Have never owned a brand-new vehicle. But to me with enough checking and research, one can purchase a pretty good pre-owned car. Since I had just lost my husband, I was able to pay cash for this vehicle, which was very nice. I have always driven an SUV. This vehicle was a single-owned vehicle with low mileage, and the lady that had owned it had kept all maintenance receipts, i.e., oil changes, tires, etc. in the glove compartment. I, in turn, have always kept up with oil changes and maintenance on my vehicles. Very roomy, inside upholstery and leather trim looked very good. Here lately I have noticed that my battery gauge is not working, but I believe that is probably a fuse. The back seat will let down in order for me to enjoy the many estate sales and flea markets that I go to as one of my major hobbies. The only thing that has bothered me about the vehicle is that it makes a noise as if it needed to be greased. Which I have found out that no one does that to cars any more. Have had it checked but no one seems to know what is making that noise and I gotten rather used to it. I have driven this vehicle on trips and back and forth to work, and now has a good bit over 100,000 miles. It did not have a CD player when I bought it, but I purchased one and was happy to do that. I had to have my starter replaced a short while back, but it was just one of those things that happens. I think I have had and still have a very good pre-owned vehicle, and when and if this one gives out on me, I will again look for another pre-owned vehicle...but not without research and checking.

We were driving a 91 Ford Ranger with 369,000 miles on it when we purchased our '98 GMC Envoy 6 years ago. We were open to pretty much any make/model, but living in the mountains, preferred a 4wd. We were giving up for the day when we happened past a used car lot, we saw the Envoy & another vehicle we both liked. So we wheeled in & looked at it. When I told our son who is a mechanic about the car & the price he said to buy it. It has been one of the best vehicles I have ever owned! The 4wd is indispensable, it has heated seats (which I adore in the winter or when my back hurts), it is a 6 cylinder, thus the gas mileage is better & to top it off, it has a BOSE stereo system that just blows everyone else away. That is a trademark of the GMC's, most all their SUV's have the BOSE system. It has a huge cargo area, for a smaller SUV; it also has a cargo cover so nobody can look in & see what you are carrying in the back of your vehicle . I find this to be a plus when doing things such as Christmas shopping or on a road trip. Over the years we have put a few thousand dollars in it to bring it back up to snuff. This vehicle has nearly 200,000 miles on it as we speak & I am in no way thinking about getting rid of it.

This model and year can be a solid ride. It is a bit loose around corners and in general not a "fun" ride. It is a safe car with multiple air bags and the 4x4 option can really get you out of some tight spots if you are an outdoors type person. However, if small things bother you steer clear. This car can really have costs add up quickly for non essential repairs. In general the interior is no frills. GMC used a lot of cheap plastic which tends to break over time. The biggest annoyance will probably be the driver's side seat controls which are simply held on by small metal clips attached to plastic. At some point they will break and you will find yourself knocking into it on a daily basis. Under the hood the car is fairly solid. Simple servicing at recommended intervals and this vehicle will be reliable. As with any vehicle make sure you see the car's history of repairs because there are some more serious documented electrical issues that have occurred. If you are looking for a sporty, fun to drive SUV this is not the one for you but, if you want a reliable vehicle for many years and can tolerate a few flaws than this SUV could be what you are looking for.