Hey Roo - stupid fast SUV choice

[jibij]

Wife: "Mercedes are for old people."
12 Year Old Daughter: "Mercedes are for stuck-up rich people."

Not even AMG can overcome that sort of image problem.

My wife felt the same about Mercedes until she drove one. She also hated SUV's until the Merc dealership gave her an AMG as a loaner.

[peterslovo]

I'm going to get ripped apart for this, but will say it anyway. The concept of a wicked fast SUV just has me laughing. Wanna go fast? Get a sportscar that is made to take corners, handle properly, and be driven fast. Have fun cornering in a 'racy' SUV.

[unitofstuff]

I'm going to get ripped apart for this, but will say it anyway. The concept of a wicked fast SUV just has me laughing. Wanna go fast? Get a sportscar that is made to take corners, handle properly, and be driven fast. Have fun cornering in a 'racy' SUV.

I never got this argument. Maybe not everyone burns up the twisties on their highway commute to work in the morning and evening? I don't care about making my 4Runner handle better, but I sure wish it had more power usable for passing on the highway.

[plugboots]

Go drive the 535xit, the rear suspension is pneumatic, so when you load it up, it stays level. The twin turbos work well. Nice car.

[liv2ski]

I'm going to get ripped apart for this, but will say it anyway. The concept of a wicked fast SUV just has me laughing. Wanna go fast? Get a sportscar that is made to take corners, handle properly, and be driven fast. Have fun cornering in a 'racy' SUV.

Yep, I am not a fan of an SUV either. I have a turbo charged, AWD, 6 speed MT, wagon that I love and wouldn't trade for the Cheyene or BMW SUV. That said, lots of women like SUV's so what can Suit do.
I would take her down to the Porsche dealership to drive one of these: http://www.porsche.com/usa/models/pa...3&gitemindex=2
I love that car and will likely own an AWD/Turbo one in the next few years.

[Buster Highmen]

There's a silver/grey '08 S6 Avant, absolutely cherry, with 8,100 miles on it at the dealership up the road from here for $44K and I bet you can talk them down. I'll drive it out to you for gas money.

Is that a manual?

[The Suit]

Yeah I looked it back up and it is an S4 Avant, my bad.

Still a sweet ride, just a little small for what we need/want.

[The Suit]

I'm going to get ripped apart for this, but will say it anyway. The concept of a wicked fast SUV just has me laughing. Wanna go fast? Get a sportscar that is made to take corners, handle properly, and be driven fast. Have fun cornering in a 'racy' SUV.

Here are the requirements for the vehicle:

- transport a family of four, plus two big dogs and a bunch of stuff
- navigate a mile of bumpy gravel road to our house
- deal with slick, snowy roads for more than half the year

Maybe if we still lived in Boston and worked in the computer business and had no kids, she'd still have an M3 and I'd still have a 911, but we don't. An AWD station wagon or SUV fits the mission, and since that's what she'll be driving all the time, I'd like it to be as enjoyable as possible.

Capiche?

[Stu Gotz]

Here are the requirements for the vehicle:

- transport a family of four, plus two big dogs and a bunch of stuff

I don't think the X5 is going to do that for you. It's pretty much like driving a small station wagon with a lift kit. Unless you want to put the dogs up top with their kennels attached to the roof rack. And playing devil's advocate here - do you really want all of that torque on snowy/icy roads.

[The Suit]

I don't think the X5 is going to do that for you. It's pretty much like driving a small station wagon with a lift kit. Unless you want to put the dogs up top with their kennels attached to the roof rack.

Really? I've been assuming it's pretty much Audi A6/Allroad sized, which we could get away with.

And playing devil's advocate here - do you really want all of that torque on snowy/icy roads.

That hasn't been a problem in my experience, as long as it has good snow tires. Our S4, which has a 340 HP V8, is probably the best snow car I've ever driven.

I know - the X5 M and the Cayenne Turbo are in a different league, but, you know, whatever ...


edit: found this video

[Tippster]

Unimog or you're a pussy.

[Tye 1on]

Only been in the Cayenne. Was impressed, but it was a two mile trip in to town, so not much of a test.

But my guess is if she drove the AMG it would be game over.

[iceman]

Here are the requirements for the vehicle:

- transport a family of four, plus two big dogs and a bunch of stuff
- navigate a mile of bumpy gravel road to our house
- deal with slick, snowy roads for more than half the year

Maybe if we still lived in Boston and worked in the computer business and had no kids, she'd still have an M3 and I'd still have a 911, but we don't. An AWD station wagon or SUV fits the mission, and since that's what she'll be driving all the time, I'd like it to be as enjoyable as possible.

