by "RPM esq." (rpm3)
Published 03/31/2017 at 15:54
by "RPM esq." (rpm3)
Published 03/31/2017 at 15:54
Tags: CONSUMER ADVICE
; QUESTIONS
; GOOD IDEAS
; SURVEY
STARS: 1
This seems to come up pretty regularly (and did so in conversation today), so I thought I’d solicit the opinions of you knowledgeable Opponauts. Let’s say, like most of my friends, you’re an active couple or small family, with a kid or two and/or a dog or two, with a budget that tops out around $10,000 . You want an SUV that’s tough enough for winter and some offroad duty—say, to go camping, skiing, or hunting—and big enough to carry people and gear, but comfortable and safe enough to daily drive in the city on weekdays. Reliability is a high priority, and non-terrible fuel economy would be nice for the commute and road trips.
For example: I have an FJ80 for some of these purposes, and it ticks the reliabilty, size, and toughness boxes. But I certainly don’t drive it every day, and I don’t think I’d want to: if it were to be a family’s only car, it fails a few: the fuel economy is terrible, the creature comforts are lacking, it doesn’t have any modern safety features, etc. So what would you recommend?
The ideas I’ve had are heavy on Toyota trucks because that’s what I know: a Gen 3 or higher-mileage Gen 4 4Runner or an FJ100 Land Cruiser? A Sequoia is probably too big. An Explorer? An older BMW X5? A quad-cab pickup with a bed cover? The world is your oyster.
I suppose if you spend less of the $10k budget up front, you can use more of the rest on modifications or to make up for bad fuel economy, or on maintenance for something a little less reliable.
What say you, Oppo?
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
03/31/2017 at 15:59, STARS: 1
The CX-9 is very popular on my street. Three of my neighbors with multiple kids and active lives have them.
"themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles" (themanwithsauce)
03/31/2017 at 16:00, STARS: 7
Isuzu VehiCross or get the hell out.
"Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer" (smallbear94)
03/31/2017 at 16:01, STARS: 1
"djmt1" (djmt1)
03/31/2017 at 16:04, STARS: 1
MK1 Diesel Touareg would be my choice.
Dirt cheap at between £2000-£4000
Has actual offroad capability
Reliable (VWs aren’t anywhere near as problematic in Europe)
Towing capacity of 3500 Kg
30 (UK) MPG
I can use a Porsche Cayenne as a parts car
"Tripper" (tripe46)
03/31/2017 at 16:05, STARS: 1
4 Runner is the one that I would go with. Although there have been several x5's in the family and all were great vehicles except for one. That one in particular was a twin turbo v8 model that was subject to that $10000 recall. That one was the most fun to drive though.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
03/31/2017 at 16:06, STARS: 2
Camping, skiing and hunting don’t require “real” off-road capability, unless you’re doing particularly remote camping or hunting. This hypothetical family would be much better served by any number of boring crossovers.
4Runner is small on the inside, Land Cruiser will fail the fuel mileage requirement spectacularly. Explorer is a pile of crap, and any older BMW is an expensive mechanic visit waiting to happen.
For the budget you’re saying and the other requirements, I say older Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander. The Pilot wins if a 3rd row with actual room is needed, the Highlander wins for smaller overall size while still being roomy if not using a 3rd row, or if you want the 4-cylinder for higher mileage.
Sure they’re boring, but they’re popular for a reason.
"bob and john" (bobandjohn)
03/31/2017 at 16:06, STARS: 2
fuck the 10K budget
this with the diesel
1: its big enough for you, your spouse, the 2.5 kids, and a couple of doggos.
2: can carry all of the shit you need for camping. has a 3500lbs towing capacity as well, so you can bring a trailer
3: high enough not to get caught on nasty stuff, but still low enough for parking lot garages
4: diesel gets 35mpg freeway according to fuelly.
5: the 2.1 was one of mercs better motors, and these have been pretty well built and rarey have issues.
6: still classy enough to bee seen in the city and go to events in.
7; safe as all hell. and its a merc, ofc its comfy.
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
03/31/2017 at 16:06, STARS: 1
FJ80? Yeah, the 3FE wasn’t the best selling point. My ‘97 FZJ80 has OBD2, dual airbags, and ABS, for whatever that’s worth.
