Forrester, Escape, CRV owners

[Crankin]

NorseGoddess, I was glad to hear you liked the transition from the 4 Runner to the Rav 4. I am driving a small BMW sedan with AWD now, but I had a 4 Runner before that. I loved that car, but I traded it for the same reasons you stated... after 6 years. My BMW is now 7 years old and and I expect to be getting a new car sometime in the next 2 years. There's a lot more choice now in small AWD cars than I had in 2003 and I want a car that is practical. Right now I can put my bike in the back of my car without taking a wheel off, with the seats down, but I can't put 2 bikes in there. It's a bit of a pain, but I got sick of having the Saris Thelma rack on the back of my car.
I hate car shopping.

[Norse]

I hate car shopping.

I hear that. I am not willing to play their silly games. That's why I do all the research beforehand. When we decided on which vehicle, I emailed local dealers, stating the exact specs I wanted, to get price quotes. That quickly got rid of the rip-off dealerships and those just playing games. Through a few more emails and phone calls, I got a final, good price, gave the sales guy a credit card deposit over the phone, and then we went to pick it up, sign the papers and drive away when it when it was ready. About as hassle-free as you can do it.