Post the last thing you bought!

[swt61]

Bought a 2009 Toyota Highlander Limited. Pretty nice car and seems to be the perfect fit for us.

It seems to spec out very similar to my Sante Fe Limited (except warranty), but can't wait to see if my Infinity sound system can kick your JBLs ass.

[Dusty Chalk]

I'd be curious about that comparison as well.

[emelius]

there can be only one...

[luvdunhill]

It seems to spec out very similar to my Sante Fe Limited (except warranty), but can't wait to see if my Infinity sound system can kick your JBLs ass.

We opted for the extension to 7yr/100K miles.

Thanks guys, we considered a number of different vehicles and I'm not sure if anyone cares, but:

Honda Pilot - didn't care for current body style, so was looking at the previous style. Ride quality was nearly dead last. It was very spacious though and the price was very competitive

Hyundai Veracruz - seemed to be expensive for what you got. Drive was nice, just didn't have the fit and finish of the others. Salesperson was annoying

Volvo XC90 - loved the look and drive and in the end we decided against it due to unknown cost of ownership and reliability and it was a tad smaller than what we were comfortable with.

Mazda CX9 - dead last

Buick Enclave - Liked it a lot, but seemed overpriced and didn't know if I wanted to own an American car

Acura MDX - Probably second choice. Ride was very nice and very well appointed, just a tad outside our price range. I didn't like that only half of the second row would allow entry into the third row.

Chevy Traverse - meh

Subaru Tribeca - really wanted to own another Subaru, but just too small when compared with the Pilot and others.

[luvdunhill]

Nice, I roll in an '07 which is quite different from yours but it's a been a good vehicle for the last two years.

Yeah, the removable center section of the middle seat was a really cool feature they added and perfect for kiddos having to hop into the third row without messing with the seats.

[Dusty Chalk]

... we considered a number of different vehicles and I'm not sure if anyone cares, but...

LOL

C'mon, you know we care, not just because it's you, but...guys? cars?

Honda Pilot - didn't care for current body style, so was looking at the previous style.

I'm not sure I like any generation Pilot, although I'm usually a big fan of Honda. The originial shoebox-with-wheels. Now out-uglied by the Nissan Cube, Scion xB, and a couple others, but at the time that it came out, by far the boxiest thing on the road.

[mypasswordis]

[Dusty Chalk]

^ Comparatively aerodynamic.

i don't know about that.

That looks like a Photoshop. Either that, or a very good Paint. Or perhaps a Paint rendered into a Photoshop. Edited November 3, 2010 by Dusty Chalk

[postjack]

plane tix to/from New Orleans, beer, food & coffee...

if anyone wants to recommend a NOLA hotel for me to stay at?...looks like parking is a nightmare...

when/what are you coming to NOLA for? I stayed at the Marriott on canal this past weekend for voodoofest. still a crazy place. valet parking is $30.90/day. friendly staff, amazing location. I'd stay there again.

[emelius]

the jw marriott or the other one?...

i'm flying in the 22nd & hoping to stay a couple nights before driving to mississippi...

[grawk]

I don't think my pilot is particularly boxy, and it's the original body style. Certainly less boxy than 4runners etc, and nothing at all like the honda element.

[Pars]

<snip>

Honda Pilot - didn't care for current body style, so was looking at the previous style. Ride quality was nearly dead last. It was very spacious though and the price was very competitive

Acura MDX - Probably second choice. Ride was very nice and very well appointed, just a tad outside our price range. I didn't like that only half of the second row would allow entry into the third row.

Surprised there is much if any difference in ride quality as I thought these were basically the same vehicle/chassis???

[grawk]

Tires make a big difference

[Nebby]

Tires make a big difference in ride quality and road noise. Can be quite surprising sometimes...

[Beefy]

Perhaps different damping on the suspension as well?

[Dusty Chalk]

I don't think my pilot is particularly boxy, and it's the original body style. Certainly less boxy than 4runners etc, and nothing at all like the honda element.

Uh...scratch everything I said, I was thinking of the Element.

[swt61]

We opted for the extension to 7yr/100K miles.

