Seeking a Safe Auto for My Family

Although it is veyr "Trucky" I have an Explorer Sport Trac and LOVE IT have had it for 5 years and love it VERY MUCH
K

Dear T.,
Please look at the Toyota offerings. My husband was a die-hard Ford fan and has been converted over. He has a 2006 Tundra and loves it. My Avalon is going on 9 years and looks and runs like new. No problems whatsoever. Just keep up the regular maintenance. Recommend you look at the Highlander - there is even a hybrid. Toyotas have always rated highly in Consumer Reports for years. I have dealt with 3 dealerships and they have all been very good - responsive to my needs. You won't regret it.

Hi T.,

We bought a Saturn Relay last year (and of course they don't make them anymore) and I love it. It's got all the bells and whistles and it was reasonably priced. Personally I only buy American made so this was an easy decision with the choices I had.

Just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in about Saturns...

Regards,

M.

i have to say personally American cars really suck unless you are buying a ford truck. there is no well made American car anymore which is sad. if you want a good car you can get a lot of life out of for a good price look into a Toyota Camry. we got an 05 2 years ago and it only had 17 thousand miles and our monthly payments are only 330 so we got a brand new car for cheap! its a great family car its safe and you can never go wrong with a toyota

T., congrats on the little one! I have to tell you, I have always driven a truck...you know the big, loud, obnoxious kind! Really have been wanting the Ford Expedition 8 seater since I have 3 kids and with my "little" half ton, I could only seat 6. We were never able to take one friend each anywhere...well, we moved to Kentucky from Washington state and while driving around one day, my husband said, I really wish you would consider a minivan...me being in an agreable mood, said well, I guess we could look...I'm from Texas, and we just prefer the big trucks! and besides, minivans are for little sportie mommies....right??? Well, we tried out the Hyundai Entourage and according to him, were only looking, not really in the buying mode. Six hours later, I drove it off the lot.

Now that I've had it for a couple of months, I dearly LOVE it!!! It only seats 7 but that's 7 adults very comfortably! It has lots of fun gadgets, including a DVD system for my munchkins, AND I no longer have to climb all over it to unload groceries or children! Still have issues with not being able to go off-road, but if I just have to, then I still have "dad's" big Ford! LOL! Not to mention the front wheel drive for the snow around here, what little we have. After being the "anti-minivan/anti-suburban" that I've always been, now i have to say that I really love it and will probably drive one for the next 10 years. Once the kids are grown, I'll be trading it for a 2 seater mercedes!!! Best of luck and hope this helps!

Take a look at the Chrysler Pacifica--it's a wonderfull crossover type.
My sister in law has had one for over a year now and I just purchased one. Both of ours are used and in excellent condition...mine was a former lease vehicle and was taken care of well!
If you can afford a new one then that's great but don't hesitate to check out the used models if you need to save some $$.

T., I know when I was looking for a new automobile I was in the same boat as you. I wanted a small SUV that was affordable, safe, and good gas mileage. In 2006 I bought a Honda CRV. After much research on these various areas, the Honda CRV and Toyota's small SUV were the only two that met all of my criteria. I was also considering a Saturn, but when I began to look at the safety features, Honda and Toyota had Saturn beat hands down. I love my Honda. I have had it for 3 years and have drove 36,000 mile without trouble. It is roomy and comfortable. It also has a alot of little features that I enjoy. It has some different features that make it unique. Hope this helps.

I myself am a Ford person.To each there own I know.When I had my Ford Escape I loved it looks small but can sure hold a lot and goes like a dream plus fuel mileage was great on it.When I seperated from my ex he took it back.Now I am driving a Ford Explorer also love it.(It's for sale)My g/f has a Saturn Vue which she really loves.Basically its what you like,what you are comfortable in and can afford..good luck..
S. B

Hi T., We have a Toyota Highlander and love it. It has the room of an SUV, but a very smooth ride because it's on a car chassis - so it's not too tall when getting the kids in and out. It has room in the back seat for an adult to sit between the two carseats and has a third row seat the folds completely flat into the floor. It has side curtain airbags and a high safety rating according to Consumer Reports. Good Luck!

