Need a wagon or small SUV

lol...seriously though, it has a better steering feeling than our F30 335xi

 

Ha!

I’ve actually used minivans for work and cycling. They serve the purpose really well.

But I’ll be damned if I ever own one.

 

How far off road will you be taking this "highway vehicle" when you go looking for bike trails?

The reason I ask, and you may think this absolutely idiotic, is that the best kept secret in the SUV world is a Corvette. Great mileage, unbelievable cargo capacity, comfortable, blah, blah, blah...
Curt makes a 1-1/4" receiver hitch for 'Vettes, there may be others. If your bike rack doesn't fit 1-1/4, those racks are barely over $100. The hitches are under $200. You can find nearly a hundred manual 'Vettes on eBay under $25K with less than 25K miles. I recommend a C6...faster than a C5 ZO6.

Not convinced? How's this for points of argument...
- Puts the GT in Grand Touring - comfortable, slick, nicely appointed.
- People tow dedicated trailers, with their 'Vettes, carrying track specific tires and tools to their 'Vette's track days. Unhook, swap tires, drive like a madman all day, swap back out, hook up, go home.
- Two full sets of leathers/helmets/gloves/boots, weekend worth of clothes, two folding chairs, a cooler, 10x10 EzUp, folding table and a 10x10 indoor/outdoor carpet all fit in the back of my C6 when a buddy and I went to riding school. That's a lot of crap!
- 33MPG average cruising at 70MPH - uphill/downhill, it don't care. 25MPG toolin' around, 4-6MPG foolin' around. Engine's turning' 1500 RPM, top gear, at 70 with the base model. Z51+ does about 1650 RPM (final gearing).
- No radar detector needed! The things are stealthy. The radar trailers you see on the side of the road pick up the car at <50 yds. It's virtually invisible. If you ain't seen the cop by then...
- You just wanted to deal with tires, brakes and oil changes? I've never replaced the brakes, >85K miles, on the third set of tires - the OEMs suck and the factory alignment destroyed them in 10K miles, so, fairly decent tire mileage. I don't see needing a fourth set any time soon, and I do the oil myself - Mobil 1 every <15K miles. (You'll need some Rhino ramps and a couple short 2x4s to get started up the ramps.)
- You don't have to flaunt it, but you know you could.
- Chics dig 'em.

So, whatcha say?

 

It’s a road bike, so it won’t go off road at at all other than ththat shitty parking at bike races

But I have a one year old, so I do need the back seat. Also travel with passengers at work on some occasions.

I will admit, your pitch is tempting!

 

'Nuff said. Let's adjust some parameters and...
oh, look! Porsche 911!

 

Corvettes are one of the best Values out there right now....

 

Snob appeal of the RDX....

I reccomended it because ot is sporty, met your requirements for reliability and is really just a CRV with personality and power.
We put my girl in a MDX a year ago and it has been dead nuts reliable.

I would avoid the Mazda’s and Volvo’s like the plague if you want reliability.

 

Oh, great. I'm guessin' ours has near worthless resale now with its higher mileage, manual transmission and the sandblast finish it gets on the highway.
I just drive the damn thing, everywhere, anywhere, any time.
BTW, those large Pelican cases that hold the Barrett M82? Yeah, they fit nicely in the back, hardly taking up any room at all.
(That sh*t don't fit in my Jeep!)

 

I’m telling you- Flex. Tons of room for adult sized people, plenty of power and towing capacity. We’ve put 50k on ours in 4 years -taken it everywhere, hauled the kid, bikes, parts, trailers.

EDIT - get one with factory tow package.

I plan to buy the wife a newer one next year and keep this one for myself. It does 80-90% of what my truck does.

It has been dead nuts reliable.

 

Most Mazda owners I know haven't had really had any major problems with the new skyactive engines and DaveK has a Mazda. I'm sure if it cost him $5 in service, he would be saying it sucks, but insofar he offers praise for his.

 

All late models CR-Vs are CVT and you can't tow anything with those. Personally, I'd go Kia Sportage. You can even get the Turbo GDI (240 hp/260 tq) and they come with a real 6 speed auto.

 

Did not know this. I wish they offered them with a stick like they used to.

 

Mazda 3 touring 5 door hatch might fit the bill as well. Slightly better mileage and better handling than the CX-5 for less money. You could probably get a brand new one in your price range or a barely used one fully loaded. With the front wheel off, the bike will slide right in the back with the seats down.

 

One of my customers has one, has cost him a couple grand over the last year between injectors and a Turbo that died at right at 100k miles...
I really dont consider them or Newer Volvo’s 200k mile worry free cars.
JMO based on what comes in the shop.

 

how old is that mazda? the only Turbo they have is the 2017 CX-9 from last year, and now the Mazda 6 with the same engine

 

It is a 2010 i beleive. Would have to go back and look.

 

The only turbos back then were the MazdaSpeed3, and the CX-7. Not sure you can say Mazdas are trash basing it on one car and a turbo that is 8+ years old. Who knows how the person drove the vehicle, warm up, giving it WOT when cold, etc.

 

I have a 2013. I prefer my minivan. More room, more power.

 

Understood and I know there is the "minivan" mindset, but the wife hates them and so do I.

They can call the Flex a "crossover", but it is what it is - an "old school station wagon".