General vehicle question

[Malamute]

I didn't see a place in the vehicle section that looked like quite the right place to ask this question. I'm in the market for a used smallish to medium SUV. I have a mid 90's Suburban as a regular driver, but the transmission died. I've come into a car, and want to trade it for a smaller SUV that will be mostly a driver to town, with occasional roaming around in the mountains and on mild dirt roads. Anything my stock Suburban will do ground clearance wise would be nice. I used a rental Hyundai Tucson, it was a bit small, but was (barely) long enough to sleep in the back on the road. It was very comfortable on my back (very serious issue) to drive, and I liked the 28 mpg. I've looked a little at Toyota Rav4's, which I was told are similar size. I may go to 4 Runner size if the fuel mileage isn't too awful.

So, are the small SUVs basically cars with more room, and will be trashed by driving them on dirt roads? Any suggestions for a general purpose vehicle with basic offroad capability, and isn't expensive to drive as a basic use vehicle? I may use it for pulling a teardrop or something similar eventually.

The car I have at the moment is hard to get in and out of because of being low to the ground and the basic size. I bump my head and have to move slowly to get in and out. An SUV of any size will be a big improvement in basic usability to me to drive, and for being a dog hauler for one or two large dogs.

Thinking from 2000 to about 2011 year range, not lots of miles, good reliability overall and not hard to find basic parts in small towns in the rockies.

 

[richard310]

I'd possibly look into the 5th gen V6 4runners. The early years can be had at a great price. I'm not really familiar with them, but for the size, price and use, I think those would fit the bill pretty well. Parts availability is high, and considering Toyotas are everywhere, I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem up in the Rockies.

Those smaller SUVs (Rav4 type) I feel are more for light loads, mainly for putting around town. I've see a few pulling loads but not sure if the suspension components are meant to hold up to off-road use, or even a combination of both. Light fireroads yeah, but I wouldn't over do it since they're designed similarily to passenger cars.

My $0.02

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I'm a big guy, and I don't really fit very well in Subarus, so I have no real personal experience with them, but several family members have owned them and have found them to be reliable and terrific cars in the snow. And it turns out that a lot of Subarus are taken off road.

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/07/01/subaru-americas-third-most-off-roaded-brand/

 

[Scott]

I'm a big guy, and I don't really fit very well in Subarus, so I have no real personal experience with them, but several family members have owned them and have found them to be reliable and terrific cars in the snow. And it turns out that a lot of Subarus are taken off road.

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/07/01/subaru-americas-third-most-off-roaded-brand/

You have no idea how much I keep telling myself to sell my current daily driver to buy a used subaru for dd duties.. It would be perfect for the winters up where I live and it would be a great soft roader. That being said I know is be tempted to modify it with a small lift, skids, and the like.

Sent from my LG-H810 using Tapatalk

 

[Gallowbraid]

2005ish Ford Explorer or Sport Trac. Inexpensive price of entry, both are capable in 2wd form and VERY capable in 4wd form. Thousands upon thousands were produced and share parts with each other and other Ford/Mazda platforms so parts are easy to come by. Good towing capacity and gas mileage from v6 versions, great power and ok gas mileage from v8 versions.
The 4.0 v6 and 4.6 v8 were used across multiple Ford products so, again, parts are widely available.

I'm 6'4", 260lbs and was quite comfortable in the explorers my wife owned in the early 2000's.

All that being said I just bought my wife an '09 4runner and we love it. Price of entry for a 4runner is going to be dramatically higher than the Ford however.

 

[richard310]

I do like the Suby route. Look into the Forrester. Wagon with tall overhead and plenty of room for dogs, people and stuff.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

You have no idea how much I keep telling myself to sell my current daily driver to buy a used subaru for dd duties.. It would be perfect for the winters up where I live and it would be a great soft roader. That being said I know is be tempted to modify it with a small lift, skids, and the like.

You make it sound like that would be a bad thing.

I doubt that any such mods would keep it from still being a great dd and winter car.

Regards
John

 

[RoamingTimber]

I bought a 2000 Grand Cherokee last year for $3500. V8, limited slip differentials front and rear, plenty of comfort and room for the size. I have no complaints.

 

[bob91yj]

I wheeled with a guy that was/is a Subaru owner. He did his homework, essentially skid plated his Outback, got an inch or so of lift on it (if I remember right), and the biggest all terrain tires he could stuff under the car and called it good.

The problem I see with the Subaru from the OP's post is that they are relatively low for ingress/egress, more like a car than a truck.

