DC SB with a dog? And a baby? In winter?

So, my wife is really leaning on me to get a new Grand Cherokee instead of a new TRD.

Her primary argument hinges on the fact that we currently transport our boxer in my Liberty. She wants to know how I plan to transport the dog. Also, when we have lit'lins, how do I plan to keep them both in the truck. The final complicating factor is winter road trips to Michigan (650-700 miles).

So here it is:

• 75 lbs Boxer
• New baby (car seat)
• Long winter drives

Will the back seat likely accomidate our needs with a simple tannue to cover our luggage in the bed? Or would I need to plan on getting a topper as well? If a topper, what brands are recommended?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

Yes.

 

Get a cap for the dog and the kids and be in the back seat.

Leer, snugtop or ARE are all good brands

 

Board the kids, and take the dog with you.

 

You'll have no problems.

 

No it wont, as much as I would like to see you driving the nice new trd it wont. Unless the child is in a front facing seat, a rear facing puts the pasenger so far up and you cant lean back unless you are kissing the dash. I cant make road trips for awhile in the truck untill my second child gets in a forward facing seat. Sorry to break the bad news.

 

Borrow a car seat and bring the dog with you to the dealership. The car seat is easy to install in one of these trucks using the Latch System. Takes maybe 2 mintues. Load the dog in the back seat and go for a test drive. I don't have a dog but my kid fits fine in the car seat. You could always mount it in the middle of the back seat if it's to cramped mounted on the side.

 

Fold the larger of the rear seats down for the dog and put the car seat on the other seat. Or put the car seat in the middle and the dog in the back under the snugtop.

 

Get a 4Runner

 

DO NOT GET A GRAND CHEROKEE!!!!

I had one before my Tacoma and it has been a HORROR story. Read up on them a bit. They have not changed. I bought my 2000 Grand Cherokee in 06' with 72,000 miles on it for $8,000. I have dumped more then $12,000 into it since I have owned it. Everything was good, and then everything started going, in a hurry. I couldnt go a month without that thing being in the shop. I had the 4.7 AWD and I have replaced the A/C compressor twice and the Water Pump not once... not twice... but THREE times. I loved my Jeep, but it was a terrible vehicle. They might've made some improvements, but those things are known for shit going wrong. Plus, the resale on them is TERRIBLE!!! Like these guys said, if you are looking to get a mid-sized SUV get a 4Runner or even something like a GMC Acadia, I heard those things are awesome. But stay away from Jeeps. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Good luck with your purchase.

 

.

... ^^^ ... Stay away from the Cherokee ... ... Several friends had/have them ... and they were trouble.

Making a long road trip with a dog under a hard bed cover in the winter is not easy though.

And a 75# dog and a baby seat in the back seat of a Tacoma DC is not easy either.

Do you have another choice of vehicles ... ??? ....

.

 

I vote 4 runner, but it wasnt on the list. FJ?

 

I wouldnt stay away from a Cherokee. I would stay away from a Grand Cherokee. But they stopped makin the Cherokee in 2001. That thing had a 4.0 that was bulletproof.. if I could justify another rig, a cherokee is what I would get.

 

I made this by affixing indoor/outdoor carpet to the back of the seats. You could fold down 1 seat for the dog and the leave the other up.

 

my dog is much bigger than a boxer, and i dont have a kid, but when we were shopping, i took a stuffed animal the size of my dog and took it to the dealership because my wife swore our dog would fit into it. we ended up with a DC.

ps. any jeep product post 99 is a complete pile.


RIP 4.0L :\

 

dude its easy get a tacoma.leave the wife home or keep her in the bed and keep the dog and baby in the back seat

 

My wife has the same concerns. We have 2 dogs and probably will have kids before too long. I'm looking at a Leer 100xq in the not too distant future.

Edit:
Speaking from experience, if you argue successfully for the truck (good luck!) be sure and use it for some very truck-ish stuff for the first 6 months. Help an in-law move something big, buy a load of dirt for the garden, buy a big appliance and deliver yourself, etc. That way later on you can say, "See, aren't you glad we got the truck!?" ;P

 

+ 1 for not getting a jeep. The Toyota line up has you covered.