New SUV

[SycloneJoe]

Fir SUV I'd go with a Chevy Suburban or Tahoe or GMC versions the Yukon or Yukon XL.

I love the updated look that Ford did to their Expedition beginning with the 2018 model.

Wife also recently bought a CX5. They are a little small but definitely a nice vehicle.

Cant go wrong with Toyota, Honda/Acura, or Subaru. I would stay far away from GM. JMO.

I currently own 3 GM SUV's with over 200,000 miles on them. They're outstanding vehicles! Reliable, powerful, comfortable, and luxurious models are available. On top of that, my wife's Suburban got 23.3 mpg driving to FL last year. I just rented a Toyota minivan and it only got 23.7 mpg in similar driving conditions.

I only buy used and pay cash so I'm the weirdo who avoids Hondas. They're great cars but they hold their value too well. A $3,000 Honda is usually a piece of junk. A $3,000 domestic vehicle is usually 1/2 the mileage and in good shape. I also hate replacing Honda (and other makes) timing belts, water pumps and tensioners every 60,000 miles. That will cost $500-$1,000 at your local mechanic if you aren't a DIY'er. European makes are usually cheap used but the cost of repairs and service is very high. I usually stick with domestics due to the low repair costs, ease of repair and "bang for the buck".

 

[bag12day]

Looks like a nice 70 to me. What year is the Avalon?

Sorry been busy and didn't see your response. It is a 2009... and the 1970 is my favorite of all of my vehicles. I drive it 6.5 hours to Knoxville for a game or two each year. I really want one of those stickers that says " thanks for driving your Prius, I need the gas".

 

[1972 Grad]

Sorry been busy and didn't see your response. It is a 2009... and the 1970 is my favorite of all of my vehicles. I drive it 6.5 hours to Knoxville for a game or two each year. I really want one of those stickers that says " thanks for driving your Prius, I need the gas".

I believe you said 600 horsepower? Big block or LS transplant engine? Surely not a small block , unless it is a big cubic inch stroker with a supercharger or nitrous. Hard to imagine it would be very streetable unless..

 

[bag12day]

I believe you said 600 horsepower? Big block or LS transplant engine? Surely not a small block , unless it is a big cubic inch stroker with a supercharger or nitrous. Hard to imagine it would be very streetable unless..

We looked at doing an LS swap and my buddy has built some scary small block strokers but we decided to keep the 454 like it came from the factory. It’s a naturally aspirated with a 950 quick fuel carb w/ ls6 heads. Every time I bring up putting alum heads or supercharger on it my wife says you don’t need that it has enough hp. I point to the shoe pile. i did smoke the turbo 400 trans about a month after the motor build and retrofitted a 4le80 4 speed into VolSS. I have a programmable computer where I can manually shift or set shift points which is nice to play with. Now here’s the silly part I have 373 gears and can get about 15.5 mpg with pump gas running a/c if I watch myself on onramps driving i40 to the mountains Buttttttt I rarely do that watch my speed thing. cant See from the picture but I have staggered tires 8.5 front and 11 inch rears ( big as we could go without tubbing it) and it will launch nicely for an old man street car.

 

[1972 Grad]

We looked at doing an LS swap and my buddy has built some scary small block strokers but we decided to keep the 454 like it came from the factory. It’s a naturally aspirated with a 950 quick fuel carb w/ ls6 heads. Every time I bring up putting alum heads or supercharger on it my wife says you don’t need that it has enough hp. I point to the shoe pile. i did smoke the turbo 400 trans about a month after the motor build and retrofitted a 4le80 4 speed into VolSS. I have a programmable computer where I can manually shift or set shift points which is nice to play with. Now here’s the silly part I have 373 gears and can get about 15.5 mpg with pump gas running a/c if I watch myself on onramps driving i40 to the mountains Buttttttt I rarely do that watch my speed thing. cant See from the picture but I have staggered tires 8.5 front and 11 inch rears ( big as we could go without tubbing it) and it will launch nicely for an old man street car.

Sounds nice. I have owned nearly 100 old muscle cars in my day, but no Chevelles. I currently have a 1970 AMX four speed that I bought new with a warmed over original 360. It dynoed at 433 hp and 458 torque with headers and 411 hp and 426 torque with exhaust manifolds. I am running it with exhaust manifolds. The car only weighs 3200 pounds, so it's pretty quick. I also have 1971 AMC Hornet SC/360 four speed, near stock, and a 2000 FRC Corvette.

