Help with a vehicle choice, please?

After much back and forth by my wife and a lot of looking around at what was available, we went up to Winchester, VA, away from yuppie central yesterday to see what the pricing would be on the Subaru Forester and the Mazda5. Mazda and Subaru dealers in the Washington area won't make deals on either car as they are very popular with the yuppies who abound in this area. There is a dealer in Winchester who sells both brands. Well, we got there and tried out the Mazda5 and the Forester, but they also had some 2005 Mazda6 Sportwagons at very marked down prices, so we tried one of them as well. It was love at first test, let me tell you. We're talking a 220 hp. V-6, a 6 speed Sportmatic transmission (an automatic that has a gated shifter and an option that allows manual control of upshifts and downshifts), 17" aluminum wheels with 50 Series Michelin performance tires on them, 4 wheel disc brakes with ABS and traction control, full climate control, AM-FM/CD six speaker sound system, and I don't know what else. We wound up buying one in a pearlescent blue-grey color that my wife really likes for much less than the Mazda5 or Forester would have cost. I am very happy as it is a perfect car for trips and should be a great road-runner.
 
Nice choice. It always a relief when the looking is over... especially when you get exactly what you were looking for. I certainly felt that way when I found the right Tundra. I obviously didn't chime in soon enough, but if I were in the market for an economical new car, I'd look hard at the Jeep Liberty Diesel.

Austin
 
Diesel is not a good choice in a metropolitan area such as Washington and environs, at least not until the require that light diesel be available.
 
What is wrong with diesel in Metropolitan areas? MY diesel IS an ultra low emissions vehicle.
 
Good catch. Sounds like a great ride. Now the fun begins. The commute will still suck...just not quite as bad for a while with a new ride. :D
 
V-1, the car is basically my wife's car as I will be commuting by the METRO subway again soon. I am driving and parking at work right now while I recuperate from my knee replacement surgery.

TKC, it has been my observation that getting sdtuck behind any kind of diesel vehicle means that I must set my HVAC system to "RECIRC" in order not to have to breathe the stench that they spew out of their exhaust pipes. I fond that even when I get behind a brand new Mercedes-Benz TD model. It is my understanding that the light diesel used in Europe does not mke that stench.
 
FullerH said:
V-1, the car is basically my wife's car as I will be commuting by the METRO subway again soon. I am driving and parking at work right now while I recuperate from my knee replacement surgery.
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Well in that case, tell Mrs. FullerH congratulations on the sweet ride! And try to keep it under 95 mph on I95. :D

Good luck with the knee replacement recovery. I know a few people who have had the procedure done and each recovered quickly and would get it done again. Hopefully you'll fall in that group.
 
First, congrats on your new car, good choice and I am sure you will love it as most folks with the newer Mazda's do.

Second, sorry for posting this late. I do these forums when on the road and don't always see things which I might contribute to (for better or worse).

Last, other folks considering this size/type vehicle might want to consider the Toyota RAV4. The 2006 can be had with a 268HP V6 which offers an overall (CD rated) 26 mpg and a 3500 lb tow rating. While I haven't driven the 6, the 4 banger rides and handles like a car and offers a good deal of room in back. The new 3rd seat is a joke, but for young families who don't want a minivan, this is an attractive option.

Over 3500 pounds, (statistically safer), great chairs, room for shoulders and your melon, and fairly quiet. Not US made, but made in the USA.

About $25,000 new.
 
Out of curiosity, how does it handle? Is it as prone to roll-overs as many SUVs? I understand that the RAV, like Honda's CRV, is based upon an automobile and not a truck, so it will tend to be more like a car in its handling, but the height of these vehicles and their higher roll centers still makes them more prone to roll-overs than automobiles with lower roll centers.
 
FullerH said:
After much back and forth by my wife and a lot of looking around at what was available, we went up to Winchester, VA, away from yuppie central yesterday to see what the pricing would be on the Subaru Forester and the Mazda5. Mazda and Subaru dealers in the Washington area won't make deals on either car as they are very popular with the yuppies who abound in this area. There is a dealer in Winchester who sells both brands. Well, we got there and tried out the Mazda5 and the Forester, but they also had some 2005 Mazda6 Sportwagons at very marked down prices, so we tried one of them as well. It was love at first test, let me tell you. We're talking a 220 hp. V-6, a 6 speed Sportmatic transmission (an automatic that has a gated shifter and an option that allows manual control of upshifts and downshifts), 17" aluminum wheels with 50 Series Michelin performance tires on them, 4 wheel disc brakes with ABS and traction control, full climate control, AM-FM/CD six speaker sound system, and I don't know what else. We wound up buying one in a pearlescent blue-grey color that my wife really likes for much less than the Mazda5 or Forester would have cost. I am very happy as it is a perfect car for trips and should be a great road-runner.
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Sweet. Are you already saving up for your new tires? I can picture it now, "Hugh, can I have $800 for new tires?" :D
 
I sat in one at an auto show last month and it seems quite a bit bigger than the previous model. The Toyota folks also had reprints of a Car and Driver review which stated the new RAV4 had a skidpad result of .83g which is better than a lot of sedans. You don't sit up quite as high as you do in the truck-based SUV's and you don't have that “tippy” feeling of body lean when you go around corners. They handle a lot more like a high end minivan than a truck, but they don't have that “dustbuster” look associated with a typical Mommobile.

The previous iteration (which I have driven), was based on a car platform. I am not certain, but I believe it was the same as the Avalon. Toyota says the 2006 has a unique design not shared with other models.
 
mycroftt said:
Sweet. Are you already saving up for your new tires? I can picture it now, "Hugh, can I have $800 for new tires?" :D
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Mycroftt, are you ready for this? The dealer has this policy where, if you bring the car into them for its required maintenance, they will pay for the oil changes and give you two sets of replacement tires. Since thse are Michelin V rated 50 Series 17 inchers, my guess is that retail for a set of four is something over $1,000. For that, I will take the car up to Winchester every six months or 6000 miles, whichever comes first.
 
FullerH said:
Mycroftt, are you ready for this? The dealer has this policy where, if you bring the car into them for its required maintenance, they will pay for the oil changes and give you two sets of replacement tires. Since thse are Michelin V rated 50 Series 17 inchers, my guess is that retail for a set of four is something over $1,000. For that, I will take the car up to Winchester every six months or 6000 miles, whichever comes first.
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Sweeter and sweeter! It's kind of a nice ride out to Winchester too - especially for those of us who spend several hours a day in DC traffic.
 
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