Jeep Stolen, need input for what's next

[01svtL]

My 2008 SRT8 was stolen from a shopping center on Friday while I was eating lunch with my wife.

Looking at options to replace it with. We have a 19 month old toddler, and the seating space in the Jeep was surprisingly small. Even with the seat moved up enough to make it uncomfortable for my 5'9" wife to sit in the front, my daughter still had very little room in front of her. So, I'm definitely looking to avoid that.

That said, while my passion is sports cars (or sport suvs or sport trucks), I don't think my budget allows for something newer that is fast and comfortably seats a convertible car seat behind the passenger, unless there's something I'm just not thinking of. My budget is about $30K, or I would look at lease options with a monthly payment of somewhere around a $500/mo top end. I may also consider a higher mileage F250/350 diesel if they are worth considering.

Here's some ideas of things I'm planning to read up on:
Used:
Ford Taurus SHO
Chrysler 300 srt8 (read some complaints about rattles in the 2012s)
Ford Explorer Sport
Ford Edge Sport (not sure if there's more seating room than the Jeep or not, will have to go look at one)
Higher mileage Raptors?
Cadillac CTS-V?

New:
Edge Sport
No idea what else really. I'm not yet sure what can be had in my price range.

Suggestions and personal experience welcome.

 

[DriftwoodSVT]

Explorer Sport would be my choice. We have a 15 and it's nice. We got 2nd row buckets which make access to the 3rd row really easy.

1st Gen Raptors are fun, but not very fast. I've had my 2012 for almost 5 years (90k miles) and have a 2nd Gen on order.

 

[DHG1078]

Explorer Sport. I just got an xlt model since its my wifes car and she didn't want/need anything faster lol. So I saved a little bit of cash. Plenty of space in the middle row for your 19 month olds car seat. Our 2 year old is still rear facing, and we have no problems with space for the car seat or front passenger leg room.

 

[Blk04L]

If you want a quick car/truck, take the Raptor off the list.

It's a fun offroad truck/comfortable to drive, but the Gen 1 is slow, compared to the rest on the list.

Can't believe your truck was stolen at a shopping center(ie smaller window to break in and steal/witnesses). Expected to read that it was left outside of the garage overnight.

+1 to the Explorer Sport.

 

[DHG1078]

Also want to add we took 6 people (5 adults and our at the time 1 year old) on a weekend trip all in our explorer. There was enough space behind the third row for all our luggage. It took some tetris skills, but we made it work. Other SUV's (like toyotas) in the same class have less room behind the third row.

 

[01svtL]

Yea I've heard several times now, since Friday, that that particular shopping center is bad. It's La Cantera in San Antonio, which is a fairly affluent area. I was parked outside of a Cheesecake Factory and Perry's Steakhouse, haha.
But yea, they have to be professionals. There was only one other car parked in the 12-14 car section we parked in, and every space had filled within the hour that it took to eat lunch and come back out, so they were very quick/efficient at it.

 

[50stangpower]

the edge has more back seat room then the explorer but you dont get a 3rd row seat. If you only need 5 seats get the edge, its much more spacious in the back seat. And yes we have had both

 

[03Sssnake]

Hellcat Charger lease, 48 months with money down should have you between 5-600 a month

The HC charger should be roomy enough.

 

[DriftwoodSVT]

Yea I've heard several times now, since Friday, that that particular shopping center is bad. It's La Cantera in San Antonio, which is a fairly affluent area. I was parked outside of a Cheesecake Factory and Perry's Steakhouse, haha.

Wow, my wife and I go there frequently. Good to know.

 

[01svtL]

Also want to add we took 6 people (5 adults and our at the time 1 year old) on a weekend trip all in our explorer. There was enough space behind the third row for all our luggage. It took some tetris skills, but we made it work. Other SUV's (like toyotas) in the same class have less room behind the third row.

Yea I'm not too concerned with the rear cargo room. My wife will be getting something larger soon. That's kinda why I have the Edge Sport on the list as well, but I haven't sat in a new one, or driven one for that matter.

 

[01svtL]

Hellcat Charger lease, 48 months with money down should have you between 5-600 a month

The HC charger should be roomy enough.

Haha what kind of money down?

 

[03Sssnake]

Haha what kind of money down?

Probably 5K, definitely a lot down for a lease, best worst idea ever

 

[WVTrakPak]

Focus RS!!!

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[7upstang]

Why not consider a 2015+ Ecoboost F-150?
Bigger cab and puts you into a truck (Even though it's not a F-250).
The Explorer doesn't have a ton of room in the second row.

 

[helloWorld]

I am surprised that this happened at La Cantera. I have been there many times. That is a nice part of town.

 

[01svtL]

Why not consider a 2015+ Ecoboost F-150?
Bigger cab and puts you into a truck (Even though it's not a F-250).
The Explorer doesn't have a ton of room in the second row.

Maybe. My Dad has a 16. It's quick enough and drives nice, but not very agile, whereas the Explorer and Edge are at least agile in comparison.

the edge has more back seat room then the explorer but you dont get a 3rd row seat. If you only need 5 seats get the edge, its much more spacious in the back seat. And yes we have had both

Good info, thanks!

 

[DHG1078]

Why not consider a 2015+ Ecoboost F-150?
Bigger cab and puts you into a truck (Even though it's not a F-250).
The Explorer doesn't have a ton of room in the second row.

Explorer has plenty of room in the second row.

 

[01svtL]

I am surprised that this happened at La Cantera. I have been there many times. That is a nice part of town.

Yea I know. But, both the security guards that came by while we were waiting on SAPD, the SAPD cop, and now the guy at Enterprise this morning told me that La Cantera has been real bad for theft and break-ins over the last year or so. The security guard says he had one where a guy came and asked him to help him find his car, so he drove him to the other side (pulling him away from his area) and a second guy then easily has enough time to break in and steal the car that they are after from that part of the lot. Security guards were constantly circling from what we could tell, after-the-fact. So between that and the fact I mentioned earlier about not being inside for long and more cars parking around us after we parked, they know what they are doing, target specific vehicles, and are very efficient at it.
The security guard said a guy had his new $100K BMW M3 stolen just a couple of weeks ago from the same area in that parking lot.

 

[DHG1078]

The security guard said a guy had his new $100K BMW M3 stolen just a couple of weeks ago from the same area in that parking lot.

At least the thieves seem to have good taste.

 

[gimmie11s]

How do they steal cars with all of the current anti theft baked into the keys and ECU programming?

Its not like these are mid 90s Hondas.

Must be pros thats for sure.