[Drivesthebeast]

Yeah, well I've been talking to the wife about what stuff is worth, which I think has shattered her dream to own a Buick Enclave AWD...they are just too damned expensive to buy new. As are some of the other vehicles we are interested in. So, she's thinking along the same lines...make the Escape work for now, and see what happens. She agrees with me though that we are going to get the most vehicle for our money if we buy a 2-3 year old vehicle that's been lease returned. So, that'd be stuff like Flex's, Tahoe's, Yukons, etc.

I drove our new staff car at work last friday...it's a 2010/2011 Dodge Journey SXT. There were some things I liked about it, but there were lots I didn't. Like, the A-pillars are huge, and block vision of things that are above the beltline of the vehicle. The beltline is high on it (though I had the seat set down low, because I hate driving upright and high off the floor), making it awkward to see out the sides of the vehicle quickly and easily. The headrests and the C-pillars also make vision out the rear awkwards too. The engine seems underpowered for the size of the vehicle (though I didn't run it very hard since it only has/had around 500 km's on it).

I think my first choice is the Flex, but in all honesty, I don't think I'd want one unless it was/is an Ecoboost...the standard 3.5L isn't powerfull enough to move that much size and weight with the kind of haste needed around the impatient drivers in Ottawa/Gatineau. If I gotta have a larger family hauler, it's gotta be fun year-round for me...hence the AWD Ecoboost enthusiasm.

I LOVE what GM has done to the interior and exterior designs of the 07+ Tahoe/Yukon vehicles...they are so much better laid out and better looking inside and out than the older generations.

I'll keep everyone posted eventually, when we decide what to do...

L8tz