New Car, Need Advice

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Medic5916

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Jul 11, 2014
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This is my second post today and I am amazed at the responses and helpful information. It is also cool to see a forum that doesn't have people bash on everyone else and fill the page with arguments and others telling you to use the search button when most of the time it is a question that is asked from a particular situation. So for that I thank all of you.

My next question is about buying a new car.

Price Range: $30,000 (US) or less with trade in for a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD v6 3.0

Objectives:

-easy to maintain
-runs well
-can be taken almost anywhere (for this we are thinking mid-size suv)
-does not have problems now or in the foreseeable future(shooting high)
-if/when it does have problems, can be fixed easily

(all of these points pertaining to DR obviously, for instance, mechanics here seem to hate certain Jeep models and have trouble with them, unless you are Rony, haha).

Our Demographics/Info.: We live in the "mountains" (Jarabacoa), so it would have to make uphill and downhill climbs easily without unnecessary wear to the engine. We make regular trips to the beach (Cabarete), Santiago, and Santo Domingo, about once or twice a month, so it would also have to be able to make distance treks at times.

Just so you know where our minds are at, and they are definitely not set on anything yet, we have been doing research on a 2009 and up Toyota Highlander or a 2008 and up Toyota Land Cruiser Prado (Diesel). A question to go along with this is should we be looking diesel or not diesel? Some people say diesel is not up to par in this country and wears down engines quickly. Is it better to buy a regular gas car anyway? I have owned both and if it is the extra power, then thats awesome, but not a necessity for me. Based on how we use it, the extra power will not make a big difference for us. Just a little push up the mountain to Jarabacoa.

Hopefully this is enough information and as always, you guys are awesome and any information is greatly appreciated.
 
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texan

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Apr 1, 2014
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The Toyota Highlander looks nice. I think that is midsize US standards and full size DR standards. I rented a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado in Panama and it was a nice car. The 4th generation Prado (2009 &up) is the Lexus 460 in the USA. Those both look like nice cars. My family has had a Lexus ES300 and know a Lexus RX330 they have both been nice cars and not many problems. I enjoy driving the RX330. It isn't a 4x4 or a off road vehicle (it's a crossover) but is fine on dirt or gravel roads. Their interiors are nice and quiet.

I am not sure if Diesel is worth it or not then having a Turbo Diesel. Just sounds like more maintenance and or more expensive maintenance. Plus more cost of front normally. I also thought diesel wear for better MPG, longer engine life and maybe more power. But gas motors are lasting a lot of miles now.

I would also consider Hyundai and maybe a Kia. Are you wanting a 4x4? A SUV is nice for the ground clearance and more comfortable.
 
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Medic5916

New member
Jul 11, 2014
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texan said:
Are you wanting a 4x4? A SUV is nice for the ground clearance and more comfortable.
Click to expand...

Yes, we are definitely considering a Land Cruiser Prado around 2008-2009. Our oddball though is the Toyota FJ. I don't want this car to be a novelty or just look cool, I want it to function and function well. Has anyone had experience with the Toyota FJ? we have the ability to purchase one and are looking at a 2007 Toyota FJ TRD. It seems a little excessive, but if it works and is a great car, why not?
 
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webmacon

Active member
Jul 4, 2006
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Have an FJ which I take care off myself and I'm often, like right now, in Jarabacoa.
I might sell it to buy the same 2013, really like this car. Will be in La Fria from 6:00 to 7:00pm
 
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playacaribe2

Gold
Jan 9, 2004
10,912
2,247
113
Medic5916 said:
This is my second post today and I am amazed at the responses and helpful information. It is also cool to see a forum that doesn't have people bash on everyone else and fill the page with arguments and others telling you to use the search button when most of the time it is a question that is asked from a particular situation. So for that I thank all of you.

My next question is about buying a new car.

Price Range: $30,000 (US) or less with trade in for a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD v6 3.0

Objectives:

-easy to maintain
-runs well
-can be taken almost anywhere (for this we are thinking mid-size suv)
-does not have problems now or in the foreseeable future(shooting high)
-if/when it does have problems, can be fixed easily

(all of these points pertaining to DR obviously, for instance, mechanics here seem to hate certain Jeep models and have trouble with them, unless you are Rony, haha).

Our Demographics/Info.: We live in the "mountains" (Jarabacoa), so it would have to make uphill and downhill climbs easily without unnecessary wear to the engine. We make regular trips to the beach (Cabarete), Santiago, and Santo Domingo, about once or twice a month, so it would also have to be able to make distance treks at times.

Just so you know where our minds are at, and they are definitely not set on anything yet, we have been doing research on a 2009 and up Toyota Highlander or a 2008 and up Toyota Land Cruiser Prado (Diesel). A question to go along with this is should we be looking diesel or not diesel? Some people say diesel is not up to par in this country and wears down engines quickly. Is it better to buy a regular gas car anyway? I have owned both and if it is the extra power, then thats awesome, but not a necessity for me. Based on how we use it, the extra power will not make a big difference for us. Just a little push up the mountain to Jarabacoa.

