by "area man" (hurrburgring)
Published 03/06/2017 at 16:00
by "area man" (hurrburgring)
Published 03/06/2017 at 16:00
No Tags
STARS: 1
Alright Oppo, today I told my boss so I might as well tell everyone. The wife and I have decided to move from New York to Los Angeles in July! We plan on driving there, but first I need to buy an SUV capable of towing a 5'x8' U-Haul trailer across the country. And that’s where you lot come in!
Budget: $5000
Years: 1990-2007
Body style: SUV because space, we’re also bringing two cats with us, and I want to be able to use it for off the beaten path adventures once we’re settled in Cali
Drivetrain: True 4x4 (open diffs OK) for the planned adventures referenced above but a solid AWD system is acceptable
Wants: I don’t need a lot, but I realllllly would like leather seats and a moonroof. If I had to pick one I’d say leather seats. Cloth gets janky! Bonus poin+++++++s for opening rear glass. Also it can’t be totally trashed/project car status because wife
Location: Tri-state area
I’ve posted before about using PenFed to finance to keep my savings intact, but at this point I’ve procrastinated enough to where I can take the hit and pay for it in cash. So craigslist/private sellers are fair game.
Right now, my top three candidates are WJ Grand Cherokee, second-gen Pathfinder (ideally 2001-2004) or 2006-2007 Ford Explorer, hence the horribly shopped lead image. Mainly leaning towards the GC.
Thanks for the input Oppo, I plan on doing a whole series of posts for those interested in the process of a cross country move!
"MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner" (montegoman562)
03/06/2017 at 16:02, STARS: 6
Would it be on the table to rent a vehicle to get to Cali with and buy a non salt-rusted vehicle when you get there? It wouldn’t add a pile of miles to your new purchase.
"TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
03/06/2017 at 16:04, STARS: 1
Toyota Land Cruiser is the only acceptable answer. Other SUVs need not apply.
https://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/cto/5982252763.html
https://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/cto/6023856263.html
https://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto/6020284033.html
https://cnj.craigslist.org/cto/6020998829.html
"Jack Does Cars" (jackdoescars)
03/06/2017 at 16:05, STARS: 1
I’d recommend a Chevrolet TrailBlazer, Nissan XTerra,or a Subaru Outback. All are quite reliable, spacious, 4WD/AWD, and capable. If you decide to get a WJ, steer clear of the 4.7 V8.
"Pixel" (Improbcat)
03/06/2017 at 16:06, STARS: 3
I second this. A friend moved out to CA several years ago and brought her DD with her from CT. Ended up spending a lot of time in junkyards pulling rust-free parts (brake lines, rear axle beam, etc.) off cars to replace the stuff that was literally rotting off her car.
"gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish)
03/06/2017 at 16:07, STARS: 2
Sounds like a job for a 4Runner
https://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/cto/6026913103.html
https://newyork.craigslist.org/brx/ctd/6022047998.html
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
03/06/2017 at 16:07, STARS: 0
I towed a 12' uhaul trailer from NYC to Colorado with an 80 series land cruiser.
I do not recommend it.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:08, STARS: 1
I’ve thought about it, but a rental car capable of towing is at least $1500 w/ the one way surcharge. Add in the U-Haul cost and insurance and we’re pushing at least $2500 - I don’t think the miles from the trip are going to cause whatever I buy to depreciate by that much. Also most of the trucks I’ve looked at so far have only small amounts of surface rust. Go down to $3-4 grand and it’s a much bigger issue.
"Probenja" (probenja)
03/06/2017 at 16:09, STARS: 2
QX4?
https://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/cto/5993308179.html
https://newyork.craigslist.org/brx/ctd/6016536702.html
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
03/06/2017 at 16:10, STARS: 0
Outback is rated at 2700lbs towing capacity. Towing with any CVT is a bad idea.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:11, STARS: 0
Well fuck, I might go check out that first one this week!
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:13, STARS: 0
I would! But I grew up riding in my dad’s ‘98 (also a five speed) which is now owned by my brother... it’s too familiar. And then we’re those siblings driving the same car!
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:14, STARS: 0
The Xterra was on my list but my wife doesn’t like the way they look. The Outback is still in contention but is it OK for towing? And is the Trailblazer actually good?
