Cars, etc.

[Bob Zumbrunnen]

We've got a Dodge Durango SLT Plus with the 360 engine and the low-geared rear-end. Another sleeper. One of those cars where you don't mash the loud pedal unless you mean it. Would not surprise me if it's the quickest SUV available.

Huge downside is that it's extremely thirsty for fuel.

Fit and finish have been good. Reliability has been about average. After 3 years and 80k miles, we're starting to spend a little bit of money on it here and there as things break.

Overall we're very happy with it.

I would expect the Tahoe to be really good, too. We've had a couple of Suburbans, which have been great vehicles and the Tahoe is just a medium-sized Sub. I would expect that the hydro-formed frame rails would make the newer ones more resistant to developing squeaks and rattles than our olds Subs were.

I like just about anything Ford makes, although the Excursion pisses me off. When I had the Subs, I don't remember ever thinking "Gee, I wish this thing were about 18 inches longer and about 1000 lbs or so heavier." Don't know anything about the Expedition, although I've got friends who've had two of the smaller Explorer and they were both very unreliable compared to our Durango, and have since switched to the Durango.

Anything from Toyota is going to be very expensive in comparison, but usually well worth it. They're tough.