Big Paws Only Dog Forums
BPO General Forum => General Board for Big Dogs with Big Paws => : DixieSugarBear March 08, 2006, 05:19:15 PM
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Ok this is what Dixie and I did to our Trooper SUV. It was a total loss. Anyone have any ideas on a great SUV that will hold two or three pyrs.
Lisa
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HOLY CRAPPOLA!!! How did that happen??? I hope you guys are OK. If you're looking for a new SUV, I can tell you about ours. We have enjoyed our 1998 Suburban immensely and it has been a great dog vehicle.  Here's an exact look-alike of our truck.Â
(http://www.nw-autopage.com/lg_pics/2230068.jpg)
(http://images.forbes.com/images/2002/09/16/test_interior_415x259.jpg)
We took out the back seat because we rarely have that many people in the vehicle at once and it gives Drake a ton of room to lay down. If you can imagine that from the interior shot, there's plenty of space for three Pyrs, easily! We also have captain chairs in the middle so he can come all the way up to the front to say hi to us or hang his head out the windows. We have had very few mechanical issues with this model and if you stay on top of all the regular maintenence, it will last you quite a while. Downside, it doesn't get the best gas mileage. About 18 highway, 14 city. I put on an after market exhaust (that Sarah HATES!!!) and that improves the MPG a bit but it still is a bit pricey at the pump these days. Hope this helps! ;DÂ
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OH NO!
Glad both of you are OK! Wow!
Well, do you have to fit anyone else in there? Cuz we've got a Toyota 4-Runner. Its a great SUV. They maintain their value FOREVER, are easy to maintain, and the the scheme of SUV's get relatively decent gas mileage. Cabeza (100 pounds) fits comfortably in the rear cargo area without the back seats folded down. Actually, come to think of it, we transported Cabeza AND Maggie the Doberman back there. They were comfy. That, and we had two (human) girls in the back seat, and Mark and I in the front seats. If you don't need to use your back seats for kids, then they can be folded flat and I bet you could fit FOUR Pyrs in there!
We love ours. This is our second Toyota Truck and we've had nothing but success. No problems at all. And when you go to sell it, you won't cry because its now worthless.
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Wow! How'd that happen?! I would definately say you need a new one. ;) I don't have a clue what would fit 3 Pyrs though. I haven't even looked at anything that big.
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Check out the " Join us at Dixie's next show", it has the story of what happened the last day of the dog show. The insurance called it a total loss and said there was no way they would even think about having it fixed. There is not a panel that would not have to be replaced. I really only need the back seat when my granddaughter is with me. Most of the time it is just me or me and the hubby with the fur-kids.
Lisa
Lisa
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OHHHH.....I switched to internet explorer and NOW I get the whole picture! How absolutely terrifying!! You are SOOO lucky to have gotten both of you out of there!
I love our Toyota Highlander. It handles the two Newfies with no problem and it's easy to get the back seats up if we ever have to put people in there.
Again, I'm SOOO sorry that you went through that, Lisa. I just can't imagine! How are you doing now?? Are you sore at all??
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I will check out the Highlander. I am still a little sore, my back, neck, and head have not hurting any more so I am doing great. I am still in shock that Dixie did not have did not have anything wrong. She is still having some bad dreams, but Mommy loves on her and she is ok.
Lisa
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It's amazing how fast loves will heal all the owies! Give her a bunch from her Newf buddies as well....and drools, too, if you can manage!! ;)
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I think I can take care of a few extra hugs for my babies.
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OH WOW!! I'm so glad you made it out of that. I would recommend a Honda CRV or Pilot. They make great cars, run forever and have an awesome warrenty. I drive a CRV. It fits me, my hubby, two dogs, my daughter, and some luggage.
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let me start with
Holy crap!!!
