Another "Which SUV" advice request.

[the Teuton]

Hold ze phone, this is what every young man needs

My other car is a Panzer?

[2o6]

It's a Blazer.  Those things are the deadliest cars on record.  I don't remember where I saw that, but it holds the title of vehicle with the most deaths.  What year is your brothers Tahoe and how heavily does he drive it?

His is a 1999.......he drives it every day to work.

[Soup DeVille]

My other car is a Panzer?

Mein oder auto ist ein pinzgauer!

[the Teuton]

Mein oder auto ist ein pinzgauer!

My or car is a Pingauer?

I think you mean "andere."

[Soup DeVille]

My or car is a Pingauer?

I think you mean "andere."

Yes, yes I did.

[the Teuton]

Yes, yes I did.

I haven't spoken German in months.  People say I'll forget it.  Bullcrap.

[The Pirate]

Hmm, I'd probably go for an Xterra.  I rather like the Escape as well, I'd probably buy one of those before I bought an Explorer (I think it looks 'rugged' enough to fulfill the testosterone requirement). 

FWIW, there's an Army recruiting center very near where I work.  I don't know how it is at the Academy (you'd certainly know better), but there doesn't seem to be a huge domestic push there.  Two of the guys at that office drive Tacomas and a 3rd has a Maxima.  On that note, my vote is for a Toyota Tacoma! 

Seriously though, would he do a pickup?  No fuel economy penalty relative to a true SUV, and they are so damn handy.  I'd look at a Tacoma, Ranger or Frontier.

[MaxPower]

Nobody's mentioned the H3 yet?

[the Teuton]

Nobody's mentioned the H3 yet?

Used, they're a great buy.  New, OTOH....

uhh.....no.

[Laconian]

The H3 is compromised in so many practical aspects it's not even funny. There are ton of other more vanilla SUVs I'd rather have at the same price point.

[the Teuton]

The H3 is compromised in so many practical aspects it's not even funny. There are ton of other more vanilla SUVs I'd rather have at the same price point.

Like a Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited with the Freedom top and a 6-speed manual?

[S204STi]

Hold ze phone, this is what every young man needs

I sure love me a Unimog. 

[sparkplug]

Get him a pink Volkswagen Beetle convertible. It just reeks of manliness.

I know this has already been mentioned but I'm kind of impressed by the H3. The five cylinder is only 3.5 liters but it should deliver decent mileage for it's weight and class.

Otherwise get a Ford Explorer.

[the Teuton]

I have to ask:  How new of a car are we looking for?

[Morris Minor]

I have to ask:  How new of a car are we looking for?

Thanks for the suggestions folks. The Xterra or Pathfinder look to be good possibilities - made in the USA. As to "how new?"... I'm thinking something that is just off lease from a dealer that is keen to unload newly-unfashionable SUVs at attractive prices. So, two or three years old, which would put it around model year 2005 or 6.

[the Teuton]

Yeah, one of the Nissans would fit that bill very nicely since their resale isn't quite up there with Toyota's.  Let someone else take the hit.

[BimmerM3]

+1 to the vote count for a Cherokee, but please, God, do not get a Grand Cherokee. My family has had 3 of them, and they aren't so great.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-Trucks___Jeep-2001-Cherokee-Sport-4x4-4-0L-ABS-Cruise-38K-Mile_W0QQitemZ290276058573QQddnZCarsQ20Q26Q20TrucksQQddiZ2282QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item290276058573&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65%3A-1|39%3A1|240%3A1318

[the Teuton]

Cherokees are loud, unrefined, outdated, and cramped, but they're awesome.  At least look at them.

[Tave]

The 4.0 is one of the smoothest truck engines I've been around. I would love to have that beast.

[BimmerM3]

The 4.0 is one of the smoothest truck engines I've been around. I would love to have that beast.

Interesting note: The V8s used in Toyota trucks are the exact same engines as those used in Lexus cars, except that the Lexus engines use tighter tolerances.

[TBR]

Interesting note: The V8s used in Toyota trucks are the exact same engines as those used in Lexus cars, except that the Lexus engines use tighter tolerances.

No they aren't.

5.7l:
Sequoia
Tundra
Land Cruiser
LX570

4.7l:
GX470
Tundra
Sequioa

4.6l
GS460
LS460

4.3l
SC430

Note- But at least the 4.3l and 4.7l belong to the same family. I am pretty sure the 4.6l and 5.7l are the first V8s in two different families.

[ifcar]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_UZ_engine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_UR_engine

[The Pirate]

No they aren't.

5.7l:
Sequoia
Tundra
Land Cruiser
LX570

4.7l:
GX470
Tundra
Sequioa

4.6l
GS460
LS460

4.3l
SC430

Note- But at least the 4.3l and 4.7l belong to the same family. I am pretty sure the 4.6l and 5.7l are the first V8s in two different families.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_UR_engine

There are differences, but they are all the same family.  As well, the previous UZ family had similar sharing among Lexus and certain Toyota trucks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_UZ_engine

Damn, beat by iffy!

[Soup DeVille]

I trust wikipedia for nothing when it comes to technical matters.

[TBR]

Nonetheless, they aren't exactly the same.

[WookieOnRitalin]

What about a Suzuki Grand Vitara? I know that's the second time I've mentioned it, but it's masculine and a true off road machine with 4WD, comfortable cabin, room for hauling, superior towing capacity for the class, and uses a timing chain instead of belt (low maintenance). Seems like the perfect compromise.

[BimmerM3]

Nonetheless, they aren't exactly the same.

I apologize. When I was working for Toyota, one of the projects my office (and I) were working on was adapting a 3UR line so that it could make 3UR and 1UR engines. At that time, they were planning on replacing the 4.7L UZ with the 4.6L 1UR with for use in the Tacoma and Tundra (all of our engines went to trucks). I don't know if those plans are still intact however, since I heard that one of the two project my office was working on got canceled.

But yeah, I saw the part drawings for the Lexus-bound 1UR and the Tundra/Tacoma-bound 1UR, and the only differences were in the tolerances, at least in the parts that our plant machined (block, crank, cam, head, con-rod).

[TBR]

I apologize. When I was working for Toyota, one of the projects my office (and I) were working on was adapting a 3UR line so that it could make 3UR and 1UR engines. At that time, they were planning on replacing the 4.7L UZ with the 4.6L 1UR with for use in the Tacoma and Tundra (all of our engines went to trucks). I don't know if those plans are still intact however, since I heard that one of the two project my office was working on got canceled.

But yeah, I saw the part drawings for the Lexus-bound 1UR and the Tundra/Tacoma-bound 1UR, and the only differences were in the tolerances, at least in the parts that our plant machined (block, crank, cam, head, con-rod).

With the current truck market it probably doesn't make sense to invest so much so they can produce another truck engine (though a V8 Tacoma would be sweet indeed) since the two newer engines are already very good.

[BimmerM3]

With the current truck market it probably doesn't make sense to invest so much so they can produce another truck engine (though a V8 Tacoma would be sweet indeed) since the two newer engines are already very good.

I'm not sure, but I think it was the other project that got canceled (which was building a second 3UR line). A lot of the work for the 1UR/3UR line had already been done when I left right before Christmas 2007, and I thought that start of production was scheduled for summer 2008, but that could have changed.

I guess my point is that the large majority of the investment cost had already been done. There was no design cost since it was just a Lexus, and many of the machines had already been (or were going to be within a couple weeks after me leaving) modified.

[TBR]

Maybe they're using the engines in Lexus's instead.