Putting cars on my radar screen?

[Questor]

I've got a 1999 Ford Explorer now. Love it! It's got 250,000 miles on it and it's time to start thinking about what car comes next. Can you make any recommendations for a good car for an outdoorsy guy who drives a lot? I like this one because it's got great features like plenty of room for family and cargo, tows my little boat well, gets tolerable (20mpg) mileage, and has been reasonably priced to maintain. I like the 4wd a lot, and the extra clearance has been much appreciated for my hunting, fishing, and wilderness travels. I'm tall, 6'3", so good head and leg room are a major factor.

Better mileage would be nice.

[Graybeard]

I looked at the Explorer but decided it a bit small for my tastes. I've loved the Bronco since it came out and over the years picked up three '85, '88 and '92. Had Ford not stopped making them I suspect I'd still be driving them.

I now have a Toyota Sequoia and it's a fine replacement for me. It's a bit larger both wider and longer than my Broncos and doesn't turn quite as tightly but isn't all that far behind them really. It's not quite the off road vehicle the Bronco was but has far more civilized highway manners and in spite of what we all like to think we do we all spend far more time on pavement than off.

I set mine to keep a running tally of all gas useage since I bought it and now with a bit over 3800 on the odometer it's reading 16.5 mpg. It was reading 17.2 until I stopped shooting skeet last year and so have since been putting far more of the miles on around town and seldom hit the open road anymore. On a trip it will easily do 20 or more but not around town.

It's big and comfortable and hold all the gear a family could need and even has three rows of seats if ya want to fold them up and ride that many folks. I never have the rear row is always down offering a huge cargo area. It's dependable to a fault and with 371 hp will never lack for power. I can't think of a much more appropriate vehicle for an outdoor oriented family really.

If ya just gotta have a bit smaller and maybe another mile or two of mpg they have the Four Runner.

[Questor]

I am considering Toyotas this time. I always do. It'll be a couple of years (I hope) before I need to replace the Explorer. Last time I tried the Toyota equivalent of the Explorer it seemed a bit cramped for me. But that's been a long time. So maybe it's a bit roomer for me now.

[rex6666]

Me thinks that if you are looking for something that size in 4x4 you can forget
that mileage.
I wish they still made the big ford bronco, and no the expedition is not the same.
I think dodge makes something like that size.

sorry i never look at any foreign co. so i wouldn't know.

[SHOOTALL]

i like the 4 door P/U with a camper shell . I carry dogs when hunting so it works well for me . It has a diesel and gets 22-23 mph or better on the road , 17-18 in town , I carry a load so you might do better

[DDZ]

If you are looking for a car you can't beat a Subaru. Subaru's small SUV, the Forester is also a good choice. My Impreza goes better in the snow than my F250. Subaru has been building AWD cars for a long time and thier AWD system is one of the best. 

What constitutes as a foreign car now? A friend of mine has a Dodge that was built in Mexico. My Subaru was built in the USA. A lot of parts in so called American made cars come from other countrys.     

[Graybeard]

sorry i never look at any foreign co. so i wouldn't know.

Iz zat a fact?

My Toyota was made in the USA by Americans using just as high a percentage of USA made components as are any of the Big three these days. The days of calling the Big Three American and all the rest foreign is history.

[SHOOTALL]

follow the money - who owns any car maker is the point . Stock holders can live in any land ! Its where your money ends up that really matters !
I have had a Ford  and dodge made south of the border  and the chevy i just stopped driving ain't got a clue where it was put togather but the engine , ignition  on a diesel no less and other parts did not start out in the good old USA !

[magooch]

The Toyota Tacoma is what I have and highly recommend.  My Tacoma has a 4 cylinder that gets 31 mpg on the highway and has all the power you'll ever need.  It's not a four wheel drive, but it gets me wherever I need to go and I often pull a boat trailer.

I recently took a look at the Toyota version of a jeep and I thought that would make a great all around vehicle if you didn't need a pickup.