The safest vehicle is the one that is built most solid. My father always said he wanted his family in the largest thing possible,my daughter has a suburban that was a few yrs old when they bought it. It has been terrific. Decide what you want, and your price range, and start looking on line for a good buy. A new vehicle is old and has lost 1/2 it's value once driven off of the lot. Look for a low miles, 1-2 yr old vehicle. The top most that you can afford. Get it loaded. Have it checked out with a good mechanic. I drive a lexus SUV, was 5 yrs old, but mint. I love it. Good luck.

We are conversion van people ourselves. I like the fact that the big vans and trucks have so much metal around you should you get into an accident. I actually rolled one all the way over from the tires back to the tires and we all walked away from the accident only a little shaken. I had two kids in carseats at the time. We also have a truck. Yes they are both GMC's. My man's a Chevy/GMC man.
Plus when the kids are learning to drive they don't try to hot rod in a fullsize conversion van because it just can't. :o)
If I had to downsize I would be very sad but would probably look at the Suburbans. OK, that's not downsizing so see, I'm no help.

Last year I bought a barely used 07 Chevy HHR. For me it was a compromise between a small car and an SUV or van. And, these cars are reasonably priced, whether you buy new or used. The tipping point was the safety factor. It had really good safety reviews.

Good luck in your search. I looked for over a year before finding something that fit my needs and budget.

T.,
I have a 2007 Jeep Compass and love it. It has a good safety rating and is awesome on gas. I haven't looked at the newer models, but I remember being able to get a killer deal on it. It took 2 hours, but I finally talked the salesman down to my set price. Good luck!

I would recommend the Outlook, not because I have one but because:
my first car was a '92 Saturn. My brother has it now and it still runs great!
My second car is an '04 Saturn - I still own it and love it!
My next car will be the Saturn Outlook! ;)
Hope that helps and good luck!

We've had a Subaru Outback for a little over a year and we LOVE it!!! They also make the Forester and Tribeca. The price is pretty reasonable, if you're willing to do your homework, and they last forever. Also, Subaru is highly rated in safety and is one of the greenest car companies out there.

I have an Outlook and I love it. It seems very safe and functions for everything that my family of four needs. (Myself, husband and sons ages 8 and 11)

Good luck!

Hi T.,
I never liked the "trucky" SUVs either. Then, against my will, I test drove a Tahoe. It is like riding on a cloud, it handles better than a car, has more features and is amazingly comfortable even on 16 hour straight drives between here and Iowa. I was sold immediately. The only feature I turned off was the OnStar because of the wireless component. I keep reading about the dangers of wireless beams going through kids' heads and the antenea is in the back of the SUV.

The AKIA came in rated #1 in safety... that would be a good one, it is more of a van/suv.
Volvo's are always nice and safe...

I have a honda odyssey mini van and love everything about it. From the kid lock doors, to the adult controled DVD player and ample seating that you can actually get to with car seats. Good luck, and get what works best for your family!

Does it have to be new? My husband and I purchase "program" cars and we get pretty good deals on them. They are only 1 year old, but they depreciate so much when you drive them off the lot brand new. When you buy the program cars, you usually can find pretty good deals.

Hi T.,
Everyone has an opinion about vehicles but you are the one who has to live with it and pay those payments if you finance it. I recommend going to www.edmunds.com and doing your research there. That way you have a good idea about the performance reviews, testing and gas mileage expectations side by side. Then if you decide you want to look, they have a True Market Value on used cars and will tell you what others are paying for the new ones! It's a buyers market out there right now so I know you won't have a problem finding a good deal if you do your homework! ;-)
Oh yeah, and the certified used Hondas actually have a better warranty than the new ones! Besides that, you can save a small fortune on the depreciation and still have a new-smelling vehicle. Best wishes to you.

I have an 05 Honda CRV and I absolutely love it. When I got it, it had all the best safety ratings and the smaller size I wanted. It is actually built on the body platform of a Civic so it rides more like a car, has less chance of rollover that way, and gets better gas mileage than most SUV's. I highly recommmend them!

We just bought the new Honda Pilot, and love it! It has 5 stars for all crash ratings. It has 3rd row seating that folds down..its built on the Honda odysee's frame. I can not say enough good things about this car. Very easy to drive, and park. You should check it out.