Thanks guys, we considered a number of different vehicles and I'm not sure if anyone cares, but:

Honda Pilot - didn't care for current body style, so was looking at the previous style. Ride quality was nearly dead last. It was very spacious though and the price was very competitive

Hyundai Veracruz - seemed to be expensive for what you got. Drive was nice, just didn't have the fit and finish of the others. Salesperson was annoying

Volvo XC90 - loved the look and drive and in the end we decided against it due to unknown cost of ownership and reliability and it was a tad smaller than what we were comfortable with.

Mazda CX9 - dead last

Buick Enclave - Liked it a lot, but seemed overpriced and didn't know if I wanted to own an American car

Acura MDX - Probably second choice. Ride was very nice and very well appointed, just a tad outside our price range. I didn't like that only half of the second row would allow entry into the third row.

Chevy Traverse - meh

Subaru Tribeca - really wanted to own another Subaru, but just too small when compared with the Pilot and others.

I think the Enclave is the best looking SUV/Crossover on the road. It's just dead sexy, but it is a bit lavishly priced, and it's kind of a who knows for build quality at this point. I didn't care for the Veracruz either, and it didn't seem any larger that the Sante Fe inside, well not much anyway. The Highlander definitely looks like a solid choice.

[postjack]

the jw marriott or the other one?...

i'm flying in the 22nd & hoping to stay a couple nights before driving to mississippi...

new Orleans Marriott (the other one). plenty of great chain hotels in the FQ, which I'm assuming is where you want to stay. parking is pretty much going to be ridiculous. have you been to Nola before? FQ is very touristy but still must be experienced.

[emelius]

never been...renting the car, the flight etc....all were cheaper in nola so i figured i'd start/end there...unless there's something worth doing in mississippi for a week that no one's telling me about...i hear that the world's largest wooden rocking chair is in gulfport...

[Mr.Sneis]

May have just scored an xa5400es for $850 new in box It shipped today apparently.

[Absorbine_Sr]

Creeper for ChiLiquiFi.

[emelius]

^^i just bought a case...x-mas gifts:)...

[postjack]

never been...renting the car, the flight etc....all were cheaper in nola so i figured i'd start/end there...unless there's something worth doing in mississippi for a week that no one's telling me about...i hear that the world's largest wooden rocking chair is in gulfport...

nice! well if you are the partying type you do need to walk down bourbon at least once. about the most touristy thing you can do but no one can deny how crazy the scene is. there's pride on bourbon anywho. keep walking past the gay bars and you hit Frenchmen street, the more authentic part of the FQ. great bars there like dba and blue nile where you can hear some great nola music. 11/24 anders osborne is playing tips uptown, a classic venue and a great artist. Tips is on the other side of town so you would have to drive. If at all possible, snag breakfast at Mothers (served all day), which is in the CBD right on poydras (close to FQ). They have the greatest ham and raspberry preserves in the world. the biscuit made me cry a little when I first tried it with the butter and raspberry preserves.

of course then there is cafe du monde, beignets and cafe au lait. way touristy but i always go. central grocery is right down the road from there, where the muffaleta was invented, and it is the dankness.

Anyway just check out tripadvisor for hotel options. Not sure what your price range is but there are tons of options in the FQ and CBD (central business district, right next to FQ). I'm sure the JW Marriott is very nice as well, but I'm betting the regular ass marriott is a better deal. you won't spend a lot of time in your room anyway, so just go for something with a good location where you won't get killed.

[HeadphoneAddict]

We opted for the extension to 7yr/100K miles.

Thanks guys, we considered a number of different vehicles and I'm not sure if anyone cares, but:

Subaru Tribeca - really wanted to own another Subaru, but just too small when compared with the Pilot and others.

I've got a 2006 Tribeca that I enjoy driving, but agree that it's a little smaller than we'd like. Rear legroom suffers in the middle and third row, and storage behind the 3rd row is almost non-existant.

Our 2008 Saturn Outlook is much roomier and rides nice, but is not much fun for me to drive. My wife likes it though, and the kids love it for longer trips. The buyout at the end of the lease is too high for a discontinued brand, so we return it at the end of March. I want an AWD turbo after that, and the Legacy Turbo GT is looking attractive.

[luvdunhill]

Yeah, that's my next car as well, in 3 years or so..