What vehicle for someone too scared to buy a Land Rover?

[MarcusBrody]

Not mine, but this looks like it has potential:
https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/WP1AD2A23ELA77194

Dude needs something more capable off road than his Transit Connect and we're recommending a Canyenne on 21's. I see that sidewall lasting a half hour. WTF?

Sold already, but it did look nice. If it's a good deal, I'm not against spending a couple grand more to switch out wheels and tires. The only worry is that some of these SUVs, especially the performance trims, also have giant brakes that make it hard to go down lower than 20in on some of them.

I do really hate the 20-21-22in wheel trend on all SUVs though.

We were out again today and did hit a point where the ol'Transit Connect had to turn around. We could have kept going, but it wasn't clear if it was going to get worse. Definitely technical driving in a Transit Connect that would have been fairly comfortable in a Subaru (though you'd still have to pay attention) and trivial in a Jeep. I'd have been tempted to carry on and just bridge any big ruts we came across with traction boards, but there were also a whole lot of side by side using the not very wide road at high speeds, so it seemed unwise. We did manage to connect with the trail we planned to hike at a lower point, so all was not lost and we had a good time.

[warthog]

FWIW, our 2015 QX80 has been a reliable beast.
19 mpg is the best I can get out of it on the highway, but it can take most anything off the line.
That engine moves that piggy fast.

I would imagine the Armada is just as reliable, just a little less pimp inside.
Highly recommend.

[The Suit]

I need to read some reddit info on real world Ridgeline gas consumption before I say anything more.

For what it's worth, I'm getting just over 20mpg driving a 2023 Ridgeline around Maui. 5 people + a couple hundred pounds of gear hasn't been a problem. I don't really offroad it, so I can't speak to that.

[NAKsloChinoMalo]

The Cayennes do really intrigue me. I did a lot of research on the first gens when I moved out here and but never found one locally with the goldilocks set of options and got distracted.

I have a Gen 1 Turbo. I cannot recommend it.

[BmillsSkier]

93-94 Pathfinder?
Black, manual, SE trim

Don’t you do it.

[schindlerpiste]

FWIW I roll with 275/45R20 on mine. It came with 21s, but after a couple of blown sidewalls, I switched out. I have seen some Cayenne's with 19s.

[MarcusBrody]

I have a Gen 1 Turbo. I cannot recommend it.

Was yours one of the first years (the 955) or the later version of the first gen ( the 2007-2019 years)? I'd definitely read to stay away from the first years, but a lot of people were high on the second half of the run. Though this was also a few years ago when we were moving out here and they weren't quite so old.

[MarcusBrody]

FWIW, our 2015 QX80 has been a reliable beast.
19 mpg is the best I can get out of it on the highway, but it can take most anything off the line.
That engine moves that piggy fast.

I would imagine the Armada is just as reliable, just a little less pimp inside.
Highly recommend.

Does yours have the hydraulic body motion control (HBMC)? That seems to be the only real big potential mechanical difference between the QX80s and the 2017+ Y62 Armadas. I know it's an option on Patrols internationally and in those markets they have minor lifts that work with it, but given the paucity of the aftermarket here, I'm not sure if they do or not. The only other downside I could see to the QX over the Armada for my purposes are that they're harder to find without giant wheels. The low trim Armadas still come with 18 in wheels. On the other hand, given that the platform is ancient and there hasn't been a huge amount of changes, I wouldn't be averse to grabbing an older QX for cheap, especially if it was going to be a third car.

The gas mileage always causes me a bit of pause as it would mean that I would likely want our other car to serve as a fair weather ski car and use it for road trips where I didn't need any rough road capability. Which means it couldn't be electric or a 2 series with a stick... But I do like the platform a lot in theory and think it is now the "good deal on an ex soccer mom used vehicle with actual off road potential" vehicle. If I decide that I should just get 3 cars, getting one and putting on new shocks/springs for a mild lift would make for a pretty great budget Land Cruiser like option.

[mnflyfish]

4Runner. With a $70k budget you can buy certified pre-owned and do enough mods to concur a zombie apocalypse. Wont have to worry about it again for 300k miles

[NAKsloChinoMalo]

Was yours one of the first years (the 955) or the later version of the first gen ( the 2007-2019 years)?

955

[MarcusBrody]

4Runner. With a $70k budget you can buy certified pre-owned and do enough mods to concur a zombie apocalypse. Wont have to worry about it again for 300k miles

I'm only willing to spend that much if it's a do it all vehicle. The 4Runner would be awesome for off road stuff, but I don't want yo drive something that gets 15mpg for 300,000 miles and I don't find them super comfortable for long trips. A lot of our adventures are 50 miles on pavement, then 5 off, so I'm willing to compromise.

