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Thread: Help me decide on a new car

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    West of Ft. Worth, TX
    Posts
    5,815
    Quote Originally Posted by Pat Monahan
    John
    Your best bet is to go vehicle shopping with a tape measure. Sure, the salesperson will look at you like you're nuts, but that's half the fun.
    HTH
    Pat
    Even more fun is to measure for dog crates!! Or better yet, ask how many 400 series wire crates it will hold.
    My 94 Grand Caravan did just fine hauling full sheets. But my 02 Ford E250 extended handles it better, as long as I take the dog crates out first! Jim.

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Lake Ridge, VA
    Posts
    16
    LOML and I just went thru same decision tree --We are driving a mini van - 05 Toyota Sienna -- 4x8 sheets fit in no problem -- Use the pickup for the "dirty" stuff -- Van is the way to go --

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Memphis, TN
    Posts
    112
    I have a GMC Yukon XL, and where it definitely qualifies as a big honking SUV, I absolutely love it. It is our family car and my hauling vehicle. I can get about 10 or more 4x8 sheets of plywood in it with ease. I've also had about 400bft of walnut and poplar in the back. It has 2nd row captains chairs and a 3rd row seat so it will easily hold 6 but I've had more in it. My 16mth old daughter and my LOML absolutely love the DVD player in the back. Really helps on long trips. The window says that it gets 14 / 19 mpg, but I really don't push it in the city and I get about 16. On the highway if I keep it around 70 I get 19-20mpg.

    If I need to put a trailer behind it, there are no problems. It has a towing capacity of around 8000-9000 lbs. It will pull our boat like nothing is there.

    Either way you will be happy. Drive both, let your wife drive both and you can both decide.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Laguna Beach , Ca.
    Posts
    7,201
    I am very happy with our Toureg....great power , comfort and amenities at a reasonable price!
    "All great work starts with love .... then it is no longer work"

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Los Angeles, CA
    Posts
    919
    I'm an old fashioned station wagon person. My Subaru Outback is wide enough for a 4x8 sheet to fit in but it does stick out the back -- not a big problem as I see it. And my two labrador retreivers love the room to roam in the back (without the plywood, of course). Also, I can get 10' long lumber in diagonally from front window to back window. It is one of the safest cars made. That said, they may have changed the dimensions and specs since my '98 was made.

  6. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by John Zimmerman

    Now it can't be too big and studly because it will be a family car for trips and things. Also, SWMBO says she can't climb into a big truck in a ladylike manner!

    Any suggestions?
    Big truck, crew cab for kids etc, camper shell to keep the ply dry and make step stool for her like the railroads use. You can then open the door and place the stool for her. Might make buying tools easy too!

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    McKean, PA
    Posts
    15,593
    Blog Entries
    1

    A different direction

    How many times will you actually be hauling plywood home as compared with all the other driving you will do. Why not get a smalle more fuel efficient vehicle and get a towing package for pulling a small trailer. You can easily get a trailer for plywood hauling for a fraction of what you'll pay for the LARGE SUV or mini van to start with and the added maintainence costs associated with them.

    You can get out the door in a Mazda Tribute for under $23,000 and it will pull 3,000 pounds. It als gets 25+ mpg and rides like a car. Once your significant other drives one you'll be sold.
    Lee Schierer
    USNA '71
    Go Navy!

    My advice, comments and suggestions are free, but it costs money to run the site. If you found something of value here please give a little something back by becoming a contributor! Please Contribute

  8. #23

    Talking

    I have a 1999 GMC Suburban. I bought the Suburban because it can handle 4x8 sheets of plywood. It works great towing the boat and for flyfishing I can keep fully rigged 9' fly fishing rods suspended from the ceiling while I dash between access points. The only thing I would consider replacing my Suburban with would be a GMC K3500, diesel, crew cab, long bed dually pickup but then I would need a cover for transporting plywood. But then again I could have a camper on and tow the boat.

  9. #24
    I drive a ford f150 super crew....full size back seat, 5 1/2' bed but with a bed extender...

    I have three kids and they have plenty of room, as well as bench in the front for two more.

    I was going to get the Expedition but looking at the price the F150 was way less.

    I love it.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Tampa Fl
    Posts
    246
    Quote Originally Posted by J. A. Smith
    I had a Grand Caravan that was an excellent family vehicle and would haul (fully enclosed) a 4x8 sheet of plywood with the seats folded down. I'm not sure about the new ones, but I can't believe they've done anything but improve them. Mine was a '96. No seat removal necessary. Excellent choice, and will pull a light trailer if necessary.

