Please help,<br>My wife (a.k.a. Mrs. &quot;I'll drive the CR-V until the wheels fall off&quot; Hotdam), got in a friends new vehicle last week. Since then she has developed new car fever. I've tried to cure this with common sense and medications, but have had no luck. So it comes down to this: she does not want a sedan, she likes the Ram 1500 Q/C and F-150 SuperCrew but we don't really need another truck (her opinion, not mine), she will not drive a minivan and does not need anything as large as a Tahoe or Suburban. A little hotdram is planned for next year (I keep telling her: wait until that happens, you'll want a minivan). A mid size SUV is apparently what the doctor has ordered to cure the fever. She likes the Honda Pilot (larger than her Cr-V), the Lexus RX-300 or the Acura MDX. The Pilot EX seems reasonably well equipped for a decent price, the other two manufacturers are darn proud of their stuff, forcing us to look at 1-2 year old models. As long as they have a certified pre-owned program, I guess that is not a big deal. Does anyone have experience (good, bad, ugly) with any of these vehicles? If anyone could offer up other vehicle suggestions that would be appreciated as well. Actually, if someone could tell me the cure for new car fever (without buying a new car) that would be the best. Then I could spend the extra money bombing my truck.<br>

 

Can't give you much advice about the vehicles of choice but I can give you a piece of advice about your marriage. This is from someone who's been married for 38 happy years. Let her get what she darn well wants. It don't matter what rationalizations you use, you enforce your will and you lose. If the only vehicle she wants is brand spanking new and all glitzy with the spark-ly stuff, so be it. In the long run on many years of marriage, she'll remember such things and (unless you really screw up somewhere along the line) she'll have kind thoughts about you. Bombing funds will be easier to obtain as well. Remember, take care of number 1 (that's her) first, and then she'll take care of number 1 (that's you). Oh, about junior coming along, just suggest to her that a big safe vehicle with at least a V-6 would be the ticket. Safety, always Safety. Big to survive an unexpected encounter and V-6 for the speed burst to avoid a possible encounter. Don't blame her one bit on those minivans. Time for you to be the hero and step up to the plate and say, yes Dear, whatever you want, within reason. Remember, Mother's Day is coming up real soon. She is soon to be the mother of junior. Gotta plan for these things. What better present than to go out on Saturday or whatever day is convenient with the sole intention of finding HER car. Personally, I wanted the Accord, she preferred the Civic. She drives the Civic. There are plenty of battles in life. This is not one of them. ;D ;D ;D ;D<br><br>~BeentheredonethatDave

 

I hate minivans. <br><br>With that said...I agree with the above. If you can afford it, get her whatever she wants. I can't help you on the ones you asked about, but out of what Ford, Dodge and GM has to offer, I think the Chevy Tahoe or GMC Yukon take the cake. But you said that's bigger than what you want. And...Chebby or not...that's a great vehicle with a great engine with plenty of power and great gas mileage for what it is. <br><br>Just a piece of personal experience. Last year my wife decided she wanted a Chevy Trailblazer. I got her one. Last Christmas when we went to her family's place it was chock full....certainly no room for any kids. We're both wishing we had gone a little bigger and got the Tahoe. My only point is that you may need bigger than you think. We just had our first kid and next Christmas I don't know what we're gonna do as far as traveling. <br><br>Hope that helps in some way...

 

Let her get what she wants, as long as you know it's not a P.O.S. Somebody told me long ago, &quot;If Momma's happy, everybody's happy.&quot; I don't think I've ever heard truer words than that.

 

My boss was wanting a smaller SUV. She drives in town a lot and doesn't like large vehicles. Myself being pro American made and Anti- Blue Oval pretty much gave her three options for a new vehicle, Chevy Tracker, Saturn VUE, &amp; Jeep Liberty, and 1 option for a slightly used vehicle, Dodge Durango. She sat in two, the Tracker &amp; VUE and ruled them out with out driving them. She decided the the Durango was a little bit bigger than she wanted. She is now driving a Liberty and I haven't heard any complaints about it.