I am very glad you and Dixie were okay, for the most part. that picture is scary! i am next headed to the other post to find out what happened.
i LOVE my Tahoe. when I met my hubby 10 yrs ago, i said i wanted a diesal suburban. he was floored, to say the least, and suggested a blazer. i said no way, it would never fit several mastiffs! once he met one as saw how big they are, we 'compromised' on a tahoe and were finally able to get one 3 yrs ago. i love it! but still would prefer the roomier suburban w/diesal engine.
i like diesal because it gets a bit better mpg and, as long as you do regular oil changes, it will last longer than most gas engines. growing up, we bought a new one in '83 and used it to haul dogs to shows. with mom & her hubby up front, me in the seat behind and the rest of the bench folded down with a dog there, we would fit up to 4 dogs in the rear [depending on their size]. after showing, we would all go to breakfast and would leave the truck running with rear a/c spitting ice [seriously :)!] in the summer. we did this constantly up/down CA for i don't know how long. at least about 9 yrs ago i heard it was still running great with only trans needing rebuilt [we did tow a trailer for a while] and the engine had some work done once. the truck had well over 200k miles on it.
my mom (megaburn) and her current husband got an HD diesal nearly 1 year ago for pulling a 5th wheel travel trailer and absolutely LOVE it. that engine purred pulling a trailer from Monterey Bay, CA up to OH (i think) to move g'ma down to Las Vegas & then drive back home. that was about a month after getting the truck and the mpg didn't drop.
my husband has experienced life with a dane added to our zoo for a bit over 1 year and is starting to realize that when we have more BPs, the tahoe might not be large enough [i plan to assist a oem rescue and foster]. wait until he see's elvis in it too ::)!
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Lisa, I'm very glad that you and Dixie are ok!!!!
I can't rave enough about my Suzuki XL-7. It's a 4x4 SUV, but is lower to the ground, so the boy-os can get in and out very easy! Great gas milage, you can get a fully loaded package for a very decent price, and both rows of seats fold down very easily. I can fit all three of my bozos in the back, three kids in the middle row (two littles and a mutant teenager!) and hubby and I up front with comfort for everyone.
Hope this helps, and again, just glad to hear that you're doing ok!
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Seriously Lisa?, My minivan, a Dodge Grand Caravan, (with the backseat taken out) hauled the dogs better than the Dodge Durango I recently bought...It's easier for them to get into, they somehow seemed to actually have more room, & it gets alot better gas milage than my SUV does...&, I hate to admit, it is alot more fun to drive! :D
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Holy crap!... That's pretty messed up, glad you and dixie are doing ok.
I love the Honda Element for an economical dog vehicle. Rubber floors, lower to the ground than most suvs, the back seats fold up along the sides, etc. It just seems like a great dog-hauler. Smaller than a giant suv like the yukon xl or excursion, so no problems manuvering it into tight parking places.:)
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Hi there dixie. Glad all is well and hope you recoup quickly. I have TWO recommendation s. Do you crate your dogs? I have had the diesel suburban(katy's message) and I have had the GMC Safari. GREAT vehicles they both were. In the GMC you can fit TWO LARGE (mastiff size) crates side by side(facing the back door) and also if you chose you may remove the second set of seats and put one by the side door. so there you have THREE. In taking the three you could only have front seat riders. Mine was bucket front seats so if I did let a dog ride loose(which I did) they could visit me up front. The suburban ran FOREVER and carried a lot of mastiffs to the shows. Sue
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Holy crap!... That's pretty messed up, glad you and dixie are doing ok.
I love the Honda Element for an economical dog vehicle. Rubber floors, lower to the ground than most suvs, the back seats fold up along the sides, etc. It just seems like a great dog-hauler. Smaller than a giant suv like the yukon xl or excursion, so no problems manuvering it into tight parking places.:)
I second that! The Element is awesome! Actually, with the new Elements, you can either fold the back seats up against the sides or you can take them all the way out! The rubber floors are great - no carpet in the whole vehicle to collect hair and easy to clean in case you take the dogs to the beach or lake, it's very roomy inside - definitely enough room for 2 pyrs, priced very economically and gets great gas mileage for an SUV.
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I am so sorry for your accident and I am glad all is alright...
