WCSIB - Beater 4x4 edition

[stfu&gbtw]

Thanks for all the info guys...

I think W_S nailed it. We all have things we're good at in life, and things we're not. I love cars, but I'm no auto mechanic. I know I could learn - but I've never gotten any satisfaction out of fixing a car. Every time I've ever done my own auto work, I've always walked away feeling like it was a waste of time and frustration, and often money as well that I could have saved myself if I just brought the thing to someone who knew what they were doing and had all the tools and parts they needed, and wrote them a check. I can see the obvious stuff, but I can't identify the difference between a truck runs great now and will die 10 years, vs one that runs great now and will die in 10 months. I can't put an exact figure on how much money I will save in buying a car from someone I know and trust, who knows the car, and who knows how to fix it and would be inclined to help if that's required. But I do have an estimate...

About a year ago, my friend had advised a neighbor on his beater truck purchase... The neighbor had found a late 90's-ish Ram 1500 for a few thousand dollars and thought it looked good, but my buddy looked at it and told him not to buy it. I don't know what the specifics of that conversation were... But I do know the guy bought the truck anyway, and things were pretty good for a while. One minor electrical thing right away, but then several months of decent service. Hauled all his firewood with it this summer... And since September, the guy has sunk about $8K into replacing the engine, then the transmission, then repairing several electrical issues, and now the front end has gone bad and he's got no 4x4. Looking at an axle swap or something to that effect to repair it. He hadn't thought to ask if the truck had an LSD, so now it's finally started snowing and the guy's got a $12,000 1998 1WD Dodge Ram 1500 with a freshly rebuilt engine and transmission. I know more about cars than that guy does... But most of that is knowing that I don't know enough to guarantee avoiding a similar situation (aside from not spending more money to fix it than it would cost to just buy something else).

I think I'm going to put my money on the equity in my friendship with the guy who does know what he's doing, rather than on a particular benefit of detriment of a specific unknown vehicle. The samurai should run for a long time. It's small, light, and easy to recover if I manage to get it stuck. I don't want a rock crawler... I actually more or less hate 4 wheeling and can't for the life of me figure why someone would do it for fun. I just want to be able to drive anywhere around my house when I need to without dropping the plow or taking the chains off my truck. In the unlikely event I actually need to drive it for any distance, it will be uncomfortable and slow, but it'll get me there. It'll be a few weeks probably before I get it, but I'll post some pics when I do.

Thanks again for everyone's advice.

Edit: this isn't the one, but it's pretty similar except for the smaller wheels...

[single]

The list of old 4x4's worth buying is relatively short, and even shorter among domestic vehicles. Any late 90's dodge is not on that list.

Good luck! Post a photo of it once you get it

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Thanks for all the info guys...

I think W_S nailed it. We all have things we're good at in life, and things we're not. I love cars, but I'm no auto mechanic. I know I could learn - but I've never gotten any satisfaction out of fixing a car. Every time I've ever done my own auto work, I've always walked away feeling like it was a waste of time and frustration, and often money as well that I could have saved myself if I just brought the thing to someone who knew what they were doing and had all the tools and parts they needed, and wrote them a check. I can see the obvious stuff, but I can't identify the difference between a truck runs great now and will die 10 years, vs one that runs great now and will die in 10 months. I can't put an exact figure on how much money I will save in buying a car from someone I know and trust, who knows the car, and who knows how to fix it and would be inclined to help if that's required. But I do have an estimate...

About a year ago, my friend had advised a neighbor on his beater truck purchase... The neighbor had found a late 90's-ish Ram 1500 for a few thousand dollars and thought it looked good, but my buddy looked at it and told him not to buy it. I don't know what the specifics of that conversation were... But I do know the guy bought the truck anyway, and things were pretty good for a while. One minor electrical thing right away, but then several months of decent service. Hauled all his firewood with it this summer... And since September, the guy has sunk about $8K into replacing the engine, then the transmission, then repairing several electrical issues, and now the front end has gone bad and he's got no 4x4. Looking at an axle swap or something to that effect to repair it. He hadn't thought to ask if the truck had an LSD, so now it's finally started snowing and the guy's got a $12,000 1998 1WD Dodge Ram 1500 with a freshly rebuilt engine and transmission. I know more about cars than that guy does... But most of that is knowing that I don't know enough to guarantee avoiding a similar situation (aside from not spending more money to fix it than it would cost to just buy something else).

I think I'm going to put my money on the equity in my friendship with the guy who does know what he's doing, rather than on a particular benefit of detriment of a specific unknown vehicle. The samurai should run for a long time. It's small, light, and easy to recover if I manage to get it stuck. I don't want a rock crawler... I actually more or less hate 4 wheeling and can't for the life of me figure why someone would do it for fun. I just want to be able to drive anywhere around my house when I need to without dropping the plow or taking the chains off my truck. In the unlikely event I actually need to drive it for any distance, it will be uncomfortable and slow, but it'll get me there. It'll be a few weeks probably before I get it, but I'll post some pics when I do.

