Best SUV for under $5000?

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Due to the uh recent weather, my mom has decided that she doesnt want to drive her new car in the winter, and wanst to buy a SUV to drive during the winter. Which leaves the question, what is the most reliable/best buy for under $5000? I dont know much about trucks, we are a all sports car family lol. Also Manual transmission is much preffered, and 4x4 is a must.

[AndyL]

I'd be looking at a gen2 (90-96?) 4runner if it was me; should be in the price range... Give it a set of nokians and it'll be pretty much unstoppable (wife's dd/wt actually)

Though I am going to be pushing her in the direction of a supercharged AWD Previa (then I can takeover the 4runner )

[bituerbo]

Buy a 4WD Ford Explorer for $4000, and save the $1000 for a good set of tires. An older Toyota may be more 'romantic' but parts availability is higher with the Ford, and you're going to get more bang for your buck with the initial buy.

Checking Kijiji, there are a couple of '98 XLT's available for under $4g, and they have both been posted in the past 3 days.

[kevie88]

How about none of them? There are plenty of AWD cars that are better in all conditions than SUV's. Maybe an Outback or an Allroad Audi?

Does she want to go offroad regularly? If not, I can't see any reason why an SUV is better than an AWD car.

[Kloubek]

It is true that AWD is just as good in the snow.

But if you are looking for an SUV, I'd go with Toyota FAR before I'd go with an Explorer. Pathfinders are decent quality. Jeeps are hit and miss, but are great vehicles if the hold up.

And Kevie: If you know where I can get an Allroad for 5g, please let me know. An older Outback, maybe...

[narou]

2nd gen 4crawler

[corsvette]

Watch the 4 runners,seen lots of headgasket problems on those,they do cost lots to fix and maintain,I had a Pathfinder which i loved,but it too had lots of big and small problems which seemed to cost double compaired to the family's old Blazer.in the end for a winter ride a Explorer-Jeep-Blazer etc will be cheaper,and do the same job.

[preludez]

Originally posted by Twin_Cam_Turbo
Due to the uh recent weather, my mom has decided that she doesnt want to drive her new car in the winter, and wanst to buy a SUV to drive during the winter. Which leaves the question, what is the most reliable/best buy for under $5000? I dont know much about trucks, we are a all sports car family lol. Also Manual transmission is much preffered, and 4x4 is a must.

http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ167883604

[AndyL]

Originally posted by corsvette
Watch the 4 runners,seen lots of headgasket problems on those,they do cost lots to fix and maintain

Semi truth - stick to the 4cyl; can't beat the 22RE for reliability... 3.0 sucks arse, but gets the job done. Not that bad on maintenance, no parts aren't hard to find...

And if you're comparing a exploder to a 4runner - you need your head checked... I had an exploder - I always had a idler, tensioner and belt in the truck; because you'd blow one of them out at least every year... And we wont discuss electrical issues... fawk...

[narou]

You probably right! The 3l felt gutless anyway but im just amazed it made it to almost 436xxxkm before throwing a rod bearing. What amazes me even more is how I was able to idle around to pick someone up and then go home before abandoning the thing.

[bituerbo]

Originally posted by preludez



http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ167883604

ALL ISUZU RODEO'S ARE LEMONS!!! If you MUST get an Isuzu, get a trooper. My dad's been driving a '94 that he got from the dealership when new.

[bourge73]

Jeep Cherokee 4.0 sport all the way man. I am havin a blast in this. The things are damn near bulletproof, cheap to buy and maintain and are very reliable. Just IMO but lots of choices out there but under 5gs. Jeep all the way.

[ExtraSlow]

If your budget is $5000, I agree with bituerbo that you need to buy $1000 worth of tires.
And any rig that's $4000, is gong to questionable reliability. If you want a 4-runner, it's going to be beat to shit. The explorer will be maybe a couple years newer.

Buy a beater, buy it good tires, and accept the fact that you are driving a winter beater that is not reliable. It's pretty liberating once you start calling your daily driver a beater, you'll let go of worrying about scrapes, dents and chips. Then one day, you'll be wondering if you can use you old oil from your summer car in the beater. You won't do it, but you'll think about it, and that'a a beautiful thing . . .

Shit, that got a little off topic. You can go back to the thread now. I think I need a cold shower . . . .

[Impreza]

How about something like a Jeep TJ? How are Jeep TJ's in the winter?

