Which 4WD SUV?

[allthumbs]

erik said:

my car cost $800

[Eastsider]

[eternalX]

If you like the pathfinder, then check out the Rodeo. More power and torque...better reliability

[Ursa_Eagle]

erik said:

a7u

 

don't forget to address independent suspension systems!

 

 

 

 

I second that. I drove a 2002 Ranger down quite a few washboard roads, and the tail wandered all over the place. I was afraid to drive that thing. My friends Forester on the other hand, has handled the same roads at higher speeds, with more control. Not only that, my teeth didn't feel like they were going to get rattled out!

 

The ranger wasn't mine, I just had to drive it 'cause my ex-gf didn't want to. I'd never buy a piece of crap like that. The clutch master cylinder had to be replaced after 20,000 miles. Nice reliability there.

My friends Forester has over 100K on it, and he's never had any problems.

[Ursa_Eagle]

Smoker said:

How many of you have even kept a rig on the road over 200K?

 

I've got 202K on my Honda Accord right now

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

DFA had a '77 Datsun 810 wagon with ~240k on it. Thing was a tank, and the fact that it was usually a couple quarts low on oil was testament to its burliness.

 

Sad to see it go ...

[Fejas]

I finaly blew up the engine in my chevy truck after 260k, but then my next chevy truck latted me barly ove 60k because I totaled it... head on colitions are a bitch @ 45 mph

[Attitude]

A7U said:Year after year, late in the season, I roll slowly along the washboard up the Cascade River Road and am passed by FWD Hondas, Audis, Jettas, etc., all flying along at 30 mph. The drivers are fools, they're beating the crap out of their car's front suspensions/drive components.

Hey, that's me! I finally sold my Honda Civic at 190k. Ran great. I really enjoyed blowing by 4wds on the dirt roads and the highways. A friend's '80 Subaru went 400k before he bought another Subaru.

[Fejas]

My old roommate and I bought two old, ???year???, 4wd suberu wagons for $200 a peice, and we usta ralley race them aginst each other on the gravel roads... we'd set up a coarce, and have some one at the finish with a radio to watch for trafic... we repalced the seats with some old dune buggy seats, with the 5-point belts, and welded a roll bar in them... it was tha most fun i've ever had in a car before... we would get up to speed in the 50's and 60's no problem... untill one day when My roomy put his into a 100 year old fir tree, it barly scratched the bark on the tree, but his car was dead... after that we gave both of them to a wrecking yard...

[RobBob]

test-drove a Pilot today...didn't realize those things weren't true 4WD.

[RobBob]

Okay, it's time to trade in the old Suburban and get something new. Problem is, I want the best of all worlds:

 

1) An SUV with enough clearance and oomph to get me up knarly roads, etc.

2) A decent ride at 65 mph on the highway, and room for family of 4.

3) Can't cost as much as the Suburban does!!

 

Who's done this evaluation recently? I don't want anything small---I'd say the 4runner is as small as I'd want to go.

 

Okay, just to put a post-script on this thread...

I bought a new 4Runner Sport edition. Man this thing is nice. I drove most of the other 4x4s on the market, and I believe this is the best true offroad SUV for me. Rugged as hell, and with allwheel drive on the highway it drives like the Audi Quattro I had in the 80's . It's the first year that Toyota has put its 4.7V8 in the 4Runner, so the thing's got power to spare.

 

[ChrisT]

How much?

[RobBob]

ChrisT, the long answer: I got the $12 Consumer Reports cost sheet on it. Considering it's got oversize wheels and tires, sunroof, leather interior, and a few other options, I calc'd that it cost the dealer $32K. It was stickered up to $37.8. I bought it for $33K, and got 3.64% to boot.

[erik]

dang robrobrbrorobo

 

for that price i could live outta my car for like 12 years!!!

 

[iain]

nice haggling robbob. damn car dealers. why is it you only haggle for cars but nothing else in this culture.

[catbirdseat]

RobBob said:

ChrisT, the long answer: I got the $12 Consumer Reports cost sheet on it. Considering it's got oversize wheels and tires, sunroof, leather interior, and a few other options, I calc'd that it cost the dealer $32K. It was stickered up to $37.8. I bought it for $33K, and got 3.64% to boot.

I have never spent that much money on all the cars I have owned my entire life, and probably never will. The 4-Runner used to be a nice little basic 4x4. Now it's a bloated monster.

[allthumbs]

catbirdseat said:

The 4-Runner used to be a nice little basic 4x4. Now it's a bloated monster.

Way to rain on Rob's parade, Catturd. Have Mommy change your diaper and go sit in the corner for 20 minutes.

[Charlie]

GOOD PURCHASE! Don't listen to those other whiners

 

(it's not your fault they all majored in liberal arts, and can't afford a nice car )

[RobBob]

Erik, Grasshopper, my son, I too was once young and paying $185 rent for an old house, eating boxes of Kroger maccaroni and cheese and drinking PBR to get by...seems like yesterday but more like 20 years ago. Like it or not, I'm the boss and I have to have a certain level of 'upscale' because I show customers around, etc. I also actually use my 4WD once-in-awhile for work. So I just can't get out of that 'over 30K' price bracket.

 

Iain, go out to the lot on a rainy evening during the week. Make them invest a LOT of time in you. Etc.

 

 

[RobBob]

GOOD PURCHASE! Don't listen to those other whiners

Thanks Charlie, I won't. Catburd just doesn't agree/understand because his applications for a vehicle are different. I'm not the gold watch type, but in the parking lot here there are new sedans, Explorers, pickups, even a new Expedition. If I drive a beater, I'm making a statement to my employees...and not the right one. If my circumstances were different, I might even agree with him.

[Jim]

Another yupster-mobile that will never see mud.

[iain]

what's with Toyota these days? it seems like they have 3 different suv models all competing w/ each other. Robbob I agree with the rainy day evening thing, shaved $4000 off the used toyota truck I got. Also helps if the toyota is sitting on a kia dealer's lot, who isn't as familar with the model.

[sk]

RobBob said:

GOOD PURCHASE! Don't listen to those other whiners

Thanks Charlie, I won't. Catburd just doesn't agree/understand because his applications for a vehicle are different. I'm not the gold watch type, but in the parking lot here there are new sedans, Explorers, pickups, even a new Expedition. If I drive a beater, I'm making a statement to my employees...and not the right one. If my circumstances were different, I might even agree with him.

 

If you can aford it and you like it DRIVE And just to show them, get it all dirty and post pictures nothin' like goin' off road in the mud

 

 

[allthumbs]

Jim said:

Another yupster-mobile that will never see mud.

Really? And what do you base this assumption on, asshole? Do you know Rob well?

[Jim]

trask said:

Jim said:

Another yupster-mobile that will never see mud.

Really? And what do you base this assumption on, asshole? Do you know Rob well?

 

Maybe because he said this:

 

Considering it's got oversize wheels and tires, sunroof, leather interior, and a few other options

 

I'm not the gold watch type, but in the parking lot here there are new sedans, Explorers, pickups, even a new Expedition. If I drive a beater, I'm making a statement to my employees...and not the right one.

 

Sounds like the typical SUV uses. 99% if trailheads don't require an SUV, so it's the status thing, as usual. And yes, I use a 4x4 for work regularly, and we're not on the typical USFS road. Better have a winch if you want to follow.