What 4x4 SUV? Daily, Highway & Beach use; $5-7k

Yeah... fancy, an XJ is not. I look at it as less things for Chrysler to mess up, electrically.

What else do you really want besides power windows, power locks, heat, and a/c, though?

Question:

I know the difference of a body on frame vs. unibody chassis but does it really make a huge difference in any situation that relatively light duty would encounter? Has relatively modern car design made them negligible for common use?

I probably will not encounter any situation that I could not handle in my old hillclimb racer except the long stretches of sandy beaches so I could very possibly be over thinking this.

In reply to Swank Force One:

Not much, really. Fancy is not needed but I have the typical habit of always wanting the best available. We car guys fall into that trap of searching out the special option packages and rare build codes for the every so slightly 'better' stuff that really does not always matter...

Heated seats, keyless entry and excellent lighting are all nice but realistically not important and can always be handled aftermarket it I feel like I really need to.

Mostly I just need to know if there is one superior answer or any absolute loser to avoid. It seems like there is not really but I have to try to apply myself and the make use of the vast resource of knowledge that is this forum.

Unibody or full frame really doesn't matter for what you are looking at. I have gone on the beaches plenty on Long Island and rarely needed 4wd except to tug others out of the sand. Once you get a feel for it it's pretty simple to move around. Just try to float across the top and don't make any sudden movements.

In reply to Wally:

Thanks. I did not really think it could be a big deal, especially since I am not trying to do anything very intense.

I have some experience driving off road and in sandy areas, just not a lot on open beaches for long distances. I understand exactly what you mean about floating over versus trying to dig through it. About half of the island is uninhabited, but most of the time I will be around friends and friendly people with tow straps handy in case I make a mistake.

If you hit the gas hard or make a sudden turn or stop the tires can dig in and if they dig far enough you will be stuck. Gentle inputs will keep you from digging in deep enough to stop you. Being lazy I tried to keep getting stuck to a minimum.

That's a pretty fat budget for what you're looking for. Go drive a few and see what you like. Although I am typically a Ford guy for trucks, the early 2000s were not the greatest time for big blue. I'm seconding the XJ and tahoe based solely on reputation. Toyota might work but you dollar will go further on domestics. Ihad one friend with a supercharged 4x4 Xterra that had to sell it because of it's love for petrol, and one with a bottum rung 4cyl Xterra that finally sold it at 350+ thousand miles. They're a mixed bag but tend to be smaller and less refined than anything else in the category. Looked hard at pathfinders new in 07, seemed nice but never committed.

So...I'm no real help. Good Luck!

1st gen Xterras are pretty much Nissan-built XJs. For better or for worse, with less aftermarket. Good trucks, though. The Supercharged ones, as mentioned above, are kinda lame. I'd own one, but the gas mileage is positively atrocious, and they aren't really better at anything that matters than the base XTerra.

In reply to Wally:

Being disabled and traveling with my baby daughter I will also try to keep the getting stuck to a minimum!

The wire and I have lots of experience driving in deep and heavy snow / ice so it probably isn't terribly different. Be smart, be smooth and always plan everything well in advance... pretty simple techniques that are pretty much a good idea for driving in any conditions.

This is one application where I would say XJ. I'm not a fan of them at all, but for what you plan to do, it would be great.

Blazers are cheap, but getting old. But for your budget you could find a nice, low mileage gem. Proven 4.3L V6, overkill transmission, old-school xfer case. Trailblazers are not what I would recommend. I had one and it was OK, but ground clearance sucks, MPG sucks, and it was more of a luxo on-road vehicle. I would recommend one as a winter beater, but not much more.

Tahoe
Expedition
Exploder
4-runner
XJ
Blazer (ZR2 versions are wonderful, but only come in 2-door)
CJ hardtop would work well, but you don't get much for the money

A first-gen Kia Sportage isn't a bad idea. Full frame, RWD/4WD instead of the typical FWD/AWD of most compact SUVs. I would look carefully at crash test ratings though since you have a wee one involved.

Thanks for all of the input; you guys never let me down

It does seem that the fords, while inexpensive and thick on the ground, are not the most reliable trucks of that era. I am reading about dodgy transmissions and not a lot of love for the V8s either...

I will have to do some research on the nissans... we have had great success and really liked previous nissan cars but I am not yet finding any compelling evidence that their SUVs are superior products.

So far the XJ and the third gen 4runner are leading in my mind. They both have excellent reputations for reliability and general usefulness with acceptable upkeep costs. The Jeep has the edge in price and aftermarket while the Toyota seems like it might have more comfort and options...

Of course, the final answer comes when I get time to test a few out and will probably come down to finding the best example available to suit my needs. It is actually really confusing when there are lots of acceptable options to sort through.

You should be able to find a 3rd gen SR5-trim 4Runner in your budget. I was drooling over a black one at the dealer on Saturday where we found a Gen3 Montero to test drive. They hadn't cleaned it up yet for sale or anything yet, dealer said they were going to list it at $6900. It was pretty nice, but i bet i could have had it out the door for about $6000 even.

In reply to curtis73:

Thanks.

