Looking for a 4x4

[05LGTLtd]

For bargain shopping, look for SWB regular cab f150 or even Dakota. Short trucks make good off roaders, and regular cabs are usually lower in price. Don't forget to save some money for tires, lol...

Also shocks are probably doing to be shot on a 6k V8 4x4, just due to age. Not to mention wear items like ball joints, tie rod ends and U-joints.

 

[THORROMIG]

Don't rule out Ford Explorers if you want reliability, previously had a 2000 before I bought my 06 in 08 and never had a engine or transmission issue on either. Just regular maintenance & change of treads every soo many years and your good to go. They have plenty of pep also.

 

[Rand]

2002-2005 ranger supercab 4x4 has 5000lb towing, 210hp 4.0 v6

Very good offroad also with a few mods. can fit 32's stock.

if you have need to use the mini-backseat alot they came with a 4door model (back was suicide doors) and 2 door model.

Wouldnt get a reg cab ranger if you are over 5'10" its cramped.

The 5r55E is fairly bulletproof if maintained.
Engine is great. Had timing chain issues in 2001/2002 but were replaced/recalled.

Nothing hangs down. Alot of that era chevy's had various parts that hung down below the frame rails.

Easy to fab up a few skid plates and rock rails for more fun offroading.

Front is strong and adaptable for winch with the right spacing between framerails.

I would prefer the auto for offroading.. less shockloading.. more creeping.

The manual is dependable, slave cylinders usually last about 100k, you have to pull the transmission to replace.

4x4 system is extremely reliable. Only thing that can happen is a crusty shift motor.. easy fix.

The bad. MPG .. usually 18-19 on a good day.
15-17mpg winter

10-14mpg in 4x4

I've owned/maintained 2.. loved both of em.
They also have excellent visibility on all 4 corners of the truck for maneuvering/parking

 

[Stang40]

Thanks Rand, that's the same engine that's in my 2006 Mustang, and I really do love it, no matter how much [censored] I get for having a V6. No problems whatsoever, strong motor. For some reason I guess I dismissed the Ranger as an offroader, but I'll def take a look, Thanks again!

 

[Thax]

97-99 Jeep Cherokee would be my pick. For the price range you have listed you will be able to find a relatively low mileage one. The automatic AW-4 transmission is rock solid. Depending on the trim model it will either have a NV231 command trac or NV242 selec trac transfer case. The NV231 is the stronger of the two but does not allow full time (AWD) option. As a whole these are very reliable vehicles with rock solid 4x4 systems. If it gives you an idea the NV231 transfer case is also in the Wrangler. I would avoid the 00-01 models due to cylinder head problems that manifest at higher mileage , as well as the low pinion axles used up front. For simple reliability in a overall sound design that has stood the test of time , the XJ cherokee would be my choice. Make sure to have a certified technician check over any 4X4 you choice and to change all fluids upon purchase.

 

[mjk]

You could get 'lucky', and find a clean 90's Land Cruiser....miles will be high, but they run forever and a day.

 

[dareo]

I've found my 98 Toyota T100 ex cab 4x4 MT to be incredibly awesome. Its not small a like a tacoma, yet its still only 4,000lbs. It's done great in really nasty snow. Mine was a little dented and only $4k, but best $4k i've ever spent on a vehicle. It just keeps going and is good on gas. Worth looking at if you find a nice one w/o rust.

 

[FutureDoc]

I would prefer the Explorer over the Cherokee... but I am partial to the "Exploder" since it was my wife's old car. It was solid. Sorry, to many bad experiences with late 90s/early '00s Chrysler products. The engine/drive train might be fine in the Cherokees but everything else will be an issue. I would also consider a Nissan Frontier over the Toyota. While the Tacoma is better built overall, the Frontier is a bit cheaper, good off-road, and the base-model had a more off-road oriented rear suspension compared to the base Tacoma.