Capiche?

The A6 Avant can do that and it's no slug at 300 hp. Not a ton of ground clearance, though. Why Audi doesn't bring the new Allroad to the U.S. is a mystery to me.

Otherwise, try driving a GMC Yukon Denali, or a Chevy Tahoe - they're not sporty in the twisties (but there's all kids of suspension upgrades available) but it's plush, big, powerful and will go through pretty much anything. Those things are really pretty nice, actually, and no worse on gas than the A6. I like the GMC more but they're pretty much the same vehicle. You can get the Yukon with a 6.1 liter engine and 420 horsepower, they're not slow.

[warthog]

With that much capacity needed, why not look at the Expedition, or the Sequoia Platinum?

You can get the Expedition fully pimped out for 2/3 the price of those other things. I don't know about you, but I think Ford is putting out some really cool shit these days. The gadgets alone will make you take a second look.

The full size Sequoia is ridiculous in person. It is hudge, and with a rocket box on top, it is the ultimate mtn machine. The 5.7 liter V8 will be plenty of power. For about 60K, you can get it completely pimped. Not to mention, it probably won't lose half it's value in 3 years, like Audi or BMW seems to.

[iceman]

Meh, don't listen to him, Yukons are much mo' cooler than any ol' Ford.

[Core Shot]

Why no love for the 510hp supercharged Range Rover?
that should get up and go.

But, given what was said about MB, BMW and Audi, what does the world say when they see you in a range rover?

Image is almost everything.

[DerJaeger]

How about a Cadillac CTS wagon? I believe they are available in AWD.

(the CTS-V wagon isn't though, sadly)

[khakis]

Yukons? Tahoes? Suit's way mo pimp than that.
Like said before:
'Scalade.
With twins.

edit: sequoiah with a TRD blower would be probably qualify as stupid fast (and be done within warranty), and the diesel expedition with a couple of mods would probably blow them all away but then you would start to notice everybody you pass with the same words on their lips: "you can't give rednecks money..."

[peterslovo]

Here are the requirements for the vehicle:

- transport a family of four, plus two big dogs and a bunch of stuff
- navigate a mile of bumpy gravel road to our house
- deal with slick, snowy roads for more than half the year

Maybe if we still lived in Boston and worked in the computer business and had no kids, she'd still have an M3 and I'd still have a 911, but we don't. An AWD station wagon or SUV fits the mission, and since that's what she'll be driving all the time, I'd like it to be as enjoyable as possible.

Capiche?

Capiche.

My comment was more towards the whole idea of a wicked fast SUV - which to me is simply an oxymoron. An SUV just isn't built to handle high speed driving and cornering, which is why you'd want to go stupid fast anyway. But I digress. Based on what you list as requirements , just an SUV would fit the bill (though I think it would be much more fun to drive the AWD wagon).

[Loon]

FORD SVT RAPTOR....Nuff said...

Off road and all under warranty....BOMBER...FAST......TOUGH...toughest suspension ever released to the public...

Go git some.

Raptor = FKN GAY

My boss just got one, everyone calls it the dirty pumpkin. Its gaudy as hell.

[LT]

Really, it makes you fucking weep??? What the fuck is wrong with you? Holy shit, midget japanese nazis that eat babies MIGHT make me shed a tear as I pulled into the gas station to refuel this fucking expression of all that is manly and right with america.

Anything less than that, and certainly not this thread, would not make me weep.

Did somebody punch you in your recently bejeweled va jay jay RIGHT before this thread, because I think you might be confused at the source of your weeping.

I once lit my hand on fire when I cut through 220 Volt wire. It took like 20 seconds to get my skin to stop actually emitting flames. Once out I got in my big fucking cummins diesel engine heavy duty truck and made my way liesurly to the hospital. Along the way I smelled some freaking awesome bbq and was like, I dont remember a bbq joint around here.

Then I realized it was my hand I smelled. I grimaced a bit, but then floored it and burned like 2 hectares of amazon jungle worth of oil.

I did not weep.

You sir/Maam/something in between - need to pull your pants up, remove the last of your sparkly jewelry you accidently placed RIGGHT on your clit, and grow a pair.

Holy fucking touched a nerve! You're obviously right, I was being melodramatic; I live in Tahoe and spend way too many hours driving in snow storms completely fucked by the assholes driving the SUV's inquired upon by the OP. I am all for big trucks(own a Titan) and SUV's. What I can't wrap my head around is 3/4 ton diesel 4x4's with 20 inch rims and low pro tires and the same goes for SUV's....what's the fucking point? Nothing says, "Hey I'm a swinging dick douche bag" than an F250 with spinners. I own a gas guzzler, but I use it as intended and it has real tires.

