Which SUV ????

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I don't care how far back in the boonies an SUV will take you. What's important is the last mile returning toward home or a good beer-joint!

So I'll just stick with my four-banger Toyotas. My '84 4Runner pulled a one-ton dually with four-horse trailer and three horses up a steep gravel hill--and that's test enough for me! :) My '85 4WD PU has 253,000 on it, now. Total costs for initial purchase and everything I ever bought for it add up to around 12 cents per mile.

For most folks, I'd recommend the US-made V6, in either the Exploder or whatever Chevy calls theirs, these days. Ford's auto-tranny oughta be good for at least 100,000 miles; more, if you do your maintenance right. I'd sure retrofit manual hubs, though.

For my own personal critter, I'd get a '70s vintage Blazer and build it up to suit me. 454, super-heavy-duty overdrive 5-speed manual tranny...Heavier swaybars, rather than real-stiff suspension. Posi- in the rear, only. "Field repairable", as in no computer stuff.

:), Art
 
Sumabich,

I hear what you're saying, but i think after 7 years and 240,000 miles i don't have much to gamble with Ford. I'd expect them to say something like, "The warrenty is for the truck, not you."

I am glad to see you really like Ford though, i did too at one time. :(

Now i just want a Toy. :)

~USP
 
Kernel,
I have to give the nod to a Isuzu Trooper. My parents have had a '93 Trooper since it was new and 130K on it without a single problem. I recently totaled my wife sports car, so I go her a '98 Trooper it has all the extra options. What I really like about this SUV is the quality of the truck, engine performance and the reliability I have witnessed. Take a look at the rear cargo doors. There isn't a tailgate, but rather 80/20 split barn doors. There is more room inside a Trooper than the other SUV's you have mentioned. Next weekend my dad is buying a new Trooper to replace the old one. A couple of other things that helped his decision are a 10 year 120k warranty and 0% financing for 5 years. Take one for a drive, I think you will like one.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by KaMaKaZe:
EricM -- Don't encourage the kid! Explorers blow!
[/quote]

I realize that, but it sounds like what he wants. My wife had one back in '94, and we sold it to get a Cruiser.
 
Hm. I'm not nearly as serious an offroader as many of you seem to be, but I'm debating between either an SUV or a Chrysler PT Cruiser in the next year.

I don't need as much room as some of you like, and I don't care whether there's a tire mounted on the rear door.

I do want 4 doors,
AWD
AC
17 MPG in town
Auto preferred
I would like a vehicle no older than '98...and I have a max price of 20K. Suggestions?
 
Life's too short too own the XE, go for the SE.

I mean, you're paying close to $30K for a truck, then you get less than you want to save around 10% of the truck's value? Never understood the price leader phenom. You're spending big bucks on a purchase like a car, then try to save some $$$ by deleting a couple features that would be worth more to you for the long term enjoyment of the vehicle, which doesn't make sense.

If you can put up 20% of the purchase price, you'll get way better terms on a loan.

Go here:
http://www.carbuyingtips.com/
 
The PT Cruiser... Looks good. Sexy throwback to the old hotrod days... I like that alot. The problem is the PT has a POS wussy little 4 banger under the hood that while economical is completely uninspired.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by George Hill:
The PT Cruiser... Looks good. Sexy throwback to the old hotrod days... I like that alot. The problem is the PT has a POS wussy little 4 banger under the hood that while economical is completely uninspired.[/quote]


GH, It's on the Neon platform, but a full 2" shorter, so it's a *very* small vehicle. Not to mention it's a Dodge :).
 
My wife drives a Gr.Cherokee with the straight 6 cyl- still a good strong outfit.
My ford F250SD has the Triton V10 and I love it but the Triton V8 is a heck of a nice powerplant also. I haven't priced any but the new hybrid Explorer and f150 sport-tracs(?) look real slick. 4 full doors and ~5 ft baby pickup box. Dodge has one also.
Ditto on the manual 4x4 and ltd slip diff.
ALWAYS get the tow package even if you don't tow. Heavy duty elec and cooling is a bargain!
Mine sees some hard use at times and the skid plates paid thier way on some Wyoming boulders while hunting Pronghorns.
 