I think the Jeep Grand Cherokee (ZJ's in particular) are a good idea, and I think the Explorer is a stellar idea. Grand Cherokee's are sweet, very capable, and solid axle on both ends...which for a DD has to be tolerated if ride quality is a concern when compared with a typical IFS car/truck. Of course the strength difference may be a consideration. For a soft roader/occasional trail use/daily driver I'd favor the IFS vehicle.

 

[WUZombies]

I simply can't say enough bad things about all the Ford Explorers manufactured prior to the recent complete redesign. All the bad things can be summed up in this leaked video where a professional driver conducting a tread separation test with a vehicle specially modified to NOT roll with out riggers, safety cage, helmet and restraint system. Any of us here professionally trained drivers who might do better? I was well trained as a police officer but this would eat my lunch.

 

[BoldAdventure]

Feel free to laugh at me, but my Trailblazer served me well. Although it's a bit lame in stock trim. Although you can find v8 4WD models these days for cheap.

But with 31 inch tires and a mild lift I drove all over Moab.

And with 35's a whole other story...

But we always loved it. It was our first rig. Not the best platform to start with, but room for the wife, dog and gear. It got us into this lifestyle.

 

[jscusmcvet]

WE had... and now my son has it... a 2002 Subaru Forester. Great car. We did replace head gaskets at approx. 140k miles and a cat converter at it's current 160k, but that is it. They are easy to work on, good gas mileage, feel way bigger than they are and make excellent soft roaders. In my area we have a state run game lands that is all sand and pines. 70k acres to play on and the Forester was as at home, if not more, than my Rubicon. You can pick this vintage up for $2500-$5k all day long. It does have a lower entry and exit though, compared to other SUV's.

 

[jscusmcvet]

Feel free to laugh at me, but my Trailblazer served me well. Although it's a bit lame in stock trim. Although you can find v8 4WD models these days for cheap.

But with 31 inch tires and a mild lift I drove all over Moab.

And with 35's a whole other story...

But we always loved it. It was our first rig. Not the best platform to start with, but room for the wife, dog and gear. It got us into this lifestyle.

Not sure I would ever do this but I love the fact that you rocked the trailblazer

 

[bob91yj]

No real difference between the TrailBlazer and an H3. I work at a GMC dealership, IMO the TrailBlazer/Envoy/Ranier were some of the best cars ever built by GM.

 

[Dave]

Agreed. My sister in law had a TrailBlazer and I did some work to it - I was highly impressed by the Vortec and the rest of the enigineering on that rig from frame to brakes. Very stout rig.

 

[TangoBlue]

I think it's interesting that it was also sold under foreign marques names... the Isuzu Ascender and Saab 9-7x. It was also the platform for the short-lived niche vehicle, the Chevrolet SSR.

 

[BoldAdventure]

Indeed, they are stout. But the market is so small; most everything has to be custom. Only one dude makes steel skids and bumpers, and you're talking months to get stuff from him. I had to beg and find 20 people just to get Radflo to make custom coil overs. That being said, when I moved up to the 35's, it got noticed, and lots of double takes and comments of "Holy S*%& I've never seen a lifted TrailBlazer."

It was fun. But I wouldn't truly recommend it unless you're into unusual/niche stuff. I'm weird, though. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ But spare parts are plentiful and cheap. This was like the 2000's #1 mom grocery getter after all.

 

[Malamute]

Great comments so far, thanks for all of them.

The Trailblazer isn't out of the question regarding aftermarket stuff, as I don't do much modification in general. It may get a deercatcher on the front. Just a basic, functional-for-what-I-do type is what I'm interested in. What sort of fuel mileage do they get? On the road and around town? What motors are in them? Do they tow OK for their size? Towing would be a small camp trailer or teardrop. Eventually perhaps a uhaul trailer one or two trips for moving, or my 16' flatbed boxed in.

Ive actually been somewhat curious about them, seeing them around town, but know nothing about them. Whatever I get will end up being driven cross country some in the next few years.

Are there "good years" or "bad years" to look for? Better improvements that are worthwhile in their production run? I'm happy with older vehicles if clean and well maintained, though with what I have to sell or trade off, I don't have to go as low budget as possible right now. Reliable for several years of general use are high on my list.

 

[bob91yj]

^^^^ Most have an inline 6 cylinder, they can be had with a 5.3L V-8 as well. I'd say they will tow a small camper with no drama. Mileage is typically in the mid teens to low 20's.

 

[Malamute]

Mid teens,....such as in town? My 95 Suburban did 14 on the road and less in town. The rental I had to drive recently did 28 on the road, which was a nice change. Still, I realize it takes a certain amount of fuel to move a certain size vehicle. Just finding the best all around balance point is the question.

What sort of fuel mileage do the 4 Runners tend to get?