I have a Honda Pilot and can fit two dogs easily without folding the seats...Zero is 130 and Chara is 105 and both have room to get up turn around lay down etc...
If you fold the second row you can easily fit three if not more dogs LOL
If you have no dogs it can fit 8 people...not terrible on gas 37.00 to fill the tank in Boston Ma area
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Holy crap!... That's pretty messed up, glad you and dixie are doing ok.
I love the Honda Element for an economical dog vehicle. Rubber floors, lower to the ground than most suvs, the back seats fold up along the sides, etc. It just seems like a great dog-hauler. Smaller than a giant suv like the yukon xl or excursion, so no problems manuvering it into tight parking places.:)
I second that! The Element is awesome! Actually, with the new Elements, you can either fold the back seats up against the sides or you can take them all the way out! The rubber floors are great - no carpet in the whole vehicle to collect hair and easy to clean in case you take the dogs to the beach or lake, it's very roomy inside - definitely enough room for 2 pyrs, priced very economically and gets great gas mileage for an SUV.
The only thing is that the Element technically isn't an SUV. It has a car frame and car suspension and car transmission, and every thing is car, so it's not going to handle or be able to be abused like a truck/utility vehicle. AND NO I'M NOT SAYING THAT BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE THE ELEMENT JEANNE! Matt gets alot of people who come into work because they made their Elements implode because they thought they were trucks, and were trying to have them haul stuff and tow things and one genius even took it off road.
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OMG! Are you ok?!!!
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I hope you both are feeling OK this morning that is quite a crunch!! Sometimes the second day you are stiff.
I have a GMC Yukon that I really like (same as the tahoe) We had two terrible mini-vans before so I was so relieved to get a good vehicle. Over the summer I was rammed from behind while I waited to make a left hand turn; I saw it coming so I put my foot on the brake; braced myself and BANG the other car (a jeep Liberty) bounced off my car spun out and landed across the street (gladly they weren't hurt either). Anyway I had $2100 damage and we are up and running again.
Again, so sorry and hope you are both AOK!!!
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I'm glad that you both walked away with only minor aches and pains. When I read the other thread my heart missed a beat.
As for a new SUV I would also have to recommend the Suburban. We just bought our second one in September. My guess is we will have one until we replace the dog house with an RV. If we didn't need a vehicle to pull the trailer I MIGHT (Mack says NO WAY) consider a van due to Tucker's hips. We do use a ramp but it would be nice to have a door that slides open on the side.
Keep us posted.
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With the utmost respect to all of my dog-totin' BPO sistahs, :-* I'd like to just add....
American cars in no way will hold their value like a foreign one. A Honda or Toyota will be worth nearly as much when you go to sell it as when you bought it...I mean, it doesn't depreciate by the minute like an American vehicle. (Which is why they knocked some money off, Jenn...they HAVE to bribe people..hehehe ...)
I guess that might not be an issue for some people, but it is for me. I see my cars as investments cuz I'm a broke joke..heheheh. .so I want to know that if I take care of the thing, I can get a good amount of money when I go to sell it. Its just something to consider. I'm certainly not hatin' on you girls that have American cars. :-*
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American cars in no way will hold their value like a foreign one.
Maybe so, but with a Honda or Toyota, you will never get the roominess your Big Dog needs like you do in a Suburban or Denali. I see Newfs and Berners crammed in the back of Toyotas all the time and that might be OK for driving around town or going to the dog park, but not for a long road trip. With our Suburban, I am happy that Drake can make himself comfortable wherever he wants rather than settling on the tiny space he's given. Another suggestion,why don't you get an extended cab pickup? There will be plenty of room for humans up front and plenty of room for the usually dirty doggies in the back. You could also buy a shell if you want some shelter for them in bad weather. Just a suggestion.... ;D
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I dont know...my honda pilot i have two dogs that have ample space to move around without folding down the back seats. My dogs are alwasy in the car some long some short rides...the longest has been 8 hours but it is much larger than the honda CRV on the inside
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American cars in no way will hold their value like a foreign one.
