Author Topic: Off road craziness (Read 1790 times)

Oldshooter · « **on:** January 28, 2010, 01:06:03 PM »

I have been shopping for an off road vehicle. Preferably 4x4. I looked at the side by sides gas and electric.

the prices for those puppies. so now i'm thinking jeep, samurai, toyota truck or the like. I see no sense in paying 8 to 11 G's for an open freeze you behind off buggy. If I can spend 3 or 4 thousand on a good little used jeep or such. I think that would be the way to go! Any suggestions or Donations?

I would appreciate some ideas or a CHECK!

spruce · « **Reply #1 on:** January 28, 2010, 01:31:34 PM »

My admittedly biased opinion (I own a Tacoma) is that it's hard to beat an older 4cyl Tacoma for "boondocking". Simple, good gas mileage, bulletproof.

Heard guys say good things about the Samurai, but I would think getting parts may not be easy and probably more expensive than the other two.

The Jeep Wrangler or CJ type is a classic off roader. Eat more gas than the other two (combined??), not much room to put anything, no way to secure contents if it's a ragtop. I owned a CJ once and it was fun to drive - for short distances!

Oldshooter · « **Reply #2 on:** January 28, 2010, 03:25:30 PM »

Yea MY preference is an older toyota PU, but for some reason they are scarce around here right now. We had some older ones at the ranch some years back and they could walk up the side of a mesa and go down the other side slick as a whistle! I like the little jap rigs cause they are or seem to be light. A jeep will do if thats all i can find. I'm thinking wrecked jeep with bent frame that has been totaled possibly. Will be slow moving and off road strickly any way. I used to see Samuaris everywhere, go figger that. A half ton ford 4x4 might also work. Does IZUZU make a 4x4?

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #3 on:** January 28, 2010, 10:59:02 PM »

I couldnt decide between a jeep and a razor so bought both. the jeep is fun to puts around the woods in but will not solve the need for speed thing. The razor is hands down more fun to drive. NIce thing about the jeep though is its a back up vehicle for the wife and I and it saves the truck for gettting banged and scratched up in the woods.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #4 on:** January 28, 2010, 11:05:25 PM »

Quote

it saves the truck for gettting banged and scratched up in the woods.

Thats where I am coming from also! my F250 will go anywhere but after IKE dropped a barn on it, It was rebuilt and repainted and i hate to scratch it up!

Razor? gotta look that up.

oldandslow · « **Reply #5 on:** January 29, 2010, 08:07:50 AM »

Razor = Polaris and they are NICE rigs but if you are going to buy one take an arm AND a leg.

I would love to have one but for my use a jeep would be much more practical.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #6 on:** January 29, 2010, 10:18:18 AM »

Yep, wont be buying anything new for sure. I really wanted a quiet battery powered Bad Boy Buggy, but they want 12 g 's for that so heck no . I'll spend less than half that and get something with heat and AC and Doors for pete's sake! I really want quiet I hate the pop pop of 4 wheeler engines. A muffled 6 cylinder is to my liking

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #7 on:** January 30, 2010, 01:42:35 AM »

yup picked up a real nice jeep for 7 grand and have twice that into my rzr!

Oldshooter · « **Reply #8 on:** January 30, 2010, 02:04:45 AM »

Well Lloyd that razor sure looks nice and if my 401 k had not dove into the ground like a dart, i'd have me one just like this:

mrbigtexan · « **Reply #9 on:** March 30, 2010, 05:19:13 PM »

the cherokee seems to be what you are looking for, i have one and love it. they are way cheaper then a cj or wrangler. they go for around 900 up here for a nice everyday driver. i put a 3.5 " lift kit on mine and run 31" tires on it.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #10 on:** March 30, 2010, 05:32:04 PM »

Is that the wagon lookin one? I remember the jeep trucks, now that would be the ticket, i haven't seen one of those in a while.

