For Fun. (No offense intended.) Handi-Rifle and automobile analogy.

[spikehorn]

Volvo 240 wagon it aint pretty but you can sure put the miles on

[quatroclick]

Definitely the AMC Gremlin.

You could get a them in a "Hornet".  Or an Eagle with 4 wheel drive.  Small engines and big engines.  The cars performed a lot better than anyone expected.  They were quite the "sleeper".  The platform outlasted every one of it's competitors.  They were cheap, cheaper than nearly anything else available.  The company that made them went out of business, but they continued to be manufactured under another corporate umbrella.  Quality control was spotty.  They were simple to a fault.  They were never hugely popular, but lots of owners are fanatics.

[fl.hillbilly]

  well, my old dodge ram  and my handi 45/70  go hand and hand . when found both were neglected and un loved .  however a lil time and tlc  turn the key or drop the hammer they both always work.

[JonD.]

A good ole 70's to 87' chevy 4wd, tough, reliable, dependable, easy to work on, easy parts swap with many different combinations of engines/transmissions, run it thru the briars and ditches with no worries.

[guzzijohn]

I equate mine with the 58 Chev. PU we had on the farm when I was a kid. It was reliable and simple but only went in the general direction that you intended it to go, not in a straight line.
GuzziJohn 

[Ron 1]

i  will go jeep cuz u can beat the heck out of them and it will still work good
              rw

[xhare]

My dad's old 62 International flat bed truck.  Simple, old fashioned, and the two are made of the same thing.....pallet wood and carbon steel.   

[blind ear]

A broomstick poney. Giddy Up  boys, keep her at a trot. What ever you can imagine.

[mitchell]

I'd say anything with a Chevy 350 V8 engine.

Parts are cheap.
Can modify for racing or mud bogging.
A tried and true design that lasts and lasts.
Anybody can work on them.
And sure sounds good when you let her rip! 

mitch must agree with mitch

[PHATINJUN]

Bout the only thing that gives them(the Jeep) the edge over the Chevy is the fact they both rust the same Kurt

[Rustyinfla]

  I'd vote for the Jeep. Lacking creature comforts, but it still gets you where you want to go.

[Airsporter]

  Toyota Tacoma 4WD

Good, but not that good!   I'll go with the Jeep analogy.

[Natty Bumppo]

I think the original poster was right with the Beetle analogy.  Inexpensive plain Jane car/gun that you can dress up with all kind of mods/kits.  For instance, you can put a Ferrari kit on a VW and it looks great, but it's still just a VW under the skin.

[Inrut24/7]

Toyota, somtimes my case gets stuck....

[blind ear]

When you apply a Ferrari skin you must also apply a Ferrari reamer!