Cars...

[voodoo]

I have ridden in alot of rav4's(thanks uber). they are nice. but do they have the room to put a dog crate? guess I never really thought of them as having alot of space. do the back seats come out or fold flat?

[zd262]

The seats fold mostly flat, its a slightly tilted angle. To be honest I don't use a crate (unrelated to the whether it fits in the car), but I'd be happy to throw a crate in there to check! Someone else on this board also has a Rav4 and uses a crate in it...I feel like it might be Snowshoe.

[Snowshoe]

No, I have the new 2014 Jeep Cherokee and the back liftgate opening is only 28" and my crate is 30" high. I do remember when I was looking the Subaru Forester and the Ford Escape opened up enough to take my crate. I don't remember where the Rav4 fell. These vehicles might not be configured the same now, if looking at new. The Cherokee offers one of the smallest cargo areas for it's class but it sticks to the snow like you know what to a blanket.

[zd262]

Sorry Snowshoe! I was remembering this post by Barry in another thread:

"I read this report a little while back when I was looking for a double crate for my RAV4, I could not find anything that would fit and hold 2 dogs, as the floor is not flat. I ended up with the Midwest crates that are 21" wide and designed for small SUV's. The 42" one sit about 3 inches from the front seat. I anchored them with 150 pound rated zip ties, and anchored them together in six places. I know it's not the ideal set up, but it's what works for us. I do drive a lot more cautiously when I have one or both dogs in the car."

[Labradorks]

I do like a nice ride, as far as noise, comfort and technology. The RAV4s seem pretty "bare bones" to me. Are they? I want to stick with Honda and Toyota. So, was thinking of maybe a Pilot (preferably the boxier style) or a 4Runner. I don't really like the new 4Runners though, so probably one that is a couple years old. That's where I'm at right now, but who knows what I'll be thinking tomorrow!

[Snowshoe]

I do remember why the Rav4 fell out of favour with me. I could only get a four cylinder and it was just screaming, revving so high at only sustained highway speed of 100 kph (about 60 mph) Not sure if I remember the exact reading on the tach, maybe around 4,000. All the fours were like that, no matter the vehicle, make. At 100 kph my Cherokee settles in around 1,500 revs. The Cherokee was one of the few still making a 6 cylinder.

[silverfz]

I would look at the new rogue , I believe most cars build these days last at least 10 yrs and over 150k. So I pick the one I am comfortable with and is recently reengineered.
I have a 2011 ford explorer,the quietest car and 100k still sounds like when i left the dealership. I also have my trusted tundra 5.7 v8 which I tow a 7000lb camper with .i have 130k on that . I am on a 2000 mile road trip and its still pulls and hauls like new .

I will also look at the escape. I am a ford Toyota and yahama guy.

[Bounty's Wife]

Bounty's Wife, in rereading your first post, do I have to trade the car in on November 1? I will be on vacation through mid-Oct., then come home for a few days, turn around and fly out to the midwest for work, come home for a few days, have a dog training seminar to go to... Unless I start test driving now (with work being slammed and getting ready for vaction!) and know what I am getting and from where, November 1 will be pretty tough for me.

I'm not 100% sure on the date, and I don't think they are, either. Since it hasn't been officially finalized (I think I read somewhere Oct. 18), I think they gave most everyone a preliminary date of November 1. I would assume (and I could be totally wrong) that they will give everyone a date and then a range that they can bring their vehicle in. Unless, they are doing it enmass, and they only do it one or two days a month or something. Honestly...All speculation on my part because no one really knows. I am just hoping for my Nov. 1 date because as soon as I can give mine back, it is going back.

[zd262]

I do remember why the Rav4 fell out of favour with me. I could only get a four cylinder and it was just screaming, revving so high at only sustained highway speed of 100 kph (about 60 mph) Not sure if I remember the exact reading on the tach, maybe around 4,000. All the fours were like that, no matter the vehicle, make. At 100 kph my Cherokee settles in around 1,500 revs. The Cherokee was one of the few still making a 6 cylinder.

Thats really interesting I didn't realize that. My dad has the V6 and I have the v4 because I'm cheap and it's just a lease. I had always said that if I bought the RAV4 I would get the v6 and any other upgrades. There is a big difference between the V4 and the V6

[JenC]

I bit the bullet and traded my Element in for a Town & Country. The space is incomparable.

The Transit Connect is interesting too and was on the short list. If you can live with a 4 cylinder car. We have too many mountains in Colorado, I needed more power....hence the T&C. Yes, smaller, cooler might have been preferable. Space is KEY.