Help on upcoming car purchase

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Ram,

There is some good advice above. Remember Consumer Reports is your bible. Check their scores and recommendations for all vehicles in the segment you are interested in. Don't just go by initial cost of the vehicle. Go by 'cost of ownership' which includes fuel, insurance, maintenance/repairs, resale value, etc. Also, since you have a family, check the crash ratings. Lastly, in my humble opinion, I'd recommend something car-based, not truck-based, for comfort. Good luck.

 
^^^ Most SUV's are car based anymore due to the comfort. Only truck based ones are the "full size" SUV's like Tahoe, Expedition, etc.

 
I really wish I had gotten a Toyota Sequoia with the second row of seats as captains chairs.

 
My truck is comfy. Cars are for girls.
I'd be very happy to challenge your truck with my Turbo Audi S4 or Supercharged Nissan Maxima on any drag strip or road course. 4 doors, mid-twenties MPG, over 300 HP, speed, handling, creature comforts such as heated leather seats. Oh, and did I mention two car seats in the rear? :D

 
My truck is comfy. Cars are for girls.
I'd be very happy to challenge your truck with my Turbo Audi S4 or Supercharged Nissan Maxima on any drag strip or road course. 4 doors, mid-twenties MPG, over 300 HP, speed, handling, creature comforts such as heated leather seats. Oh, and did I mention two car seats in the rear? :D

but where do you put your deer meat?

 
My truck is comfy. Cars are for girls.
I'd be very happy to challenge your truck with my Turbo Audi S4 or Supercharged Nissan Maxima on any drag strip or road course. 4 doors, mid-twenties MPG, over 300 HP, speed, handling, creature comforts such as heated leather seats. Oh, and did I mention two car seats in the rear? :D
but where do you put your deer meat?
I've never had to worry about that one. But on the occasions I do need a 'truck' (moving, Home Depot runs, etc.), I have a $300 4'x8' Harbor Freight trailer I hook up to my daily driver ('03 Acura TL).

 
My truck is comfy. Cars are for girls.
I'd be very happy to challenge your truck with my Turbo Audi S4 or Supercharged Nissan Maxima on any drag strip or road course. 4 doors, mid-twenties MPG, over 300 HP, speed, handling, creature comforts such as heated leather seats. Oh, and did I mention two car seats in the rear? :D
but where do you put your deer meat?
I've never had to worry about that one. But on the occasions I do need a 'truck' (moving, Home Depot runs, etc.), I have a $300 4'x8' Harbor Freight trailer I hook up to my daily driver ('03 Acura TL).
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My truck is comfy. Cars are for girls.
I'd be very happy to challenge your truck with my Turbo Audi S4 or Supercharged Nissan Maxima on any drag strip or road course. 4 doors, mid-twenties MPG, over 300 HP, speed, handling, creature comforts such as heated leather seats. Oh, and did I mention two car seats in the rear? :D
300 hp, how cute.

 
My truck is comfy. Cars are for girls.
I'd be very happy to challenge your truck with my Turbo Audi S4 or Supercharged Nissan Maxima on any drag strip or road course. 4 doors, mid-twenties MPG, over 300 HP, speed, handling, creature comforts such as heated leather seats. Oh, and did I mention two car seats in the rear? :D
300 hp, how cute.
What HP is a good number to you?

Well, there may be plenty of cars that come from the factory with more HP (especially today), but I take pride in my "earned" 300 HP. Especially with the Maxima. With the S4, I haven't done as much. I added intake, a turbo-back exhaust, and a Stage 2 tune to the ECU. I haven't dyno'd him but 250 stock crank HP + about 75-100 for my mods = ~350 crank HP - drivetrain losses (6MT) =~300HP wheel HP. Actually, probably high 200s. But the Maxima, is a true dyno'd 318 WHP (and 307 WTQ, I believe). Which is pretty good considering my 4th generation Maxima came with only 190 crank HP (~150 WHP - 4AT). So, I have more than doubled his WHP. :D Vortech supercharger, with 2.87" pulley, water-air aftercooler, headers, headers-back exhaust, lightened pulleys, etc. And I have done some serious weight reduction. I got him down to about 3,000lb. So it's a decent power-weight ratio.

 
2010 Camaro 2SS/RS.

6.2l V8, with intake, headers, ported throttle body, high-flow cats & catback exhaust, dyno-tuned to 419 rwhp/419 tq. Assuming 20% losses, I'm at 525 at the crank. Once it's paid off I plan on putting a supercharger on it and upgrade camshaft, heads, and putting 3.91 rear gears in. I'd like to be in the 600rwhp range when done

Other mods include: ZL1 springs, toe rods, trailing arms, multiple bushing upgrades, sway bars & endlinks, slotted/dimpled rotors, 6-piston brembo front caliper upgrade, strut tower brace. Then a bunch of cosmetic things & upgraded stereo.

BTW, it's my daily driver.

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