C-Forum

I've been searching for a new vehicle - as I've got a clunker and where else am I going to get $3500 for my Ford Explorer with nearly 200K miles.

Yesterday I narrowed my short list down to two vehicles and after talking with the guy from Yakima it looks like I'm going to have to cross both off my list.

2010 Outback has the strangest new factory roof rack with rails that will only allow you to get a 21 inch spread on a Yakima rack. 21 inches is not enough of a spread to carry a canoe!!! Quote from Yakima: "I'm afraid that we do not recommend putting canoes on the top of the Wagon for that particular year."

The other vehicle on my short list is the Hyundai Santa Fe. Yakima claims that you can get a rail grab on a 2009 Santa Fe - but I can't figure out how it can be done and they don't have a photo to show me (they did have a photo to show me how the 2010 Outback would mount). However, they claim that the cross bar spread will only be 25 inches and that is marginally enough to carry a 14 foot boat but not a 16 foot boat. The recommended cross bar spread for carrying canoes is 37 inches.

OK - now that I'm done venting!

Do any of you have any recommendations of vehicles for me to look at?

The following are my criteria:
1. Needs to be new and get at least 18 mpg to qualify for a Clunker trade with my Ford Explorer.
2. 4WD or AWD
3. Needs to be able to carry 2 canoes - 15'9" and 12'2"
4. I need to be able to sleep in the back - I'm only 5'2"
5. Would like to be able to put a cello in the back without lowering the rear seat.

Thanks for your help!
Julie

Howdy Jules!

Chevy Equinox, Ford Escape... and as much as I hate to say this... take a look at a Toyota Highlander.

Chevy HHR might work too...

oh well...

good luck Julie

Do you want another truck or would you like an AWD car/wagon for ease of loading?

Lots of trucks out there and there is always the Volvo/VW/ Audi/Mercedes wagons.

I just traded in an old Isuzu trooper using the cash for clunkers program and got a clean diesel 2009 VW Jetta Sportwagen. It is rated 30 mpg city and 41 hw. Has factory racks and I just picked up Yakima crossbars to use with it. Rack is rated at 165 lbs, so even two large canoes should be fine. Not AWD and not great ground clearance, so that may not work well depending on your typical access roads. I have not had the opportunity to put a cello in the back. With back seats down, I think you can easily sleep in it.

So, I'm not the only one who researches racks *before* buying a vehicle!

How about a new Forester, do they have the same rails on the roof as the Outback? Or can you get an outback w/o the factory rails? I have an older Forester and like it. Plenty of room to sleep in the back for me and I'm 6'2". As for bar spread, i used to have an extended cab Ford Ranger and carried canoes on the top of it with no problem, even 18'+ canoes, and I know the spread wasn't over 30". I know Yakima doesn't recommend it, but you aren't carrying 'long' canoes right? Bow and stern lines could be used as well.
Good Luck
B

Craig Smerda wrote:Howdy Jules!

Chevy Equinox, Ford Escape... and as much as I hate to say this... take a look at a Toyota Highlander.

Chevy HHR might work too...

oh well...

good luck Julie

Hi Craig - thanks for the recommendations.

Chevy Equinox - Consumer reports says "Equinox is a mediocre vehicle . . . handling is clumsy and the ride becomes unsettled at speed. Interior quality is subpar." Doesn't sound like I would like this vehicle.

Ford Escape - I test drove one on Sunday. Drive was very similar to the Ford Explorer and you can't sleep in it or put a cello in the back without folding down the seats.

Toyota Highlander - looks like I need to add this to my list of vehicles to check out.

Chevy HHR - No AWD

Mr.DeadLegs wrote:Do you want another truck or would you like an AWD car/wagon for ease of loading?

Lots of trucks out there and there is always the Volvo/VW/ Audi/Mercedes wagons.

