I was told before I ever got into the business that having the "right" car for the job just wasn't a big deal.  If you have a "normal family style" car, like you say with 4 doors, that should be enough.  Not me though...I had to go BIG!  Expedition with a third row seat.

That extra seating has come in handy exactly ONE time in the last three years and that was while transporting my 11 year old and bunch of her friends plus my wife and baby to the pumpkin patch to pick out pumpkins to carve for halloween.  Other than that, larger families prefer to use their own car and follow me and when it's just one or two people, a regular four door sedan would have worked wonderfully!

Don't go for the big car.  Go nice. Stylish. 4 door. Good gas mileage. You'll be happier for it.

A Lexus RX 350, comfort, quality, great service, good fuel economy, and above all, a very high resale value!

Happy shopping!

Adrienne

Escalade. Like Ron, I never use the extra space. It uses too much gas. I am going to downsize this year to something more practical. A car, for me, is a business expense. I chose poorly.

M

Well, I used to have a Durango with the 3rd row seating and just like Ron, never used the 3rd row all that often, it was flipped down most of the time, but it was nice to have the extra room to haul stuff around (like yard signs!!!)

About a year ago, I "downsized" from my 11 MPG Durango to a Ford Freestyle that gets me on average 22 MPG.  So I doubled my mileage, still have the 3rd row seating and have a built in entertainment package with a DVD player for the kids.  

I have had families follow me, and have had them ride with me....I've even had my clients drive me around in their car so they could get a feel for driving the area, hey....Im not complaining, I just pointed the way!!!

I love my freestyle.  Its comfortable, seats 6 (can have a package to seat 7 if you get the bench seat in the middle row), the 3rd row folds down for cargo room, it sits higher than a regular car but not as high as a SUV however, when you are sitting in it, you feel like you are high up like sitting in a SUV.  That was important to me.  My husband has a Mustang and when I have to ride in his car....I HATE IT!! I feel like I am sitting on the ground.  

Happy Shopping!

Well, I used to have a Durango with the 3rd row seating and just like Ron, never used the 3rd row all that often, it was flipped down most of the time, but it was nice to have the extra room to haul stuff around (like yard signs!!!)

About a year ago, I "downsized" from my 11 MPG Durango to a Ford Freestyle that gets me on average 22 MPG.  So I doubled my mileage, still have the 3rd row seating and have a built in entertainment package with a DVD player for the kids.  

I have had families follow me, and have had them ride with me....I've even had my clients drive me around in their car so they could get a feel for driving the area, hey....Im not complaining, I just pointed the way!!!

I love my freestyle.  Its comfortable, seats 6 (can have a package to seat 7 if you get the bench seat in the middle row), the 3rd row folds down for cargo room, it sits higher than a regular car but not as high as a SUV however, when you are sitting in it, you feel like you are high up like sitting in a SUV.  That was important to me.  My husband has a Mustang and when I have to ride in his car....I HATE IT!! I feel like I am sitting on the ground.  

Happy Shopping!

Well Carmen and Jeff,

Can I suggest something American made?

That would be a great start. Of the big 3 I personally believe GM is tops in quality and standard features.

I purchased an 07 Chevy Imala SS last month. A loaded car very nice and very condusive to hauling both clients and kids. Leather, Bose 6 disc, sunroof, power seat, heated seats etc....It will get you there fast too. They do have a models wit V6's also. There is the LT which is pretty standard and the LTZ which is more in line with luxury.

I had an Avalanche prior to this vehicle which was very good for haulling people around in but the gas mileage was less than desireable. My new Imapala has a big V8 in it but it has the active fuel management which shuts down half the engine at cruise. So far I'm 8-10MPG positve over the truck. Obviously the V6 would be even better.

I purchased a Toyota Prius, and let me tell you, i am very happy now, in our business we drive a lot and the gas expense is high, i used to spend @$100 a week, now i spend $30, i drive 100+miles a day, besides the environmental benefits, i am allowed to drive alone in the HOV lane.

I drive a mid sized Mazda pick-up which I got prior to getting into this business. I know it's far from your typical Realtor's vechile, but I find that most of my buyers take their own cars anyway, but if the need is there to travel together, our second vechile is a windstar van, which works well, seating 7. The advantage of the pick-up is that I offer it to my clients if they want to clean out their garage etc. and make a "dump" run, or if they are moving themselves as opposed to a professional mover. In my opinion, you borrow a "friends" vechile, and if a client uses my truck, hopefully we've taken our relationship to the next level.