GatCat · « **Reply #11 on:** March 30, 2010, 09:32:40 PM »

Yep, the Cherokee is the small station wagon rig, usually 4 door, but some 2 doors were also made, as well as a pick-up version. The Grand Cherokee is the more modern, fancy version ( still a very capable off-roader ).
Check with various Jeep web sites, some versions of the Cherokee are more trouble free then others, ditto how they are equiped ( for instance, some used a French-made stick shift, which isn't particularyl well thought of.
Mark

Gun Runner · « **Reply #12 on:** March 30, 2010, 11:09:28 PM »

Picked up an 89 jeep cherokee for $200.00 that had rt. front damage from a teenager rear ending a car turning off the road. Couple hundred dollars and had all the parts to fix it. After getting it to gather discovered all kinds of electrical probs. Seems the kid had installed all kinds of sterio stuff and criss crossed a lot of wires. Only thing left is to get the tail lights and running lites to work. Head lights and brake lites and B/U lights work. Did put 4 hundred dollars of tires on it, but then again it gonna be momma's go to town car. I have a 72 Jeep Commando with wiring probs. (fire under the dash) First of Mar. gonna get a whole new wiring harness and replace all the wires. ($189 and change + shipping) The new wiring harness comes with a fuse box vice the in line fuse's. Has about 25K on a rebuilt engine and less than 500 miles on a factory rebuilt trannie. These came out of the factory with a AMC 304 V-8 and a jimmy turbo 400 trannie. In 2 wheel drive it will go a lot of places a 4/4 gets stuck in, and in 4/4 I can really get myself stuck.

Gun Runner

jpred1 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 30, 2010, 11:17:13 PM »

Id say go for an used tacoma 4wd and never look back.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #14 on:** March 31, 2010, 07:17:02 AM »

Quote from: jpred1 on March 30, 2010, 11:17:13 PM

Id say go for an used tacoma 4wd and never look back.

I'm leaning that way for sure!

cwlongshot · « **Reply #15 on:** April 11, 2010, 02:11:37 AM »

GO JEEP!!!

Been rolling on rocks for many moons now... LOTS OF FUN!!!

CW

Oldshooter · « **Reply #16 on:** April 11, 2010, 02:35:20 PM »

I still haven't made up my mind, and jeeps sure are in the running, That does look fun CW!

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #17 on:** April 12, 2010, 02:58:50 AM »

nothing more fun in the woods then a jeep wrangler. I love mine but i sure wouldnt want it for everyday transportation. There noisy going down the road, hard or gas, underpowered (at least my 4cyl) rough riding and very squirrely on slippery roads. But for a toy that used in the woods there tough to beat. they will go places no other vehicle will. Mines got a tru trac in the front and a locker in the rear and bf goodrichs on it and it is about unstoppable.

wtxbadger · « **Reply #18 on:** April 12, 2010, 04:15:35 PM »

Have a 06 Wrangler Unlimited and would not trade it for any other vehicle. The six cylinder is the way to go on a Wrangler. Plenty of torque and horsepower compared to the four banger and I get around 17 mpg in town. The few times I have driven it on snow and ice(don't get a lot of that here in west Texas) it seemed sure footed and had no problems on the road with slipping and sliding in four wheel drive. This is my second one, had an 04 Wrangler with the four banger before this one and it was definitely underpowered. Did okay in town, but sure made you draw a vacuum on the seat on the highway when trying to pass another vehicle.

As for the noise, it's a Jeep and in the spring, summer, and early fall I take the softtop down and don't worry about noise. I Just crank up the radio and enjoy driving it.

wtxbadger

kyelkhunter3006 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 27, 2010, 11:16:35 AM »

I'll jump on the Jeep Cherokee bandwagon. Hard to beat the combination of features, performance, room, and PRICE. Just make sure to check the frame on them. Tends to have rust issues there at times. I looked at a REALLY nice '94 and it looked good for $3900 with just over 100,000 on it. Got underneath and where the body rests/is bolted to the frame (considered uni-body construction?), it was completely rusted through. I think one good BANG would have broken it totally free. It was on a dealer's lot too. Showed it to the manager and he just shrugged.