 

hotdram, listen to everybody on this one: get her whatever she wants and you will survive to be a happily married old man, otherwise you are probably going to regret it. My wife has ridden in her friend's Lexus RX300 and thought it was really nice, but we don't know much about their service history. My wife drives a Durango, but lately has been indicating a new car as well, and she will get whatever she wants.

 

several moms here at work driving liberty's. They like them just fine. And, if it could somehow wait a few months you could get a turbo diesel!

 

[quote author=trailblazenyj link=board=10;threadid=14400;start=0#135346 date=1052232699]<br>several moms here at work driving liberty's. They like them just fine. And, if it could somehow wait a few months you could get a turbo diesel!<br>[/quote]<br>In the Jeep? Karens getting the bug too! That would be sweet! She is planning an addition to the house as well. This makes it easier to get the toys I want Au Sable Riverboat, new chainsaw........<br><br>

 

I agree with Hoss. We have four people in my family, and our Suburban is packed to the back of the middle seats every year for Christmas. Get a little bigger than what you might think. My moms 2000 Suburban is extremely easy to drive. A lot easier than you might think given it's size. That 5.3L engine is really nice to. Although my mom's is a 4x4 (why I don't know :), we can go all the way from Houston to Oklahoma on 7/8 of a tank. I'm sure the 2x4 Tahoe would be better. We've had 3 Suburbans, all over 150K with out a single problem (we cracked the radiator in our 93 but that was because we were pulling a solid steel 2 horse bumper pull with 2 horses, through the hills of Austin and just worked it to much). But if she's dead set against it, then get her what she wants. My mom wanted a Navigator. My dad talked her out of that. He is regretting that very badly now.

 

Yep..as said above let her get what she wants to drive.<br>You drive what you like and she should too. Keeps the peace that way...I'm very thankful mine likes CTD's ;D...but I have to buy 2 at a time :

 

Thanks for all of the responses everyone, I appreciate your candor on the marriage subject. Wow, didn't realize I was going to get so much more than vehicle advice. That's alright, keep it coming, I'll take it. Although I have only been married 4 years, I realize that when mamma's happy, everyone is. It has been my intention from the time she mentioned getting a new vehicle to get her what ever SHE wanted, not me (she is the one who will drive it everyday, not me). She does not ask for much and when she says she would like a new or slightly used luxury SUV, so be it. I am more than happy to oblige her request. We are however, trying to keep under a certain dollar amount ($30k) and the three vehicles under consideration hit right about that mark. She is the one who picked out those three and I mentioned just about every other vehicle that was mentioned as an alternative (except the diesel Liberty) and she said no. That's good enough for me. The choice is hers.<br>As for the bombing funds, I was actually kidding about that, this is probably blasphemy on this site, but I think that my truck has plenty of power as it is (stock), and I have no plans of towing anything heavier than a single axle utility trailer with a few dirt bikes on it.<br>Thanks again for all the advice, both vehicular and marital. Always willing to listen to someone's advice (won't necessarily follow it, but I will listen).<br><br>Rob

 

My wife is currently driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee and has been very happy with it! We have two little girls and it has worked fine as a family vehicle. The 4.0L I-6 engine is very dependable (ours has 120k+ miles on it). I don't have any first-hand experience with the Liberty, but we will certainly give it a look the next time she gets a new vehicle! <br><br>BTW, it is true that the 2004 models are going to have an optional turbo-diesel! 8)

 

Boy you know who wears the pants in the above posts. Nothing but sucking up is what I hear. <br><br>Whats that honey? sure I will do the laundry and wash the dishes. I guess we all are in the same boat. <br>DM01

 

I always have the last word in any argument , “Yes Dear”

 

Yep, keep her happy with her vehicle. Might be worth it to rent her choice of suv and let her drive it for a day or so. She could load up all her friends, a couple strollers, diaper bags and go shopping. She will see how fast she can run out of room. <br> My better half is currently in a furd expedition (seats 9 semi- comfortably). Decent, but still a furd . <br><br> She would love to get a HumVee if we could afford it. Gawd, I love that woman !!!<br><br>PISTOL