At least it's plastic, so none of that Chrysler rust-through.

Also, is the PT really a SUV? I seem to think that it is a glorified minivan from what I've read.

I recommend against the GM midsize SUVs, since my dad has one (Olds Bravada), for which he got rid of his old Pathfinder. They are being replaced next year AND they contain half the world's supply of plastic, most of which is on the outside of the vehicle.
 
I just had to post because this thread marks the very first time I've ever AGREED with George Hill on anything!!

Land Rover-- best 4x4xfar!

Have punished my Range Rover all over Alaska-- on $*** roads, middle of (literally) nowhere, at -55f... it loves it!

I can also endorse EricM's Unimog suggestion... though it lacks many of the options you were hoping for.
For you rock crawlers though: In it's lowest gear I can set the throttle at 2500rpm, go eat lunch, come back and it's moved about 3ft... have to pick a spot on the ground and watch carefully to even detect movement.
 
my wife just wrecked out izuzu trooper 1988.it had 188,000 miles and was still running great.
i know you did not like the spare tire but when you have to change on its great.

i went out and bought another izuzu and havent been disapointed yet.
 
my wife just wrecked out izuzu trooper 1988.it had 188,000 miles and was still running great.
i know you did not like the spare tire but when you have to change on its great.

i went out and bought another izuzu and havent been disapointed yet.
 
Thanks to all you TFLers for your input. It helped......

It looks like I'm going to go with a 2001 Pathfinder LE, automatic, cloth seats, and a ton of other bells & whistles I really don't want (like moonroof) but that's the way they all come. I got my nearest Nissan dealer at $250 over invoice, not the deal of the century, but not a rip off either. The 2001 Pathfinder has got the new 240hp aluminum block V6, very similar to the one in the Maxima, and very, very, sweet.

Drove a Izusu Rodeo and Toyota 4Runner SR5 on Saturday. The Rodeo is a real bargain, but I hated the seats and I wasn't thrilled with the side swing rear tailgate. The 2000 Toyota 4Runner radiates quality, the seat fit me like a glove, power was adequate, all in all exquisitely engineered and executed. What killed the Toyota was the SR5 it's not available with limited slip, it's only on the highest trim level and that's like another $5,000 over the SR5 once they're done doing the fu-fu treatment to it.

The Explorer was never really in the running. I love my old XLT, it's served my well, but I'm ready for a change, just bored with it more than anything. Drove the Pathfinder down this nearby oil road that's all wash board and potholed. My Explorer hated that road, especially the rear leafspring suspension, anything over 45 and it'd loose it. The Pathfinder took it at 65 without a peep.

Good by dear old XLT, hello outragous monthly payment. -- Kernel
 
pathfinder_main.gif

2001 Nissan Pathfinder LE 4x4
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Kernel:
Drove a Izusu Rodeo and Toyota 4Runner SR5 on Saturday. The Rodeo is a real bargain, but I hated the seats and I wasn't thrilled with the side swing rear tailgate. The 2000 Toyota 4Runner radiates quality, the seat fit me like a glove, power was adequate, all in all exquisitely engineered and executed. What killed the Toyota was the SR5 it's not available with limited slip, it's only on the highest trim level and that's like another $5,000 over the SR5 once they're done doing the fu-fu treatment to it. Kernel[/quote]

I'm glad you found something you liked. BTW with the 4Runner you can get a locking rear diff, not a LSD. I think that's going away in 2001 though, according to Edmunds. It's a shame.
 
I'm either going to get the Cruiser, or an SUV. :) (I wouldn't want to take anything that looks like the Cruiser off-road, anyway!)

Subaru ST-X looked about ideal, but it's several years away. Perhaps a Pathfinder or Rodeo?
 
The SE is neater looking to me (and cheaper) than the LE (ugh, those wheels), but it's your truck.

As a note, I spoke with my mom about getting a brake job for her '96 Maxima SE so she'd know what to have done (like using Nissan replacement pads to cut back on the squeal you get w/ aftermarket [and not cheap aftermarket, either], or machining the rotors on the car to account for wear in the joints), but, as it turns out, the pads have MORE than half their thickness left at 100K miles when she went in.
 
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