Now the new 4Runner hybrid might be a good candidate to spend some money on. If the local Toyota dealer would have been willing to give me any indication of how much they would charge for a new Land Cruiser, I'd have ordered one. I do hate how they couldn't package the batter any better than just sitting it on the rear load floor, but I like most other things about it.

[Foggy_Goggles]

Were are pretty on the free form, keep it fresh, post what you want where you want format right? If we can go Enduro Cayanne's we can go AWD mini vans?

https://rockies.craigslist.org/cto/d...741844718.html

Brody, you, like the rest of us, are looking for shit that either doesn't exist or is only available in the rest of the world.

You're unicorn is a high MPG, high clearance cargo vehicle. Think about than for a minute. So just choose your compromise and try not be light money on fire whilst doing it.

If money is the driver, start the spreadsheet and realize that burning gas is relatively cheap.

If MPG for the sake of MPG in the environment is the goal, seek some guidance on figuring how to be kind of the world while not living in a tent and riding your bike everywhere.

Or buy that Sienna and put a lift on it

[Name Redacted]

Were are pretty on the free form, keep it fresh, post what you want where you want format right? If we can go Enduro Cayanne's we can go AWD mini vans?

https://rockies.craigslist.org/cto/d...741844718.html

Brody, you, like the rest of us, are looking for shit that either doesn't exist or is only available in the rest of the world.

You're unicorn is a high MPG, high clearance cargo vehicle. Think about than for a minute. So just choose your compromise and try not be light money on fire whilst doing it.

If money is the driver, start the spreadsheet and realize that burning gas is relatively cheap.

If MPG for the sake of MPG in the environment is the goal, seek some guidance on figuring how to be kind of the world while not living in a tent and riding your bike everywhere.

Or buy that Sienna and put a lift on it

Yup, I drive two different V8s from around the turn of the century. One has a camper on it. But I purchase both vehicles for $13k LESS than I sold my '20 Tacoma for. Gonna take a long time for the gas mileage savings to catch up to me and in the meantime I have MOAR POWRRRRR and space, and reliability, and two vehicles.

FYI, used 1st or second gen Sequoias are goin for cheap and basically a poor man's Land Cruiser. Plenty of room, incredible reliability, sufficient off road capability, great on road snow performance, etc.

[Foggy_Goggles]

Which is too say, stick your Virtual Signal up your ass. These jet setting, EV driving, second home owning, giant wardrobe having, mega carbon footprint having Ashley, Taylor, Daniel and Brandons need to pipe down.

https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-inv...nt-calculator/

[Name Redacted]

Which is too say, stick your Virtual Signal up your ass. These jet setting, EV driving, second home owning, giant wardrobe having, mega carbon footprint having Ashley, Taylor, Daniel and Brandons need to pipe down.

https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-inv...nt-calculator/

My wife drove a hybrid to offset my footprint. Till she crashed it into a 1ton. $25k of damage to her car, a scratch on the bumper of the truck.

[Foggy_Goggles]

#ramming speed

#this vehicle runs over hippies

Vehicle repair, both body and mechanical is nutz these days. Its part of the challenge with the "what to own". There really is no part of keeping a vehicle on the road that is cheap these days. $100 changes. $1k tires.

[warthog]

My wife drove a hybrid to offset my footprint. Till she crashed it into a 1ton. $25k of damage to her car, a scratch on the bumper of the truck.

Some kid driving a Range Rover hit my daughter's 1995 Bronco in the parking lot at school.
Cracked the taillight cover. I was planning on replacing it anyway. Cost them $25 (half the cost of 2 new ones).
The damage to the RR was probably $2500 at least, unless they just did what I would do, and buffed out the scratches.

[Danno]

Yup, I drive two different V8s from around the turn of the century. One has a camper on it. But I purchase both vehicles for $13k LESS than I sold my '20 Tacoma for. Gonna take a long time for the gas mileage savings to catch up to me and in the meantime I have MOAR POWRRRRR and space, and reliability, and two vehicles.

FYI, used 1st or second gen Sequoias are goin for cheap and basically a poor man's Land Cruiser. Plenty of room, incredible reliability, sufficient off road capability, great on road snow performance, etc.

I suggested the Sequoia, it has everything he needs (comfort, reliability, cargo room, 4wd capability when needed, seats 7-8) and for a reasonable sum he can get one that will last forever, and yes it gets shitty MPG, but why spend tens of thousands more for something that gets better MPG?

[Name Redacted]

Yeah, I am actually getting 17-18mpg on mine still, which seems crazy and maybe wrong.

