yet another SUV thread

[pstokely]

are there any SUV owners here that actually take them offroad or tow anything?

[jmags]

1. I'm sure there are plenty who have, and plenty who have not

I don't have an SUV. I don't plan on getting one. And I sure as hell wish we would impose some tougher fuel efficiency limits on SUVs and other cars, but the self-righteousness some of those on here have towards SUV owners really drives me crazy. You don't win over too many people to the progressive cause by driving them away with arrogance and vanity.

[laconicsax]

2. My dad

He bought the new Hundai one to replace his Subaru Outback. He works up at a local ski area on weekends during the winter and needs the 4WD.

[AndyTiedye]

3. With all the shtuff surrounding SUVs...

...I considered a pickup instead, but those burn even more gas
and handle worse.

Some of these dirt "roads" really do require a little ground clearance
and 4wd.

It's gonna be hauling a bunch of stuff (including a trailer)
to Burning Man in a few days.

[Dissenting_Prole]

4. Why, yes!

When I built a house three years ago I used mine to cart home insulation, lumber, shingles, even a woodstove. I also used it to drag tree stumps and brush to the fire pit. And it's just a little 4-cylinder Suzuki.

Now that all the work is done I'm ready to trade it for a scooter, or a new Toyota Echo hatchback (10" shorter than the sedan and only available in Canada, I'm told)
http://www.echohatchback.toyota.ca/cgi-bin/WebObjects/WWW.woa/15/wo/Home.Vehicles.Go.EchoHatchback-xcmc5wEbDHmMS7oRstiwtw/3.11?%2e%2e%2fechohatchback%2fintro%2ehtml

[Aaron]

5. I used to take my '73 Blazer around

and my '81 Bronco too when I had it. I never towed anything I don't think. I did do a few emergency pull outs that required 4wd for cars that were in ditches or dead cars/trucks that needed to be moved from one place to another - like from curbside onto a trailer to get taken away or something. The mud always destroyed the axle seals and mucked up the drum brakes when I took my Blazer out so I quit running it through mud pits and stuck to dirt mound areas - like construction sites but only around my buddy's dad's place, nothing illegal. I did construction, picnics, dates, moving, some other stuff with the Blazer too. I miss that truck. I had another Blazer for a while, a '74, but never got around to taking it off-road, just used it for hauling construction stuff around.

Edited to add: I do want another Blazer, although I'll probably try to find a diesel one, or convert it to diesel - so I can run 100% biodiesel in it.