$6500 cash and a one-way plane ticket...what do you buy?

[Andy G]

So let's just say you've got $6500 cash in your pocket, and enough miles for a free one-way ticket to anywhere in the US of A.

You live in Michigan (think RUST) and don't want a vehicle from this area.

You've got 2 kids, a wife and a dog and you want a reliable, daily driver rig that'll take you on the fire roads, ice roads (way up in Canada), 2-tracks and dirt/gravel roads to remote campsites and rivers so you can whet your fly-fishing appetite.

Sounds like it's time for a fly-n-drive...but what do YOU start looking for, and where? I've already decided on location - out west. Anywhere that doesn't use freaking salt on the roads. AZ, NM, NV, CA, UT...

Doing this partly in preparation for when (IF) my VA disability back-pay ever comes in, plus just love planning things and would love to do this exact trip in the hopefully near future.

 

[87FoRunner]

I would find a grandpa owned southeast S10/Sonoma crew cab and solid axle swap it down the road...

 

[Saints&Sailors]

So let's just say you've got $6500 cash in your pocket, and enough miles for a free one-way ticket to anywhere in the US of A.

You live in Michigan (think RUST) and don't want a vehicle from this area.

You've got 2 kids, a wife and a dog and you want a reliable, daily driver rig that'll take you on the fire roads, ice roads (way up in Canada), 2-tracks and dirt/gravel roads to remote campsites and rivers so you can whet your fly-fishing appetite.

Sounds like it's time for a fly-n-drive...but what do YOU start looking for, and where? I've already decided on location - out west. Anywhere that doesn't use freaking salt on the roads. AZ, NM, NV, CA, UT...

Doing this partly in preparation for when (IF) my VA disability back-pay ever comes in, plus just love planning things and would love to do this exact trip in the hopefully near future.

$6500 isn't much when you'll need to drive it 2000+ miles home right away. You'll have a tough time finding a good 4runner or Land Cruiser at that price point given the aforementioned constraint. Any pick-ups will have a similar issue. Jeeps can be cheaper - an unlimited, XJ or Grand Cherokee would fit the bill for you. GCs in particular seem to be priced lower and in abundance in CA.

 

[soonersfan]

You could always put that money towards a moving truck that will get you out of MI. Otherwise, I’m thinking Jeep Cherokee. Could also determine your real criteria in a vehicle and search based on that (i.e. less than xxx,xxx miles, no older than 199x, 4x4, under $6,500). You may find something you never thought of that suits you just fine.

 

[Gregory Youngblood]

Another OB member mentioned the Mitsubishi Montero in another thread. Not the sport but the big one. Looking around you can find them for about 4000. Not as popular as the Toyotas or Jeeps. I think the last two years for them had the better engine. Not your typical choice but it might be a good place to start given the budget. I am thinking of going that route later in the year, but then again I tend to go for the unexpected vehicles. :)

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using OB Talk mobile app

 

[Andy G]

I'd buy another Trooper in a heartbeat...IF it had a manual transmission and was from the southwest! Montero is on my list as well.

Another OB member mentioned the Mitsubishi Montero in another thread. Not the sport but the big one. Looking around you can find them for about 4000. Not as popular as the Toyotas or Jeeps. I think the last two years for them had the better engine. Not your typical choice but it might be a good place to start given the budget. I am thinking of going that route later in the year, but then again I tend to go for the unexpected vehicles. :)

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using OB Talk mobile app

 

[Gregory Youngblood]

I'd buy another Trooper in a heartbeat...IF it had a manual transmission and was from the southwest! Montero is on my list as well.

Good point. I really liked my 93 Trooper, though the 3.2 was a little anemic. It was a great vehicle. I used to go to tower sites in the mountains, and often I'd use my Trooper instead of my company S-10 blazer because the Trooper was more sure footed.

 

[JeffG98034]

So let's just say you've got $6500 cash in your pocket, and enough miles for a free one-way ticket to anywhere in the US of A.

You live in Michigan (think RUST) and don't want a vehicle from this area.

You've got 2 kids, a wife and a dog and you want a reliable, daily driver rig that'll take you on the fire roads, ice roads (way up in Canada), 2-tracks and dirt/gravel roads to remote campsites and rivers so you can whet your fly-fishing appetite.

Sounds like it's time for a fly-n-drive...but what do YOU start looking for, and where? I've already decided on location - out west. Anywhere that doesn't use freaking salt on the roads. AZ, NM, NV, CA, UT...

Doing this partly in preparation for when (IF) my VA disability back-pay ever comes in, plus just love planning things and would love to do this exact trip in the hopefully near future.

I would Pick a Grand Cherokee

 

[58-fc170]

Either a Jeep Cherokee (for solid front axle) or an older chevy suburban for the additional interior space.

Although my early 2000 (small body) dodge Durango has been a good dependable daily and weekend excursion vehicle as well. plus 3rd row seating is handy.

 

[Road]

Unless you have your heart set on a Trooper, LC, Jeep or other vehicle (even if they don't admit it or know it on the surface, a lot of people secretly hope deep down they'll find a certain vehicle when looking) I would keep my options completely open. Then look at eBay under used vehicles. Do aggressive searches via google and craigslist. Check the for sale forums religiously at off-road and expedition type forums. Make notes of what you've seen and of typical prices and features. You might find a vehicle you had not previously considered but that fits both your budget and aspirations perfectly.