[r3ccOs]

No Brainer Decision to me is a 4.0L Cherokee (pref late 90s as they fixed some cooling system issues)

Get a one with manual everything and try to find w/ low k. The late 90's came in galvanize steel, so they should be limited to rust.

They have strong solid front & rear axels with Dana 20/35 diffs
Strong transfer case
Longer in wheelbase than TJ or Trackers
Great weight distribution, better than trucks
Alot of usable space
Bulletproof 4.0L engine and overall drivetrain

They are very reliable, and cheaper to fix than a 4runner, of which is doubtful you'll find in good shape for less than 5K.

I really like the 4runner, its terrific w/ its superstrong asiin axels, but its 3.0L engine is anemic in comparison...

TJs & Trackers are too short wheelbase for effortless ice/snow highway driving... Even the LWB tracker, its just too light
they are incredibly manueverable offroad and in slow speed bad driving conditions (they'll fit anywhere and will articulate)
But, just too hairy IMO to drive on the deerfoot in blackice conditions

I'm contemplaiting buying one for a project...
I own a newer tracker w/ 32" mudders, which gives me tons of tracktion in deep snow, but its so light, it gets tossed around in deep ruts at speed.

[AndyL]

Stay away from ANY of the SWB (ie CJ/TJ/YJ/??) jeeps in the winter... Heater sucks, hard top (if it has one) doesn't have much to keep ya warm...

Short wheelbase and ice are a bad combination... Just ask the guy in the wrangler on glenmore today who managed to climb the concrete barricades...

2000 alone will buy you a decent 4runner - yeah probably rusty wheelwells but they all rust...As long as you dont buy one that's overly offroaded you should be just fine for reliability... 4runners are probably toyotas best product besides the landcruisers...

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Looking at a 1997 Jeep Cherokee tomorrow. Fits the bill perfectly. If that doesnt work out, my mom said she will up the budget to $7000-8000 not including winter tires and rims.

Any common problems to look for in the Cherokee?

[corsvette]

+1 for the jeep's (yj,tj)being rotten winter rides,the new ones are probably much better,but the old yj's are downright COLD and miserable,you would hate one in -20.The 4.0l is one tough engine,so Jeep suv's are a good bet as well.
I wonder if the price of the older 4x4 suv's may spike a bit in light of the recent storms,it took me a long time last winter to sell my Pathfinder which was in premium shape (95 with 150,000 kms)I let it go before we had any real snowfalls,took alot less for it because there did not seem to be much interest in it.

[Aleks]

Originally posted by kevie88
How about none of them? There are plenty of AWD cars that are better in all conditions than SUV's. Maybe an Outback or an Allroad Audi?

Does she want to go offroad regularly? If not, I can't see any reason why an SUV is better than an AWD car.

Our Forester is way better in these conditions than our WRX just because of extra ground clearance. WRX hasn't been stuck but then again we didn't get the crazy 10' drifts in our neighbourhood like the rest of the city seems to have got.

[r3ccOs]

Toyota's vs Jeep is always going to an argument for the years...

The Landcruiser all the way from the FJ40 were overbuilt (good thing), capable and dependant.

That being said, there was always a shortcoming: underpowered gas engines for the gas markets

In fact, its probably only NA that would even buy a Gas landcruiser...
Though Diesel has been their offering since day one, we unfortunately got left behind in the dark ages.

That's not what were looking for, for under 5K... that leaves you with the Toyota 4runner in either the 1st or 2nd Gen

To me, with both series, the engine was underpowered. The 1st was a rust machine, but did have a very capable drivetrain and a weird removable roof feature
The 22RE IMO even the TRE is underpowered, though reliable has known headgasket issues.

The 2nd, is much more utilitarian, but again its 3.0L 170hp engine just doesn't cut it for me... Its probably that I like putting on larger tires, and hate changing transfer case gears. (r&p is easy though)

The Jeep on the other hand, thanks to depreciation, can be had for an affordable price for a late model XJ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Cherokee_(XJ))
Though the engine is 4.0L 190hp output, it has plenty of torque and is sized appropiately.
With a gentle foot, it can be driven with relatively decent fuel economy..
Strong drive train as well, with Dana 30/35 f/r axels
I'd suggest finding again, a "base" model 4.0L w/ manual everything in a late model... cheap to maintain and should be relatively rust free