"SPAMBot - Horse Doctor" (spambot2002)
03/06/2017 at 16:15, STARS: 0
Congrats on the move! I would definitely suggest buying a car once you are out here. Cars tend to be in better shape as others have mentioned and you will have less paperwork with the DMV if you buy an in-state car. Plus you would have the seller smog the car before buying. You could look into a moving service. I’m not sure on the costs but a few LTL freight companies offer services where you pack and they haul. There is also the services where you pack a container and they move it. That may not be feasible in NYC, though.
What part of LA are you moving to? There are quite a few local OPPO’s that could potentially help with questions.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:16, STARS: 0
I like the red one! I wonder how much is left to be done considering that’s a steal of a price.
"gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish)
03/06/2017 at 16:17, STARS: 1
Ah, I can understand that. I can’t think of a midsize SUV with a full frame that I would trust more, other than that I’d be looking at LandCruisers, or go a totally different route and get a Tahoe/Suburban
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:17, STARS: 0
Why not?
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:17, STARS: 0
I would get a MT
"LongbowMkII" (longbowmkii)
03/06/2017 at 16:18, STARS: 2
Right idea, but they want a 4Runner.
LC fuel costs mean they’ll have to move to Kansas instead.
"My citroen won't start" (lucasboechat)
03/06/2017 at 16:18, STARS: 1
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/694250798/overview/
"Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs" (yowen)
03/06/2017 at 16:18, STARS: 1
Bonus for the Chevy TrailBlazer is that you can get a Saab 97!!!! I think, exterior-wise, its design is decently close to timeless. Pity the interior is lifted almost straight out of the TrailBlazer. But hey, for a GM era Saab, I think it’s a fantastic SUV. Not necessarily fantastic as a Saab, but great in its own right and for the pricepoint.
here’s and example:
https://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/cto/6031397919.html
Interior actually isn’t as terrible as I thought I remembered it, you get to look at that sweet sweet Saab badge and the center stack is nicely angled toward the driver.
"Tristan" (casselts)
03/06/2017 at 16:18, STARS: 1
The 4.7 is a fine engine. Just make sure it isn’t sludged and hasn’t been overheated. They’ll run for 300k+ if treated properly. The 4.0 is a thirsty, underpowered hunk of shit undeserving of its “legendary” status. Source: I’ve got a 4.0 XJ and a 4.7 WJ sitting in the driveway.
"19JRC99" (19jrc99)
03/06/2017 at 16:19, STARS: 0
Bronco. Will go anywhere, and get you home. Look for a ‘95-ish Eddie Bauer. They had leather seats.
"Jack Does Cars" (jackdoescars)
03/06/2017 at 16:20, STARS: 0
It’s hard to find a clean example for under $5,000.
"Tristan" (casselts)
03/06/2017 at 16:21, STARS: 0
It’s a shame I’m nowhere near you... I’ve got a way clean ‘02 WJ Overland that may be going up for sale soon... The only reason I don’t love it is because it just isn’t designed for someone who’s 6'7".
"Nibbles" (nibbles)
03/06/2017 at 16:23, STARS: 3
Atlas 4.2? Good. Capacious and made for towing? Good. TrailBlazer? GOOD.
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
03/06/2017 at 16:23, STARS: 2
For starters, the things weigh 5,000lbs empty.
1991-92 Cruisers got the 3FE engine which produced 155hp-ish when new. those vehicles are pushing 25-26 years now, so wear/tear and compression loss will only hurt those power ratings. I also think they’re rated for only 3500lbs towing.
‘93-97 with the 1FZ made 212hp when new and was quite lacking when trying to motivate 10,000lbs to move up some steep hills despite its 5,000lb tow rating.
Essentially, at the time, these SUVs were considered somewhat underpowered. They’re significantly underpowered by today’s standards, even if 20 years didn’t hurt power output by all that much.
"LongbowMkII" (longbowmkii)
03/06/2017 at 16:23, STARS: 1
A bit soft off-road I’m sure, maybe towing too, but Volvo XC90s are dirt cheap. I wouldn’t mind doing a long trip with Swedish ergonomics.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:23, STARS: 0
I’ve gone back and forth on buying a car out there. Of course you are correct I would be getting less rust and more car for my money. But it just comes down to the total cost of the move - I can’t figure out a way to get us+all our junk out there for a decent price that doesn’t involve driving my own car. The pack-and-haul thing wouldn’t work where I live unfortunately.
