4Runner/Tacoma alternatives?

[Meadow Skipper]

ding ding ding.

Get something with 4wd, good tires, good clearance and good reliability. from the early 2000s or late 90s. Preferably with a beat to shit exterior and needing new upholstery inside. Now, go beat the shit out of it without a single pang of guilt. Feel free to park where you like (keys, birdshit, sap, baseballs, who cares?), and lean your skis/bike handlebars right up on the side panel.

My ‘03 4Runner, right there, with Falken Wildpeaks

[leroy jenkins]

For realz. I cant fathom the guess that take their brand new broncos or rubicon’s out into serious 4wd terrain. If if you have the cash that it doesn’t matter , it still seems wrong

While this might seem wrong to scratch the paint on a new vehicle, I have also ran into people on narrow mountain back roads, who refused to yield, because they will get their paint scratched. Asking them what they want to do is like.... Idk, I guess one of us just reverses for MILES until a spot where we can pass each other without a branch even grazing your precious status symbol.

[mcski]

Well ya, that’s a different scenario completely. Why those people are in that sitch is also a mystery of delulu

[muted reborn]

For realz. I cant fathom the guys that take their brand new broncos or rubicon’s out into serious 4wd terrain. If if you have the cash i guess it doesn’t matter , but it still makes me cringe to see them get trashed trying to rock crawl and get shredded

They are posers if they keep it to a trail any SUV can do, and they are idiots for trashing their vehicles on terrain they are made for. Can't win.

[east or bust]

They are posers if they keep it to a trail any SUV can do, and they are idiots for trashing their vehicles on terrain they are made for. Can't win.

There are is an acceptable range in the middle that anyone with common sense and limited off road experience can enjoy.

[leroy jenkins]

ding ding ding.

Get something with 4wd, good tires, good clearance and good reliability. from the early 2000s or late 90s. Preferably with a beat to shit exterior and needing new upholstery inside. Now, go beat the shit out of it without a single pang of guilt. Feel free to park where you like (keys, birdshit, sap, baseballs, who cares?), and lean your skis/bike handlebars right up on the side panel. Also, never worry about a speeding ticket again because it will likely max out at 75mph, and take 90 seconds to get up to that speed.

I currently drive an 06 highlander sport (sport model had inch extra lift and inch bigger wheels fuck yea). it has killed three deer and an oldsmobile, stalled while exiting a water crossing (and promptly restarted just fine), gotten water up the tail pipe in another water crossing when someone came up way too fast behind me creating a wave, i've driven it across literal sand dunes that jeepers were airing down their tires for just by keeping my foot very heavy on the gas and keeping my speed above 30mph, its done stuff in sand mud ice and snow that had passengers in disbelief it wasn't stuck. the governor that kicks in at a buck 25 has gotten a fair bit of use, its done 75 in a dry wash, and accelerates to 75 in less than 10 seconds even in a sandy wash with tons of gear, and probably about 8ish seconds on flat pavement with tons of gear. It doesn't quite have real off road ground clearance, but excellent ramp angles, brakes, great super low end torque, and large wheels for its size (17) make it the best crossover suv thing I've ever driven off road. Also better in every single way besides cargo space than some legit 'off road' marketed vehicles like xterras from the same vintage. Thats something a lot of people don't think about, is the vast majority of just back roads in the mountains, a crossover will actually be faster than a real truck chassis, up untill it runs out of ground clearance, due to lighter weight and other factors.

I would like something with a bit more cargo room, and maybe a bit more ground clearance but don't really want to sacrifice highway handling, especially around 80 or a bit over. The new grand highlanders look nice but too many computer bullshits and too much money.

I guess I'm just sticking with what I got.

[AK47bp]

Watched some of this the other day, dude from Florida just drives up and conquers Devil’s Gash Utah or something in a stock 4Runner. Pretty funny.

https://youtu.be/uMe5Vt9PnLE?si=aG0S0UHz9S9gLR0I


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[ate'em]

Isn't it $80k ish?

Ate'em...what are your requirements? Gas or Diesel? 1/2 or 3/4 ton? Budget? Useage?

I'd probably be looking for a 5.3 or 8.1 Chevy from the late 90s. Those things don't die.

Gas or diesel is good, all things equal I'd prefer a diesel but it seems that narrows the options too much.
3/4 ton capacity.
Budget is ~$15k
Use is hauling stuff around the farm and back and forth from town. All work.

Late 90s Chevy is looking prime to me. Now I'm just scouring CL.

Also open to other options. Don't really want a 50 year old truck. I had a 76 F150, and can't say I want another.

[ate'em]

Where you at? Engineering firm that my buddy works at (Driggs) is selling a bunch of their fleet trucks. Mid 90s Chevys. I wanna buy one, put a snowmobile in the back, and leave it in AK for annual AKApril trip.

Western North Carolina.

[ate'em]

5.3 = it'll be in a half ton, which means the 4L60E automatic. Engine is fine, transmission is OK but expect to rebuild it sometime.

6.0 or 8.1 = it'll be a 3/4 or 1-ton. The 6.0 gets the 4L80E (4-speed), the 8.1 gets the Allison 5-speed. Both are much stronger and more reliable than the 4L60E.

