Confusion, looking for another rig, need advise.

[oldmopars]

I have a 90 Suburban right now and it works for going off road, but I mainly need it to tow my 30ft travel trailer. However it get 10mpg on a good day and is 30 years old.
My position at my company is about to change and it will require me to drive 104 miles to the airport and then back each week. With very little pleasure miles that works out to about 850 miles a month. In the Suburban that means $3055.00 per year at current gas prices.
I have been thinking about other options. The Subaru Forester and the Nissan Xterra. Yes, very different. For the money I have to spend, the 4Runner is out, too much money. I want a Japanese 4x4/AWD. We get snow where I live and I need to be sure I can get up and down my road and long steep driveway. I also want it for Overland exploring and adventures off road.
Here is my dilemma: The Forester gets better mileage, about 22-23mpg, but is not great off road, but great in the snow. It can go off road, it does OK, but it is limited by ground clearance and suspension travel.
The Xterra is much better off road, decent for the snow, but gets 17mpg. The difference in gas would be $450ish per year.
Here is another thing to factor in, my company gives me $0.565 per mile I drive, so that would mean that I actually would be making an extra $450 each year from the gas savings.
We currently have 2 2019 Foresters in the family and we love them, but the older 2009-2013 that I would be getting seem to have issues. 09-10 head gaskets and 11-13 oil consumption issues. After 2013 the Forester got a CVT and they are garbage offroad.

Should I just get a Xterra and just suck it up on the extra fuel? Is there another better Japanese SUV I should look at? I am wanting something with under 100K miles and under about $14,000. I will have to finance and do not want to over extend myself on a second car payment., but still need to have a reliable vehicle for getting to work. It will also serve as my weekend warrior for camping/Overlanding trips.

 

[Nathaniel]

What about an 06+ Suzuki Grand Vitara? They come in 4 and 6 cylinder models with a low range transfer case and body on frame construction. I don't have any first hand experience but from what I have read they are typically reliable and easy to work on.

 

[oldmopars]

Good suggestion, but for the compact size, the gas mileage is no better than the bigger Xterra. AN the Xterra has better aftermarket support. I may have to up my budget and look at a 4Runner.

 

[Munga Brown]

My Ol' Lady used to have an Isuzu Rodeo. We both loved it. Troopers are cool, but I don't know anything about 'em. I love Xterras. Older Toyota LC? Probably crappy mileage.

We just traded Wifey's 2011 Forrester. It was ok, but to us it felt wimpy (as in substantial feeling). The wind here blew her around easily. And yeah, the oil thing.

Good luck & enjoy the hunt.

 

[oldmopars]

What oil thing?

 

[64Trvlr]

Good suggestion, but for the compact size, the gas mileage is no better than the bigger Xterra. AN the Xterra has better aftermarket support. I may have to up my budget and look at a 4Runner.

There you go!

 

[oldmopars]

My problem with the Toyota is that for the same money as the Xterra the 4Runners have twice the miles and are a few years older. I get more vehicle for my money with the Xterra.

 

[Munga Brown]

What oil thing?

Wifey's 2011 Subaru sucked oil. Didn't leak it, used it.

My problem with the Toyota is that for the same money as the Xterra the 4Runners have twice the miles and are a few years older. I get more vehicle for my money with the Xterra.

DingDingDingDingDing!!!

 

[Boostpowered]

It all depends on what makes you happy, personally ive bought enough used vehicles to know im not doing that anymore they always end up being a larger expense than just going and getting a new vehicle. Especially if you want something that isnt going to give you issues on the trail leaving you stranded. Also who knows what has or hasnt been done to it, at minimum you should replace all fluids and filters, hoses, belts, water pump and thermostat and likely tie rods and cv shafts and possibly wheel bearings, brake rotors and pads, all suspension bushings and run some seafoam or similar to clean out the injectors and throttle body.

 

[Louiston]

My problem with the Toyota is that for the same money as the Xterra the 4Runners have twice the miles and are a few years older. I get more vehicle for my money with the Xterra.

Well, there IS a reason that older Toyota's demand a premium price. Remember, if you take care of the 4Runner it will also bring a premium when you go to sell it.

We had 2 Xterra's (wifes and daughter) and the wife still has hers. Xterra's are very nice vehicles ......... but I will say that the maintenance on the Nissan has been substantially more than my Toyota. At one time we had 4 Nissan's in the family, all 4 of them had to have broken motor mounts replaced, read ...... "expensive". Building a strong motor mount is NOT rocket science!

With that said, Toyota 4X4's are not known for exceptional gas mileage .......... so check that out before buying one as that is the whole reason for this conversation.

As always, your mileage will vary.

 

[64Trvlr]

My problem with the Toyota is that for the same money as the Xterra the 4Runners have twice the miles and are a few years older. I get more vehicle for my money with the Xterra.

They may cost a little more but there is way more product support for them.

 

[chuckoverland]

Our friend has a Mitsubishi Montero that she drives when her tacoma would be too much on gas. She loves it. It gets her back to their cabin in Cowiche Canyon in the snow no problem.