Thanks again for everyone's advice.

Edit: this isn't the one, but it's pretty similar except for the smaller wheels...

Buy it.

[Ted Striker]

Good call. Like someone said, those samurais are tin cans for sure, but simple is good when it comes to that type of vehicle. Plus the known history, your lack of desire to twist wrenches, and friend who does like to, all point to this working for what you want it for.

Now who's going to buy that sweet blurry pathfinder?

[The Reverend Floater]

Be advised that thing will be a death trap on ice. Other than that, they're tough as shit.

[shirk]

First gen Isuzu Trooper.

[BmillsSkier]

I contacted the guy about the Pathfinder. It looks really good.

I'd be lying if I said I'm not seriously tempted. I have no use for it other than to fill a hole of nostalgia.

I'll run that by the wife first.

[ACH]

Current leader is a '94 Suzuki Samurai with about 125k and a newly rebuilt engine that's currently owned by a close friend, who is also a pretty talented mechanic... It's a hard top, mechanically sound, solid on the outside, and pretty beat up on the inside. Great tires... Pretty fresh - might be 33's. It'd be a great deal (<$3k) on a simple little truck that my friend knows inside out. Seems hard to beat.

Love those old Sami's...

Did you ever catch this thread that Trackhead posted?

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...trackhead+sami

[doebedoe]

First gen Isuzu Trooper.

All generations are pretty decent trucks. Later gens do tend to eat more oil but it isn't a problem if you stay on it. Also known as the Acura SLX if you like leather.

[Mazderati]

Samurai sounds like a no-brainer. The Daihatsu Rocky is a similar vehicle that gets looked over but it didn't have the production numbers or support the Samurai did.

The list of old 4x4's worth buying is relatively short, and even shorter among domestic vehicles. Any late 90's dodge is not on that list.

You may be qualifying this with the given budget but lots of old trucks make my list. Especially '90s era diesels from Dodge and Ford.

[stfu&gbtw]

Love those old Sami's...

Did you ever catch this thread that Trackhead posted?

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...trackhead+sami

I didn't. Thanks!

But that's not something I would do with this... In the event I actually need to move snow, or through snow, or on ice, or whatever, I have my 2500 w/9' v-plow, fully chained up with square link pewags, front and rear LSD, and a 2800# of weight distributed across back of the full size frame. I can deal with snow, and in those instances when there's a sheet of ice between me and wherever I need to go that's so bad that snow tires won't stick to it, I always have that as an option. The bigger issue is just getting around the neighborhood when conditions DON'T require that. Even in 2wd on dirt, there's just too much traction to do much without the risk of breaking something. And while moving chains and the plow isn't the end of the world, it's easily an hour to get them off and back on again - not to mention the wear and tear on the electrical connections, the occasional game of Chase the Plow, and the sheer joy kneeling half under the truck trying to hook chain links with gloved numb fingers in the dark during an unexpectedly heavy snowfall. I've gone to great lengths to ensure I don't have to do that any more than necessary. Most of the time, this stuff is not an issue, but the long, warm, fall with intermittent snowfall has brought the need for another vehicle to my attention, and my friend's suzuki seems like a good fit.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

All generations are pretty decent trucks. Later gens do tend to eat more oil but it isn't a problem if you stay on it. Also known as the Acura SLX if you like leather.

I wouldn't buy anything newer than a '95 Trooper. No OBD-II, no shitty Torque on Demand or vacuum push button 4x4, some trims had manual locking hubs. The 3.2 isn't as powerful as the problematic 3.5 but it is a long lasting workhorse.

[single]

You may be qualifying this with the given budget but lots of old trucks make my list. Especially '90s era diesels from Dodge and Ford.

Definitely budget based. But even then, the drivetrains in those ford and dodge diesels were solid, but the trucks fell apart around them. Especially the old dodges. Dashes all crack, interiors fall apart, doors sag off the hinges, all the auto transmissions suck, costly semi-frequent front end rebuilds because of the diesels, electrical gremlins (chrysler) and the list goes on.

Many of the old imports are just so much easier... save the 3.slow toyotas and any subaru with a 2.5

[philth]

I went through a stage of not admitting that I owned one but I bought a Samurai new in 87 and drove it for 225k. One new clutch and oil changes. Fucking rig was indestructible. Drove cross country twice.

[TAFKALVS]

I wouldn't buy anything newer than a '95 Trooper. No OBD-II, no shitty Torque on Demand or vacuum push button 4x4, some trims had manual locking hubs. The 3.2 isn't as powerful as the problematic 3.5 but it is a long lasting workhorse.

There lots of well documented info on swapping the V6 and V8 Vortecs into them as well. An early 90s Trooper with with either motor would be sweet.

