Several months ago, Chris Wood decided it was time for a new vehicle. He has a family, including four grandchildren, a 50-pound dog and a 5,000-pound ski boat and equipment to haul. He had $50,000 to spend, but he was faced with a lingering dilemma. Wood, 63, of Pleasanton, a retired Silicon Valley computer salesman, looked for six months but couldn't find a new sports utility vehicle that fit his criteria and could match the quality his previous vehicle, a 1999 Ford Explorer. Chris Wood of Pleasanton, California shopped for an SUV for six months before buying a 2018 Volkswagen Altas. Images © James Raia/2018. “I had it for 19 years; I serviced it all the time,” said Wood. “I put in transmissions and took care a lot of the things and kept it running. My dad gave me enough confidence introducing me to everything. He showed me how to rebuild  ...