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I am debating between buying a brand new 07 envoy or trailblazer with the 5yr/100,000mile warranty or an 05 Chrysler Pacifica with about 21000 miles, DVD player, sun roof, leather, PS, PW, adjustable foot pedals for $20,000.  I don't know which car I should go with.  Would it be cheaper to buy new or used.  I got prices for 07 envoys anywhere from 22,700 and up.  A trailblazer that i was looking at was 29,000 before rebates.  I need help deciding and if i go with the pacifica, i don't get much of a warranty i get about 10,000 more miles on the warranty that's it.

Please help!!  

I guess it depends on what you're willing to spend, and which capabilities are important to you.  As a truck-based body-on-frame SUV, the Trailblazer/Envoy is a more appropriate choice for medium-duty off-roading and towing.  

However, that's pretty much where the advantages of the GM trucks end, at least in my opinion.  I admire GM for installing a properly sophisticated 290HP DOHC inline 6, but the rest of the car reminds me of when GM was floundering in a sea of superior competition.  Its cobbled-together dash, fitted with either large-grain nasty hard plastic or laughable fake wood trim is not a place I'd ever want to spend time.  I also don't find body-on-frame chassis to be worthwhile for people not planning on going off-road, what with their wiggly chassis, higher center of gravity, and wasteful extra wieght.  

The Pacifica isn't exactly lithe or light weight, but it appears (and in some ways, is) more sophisticated than the GMs.  It's a bit minivan-like on the outside, but it's got a properly shaped dash with sweeps and curves that make it seem as though it were styled by people who actually wanted to sit in the front seats.  Its instrument cluster is even lifted right out of a Mercedes--and as far as I know, is the first visible use of Mercedes parts in a Chrysler after the Merger. The Pacifica isn't nearly as powerful, but it's adequte, and definately more efficient.  

At the beginning of this post, I asked how much you were willing to spend.  A used pacifica may be available for $20K, just slightly less than the brand new Envoy you mentioned.  But I'd be willing to bet that more luxuriously equipped Envoys and Trailblazers come in over $25k, which puts you right back in the same price category as a new Pacifica.

And for that matter, I can think of quite a few other medium-large SUVs that I find much more desirable in that price category.  Is buying American important to you?  If not, perhaps we can discuss other options.  

My price range is about $20,000.  What other types of SUV's do you recommend in that price range.  I want/need an SVU not necessarily for towing just for the winter mainly.  

As I'm sure you know, the small to midsize SUV market is saturated with tons of options, especially when you consider "crossover" car/SUVs that are basically tall wagons designed to look "tough."  

So I guess it's important for you to outline exactly what you want in your car.  Is AWD the primary concern?  If so, all SUVs and plenty of cars/wagons are available with AWD.  Many of the SUVs that were considered part of the "small" cagetory a few years ago have grown into rather large, spacious "medium" SUVs in the $20K to $30K price range.  

Is size a concern?  If so, it's no secret that all of the American manufacturers are offering huge rebates and cash incentives to move their older designs--like the trailblazer.  As a result, you can get a reasonably powerful, large SUV with a reasonable complement of features for far less than the usual MSRP.  But there's a reason why these cars are available for so cheap:  they're unrefined, poorly built, and suffer below average reliability compared to their competition.  If this is a concern, you'll probably have to look for something smaller than a Trailblazer or Pacifica because SUVs like the Toyota Hylander and 4runner, Honda Pilot, and Nissan Murano all start above $25K and are never discounted.  But they're better cars for sure.  

I'd like to make some solid recommendations, but I can do a better job if I know exactly what sort of characteristics you'd like in your AWD car/suv.  Do you crave power?  Is macho styling important?  Do you want something tall and AWD, but which sacrafices offroadability for a sharp-handling suspension?  What about gas mileage?  And is $20K a starting point, or a price cap?  