I was thinking that the 71 Corvette with a lower compression LS6 had aluminum heads, but the 70 Chevelle did not. Is that correct? The good square port big block heads were on the three 427/435 hp Tri-power Corvettes that I have owned.

 

[volinbham]

Ford is doing 6 months with no payments (they make 3 for you and defer your payments for 3 months). GM is doing some type of payment deferment.

 

[hog88]

Ford is doing 6 months with no payments (they make 3 for you and defer your payments for 3 months). GM is doing some type of payment deferment.

Give it another couple months and it will be a buyers market.

 

[Roustabout]

I currently own 3 GM SUV's with over 200,000 miles on them. They're outstanding vehicles! Reliable, powerful, comfortable, and luxurious models are available. On top of that, my wife's Suburban got 23.3 mpg driving to FL last year. I just rented a Toyota minivan and it only got 23.7 mpg in similar driving conditions.

I only buy used and pay cash so I'm the weirdo who avoids Hondas. They're great cars but they hold their value too well. A $3,000 Honda is usually a piece of junk. A $3,000 domestic vehicle is usually 1/2 the mileage and in good shape. I also hate replacing Honda (and other makes) timing belts, water pumps and tensioners every 60,000 miles. That will cost $500-$1,000 at your local mechanic if you aren't a DIY'er. European makes are usually cheap used but the cost of repairs and service is very high. I usually stick with domestics due to the low repair costs, ease of repair and "bang for the buck".

Just FYI, not all Honda engines have timing belts.

 

[Roustabout]

Give it another couple months and it will be a buyers market.

It's always, always a buyers market. There is never a time where dealers are not giving away the farm and spending buckets of money on advertising to get you in.

 

[hog88]

It's always, always a buyers market. There is never a time where dealers are not giving away the farm and spending buckets of money on advertising to get you in.

True but it will be even better.

 

[Roustabout]

True but it will be even better.

Maybe, maybe not. If the supply lines are interrupted with part delays and factor shut downs, inventory could become a problem down the road.
There is so much periphery that affects the market that it is impossible to make that claim. If they invent a vaccine in the next 30 days, or the treatment works, then things could swing back quick.

 

[VOLinAL]

Guess it depends on what you want. Sporty, luxury, standard?

I just had my first child last year and went from a Charger to a Nissan Armada. I think you will want a full size SUV. I wanted a Tahoe in at leasr the LT trim but I wasnt liking the prices.

 

[bag12day]

Sounds nice. I have owned nearly 100 old muscle cars in my day, but no Chevelles. I currently have a 1970 AMX four speed that I bought new with a warmed over original 360. It dynoed at 433 hp and 458 torque with headers and 411 hp and 426 torque with exhaust manifolds. I am running it with exhaust manifolds. The car only weighs 3200 pounds, so it's pretty quick. I also have 1971 AMC Hornet SC/360 four speed, near stock, and a 2000 FRC Corvette.

I was thinking that the 71 Corvette with a lower compression LS6 had aluminum heads, but the 70 Chevelle did not. Is that correct? The good square port big block heads were on the three 427/435 hp Tri-power Corvettes that I have owned.

Wow 100 is alot of asphalt punishment over the years! That AMX would walk my Chevelle just on the weight/HP alone. I have really nice sound equipment, heavy Mercedes carpeting, custom gauges ,etc... and we kind of built it to go stoplight to stop light. I have no problem driving a friends twin super charged late model Camaro at 100+ but not really wanting to trust a 50 year old frame but I will give it hell for 6 seconds.
Correct the LS6 heads ( very rare on the 70ss less than 600 IIRC) were Iron heads as are mine but were aluminum on the Vettes. As you can imagine there were alot of them that didn't make it too many years. My car was originally a Tuxedo black with white stripes LS5 SS 454 and the "official" numbers were 450 HP and 455 Ftlbs. Mine had an Engine swap with MarkIV and the addition of the LS6 heads. My buddy that built the motor owns a performance auto shop specializing in classics and he had been working on the car for years and I bought it from his customer about 10 years ago with no paint and in need of some TLC and have made alot changes since then. My next project is gonna be a tubbed 56 Apache pickup.

 

[SycloneJoe]

Just FYI, not all Honda engines have timing belts.

I’m well aware. I buy and sell a lot of vehicles. I’ve owned hundreds of vehicles (no kidding) and do my own repairs. The LARGE majority of Honda engines are interference engines with a timing belt. If it fails, you’re buying an engine.

