Today's Canoe Car?

Dan Miller

Dan Miller

cranky canoeist
Staff member
Facing a major repair bill on our '08 Subaru Outback, and trying to decide whether to repair or replace.

What's the current crop ('14/15' model year) of capable cars? Must be able to seat two strapping, college-aged boys in the back seat (preferably with a modicum of comfort), rooftop at least one, preferably two, canoes, and be capable of towing a small boat trailer. Also must be highly capable on North Country roads in winter. A back-up camera is real nice, and the ability to park itself would make my wife really happy...

What are y'all driving these days?
 
Dan Miller said:
Facing a major repair bill on our '08 Subaru Outback, and trying to decide whether to repair or replace.

What's the current crop ('14/15' model year) of capable cars? Must be able to seat two strapping, college-aged boys in the back seat (preferably with a modicum of comfort), rooftop at least one, preferably two, canoes, and be capable of towing a small boat trailer. Also must be highly capable on North Country roads in winter. A back-up camera is real nice, and the ability to park itself would make my wife really happy...

What are y'all driving these days?
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Don't look at me, Toyota FJ, nil on all categories except North Country roads. Sticks like pigsh@t to a wool blanket with snowtires on it.
 
I just bought a Toyota Tacoma, quad cab. I mounted Yakima Whisbars, but I also got the towing package, and the TRD offroad suspension. I absolutely LOVE IT!! The mileage isn't bad, for a 4x4. I get about 22 on the highway. It will hit 100 so fast, it is scary.
 
Volvo V60 T5 AWD wagon....with roof rails. There is a dealer in Syracuse.
Low enough to easily load and all of the amenities.

Friends don't let friends buy Subarus...;)
 
:)
And I'd add any other foreign car.

I'm driving a '04 Silverado 4x4, extended cab, 8ft box - love it. Not much of a canoe carrier though, too long.

When we had the mini-van, that was a good canoe carrier, long enough to get a good wheelbase on the canoes, short(low) enough to get the canoes on easily, big enough inside to carry stuff, reasonable on fuel, ie, low-mid 20's on the road. I didn't like it because it was short on leg room for a big guy, and it was a light duty car underneath.

Friends don't let friends buy Subarus...
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Not sure what this means, but I know a outfitter in Ely that regularly leaves the 4x4 home, preferring the 2x instead (full size truck), and you don't get much more North than Ely in the lower 48. My view is that if you can't get through with a front drive, you shouldn't be on the road.

Also must be highly capable on North Country roads in winter.
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Dan
who's dickering on another mini-van for the wife. :) Note - wife hates mini-vans.
 
Three adults, two kid and 80 miles on northern roads with a weeks worth of gear. My Jeep Patriot has been hauling people and gear since 09

 
"Friends don't let friends buy Subarus..."

I'm on my 2nd Subaru, and they've been fine canoe cars... even three canoes at a time. I'd be interested to know what's the objection to them?
 
After a teen texter creamed my beloved canoe tripping Ford Explorer (150k miles) at 40 mph while I was stopped at a light, I bought a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee in the summer of 2013 - yeah, I guess they move the model year up. 2014 Jeep was quite new model wise, which made me a bit nervous but it got better reviews in Consumer Reports than Ford. The electronics (that I don't really need) are wonky, and I have had 3 safety recalls (never had a recall in my life before this car), but otherwise it is fine. Probably the best car I have ever had in the snow. We were hunting with it last week and traveling down unplowed logging roads in 8 inches of snow. It also performs well on snowy highways.

Motor and 8 speed transmission are fine to date. I am not all that impressed with my local dealer for service. Many service issues are handled electronically these days with a download from Detroit at the dealer.

I tow a canoe trailer with it routinely. I need to update the roof rack to handle two canoes like I did with the Ford.

We had a Subaru that pretty much self destructed at 100k and I personally was not impressed with them. I should add that my wife traded the Outback for a Toyota Highlander. It has performed very well for 4 years. Great service too. It seems "tinny" to me and the cabin filter has been an issue. She won't let me get near it with a canoe, so I can't comment on real needs.
 
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1990 Cherokee was best canoe car. Capable 4 wheeler and rain gutter yakimas. The 1996 Grand was taller and enjoyed high customer loyalty and low reliability. The 2006 is taller and the bars only 32" apart. The new G C is taller yet. I'm not sure what I will get next. I'm hoping Dan Miller can find the answer for me. Try VW and let me know
 
correction

I didn't get the new Jeep. Just looked at it. Too tall . Why they don't consider a decent canoe racck from the factory is beyond me.
 
