So, currently I have a 2006 Amarillo (my daily driver), a 2001 Audi allroad (my wife's daily driver), and a 1989 Fox Mustang that's quite built up (my toy). A little background info - I work as an automotive technician and the wife owns a salon. We have 2 kids - 7 and 3, both still in car seats. We make monthly trips back to my parent's place (3.5 hours away). I haul scrap and used tires from work along with trailering cars pretty regularly. My wife hauls the kids to and from school every day. We live in Iowa and get quite a bit of snow and cold weather along with hot summer weather. We both do a fair amount of traveling be it conventions, Craiglist deals, etc.

I've come to the conclusion that we need a truck without a doubt. Between scrap and used tires weekly along with hauling a car on a trailer monthly and using it also for home repairs it gets a fair amount of use. Also, I regularly have other technicians riding in it during lunch time. I haul a fair amount of car parts between the city I live in and the area my parents live. Current truck is a 6.0 Powerstroke, 4WD, Super Crew, automatic, short bed. It's already bulletproofed with all the HPO system upgrades, 4.5" lift, 35" tires, 08+ upgrades, etc. It's been an amazing truck so far. It's a little overkill for what I need for daily use, but I really enjoy the diesel along with yellow being my favorite color. This is the one vehicle I think will stay as I've yet to find anything that could possibly replace it.



The one vehicle I would like to replace at this time is my wife's Audi. The main reason I'd like to sell it is because it's a manual, and we're growing out of it. The kids are getting bigger and I'm tired of driving manual trans in the city. I love the wagon, the AWD, and the higher ground clearance. It's also safe, averages 20+ MPG, and is decently quick. My gripe right now is that it's getting old and is eventually going to start nickel and diming me. Also, with it being almost 14 years old it could use replacement, especially since I have to trust it to not break down and leave my wife and kids stranded along with me if we're on a road trip.

I won't really get into the Mustang. Basically it's a toy - 331, supercharger, Viper T-56, built rear end, Baer front and rear brakes, built suspension, etc. It's away for the winter anyways. It's fast as hell and is fun, but eventually it will get me in trouble. It's all paid for and ready to rock, so I'm not worried about it sitting in the garage.


Anyways, we are thinking of getting a Flex to replace the allroad. It seems like the perfect fit - ground clearance, AWD, spacious, comfortable, decent on fuel. It can also seat 7 passengers which would be extremely handy for long trips. Nothing else we have really looked at interested us as much as a Flex. The only other vehicles we could use that would be as useful as the Flex would be some sort of large SUV, but then the fuel mileage suffers.


Thoughts?

 

I have looked at the Ford SUV's. The Flex does not have as much belly clearance as the Explorer although it probably has more than a Taurus or something.

Middle row in the Flex is limo quality seatroom, so it would be great both for kids or say, a double date with another couple, or carrying in-laws.

I live in Detroit where we have a lot of snow, and I have a lot of musician friends who have moved from big vans or minivans into the Flex--lots of room for carrying musical gear. Your other option would be to move to a minivan, which is an ultra-practical vehicle with more room inside than a big sport ute, but the only one with AWD available is the Toyota Sienna and it is probably a fine vehicle although I don't like Toyota's styling very much and prefer driving American when I can. Ford sort of slotted the Flex in to replace the Freestar minivan.

The Transit Connect is actually quite nice but is only 2WD and 4 cylinders.

Good luck,
George

 

we got an Edge for my wife brand new back in 2010, it has been flawless for 68k miles. one of the rear wheel bearings went out, but there is a TSB on that (bad batch of bearings supposedly).

It shares most of the running gear with the Flex. The big thing that I read about the AWD cross over Fords is failure of the Power Transfer Unit, usually due to fluid that has never been changed. From looking at it, its not the greatest design and has a limited fluid capacity. I'll be doing the fluids on my wife's car in a few months for peace of mind. Other than that, they are awesome vehicles. VERY stable in the snow, I've passed pretty much everything imaginable in blizzard conditions on the standard highway tires and the vehicle felt safe and solid as a rock. It drives better than her sisters Benz ML350 too, which surprised me a lot.

 

We have a 2014 flex and love it so far. It is second only to a minivan in practicality with kids. As others have mentioned the second row is great, with the third row being fine for kids or small adults. The ptu issue was fixed with the 2013 model year in the flex, so as long as you look at 2013 and newer ptu should not be a problem.