Hi all,
My husband and I are relocating from MI to CO- Denver area, foothills i.e. Boulder, Morrison, etc. (not yet decided). I will be traveling often for work, so I’ll need a good vehicle for various road conditions. We want this to be our primary vehicle, as our other will be more of a camper van style rig. We have two big dogs that will ride in it regularly. I’m looking for suggestions… We’ve considered a Volvo XC70 or Honda Element. I’ve had Subarus and like them…, just not sure. Thanks for any feedback!
I used to live in Colorado for 26 years. Whatever you do or whatever car you choose, if you should ever do the brakes, do not go to a place where they guarantee the shoes for life. They place metal ones on the car instead of ceramic and the heat from the braking going in and out of the mountains will warp your rotors out quickly. It is also good to have a rack on whatever car. Yakima or Thule for skiis and mountain bikes, etc.
hi, Honda crv- Toyota Rav. check them both out
A Forester would be a good choice.
Subaru has by far the best AWD system in an affordable and reliable car, so if bad-weather handling is your main priority, I think you’d be crazy not to get one.
That’s not to say that you won’t be able to get around in other cars, especially with a set of winter tires, but if a Subaru meets your other needs you should be leaning heavily in that direction.
Maintenance costs on a Volvo will be high. A Subaru Forester might be a good choice. Their reliability is very good, and we transport Great Danes in ours on a regular basis.
As a Colorado resident (Denver, Boulder, Jamestown) for 33 years here are my choices:
Entry level:
Subaru Outback
Honda CRV
Toyota RAV4
Hyundai Tuscon and Santa Fe
Upscale:
Audi A4 Quattro wagon
BMW 3 Series X
MB E Class 4 Matic
Wait until you get here before buying one. Colorado cars do not have MI rust issues.
Twotone
Two big dogs?? (how about having a kid?) Foothills west of Denver? Ford Explorer.
Denver’s airport is way out on the EAST side of town. Getting there from the foothills can be tedious indeed…
no kids and none planned. i won’t be traveling by air much, mostly driving. really, a Ford Explorer?- good gas mileage is in the mix as well.
“Denver’s airport is way out on the EAST side of town.”
The airport is close… to Nebraska.
What about an Element? Any thoughts on those?
Gasoline is the smallest expense of owning a car…As you explore Front Range Real Estate, take a little pocket altimeter with you… Most people regret living above 6000’ elevation. You will surely regret anything over 7500’ where there are only two seasons. Winter and getting ready for winter…
Dogs are a poor substitute for a life…
Element would make a good “dog” car and they would appreciate it’s “kennel” like interior. But as a primary vehicle, you’ll have to live with the road noise and less than stellar human accommodations. They would be reliable being a Honda and cool looking from a point of view.
Have you tried one out ?
Boulder, Colorado…30 sq. miles surrounded by reality…Saab’s, Volvo’s and Datsun pick-ups…
If you like Subarus, why not get one?
Howdy, get a low windshield deductible as they use gravel not sand on the roads in winter.
Only get a Volvo XC70 if you buy it new and get the full maintenance package they are promoting. Then be sure to sell it or trade it in before the warranty expires. Once off warranty the Volvo repair bills are just astoundingly high.
For people looking for a more upscale wagon version of an SUV in awd, the Volvo XC70 over the time it’s been offered, has to be one of the best incentives to get an upscale Subaru. It use to be, you bought a Volvo for it’s longevity to save on repair cost. Now you buy one based upon the length of their warranty, regardless of the inconvenience, just to have the Volvo name ? If this is where it’s at, they’ll follow SAAB into oblivion.
Kinda like Leadville,six weeeks of lousy fall,then winter-by the way Caddy-well said-Kevin
“As you explore Front Range Real Estate, take a little pocket altimeter with you.”
People who work in Boulder often live in Louisville or Broomfield. Boulder is affordable if you are willing to accept less than you had before. It’s sort of like moving to the west SF Bay area, but not nearly as bad.