My 04 silver 6MT sedan is on the selling block - a couple weeks ago I picked up a 2005 Silverstone 6MT 350Z with low kms (10,000). The first thought was to just sell the G and run winter tires on the Z (ie. use it as my daily driver) but now I'm not so sure I want to drive the Z in the winter. I still love my sedan but truthfully it leans too much towards luxury than versatility. Ever since I bought the darn G I haven't been as active as I used to be (I live in Calgary and would be involved in some sort of outdoor/mountain sport every weekend) - I couldn't bring myself to put a bike rack/ski rack on the car, and it's not the car that I could feel good about just throwing my sports/outdoor gear inside and not worrying about the interior.

So my thoughts are that the best of both worlds is to drive the Z in the summer and buy an SUV as my daily driver / activities vehicle.

That being said, which of you G owners also have an SUV? Which one did you get and do you have any recommendations? I'm not looking for something that has tremendous offroad capabilities - just a good combination of power/torque, cargo space, decent looks, and reliability.

In the meantime, here is a pic of the Z (and no, the house in the background is NOT mine! I only wish!!!).

 

Are you going to tow heavy stuff? Do you need 7+ seating or will 5 be enough?

I have a Navigator and it's refreshing to drive something big and bulky once in a while. But it's not really all that great for off road because of that fact.

I guess if you do a lot of outdoor sports, I'd get something like an Xterra, Pathfinder, or that new Honda small suv. I forget what it's called but it's pretty cheap.

If you do heavy towing or need lots of seating capacity, the new Tahoes are nice. They finally redesigned the interior and now it looks very modern. Of course gas will be a killer if you go this route.

 

I picked up a used SUV over the winter as I didn't want to drive my G in the winter anymore. I ended up getting a 2000 QX4 and have been very happy with it. It's not all the best in fuel economy, but I guess that's par for the course with an SUV.

If you are looking for a full size SUV, it sounds like the Xterra would suit you well. For a smaller SUV, maybe look at the X-Trail.

 

Canuck - is the QX4 that upscale Pathfinder? I was talking to a friend over lunch today who has the new Pathfinder (SE) and he seems to enjoy his. I was also thinking of the Xterra because it is designed for people who do lot of outdoor activities - I know it's not luxurious as some of the other SUV's out there but that's not what I'm looking for in this case.

badtziscool - wow, the Navigator must have a ton of room. I've seen them on the road but have never sat in one. That's a pretty big SUV, as is the Tahoe.

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I guess bottom line is that I'll have to get out there (and on the Internet) and see what all the manufacturers have. I don't think that I'll be doing any towing, and as long as I have room for about 5 people and gear (for group outings) I should be okay. I'll probably get a Thule/Yakima bike/snowboard/ski rack but that's about it.

Keep the comments coming, especially if you have had a bad experience with a specific model - i.e. reliability. I know, I know - if I buy a new or relatively new one, the warranty should protect me, but not having to take the SUV (or any vehicle for that matter) in for repairs is even better!

Some pics of the G and Z. The front plate holder will be coming off as soon as the bumper plugs I ordered from www.bumperplugs.com arrive!

 

Yep, your're exactly right. A few more bells and whistles over the Pathfinder, but more or less the same.

Here is some info on the QX4 if you want to take a look at it. It sounds like the Xterra might be a better fit for you though.

http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/jc/01-02qx4.htm

 

Hi Joel, the new Z looks great. I agree with Canuck the Nissan Xterra is a versatile go anywhere vehicle and is the type of vehicle you won't worry about loading with gear or doing a bit of off-roading. The QX4 like Shane purchased this winter is a great vehicle also, my neighbor has one and he absolutely loves it. It is more of a luxury SUV and like you said that's not what you are looking for.
Let us know what you get.
Wayne

 

I love the look and color of this Xterra.....I think I would take that over my QX4.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...a/DSC00669.jpg

 

Wayne - yeah the Xterra might be the one to go with. I was surfing earlier this evening and it had pretty good specs. Was surprised to find that it had a 265 hp 4 L engine as well. The Xterra Offroad 4WD won out in the latest Car and Driver comparo vs. the H3, FJ Cruiser, Grand Cherokee.

canuck - wow, that Xterra has an eyecatching colour. I seem to remember in previous years that some Xterras (the ones with the supercharger?) had nice looking whels, gunmetal with rivets.

Thanks again for the comments.

 

I've got an Acura MDX to accompany the G, and am very happy with it. It's quite comfortable, and it's much larger than than it looks. I'm always amazed at how much crap I can put in there with the second row of seats still up. If I put the second row down, there's not much that wont fit back there.

The MDX is pretty good on gas, is very smooth, and only feels unhappy when the road is very choppy. The RX was a lot smoother on the choppy roads, but a hell of a lot more expensive, and I only have to deal with very choppy roads ocassionaly.

Having said that, I've got it for the kids, and all their stuff, so if you don't need HUGE amounts of space, something like an Xterra or Liberty. My brother in law has a Renegade version of the Liberty, and it's actually a pretty nice SUV. It's not particularly great on gas, but it looks pretty darn rugged.

Good luck with the purchase!