Oh, and in my BIG Expedition, the third row seat is usually located in the garage...

Living in 'Big 3' country it is actually frowned upon to drive an import.  I had a Nissan XTerra but I received alot of negative comments (mainly from other Realtors....) So, I decided to drive a 'local' car.  I love my Mustang - most of my clients ask to take it out - and when needed, I can borrow the Jeep SUV for larger groups.  4 doors may be more practical but it really does nothing for my mojo...

In this business you need your mojo going!

Okay, I'll jump in!  I drive a Ford Focus, two door, screaming yellow is the color.   Just retired my Mercury to the driveway, it is there if I need it to transport clients but I have found most prefer to drive themselves.  I know there are drawbacks to working that way but I still prefer it. I also prefer the savings on gas a smaller car offers.  I did have one of my sellers comment that another agent in the office must have been doing better business than me since he drove a Lexus SUV. I asked him if he remember the saying "Dont judge a book by the cover" he smiled and said, "Yes I remember the Mercury."

I'm on my 5th Ford Explorer.  I just love them!  (I lease them for 2 years).

Roomy, not too small, not too big.  Good bells and whistles and sits high, so my clients can really view the surroundings.

BUT, gas mileage is becoming more of an issue, so I fear this will be my last one.

Also, I have a BMW motorcycle (R1100RT) that I use all the time for running errands (putting flyers in boxes, picking up keys, etc.) and even show homes occasionally.  It gets nearly 50 MPG.  See Trista's post above regarding mojo!

Phil

Mojo is definitely important.

M

I had a trailblazer and really liked it....but it was a gas hog!  I went back to a small car and now drive a Chevy Mailbu.  Much better on gas.  It gets me from point A to point B and that's all that matters.

If I had to pick and could get what I REALLY wanted....I'd be driving a Yukon Denali....lol....would hate to fill that sucker up though!

  I have a Ford Crown Victoria, my wife and I got it for the comfortable seats and trunk size.  I also have a honda accord and lately use it alot more when showing homes than anything.  Most clients with kids don't want to transfer their safety seats or all the toys for older children.  In the past year the majority of clients are following me or meeting me at various locations around town.

  I've got a 98 full bed gmc Sierra that I don't mind loaning out, but I just can't get myself to put a for sale sign on it.

I have a 06 Jeep Wrangler that I use daily, had to run out and get it before the 07 bigger not so wrangler came out. When I am driving clients I use the Jeep Commander with third row seating (never been up). If you want a V-8 I think the Impala gets the best gas mileage for a full size V-8 auto. Crown Vics are practically bullet proof, and comfortable. I recently rented a Ford 500 which was a very nice car, not tinny, very solid and I averaged over 26 mpg in a hurry from Detroit, MI to Columbus, OH for a wings game. Don't forget GM has the 100,000 mi warranty now.  Check out one of Al Blocks post from awhile ago here.

https://www.reliberation.com/blogs/alblock/archive/2007/02/21/realtor-s-allegedly-committed-homicide-this-is-pretty-sick.aspx

I use the gas hog...Durango 4x4.  With our winters I want to get to where I'm going and half the time I need 4-wheel drive just to get up my driveway (which isn't really that steep).  I hardly ever use the third seat - but like it was mentioned prior the space is great.  I hardly ever take families in my car - I don't have the carseats and it's easier for them to drive themselves.

Steve and I like Jeeps.  He has a Grand Cherokee (he needs lots of room for signs) and I have a Jeep Liberty.  I like being high off the ground and Love my Liberty.  But they are definitely gas hogs-that's not so great.

Carol

Bob! I thought I might be the only Realtor on the planet that uses a Jeep Wrangler (an '06, I'm not sure yet what to think of the 07's...)

For us, it's more practical than it sounds. We list and show a lot of fairly remote desert land. Access to some of these parcels *requires* a high profile 4WD vehicle. Clients love tooling around off road with the top down. The spare tire cover is a great place to advertise a URL... Gas mileage is horrific though. But the fun factor more than makes up for it!

Francy has a more typical realtormobile - an Altima.

We find that more and more buyers just follow in their car.

2-door ... Hyundai Accent sport version ... I don't drive my clients, they follow me in their own cars ... I love how fuel-efficient it is. And when the need arises for a family car, I have an Oldsmobile Silhouette. I carry too much junk in my cars, so until I can keep my office out of my vehicles, I don't really deserve any upgrades :-). We have actually talked about getting something more "fancy" a lot of times, but I just don't see the point.