And just because you said mostly around-town with a little off-road...
When I was shopping around for a 4wd vehicle a while back, I ended up on the Subaru. No complaints and it is a bit more civilized on the roads and I have had zero problems on icy farm access roads (inlaws are farmers). It might not be the most "go get it stuck in the mud" readyvehicle, but there are a few folks who run modified and lifted versions for off-road only toys. Not quite an FJ but if you want a little off-road, 4wd, and mostly around town, hard to beat them

 

[IndyIan]

Maybe have a look at a 99-05 Tracker/Suzuki Vitara?
They have decent road manners, real 4wd system is pretty good for moderate off roading, high 20's mpg on 55 mph roads with the 4 cyl.
$6k would get you one in showroom condition with 50-60k miles on it and most have never been off road.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Maybe have a look at a 99-05 Tracker/Suzuki Vitara?
They have decent road manners, real 4wd system is pretty good for moderate off roading, high 20's mpg on 55 mph roads with the 4 cyl.
$6k would get you one in showroom condition with 50-60k miles on it and most have never been off road.



Moderate off roading?

Decent tires and a Tracker/Sidekick should go just about anywhere a "real" 4X4 will.

another one of my favorite underpowered/go anywhere 4X4s? The Isuzu Trooper.
Hard to find a 2.6 5 speed that hasn't been gutted, camo'd and left to use once a year on someone's deer lease though.

"They're boxy, but they're good."

 

[Thax]

Originally Posted By: FutureDoc
I would prefer the Explorer over the Cherokee... but I am partial to the "Exploder" since it was my wife's old car. It was solid. Sorry, to many bad experiences with late 90s/early '00s Chrysler products. The engine/drive train might be fine in the Cherokees but everything else will be an issue. I would also consider a Nissan Frontier over the Toyota. While the Tacoma is better built overall, the Frontier is a bit cheaper, good off-road, and the base-model had a more off-road oriented rear suspension compared to the base Tacoma.

And just because you said mostly around-town with a little off-road...
When I was shopping around for a 4wd vehicle a while back, I ended up on the Subaru. No complaints and it is a bit more civilized on the roads and I have had zero problems on icy farm access roads (inlaws are farmers). It might not be the most "go get it stuck in the mud" readyvehicle, but there are a few folks who run modified and lifted versions for off-road only toys. Not quite an FJ but if you want a little off-road, 4wd, and mostly around town, hard to beat them

Late 90's and early 2000s Cherokees are just fine , ive literally have had almost zero problems with my 99. My fathers 2000 "Exploder" well thats another story. Currently has broken blend door , two door locks , power seat motor , rear wiper motor , factory radio , seat heater. Nothing wrong with that era XJ.

 

[FutureDoc]

Originally Posted By: Thax
Late 90's and early 2000s Cherokees are just fine , ive literally have had almost zero problems with my 99. My fathers 2000 "Exploder" well thats another story. Currently has broken blend door , two door locks , power seat motor , rear wiper motor , factory radio , seat heater. Nothing wrong with that era XJ.


Sounds like a '98 Sebring my family owned (Father then Brother) and a lot of the other era Chryslers were just as bad. The Mrs' "Exploder" was flawless from the time I her her to when we traded it in in 2009 for her Fit. Kinda wish I kept it but getting a new car for less than 13K was too much of a bargain during "CARS"... and it was a semi-wedding gift too.

 

[glock19]

Originally Posted By: Thax
Originally Posted By: FutureDoc
I would prefer the Explorer over the Cherokee... but I am partial to the "Exploder" since it was my wife's old car. It was solid. Sorry, to many bad experiences with late 90s/early '00s Chrysler products. The engine/drive train might be fine in the Cherokees but everything else will be an issue. I would also consider a Nissan Frontier over the Toyota. While the Tacoma is better built overall, the Frontier is a bit cheaper, good off-road, and the base-model had a more off-road oriented rear suspension compared to the base Tacoma.

And just because you said mostly around-town with a little off-road...
When I was shopping around for a 4wd vehicle a while back, I ended up on the Subaru. No complaints and it is a bit more civilized on the roads and I have had zero problems on icy farm access roads (inlaws are farmers). It might not be the most "go get it stuck in the mud" readyvehicle, but there are a few folks who run modified and lifted versions for off-road only toys. Not quite an FJ but if you want a little off-road, 4wd, and mostly around town, hard to beat them

Late 90's and early 2000s Cherokees are just fine , ive literally have had almost zero problems with my 99. My fathers 2000 "Exploder" well thats another story. Currently has broken blend door , two door locks , power seat motor , rear wiper motor , factory radio , seat heater. Nothing wrong with that era XJ.


It's all anecdotal. I had the complete opposite experience. My first car was a 97 "Exploder" that I ran up to 100K with nothing but an O2 sensor and a broken trim piece on the rear door handle. Meanwhile, most of my high school buddies drove Cherokees and every single one had issues (mainly radios, power windows, and actuating the 4WD).

