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SUVs We thought we picked out an SUV....but we are having doubts
63 messages, Last post on Aug 06, 2009 at 9:28 AM
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Replying to: buzzy8 (Jan 13, 2009 9:27 am) The rear suspension height control and TEMS adjustable suspension are 2 separate things. The rear height control is optional on the LTD and standard on the platinum. This feature can raise the rear of the vehicle upto 3/4 inch from normal or lower it down 3/4in from normal. However the vehicle will automatically return to normal height as soon as the vehicle exceeds 18mph. I see this feature as having limited use unless you are towing a trailer. If you tow, then you can align the tow ball of the Sequoia to a trailer by observing it in the rear view camera on the Nav unit. As you approach the trailer hitch, you can lower the rear of the vehicle and align the ball with the trailer receiver and then raise the rear of the vehicle to raise the trailer ball into the trailer receiver. Quite trick and if you have done alot of trailer in the past, you'll really understand how great a feature this is. Once you drive away, the vehicle will automatically put the ride height back to normal. I'm not sure of other circumstances when the manual ride height adjustment would be helpful. TEMS adjustable suspension is an entirely different feature and is exclusive to the Platinum and cannot be added to the LTD. This suspension uses entirely different shocks and electronic sensors to adjust the comfort of the suspension. I wasn't sure at first if a 6000lb suv would really benefit from this feature however I'm really glad I have it. Essentially this feature provides for the suspension to have 3 Setting. "Comfort" "Normal" & " Sport". I find I much prefer the firmer suspension of Sport for local roads where there are more curves and I prefer the comfort of Normal for long highway trips. I find that the Comfort setting is to "soft" of a ride for my taste. I've read where othere's that have tried to compare the non-TEMS to the TEMS suspension found the LTD/SR5 to have the factory suspension set somewhere between Comfort and Normal. Based on that, I am particularly glad I have the TEMS since the majority of my driving is in Sport mode.
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Replying to: mikey13170 (Jan 14, 2009 9:56 am) First....there are no mounting bosses under the carpet to screw the console into, so it will have to be drilled custom." Are you trying to add an aftermarket console to the second row of your LTD or the console from the Platinum? I've not heard of anyone that was able to install the Platinum 2nd row console into the LTD. In addition to the missing brackets, have you decided what you're going to do with the 2 holes you're going to have in the front of the console? These holes represent where the switches are installed in the console from the factory to adjust the heat for the Platinum 2nd row Captain Chairs. My guess is that these "switch holes" are cut at the factory, since the switches are wired with the seats at the factory. Since there are no heated 2nd row seats in the LTD, I'm unsure how the switch holes in the console will be handled...maybe dummy switches or some type of plug/cover for the hole? |
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Replying to: hdfatboy (Jan 15, 2009 4:37 pm)  aol.com......
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Does anyone know how much I should expect to pay for a new 2007 Expedition EL that neer got sold?? I was asking about a 2008, and the dealer said they'd discount me on the 2007 if I'd take it... Doesn't seem like there's a way to figure that out on Kelley Blue Book as the vehicles are used. I put 2007 in to the Kelley Blue Book and random 1000 miles just to see what I'd get, but apparently that implies it's used, and it came up with 20.5K approx. They wanted to charge me 28K, stating since they didn't have rebates, they were giving a sale price of 7000 less than msrp (I think). THANKS!
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Replying to: buzzy8 (Jan 13, 2009 9:27 am) Anyway, I traded in my 1999 4runner with 152K miles on it. I loved it but we wanted something bigger so we went with Sequoia. Focusing on the 2nd row seating options. Basically there are 3 ways to go. 1. bench seat 2. captain with console 3. captain with no console I have (2.) with the Platinum. We wanted the Platinum for all its many features but I was really not sure about the seating option. We have 2 boys 4 and 7. In the 4 runner, I would pick them up from school and they would throw there backpacks in the middle seat in between. Now with the monstrous console, we can't really do that. There is plenty of room in the back to throw stuff but I was used to doing it the other way. So that is one negative. Nextly, we have a big dog that goes everywhere with me. Including work every day. She is 120 lb St. Bernard. One issue I did not foresee (my bad) is that the console is not high enough to provide a good dog barrier. She pretty much would climb onto my lap in the front if she had easy access. Since the console sits low she kind of tries to lay across it. A few times when I hit the brakes she has slid all the way to the back of the front seats. She is 10 so she isn't very agile. I had to pull over and fix her. So I am going to have to figure out some sort of sturdy blockade system that looks decent. Furthermore, on plenty of occasions with the 4runner, I pulled out the kid's car seats and folded down the second row to move or haul a bunch of stuff. Now, if I need the room and I fold down the 2nd row seats, that monstrous console will always be in the way. At least Toyota designed it to fold over and be flush with the 2nd row seats folded down. That was a key move. I would really be bumming without that. But I still feel I need something to cover the console depending on what I am hauling. I love the front heated seats. My first ever. I didn't think I would really care but they are awesome. And really hot. Once my arse is toasty, I have to turn it down ( I know, TMI !) The second row captains has heated seats. Since I currently have car seats in both, they will do the squirts no good. However, they will be out of those before long and I plan to own this for a good decade. So some pluses. I got the rear seat DVD entertainment system. It is nice having a spacious center console to store DVD, and other stuff. I haven;t made full use of it yet but I am sure that will come. Although it is different than what I was used to with the 4runner, I am not regretting my decision. No one way is perfect. You have to decide for yourself. And don't look back once you do. I know, that's easy to say. The laser cruise control is great. In the 4runner, I used cruise control a lot. I even got pretty good at using the cruise control controls to accelerate and slow down without using my breaks or accelerator. But it was still annoying. Now the laser does all that on its own. And it works very well even around slight curves. It must be able to detect that I am turning slightly and adjust its signal path to account for that. Great! And it has 3 levels of distance control. Default is very conservative where your vehicle will slow itself down when it approaches another wayyyy ahead. At first I thought I would never use it and I was pissed. But then I found you can adjust it to mediumand short distance. Since I live in MA and I am used to getting 2 inches from someones bumper, I need that close setting. Seriously, it is still a good reasonable distance away. One last thing. Here is a link to my post earlier on what I paid for this baby. I think I got a good deal. In this market, never pay more than invoice. http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.eec894a/1474 Wow, I rambled. Sorry about that if you made it this far. 