I am not really a huge fan of the XJ either only because I have known people that had them and were always chasing little issues. I don't have any compelling reason to not like them well enough, though, and they do seem like a great answer on paper.

I am going to now go ahead and rule out any of the very large and the very small sized options. The short wife wont like something too big and all the baby gear means a good amount of space would be really nice (although you would be shocked at how much you can cram into an e30!).

The safety issue is a very important point and I appreciate the reminder. I am keeping track of any info I find on that.

Another general note: Gas mileage is not really an issue. I have had a long line of mostly high performance cars and am used to high teens just being a fact of life. The occasional car I have owned with good gas mileage has been nice but not enough to really make me care about it very much.

In reply to Swank Force One:

I think you are spot on. I have already seen a few ads for decent SR5s that I could bring home around $6k and have one hell of a good truck that does everything that I need. I could be convinced to roll the dice on a higher mileage example if I could get a great deal but the ultimate hope would be to find one that needs nothing right now.

My general attitude is that ANY used car will need immediate care plus something WILL break in the first 6 months so the idea of keep a few grand in reserve is appealing. I have a week or two to get it done but also have cash on hand to strike quickly so I am going to get to work on actual shopping soon.

If XJ seems like the answer (and it might be) just drive a Grand Cherokee, too. I think XJs are kind of like Honda Civics- finding a stock one or one that's been well modified might be hard. Most Grand Cherokees didn't get chopped up and they really are quite a bit nicer (and took a bigger depreciation hit), especially if you're going to keep it close to stock.

If you go GM (including the GMC Yukon) make sure it has option package G80.

Anything with a 4 low will get you anywhere on the sand. I have a 5k lbs diesel truck and live in Florida and been in some super soft sand, never have got stuck, never have had to lower my tire pressure, just throw it in 4lo and first gear and crawl out.

A Tahoe will last forever and has more than enough room and towing capacity with the same mileage you'd see from a 4Runner or Jeep.

In reply to Brett_Murphy:

Funny thing that an XJ gets compared to a civic; I agree but for slightly different reasons!

I was just talking to a friend about getting rid of my civic recently, mostly because even though it was a great car there was absolutely nothing special about it. I have always kinda felt that way about the XJ too; they are excellent at what they do but I don't see anything extraordinary in them to make it really desirable. Your point about previous owner's is well taken and I have really had my fill of dealing with those issues at this point.

Great tip about the yukon; exactly the kind of knowledge that I lack. I think they might be larger than what my petite wife wants to deal with but I will find out first hand soon enough.

t25torx wrote: Anything with a 4 low will get you anywhere on the sand.

This is pretty much what I needed to know and hear from experienced friends that understand where I am coming from.

There is a lot of info to process about all of the different approaches that have been used by varying manufacturers to improve traction. I just am not familiar enough to know if I want solid axles, a center torsion, shift on the fly, varying lockers, ect. and then when you throw in all of the branded names they use to market their particular type of drive train combos it almost becomes overwhelming. In the end, though, I am much more concerned that it all just works and lasts versus what combination of mechanical bits are used.

I am always open to any input if anyone feels I need a certain particular piece of hardware but I can live with the fact that most anything works. Wranglers are by far the vehicle of choice for most locals and the island but they really don't suit me at all.

FWIW: I really have no need or desire to tow anything more than a jet ski or the occasional small utility trailer. I have borrowed vehicles in the past but I would rather not have to anymore.

I see lots of recommendations for Xterra and Pathfinder. I agree and will also include the much forgotten Infiniti QX4 which is just a rebadged Pathfinder up till '00. All the stout of the Pathfinder with the thicker leather and carpet of Infiniti.
Maybe you can get lucky and find one with all gold badges!

Local sample: http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/5166043033.html

This one will have the 4wd on the floor.

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/5193342447.html

This will be a push button 4wd

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/ctd/5179581949.html

In reply to JohnRW1621:

I know it doesn't sound like my style at all, but I am going to lean away from a luxury model this time. I actually think that cloth seats and plastic surfaces will be just fine since it will probably see a fair share of abuse from the baby and environment. I wont kick a nice infiniti out of the realm of possibility but the pathfinder is up higher on the list.

I have a pretty fancy heated steam detergent super vacuum cleaner thing that works wonders on bringing fabric back to clean again after almost any incident and leather gets too uncomfortable when wet or sweaty and under dressed (like my passengers can be...).

In reply to t25torx:

Thanks! That second one will be contacted. The options on it are certainly nice and they do have an excellent big engine. It might be too big overall for the wife but there is a lot of good stuff going on there.

I had an XJ at work for two winters and even in the heaviest of snow storms it plodded right along on the cheapest roundish tires we could buy and in 4 lo may have pushed a stuck ambulance out of a snow bank or three.

tb wrote: In reply to t25torx: Thanks! That second one will be contacted. The options on it are certainly nice and they do have an excellent big engine. It might be too big overall for the wife but there is a lot of good stuff going on there.

Oh and given your previous SAAB ownership http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/5183416715.html

I wouldn't feel comfortable babying a lot in a XJ. They just feel like tin cans safety wise compared to other options. Especially since newer options will have LATCH anchors for carseats, airbags etc