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Looking at under 14k...
Like something with a bit of pep.
Safe (two kids in the back seat)
I'm tall, so need room to push the seat all the way back and still have room for little legs in the back seat.
Dont mind high mileage, but cause of that I suppose something that is somewhat reliable would be good.
SUV's ive found in my price range...
BMW x3
Jeep Grand Cherokee
VW Tourag
any others worth looking at? Are there any I should avoid? I like BMW a lot cause I like sport sedans and rwd. not sure those reasons really translate to SUV's though. I'm in the south so snow is not an issue.
I would go with the best Low mileage, Car faxed, certified pre-owned Jeep Grand Cherokee you can find and make sure to get the Extended Manufacturer Warranty on it... the VW and BMW will cost an arm and leg to maintain or Repair if money is an issue....
another Option is find a late Model Chevy Suburban or Yukon they are great tough, long lasting, durable Full size SUV's... But you pay a gas penalty for driving them as they are gas hogs.. But are very reliable and any independant shop or Mechanic can pretty much work on them....
Agreed, at that price range for BMW and VW you are just buying someone's trouble. Last December I was able to talk down a few CPO Jeep GC in the 2007-2008 model year to that price range which is a pretty good deal. My problem was that I am tall and have long legs, so the rear sit was getting tight. The gas mileage was not stellar either and we drive a lot, so we switched gear and started looking at RAV4/CRV/Rogue and finally bought a CRV. Still love the Jeeps though. If you don't NEED 4WD, go for a RWD, less of a headache.
I would steer clear of a Touareg for $14k, personally, as it would either be older or have high mileage, neither of which fares well with that vehicle. The newer examples are a bit better in terms of reliability, but VWs/Audis can have issues as they age which are expensive relative to the price of the car.
Have you considered a Toyota Highlander, Acura MDX, or even a Lexus RX? All are pretty reliable, and not as large as a Tahoe/Yukon/Suburban. On the RX, I would not get a model older than 2003-2004 because there were transmission issues on earlier RX300s. Acura had some transmission problems in the early 00s as well, so I would also look for an MDX that's 2003+. The Mitsubishi Outlander is a vehicle that one either loves or hates, and has pretty good reliability, but I think the back seat could be tight for taller individuals, but you might get a good deal on a lower mileage, newer example for the same price, compared to a Toyota/Honda product.
The original X3 is not a horrible choice, but it's a bit underpowered, and economy is not that great, relative to the X5. If you don't really need the height of an SUV, the 3-series wagon might not be a bad consideration, though they can be difficult to find.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
With a budget of 14,000 and needind something big. I would look for an old Highlander. 2007? Avoid the Toureg and the X3 which is pretty small. You have a small budget and are looking at very pricey cars. Accordingly, they would have to be pretty old. Not my idea of a reliable car. Jeeps are fine. My father has had great luck with Jeeps. He has had a 2001 and a 2007. He loves them.
The X3 and Touareg are off the list right away, the ones you could get in that price range are nightmares on long term reliability and maintenance. They are akin to the first gen ML-series Mercedes SUV's in that department. They are dirt cheap on the used market for a reason.
The Jeep is a good choice, but you would need to drive one to see if it will work for you. I've always found them to be a little tight.
My recommendation that isn't on the list is a Chevy Equinox. They have held their value very well, so your price range would probably push you down in the 2006/7 model year, but a 2008 (freshened model) would be a nice pickup at that price. The base V6 is adequate, but it won't set the world on fire. They are pretty reliable and basic and offer good cargo space for the class. One of the nicest features they have is a sliding rear seat, so that you can maximize cargo or passenger space as needed. With the seat all the way back there is a ton of rear seat legroom. We had a 2009 and with me driving (6'4") and the seat all the way back, the kids couldn't reach my seat with their feet. It also has three sets of LATCH anchors in the second row to give you some versatility with placing the car seats.
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