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A reporter from a large national newspaper would like to speak to consumers who are holding onto their cars versus selling them or buying a new one because of economic uncertainties. Please respond to ctalatiedmunds.com with your daytime contact information no later than Friday, January 30, 2009. Chintan Talati Edmunds.com Corporate Communications |
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Replying to: mae7 (Jan 17, 2009 4:09 pm) In 2007 I paid 32 drive out on a msrp of 41K. So before taxes 29 something. Go for an 08 or even better an 09. 09's have a better updated transmission, different series. With the economy how it is you can practically offer them 15K off the truck and they will most likely take it. |
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I've had two of each. I have heard that the Nissan / Infiniti will go away too. However as for warranty and service work on the Infiniti, the dealer here (100+ miles away) came and picked up my FX45 and left me a loaner, even on oil changes. I'd still shy away from the Q though if it's not going to be around. I probably would have bought a Sequoia but when I got the Expedition last Nov 07 they told me it would be spring before the Sequoia came out. Then they showed up in December just after I made my decision. I'm glad though I didn't buy a Sequoia since you can now get $10,000 off. I would owe more in a year than what I could have bought a new one now for. One feature I really like with the Expedition is the fold flat rear seats. That may not mean as much if you always have the third row up. Calculating depreciation is tricky. Many people cite the used price as compared to the MSRP. Until recently when they have started steep discounts for the Sequoia, the Sequoia actually lost as much in value as the Expedition. In addition to that you had more money tied up. I don't like the FE in either. Opinions vary but I actually prefer the interior of the Expedition a lot more then the Sequoia. As for exteriors, my wife loved her Sequoia's but she does not like the new look. I will say though either has enormous room. If I had it to do over I would have gotten the extended version of the Expedition. When taking the whole family the extra foot on the back would hold a lot more stuff with the third seat up. I do not like the handling of the Expedition. I have not driven the new Sequoia but my older ones reminded me more of my 4Runner as far as handling. The ford is a soft ride that is comfortable but it wallows around curves. I don't feel comfortable driving briskly on curvy roads. I didn't find that an issue on the Sequoia. I can see that money is probably no problem for you since you're looking at the Platinum. I leased my Expedition for two years hoping that by 2010 there would be a diesel or hybrid option for something in this size. I'd love something like this at 19-20mpg, but 14 mpg sucks. If I don't purchase my Expedition off lease (pretty cheap) I don't know that I would ever buy a new large SUV again. They all depreciate way too much and even if you can afford it, it is a waste of money that could be used for some better use (perhaps a Prius to drive when you don't need the room). However if I could get a Sequoia for $10,000 off AND 0 percent that would make me think hard.
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Replying to: mae7 (Jan 17, 2009 4:09 pm) You're thinking right. The value when you drive it off will be no more than Private party value in kbb.com Even that is more than they will give you on trade. I'm assuming that is this is only $7000 less than msrp that it is striped. That does not sound like a good deal. I ended up leasing, not sure if I wanted to own long term and then have to figure out how to dump it if gas stayed up. My first lease and I was surprised. Since the money factor on the lease was almost at 0 percent, I leased for two years and the residual, or the price I can buy it for is cheaper than what I would have owed on the SUV had I bought it up front. I ended up leasing and now I can walk away if it is not what I want or I can buy it. Cheap. It was a $47,000 msrp. I got the Xplan pricing and rebates and had a capital (buy) price of about $38,000. (They got even cheaper later). My purchase price in 2 years is $23,000. I think that is a great price if I'm still in the mood to own it, but I have the option to walk away. I have been looking on ebay and other sites at the 07 prices which should be what my 08 will be worth in another year (probably). The 07's can be had for under $20K The biggest problem I see buying used is dealing with a dealer. It seems that if a vehicle has a trade value of $15K (which is all they will pay for a trade) then the private party value is around $18 and then "Retail" will run arounf $21K to $23K. The trick is to purchase a good one from someone you know and trust. If you buy one still on warranty then I see no reason to pay a dealer a premium. Their "certified" used vehicles are preced even higher. Hey, it's still on warranty! I belive dealers will be focussing on used vehicles more and more to survive the next year so I'm sure they will want to gouge people. If you want to know though the maximum a dealer has in a vehicle it will be the used "fair" condition kbb trade value. I don't care what papers they show you they just don't pay a premium for nice cars. They don't want to put more in them than what they can go to the auction and get them for but they will go high trade if you're dealing on a new one and they want to sell. If they show you a higher trade, there is a good chance they have made up on it with the discount on the pricing of the new vehicle. |
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