Hopefully this is enough information and as always, you guys are awesome and any information is greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

Keeping this as simple as possible;

Buy the Highlander.....it has outstanding reviews.

More complex though;

Make sure it is 4 wheel drive. I cannot tell you how many times people assume it is 4 wheel drive. Toyota makes a 2 wheel drive in this model as well.

Know your cars....and if you don't...know your dealer...and if you don't....know your mechanic.

Lots of "played" with vehicles in the DR...odometer rollbacks, reconstructed salvage vehicles, poor/limited maintenance as well.

If you are spending that kind of money and do not know your cars or your dealer or a trustworthy mechanic.....there is another poster on here "Gorgon" who I consider to be pretty knowledgeable and I believe he has helped others steer clear of problems.

You may wish to PM him for a consult.

Good Luck.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
 
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william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
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Example

2 yrs ago I bought a Suzuki XL7 ( w/ 3rd row seating )... $20,000.
car had less than 10,000miles, 6 months warranty left from the factory

The Suzuki resale value is bad - worse than others
good when buying - not so good if selling.

Made in Canada by GM..... not available in No America any longer.... off shore only
 
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suarezn

Gold
Feb 3, 2002
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Another car thread...

OP: Just do a search in here, there are plenty of car threads. Everyone has their favorites, but bottom line is if you care about resale value stay with Toyota or Honda. Use Supercarros as a guide, but consider that the prices quoted there are typically inflated by quite a bit. Good luck...
 
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suarezn

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Feb 3, 2002
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Derfish said:
I never figured out why anyone except a car dealer would buy a car for it's resale value instead of its usefulness.
Click to expand...

If/when you decide to sell it then you'll know why...Trust me when I tell you it makes a huge difference. My brother had a car dealership for a long time, so I know a little bit about this. As an example right now if you had bought two vehicles a 2008 Ford escape and a 2008 Honda CRV (Which brand new would have cost you about the same) and you were trying to sell them now you'd get around 200k pesos less for the Escape. Not to mention that you probably would have had to spend a lot more on maintenance on the escape. I know it's generalizing, but I hope you get the picture.
 
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Medic5916

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Jul 11, 2014
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A little update...got a carfax and talked to the dealer about a 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser TRD and everything came back clean and working well. Regular maintenance, no previous problems or repairs, no accidents, and 70,000 miles according to the carfax. Wondering if anyone has any last minute objections to this.

Question to the person that posted a bit back about the Highlander. A lot of the reviews came back as a comfortable and smooth ride and negative reviews were that some of the more luxurious things didn't work. It just seems like this is a luxury version of a 4 Runner. We are looking for a rugged vehicle that will run "forever" and have very little problems and be able to put up with some abuse from climbing some steeper inclines and making long treks accross the island once or twice a month.

If either car fits this bill, we are at the point where we just want to buy the best car under $30,000.
 
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karlheinz

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Oct 2, 2006
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here's a diesel "4 runner" - Toyota 4 Runner 2000 En Venta en Rep?blica Dominicana @SuperCarros.com - #393999

actually it's a Hilux Surf = Japanese market 4runner, turbo diesel, 2000, 4 wd on the fly; I think they are asking 260,000. I think few people actually recognize that it is a 4runner because of the name Hilux Surf.
I have a 2001 version and have nothing but good to say about it, these are originally right hand drive changed to left hand drive. You will hear both good and bad about this conversion, my experience is very good - zero problems after 4 years of ownership. I get avg 22 mpg +/-
 
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karlheinz

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Oct 2, 2006
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supposedly the FJ needs to run on premium gasoline. A diesel version will give you a lifetime of use with proper care / maintenance.
 
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karlheinz

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Oct 2, 2006
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Honda CR-V and Toyota 4Runner - two of the 10 vehicles recently listed with the highest resale value of all cars on the market.
 
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MerengueDutchie

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Oct 13, 2003
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Have you looked at the 'camionetta' class of vehicles.

Both diesel and gas vehicles. Long lasting, sturdy and relatively simple to fix.

Examples would be:

1. Isuzu Dmax
2. Toyota Hilux

Those are well regarded, rugged, suited to country life and can run forever.
 
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playacaribe2

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Jan 9, 2004
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Medic5916 said:
A little update...got a carfax and talked to the dealer about a 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser TRD and everything came back clean and working well. Regular maintenance, no previous problems or repairs, no accidents, and 70,000 miles according to the carfax. Wondering if anyone has any last minute objections to this.

Question to the person that posted a bit back about the Highlander. A lot of the reviews came back as a comfortable and smooth ride and negative reviews were that some of the more luxurious things didn't work. It just seems like this is a luxury version of a 4 Runner. We are looking for a rugged vehicle that will run "forever" and have very little problems and be able to put up with some abuse from climbing some steeper inclines and making long treks accross the island once or twice a month.