As long as "Once out I got in my big fucking cummins diesel engine heavy duty truck and made my way liesurly to the hospital. Along the way I smelled some freaking awesome bbq and was like, I dont remember a bbq joint around here." you weren't rolling on 22's I'm cool with burning rain forest.

To the OP as far as the sport wagon I earlier referred to; I think the BMW 5 series xi would be sweet or maybe there's a Volvo? How about the Mercedes R series.... just kidding that thing will make anyone weep. If a wagon doesn't fit your needs and the SUV size is what you need, then yeah it might as well be fun to drive. Please just put some real fucking tires on it in the winter.

[skier666]

If you want a fast SUV with cargo room and with two kids + animals....

Having one kid definitely puts the SUV in perspective, especially when you ski more than you should.

There's never enough room.

You may want to stick to a full size supercharged Range Rover. The X5, Cayenne, Range Rover Sport, ML series will require a rocketbox to store your extra shit on big trips etc. But since you're in Jackson, you probably don't have to deal with parking garages and clearance issues like I do in San Francisco. I have a rocketbox on our Audi wagon, that I'll put on the SUV for long weekends in Tahoe. Ultimately though, I end up borrowing my parent's Chevy Tahoe for most space.

The new Range Rover Sport supercharged is VASTLY improved. I checked one out at the auto show at the end of last year and the entire interior has been improved. I test drove an older Range Rover Sport and couldn't get over how cheap the interior, gadgets, radio, was for such an expensive car.

I'd say the Audi Q7 4.2L but I test drove that thing and even with the bigger engine, it felt HEAVY! But the MMI nav/telephone/radio system is pretty slick.

As long as you're not doing super gnar 4X4'ing, you can just get a set of summer and winter tires for the two seasons. You'll be able to go anywhere you want. I drove an X5 on stock all season tires almost to the base of the Bloody Couloir at Mammoth years ago, and it handled just fine. Greydon Clark said it was 'the gnarliest road he's even been on.' For what its worth

[That was Pontus]

Sounds as though you should keep an eye out for a Trailblazer SS.

Here's C&Ds take a couple of years back.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...test_road_test

At every new-car intro, one scribe or another always asks, "Who do you expect will buy this car?" It's a stupid question, like asking Henry Kissinger if he thinks the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will go all the way this year. But this time, a don't-use-my-name GM marketing type replied: "It's gonna be a mid-30s guy with a wife and two kids, and he'll tell the missus they need a practical, run-of-the-mill SUV that will tow the boat, and she's gonna like the sound of a Chevy, nothing fancy. And he'll come home with an SS and never once tell her it's a hot rod, and because of how the thing looks and drives, she'll never know. Bingo—everybody's happy." Go ahead and cry "sexist pig," but we think he's right.

[DoWork]

Yo, suit... Given any thought to the Infiniti FX50? That thing is sexy as hell and fast as fuck. AWD (ATTESA-ETS (Advanced Total Traction Engineering System for All Electronic Torque Split)) 400 horse, 4 wheel speed and turn sensitive steering, 7 speed tranny for those long highway romps, that brake assist thing so she won't rearend anyone, the coolest backup camera on the market, and this sweet new paint that fills it's own swirl mark sized scratches when the sun warms it up. Also 11 speaker BOSE and one of the most cozy cockpits I've been in. I'm sure I'm forgetting a bunch of the cool shit about it, but you get the idea. I mean, any vehicle where they use the rear taillights as aerodynamic aids, you know they thought out the performance aspect...

Pretty fuckin sexy truck and you don't see alot of them. Super comfy, and a hoot to drive with the AWD/4WS. All that and it's naturally aspirated, meaning it's already making that power without turbo lag or the extra moving parts to break. Check it out!

Oh, and whoever said the Raptor was gay can suck a dick. It's not about what it looks like, it's about what it was built for- which is doing 80+ over speed bump sized whoopties all day. Don't hate on the truck, it's a fantastic piece of machinery that is VERY purpose built and I'm thrilled that Ford would even put that out of the factory.

[Huck_Schmuck]

At last someone talks about Range Rovers. Do it. The real one, the sport is OK but whatever. I posted up the Over Finches last year in another one of your SUV threads

I like the Land Rover LD4 too but I suspect it doesn't have quite the ummmpphh you're looking for.