 

[MK2]

check the 3rd generation 4Runner.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: glock19


It's all anecdotal. I had the complete opposite experience. My first car was a 97 "Exploder" that I ran up to 100K with nothing but an O2 sensor and a broken trim piece on the rear door handle. Meanwhile, most of my high school buddies drove Cherokees and every single one had issues (mainly radios, power windows, and actuating the 4WD).

anecdotal indeed. Power window problems, radio won't work, and shift motor freezes up so 4WD will not actuate. All common on the Explorer too. Throw in the 4WD module under the passenger kick panel of a Blazer/Jimmy and it has those problems too (radio still works on the Blazer, just all the paint on the buttons is gone

)

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: glock19


It's all anecdotal. I had the complete opposite experience. My first car was a 97 "Exploder" that I ran up to 100K with nothing but an O2 sensor and a broken trim piece on the rear door handle. Meanwhile, most of my high school buddies drove Cherokees and every single one had issues (mainly radios, power windows, and actuating the 4WD).

anecdotal indeed. Power window problems, radio won't work, and shift motor freezes up so 4WD will not actuate. All common on the Explorer too. Throw in the 4WD module under the passenger kick panel of a Blazer/Jimmy and it has those problems too (radio still works on the Blazer, just all the paint on the buttons is gone

)



There isn't a shift motor for the 4x4 on a Cherokee. It is a lever with a linkage attached to the transfer case. The late 80s and very early 90s Cherokees had vacuum operated front axle disconnect and it occasionally failed.

 

[stumpypete]

Agree with Loopie. 3rd generation 4runners will ride nice, pull through mud and snow and don't break. You could get a very nice 99 or 2000 Limited in your price range with money left over. Also look at early 4th generation ones too. The 3rd gen v6 has a timing belt that needs to be replaced every 80k miles. The 4th gen v6 has a timing chain.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: glock19


It's all anecdotal. I had the complete opposite experience. My first car was a 97 "Exploder" that I ran up to 100K with nothing but an O2 sensor and a broken trim piece on the rear door handle. Meanwhile, most of my high school buddies drove Cherokees and every single one had issues (mainly radios, power windows, and actuating the 4WD).

anecdotal indeed. Power window problems, radio won't work, and shift motor freezes up so 4WD will not actuate. All common on the Explorer too. Throw in the 4WD module under the passenger kick panel of a Blazer/Jimmy and it has those problems too (radio still works on the Blazer, just all the paint on the buttons is gone

)



There isn't a shift motor for the 4x4 on a Cherokee. It is a lever with a linkage attached to the transfer case. The late 80s and very early 90s Cherokees had vacuum operated front axle disconnect and it occasionally failed.


But the Explorer does, and it fails. I should know the part number from how many I sold.

 

[glock19]

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: glock19


It's all anecdotal. I had the complete opposite experience. My first car was a 97 "Exploder" that I ran up to 100K with nothing but an O2 sensor and a broken trim piece on the rear door handle. Meanwhile, most of my high school buddies drove Cherokees and every single one had issues (mainly radios, power windows, and actuating the 4WD).

anecdotal indeed. Power window problems, radio won't work, and shift motor freezes up so 4WD will not actuate. All common on the Explorer too. Throw in the 4WD module under the passenger kick panel of a Blazer/Jimmy and it has those problems too (radio still works on the Blazer, just all the paint on the buttons is gone

)



There isn't a shift motor for the 4x4 on a Cherokee. It is a lever with a linkage attached to the transfer case. The late 80s and very early 90s Cherokees had vacuum operated front axle disconnect and it occasionally failed.


It was 2001 and we were in high school, no one was driving anything newer than a 1993. The worst POS was an 89 that my buddy had. Luckily someone rear ended that pos.

 

[FutureDoc]

Originally Posted By: glock19
It was 2001 and we were in high school, no one was driving anything newer than a 1993. The worst POS was an 89 that my buddy had. Luckily someone rear ended that pos.


Wow, you had something built in the 90s in highschool! My HS car was a '79 and I was about the same era HS as you. Others had 80s era Camrys, lots of 80s Era Pickups, a few early 90s SUVs and on luck C5 (dealership owner's son) and Z3 driver.