If either car fits this bill, we are at the point where we just want to buy the best car under $30,000.
Click to expand...

You are the one that has to be happy with your choice...so weigh all the information you receive in that light.

The 2007 FJ Cruiser had some transmission problems....so be aware of this.

Further, Toyota has stopped production of the FJ Cruiser for whatever reason.

It is a rugged vehicle that can easily handle rough hilly terrain.....and from the automotive press;

The FJ debuted to both criticism and acclaim from the automotive press. Critics appreciated Toyota's drive to bring such an aggressively styled and purpose driven vehicle to market at a time when the company was focused on more conservative designs. The FJ was universally praised for its off road performance with many reviewers also appreciating its on road manners, functional interior, and styling that paid homage to the original FJ40.[3][35]

Some reviewers took issue with the amount of body roll and low lateral grip performance though noting the suspension was designed to be soft with a long travel for off road use.[36]

The FJ Cruiser was also criticized for its styling which created large blindspots, smaller than average cargo capacity, and cramped rear seating that was difficult to access. Toyota attempted to improve the blind spot issues by offering a rear back up camera starting with the 2009 model year[37] and changed the hinge mechanisms on the front seats allowing passengers easier entry and exit from the rear starting with the 2011 model.[38]

If you tell me what year highlander, I can search my clients' databases for issues specific to that model year.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
 
M

Medic5916

New member
Jul 11, 2014
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playacaribe2 said:
You are the one that has to be happy with your choice...so weigh all the information you receive in that light.

The 2007 FJ Cruiser had some transmission problems....so be aware of this.

Further, Toyota has stopped production of the FJ Cruiser for whatever reason.

It is a rugged vehicle that can easily handle rough hilly terrain.....and from the automotive press;

The FJ debuted to both criticism and acclaim from the automotive press. Critics appreciated Toyota's drive to bring such an aggressively styled and purpose driven vehicle to market at a time when the company was focused on more conservative designs. The FJ was universally praised for its off road performance with many reviewers also appreciating its on road manners, functional interior, and styling that paid homage to the original FJ40.[3][35]

Some reviewers took issue with the amount of body roll and low lateral grip performance though noting the suspension was designed to be soft with a long travel for off road use.[36]

The FJ Cruiser was also criticized for its styling which created large blindspots, smaller than average cargo capacity, and cramped rear seating that was difficult to access. Toyota attempted to improve the blind spot issues by offering a rear back up camera starting with the 2009 model year[37] and changed the hinge mechanisms on the front seats allowing passengers easier entry and exit from the rear starting with the 2011 model.[38]

If you tell me what year highlander, I can search my clients' databases for issues specific to that model year.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
Click to expand...

Really appreciate the info. We are looking at Highlander years 2007-20010. Really the best condition in those years that is under the $30,000.

I didn't read any reviews on other websites about any transmission problems. Thats the first I've heard about any of that. I have heard about the blind spots and possible problems with rocks damaging the front window because it is so flat/straight up. As far as the premium gasoline goes, I don't think its that much more expensive. Do they make a diesel model? If so, would that be a better option? I don't want to have regular problems and definitely don't want people to not know how to fix it.
 
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SugarMorena

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The highlander or the CRV. Great resale value and parts are cheaper than the ones for the FJ Cruiser. If you can buy it in the US and ship it here.
 
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suarezn

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Neither the highlander nor the CRV are really rugged type of vehicles to go out into the boonies. For that the FJ is better. If you could swing it of course a Rover and if not maybe a Jeep - The latest craze in The DR seems to be to go "Monteando" Into the boonies, and for that people are buying Jeeps and having them raised and souped up.
 
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playacaribe2

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Jan 9, 2004
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Medic5916 said:
Really appreciate the info. We are looking at Highlander years 2007-20010. Really the best condition in those years that is under the $30,000.
Click to expand...

Hard to go wrong on any of those years....however, 2008 was the introduction of a new bodystyle....and the rule of thumb is never buy the first year of a new design change....they need to work the bugs out...and the 2008 had some bugs....minor, but bugs.

So, skip the 2007 as you will be buying an old generation highlander....and that impacts resale value. You are now left with either a 2009, 2010. Of those, I give a very (emphasis on very) slight edge to the 09.

I didn't read any reviews on other websites about any transmission problems. Thats the first I've heard about any of that. I have heard about the blind spots and possible problems with rocks damaging the front window because it is so flat/straight up. As far as the premium gasoline goes, I don't think its that much more expensive. Do they make a diesel model? If so, would that be a better option? I don't want to have regular problems and definitely don't want people to not know how to fix it.
Click to expand...

Torque converter locking up was reported by an inordinate number of owners after 50,000 miles. Also, there were paint and trim problems on the 07 and 08.

That's a basic overview of the year/model. Your job will now be to find a good/well kept one within your parameters.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
Click to expand...
 
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