I want an AWD/4X4.  I want more space (i.e.-trunk, back seat room) seeing that I have a convertible now, and not much room.  I want a car with some power as I am told I have a lead foot.  I want a car with some options so it will be easier to sell in the future.  I want something that will last me a long time.  I drive about 11,000 miles a year.  I want a car that is sporty, comfortable to sit in and drive in for long periods of time.  I want something about the same size as a trailblazer if not a little smaller.  I want something that I won’t have to put a lot of money in for repairs.   I need a car that I can rely on.  I want something with about the same gas mileage as I am getting now which is about 19mpg.  I would rather buy brand new, with the warranties, knowing that I have a new car, etc.  If it came down to buying a used car for $17-20K I would rather spend an extra few thousand dollars and buy a brand new car.  I want a car with rebates/incentives, etc.  I don’t want to pay more than I need to for a car that I want.  I really don’t want to have to spend more than $25K if I had to spend an extra thousand fine.  Thanks! Please Help!!!  

Thanks for the updated list of requirements.  You've certainly included ALOT of them, which is good, but it also means that you may have to forgo a few.  For example, the best cars I can think of often don't offer rebates or incentives because they sell well enough that Dealers don't need to discount them to get them out the door.  It's also a bit hard to find a sporty car that's also an SUV, and while many cars/SUVs are available with "some power," the most powerful engine option often pushes the car well past $25K.  

But I think you've got a ton of options to consider.  Firstly, I don't think something as big as a Trailblazer is really necessary--and not because I know what's "necessary" for you.  Rather, I find that the body-on-frame truck chassis SUVs like the Trailblazer are better suited to people who need towing capacity or off-roading ability.  Body-on-Frame chassis are rugged, but sacrafice pretty much everything else.  Because the primary structural component of the car is a rail frame on the underside, everything else is pushed up.  So while the truck might appear big and tall on the outside, the interior floor is also high, making the overall cargo and passenger space barely greater than a reasonably sized wagon.  Tuck-based SUVs also have a high center of gravity, reducing handling performance and rollover safety, and are heavy for their size, requiring more powerful, thirstier engines for the same acceleration as a car-based SUV.

So if you want something in the same exterior size-class as a trailblazer that's new and costs no more than $25K, your options are limited.  The Mitsubishi Endeavor is one, and while I don't favor its styling (inside or out), it's built on a solid Galant platform with a punchy 3.8 Liter V6.  I'm fairly certain that Mitsubishi offers discounts on these cars, as they don't sell very well, despite the fact that they're actually pretty good cars.  the Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, and Nissan Murano are the best cars in the this class, but unfortunately, they all start above $25K and usually end up near $30K.  See what's available at your dealers, however, as non of these cars are available without a reasonable amount of options, and a base-model might be just affordable enough.  The Highlander and Pilot are very big indeed, and are notoriously reliable, functional cars.  The Murano sacrafices a bit of utility for swoopy (for an SUV) styling, but it's also a more sporty-handling SUV than the others.  

But I think the more likely options for you are "small" SUVs and/or AWD wagons.  As I mentioned in a previous post, the small SUVs aren't exactly small anymore, and with their flat-folding rear seats and spacious interiors, you'll be able to fit most anything.  The Toyota RAV4 and Honda CRV have evolved into very well equipped, refined, spacious SUVs.  Both come standard with 160-something HP 2.4 liter 4 cylinder engines, but I find Honda's engine to be buttery-smooth and unexpectedly torquey.  Neither of these cars will accelerate hard enough to make you grin, but they're not unreasonably slow either.  Both are available reasonably well equipped for around $25K.  For a bit more, Toyota offers a surprisingly powerful 268HP 3.5L V6 that'll certainly make you grin.  

A personal favorite of mine is the Subaru Forrester.  It's tall and boxy, making cargo room abundant even if it's actually a wee bit smaller overall than the RAV4 and CRV.  I admire the Subaru for its unique boxer engine (2.5L 173HP), it's excellent handling, its sophisticated AWD system that'll actually do pretty well in medium-offroading, and its reputation for bulletproof reliability.  A 2.5X starts at around $21K with reasonable equipment, so even a few luxury items won't bust the $25K mark.  For more power, the 2.5XT comes with a turbocharged version of the same 2.5L engine.  Unfortunately, that option pushes the price over $26K, although the XT also comes standard with more stuff than the base 2.5X. It's certainly fast, though.  With a manual transmission, it'll do 0-60 in less than 6 seconds.

