Best Bargain Five Year Old SUVs

SUVs depreciate very heavily and with these types of vehicles they really bottom out after 5 years on the road. And thanks to unstable gas prices there are a lot of these occasional gas-guzzlers that can be had for a fraction of their original price.

Now, you could always spend more for something with a little bit more brand cachet and the possible promise of better reliability. If you want to go that route, check out the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Nissan Murano, Chevy Tahoe or Acura MDX. But if it is an SUV bargain that you are after check out these five gems in the rough.

(Note: The number at the start of each section is the original MSRP percentage value of each model after 5 years of ownership.)

Mitsubishi Endeavor

(31.1%)-Overpriced and a bit awkward looking when new, The Mitsubishi Endeavor becomes a super bargain after five years on the market. While it looked like it could seat 7, the Achilles heel for this SUV was the fact that it could only seat 5 in spacious comfort. But let's be honest. How often have you taken 7 people anywhere? If you actually do need to do that occasionally there is a smaller Mitsu SUV called the Outlander that has 7 seats (how that got past their product planners I will never know.)

One other bonus is that Mitsubishi is so cash strapped that this SUV hasn't really changed at all in the many years since it was introduced. So who's to know that you saved a ton of money on your used Endeavor? The interior may look like it was designed by E.T as all the controls are designed seemingly for people with long fingers but everything should still be working. The monster sized 3.8 liter V6 manages the dual trick of being slow (225 horsepower) and inefficient but as this is an SUV does that really matter?

Dodge Durango

(31.9%)-Yes, despite a giant deal with Fiat the company known as Dodge may one day soon cease to exist. And this company has HUGE bargains on parking lots full of new Durango SUVs so why buy used? Well, because there is far less risk when you are getting a deal off of $7,000 than off of a $35,000 SUV. Whichever route you choose, however, this is one fine SUV especially when equipped with the robust and powerful Hemi engine.

This seven seater is considered an "in-betweener" by industry insiders as opposed to the Suburban or new Sequoia but to be honest this is all the SUV any family man/tow-junkie could ever need. The Hemi engine has a huge tow capacity and there is plenty of room inside the cabin. It may be quality with cheap, ill fitting plastic but at this price who cares?

Mercury Mountaineer

(34.2%)-Yes, it is the fraternal twin of the Ford Explorer and yes the only differences are in grille and trim design. So why is it cheaper than the average Explorer? It is to compensate you for all the time it will take you to explain to friends why you didn't buy an Explorer.

There is still lots to like about the design this boxy and sturdy SUV just perfect for trips to the local dump or picking up kids from school. Earlier models of the Explorer/Mountaineer duo have had your occasional mechanical problems so make sure yours is thoroughly inspected before you buy to check for things like a bad rear differential or transmission problems. Those could cost you down the road.

Chevy Trailblazer

(34.6%)-Reliability wise it is a toss-up between the Mountaineer and the Trailblazer. Same so for the design and execution of the interiors which is sub-par in both. But at least if you own one of these you will have proof of how bad American car interiors used to be circa the new millennium. And don't your children deserve the chance to see that?

Otherwise, the Trailblazer has smooth steering and transmissions and seat so comfy that they are perfect for cross country trips to grandmother's house. The styling is inoffensive and casually stylish while there should be loads of great deals out there as Chevy sold many copies in its heyday.

Suzuki Grand Vitara

(34.8%)-The most overlooked and under-rated cute-ute in the business, this Suzuki is reliable and well built. While the engines can be a little thrashy they are economical and have just enough power. (What, you thought the RAV4 and CR-V were drag racing limousines?) Perfectly sized for a newly judgmental world, you could no doubt easily convince your friends you bought one of those friendly crossovers although the Vitara comes with enough off-road hardware to get you across a muddy bog in Wales with ease. A true jewel and definitely worth the price used.

Source: CNNMoney.com