The main issue is we have to bring our mattress with us, and also we can’t have the passenger space jammed full of shit because of the cats. So even if we shipped the mattress we would still need to tow something.
"Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs" (yowen)
03/06/2017 at 16:23, STARS: 1
I suppose so, only one I found on NY CL was $5900 with 120k miles.
On the plus side, interior is not as terrible as I thought I remembered it being. I like the steering wheel, mostly cause of the Saab logo, lol. I also like that the center stack is angled toward the driver.
"Probenja" (probenja)
03/06/2017 at 16:24, STARS: 1
I really like the look of the 2nd gen Pathfinders and this is just a luxury version of it, also has Nissan’s legendary VQ35 so it should be reliable enough.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:24, STARS: 0
Oh and we’re moving to the west side, not sure specifically yet but if I can’t get out there to arrange an apartment ahead of time we’ll be with my in laws in the Santa Monica-Venice area.
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
03/06/2017 at 16:27, STARS: 1
Godspeed finding a used Subaru with leather, a moonroof, and a MT for under $5k.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:31, STARS: 0
Good to know!
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:32, STARS: 0
I would totally drive a Tahoe. They’re mostly junk in my price range though.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:32, STARS: 0
Damn that’s a shame!
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
03/06/2017 at 16:34, STARS: 0
Try Penske. There’s no mileage limit and $1500 to know that you won’t have a breakdown in the middle of Kansas is a good selling point. Then you can pick up a rust-free SoCal vehicle when you arrive.
"SPAMBot - Horse Doctor" (spambot2002)
03/06/2017 at 16:40, STARS: 0
That makes senses. Cross country moves are always difficult. At lease you will get a nice road trip out of it!
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:40, STARS: 1
Hell yeah man. I’m just scared of repair bills.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:42, STARS: 0
I own a K5 (it lives in LA thats why I’m not using it to move), is that sacrilege?
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:43, STARS: 1
Bahahaha that’s the exact Disco I was eyeballing yesterday. Amazing/horrible idea right? It’s pretty clean!
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:44, STARS: 0
I found ONE in November but I didn’t quite have the out of pocket funds. I console myself by saying it probably needed a head gasket.
"19JRC99" (19jrc99)
03/06/2017 at 16:44, STARS: 0
Shoot, I forgot you had that! Not sacrilege. The Bronco’s just a better Blazer*
*= I do prefer Broncos, but I like Broncos, Blazers, and Ramchargers. Just teasing.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:47, STARS: 0
Haha I am by no means a purist. That’s everyone ELSE on the K5 forums. They kinda scare me.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:48, STARS: 1
I love everything around the driver’s seat, but the rest is so.... GM-y...
"19JRC99" (19jrc99)
03/06/2017 at 16:48, STARS: 1
That’s on any forum, really. Seeing all the Ford guys shit on Dodge and Chevy hurts me, since I have both brands in the family, as well as Ford.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
03/06/2017 at 16:48, STARS: 2
Saab 9-7x. With the LS2 over the LH6 if you can, but even the Atlas 4.2 isn’t bad – I’ve hauled Jeeps around with my dad’s 4.2 Envoy XL, including a KJ on a 2000lb equipment hauler, and while it’s certainly not quick with that much load still did alright.
I am a fan of the WJ too. Not so much the pathfinder or exploder, but that’s more personal bias than anything else.
"My citroen won't start" (lucasboechat)
03/06/2017 at 16:50, STARS: 1
I’m amazed at how that white (cream?) leather interior looks.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:50, STARS: 0
Yeah that’s been on the bucket list for a while!
"Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs" (yowen)
03/06/2017 at 16:50, STARS: 1
Yeah I’d somehow want to find a way to tone that down, if I owned one. What really bothers me is the vents and the door cards, they just SCREAM GM.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 16:52, STARS: 0
Is the Envoy tolerable in regular driving?
"WiscoProud" (wiscoproud)
03/06/2017 at 16:57, STARS: 1
I wouldn’t buy until you’re in California. They are pretty much guaranteed to have vehicles in better condition than what you’re find anywhere it snows. I would get a big uhaul with a car carrier to pull your existing vehicle, then renew the search once you get there.
