What's your limit on buying an SUV and mileage?

[IHaveAMustang]

Stay away from the ford escape... Its a great running motor but very hard to work on... The alternator is a biatch to replace...

Yes, you have to remove the pass. side axle and do voodoo to get it out.

But saying that, we owned a 2002 Escape XLT for 5 years, only had to replace the alternator. They really are good cars.

Personally, we recently were looking for an MDX. I didn't want to go over 90k miles ,despite it being a Honda.

We got one with just over 80k on it. We love it, not looking forward to the 100k belt change...keep that mind chain vs belt.

[JC316]

Yes, you have to remove the pass. side axle and do voodoo to get it out.

But saying that, we owned a 2002 Escape XLT for 5 years, only had to replace the alternator. They really are good cars.

Personally, we recently were looking for an MDX. I didn't want to go over 90k miles ,despite it being a Honda.

We got one with just over 80k on it. We love it, not looking forward to the 100k belt change...keep that mind chain vs belt.

Chain vs belt, the chain usually wins with the exception of the 4.0L SOHC explorers. Tensioner failure is common and you have to pull the motor to fix it.

[2011GT]

Ford escape with the 3.0 is extremely reliable.

[JC316]

I will tell you an overlooked SUV and that is the Saturn Vue. My sister drives an 04 2.2L, 5 speed version and gets 26MPG all day long while being as big as an Explorer or Grand Cherokee. Here is the catch though, the only one worth a damn is the 2.2L 5 speed. The 3.0L version has a SHIT engine, but a good transmission, the 2.2L auto has a good engine, but a SHIT transmission.

[Sean88gt]

With SUV's, it really doesn't matter. They are pretty much what I sell on my lot. Sold a 98 explorer V8 with 284K miles, still ran perfect, sold an 01 GMC Jimmy with 254K, looked and drove like brand new.

Avoid the Durango at all costs.

Exactly. I bought mine as a secondary vehicle while in Colorado. Had no clue it would become my only. I keep replacing parts and it will be virtually new in another year.

[ktm300hater]

I bought an Escape for my daughter 2 years ago that had 240,xxx miles. Great car, and now has 275 ish on it

[bpawl]

Jeep Liberty is a hunk of shit. We sold my wife's recently. The drivetrain is reliable enough but the rest of it was starting to fall apart at 100k.
I had to draw the line when every fucking window regulator broke and they told me her VIN wasn't included in the recall to get them replaced.

you just described about every Jeep product that I've ever owned. Ridiculous

[jakesford]

I'm definitely aware of the 4Runners but many I've seen around my price ranges are 175,000+ mileage.

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/cto/3877674518.html

But really, if you are patient and can find a 4runner with service history you are set. 300k out of those is no problem with maintenance.

Timing belt & water pump every 100k
Watch for the transmission cooler failure.

[KBScobravert]

I can't pry my wife out of her 2002 Explorer. I have begged her to go buy a new one but hers is paid for and only has 80k on it.

[IHaveAMustang]

I can't pry my wife out of her 2002 Explorer. I have begged her to go buy a new one but hers is paid for and only has 80k on it.

They, like the Escapes, are just good vanilla cars. My dad had a 2002 Eddie Bauer, and sold it to my brother for 3k with 140,000 on it. Only thing that has broken was the rear A/C blend door.