Help Me Pick a Good Off-Roader
Q. I am an amateur landscape photographer nearing retirement, and I want to get a vehicle that I can use on trips to various locations in North America. I’ll be spending long hours driving to locations, so the vehicle needs to be comfortable for long trips (good seats, good power, and handles well on the road, decent fuel economy, and modern technology). I’ll also be taking it on some very rough dirt “roads’’ in remote locations, so I’ll need 4WD. I’d like enough interior seating for 3-4 people, so 4 doors seem to make sense. Easy access to cargo space is important, ruling out any SUV with side-hinged rear door. I’ve thought about a crew cab pickup with short bed and a cap, but that’s longer than a standard SUV, making it harder to fit into parking spaces and garages. I like the idea of an SUV because the entire usable space is conditioned and secured, but I don’t see a lot of good options with 4WD. The Toyota 4Runner is very reliable but doesn’t get great reviews.
A. The Toyota 4Runner in my opinion is a good choice; it is a solid reliable vehicle with great off road ability. The Jeep Grand Cherokee is also a great choice and is available with a V-6, V-8 and now a diesel engine. The diesel powered Grand Cherokee although pricey is one of my favorite vehicles. One other vehicle to check out is the Nissan Xterra, it is a great off road performer, has decent storage space, but in my opinion not the most supportive seats for long road trips.
Q. I have always owned new Saabs. My current one is a 9-3 2009. I am the only driver (71 year old female) and I always have them serviced at Saab dealership. I would like to sell or trade it in. I want to buy 2015 Mini Cooper, not sure which model yet. Not too expensive. What do you think I could get for my Saab? I know you can check all those books but I need help. Excellent condition: Has sunroof, heated seats, 97,000 miles, snow tires and regular tires.
A. The typical retail value of your car based on several book value reports s in the $7500-$8500 range. Doing a little more research online finds dealers selling these cars for well above the typical book value by several thousand dollars. Based on the condition you reported, if this were my car I would ask about$10,000 and be flexible with offers.
Q. I have a Cadillac SRX and I was driving on the highway doing about 65 miles per hour and suddenly the car lost power. As I scrambled to the side of the road fearing that I would be killed the reduced power light came on. Even if this car is fixed I have lost faith in the vehicle and don’t think I will ever feel comfortable driving it or having any family member drive the car, what should I do?
A. The repair shop will check the vehicle for trouble/fault codes. Depending on what is found will help determine what caused the car to go into “limp’’ mode. The shop may find a faulty sensor or poor wiring connection. Once the problem has been found and the repair completed and fix verified I personally wouldn’t have any concerns with the vehicle.
Q. I was wondering if my 2013 Honda Accord Sport with Goodyear Eagle tires has any recall notices about the tires. I heard a brief TV story about Goodyear Eagle tire that are being recalled, due to tread failure.
A. Just like cars, tires get recalled every day. The best place to look for transportation related recalls is the website www.safercar.gov. On this website you can look up the tires on your car and see if they have been recalled. Periodically it makes sense to look at this website just to see if there any problems with your car, tires or even kids car-seats.
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