If you like opening rear glass, I have to recommend a first gen Sequoia. They have a retracting rear window like the 4runners do, they’re stout and reliable, and the 4wd will be able to get you near anywhere you want to be. Not sure if you’ll be able to find a decent one for $5k though. If not, a 3rd gen 4runner should be in your budget, fit all the same parameters, albeit slightly smaller.
"That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms" (thatbastardkurtis5)
03/06/2017 at 17:05, STARS: 1
My input here should be obvious. Land Cruiser/LX450/LX470 if you want the v8. I got my FZJ80 for $3400 with e-lockers.
Pro: Literally everything except gas mileage.
Con: Gas mileage.
Cherokees are good, too.
"cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44)
03/06/2017 at 17:06, STARS: 2
Any GM Suburban. Fits everything, runs forever, parts are cheap and bona-fide 4x4's. Can’t go wrong. People telling you to buy weird foreign stuff. For trucks, go full-size American.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 17:13, STARS: 1
Haven’t searched cruisers specifically but the only LXs I’ve seen in my budget have 200K+ miles - I know that’s on the low end of what the engine is capable of but I’m wary about it. Am I being dumb?
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 17:13, STARS: 1
This is why I keep returning to a Tahoe/Explorer and GC.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
03/06/2017 at 17:14, STARS: 0
I had a WJ and I almost bought an R50 Pathfinder to replace it.
The WJ has awesome comfy seats, full time hydraulically-actuated awd with lockable 4wd lo in the Quadra-Trac II (the I6 can also go into rwd) and if you get the Quadra-Drive II 4wd system it adds hydraulic automatic locking diffs to the front & rear axles. Personally I think the ways to go are the I6 for economy or the 4.7 with Quadra-Drive II. There are regular 235 hp and “high output” 265 hp versions of the 4.7 in later years. I had a 4.7 with Quadra-Trac II because I bought it on short notice as a winter beater and that’s the one I could find.
The Pathfinder years you chose have the VQ V6 which is the way to go. Personally I think awd is valuable for on-road winter capability and that’s exclusive to the LE and Infiniti QX4. It’s an electronic system. Front & rear diffs are open.
I wouldn’t mess with the Explorer.
The WJ has the better 4wd systems and capability but they can sometimes be piles of crap.
The Pathfinder/QX4 is a higher quality feel but doesn’t have as much capability.
"That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms" (thatbastardkurtis5)
03/06/2017 at 17:17, STARS: 2
No, I wouldn’t say you’re being dumb about it at all. Especially with the V8 trucks you’d want to make sure the timing belt has been done...the FZJ80s use a timing chain and are built like a brick shithouse, so that’s less of a worry there, but the V8 makes better power and is a generally awesome engine as well. Mine has 174k on it, feels like it’ll go another 174k with basically zero effort. Everything on it seems like it was made to last forever...first Toyota I’ve ever owned, and I finally see what the big deal was with them in the 90s.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
03/06/2017 at 17:34, STARS: 2
My mom likes it. I’m not the biggest fan, tbh, but that’s more to do with being 6'2 which makes it impossible to find a comfortable seating position, although the Saab should come with better seats. I’ve taken it on a few pretty solid road trips (I’ve driven it all the way to Vancouver Island and back all the way to Ottawa and back, my parents live around the half-way point between the two) as well as just regular running around, and, well, it is a bit of a soccer-mom special, slightly dead feeling and drives like the heavy thing it is, but it corners decently enough for what it is and it’s not as soul-crushing as a minivan. My biggest complaints are that the automatic 4x4 is no replacement for a proper full-time case (the Saab has one) and that the brake pedal does something funky where when you lift off the brakes, the pedal lifts a short distance before the brakes start to release. It also has some small materials-cheapness related issues that can be annoying (I finally found another console kid at a wrecking yard that latches last month! It’s only been three years of having to keep your elbow on it) and we did have the transmission explode on us in the middle of nowhere in northern Ontario, with 100,000 miles on the odometer, which is apparently common to the 4l60e, bad sun shell gear. But that was before we pulled anything with it, it came with a brake controller though so I have no idea what previous owners did with it. I know when my parents bought it though they were cross-shopping WJ’s and picked this one over the Jeeps because my mom liked it better and my dad is more along the lines of “so long as it goes from A to B I don’t care” so he didn’t fight her but it was clear to me he preferred the WJ.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 17:36, STARS: 2
This is quite possibly the most relevant response yet. I will be honest and say that about half my desire for the WJ is those seats. They look so. damn. comfortable. I know it’s all squishy 90s ergonomics but I don’t care, my butt wants what my butt wants.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 17:37, STARS: 0
Thanks for the thorough response! All very helpful.