"MrDakka" (mrdakka)
03/31/2017 at 16:06, STARS: 1
The only correct answer
"DipodomysDeserti" (dipodomysdeserti)
03/31/2017 at 16:11, STARS: 1
I tour around in some remote areas with my wife, two kids, and sometimes the dog in a two door Jeep with a roof rack. I’m a bit of a shitbag, though.
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
03/31/2017 at 16:12, STARS: 3
“Offroad”
"ZHP Sparky, the 5th" (e30s2k)
03/31/2017 at 16:12, STARS: 1
As long as you’re playing in the Land Cruiser/4Runner arena…how old are the newest Mitsubishi Monteros or Montero Sports you can buy these days? Aftermarket is probably lacking but purchase price will be cheap for a vehicle that is considered a great 4x4 vehicle in much of the world. Can’t imagine parts being particularly expensive either as long as you can find them?
"RPM esq." (rpm3)
03/31/2017 at 16:13, STARS: 0
I think you’re right about crossovers for most people...I’ve only been on a few outdoor trips where a good AWD crossover couldn’t realistically have hacked it. My mom had a Highlander...really good car (and very comfortable on road trips) until the transmission started slipping. Mrs. RPM has a 2009 RAV4, which has been beyond great and is more capable than the Highlander.
"CRider" (crider)
03/31/2017 at 16:14, STARS: 2
Good 4x4s hold their value, a $10k budget isn’t going to buy you perfect anything, and ‘good fuel economy’ and ‘decent off road 4x4' are mutually exclusive terms. I guess a Ford Excursion diesel ticks most of your boxes. It’s around your budget, gets 15 mpg, and if you can’t fit all your shit in this thing you need a truck and trailer.
"Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap" (ddadragon)
03/31/2017 at 16:14, STARS: 2
4runner.
Slightly biased though.
"RPM esq." (rpm3)
03/31/2017 at 16:15, STARS: 1
Speaking for myself, I spend a lot of time at the ends of rocky forest service roads in the mountains...but as long as you’re careful about bigger rocks a crossover like Forester or RAV4 or something would do fine in nearly all conditions.
"RPM esq." (rpm3)
03/31/2017 at 16:17, STARS: 0
That’s a good point. And someone who wanted even more creature comforts could opt for an LX, I suppose. Although I’ll bet the gas mileage still sucks.
"ThePlasticOne - no diggities expressed nor implied." (theplasticone)
03/31/2017 at 16:19, STARS: 1
Why not Xterra?
If the gear goes on the roof, doggos and spawn will fit. Not gigantic, but still has four doors and reasonable rear passenger space (good enough for kiddos). Taller roof makes it feel roomier than the 4Runner. Generally solid throughout, if basic. Comes with three pedals in every year. Economy is pretty mediocre, but you’re hauling four humans and up to two of God’s chosen creatures with associated accoutrements, so whatever.
Or Pathfinder. Pre-2005 they’re basically Xterras. 2005+ are 4Runner-sized. Soft-road suspension back and front (still keeps up on the trails). Not those new jellybean ones though.
"RPM esq." (rpm3)
03/31/2017 at 16:21, STARS: 0
Well, I don’t mean “good” fuel economy so much as “better than the 13 mpg my FJ80 gets.” A 4Runner or Montero or X5 would probably be “efficient” enough for me to feel good recommending it.
"ThePlasticOne - no diggities expressed nor implied." (theplasticone)
03/31/2017 at 16:22, STARS: 0
!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
03/31/2017 at 16:23, STARS: 1
Subaru’s AWD system is incredibly capable. If you know how to avoid boulders in the road, it’s pretty sweet. Might be the ticket for those drivers who do some light offroading for trailhead access but want to retain fuel efficiency.
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
03/31/2017 at 16:24, STARS: 1
Mileage still sucks. LX450 and 95-97 Land Cruiser are essentially identical. There’s hardly any noticable changes between the two. If you want cush in a Land Cruiser, look 100 series or newer.
"RT" (rt-p)
03/31/2017 at 16:26, STARS: 1
Depends if you’re actually going off-road or not.