It was a death trap waiting to happen, IMO. I ended up calling the BBB on the dealer. Not sure what happened, but it was gone shortly after. I had the VIN from a carfax and I kept checkin to see if it was transferred, but it never was.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #20 on:** April 27, 2010, 12:08:24 PM »

UPDATE......

I never found the right jeep so I went with a V6 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 Its in good shape other than paint on the hood and top. But I'm gonna paint it huntn colors anyhow. It did need brake work and front end stuff like CV shafts and stuff but it's running good and is just about new underneath now! I have 5 G's in it now and its so much better than a side by side cause it has doors, windows, heat and AC. Heck it even has cruise control !

go figger!

I'm happy cause the side by side that I looked at was between 9 G's and 13 G's.

Even if i have to put an engine in it later I can get a rebuilt one for 1500 dollars, still a bargain, and its street legal!

Not as much aftermarket stuff available as the jeep but its paid for and operational!

streak · « **Reply #21 on:** April 27, 2010, 01:14:23 PM »

Good going Oldshooter!
Those Tacoma`s are the ticket!
My brother had one that we went through stuff in N.W. Louisiana and E.Texas that were unbelieveable.
There was a place near Wallace Lake just south of Shreveport that after a good rain we would go through this narrow road to duck hunt and there was a drop off in the road which was at least 3.5 fet deep or more. It had been washed out such that the length of the truck would just fit from front bumper to rear bumper in the washed out zone. The trick was to ease down into the wash and just before you leveled out to be flat in the wash gun it to get out! Water would be up to the window sills,bear in mind this was strictly red clay median!
So coming back out you were always in top anticipation for this part of the return trip, especially if you were coming out after dark.

Anyway I was also going to recommend a 1974 Bronco! Now that was 4x4 " Gitter dun" machine! I had one up here in Colorado!
Wish I still had it.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #22 on:** April 27, 2010, 01:25:11 PM »

Yep the lil jap trucks are good uns! We had one on a ranch in the 70's that would literally climb mountains. So they have a special place in my head. Mine has a 4 inch lift. With 31x 10.5 inch tires So I almost need a step ladder to climb in. I'm gonna put it thru its paces this week in Junction and see what rocks it'll climb over and up!

cwlongshot · « **Reply #23 on:** April 28, 2010, 12:41:19 AM »

Toyota's have a very loyal following. Wouldn't be so if there where junk. Good luck with it!!

CW

Oldshooter · « **Reply #24 on:** April 28, 2010, 06:40:26 AM »

I did notice that there seems to be a bunch of aftermarket stuff for the jeeps and not nearly as much for the toyotas. That will probably save me some money!

mrbigtexan · « **Reply #25 on:** April 30, 2010, 06:55:55 PM »

congrats, you will enjoy the tacoma and it will be good to you.

kyelkhunter3006 · « **Reply #26 on:** May 01, 2010, 07:37:52 AM »

CW, I love that Comanche of yours. It's mint. You can't find any up here (NKY/Cincinnati) that aren't rusted through and through. I always thought that they were just the coolest mid-size truck made.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #27 on:** May 03, 2010, 05:47:30 PM »

We put the Tacoma through some field tests this weekend in Junction Texas. It performed marvelously. No mud to speak of but some steep and rocky creek beds and mesas and the Lil jap truck did just fine. I've got some ideas for some shooting seats and some rifle rests around them. Planning on making them removable, so it will be versatile but i am liking the little truck, and it towed behind my F250 on a 16 ft low boy pretty good. Idealy a 20 ft car hauler would be better I think, but I am considering a car trailer with the two wheels on a float kinda rig. Any one have any experience with those? I will drive it locally but for the 417 mile trip to the Ranch it'll have to be pulled. After all the :"mad money" is refurbished I'm gonna give it a camo paint scheme, anyone have any Ideas?

cwlongshot · « **Reply #28 on:** May 04, 2010, 12:55:57 PM »

Quote from: kyelkhunter3006 on May 01, 2010, 07:37:52 AM

CW, I love that Comanche of yours. It's mint. You can't find any up here (NKY/Cincinnati) that aren't rusted through and through. I always thought that they were just the coolest mid-size truck made.

Thank you sir!!

CW