Hello everyone,What are good cars that are ideal to be bought and used specifically for the purpose of /out/ings?The car needs to>access crappy logging roads, in freezing winters or hot summers>4WD>be sub 5k ideally (used market)>big enough to bring 2 people minimum and gear such as canvas tent and stove (for winter camping in canada)>reliable enough to not shit out after non-daily use>have reasonably available and affordable replacement parts for a home mechanic>relatively simple maintenance, no computer lockout bullshitAm I missing any specifications? I'm really not a car guy, but I have a lot of experience fixing boats and boat engines so I doubt a car would be that much more complicated to maintain.I see a lot of early 2000s jeeps being sold by owner for very little so Idk, i'll start with a jeep?
Jeep is the generic standard. The JK platform of Jeep (the older one) is absolute garbage. You are getting a crude military truck with a cheap interior, a rough ride, and poor handling and steering and lots of noise. You are trading a lot for off road capacity. Jeep has a solid front and rear axle which is good for off roading, and very shitty for being on a highway, so if you are driving hours to get to the woods, the car will wander off the highway without constant correction. The JL (newer) platform is less shitty, but still the same solid axles and cheap interior. You are also paying for the Jeep name and image too. I do some very light off-roading (dirt roads) but sometimes dirt roads end up being just beds of small rocks, so I really want full-length skid plates, all terrain tires (tires matter a lot), and, if possible a locking rear diff, but that's more of a wishlist. In terms of conventional interiors Kia/Hyundai (its the same thing) is on top right now for non-premium brands but you can't get skid plates or differentials, even on the pickup-trucky (but car based) Santa Cruz, all you can get is the tires (which you can buy yourself), and a locking center diff (which some nissan suvs also offer). Toyota is a popular choice but you are again paying for the reputation of quality embedded in the name so the interior is cheap, lazy, and shitty, and they always trail; the domestics in comparison tests for off-road ability and usually for suspension quality.Lots of people get a Tacoma or a 4Runner, the problem is the platform is ANCIENT unless you get the brand new generation, which just got rolled out for Tacoma, and is coming soon I think for 4Runner (suv vs open bed).The old one is like buying a truck from 2004. It is going to be rough and unrefined.I think Chevy is best now for off road and refinement. But they don't sell a non-truck off-road SUV (they would make a lot of money if they did).
The Chevy Colorado has a decent interior and ride according to car magazines, the issue is again its platform is slightly old (early 2010s?) but the engines are newish and the off road gear is top notch on the ones with that package specified, and its less pricey than the Toyota.Chevy interiors are always nicer than Ford. Ford rides well, but is prone to needing repairs and cheaply built, there's bronco sport but again its kinda an old platform (2017 ford escape) and its smol and the interior is trash. Moving up to ladder frame pickup fords, the Bronco seems ok, the interior is newer, the engines are ok, but it only comes in convertible so the noise is off the charts. Its too bad they don't sell a normal suv version of Ford Ranger pickup like they do in Australia (everest)What I really want it a Kia Sportage or Hyundai Tucson with a genuine off road package (or aftermarket mods) but they don't sell that (they would make a lot of money if they did). There's also Honda, but the Ridgeline is on an ancient platform and they've just let it rot basically, if you want a larger SUV and have money the new Pilot has an off road trim with skid plates and all terrain tires and a pretty decent engine (reliable non turbo) and a sophisticated ride and steering (but slightly firmer than Toyota or domestic I think). I wonder if I can buy like car-based SUV's that people have modded for off road use so I can get the tires, differential, shocks, and skidplates I want cuz you can only get those things in a normal SUV with the Bronco sport and 4Runner (new 4runner will be decent, but old platform is terribly rough and outdated), or they really just expect you to get pickups (ford Ranger is OK but interior is ~ and platform is 12 years + and needs to be replaced for a more modern ride.
Chevy Colorado is a little newer, probably the best option for trucks. Why it doesn't come in an suv-ized version I will never know. And of course full size trucks can come with all the off road goodies, but that's way too fucking big for forest roads and I nor you want something that fuckhueg to drive and park.
>>2790963I got a 3rd gen 4runner for $2200. I did some routine maintenance on it (cost less than $200 in parts), runs great and is 4x4. I have yet to take it out into the wilderness but she is running very reliably on road.With how little I have into it I am not going to be afraid to use it. 390k miles.Before I go far out I will look at what spare parts will be recommended to with me to prevent me getting stranded.
>>2790963Falkor here ran me AUD$8500 and has been a complete gem.>room for luggage but not for multiple passengers>enough space to sleep in the back>lifted suspension for those rough remote roads>nothing but comfort and respite whether in the heat, cold, or pouring rainIt's an Holden (or Chevy) Colorado with some aftermarket mods of course
>>2791008Again the problem is the Toyota 4Runner is based on a platform from 2004 and the suspension, electronics, all of that is too. It's rough and crude and you make a big sacrifice for outdoor capacity.