I said they’re great cars and they hold their value incredibly well. Too well when when you’re buying a cheap used car. The positive is that I usually do pretty well when I flip them.

 

[1972 Grad]

Wow 100 is alot of asphalt punishment over the years! That AMX would walk my Chevelle just on the weight/HP alone. I have really nice sound equipment, heavy Mercedes carpeting, custom gauges ,etc... and we kind of built it to go stoplight to stop light. I have no problem driving a friends twin super charged late model Camaro at 100+ but not really wanting to trust a 50 year old frame but I will give it hell for 6 seconds.
Correct the LS6 heads ( very rare on the 70ss less than 600 IIRC) were Iron heads as are mine but were aluminum on the Vettes. As you can imagine there were alot of them that didn't make it too many years. My car was originally a Tuxedo black with white stripes LS5 SS 454 and the "official" numbers were 450 HP and 455 Ftlbs. Mine had an Engine swap with MarkIV and the addition of the LS6 heads. My buddy that built the motor owns a performance auto shop specializing in classics and he had been working on the car for years and I bought it from his customer about 10 years ago with no paint and in need of some TLC and have made alot changes since then. My next project is gonna be a tubbed 56 Apache pickup.

Sounds like a blast. I had 6 426 Hemi cars and sold way too early. Nice condition factory original, and sold mostly around $10,000, give or take, in the 80's. The closest thing that I had to your car would be GS Stage 1 Buick and W-30 Olds. Nice cars.

 

[bag12day]

Sounds like a blast. I had 6 426 Hemi cars and sold way too early. Nice condition factory original, and sold mostly around $10,000, give or take, in the 80's. The closest thing that I had to your car would be GS Stage 1 Buick and W-30 Olds. Nice cars.

Came real close to buying a beautiful Stage 1 before I bought the Chevelle, but as you can figure I wanted to do what I wanted to do modern/retro/custom and I hated refused to butcher up a perfectly good all original Stage 1. Those are way more rare than Chevelle SS cars. Same with the W-30 so many of them would up on the drag strip and crashed if you find an original I appreciate it for what it is. My car was mostly original but with the engine trade out in the 80s I didn't feel bad doing something custom I wanted. My buddy has a customer with a show concourse quality W-30 and he is fastidious about the correct hose clamps, screws, hoses. etc... He wants it just the way Olds rolled it off in 70.
Heres my what if... A neighbor ( friend of my dad) had a 67 Vette he tried to sell me in 1980 and because I was 14 my mom and dad wouldn't let me get it. I worked in Tobacco and on farm and I had saved enough money but they were gonna have to put it on their insurance when I turned 16 and that was a no go. I wound up with a 68 VW bug and a 72 farm truck with a 400 CI.

 

[YankeeVol]

Well now that I’ve worked at Chevy 3 days, I’m pretty much an expert (blue font people).

The Equinox is pretty nice. I’m a fan of the Blazer

 

[1972 Grad]

Came real close to buying a beautiful Stage 1 before I bought the Chevelle, but as you can figure I wanted to do what I wanted to do modern/retro/custom and I hated refused to butcher up a perfectly good all original Stage 1. Those are way more rare than Chevelle SS cars. Same with the W-30 so many of them would up on the drag strip and crashed if you find an original I appreciate it for what it is. My car was mostly original but with the engine trade out in the 80s I didn't feel bad doing something custom I wanted. My buddy has a customer with a show concourse quality W-30 and he is fastidious about the correct hose clamps, screws, hoses. etc... He wants it just the way Olds rolled it off in 70.
Heres my what if... A neighbor ( friend of my dad) had a 67 Vette he tried to sell me in 1980 and because I was 14 my mom and dad wouldn't let me get it. I worked in Tobacco and on farm and I had saved enough money but they were gonna have to put it on their insurance when I turned 16 and that was a no go. I wound up with a 68 VW bug and a 72 farm truck with a 400 CI.

A friend at U.T. bought a new orange 70 W-30 in 1970. It was a 4 speed, 3.91 posi, and manual steering. Built for the strip. It was really fast. I have had my AMX since new, so we raced on I-40 west of Knoxville late one night when both cars were stock. Of course, my car had 120 less horsepower then. He ran off and left me. I'd like a rematch.

 

[Carl Pickens]

Wife doesn’t want one. This will be her daily ride and she’s not really into minivans

Mine was the same way until we had our third. At that point we bought a minivan and she realized how much easier it was pack all of her things and the kids.