, it only gets driven once every couple of months for trips to the eastern Oregon wilderness. I never drive it in town though. Both myself and Mrs. Stumpy drive old Mercedes Benzes on a daily basis, which has to be one of the least expensive types of car to own and operate. Suits me, as I am dead cheap.

ladyofthelake

I'm guilty as charged. I have a '96 Ford Explorer and I love being so high up from the ground and the acceleration is (slightly ) better than my old Fiesta 1.1L. Couldn't manage without it for all the trips to Home Depot either.

PrincessofWales

I bought mine so that I could at least see the road in front of me and around and over the other SUVs on the road.

Now on my second SUV (a Kia Sorento, I love it), the first was a CRV, and I got teased for it being a "girly" SUV, but I'll have you know that during the big snow we had in Va this past winter, my little 4 wheel drive "Comfortable Ride Vehicle" was the only vehicle that made it our of our driveway, down the street and back.

The BMW X5 SUV, Ford Expedition and even the behemoth Chevy Suburban all got stuck...

Vicky88

We have a Ford Escape and have to say that we love having a SUV. Feel so much safer and love riding higher up.

Don't give a toss about petrol prices because we don't even use a tank a week so it's not going to send us bust.

Ptarmigan

I have a company SUV which I love, a Ford Expedition. It's a tad thirsty on the petrol notice I do not say Gas, but other than that a rather splendid car.

cbone

We got a Dodge Durango, one of the more curvy looking American cars/truck and it's great.
16 mpg doesn't seem to bother us as we also got a new Focus for short journeys.
At least with the SUV you can get your shopping home from Lowes !! and not feel intimidated by the other SUV's on the road. I was also warned about the snow in the winter so wanted something that would get me to work.
Just about to buy a 3rd row of seats for it, so it's now a minivan without looking like one.
It does make me laugh how it costs the same to fill up as my wifes old Citreon Saxo did !!

Pulaski

We bought a crew-cab truck, very handy for moving this and that, furniture, large boxes, cypress trees, plants, timber, plywood, sheet-rock, tools, mowers etc. etc - you name it we've carried it in our truck. I don't know how we managed without one in the UK!

It's a little thirsty, but it could be a lot worse if it wasn't a stick-shift and two wheel drive, and I have a commuter car that does 32mpg for every-day use.

hhmaker

Guilty!!!! We have an Infinity SUV. My wife loves it. It beats the hell out of the old escort she had in England

Jan Alaska

Not guilty ....... yet !! I keep dreaming of owning a Lincoln Navigator with all the extra's .... unfortunately my budget for a vehicle was $2,000 which was a lilttle short of the squillions needed to buy a navigator, so I've had to settle for a rather aged Dodge Caravan (which isnt working AGAIN)

*sigh* maybe one day

Jan

cathy22w

I like the thought of the 'higher-up' feeling too - drove my friend's old Aerostar and enjoyed that!

I wonder - is the insurance a lot more, though, for an SUV?

Marmitemaniac

We went from a Chrysler T&C, to a Toyota Sequoia, and we love it!
I'm not intimidated by all these people who say we are gas guzzlers, as the engine emits less crap than some vehicles on the road!

Taffyles

Guilty here too. I've got a GMC Jimmy and love it! I had a Pontiac Transport for years and that was invaluable for ferrying the kids around and all the visitors we get from UK. Hubby has a company car, so is restricted in choice, at the moment he's got a Chrysler Concorde. So my SUV comes in handy for all the Lowes/Home Depot carryouts - not to mention SAMS shopping LOL. I commute with me daughter most of the week though in her little Honda Civic- super little car.

lanky1980

The first car i bought was a 93 Pontiac Sunbird (read total piece of shite) that got me around town, then the timing belt came off as i was going 40, no steering or brakes, pretty hairy stuff!!!
Then i bought myself a truck, Ford Ranger extended cab with the 4.0 litre engine, i always wanted one in England but trucks are hard to come by ans expensive, i love it, dont know how i did without it!

dunroving

QUOTE]Originally posted by lanky1980
....... Then i bought myself a truck, Ford Ranger extended cab with the 4.0 litre engine, i always wanted one in England but trucks are hard to come by ans expensive, i love it, dont know how i did without it! [/QUOTE]

I too am a truck man, Ford F-150 (the old, squarer-front model) first, then a Mazda 4.0 litre with extended cab (same as your Ford Ranger, lanky). I love my truck! Of course, I only live a 4 minute walk from my office, so I fill the gas tank maybe once every 6 weeks. If I was driving 200 miles per week, I admit I might feel a bit more guilty about the gas mileage.

My brother, his daughter (13 at the time) and son (15) and I all fit on the bench seat in my F-150 without any trouble when they visited me in TN. Their favorite memory of that holiday was sitting on my tailgate as I drove (slowly) around my neighbourhood! If I'd known that beforehand, we wouldn't have spent all that money on Disney World!