>>2790963>tesla cybertruck in your pathnothin personnel kiddo
Pre 96 Toyota Hilux's
>>2790963XJs are great and reliable. they absolutely will need some TLC because since they are so reliable, most people have not replaced much of anything serious by the time you get it at 200k miles. luckily, the parts are cheap and it likely won't be anything really elaborate. the only issue that can arise when wrenching on them is rusty bolts, but if you are somewhere that cars rust, you should be used to it and have the know-how to work with that. you just need to research the head issue that 2000-2001 XJs came off the assembly line with and avoid those or fix it once you buy one, it's not really a big deal if you have the time and ability. one of the benefits of getting an XJ over the TJ aside from a huge price difference is that the XJ is way lighter. a tad over 3,000lbs for a solid front axle 4x4 is great, and doesn't make the motor feel gutless if you don't go too big on tires. even on stock tire size and lift if your only mods are front and rear lockers you will be surprised where it can go. usually when you have a problem with an XJ it's just annoying little things that need to be replaced, an oil leak, etc. usually nothing that will leave you stranded, more like "my shit is falling apart but she still runs." that pretty much sums up 20+ year-old jeeps if not maintained.
>>2791009I don't get it, who said anything about a Toyota
>>27910162 different anons posted toyotas
>>2791020Oh, that was confusing because I didn't so it was hard to connect the dots I guess
>>2791022Anyways my point is most anons will just go "get an ancient jeep or toyota" and those anons are WRONGYes, those cars are decent off-road, but everything else about them is heavily compromised, crude, and rough.
>>2791023Ok ok I follow now, and I agree
>>2791024If you have MONEY and don't do anything too extreme (just dirt roads like I do but not like intentional off road courses or rock fields for fun), you will be fine with a non-ladder frame (aka an suv not a pickup), but you will need some mods, chiefly among them tires, and then skidplates (otherwise you WILL damage the differential and other parts over bumpy shit), and a locking rear diff for mud and water crossings and crazy ice and those shitty unmaintained roads where there's two big grooves and it's all just mud.
>>2790963>used marketIt’s been a sellers market for years now. Most people are selling to dealers (Carvana, Car Max, give me the vin, Driveway, etc.) and going with the highest bidder rather than dealing with the miscreants that they’ll meet via private sales. This created a bidding war for used vehicles. It used to be that people would just bend over and take whatever the dealership would offer. Now there are several options. At the same time, browsing for used vehicles as a buyer became so easy and accessible that it became a pain in the ass to sell one. You could list a brand new Ferrari on FB Marketplace for a dollar and people would offer you fifteen cents.
I love my 2003 Toyota 4Runner Sport 4X4 and it's V8 motor. It is big enough to carry all my gear and very capable off road.
My RAV4 is FWD but it works alright on gravel forest service roads
>>2791027so what am I supposed to do then? not buy a car? And there's still plenty of cars on marketplace that are being sold by people who don't seem to be scamming sub 5k.
>>2791023im not looking for a luxury ride man, Im just looking for something that I can bring out innawoods and won't shit out on me. If I save 4k because its "rough and crude" I'll still do it. the only thing thats dissuaded me from the jeep is the shit highway steering that another anon mentioned
Get a ranger baby
>>2791046nothing i suggested was luxury i simply said the interior quality and features of korean cars is way above the others but they don't offered any outright offroaders and the other brands all have downsidesif you don't mind a pickup, chevy colorado makes the most senseThe chevrolet suvs (traverse and equinox) can be had with an offroad package - but only 2024 onwards for traverse and 2025 for equinox>>2791051ranger is ok, but the interior is meh, the platform dates to 2011, and for retarded reasons they don't sell a non-convertible top suv version in the us (we just get the bronco, not the everest)
>>2790963I'm in a similar situation anon, I'm planning months long road trips to the US where I'll travel across the country to all the beautiful nature so I need something off-road worthy that can still cover long distances without falling apart (I don't care about comfort though, and I'll stick to byways so no crazy speeds). I need to be able to sleep in the back of it too by removing/folding the rear seats. Something very reliable and easily repairable. No bells and whistles. Also a 5k budget, maybe 6/7k if I really need to.So far I've primarily been looking at 90's and early 2000s Toyotas 4Runner and Tacoma (with a shell). I've also looked at 90s Jeep Cherokee XJ, there seems to be quite a few on the market but I don't know what to think of them, I've heard so many bad things about Jeeps, but according to >>2791015 the XJs are fine...I'm a total newbie when it comes to buying a car, what should I be on the lookout for? Rust is an obvious one but beyond that, if I take it for a test drive at various speeds and it runs fine, am I good to go? Even if something fails afterwards it isn't gonna be expensive and hard to fix? What's the worst that could happen to an XJ, the head gasket failing?Rn I don't know a lot about fixing and maintaining a car but as soon as I pull the trigger on one of these I'll get all the tools, common spare parts and documentation needed and I'll learn.
