kivettlexuslover

There are some awesome vehicles for 20K available, as my husband and I had this chat the other day. What if that is all we could afford, then what would we purchase? If we were to purchase something 1-2 yrs old, or brand new, this is what we came up with for the family fleet: 1) Toyota Camry XLE, or Hybrid 2) Honda Accord 3) VW Jetta Diesel (gets 40mpg) 4) Mini Cooper S 5) Chevy Malibu Sport 6) Toyota Highlander Base 7) Honda Pilot 8) Honda CRV Good Luck!

In high school, my parents gave me to drive a few cars, all of which were POS: 94 Ford Taurus, 81 Olds Delta 88 Royale, and 84 Chevy Caprice; Next drove a 96 Geo Metro...scary driving a lawn mower engine down the interstate at 70mph...oh wait, I was being blown away by 70 mph semis, trying to max out at 60mph. Then I bought a 96 Olds Cutlass Supreme Int'l...what a POS electrical mess. Then I went foreign, and bought a 98 Honda Accord Coupe. Awesome car...until I bought my GMC Yukon Denali. That has been my favorite so far. Now I'm hunting for an RX400h to make a permanent switch to the Int'l auto market. Domestic market sucks!

We have noticed that the pricing in Texas, Maryland, and Florida are by far at least 2K cheaper than anywhere else.

We're looking at buying a 350/400 as well. I did the research on an excel spreadsheet and test drove everything in the luxury, and non-luxury class of mid-sized SUVs. We are choosing to purchase the RX for several reasons. After being involved in a few MVA's (not by fault), safety was a huge purchase factor. Cost of ownership over 5 years was the next item we looked at for vehicles that were an average of over 20 MPG. The RX had the lowest cost of ownership and depreciation for the MPG hands down. If we're able to find a 2006-08 with under 30K miles, for the low $30K, then we're ahead of the game, even compared to the domestic market. Good luck shopping. I read several reviews in the 2008 Consumer Reports New Cars, SUVs, and Truck Magazine, and have read about 200 reviews from consumers on Edmunds, KBB.com, and Car and Driver to rule out other vehicles. Another great source is fueleconomy.gov

Indianapolis has some nasty, unpredicted weather conditions, being the "armpit of the Mid-West". Nonetheless, many people buy FWD over AWD here because the tires wear less with FWD, and AWD vehicles require more maintenance, including alignments. The AWD is one more option to go wrong, and create a multitude of problems along the way. For years, people were able to get around in FWD and RWD vehicles in the snow just fine, but had to adjust their driving principles a little. Here in Indy, there are several FWDs available on Toyota and Lexus car lots, that we have noticed while test driving, so to say you can't get rid of it doesn't make a valid point. I just sold our Yukon Denali on EBay in 5 days at our requested minimum, to a buyer in Washington (state), so it really doesn't matter where you live. We are looking to purchase a Lexus all the way in Texas, simply because of the options, pricing, and mileage, compared to the markets elsewhere in the US.

I am a woman and currently drive a Yukon Denali, which is a man truck, with loads of power at the foot. Driving a 6.0L, at 12 MPG, I'm ready to drive something with better fuel mileage. The only other SUV that gets some power under the pedal with the air suspension feel, in an Int'l market is the X5 and the Lexus RX 400H. Considering the other options available with the Lexus, it appears to be a better buy, with much better reliability than the BMWs. I am married, and I'm an athletic trainer, so I need the cargo space. My husband drives a GMC pickup, but doesn't like to drive when he's not working, so I chaffeur him around. Sadly, his preference of vehicle is the Buick Enclave, but I refuse to drive something that looks like a minivan. Therefore, he will buy me what I want, and in return, I'll drive him around.

I'd have to say that the Venza looks more like the Lexus RX than the Ford Edge, with many of the upgrades that current Lexus RX owners are seeking, including smart-key, pano sunroof, upgraded wheels (as standard), and the premium package that Lexus offers, but much cheaper. I've thought of waiting until August for when they're supposed to release them on the market to purchase a brand new one, but my only complaint is they sit lower to the ground than I'd like. The Ford Edge looks like a high top tennis shoe. The Venza has much more character, and is quite a bit larger on the interior than the Ford.

My husband tried to talk me into looking at a Tribeca. I couldn't talk myself into it. They're just not very attractive vehicles to me. If value is the issue, I've been persuaded to look towards the Hyundai, for the value and options. I won't do it though! Have to stick with the Toyota line of vehicles. They're attractive and valuable, and the cost of ownership makes more sense in the long run.

I've been car shopping for everything in the last 4 months. Currently own a Yukon Denali loaded out. Don't need a full-sized SUV, since I'm the only one who drives and rides in it. I test drove the BMW X series. X3 is rough on the road, but economical, and the X5 is a beast and loved everything about it, but read about 200 reviews across different websites, and most everything was the same...best ride and options in the business, but mechanics dream, regardless of the year. I was considering the new bodystyle, but there are many complaints of electrical problems. Don't have time for that! The MDX felt tight, dark, and very enclosed, and the dash was very distracting to operate. The Volvo was a nice feel, but the middle row seats didn't adjust, and I couldn't imagine getting stuck riding on a road trip back there, and sitting straight up and down. The Infiniti Series are very ugly, and very rough ride. Don't care to have another domestic car, secondary to the reliabililty and resale factors. The Audi was great, but console hard to operate. The Lincoln MDX would be my 3rd choice behind the 2008 Toyota Highlander Limited, but the resale value of the Lincoln blows. I'm currently looking for a used Lexus RX400h with all my favorites. Hope to buy one in the next two weeks and become officially initiated!

My husband and I have been looking at the RX350, RX400h, and 2008 Toyota Highlander Limited (and hybrid model). We test drove a 2009 RX350 at Tom Wood Lexus two weeks ago. It was the premium plus package, and MSRP was 42K. Our salesman told us we could walk out the door with it for 37K. I've test driven the BMW X3-X5, Acura MDX, Volvo XC90, Lincoln MKX, GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, Audi Q7, the 2008 Toyota Highlander Series, the Infiniti SUVs, and now the Lexus RX350. I currently own a GMC Yukon Denali, w/every possible option, so trying to find a mid-size SUV with the feel of my air suspension on the Denali, has been tough. I'll add that I have a low back herniated disc, so I feel everything from the road, so the ride, and the seat comfort is essential. So far, the Lexus is my absolute favorite. I really liked the BMW X5, but I'm not excited about being in the shop with repairs all the time, and that's all I've read about. The GMC Acadia has very poor reliability for it's first year out. The Buick was nice, but looks too much like a minivan. The Acura's seats were hard to get comfortable to, and I don't understand why one can spend 40K on something that doesn't put the same features on the front passenger seat (lumbar support, complete power seats, seat heaters), as the driver's seat. That's so irritating! Why doesn't Toyota put memory seats on a vehicle that costs 40K? The Lincoln was a decent drive, but doesn't hold its value at all. The only thing I wish the Lexus RX series included was the smart-key system, and a pano sunroof. I'm not goint to complain though, because I'm grateful to have found something that gets nice fuel mileage, retains its value, and gives that similar air suspension feeling, without having to add air suspension. I'm looking forward to purchasing one in the next few weeks. Most likely, a hybrid!