For normal people: most crossovers from Volvo, Subaru and BMW work.
For off-road people, any Land Rover in good condition.
The ‘ultimate’ SUV is always going to be a Range Rover or Land Cruiser though.
"E92M3" (E46M3)
03/31/2017 at 16:29, STARS: 1
With a $10k budget here are my pics. 1st gen MDX (get an 05-06 to avoid the earlier transmission problems), 1st gen Honda Pilot, or a 2-3rd gen CRV. All 3 will be reliable, can handle light trails, and have Bluetooth. They’ll all have better driving dynamics compared to their Toyota competitors.
"RPM esq." (rpm3)
03/31/2017 at 16:31, STARS: 0
Good call. Cheaper than the competing Toyotas too.
"Logansteno: Bought a VW?" (logansteno)
03/31/2017 at 16:32, STARS: 1
The answer is always GMT800.
Dead reliable, roomy, can tow shit, get ok gas mileage for a large SUV, seats in them are still my standard I test against for seat comfort, decent power from the 5.3, have the normal array of safety features, and can be had in above average shape with decent miles for less than $10k.
"DuckHunter71" (wlm86)
03/31/2017 at 16:39, STARS: 0
Seconded. Also biased.
"vicali" (vicali)
03/31/2017 at 17:17, STARS: 1
We went for a long time with our SG Forester as an active outdoorsy couple, only a few times did I run into a road that I wasn’t comfortable taking it on.
Once two littles joined the fun and we wanted to pull a trailer it was second gen Tacoma time.
So I have successfully avoided SUV life by owning both a DCLB and a Subaru Wagon. Otherwise 4Runner.
"IAN_Z" (theonline)
03/31/2017 at 19:09, STARS: 2
Name a more iconic duo.
I’ll wait.
"RPM esq." (rpm3)
03/31/2017 at 19:17, STARS: 0
"awmaster10" (awmaster10)
03/31/2017 at 21:21, STARS: 1
I have experience with 3 good possible candidates.
3rd gen 4runner:
Ive owned two. One 2002 that I bought with 190k miles on it but sold at 200k because it was not in great shape and I really loved it so I decided to buy a newer one. Bought a 2002 with 130k on it. Thundercloud, sport edition, clean paint, and very cheap so I thought I had found a gem. Unfortunately at about 140k I found that there had been a very large rust hole on the frame hidden between the rear frame rail and the gas tank.
Pros: Looks amazing, fun to drive slow, rear slide down glass, pretty capable once lifted and on 33s, and reliable as FUCK
Cons: Rust, slow, doesnt handle great, rust, interior kinda tacky, and poor aftermarket
2nd gen Montero:
Drove a bunch of these while looking for a replacement for my 3rd gen runner and damn they are surprisingly amazing. Every clean one I could find was either too far or slipped away from me though.
Pros: Look amazing, spacious, dirt cheap, reliable, decent power(compared to 4runner), unique, extremely capable, beefy axles and transfer case and trans, and very comfy
Cons: worst aftermarket ever, hard to find, kinda rust prone, and nobody will know what the hell youre driving.
R50 Pathfinder:
After not finding a 4th gen 4runner or montero that suited my needs I picked up a clean r50 pathfinder (2003) with 120k miles. It is my favorite of the three and I still love it.
Pros: vq35 with great power, vq35 parts availability, incredible ride and handling compared to 4runner, nice interior, good exhaust note, capable offroad with a rear LSD, looks good, cheap to lift, and pretty unique
Cons: Unibody, slow ass auto transmission
I have also driven a few 4th gen 4runners but they are utterly uninspiring to me without heavy mods. Driven a 5th gen 4runner and it drives *almost* as well as my 2003 pathfinder. Basically cant go wrong with anything japanese with a rear solid axle.
"UserNotFound" (jalopnik2)
04/01/2017 at 08:19, STARS: 0
I’ve been in the last generation of “boxier” Pilots a couple times and I was fairly impressed. It seemed like a good kind of vehicle for what the OP is describing.
"4kc" (4kc)
04/01/2017 at 20:03, STARS: 1
"RPM esq." (rpm3)
04/01/2017 at 20:55, STARS: 0
My goodness.