I wholeheartedly recommend a 99-06 2500 6.0 / 4L80E 4WD truck or Suburban.

Quality post. Much appreciated.

[ate'em]

ding ding ding.

Get something with 4wd, good tires, good clearance and good reliability. from the early 2000s or late 90s. Preferably with a beat to shit exterior and needing new upholstery inside. Now, go beat the shit out of it without a single pang of guilt. Feel free to park where you like (keys, birdshit, sap, baseballs, who cares?), and lean your skis/bike handlebars right up on the side panel.

My way of life right here. I might be a dentist, but I'm not a banker....

[muted reborn]

There are is an acceptable range in the middle that anyone with common sense and limited off road experience can enjoy.

I get your point and agree with it when talking about a mostly stock new expensive vehicle.

But if people are going to spend $$$$$ on bigger rims/tires, beefier suspension, rock sliders, aftermarket bumpers for better angles, etc. they really don't need any of that for off roading "in the middle". If yer gonna look like you do the Rubicon, do the Rubicon IMO. I'm not going to think 'get a shittier vehicle WTF', I'm gonna think "Hell yeah!!" if I see a new vehicle rallying something stupid. But I guess that's just me.

[Foggy_Goggles]

I'm with ya Muted but conspicuous consumption is everywhere. The unnecessary off road capable stupid expensive vehicle is just one of the more recent versions.

3 bikes, 5 pairs of skis, more that 2 ski coats, a full closet of shoes. None of it is really justified. Its just, "I want it and a have (hopefully) the money, so I'm buying it".

[east or bust]

Western North Carolina.

Get your plane ticket ready.

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/c...740797090.html

[teleee]

Get your plane ticket ready.

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/c...740797090.html

Damn!! That is tempting and I don’t even need another truck


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[El Chupacabra]

Quality post. Much appreciated.

I can go on for ages on details on this generation of truck, if you have any questions or specifics you're interested in.

If shopping, and if I had my pick of any variation, I'd try to find a 2001-02 2500HD, 6.0 (which will come with the 4L80E transmission), a trim level with the manual climate control (3 dials, no automatic feature), and a manual shift transfer case (lever in the floor). Here's why:

1) The 2500HD gets the full floating 14-bolt rear axle and beefier frame. It started around 2001. The earlier 2500 (no HD label) gets a semi floating 14-bolt and the frame steps down under the bed. This was also sold as a 1500HD, which came only as a crew cab short bed. Not a bad truck by any means, but if I had my pick...

2) The manual climate control was only up until 2002. It is much more reliable than the later ones, especially the digital HVAC screen used in 2003-06 in higher trims. I have that digital one on my current truck, and while I think I've sorted all the bugs out now, it took awhile.

3) The push button transfer case has a couple of things that can go wrong, and while they're not too difficult or expensive to fix, it's annoying if your 4WD decides it doesn't want to work anymore in the dead of winter. I had a lever shift case in my old truck, and a push button case in the current one - - and again, while I've sorted it out now, it was kind of irritating. A manual shift case only comes in the front bench seat trucks (40/20/40 folding center seat that has a console in the seat back). The full floor console trucks don't have space for the shift lever.

Oh, and if shopping extended cabs, skip the early ones with the 3-door setup. Not having the rear door open on the driver's side is annoying. I had one of those - it got old fast.

The Silverado and Sierra versions are basically identical, just cosmetic differences.

[heckacali]

They also made a 1500hd with the 6.0, 8 lug, beefier frame, etc ....

[El Chupacabra]

They also made a 1500hd with the 6.0, 8 lug, beefier frame, etc ....

No, the 1500HD is the same as the 2500 (not 2500HD) - smaller frame under the bed, semi floating rear axle. GVWR was slightly lower, something like 8600# instead of 9200#.

I don't know why GM labeled it a 1500-anything, it's much burlier than the 1/2-ton 1500.

[Ted Striker]

Watched some of this the other day, dude from Florida just drives up and conquers Devil’s Gash Utah or something in a stock 4Runner. Pretty funny.

https://youtu.be/uMe5Vt9PnLE?si=aG0S0UHz9S9gLR0I

Dog's name wasn't Zak, it was Socks!

That 1st gen Tacoma Mad Max Edition was cool.

[stealurface831]

Western North Carolina.

you know where newland is, son?

[MakersTeleMark]

Get your plane ticket ready.

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/c...740797090.html

Nice rig. I've got a buddy with over 300k on a similar one.

But, be careful...:

everything is imperfect working order

[Kootenai]

Not mine: but in case you’re still looking for a Tacoma.

https://rgbadventures.com/for-sale-c...ed-double-cab/

[AK47bp]

Great overview and detailed differences of the 5th Gen and different trims.

https://youtu.be/ZDGAe8DOmck?si=woSLMXEaPJUHH5lp


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[Ted Striker]

AMD's videos are really good (but often long). He's a massive fanboi, but you're getting his honest opinions and experience. Too many car bloggers are just reading from the manufacturer's script.

[AK47bp]

Yea. He talks shit on the TRD Pro and Limited trim. Thought that was interesting.


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