I'm game for either a truck or an AWD car/wagon. Our other car is a 2008 Outback and when I shopped for that vehicle I looked at the VW and Audi wagons with the final short list the Outback and the Passat. The Outback won when we looked at reliability statistics. I once owned a Volvo wagon and it was the biggest mistake of my life - I'm not going back there. I'm afraid that I would have a problem with the Mercedes wagons staying under the $45K price tag limit for Cash for Clunkers.

dirk wrote:I just traded in an old Isuzu trooper using the cash for clunkers program and got a clean diesel 2009 VW Jetta Sportwagen. It is rated 30 mpg city and 41 hw. Has factory racks and I just picked up Yakima crossbars to use with it. Rack is rated at 165 lbs, so even two large canoes should be fine. Not AWD and not great ground clearance, so that may not work well depending on your typical access roads. I have not had the opportunity to put a cello in the back. With back seats down, I think you easily sleep in it.

My next stop is the VW dealer. Husband thinks I would look good in a Tiguan. I think that it will be too small.

cbcboat wrote:How about a new Forester, do they have the same rails on the roof as the Outback? Or can you get an outback w/o the factory rails? I have an older Forester and like it. Plenty of room to sleep in the back for me and I'm 6'2". As for bar spread, i used to have an extended cab Ford Ranger and carried canoes on the top of it with no problem, even 18'+ canoes, and I know the spread wasn't over 30". I know Yakima doesn't recommend it, but you aren't carrying 'long' canoes right? Bow and stern lines could be used as well.
Good Luck
B

I haven't looked at the Foresters yet but will soon.

I would NEVER put any boat on top of my vehicle with out bow and stern lines!

sbroam wrote: So, I'm not the only one who researches racks *before* buying a vehicle!

You should have seen my jaw drop when I climbed up on top of the Outback and saw the new rack. IT SUCKS!!!!!

Check out the Ford Taurus X. I just picked up a Freestyle (same car with name change) and love it. Just put racks on, and though they recommend the 58" bars, I put 66" bars on and no issues at all. I took my 17' flatwater canoe down to Tampa last week...ran 80 mph the whole way and got about 21 mpg on it. I get 23/24 in the 60 mph range.

AWD is optional if you need it. Has 3 rows, 2 fold down, and front passenger seat folds down as well. with all of the seats down (only driver seat available to sit in) I actually crammed my Dagger Cascade inside the thing and can shut the rear gate (hadn't gotten the racks yet and NEEDED to paddle).

Edited to add - Depending on the year of your Explorer, you may be able to migrate your rack system over. Cascade is a C1 and it's 11' 2" (my Ocoee wouldn't quite fit)

I'd add another vote for a Forester. I haul two (side by side) to three (third on top of the side by side) solo canoes every weekend on mine and occasionally two tandems (one stacked leaning against the other). My Forester is a 2005 and was pictured in American Whitewater with three canoes on top. I get around 25 mpg on the highway with canoes and about 30 mpg without. I'm 5''ll" and have slept comfortably in the car. Don't know about the cello, but I can get a 60" paddle at a diagonal in the back without lowering the rear seat. Car has been really reliable for 60,000 miles now. It's one downfall is that it pings under load. I've had it checked out by two mechanics--neither could find anything wrong. I now run the car on premium gas and it doesn't ping.

Julie, Check out the Toyota Rav 4. Gabi had one hauled 2 oc's and slept in it. Not sure about the instrument fitting tho.
Bill

I'm pretty happy with my Hyundai Tucson. I have Thuel racks and have had 6-7 boats of various sizes and shapes on top for shuttles and have had no problems. Gets about 20mpg, admitedly not the best.
AND, the back seats lie flat which was important to me as I knew that I wanted to get a small suv I could sleep in a pinch or while in a drunken stupor after coming off the river. I'm 6'2".The Sante Fe, I rcall, and many of the smaller suv's, d/n have the back seats lie flat. The Honda Element was my 1st choice but the wife d/n like the boxy look. Several of my paddlin buds swear by it, and one is at least 6'6".