In addition to the 25% off which our dealer is advertising, you also get a 5 grand rebate. That means that a list price 40k Tahoe now goes for 25k.

Is it a great vehicle, no. But it’s a good vehicle, and has a lot of luxury, room, and utility for 25k. That’s a good deal.

If you are looking for a deal like that on a CUV its going to be harder to find. Many CUV’s get great mileage for their size, so they aren’t selling any worse than the midsize cars. It’s the real SUV’s that they can’t seem to give away.

If you actually do the math on your mileage, even using $5 gasoline, you may find it’s a better deal than the smaller vehicle you were looking at.

Vehicles are worth what people will pay for them, not what the dealer hopes to get for them.

I agree with you. Where are all the “good deals” on SUV’s. I live here in OKC where SUV’s outnumber everything else it seems 5:1. I always read through the ads and check the prices just to stay current on the market. The used SUV’s here seem to be pretty much what they were selling for two years ago used. For instance, I’ve seen many Armada SE’s selling for mid 20’s recently (used 2006 and 2007 with low miles). This is the same range they were selling for a couple of years ago. I’ve also noticed Expeditions and Tahoes selling for the same they used to be as well. Maybe all these good deals are in strictly urban areas or on the coasts. It also may be that the older BOF mid-size SUV’s are the real steals since a unibody CUV has the same space and better economy. I dunno but I do agree with you that the “deals” are few and far between in my area.

Your problem is looking at midsize. Look at full size.

In Houston, TX. every other car is a Yukahoeban (Before the storm it was every third car, but many of the lower, smaller vehicles that were south of town aren’t running anymore). You can now get 25% to 30% off of MSRP on NEW Tahoes, Suburbans, and Silverado’s. That’s the advertisement, and they say it’s on EVERY one, not just a few loss leaders.

I haven’t shopped, but I can only assume that the 3 year off lease ones go for much less.

Do we really want to take financial advice from these people?

“Hefty cash incentives of up to $4,000 on certain 2008 model SUVs, such as the Acura RDX and the Honda Pilot can offset high fuel costs in the first year of ownership.”

If you drive so much that you can’t cover your whole fuel bill for one year for $4,000, don’t buy an SUV.

Here is the real argument for buying an SUV (whether you agree or not, it’s the argument, please don’t argue with the likely outcome because you are simply anti-SUV): Buy a highly discounted SUV now. When everyone forgets about the fuel crunch in a few years, the SUV will be a desirable used vehicle that will sell for high dollars. The combination of a huge up front discount and low depreciation will more than make up for extra fuel cost.

Yes, if gas goes up to $5, this would turn out to be a bad investment. It’s your money.

Still, $4,000 is enough to offset all the extra fuel costs for me for well over 5 years. You gotta believe, if I were shopping, a highly discounted SUV would be the deal for me.

You would think that at least the editors at Forbes could do the math. Certainly they know what the words mean.

Where are all these “great deals” on used SUVs and CUVs? I have been looking for a mid sized 4WD/AWD vehicle and find that the off-lease listed price on 3 year old models is approximately 70% of a new model. The new model usually is improved (mpg/VDC/electronics)and comes without the risk associated with a used vehicle.

When these vehicles start selling at 30-40% of new prices then that in my mind is a “great deal”.

Do any of TTAC readers know where these “great deals” are? I can’t bid at auctions and I don’t know where these cars go after auctions. 3 year old off lease Certified used at 80% of new doesn’t do it for me. Do I go into the dealer and offer 50% of what they are asking? That seems like a waste of time to me.

For Occasional Use Only. Side effects may include empty bank account, bloated garage, hallucinations causing confusion between needs and wants, and gas mortgages in your neighborhood.

Seriously – I’d have a thirsty vehicle like an SUV for weekend use. Less than 5,000 miles annually.

SUVs I’d buy right now: Explorer

Toyota and Nissan are also missing. How’d you miss that?

Good catch.

My answer: because it was before my 2nd cup of coffee :-D

Toyota and Nissan are also missing. How’d you miss that?

And while I can forgive 10-best lists that called on a voting panel (TTAC-like) or use actual research, the whole “I’m going to sit in front of my laptop and come up with a 10-best list all by myself because I know best anyway” is just plain ridiculous.

That said, funnily enough, the only major automaker missing seems to be…Chrysler!

EDIT: no actually, the BMW X5 is inexplicably missing from the love list.