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what kind of vehicles do you guys use to get to your outdoor destinations? I drive an 03 mitsubishi lancer oz rally edition. Its a real nice car and does pretty good on the dirt roads but I am thinking of getting a 4x4. Something like a Jeep cherokee or a toyota 4runner. What do you guys drive?

check out this thread, there was a pretty good discussion of this very topic.


viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3207

2004 Toyota Tacoma. 2wd, medium clearance, single cab, top of the line tires. Gets me just about everywhere I need to go. Almost... Most 4wd roads can be driven most of the way with medium/high clearance and then hiked the remainder to the TH. It's usually only a mile or two of really rough road, in my experiences.

'78 Blazer, big knobby tires, new engine, looks like crap, goes anywhere.

Nissan 4x4 Crew Cab Truck with a campershell on the bed. I preferred the 2001 version that we had because it was smaller, more nimble and fit my little-person frame better. My hubby-type prefers the 2005 that we now have, which is larger overall, has a larger engine (his biggest reason for preferring it) and (imho) has crappy visibility. The nice thing about the new truck is that is came with a sun roof and drink holders large enough for a 1l nalgene. People always comment that it is more comfortable than they think it's gonna be, and it's gotten us into some pretty hairy trailheads (such as Italian Springs in the Rincons) with ease. I've only slept in the back once, and it's fine for me, but the hubby-type says it's a bit cramped for someone over 6' - but he likes it anyway because he doesn't want me to pull the campershell off and make him move all of the crap he keeps squirreled away back there

'94 GMC 4x4 extended cab. It has 160,000 miles, runs great, but has many Arizona pinstripes! At least I don't have to worry about scratching it.

Usually it's a 2wd rental car for me. I've had a few close calls with water crossings, deep sand, and insufficient clearance.

2000 GMC Sierra extended cab w/120,000+ miles. Bought it used & since then its been on probably 50 or so camping trips in Arizona, gone up the coast from CA to WA numerous times, and from Phx to Maine, Phx to Glacier NP, Phx to Alaska (a nice little 10,000 mile road trip!), and this summer it will take us on our North American history tour from Phx to Boston, NY, Philly, DC, Smoky Mts NP, Shenandoah NP, Blue Ridge Pkwy, etc. (we'll be parking it while we do our 5-day backpack on the the AT from Southern PA to WV). We're hoping we can keep it going for next year's Gulf states trip (and that our eldest's legs don't overgrow the leg room in the back seat before then!)

99 jeep wrangler with the 2.4L engine. It's gotten me pretty much anywhere I've wanted to go, it's pretty much stock except for some lights and another skid plate plus new tires, and hopefully I'll be getting it back from the shop at the end of the week (after all, I am the jeep bustin kokopelli)

This argument could get bloody - but stock is usually the way to go unless you are prepared to really alter a lot of facets of how the vehicle was first designed. It's always best to just get a vehicle that was at least partially designed to do what you want it to do rather than try to make one you like do something it wasn't built for. (H3)

Bloody? No!!! I've seen far too many vehicles modified in such a manner as they were rendered dangerous, because those that did so did not understand the engineering behind what they were doing. IMO once you reach a certain point it's easier to simply build a chassis than modify an existing one. That being said, I think I need to find a cheap older landcruiser for carting stuff around.

My Jeep has been my trail vehicle when I needed to get to remote places. It hasn't let me down yet. Coincidentally is for sale now since I'm moving to Italy in 2 months.

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http://www.hikearizona.com/dex2/igaller ... ic_id=3406

dysfunction wrote:Bloody? No!!! I've seen far too many vehicles modified in such a manner as they were rendered dangerous, because those that did so did not understand the engineering behind what they were doing. IMO once you reach a certain point it's easier to simply build a chassis than modify an existing one. That being said, I think I need to find a cheap older landcruiser for carting stuff around.

Have you ever checked out that "scary steering" site? Some people shouldn't be allowed to own welding tools!!

No, but I've probably seen many of the setups posted elsewhere I'll have to google it.. I love welds that look like pigeons have been hanging out on metal.

There was one where the guy used steel sewer pipe to make a "driveshaft"...baugh!!

Oh I've done that.. well not sewer pipe, but I've used plenty of square tubing to make them.. Course, on vehicles never intended to exceed 15 mph.

TH vehicle is a stock 98 Cherokee sport. The mileage isn't great (19-23 hwy) but considering I got it for next to nothing I can't complain. Only issue was the damn computer shorted out last summer, and I had to get new brakes and tires about a year ago - so I've paid a whooping $2.5k total and gotten 65k miles out of it so far.

My commuter car is an 08 Subaru Impreza. Gets me most places, and somehow manages to average 33-35 mpg over the last 10k miles. Must be the altitude...

dysfunction wrote:Oh I've done that.. well not sewer pipe, but I've used plenty of square tubing to make them.. Course, on vehicles never intended to exceed 15 mph.

Vibration city!!

yea, you don't notice it at 1mph though ;) I have yet to do that on a vehicle with a higher than 100:1 final drive ratio..

That scary steering site great.

My trail vehicle: 2003 Nissan Xterra w/ 5" of lift. Not a solid axle but it gets me to where I need to go with too much trouble.
Pic: igallery/image.php?pic_id=3782