As most of you know, with a baby on the way I am selling my 350Z.  In its place I need a new car and I am thinking I want an SUV.  Before I get one, I figured I would run down the advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages to Driving an SUV

The first advantage is obviously room.  Even without a baby I have found myself constantly short of space driving my 350Z around.  Obviously some of that would be alleviated having a sedan instead of a coupe but even with a full size sedan there are a lot of things Ive been doing lately that need some major space (ex: lawn and garden equipment, full size crib, etc).  The extra luggage capacity and carrying space I had while my car was in the shop and I had the pathfinder rental was amazing.  A minivan would work, but quite frankly I am not going to drive a minivan.

Snow.  I really don’t need to say more because its sort of self explanatory, but I will say that Colorado is ridiculously unpredicible.  We’ve had days where I went out in shorts in the morning and it was snowing by noon.  An SUV is definitely a nice way to hedge my bets against the weather.  People loved telling me about my Z “hows the skates” in reference to sliding around on snow and ice.  I wont miss that.

Another advantage to purchasing and driving an SUV are the off-road components which I probably won’t use that much, but on the occaisonal camping trip could be useful.  I used to have a friend that I went backpacking and camping with and he’d always say “good thing I have a ranger” about his truck that barely cleared the dirt mounds on trails.  Mostly it was good tongue in cheek joke, but truth is if the small truck barely cleared, a car will not.

General handling capabilities are also good on a lot of SUVs. Although each make and model of SUV comes with its own degree of handling capabilities, it can arguably be said that the overall handling capability rivals most other vehicle types.

Lastly, its bigger probably safer (yes, dependent on model) than most cars, especially smaller cars.  Having a baby in a bigger car at least makes me feel better.

Disadvantages to Driving an SUV

I do not follow the trendiness of the “green” movement, and global warming.  But that being said, I know CO2 isn’t good so I would prefer better gas mileage or even a hybrid.  Unfortunately most are out of my price range and I have a bigger concern in the short term:

1) Fuel Cost

2) Current Fuel Cost

3) Future Fuel Cost

This is the part that makes me more nervous than anything else. I hate paying for gas as it is, the thought of buying even MORE gas per month does not sit well.  Add this to the fact that we are in very uncertain times right now.  Since Iran has decided to go full speed ahead with its nuclear missle development Israel is (rightfully) unnerved.  Its akin basically to if say, cuba said over and over their one goal is to wipe us off the map and they started developing nukes.  All it would take is one Israeli attack on Iran and gas prices could go to $5,$6 a gallon.  Assuming we would get involved in the conflict if other nations stepped in and we’re looking at $20/gallon if we were cut off from OPEC.  Assuming $20/gallon and 15 miles to the gallon with an SUV and thats $40 a day just to drive to work and back.

Id write more but I think I better go pump my bike tires up just in case.

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