[SKC-auto]

My suggestion is either a Tesla Model Y or a Mach E. They are quick, the silence will be appreciated by your son and the family, can be your daily driver, plenty of space.

"I have leased a independent 2 car garage house so charging is not a issue but budget would overshoot."
I don't know why you said that, the Model Y Long range comes at ~$53K, you may get other state and utility incentives, your daily running costs will be cheaper, if you are lucky and the federal tax incentives are passed, you may get back ~$12K as tax refund. Mach E LR (with $7.5K tax incentives) also costs in the same ballpark as Model Y LR.

[vj123]

Congrats on your move.

Which part of the country are you moving to? Also can you have a RWD vehicle as the only one in the household. If you are going to drive it solo most of the time, i think it might be better to have one proper vehicle instead of two as insurance, maintenance and other misc items can easily add up.

I had a Durango RT for 3 years and it was a great family hauler. It did have minor electrical issues which was pretty much expected on a FCA vehicle. Infact, i was skeptical of buying a Dodge but eventually ended up buying one only because FCA was offering Mopar Max care lifetime warranty (almost similar to bumper to bumper warranty for lifetime of the vehicle until you own it). FCA stopped selling this plan is 2019 and current max plan is 8 year / 125k miles. I would highly recommend it if you end up with a Durango or Charger which are great choices.

I got 12% off MSRP on a factory order and current new / used car market is crazy. I was planning to keep this vehicle for a very long time but sold it couple of month back as i got a great price for it. We had some great memories with the vehicle in the past 3 years of ownership and its definitely missed.

If you have any specific questions or want leads, you can send me a PM.

[kiku007]

First of all thanks for trying to give life to a dying breed of automobiles.

Originally Posted by CarBot

Most probably 2 car is what I might end up with
Charger/Challenger R/T (Certified, but all certified are priced very close to new ones) + Subaru Forester (certified)
I don't want to let go of the V8 rumble while it is still being manufactured. I want a piece of that cake.

I think a two car garage could make more sense for you. You don't have to buy them both at the same time obviously.

Considering the age of your kids I would not recommend a single $60K sedan garage. You can make it work of course but at some point you'll miss the practicality of a fuel-efficient, spacious, safe, feature-laden family car.

My sister in Chicago replaced her Honda Accord with a Subaru Forester (used) and they like it. She did mention that used car prices are quite high these days. So you may have to re calibrate your budget since things could have changed from 2018.

I haven't driven V8s and don't have any useful advice on that front. Sorry about that.

Originally Posted by CarBot

And another interesting observation was that there were not many suggestions on the Subaru, let it be WRXs or the STIs(yes these are not V8s but they are enthusiast cars. You get manual and a great exhaust in STI). I have heard there are reliability issues with Subaru's but all those reviews are with a decade old Subarus.

I do own a 2016 WRX CVT and can give some information about the WRX.

1. It's a well balanced family performance sedan that can be fun at the track and also haul four people safely and comfortably.
2. Bullet proof reliability as long as you don't meddle with the car too much. Some people mess with the engine and then complain about reliability. Stay away from modified used cars.
3. The only long standing issue I have faced over years is the engine misfiring due to carbon deposits even after engine upper cleaning and engine soak cleaning done. Not a biggie but you'll hear metal clicking/misfiring sound under hard acceleration once in a while. You can read more here.
4. Here in Australia: The WRX needs to be serviced every 6 months. It costs more to service a WRX than a BMW 330i at A.S.S. It also costs more to insure due to high probability of theft and crashes.
5. The CVT in the WRX is not great from a FTD perspective. I wouldn't call it bad but let me put it this way, Manual > ZF > DSG > CVT.
6. The FA20DIT engine in the 2016 WRX has literally none of the iconic boxer rumble. One can barely hear it. I understand that the twin scroll Turbo and emission rules have muted the aural pleasure.
7. The 260/300 ish BHP that the WRX/STI produce is considered to be low when compared to what the European/American performance sedans make.
8. This is the last production year for the current generation of the WRX/STI. IIRC this would be the last year for the EJ25 engine in the WRX STI. It's an iconic engine in a way that has it's pros and cons. If you are getting a new one then it's may be an investment if you hold it for long enough. There will be an all new generation next year and you will miss out on new stuff. So be aware of what you are getting into.
9. The STI gets lot more love online than the WRX but the later is a car that you can enjoy better on a daily basis IF you aren't hitting the track every month.
10. Take all online feedback (including from me) with a pinch of salt and drive different cars and decide based on what suits you and your family.