[MarcusBrody]

Were are pretty on the free form, keep it fresh, post what you want where you want format right? If we can go Enduro Cayanne's we can go AWD mini vans?

https://rockies.craigslist.org/cto/d...741844718.html

Brody, you, like the rest of us, are looking for shit that either doesn't exist or is only available in the rest of the world.

You're unicorn is a high MPG, high clearance cargo vehicle. Think about than for a minute. So just choose your compromise and try not be light money on fire whilst doing it.

If money is the driver, start the spreadsheet and realize that burning gas is relatively cheap.

If MPG for the sake of MPG in the environment is the goal, seek some guidance on figuring how to be kind of the world while not living in a tent and riding your bike everywhere.

Or buy that Sienna and put a lift on it

I love lifted minivans. I looked at adding a small lift to mine, but the rear suspension angle doesn't work well for it. The way the torsion beam and as you lift it, things tend to move forward in the wheel well rather than staying centered. I'm sure you could engineer it, but cheap spacer pucks wouldn't work well. I have looked at Journey Off Road's lift for the hybrid Sienna, but there isn't much out there on it on the Sienna forums. I imagine most people don't want to mess with such things until after the bumper to bumper warranty period is up. There is good feedback on previous generations, but I would want to hear experiences with it on the hybrid system. You could also just get a Grand Highlander, which is basically a Sienna packaged into an SUV body for minivan haters. It does have a little more ground clearance standard, but I (possibly alone) think the van version is much cooler.

The issue with MPG is largely unrelated to the financial aspect. I just don't want to put that many miles on a very inefficient vehicle. I'm not extreme in that. I'll totally choose the right tool for the job and if that means a 14 mpg 4Runner for going offroad, that's fine. I then just wouldn't want to use it for other tasks like commuting and long road trips that are mostly on pavement. And if I'm going to pay a lot (at least by my standards) for a vehicle, I want to be driving it a lot. I would totally buy a special purpose vehicle, I just wouldn't spend that much on it.

I'm definitely not perfect in my environmental footprint, but I try a bit. We bought a house where we can walk to things and bike to my son's school. I do bike to work fairly regularly (though on some days, school drop off and when I need to be in make that tough). I'm a vegetarian. I know that the mileage of my vehicle isn't going to save the world, but given that I'm in the position to choose, I want to at least see what I can get that is either reasonably efficient or cheap enough to only use it situationally.

[MarcusBrody]

I suggested the Sequoia, it has everything he needs (comfort, reliability, cargo room, 4wd capability when needed, seats 7-8) and for a reasonable sum he can get one that will last forever, and yes it gets shitty MPG, but why spend tens of thousands more for something that gets better MPG?

Sequoias are like hens teeth where I'm at. In our 2.5 million person metro, there are literally 2 used ones on Autotrader right now, and one is a 2024 with less than 1000 miles listed as "used".

[Foggy_Goggles]

Kinda seems like a commuter and a large capable desert truck will suit your needs best. I think that will be less brain damage than trying to figure the high dollar unicorn.

Sent from my Turbo 850 Flatbrimed Highhorse

[heckacali]

So..

Prius and deleted straight piped f350 dually with max poke and truck nutz (shaved of course)

[MarcusBrody]

Kinda seems like a commuter and a large capable desert truck will suit your needs best. I think that will be less brain damage than trying to figure the high dollar unicorn.

Sent from my Turbo 850 Flatbrimed Highhorse

This is a very reasonable strategy. If our parking wasn't tight, a third vehicle for the desert would be a no brainer. It's still doable just not quite as convenient. I didn't necessarily mean that I'm chasing a high dollar unicorn as my first choice. Just that I'd be willing to pay more for one (in response to someone mentioning that you build a heck of a 4Runner with 70k).

I was looking at the Volvo XC90 Recharge as it would serve as commuter/ski/roadtrip car. That would cover basically all of the general needs and the other car could just be for fun/on the random day where both my wife and i need cars. So I could then just get a cheaper off road truck. Or a cheaper off road truck and s cheaper stick shift little car... I do admit that one reason that I keep looking for a unicorn is so that I don't have to give up my crappy, old stick shift BMW that I just randomly love driving (but which my wife can't drive).

[Danno]

Sequoias are like hens teeth where I'm at. In our 2.5 million person metro, there are literally 2 used ones on Autotrader right now, and one is a 2024 with less than 1000 miles listed as "used".

maybe broaden the search radius a little? I prefer to zero in on what I am looking for and then work to find it.

I searched on cars.com, 250 miles or less from a random Vegas zip code, 100k miles or less, 2018 to 2022 (because I don't like the 3rd gen that starts in 2023, but maybe you do because it gets better mpg), and got 8 results.