Fitz said:
After a teen texter creamed my beloved canoe tripping Ford Explorer (150k miles) at 40 mph while I was stopped at a light, I bought a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee in the summer of 2013 - yeah, I guess they move the model year up. 2014 Jeep was quite new model wise, which made me a bit nervous but it got better reviews in Consumer Reports than Ford. The electronics (that I don't really need) are wonky, and I have had 3 safety recalls (never had a recall in my life before this car), but otherwise it is fine. Probably the best car I have ever had in the snow. We were hunting with it last week and traveling down unplowed logging roads in 8 inches of snow. It also performs well on snowy highways.

Motor and 8 speed transmission are fine to date. I am not all that impressed with my local dealer for service. Many service issues are handled electronically these days with a download from Detroit at the dealer.

I tow a canoe trailer with it routinely. I need to update the roof rack to handle two canoes like I did with the Ford.

We had a Subaru that pretty much self destructed at 100k and I personally was not impressed with them. I should add that my wife traded the Outback for a Toyota Highlander. It has performed very well for 4 years. Great service too. It seems "tinny" to me and the cabin filter has been an issue. She won't let me get near it with a canoe, so I can't comment on real needs��.
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I have an '04 Highlander and it takes two canoes on the roof and does fairly good with about 26mpg highway with the V6 and 4wd. Nice vehicle, not a car though.

Had it 5 years, done brakes and a bearing, no other issues. I drive 400km a week commuting, does gravel really well.

Not sure about the new ones, could be very pricey.
 
Thanks for all the replies - still waffling on Lynn's car. Still considering the $6K in repairs to the Outback, which the mechanic claims will gain us another 110K miles - assuming nothing else goes in the meantime.

If we go new (or newly used), the VW Sportwagen is at the moment at the top of the list. Trying to hold out to see what the 2015 drives like - it's not due out until 1st quarter.
 
Dan Miller said:
Thanks for all the replies - still waffling on Lynn's car. Still considering the $6K in repairs to the Outback, which the mechanic claims will gain us another 110K miles - assuming nothing else goes in the meantime.

If we go new (or newly used), the VW Sportwagen is at the moment at the top of the list. Trying to hold out to see what the 2015 drives like - it's not due out until 1st quarter.
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Good choice (buying the VW). That's our next car after our V50 dies (it's still a baby with only 150k on it). The TDI Sportwagon is a great driving car, super interior room, useable roof rails with adequate roof length (for canoe topping), great gas mileage and acceleration and not bad looking. Take that for what it's worth, I like the looks of my V50....
A colleague owns one and has had great luck with it.
The only possible "shortcoming" (other than the USB) is that it's 2wd. For us it's not an issue, we run four Blizzaks in the winter and the 2wd is fine. My wife ran our GTI through our Rochester winters with that setup without any issues. If you buy one, I have a set of 4 Audi wheels with barely used Blizzaks that will fit a Sportwagon. I might part with them instead of keeping them until I buy the TDI..the V50 should be good for at least another three years if the deer stay away from it.
 
Have you considered a Chevrolet Equinox? Pretty roomy, boys and I are all well over 6'. Has roof rack (at a decent height) and can tow small trailers. We had a loaner 4 cyl this past summer and really liked it, fuel economy was great. Be shopping for one soon. I have a 08 silverado ext cab 4x4, love it, but boys have outgrown ext cab.
 
wanderlustjake said:
Have you considered a Chevrolet Equinox? Pretty roomy, boys and I are all well over 6'. Has roof rack (at a decent height)
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That rack is virtually useless much like many other car models. It sits too far back on the roof, has a mount on the back that forces your rear cross bar too far forward and does not extend past the rear set of doors. To use this you would need to add a roof mount tower set over the front doors and use one rail grabber in the back......
I am not sure why car makers are producing these useless roof rails?

Ideally the rails should be useable as far towards the front and the back of the roof as possible. I recently saw a canoe on a Subaru that had the rails spaced about 30 inches apart. I can't imagine carrying an 18 foot canoe like that. I'd be driving 5 miles and hour hoping the thing was going to stay on the roof.
 
I am in the same position - choosing a vehicle to move a canoe, perhaps a trailer, etc. It seems that in North America, cars are no longer being sold as trailer-capable. I asked a VW dealer why the Wagon had such a low (1,00 pound) towing capacity. He wrote "It's not to say the car won't tow more (than 1,000 pounds), it will but for warranty purposes it's best not to have anything other than a bike rack on the back of a wagon."

J
 
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