Thinking of a new off road rig

Hey guys I'm sitting here thinking about some of the field research projects I have coming up that will require me taking my truck out in the field and sometimes for extended trips and taking multiple people with me.

I'm starting to wonder if it is time to sell the Dodge and maybe get something else. Basically my truck right now is a '95 Ram 1500 4x4 with an auto tranny. It was great when I lived in a busy city and really only took the truck out on the occasional camping trip and for hauling my dogs around and the like. Problem is it is a pig, 360 Mag gets lousy mileage, it is a standard cab so at max I can only carry 2 other people with me and then its kinda cramped, the auto tranny is well not the strongest.

I have been thinking something along the lines of a CJ or a Landcruiser (before they became glorified soccer mom haulers). Would not have much more room in the CJ but much better off roading capability and can be built to be rock solid. I know there are other options out there but I'm trying to get some first hand impressions from people that have had various rigs. Ideally I would get something along the lines of that H1 shown in the H2 thread but that is of course way out of budget.

So yeah looking for seat 3 plus dog or 4 fairly comfortably, decent mileage (not looking for another big V8), manual trans, easy to repair at home, good availability of off roading goodies. What are some of my options? I know first thing people are going to say is Cherokee but my head hits the roof in those (at least in all of the ones I've been in) so that is out more than likely.

You NEED that Hummer camper from the "perfect Hummer" thread. Make him an offer.

Ummm...I know 4 door jeeps are sacrilage and all, but have you looked at the new 4 dr wrangler? Probably getting cheap on the used lots these days... Mileage wouldn't be great, but better than the Dodge.

Dude..

You need www.expeditionportal.com

That is all you need.

You must be very tall, have a really long torso, or both. I'm 6'2" and have plenty of headroom in our 99 Cherokee. Maybe you could shave the stock seat or install an aftermarket one? Also, the seat in my old 87 Cherokee Laredo offered more adjustibility, so a driver's seat from an older model might be an option.

CJs are great, but the 4.2 doesn't have the power of the 4.0 and sucks gas. I'd look at a Wrangler with the 4.0 instead.

I'd echo the YJ, or possibly an older 4Runner.

You can also try and search for some manual 90's Bronco's as well. IIRC, some came with the 4.9 6cyl.

EDIT* AMC Eagle Wagon.

A CJ isn't going to be any less cramped. If you need off road capability and need to carry people with you, then I love an old Grand Wagoneer.

DILYSI Dave wrote: A CJ isn't going to be any less cramped. If you need off road capability and need to carry people with you, then I love an old Grand Wagoneer.

Second that. I didn't even think of them for some reason. My wife and I saw a very nice one the other day and commented on how we'd like to have one. I don't know what kind of gas mileage they get, but they are nice.

Of course he needs an Eagle! Although it seems he isn't looking for a project, and pretty much all Eagles fall into that category these days.

I'd give the Cherokee another try, as it seems to be perfect for what you need. The Grand Wagoneer is cool, but a gas sucking pig, as are most of your choices.

Maybe an older Toyota 4-Runner? They are good off-road, plentyful, and get halfway decent mileage. Land Cruisers are beasts, but from what I've seen, they get miserable mpg, and parts prices are expensive.

99-04 'Zuk Grand Vitara. Still built to actually go offroad.

ignorant wrote: Dude.. You need www.expeditionportal.com That is all you need.

+1 Along those same lines, look at the Mitsubishi Montero and Isuzu Trooper. The Mitsu was available with an air locking rear differential on some years and the Troopers had an excellent LSD for offroad use on the second gens, look for option code G80.

Disco

Edit-oops, you said not gas guzzler.

ignorant wrote: Dude.. You need www.expeditionportal.com That is all you need.

Damn that is a cool site

Hmm I wish I could remember what years Cherokees I had driven that I had head clearance issues. I've always fit fine in a Grand Cherokee. I'm 6'2" and long in the torso (and a big head to boot).

Not looking for anything to new, basically trade the Dodge or something I can get for whatever I can get for the Dodge. So yeah a Cherokee would work if I can find one I actually fit in. A 4 Runner would work as well. I wish they had brought the 70 series Land Cruiser to the States.

www.calmini.com.... click the Suzuki link. They made some cool rigs. I know the next time I get bit by an off-road bug we're going back to one.

I love my CJ but...it probably isnt much bigger as was said previously...Bronco II's are getting pretty cheap around here...Pathfinders are stout little suckers too!

rebelgtp wrote: I wish they had brought the 70 series Land Cruiser to the States.

I saw one in Charleston the other day...

It was awesome.

Now this FJ62 would be awesome.. 14mpg now but down the line swap in a 5.7 sbc with a 5spd..

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25086

$4500

since you're kindof a geologist, i'll mention this. i work with a lot of folks who have phd's in geology and when i ask them what they used to get out and back in the field to do their work, its almost invariably a compact import truck or suv. i knew three guys that were in grad school while i was an undergrad and had field areas in fairly remote places (two in mexico, and one i think was somewhere in utah) one guy had a 4runner with the 22re, and the two others had toyota 4x4 pickups with camper caps, also 22re powered, iirc. another interesting one is the isuzu trooper. she still owns hers to this day, its only ever needed basic maintenance. i told her to call me if she wants to sell it.

you need this http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25796

or WVO powered suburban http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24823

P71

oops

http://www.overlandvans.com/0104_BMeyers.html

Strizzo wrote: since you're kindof a geologist, i'll mention this. i work with a lot of folks who have phd's in geology and when i ask them what they used to get out and back in the field to do their work, its almost invariably a compact import truck or suv. i knew three guys that were in grad school while i was an undergrad and had field areas in fairly remote places (two in mexico, and one i think was somewhere in utah) one guy had a 4runner with the 22re, and the two others had toyota 4x4 pickups with camper caps, also 22re powered, iirc. another interesting one is the isuzu trooper. she still owns hers to this day, its only ever needed basic maintenance. i told her to call me if she wants to sell it.

True this is very common with the biologists that I work with as well. A 4 Runner with a 22re would be a very good possibility. Only person I ever knew with a trooper had tons of problems with it so I have never really considered them, but like I said looks like I need to do a little more research.

Two guys in my Jeep club have Nissan X-Terras; V6, comfy, huge aftermarket and air conditioning is nice to have.

What's not to like?

Dan

914Driver wrote: Two guys in my Jeep club have Nissan X-Terras; V6, comfy, huge aftermarket and air conditioning is nice to have. What's not to like? Dan

i like xterras..

Rebel.. Talk to Jensenman about Trooper's.

cheap and available & it hauls people + gear. I am surprised that no one has mentioned this one yet

+1 on the xterra comment, also if you're looking at newer, we had a couple pathfinders in the field last month and they were pretty darn capable, as well as very nice to drive on the highway. the auto in the new ones will also rev-match downshifts when you use the manumatic control.

i was also really pleasantly suprised at the late model explorers, the interiors are ugly as hell, especially with the tan, but the 5 speed auto is very well matched to the 4.0l 6's power and they do pretty well off road as well. you will want to find/borrow/build/buy a skidplate for the front as the lower radiator tank is kinda only protected by some plastic flaps, but it shouldn't be a big issue unless you're doing some serious crawling.

i also like the jeep idea, and late 80/early 90's ones are dirt cheap down here