Maybe so, but with a Honda or Toyota, you will never get the roominess your Big Dog needs like you do in a Suburban or Denali. I see Newfs and Berners crammed in the back of Toyotas all the time and that might be OK for driving around town or going to the dog park, but not for a long road trip. With our Suburban, I am happy that Drake can make himself comfortable wherever he wants rather than settling on the tiny space he's given. Another suggestion,why don't you get an extended cab pickup? There will be plenty of room for humans up front and plenty of room for the usually dirty doggies in the back. You could also buy a shell if you want some shelter for them in bad weather. Just a suggestion.... ;D
I wasn't referring to spaciousness. I was making a point about resale value, which has nothing to do with the size of the vehicle.
Your Suburban or Denali will really be worth nothing very quickly. Its the truth.
But, to respond to that, I've got a 4-Runner, and even with the back seats not folded down, Cabeza (100 pounds) and Maggie the Doberman (85 pounds) had ample room to stand and lay down. And do both. Multiple times. Stand, turn around, lay down, look out the windows...And, it has a 60/40 split back seat, so I can fold down one, and still get my kid back there with a TON of room.
And since Lisa mentioned she doesn't usually have any kids in the vehicle, just her dogs, I thought she might want to consider the resale value in addition to size. There are other factors that go into buying a vehicle, ya know.
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Thanks guys, you have given me so many to check out. I was doing great this morning until Dixie and I almost walked on a snake(it's dead now) when we all went for a walk. Most of you know how I am with snakes since the loss of Rosie.
Lisa
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i wasnt even thinking of foreign or domestic LOL my husband has ford 350 diesel and me a honda pilot...
Once i get another dog...not sure on the breed but in two years it will be a BIG SUV because it will have to fit 3 HUGE dogs. smallest being 150 lbs LOL
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Your Suburban or Denali will really be worth nothing very quickly. Its the truth.
I think you're wrong, but I'll respect your opinion. Personally, I would rather buy an American truck or SUV any day. Just about everyone gets burned when they go to sell their vehicle, and since I bought my 1998 Suburban used, I don't plan to make a much off of it when I sell it one day.
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I have a Highlander but its only my daughter, Boo and me. Its good for now but if Boo gets much taller, she won't be doing the standing up thing in the back! Maybe call around to local dealerships that you're interested in and ask them if you can bring the dogs to see how they fit? Most dealers will bend over backwards if they really want to make a sale. Not saying Toyota is better than any other brand, but this is my third one and they've done everything from giving me and installing a rear light casing for free (x-mas tree accident) to sending me a free Fossil watch. I know that seems minor compared to the price of SUV's these days, but to me, its the little things that count. And you can get the Highlander Hybrid and save a little on gas and taxes.
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personally, i look first at roomy-ness to be sure all my furr-kids will fit and make sure it can tow a horse trailer with a pair inside. 2nd, i look at how well the engine and transmission hold up over time regardless of what i use it for. then i research the he** out of the vehicles i've found to be sure more positive than negative reviews exist and to be sure i get the absolutly best price possible.
since i plan on keeping my truck until it is very old, i am not concerned about resale value. i believe that is mainly based on market demand. the more saturated the market is with an item [cars, houses, broccoli], the less pricy it will be. that is just my opinion; i am not knocking what anyone else writes :)
some shopping advise: purchasing near the end of the month can get you a better price; the salepeople have quotas they have to meet so will usually try harder for you. i know you probably can't wait but buying when the next year's models are about to be released helps the price as well. remember that even if you do manage to get the dealership down to invoice price, the dealer still gets a hefty kick-back from the manufacturer as a sort of thank you for dealing their cars; don't let them fool you into thinking they aren't making anything. it is okay to walk away and go back another day if you feel they are not doing their best for you. and it is okay to make 2 dealers bid for your business; if they know you are seriously shopping around & know what you want, they will give you the best deal they can.