Happy shopping!

Here are some Youtube videos I'd recommend watching if you want to know more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPUOg9eLVAk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uztUdsaNT04

https://youtu.be/BysXhohbV3I

https://youtu.be/eA0yQ5-xqvg

[CarBot]

Originally Posted by vj123

Which part of the country are you moving to?

Thanks VJ, I am moving to Charlotte, NC area and your insights into Durango helps. Your ride looks amazing. May I know what did you buy after Durango, I wanted to know what did you move to from a V8 and what was the real world MPG you were getting .

Originally Posted by kiku007

First of all thanks for trying to give life to a dying breed of automobiles.

Thanks Kiku, the videos are amazing and I am considering WRX (CVT) if I don't go with a V8.

[vj123]

Originally Posted by CarBot

Thanks VJ, I am moving to Charlotte, NC area and your insights into Durango helps. Your ride looks amazing. May I know what did you buy after Durango, I wanted to know what did you move to from a V8 and what was the real world MPG you were getting .

Thank you. I had a Durango & GTI and they were a perfect two car combo meeting our needs. I currently have an Odyssey and planning to buy a performance sedan once the current market settles down. This way i will have a real performance vehicle and also a perfect family hauler. Due to work from home scenario, we dont really need a second vehicle anytime in the near future. Also I averaged 14mpg over the period of 3 years.

Here's the ownership thread on my GTI - https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...t-edition.html (My 2019 VW Golf GTI DSG (Rabbit Edition))

[CarBot]

Note from Support: Please take the time to type your posts properly & proof read before submitting. Thank you


So finally we reached the States and got settled into our house. First things first took Durango RT for a test drive and had a bag of mixed feelings.
The good:

1. V8, HEMI engine.
2. V8 Rumble, exhaust note.
3. Practical in almost all ways.
4. Road presence.

The bad:

1. Plastic quality in $55000 car is bad.
2. Fit and finish not great, the only car on the lot had issues with speakers, cladding and panel gap near bumper. I was shocked.
3. Literally 0 stock everywhere.
4. $55000 car with no safety features like blind spot detection, adaptive cruise control, adaptive headlights, rear cross traffic alert, emergency brakes etc

Other Options considered:
As suggested here on Team BHP, looked at Highlander, as I had a 4Runner before did not go for it. Decided to buy a V8 probably after 6 months as a second car (will need 2 cars once I start going to office).

Unexpected car and decision made:
Went to Subaru to check their range of cars, and liked the Ascent.

The good:

• A Subaru Turbo Charged Symmetrical All Wheel Drive with 8 seats.
• Subaru eye sight which provides safety features (like blind spot detection, adaptive cruise control, adaptive headlights, rear cross traffic alert, emergency brakes).
• Panoramic sunroof.
• Harman music system.
• All black Leather interiors.
• Homelink for garage doors.
• All LED headlights, fog lights, rear lights and interior lights(got it upgraded with dealer later).
• Multiple screens front and back.
• 3 zone climate control.
• Heated steering and heated seats.
• Peppy engine and good low speed torque (probably due to turbo?).

The bad:

• Not a Durango ��.
• Not a V8.
• Looks very plain and bland.
• 3rd row seat is best suited for kids.
• Low profile tires, probably not required in a family SUV.
• Less choice of colors.

Here are the pics: