ORIGINAL: NM2K
To this day I cannot understand why anyone would buy an SUV. I drive vans and recently minivans. My Chrysler Town & Country has seats that fold down into the floor, providing the vehicle with a very large carrying space. It probably gets better gas mileage than an SUV and it sure didn't cost anywhere near as much.
Ed Cregger
I got my Jeep Grand cherokee because the minivans just won't make it over the ruts and logs and rocks that one finds off the road out in the woods, or at a couple of the flying sites I fly at. Plus, you would just look wierd with a deer on top of minivan in the fall...if you could get to it in the first place...
Of course, my Caravan does o.k. for the more accessible sites and going to work. Of course, it has pretty poor traction and has had to be towed off grass parking areas twice at two different flying fields since they don't handle mud very well (understatement). [X(]
If one needs an inexpensive option for an extra plane hauler, I suggest looking for a good used fleet work van dealer in your area. I know several folks that have gotten these and they are a great option. If you are careful, you can usually find one that is pretty good shape, and they are usually maintained on set service schedules throughout their lives. My father in law gets these for his carpet laying business. The last one he got for $3K and put a 150,000 miles on it before he killed it (on top of the mileage it had when he got it). The current one he has cost him around $4K and he has been driving that one for the past 4 years.
One of my flying friends bought one for airplane only use. He used it for two or three years. He recently sold it because his son just got his license and a car that needed the vans parking space. He sold it for at least what he paid for it. Worth looking in to.
P.S. has anyone priced pick-up trucks lately...OMG [X(][X(][X(]