 

[Smileyshaun]

I’m a Toyota fan through and through but in my honest opinion the 4 runner quit being a good rig with the 3rd gen after that they keep becoming more and more car like with every model series , plus 4 runners have gotten huge compare a new one to your suburban and they are not a whole lot smaller .
If your putting in a lot of road miles you may get annoyed with the forester the older models have horrendous road noise especially when you slap some more aggressive tires on it .

after test driving a bunch of rigs I ended up with a 2011xterra reasons being , had 100k on the clock , rear locker , manual trans and very spacious interior for being a midsize rig it’s tall body leaves the seats up higher more truck like and the rear seats are higher than the front seats to give the rear passengers a better view .

 

[oldmopars]

I’m a Toyota fan through and through but in my honest opinion the 4 runner quit being a good rig with the 3rd gen after that they keep becoming more and more car like with every model series , plus 4 runners have gotten huge compare a new one to your suburban and they are not a whole lot smaller .
If your putting in a lot of road miles you may get annoyed with the forester the older models have horrendous road noise especially when you slap some more aggressive tires on it .

after test driving a bunch of rigs I ended up with a 2011xterra reasons being , had 100k on the clock , rear locker , manual trans and very spacious interior for being a midsize rig it’s tall body leaves the seats up higher more truck like and the rear seats are higher than the front seats to give the rear passengers a better view .

As I said I will be using this to go to the Airport, well when I get to the other end I always end up renting a car. Over the years I have been doing this I have rented 100+ rental cars and I have found out that there are things I like and things I do not. What has made me look at the Xterra is that I have driven them and the Frontier trucks and I have really enjoyed them. I recently rented a Jeep Sahara and I would rather light it on fire and push it off a cliff than to have to drive another one, what a POS.
I also have not been too much of a fan of the Toyotas I have rented. I rented a Tundra and it was on my list of the top 10 worst vehicle I have rented. However I keep renting the Nissans and I am always happy with them.
I have decided that if I go with the Xterra, I want a PROX-4, I want the rear locker and the other things it has.

 

[Billiebob]

What oil thing?

Its a myth. None of our Subarus have ever consumed oil. Never added oil between oil changes and a few were high milers.
The myth goes all the way back to early boxer engines in airplanes which did consume far more oil than any other engine design.

No truth today tho, an old wives tale.

On topic, an Xterra is an excellent choice. Lots of clean low milers out there at bargain prices. And a bit bigger than most other choices.

 

[Billiebob]

They may cost a little more but there is way more product support for them.

But if you are on a budget..... the Xterra has fewer temptations.

 

[oldmopars]

Its a myth. None of our Subarus have ever consumed oil. Never added oil between oil changes and a few were high milers.
The myth goes all the way back to early boxer engines in airplanes which did consume far more oil than any other engine design.

No truth today tho, an old wives tale.

On topic, an Xterra is an excellent choice. Lots of clean low milers out there at bargain prices. And a bit bigger than most other choices.

Not sure if you are joking or not, but the 2011+ Subaru's have a real issue with oil consumption. It is well documented, and there is a class action lawsuit. If you go to Subaru they will perform a oil consumption test for you for free, if the engine fails the test they are required to replace the engine. So, in this case it is not a myth, however it is only the FB series of engines starting in 2011.

As for the Xterra. it is looking like that is the best option for me. The small difference in gas mileage for me will end up costing less than $400 per year. That is a cost I can live with to gain the utility of the Xterra.

 

[Munga Brown]

Its a myth. None of our Subarus have ever consumed oil. Never added oil between oil changes and a few were high milers.
The myth goes all the way back to early boxer engines in airplanes which did consume far more oil than any other engine design.

No truth today tho, an old wives tale.

On topic, an Xterra is an excellent choice. Lots of clean low milers out there at bargain prices. And a bit bigger than most other choices.

I used to add a quart to a quart and a half every couple of months. I've never had a vehicle consume oil like that. It was and is no myth. It was a fact with her 2011 Forester, I'm glad its gone.

 

[M Rose]

Its a myth. None of our Subarus have ever consumed oil. Never added oil between oil changes and a few were high milers.
The myth goes all the way back to early boxer engines in airplanes which did consume far more oil than any other engine design.

No truth today tho, an old wives tale.

On topic, an Xterra is an excellent choice. Lots of clean low milers out there at bargain prices. And a bit bigger than most other choices.

The oil consumption on Subaru is not a myth, I can’t count how many leaky valve covers and valve seal jobs I have done over the years. And talk about an expensive fix for a customer... I loved doing the repair because it books out for 12 hours and I could do it in 3.

 

[Bama_Kiwi]

Our friend has a Mitsubishi Montero that she drives when her tacoma would be too much on gas. She loves it. It gets her back to their cabin in Cowiche Canyon in the snow no problem.

A Montero as a more-efficient option? I knew Tacomas weren't exactly fuel-sippers but, geez.