You may also very well find, like I did, a super clean rust-free vehicle from the south or southwest that has been bought at auction and moved to another state, so don't limit your search only to the southwest. Got my current vehicle--exactly what I wanted in a more recent model extended body diesel cargo van--from a dealer in northern Ohio who bought it from Penske Leasing in Oklahoma, where it had had only one leasee/driver in it's life.

Playing with your search now, before you have the pesos from VA disability pay, might be wicked frustrating if you find a great deal on a great vehicle but can't get it now due to lack of funds. On the other hand, this will be terrific practice and help prepare you for a search when you do have the funds.

Trust the process. Things happen the way they're supposed to, I believe in that. Like the Quakers say "Way will open. . ."

 

[Kevin108]

Best bang for the buck in reliability/capability/aftermarket support is a second-gen Xterra.

 

[Gregory Youngblood]

Unless you have your heart set on a Trooper, LC, Jeep or other vehicle (even if they don't admit it or know it on the surface, a lot of people secretly hope deep down they'll find a certain vehicle when looking) I would keep my options completely open.

Very good, practical advice. And so very true! Especially about the "secretly" hoping to find this one specific, perfect vehicle. Don't be too quick to pull the trigger settling for something, be patient and you might just find your ideal rig.

Don't make my mistake. :) I had my heart on an FZJ80, but couldn't find one, so started on a Jeep GC project. Put good money into the Jeep, but when it was time for the big money on the build, I took another look, and ended up finding an FZJ80. I used the Jeep budget to buy it. I could have built the LC up faster/better if I hadn't put the money into the Jeep. [I've since sold both the Jeep and LC. I miss the LC.]

 

[Horse Soldier]

Just bought a 1998 xj trail ready for 3700.00 in Atlanta ga for my son.

 

[Horse Soldier]

Found it on Facebook market place.

 

[MA_Trooper]

I'd import the diesel/5 speed combo that SHOULD be in my Trooper form Japan and use the left over money for a fridge and dual battery setup. Then return the plane ticket and bank the miles.

 

[Lindenwood]

Indeed, an XJ is probably high up there due to its lower entry premium. Though, I bought my 2002 4Runner last year with 134k for 6,000. It has been perfectly reliable, though I did about $1000 worth of preventative maintenance on the front of the engine before feeling as confident in it as our 2016 model (timing belt, radiator, pumps, plus all fluids, plugs, etc).

My 98 S10 was a hunk of cheap junk. For example, unlike most vehicles, the coolant is permanently routed through the heater core, meaning the core is exposed to heat cycling twice as often in its life as a typical vehicle that requires no heat for half the year. My heater core cracked at ~105k miles, and the labor to fix it was as much as a complete engine R&R. I ended up just re-routing the hose and suffering through the next winter. Literally, the financial loss I took from selling it without a heater (in Oklahoma) was less than the cost to fix it in the first place. Hell, even my samurai--the world's notoriously cheap offroad rig--had a heater bypass valve.

Oh, the clutch slave cylinder failed at ~110k miles, and Chevy put it inside the bell housing so you need to pull the transmission to replace it. Overall, while I'd otherwise describe my wrenching abilities as well above average (multiple engine builds and swaps, etc), the S10 was generally a pain to work on relative to the amenities it offered--it was 2WD 4banger manual with a cheap interior, but it felt like trying to work on a luxury Mercedes.

Anyways, that's my rant about S10s :P .

 

[Kevin108]

I've done a heater core in an S-10 matching yours. It really wasn't hard. It's a physically uncomfortable job because of working under or over the dash, but fairly basic as far as what's entailed. You remove some screws, loosen some bolts, hinge the dash forward, unhook a few wire connectors from the dash face, pull a few bolts from under the steering column, yank the dash, and pop out the box with the heater core and evaporator.

The only real problem I remember was that there's a fastener inside of the box housing the coils that was virtually impossible to get to. After fiddling with it for 10 minutes or so, I took a spade bit to the plastic housing in the engine bay and strategically placed a new hole just big enough for the socket I was going to use. I patched the hole with the box off and left that one fastener out on the reinstall.

It was still about an 8 hour job for two people with a combined 80 years of wrenching experience between them.

Definitely made me miss my 87 V-10. When it needed a heater core, all I had to do was open the hood and remove the glovebox to get to everything.

The 96-01 XJs eliminate the heater control valve as well, and have the same lengthy process for replacement as the S-10. The difference is, being a Jeep, there's pretty solid documentation on the process for the do-it-yourselfer.

 

[Lindenwood]

I've done a heater core in an S-10 matching yours.
It was still about an 8 hour job for two people with a combined 80 years of wrenching experience between them.

I think that about says it :P . It took me the same amount of time to R&R the engine out of my MR2 the first time, by myself, when I was 17 :P . Not that the heater core work was cosmic, but it would have taken much more time than I had available at that point (I did have access to the FSM btw).

 

[Graeman]

$6500 isn't much when you'll need to drive it 2000+ miles home right away. You'll have a tough time finding a good 4runner or Land Cruiser at that price point given the aforementioned constraint. Any pick-ups will have a similar issue. Jeeps can be cheaper - an unlimited, XJ or Grand Cherokee would fit the bill for you. GCs in particular seem to be priced lower and in abundance in CA.

Here in AZ that is plenty of money to purchase a 4Runner, Montero, Grand Cherokee, Cherokee, Sequoia, Nissan, Chevy, Ford, or Dodge. No rust and in pretty good shape. Don't try to purchase in CA or CO. Too high of price and rust issues.