[ill-advised strategy]

Wax on, Wax off. You'd be a fool to pass up a maintained Samurai. One of the most capable nimble vehicles ever made.

I had an 88, they're a good time. If you just want something to wheel around in, and you know it's in good mech shape, I'd jump on it.

Major caveat: whatever you do, don't crash it. they're pretty much made of tin foil.

[Jong Lafitte]

It sounds like more of a budget wheeler than a 4x4 beater (if there's a difference), NTTIAWWT. Its got to have some custom fab to fit those muncher tires (my suspicion is a spring-over-axle conversion), which isn't a big deal if done right, but does mean that there are custom parts on it. My suspicion is that it has been lifted approx 3-4", which raises the center of gravity. All the better to 'wheel with but makes it drive more shit. Also, the tires that fit on the stock version would only cost maybe 5 or 6 hundo (even cheaper?), but would look a little silly with the lift (and reduce the benefits of said lift), but replacing the 31s could cost a grand easy (again, better clearance). This is all just FYI, just stuff you might wanna know vs. the stocker truck, you know, trade-off shit (that may raise the question of how it was being used before you bought it, if you even care or should care.)

[ill-advised strategy]

Mine ran 3" springs and 31s. It handled fine.

[basinbeater]

Don't post here again until you come back as the owner with some goddamn pics.

[basinbeater]

Also, does the gbtw part stand for, get back to wheelin? Cause it should...

[warthog]

I had a '94 Pathfinder SE V6- dark green with the chrome, stick, 31" General Grabber MT's. That thing ate snow for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Got me through many a 3 ft dump in Ellicottville,NY, home of the lake effect snow. I loved that thing.

That said, the frame rusted out beyond repair, and I donated it for a tax rebate in 2002. It was dangerous in the condition it was in, and finding a donor frame was not an option here in FL. Damn shame, since it was in pretty damn good condition other than almost falling off it's perch.

So, check the frame, especially if it is a '94 SE V6.

[BmillsSkier]

I had a '94 Pathfinder SE V6- dark green with the chrome, stick, 31" General Grabber MT's. That thing ate snow for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Got me through many a 3 ft dump in Ellicottville,NY, home of the lake effect snow. I loved that thing.

That said, the frame rusted out beyond repair, and I donated it for a tax rebate in 2002. It was dangerous in the condition it was in, and finding a donor frame was not an option here in FL. Damn shame, since it was in pretty damn good condition other than almost falling off it's perch.

So, check the frame, especially if it is a '94 SE V6.

Based on the first part of your post I think we might be kin-folk of some kind. Black with the chrome for me. Ellicottville too. Lucked out on no rust, binned the engine right before going through the Eisenhower Tunnel because my buddy decided to dislodge the oil pan off-roading outside a truck stop somewhere in Kansas on a cross country spring break trip freshman year of college.

Got the engine replaced somewhere in Summit County and it was flown airfreight back east. Lasted another decade under the tutledge of my younger sibling.

Fantastic cars.

[stfu&gbtw]

It sounds like more of a budget wheeler than a 4x4 beater (if there's a difference), NTTIAWWT. Its got to have some custom fab to fit those muncher tires (my suspicion is a spring-over-axle conversion), which isn't a big deal if done right, but does mean that there are custom parts on it. My suspicion is that it has been lifted approx 3-4", which raises the center of gravity. All the better to 'wheel with but makes it drive more shit. Also, the tires that fit on the stock version would only cost maybe 5 or 6 hundo (even cheaper?), but would look a little silly with the lift (and reduce the benefits of said lift), but replacing the 31s could cost a grand easy (again, better clearance). This is all just FYI, just stuff you might wanna know vs. the stocker truck, you know, trade-off shit (that may raise the question of how it was being used before you bought it, if you even care or should care.)

Not sure... and it occurs to me I could still be wrong about the tire measurements. But that being said, I wouldn't be disappointed with a lift presuming the geometry wasn't fucked in the process, and long ago gave up any notion of "saving" money on tires. Will get the tires that are on it siped, and will do the same for any future tires I buy. This thing will see something like 100 miles of snow and dirt for every mile of highway... Those MT's everyone likes for 4 wheeling are like socks on a waxed floor on the first 10% pitch of my north facing glacier of a driveway after it hasn't snowed for a few weeks. Sort of defeats the purpose if I have to chain up the samurai in order to leave the house because it hasn't snowed.

[stfu&gbtw]

Also, does the gbtw part stand for, get back to wheelin? Cause it should...

Right now it stands for "get back to wrenching on my inverter". Seems like a short somewhere in the gen side master switch is causing the inverter to throw an over current error. And as I type this, part of an ac panel seems to have lost juice. Lovely...

[goldengatestinx]

Can always get the cable chains for ice rink conditions. They go on the Cherokee in about 15 minutes and can crawl up our steep driveway when it's packed and refrozen a few times.