"RT" (rt-p)
03/06/2017 at 17:39, STARS: 1
Outback, Montero, 9-7X, Discovery, Land Cruiser/LX, XC90, X5, Rangie. Etc
"TahoeSTi" (tahoesti)
03/06/2017 at 17:40, STARS: 2
Don’t do it! rent then buy CA (just away from the coast)...why bring a rusty car with you. My wifes old 1996 Jetta taught me that you don’t want a car from back east. My 1995 mustang still has no rust.
"gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish)
03/06/2017 at 17:40, STARS: 0
Ah that’s a bummer
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
03/06/2017 at 17:42, STARS: 1
Just bear in mind you are talking to someone who daily’d a Lada for a couple years. My opinions and/or judgement may be, well, yeah.
"BorkBorkBjork" (tbirdlemons)
03/06/2017 at 17:51, STARS: 2
As boring and unoriginal as it is, nothing suggested by anyone on here is going to beat a Suburban/Yukon XL for your task. If you don’t need the space, then a Tahoe/Yukon will do (and will be better offroad).
They can carry a half dozen people, with luggage, all while towing an 8000-lb box trailer. You can’t really beat that. And contrary to popular belief, they can be customized to be quite good offroad (I have even taken my stock 07 Tahoe to MOAB and did a few trails). The only thing they don’t do well is fuel economy.
"avalonian" (avalonain19)
03/06/2017 at 17:56, STARS: 2
4runner. Or anything toyota
"facw" (facw)
03/06/2017 at 18:10, STARS: 0
It doesn’t look like any of the 77 comments have actually recommended the Explorer, but I think U-Haul still won’t rent trailers to hook up to Explorers (except for the current CUV generation). Stupid fallout from the Firestone thing.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 18:19, STARS: 2
Interesting! And ha yeah I guess I got my answer on that front. Seems like a pretty simple machine with a half decent 4wd setup but I guess it is still a pre-recession Ford when you get down to it...
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
03/06/2017 at 18:22, STARS: 0
I got rid of my WJ because it needed a new oil pan, new weather stripping on all the doors, and had an undiagnosed driveline wobble noise. I only paid $4k for it so I didn’t want to invest a bunch of money into it. I sold it for $3k after a year.
I replaced it with a WK that had its own assorted maintenance it needed. I put about $1500 into it since I had bought it for $9700. That included fresh tires because it had tires with plenty of tread that sucked in snow. I sold it 18 months after that for $9000.
The WJ actually has more useful cargo room with the seats folded than the WK because the bottom cushion of the back seat in the WJ flips forward which allows the cargo floor with the seatbacks flipped down to be lowered.
Not sure if the Pathfinder does something similar.
I no longer have any SUV because it was a second car and went down to 1 awd car year round.
I still kind of want a 2003-04 WJ with the 4.7 HO and Quadra-Drive II, if I found one in nice shape.
"LongbowMkII" (longbowmkii)
03/06/2017 at 19:02, STARS: 1
The v8 and the 4spd autos seem to be the problem children. Personally I’d look to the n/a 3.2, just for simplicity’s sake
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 20:28, STARS: 1
Nothing a jerry can can’t fix! Stock on the trails, you’re brave.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 20:29, STARS: 0
Those first two are serious options
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/06/2017 at 20:30, STARS: 2
A good point, but not everything has rust out here! Only 95% of the cars ;)
"dogisbadob" (dogisbadob)
03/06/2017 at 21:28, STARS: 0
Wait until you get to California to buy another car. Fuck the rust buckets up here.
Rent a U-Haul box truck that you can return to a U-Haul location down there.
