Hodaka Rider Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Here's the situation: my new wife came with 2 wonderful daughters (3 and 7), and I now need to replace my '83 with something a little more family-friendly. After several discussions, it has been decided that I can get pretty much whatever I want (within certain price constraints) - as long as it has room for all four of us and some gear, is reliable, gets reasonable gas mileage, has reasonable power, and looks good. Here's the hard part: we already have a 2004 Jeep Liberty, so pleading for an old-skool soob is getting difficult, considering their shortfalls on my list. What should I do? Stick to old-skool, or get a newer Soob? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Its time to upgrade to a Legacy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodaka Rider Posted June 30, 2004 Author Share Posted June 30, 2004 Yeah, methinks a Turbo Legacy! Good idea. Did I mention that I need a wagon? And that I WILL NOT drive an automatic? I don't know about the states, but in Canada all of the Legacy Turbo wagons were auto's. How hard is it to swap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachbum Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 neah get a brat and put the kids in the back:brow: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHATBRAT Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Get rid of the rebadged GEO Tracker and get yourself the Subaru of choice (Same high pricetag, right) then go out and buy a 1990's Grand Caravan with a 3.3L. to haul the family around in. This is what I did because my wife also came with 2 kids (At the time 2 yrs old and 4 yrs old NOW 6 and 8) and now we have one more who is 2. (My first) The dodge caravan is the best selling minivan. Geat on gas, looks pretty good, very dependable, easy to get parts for and cheap. 3 kids....a van was definately the way to go. I am sooooo happy that I went this route, I have never regretted it. I drive my van everyday. And when we go on trips, it's like "see no evil, hear no evil." I turn the radio up and don't even look back there. They are no longer in my ear asking how much longer? or saying " I'm hungry, or I have to go to the bathroom" Well, At least I don't think they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subarubrat Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 I too have recently pondered taking on a wife with kids, 2 in addition to mine who lives with me. That is your classic wife and 3 kids. I will keep the BRAT, period, and in all probability the Impreza as well, it holds 2 adults in the front and 3 kids on the back seat. The BRAT is what it is and I don't buy into the idea that all vehicles in the family must be up to family capacity. Along these lines, I would say use the Jeep for trips and full family affairs, and keep your old school for work, local family trips etc. where it would work just fine. Life existed before mini vans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 I vote for a EA82T GL-10 Turbo Wagon I'm biased Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s'ko Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Vote for the Outback Wagon or if you don't need that much room get the Outback Sport. Stick and 2.2 l engine. Lots of performance goodies out there You can probably pick up a 92-01 one for a good price. Problem is if you go to three kids, the car will probably be two small. I guess it depends overall on family size within the next few years. BW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thealleyboy Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 I'm not into the newer Subes too heavily, but I must admit, I kinda like the Forrester wagon. In my mind, this is the closest Sube has to the old school (EA82) era cars. The Forrester is equipped similarly, and about the same size, though taller, so it feels "bigger". You could easily get by with a vehicle like this for hauling your family around. Nothing wrong with the Legacy/Outback if that's your thing. They are good reliable cars. Personally, they just don't excite me much... good luck, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Its time to upgrade to a Legacy True, true... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodaka Rider Posted June 30, 2004 Author Share Posted June 30, 2004 OK, here's some more info: It's my decision to get rid of my '83. Too much rust, rod knock, needs new clutch, etc, etc. This does not rule out an old-skool, but I would need much more power than I currently have. And I need a child seat, too. Phat: After driving the Liberty, and off-roading It, I actually have more respect for it than I thought I would. Besides - it's her vehicle and we need it to tow the trailer. Not sure where you got the "rebadged GEO Tracker" idea from, either. Oh yeah: you will not find EITHER of us behind the wheel of a minivan. No-way. Uh-uhh. Fuhgeddit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddcomp Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 i got my wife a dodge caravan "turbo" gets good mileage decent power .. can be hopped up fairly easy and is so far pretty darn reliable and since its not a newer vehicle it's fairly cheap to purchase heh i inturn took possesion of the suby in my sig fair trade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHATBRAT Posted July 1, 2004 Share Posted July 1, 2004 My sister has a Liberty. They aren't that great off road. (My Brother in law got stuck in the mud...wasn't that deep. Didn't need that much driving skills to go through there. Could be the stock tires though) I personally didn't take it off road but if he got stuck in that little bit of mud...... Then again, I guess I shouldn't say much since I wasn't behind the wheel. I guess I am just not a big fan of Jeeps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hondasucks Posted July 1, 2004 Share Posted July 1, 2004 Get rid of the rebadged GEO Tracker and get yourself the Subaru of choice (Same high pricetag, right) then go out and buy a 1990's Grand Caravan with a 3.3L. to haul the family around in. This is what I did because my wife also came with 2 kids (At the time 2 yrs old and 4 yrs old NOW 6 and 8) and now we have one more who is 2. (My first) The dodge caravan is the best selling minivan. Geat on gas, looks pretty good, very dependable, easy to get parts for and cheap. MAKE SURE you get one that has the FACTORY towing package on it (Have the dealer run the vin if you are unsure, they can tell what options it was ordered with.) The non-towing package vans have several critical parts in the transmission that Chrysler, to save a few bucks a tranny, didnt' use hardened parts, so after about 70,000 miles your van doesn't move anymore becuase one of the shafts inside doesn't have splines on it anymore. The vans with the towing package use hardened steel parts in the tranny, and they are just fine. (However, most of the non-towign pkg vans that have had the transmisison rebuilt, have had these parts replaced with the upgraded, hardened parts.) And the last thing you want to do is go buy a car, and then have to sink $3500 into it to have the transmission replaced :-) OTher than that, they are good minivans. The old ones are indestructable, especially if you get one that is a 5 speed (And they DID come Turbo, but I dunno if they came turbo with a 5 speed or not, but you could convert it fairly easily with the 5 speed out of a Turbo Shadow or something.. I've seen a turbo caravan WITH AN AUTOMATIC, that ran mid 12s @ 27 PSI I think the address is http://home.earthlink.net/~turbogus And Jeep Liberty = AWD Minivan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodaka Rider Posted July 1, 2004 Author Share Posted July 1, 2004 This is going OT pretty fast. Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure the Liberty does not qualify as a minivan, Honda. Thats a funny one. A minivan with seating for 5. Oh yeah, it's not AWD. It's dual-range 4X, and 3rd gear low range is about the same as 1st low in my Soob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zefy Posted July 1, 2004 Share Posted July 1, 2004 when my dad bought the legasy wagon (01) i wasn't amazingly pleased with it... (mind you this was when i thought subaru was just another car company... i have found my way...) it was a wagon!!! the wagon part made me kinda sick... it was one step closer to a minivan... but now i see how cool it is... they are perfect for families... not only does the size of the family matters but also the SIZE OF THE FAMILY and when it was my brother and i in the back we had to be comfertable... you kids are going to be growing(as i am sure you have learned:lol: ) i am 5'11 and my brother is 6'3 and we both like to streach out when driving... i have no complaints... and we make constant trips to whistler(2hr average) and i am always comfortable... my dad isn't a crazy go 90 in a 50 zone(in KM!!!) driver but when he wants to go the legasy can really dish it out... you don't need the turbo... if you really want to drive fast use the liberty... then crash it... then go buy another subaru!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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