If you want a lot of sport in your SUV, the best option, though an expensive one, is the Mazda CX-7.  It starts just under $25K, but AWD is an option, so count on a bit over $25K.  But for that, you get a nice standard equipment package that includes stability control and the usual airbags on all sides, and a powerful 244HP 2.3L turbocharged 4Cyl.  It's not great on gas mileage and requires premium fuel, but it will definitely equal or better 19MPG in mostly-city driving.  I think this car is stylish inside and out, and it's easily the best handling SUV before the $35-$45K mark occupied by the Acura RDX and BMW X3.  I noticed just now, while checking prices on the website, that Mazda is offering 0% financing or extremely low short-term Lease rates.  

The Mitsubishi Outlander is another excellent option.  It's a bit more affordable than some of the others, but comes standard with a 3L 220HP V6.  It's a brand new design, so it's fresh-looking inside and out.  

If you're open to the idea of a wagon, however, the Subaru Outback or Legacy Wagon are excellent choices.  They're both the same car, but the Outback offers bigger tires, a raised suspension, and supposedly rugged-looking exterior detailing.  Either way, they handle very well--better than most sedans, and certainly better than any SUV.  A Legacy wagon starts at $22K and comes with the usual 170HP 2.5L boxer engine.  Like the Forrester, it's AWD system is excellent, and I find the interior to be BMW-like with it's driver-oriented design.  One thing, though;  the Legacy, although a great handler, is still a rather heavy car for 170HP.  It wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for the 4 speed automatic transmission.  Opting for a 5 speed stick would solve the power-deficit to a degree, but with just 4 speeds, the automatic struggles to make the car move with any sort of entertainment value.  It's not slow, but not remotely quick either.  If you want power, the 240 something HP turbo 2.5L is available (similar to, but more powerful than the Forrester), and it transforms the car into a seriously quick sports wagon.  Then again, it starts at $30K, so if you fall in love with this car, you'd probably be best finding a 2 year used one.  

Let me know what you think of these options, or if you're thinking of something completely different.  

Thank you so much, you have been a huge help.  I deffinately want an AWD/4X4, and i don't really want a car.  And I am not so sure if I should buy new or buy used.  Are Mitsubishi's good car's, that are reliable?  I haven't really checked into them but could be a possibility.  Thanks again~  

Well, Mitsubishi have had a colored past.  Many assume Mitsu to be generally unreliable, BUT.....BUT BUT BUT....only because their "halo" cars such as the high-performance 3000GT of the previous Decade and the current EVO are very high-performance, high-maintenance cars.  The Bread n'butter cars like the Galant and Lancer, however, has always been reliable and of reasonably high-quality.  Many have found various aesthetic flaws with these cars, however, this drove Mitsu to the brink of bankruptcy just a few years ago.  

The result of everyting I've said above is that Mitsu is now little-known and sometimes considered untrustworthy by people who don't know any better.  

But as I said above, Mitsubishi's basic cars are good, generally reliable, and well-made.  The Endeavor doesn't sell well--and I can see why.  It's expensive, and doesn't offer anything more than competing models.  But with the massive discounts, it may just be a bargain.  The Outlander, on the other hand, is a pretty darn good Smallish SUV that's not so small.  It's too new to judge reliability just yet, but considering Mistu's reputation for general reliability in their "sensible" car lineup, the fact that they NEED a good, reliable car to carry them out of financial trouble, and their excellent Warranty, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one.  Plus, the Outlander comes with such goodies as a standard 6 (!) speed automatic with shifter paddles on the steering wheel.  

But also don't forget the Forrester, RAV4, and CRV that I mentioned.  All great cars.