"BorkBorkBjork" (tbirdlemons)
03/06/2017 at 22:23, STARS: 2
The weak point is the low approach angle, which is easily fixed with a new bumper. Done right, they can be very competent (and still tow/haul twice as much as anything else), and you’ll get crazy looks from all of the Jeep boys that stand around patting each other on the back halfway through a trail.
http://image.fourwheeler.com/f/9026959+w600+cr1/131_0409_rok_09_z.jpg
(Neither pic is of my Tahoe, I just found a few around the internet for a model year in your budget).
"RT" (rt-p)
03/07/2017 at 03:22, STARS: 0
It was in order of ‘riskiness’, but still the Land Cruiser and XC90 can’t have many problems. One is designed around a 25 year service life and the other is the most reliable luxury SUV in this price range.
"MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner" (montegoman562)
03/07/2017 at 10:33, STARS: 0
Yeah it seems like a great option to just rent a bigger uhaul instead of a uhaul trailer. or like benjrblant said check around like Penske.
If you’re dead set on buying and towing (hey it’s your dollars) make sure you dig around under the trucks. What you see as surface rust, us who work on the cars underneath see as drastically harder to repair suspension that will wear out eventually, or even rusted fuel/brake lines.
Out of the options you listed I think the Explorer is probably the most reliable, the Grand Cherokee wouldn’t be terrible. Thoughts on a Durango of similar generation? Built on the same platform as the GC, a little bigger and all of em had V8's.
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/07/2017 at 10:48, STARS: 0
I should have added a couple things to my reasoning against renting a truck. First my wife really doesn’t want to ride cross country in a cab. I could maybe convince her if it entailed significant savings but I don’t think the math works. Second is that putting two cats and two humans in a cab is a bit tight, and it would be tough to secure both their carriers. And finally I still have a lot of friends and family all around New England who I need to see before I go, and renting multiple cars for those trips is just throwing away money at this point.
Still, if I can find a cost effective solution I’d be open to buying out there. Enough people have suggested it to where I have to give it thought.
I like everything about the Durango except the rear styling. I saw a super clean top of the line one with like 80K miles for $6000 this weekend but its gone now. I was only sad for a few seconds tho so it probably means its not for me.
"MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner" (montegoman562)
03/07/2017 at 10:59, STARS: 1
All fair points! I doubt I could convince my wife to drive cross country in a rental truck, though the UHaul F150 I rented once was a pretty nice ride (single cab, same space trouble).
So in the end I would lead you to the Ford dealer, the Explorers are more reliable than the WJ’s and if you’re a ride across country in a relatively new to you used vehicle I’d take the Explorer over the Jeep.
"Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo" (akioohtori)
03/16/2017 at 16:06, STARS: 2
Late to the party, as usual. One thing to consider is CA is WAY more strict emissions and general inspections than anywhere else in the US. Even with factory everything they can be hard to pass and generally any aftermarket mods need to be CARB compliant or they’re an automatic fail. Also if you buy the car, you’ll likely have to pay tax when you get to CA too. CA is effing weird.
That said, I’d like to make a case for the humble OBS (old body style) GMC/ Chevy Yukon/ Tahoe.
Pros: Most people really like the looks; pretty OK offroad, later models came with a pushbutton transfer case with an AWD option; rear-AC available (may be harder to find in your area though...); inexpensive; parts are cheap and plentiful; nice sized “bed” with the seats folded flat; heated seats available; good visibility for a vehicle its size
Cons: terribad gas mileage (12 - 16 MPG); getting to the age where everything is going to start weeping, cracking, or failing (transfer case, diffs, axles, etc); hard to find with low miles; hard to find without ruined front seats (~$700 to get repaired); rides like a truck; OEM AC compressor is known to leak; mechanical cooling fan means the AC can be a bit tepid when in traffic (never had problems with engine cooling though)
"Rico" (ricorich)
03/16/2017 at 18:10, STARS: 1
Take me with youuuu save me from this frozen hell hole
"MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner" (montegoman562)
03/16/2017 at 18:43, STARS: 0
Update?
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/16/2017 at 18:48, STARS: 0
Done!
"area man" (hurrburgring)
03/16/2017 at 18:48, STARS: 1
None yet, been too busy at work and a second gig I just picked up. But that means more $$$ for the car, so not all bad!