    Jeff Smith
    Athens, AL

    Let me assure you they didn't improve everything. I could easily fit in 2000 and older Chrysler products but for 2001 and up my head hits everything in the van. In fact I had to buy a used 2000 Town and Country instead of new because of this. After 5 Chrysler product vans (both dodge caravan and town and countrys) my next van will have to be to another manufacture.

    The moved the driver side siding door top hinge forward so it hits the back of my head. Then they curved the roof more so I hit my head on the side. Then they moved the side pillar in or the seat over so my shoulder is resting on it. Plus I can just barely duck my head enough to get it in the door opening. Yet in a 2000 or older I have more than enough room all around.
    I wrote to Chrysler about this and their answer was a very pleasant, "go get a life were selling thousands we don't need you."
    Next time I hear about them going broke I'm going to send their answer back to them.
    Ed

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Babylon, New York
    Posts
    40
    I have an Avalanch which Love,,It rides great and you can get a full sheet of plywood into a compleatly covered area. The mileage is not great, but on long hauls i've gotten as high as 21 mpg...I think its a great truck

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Lakeport NY (Syracuse area)
    Posts
    496
    I have a chevy Asto, which is based on the old s-10 chassis (sp?), you have to remove all the rear seats, but at that point it will hold 4x8 sheet goods on the floor of the van. I believe they're all wheel drive (mine is a 93, and is only 2wd, but I didn't have any problems this past winter) HTH
    Ned
    Ned

    2B1ASK1

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Monroe, MI
    Posts
    11,896
    A full sheet won't fit in the Ford Freestar, but we bought a utility trailer for $500 that works great. With the 4.2L engine, we can tow our camper no problem. I also ended up buying a Ranger a couple weeks ago to make hauling stuff more convenient and to reduce the miles we put on the Freestar (I drive the Ranger, wife drives the Taurus, the Freestar relaxes at home.) I understand the extended GM models (Venture, etc.) will carry a full sheet but its a tight fit. Even on the vans that carry a full sheet, you can't carry any more than one passenger from what I've seen. With the sheet cut in half (2 4'x4' pieces), I could carry it with the middle seats still in place and my daughter safely in her car seat in the second row. Whatever you are looking at, I would really try it how you want to use it before signing rather than take their word on it.

  14. #29
    I haven't seen enough votes for the Honda Odyssey, so I will respond. When my woodworking took off a couple years ago, I was looking for a vehicle that would carry plywood in the rain, plus 10 foot boards, without unnatural acts (like I used to carry lumber coming out the sun roof). And be reasonalbe for day-to-day use (we didn't want a regular "commercial" van). The Odyssey was the only choice at that time.

    The Odyssey carries at least 6 sheets of 3/4 inch plywood with the back door closed. It carries quite a few 10 foot boards with the door closed (they ride between the front seats). It will carry a 12 foot board (diagonally between the front seats and into the right passenger foot space) in a pinch. And it is great for delivering the finished furniture.

    To our surprise, the Odyssey has become the vehicle of choice for long trips. The Honda Odyssey is very comfortable for both the driver and the passenger, and is a pleasure to drive. We rarely carry the middle seats, so on a trip, we keep coolers, nap area, etc. in the middle. The third seat can be folded up for rear seating, and to give a well for the roller bags and other cargo. Note that our other choice is our Lexus 400 LS and we choose the Honda for long trips. (You can bet the Lexus won't be replaced with a similar car when it's days are up).
    If the Odyssey died, I would replace it in an instant. If the Lexus died, I don't know what I would choose.

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Mesa, Arizona (Phoenix area)
    Posts
    70
    I drive a sedan so my wife's 2000 Honda Odyssey is the official wood hauler in our household. Carries 4x8 sheets of anything just fine -- rear seat folds into the floor, middle seats lift out, and away you go. Lumber up to 10' long goes in with the middle seats in place and the rear seat folded flat. Rides very well, handles well for a vehicle of its size, it's quiet, peppy and gets decent gas mileage. Carries 6 people is perfect comfort and 7 people comfortably if at least one of them is smaller (to fit in the middle of the rear bench seat). The Blue Book tells me it has held its value well. Ours has been very reliable; other than maintenance (oil & fluid changes, etc.), the only repair I can recall was replacing engine mounts. (Engine mounts do seem to be a weak spot in the design, though.) This is our third Honda product and we're happy customers. The plan is to replace it next fall with another Odyssey.

    I have to admit there are times when I wish we had a pickup in the family. There are a lot more times when I'm glad we don't. We need the vehicle to haul people (not stuff) probably better than 80% of the time. As a people hauler, the Odyssey is far superior to any pickup in which I have ever ridden. For those 20% of the times when I have needed to haul something, the Odyssey has proven up to the task every single time. Including hauling home my 8" Delta jointer. In its shipping crate. With the hatch closed.

    My 2 cents. -- Paul

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