Hiking vehicles

[rally_toad]

What kind of vehicles do you guys all drive when your going hiking? Im thinking about investing in a 4wd high clearance Jeep or something of the sort so I could get to some places where I definitely couldnt get to with what Im driving now (73 mustang):) I saw a Jeep Grand Cherokee today for $2600 and I was thinking about checking it out. What "hiking vehicle" is easiest to drive and which gets the best gas mileage (even though I know most wouldnt be too fuel efficient.)

[Jim]

So, I get to take my Subaru back to a dealer to have yet another problem taken care of, maybe. The persistent rattling noise that comes from underneath of the car when the engine idles or I move at slower speeds. Usually when the engine is cool.

Tucson Subaru lied to me when they told me my rattling noise was a common issue that was originating in the spark plugs and the engineers were working on it. Corporate and Camelback Subaru denied any knowledge of such things. Why I was told this lie, with very specific details such as the spark plugs fire in such a way that they produce a rattling noise, is beyond me.

I still wish I never bought this Subaru Lemon, or any Subaru. Who would have thought my then 10 year old Honda with body damage and 175,000 miles would have been better than a new Outback. Obviously, I recommend ever buying a Subaru, but I know no one listens to such thing. In fact, most people seem to think their stupid Subaru is just great.

[JoelHazelton]

Love my stupid Forester...

[Jim]

Have you considered upgrading and buying my PoS Outback? You really should, since you're a part of that die hard crowd that has a love affair with what is very clearly junk. If you love a clunky, loud, rattling, jerky paint mixer on wheels, then you'll love my Outback! Whether you're sitting at a stop light with people looking at the thing wondering where that strange rattle is coming from, or noticing a forward jerk when accelerating on smooth roads (that started recently), or just once again noting that the alignment and balance seems to be out, you'll truly love yet another stupid Subaru.

Subaru: a Handicapped vehicle made for pretentious suburban white people who think that just because it has all wheel drive, it is better than a regular car. It isn't. It's worse. I feel like Clark Griswold buying a Wagon Queen Family Truckster.


Here I am buying my car!


Ooops, I was speeding while headed up La Plata Canyon Road, in Colorado, and got real tongue lashing from this police man.


Performance? You bet!

[gummo]

The persistent rattling noise that comes from underneath of the car when the engine idles or I move at slower speeds. Usually when the engine is cool.

I have 2 cars that did that. It was not a big deal tho. It happened up to a 1000 miles after I changed the oil and went away. Mechanic told me that it was being the oil was cleaner and thinner, which made older engines noisy, but after the oil thickened up, it stopped. It did that until I got rid of them.

BUT, my cars had over 200,000 on them. Your engine is new, and I doubt that it is the same thing, but you never know.

Also, don't buy an Xterra from 2000 to 2008 (esp from 2005 to 2007). Those cars have a history of transmission and engine problems. I'm not sure if they fixt them, but I would not trust them.

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=ni ... ine+issues

[FOTG]

@gummo
2009 Xterra, bought brand new...160,000 miles, zero days in shop...

[The_Eagle]

@friendofThundergodEven if you are using synthetic, you may want to change the oil and filters about now....

[FOTG]

@The Eagle
I said a "day" in the shop, where do you go that takes a day to change the oil? I know you old, but there is this thing called a 15 minute oil change prob came out in the 90s I assume??

[The_Eagle]

I know you old

I know you young, and a teacher, but... is 15 minutes part of a day. It's that whole subset thing... oops, sorry, math again ;)

[FOTG]

@The Eagle
Boss says, "I need you to come in for the day tomorrow, we are super busy"

Employee leaves after 15 minutes, explains to boss, "well isn't 15 minutes part of a day?"

I think I win this one Bruce ;)

[The_Eagle]

@friendofThundergod
While my Truck is actually in the shop today, It won't be in for 24 hours, 8 hours, or even 6 hours.

In your example...."The Day" and "work" is assumed to be whatever your normal working hours are... or, if it's over and above your "Normal" working hours, maybe he wants you to come in for "15 minutes" to check on something. You know all about assuming....

[FOTG]

@The Eagle
I lost interest in this one already, but could you please quit watching me while I work? I guess the old teacher liked Eagles ha ha

[The_Eagle]

Me to...
You may need to put blinders on me. I've seen things today I can't erase.
Are you sure that's the lesson plan you really want to go with?

[gummo]

@gummo
2009 Xterra, bought brand new...160,000 miles, zero days in shop...

I guess they did fix the problem then.

[FOTG]

@gummo
Ya that was my point until Bruce started playing semantics with me, been very pleased with my Xterra I think another one or Four Runner next..

[azbackpackr]

Since a lot of people seem happy with Subaru vehicles it seems reasonable to me to assume that Jim got a lemon.

So Jim: Just trade it in, please! And why would you spend a lot of money fixing it beforehand? My daughter's total lemon VW "new" Beetle worked only in one gear (2nd)when she traded it in, and they gave her just as much as they would have if it had all its gears. Guess what, they didn't even check to see if it drove properly! She paid $5000 for it, I think, and got at least $3000 in trade over four years later, and it barely drove! If you can drive it onto the car lot, that's all that matters. If it won't drive you probably can't trade it in.

[SpicedRum]

2007Toyota FJ Cruiser is what I use

[Jim]

It was a rock, rattling around in the heat shield. I don't know why the rep at Tucson Sub told me it was the spark plugs in the engine, and that the engineers were working on a fix, or why when I asked about it in May during my 30,000 mile service appt I was pretty much told they didn't know much about it. Anyway, I now have no loud rattle coming from under the car. The engine still knocks, but Subaru engines just do that, premium, mid-grade, or with the recommended 87 octane regular. At least it doesn't sound like the engine might come off the mounts.

[CannondaleKid]

Hey there fellow HAZ'ers, I'm back from a month in Africa. Looks like the only thing I missed was Jim_H's ongoing Subaru trials and tribulations.
(Don't worry, I lost no sleep over missing out on that)

Speaking of Subaru's... oh wait, I meant another Japanese vehicle beginning with Su, as in Suzuki.

Ok, so speaking of Suzuki's, while in Tanzania I saw so many Suzuki Gypsy's it was easy to get lonely for my Samurai... If I were to stay in Tanzania, starting from only $14,990 USD I'd probably want to look into buying one... if only.
:whistle:

Suzuki "Gypsy"

P.S. I'm sure it will take a month of Sundays to catch up on a month of triplogs and photosets (hey, I've still got hiking to do here), so for the folks on HAZ drooling in anticipation, have patience, you won't be disappointed.

[Jim]

Actually, this last time it wasn't really the car as much as it was some kid at the dealer lying to me.

[PatrickL]

I've had a rattle around my catalytic converter for a while, too. I'll have to look for rocks now.