Just some thoughts for you to contemplate :)
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Just a thought, and I guess me and melissa are weird like this. But I dont like the seats on some of the foreign vehicles, it sounds silly, but after test driving a few vehicles like the nissan pathfinder, our backs were hurting. We went with a Chrysler product for the ammenities and the wonderfully comfortable seats. Resale lower/ more maintenance.. sure , but I don't care, ANY car/truck is a poor investment. You lose money on anything you buy, so get something you enjoy is my thought.
I know American vehicles may be more maintenance prone, or at least thats what the experts say, but if you have to buy parts for a honda/toyota.. big big ouchie. Compare the price of a honda element starter with a chevy suburban starter, big difference. I work on my own vehicles, so maintenance is no big deal to me, but parts costs are a bigger for some of the foreign cars. I can buy parts for my project jag cheaper than they are for some cars.
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Just to weigh in on the whole value argument....
Someone mentioned earlier that cars are an investment?? I'm an accountant by profession. Cars are *not* an investment. They are a consumable. Investments, as a rule, (there are always exceptions!) appreciate. Cars do not appreciate, they lose value. (Unless you're a Barrett-Jackson shopper, but how likely is that?)
It doesn't matter whether you buy American, Forgien, or alien....your car *will* depreciate.
Trade-In value...that's a whole 'nother ballgame. Yes, certain brands have a better trade-in / re-sale value, but that also relies on how good you are in upkeep. We all own big dogs. Big dogs are "harder" on vehicles. (wear and tear-wise) Regular maintnenace is a biggie too, as well as milage.
I guess what my ramble here is trying to get to is, you would be foolhardy to base the purchase of a vehicle on an "investment" approach. Take a hard look at what your lifestyle is, and what would be the best fit in those terms.
And beyond all that....HAVE FUN, 'CAUSE YOU GET A NEW CAR!!!!
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Take a hard look at what your lifestyle is, and what would be the best fit in those terms.
And beyond all that....HAVE FUN, 'CAUSE YOU GET A NEW CAR!!!!
first of all, Thank goodness you are both ok!
And I dont have any recomendations but I think that Leah-n-boy-os has the right idea. Take your time if you can and have fun.
Carole
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OK I am about the most non-confrontational person you will meet (most days anyway) but I think you are over critical of the American car. After my 2 horrible american mini-vans I decided to go Toyota (I have had them and liked them) Then I was walking thru the mall and found my Yukon (my most expensive mall purchase ever). However, I did drive the Toyota Forerunner and really did like it but it simply doesn't have the space. To actually compare large trucks you would be looking at the Toyota Sequoiua (definately spelled wrong) and that was alot more money!!!
Anyway, American, Foreign whatever! you get the best car for you!!!!
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Anyway, American, Foreign whatever! you get the best car for you!!!!
Here Here! :D
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Just a thought, and I guess me and melissa are weird like this. But I dont like the seats on some of the foreign vehicles, it sounds silly, but after test driving a few vehicles like the nissan pathfinder, our backs were hurting. We went with a Chrysler product for the ammenities and the wonderfully comfortable seats. Resale lower/ more maintenance.. sure , but I don't care, ANY car/truck is a poor investment. You lose money on anything you buy, so get something you enjoy is my thought.
That's cuz American seats are made for big fat American butts! ;)
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I have taken my hubby Jeep for now. I think I need to take my time and check them all out.
Lisa
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Wow Lisa!
Thank goodness all of you are ok! I hope you are both feeling better very soon. As far as a vehicle, we have a Honda Odessey Mini van. We weren't too thrilled with the mini van idea at first but, it has been wonderful. It seats 7 humans if needed but, one of the best things is the 3rd row fits into the floor, no lifting in and out. The other great thing is because it is a mini van it is lower to the ground for our 3 Newfies to jump in and out. So if we need to carry humans that 3rd row just pops right back out of the floor. The second row of seats are like the front 2 seats, captain's type chairs that can come out individually too. It does get pretty good gas mileage which is an added bonus.
Hope you guys are on the mend!
Hugs from the Newf troop from NJ