Forrester, Escape, CRV owners

[withm]

Well it's official. My car died while I was on a trip, and I was faced with buying a new engine, wiich would have cost more than the car was worth and taken 2-3 more days than I had time to wait around for a repair, or buy a new car.

I ended up buying a (used) 2008 Escape. The choices available were slim, and trying to buy a car way-out-of-state is more complicated than I would have ever imagined. It's bad enough to be forced to buy a car when you don't have the luxury of shopping around, but there was a time deadline thrown into this mix as well. Ugh!

This Escape is loaded - all the bells and whistles, including 4-wheel drive, which is the last feature I would have normally volunteered to spend money on. What am I going to do with that? Pray for snow????? HA! But I'll still have to put a new kayak rack on top.

Warning: If you have a locking rack system for your car, be sure to bring the keys with you when you go on a trip. I had to sacrifice my kayak rack when my old car went to become an organ donor because not only did I not have the keys with me on this trip, I don't even have a clue as to where they might be.

So I've driven it about 15 miles now, and will drive 800 miles in a couple of days.

I was really leaning towards the Forrester, but the nearest Subaru dealer to where I am is 60 miles away, and when I get home the dealer is still about 45 miles from my home. Hard to go car shopping when you don't have a car. And yes, I cold have ridden my bike over to the local Ford dealer, but I also wanted to be taken seriously when I got there to negotiate a car. This is a town that does not take too kindly to cyclists.....

For what it's worth I also tried a Chevy Equinox. The seats did not even come close to folding down flat - and crazy as it may seem, that was a deal breaker for me. It does have a larger cargo area, but there were just too many things I did not like about the car to pursue it, not to mention the color .

Anyway, thanks for all your comments. It did help a lot. I have not tried to put the bike inside yet, but will trust that it can be done, will try it tomorrow just to be sure.

[Kathi]

05 CRV owner. Both bikes standup in back without taking front wheels off, his 54cm goes in first next to window we turn front wheel towards the inside, my 48 cm easily leans next to his. We put a furniture pad between them to avoid scratching my bike. We then pack all of our bike gear and camping gear around and underneath the bikes. My bike by itself fits with the larger seat folder down so we have carried 3 people.

My seats don't fold flat but for me they are flat enough. I'm 5'2" (barely) and can easily and comfortably sleep in the back. I'm a little cramped sleeping with the bikes in there but it's doable.

I'm constantly amazed at the space my CRV has. A couple of weeks ago we took a dishwasher and microwave in their packaging, a small wooden patio table, 2 fold up wooden chairs, kitty in her carrier, our overnight bags and the 2 of us to our ski condo an hour and a half away.

During a trip in Wyoming a deer hit us and we had rent a Ford Explorer and leave my CRV behind for repair. The Explorer did not have the efficiency of space that my CRV has, bikes had to go on top of luggage.

I also looked at the RAV 4 but didn't feel it met my needs with storage space like the 05 CRV does.

[divingbiker]

So sorry to hear you were forced into buying a car under duress. I hope it turns out that you love it, and that car shopping didn't mess up your vacation too badly.

My kayak rack doesn't have a lock, but I wish it did.

[7rider]

Wow. That is a bummer of a way to buy a vehicle. I have a friend that had to buy a new car that way, too. Car died en-route somewhere, and he ended up just leaving it and buying a new one (a Honda Odyssey minivan...you want to talk about an "everything" hauler! Whew...he can carry an amazing amount of people and all their gear in that thing. And at 72 y.o, he and his wife don't exactly fit into the category of minivan-driving soccer moms!).
Good luck with the new Escape. As I had mentioned, I have no major complaints about mine. I hope yours serves you as well as ours has for us.

[Norse]

2010 RAV4 here.

1. Bikes can lay on their sides (front wheels on) with both seats folded but we usually just pop one down, take off the front wheels (no problem with seatposts) and stand them up against the other seat using a bungy cord to secure.

2. I have not tried sleeping in the back, but looks like it would be plenty roomy and yes, the seats fold flat.

3. Yes. We had a '99 4Runner that we finally sold (wanted to downsize and get better mpg) and we have been very happy with these SUVs. I researched 2 years before finally parting with the 4Runner and getting the RAV - after all the research, the choice was between the RAV and the Forrester. Went with the RAV because: (a) more bang for the buck, (b)roomier cargo space, (c) our big dog would not fit well in the Forrester and (d) we had a positive experience with our other Toyota. Your mileage may vary.

[JennK13]

2008 Forester
LOVE IT!
Yes, can get a bike in it with the front wheel on
Yes, my dh and i have slept in the back with the seats down (though he sleeps "curled" up some)
Yes, I'd buy it again. The 2010's are so nice! I'm in Colorado, and absolutely adore the heated seats (which are clothe NOT leather) and my giant moon/sun roof (i call it the universe roof) it's been great in ice and snow.
Love it!

[itself]

2008 CRV owner here

I believe the room with the seats folded up is not as generous as the previous models.

At an angle, a 49cm Specialized Ruby fits. But we are getting a hitch rack to carry both bikes. I struggled with buying the CRV because of this, but the reliability ratings and safety ratings are so high on this vehicle, I had to get it.

I have learned to do some wrenching on my own, and have owned Toyotas and Hondas. Easy to work on, and without question, the best reliability of all cars in the market. Subaru is third. I wouldn't buy an american made car if it were the last car on earth.