Looking for rig suggestions

[alexdnick]

Hi all,

my girlfriend is in bad need of a new car, so I’m selling my ‘13 Rubicon.

I’m projecting to get a new Impreza then have $8,000-$10,000 for an overland/off-road rig.
Id like something that has some of the same capabilities as a Jeep. But I don’t need a rock crawler.

there is an FZJ80 near me with 170k for $8,000 so that’s what I’m currently interested in.

Any other ideas let me know

 

[persquank]

Choosing someone else's rig is like picking out someone else's clothes. There will be a lot of people who say "you should get this or that" but it should be more about what you want and/or like. Some will say you are crazy for letting go of a jeep and others are out there wheeling with minivans. If there is one thing I've learned from this community, it is not about what you drive. Pick something you like and are comfortable with. Adventure will be waiting no matter what you decide.

Also... get that Toyota. It will last forever.

 

[Smileyshaun]

Lots of questions
Are you mechanically inclined ?
Are you also keeping some of that budget for repairs ?
How much gear are you taking
What kind of trails/off-road will you be doing
Is mpg important to your decision
Does it need to serve another purpose(tow rig )
Have you test drove that rig yet , A lot of times I’ll vehicle will seem fantastic on paper and then when you drive it it just doesn’t fit you right .

 

[alexdnick]

Lots of questions
Are you mechanically inclined ?
Are you also keeping some of that budget for repairs ?
How much gear are you taking
What kind of trails/off-road will you be doing
Is mpg important to your decision
Does it need to serve another purpose(tow rig )
Have you test drove that rig yet , A lot of times I’ll vehicle will seem fantastic on paper and then when you drive it it just doesn’t fit you right .

Yes mechanically inclined.
No budget doesn’t include repairs etc. just vehicle.
I have a roof top tent, but then pretty much just an axe, wood, stove, chairs, then a backpacking pack of clothes
Off-roading isn’t intense rock crawling but a long bed long cab truck wouldn’t fit on the trails. Bumpy, trees, mud.

mpg isn’t important. That’s what the other car I’m buying is for

I’m getting a defender 90 from Spain deleivered to my nearest port here in a few months, so towing would be nice.


Again just looking for suggestions. If you give one I can tell why or why not

 

[systemdelete]

1. Mechanically inclined.
2. Budget doesn’t include repairs, yet. . .
3. Off-roading isn’t intense.
4. MPG isn’t important.
2. I’m getting a defender 90.
3. I’m just looking for suggestions.

If you got a Discovery 1 you could share spares and several special tools with the future vintage Defender. The disco has a more comfortable interior for longer trips where you still want better clearance than the Impreza but don’t want to pile miles on your Defender. At 8k you could budget 2k or less for the initial disco purchase, and 6k for parts!

 

[DrivingTacoLoco]

Off-roading isn’t intense rock crawling but a long bed long cab truck wouldn’t fit on the trails. Bumpy, trees, mud.

What makes you think that?

 

[alexdnick]

What makes you think that?

Because I had one and when I came back I had a dented bumper and all the factory mud flaps were snapped off. There a few trails near me that have “qualifiers” where you have to go around gates and the longest thing you can fit through is a short bed truck.

 

[alexdnick]

If you got a Discovery 1 you could share spares and several special tools with the future vintage Defender. The disco has a more comfortable interior for longer trips where you still want better clearance than the Impreza but don’t want to pile miles on your Defender. At 8k you could budget 2k or less for the initial disco purchase, and 6k for parts!

The defender is planning being sold. Although I wish I was keeping it :P

I’d never really though about the longertrips extra clearance point you raise though. And I do like the safari esc look of the Discos...Hmmmm

 

[DrivingTacoLoco]

Because I had one and when I came back I had a dented bumper and all the factory mud flaps were snapped off. There a few trails near me that have “qualifiers” where you have to go around gates and the longest thing you can fit through is a short bed truck.

Strange. I guess it depends on where you go. For most of us it's not an issue. At the most recent Expo East I learned a lot from the driving classes that made sense but weren't the way I thought that might have prevented many of the bumps and dents I have had. I had the chance to drive over exadurated obstacles. With the great teacher Mark from 7P I was able to drive without damaging anything.
I guess it depends on what you are trying to do with the vehicle. I plan on long trips. Months at a time. I can certainly appreciate a short wheelbase for some trails I will avoid.

Good luck and safe travels.

 

[systemdelete]

The defender is planning being sold. Although I wish I was keeping it :P

I’d never really though about the longertrips extra clearance point you raise though. And I do like the safari esc look of the Discos...Hmmmm

I’m weird, TN doesn’t get enough snow so I plan long road trips up into Ontario mid winter to visit family. The drifting snow occasionally requires some extra clearance and the trip certainly requires 4wd for the trek through the transition zone.


The Disco 1 is stupid simple mechanically similar to the defender. Very easy to do the maintenance yourself if you’re so inclined. The electrics while not the most robust are several levels less intense than the disco 2 and p38 rangies, thus much simpler to diagnose and repair as needed. The important bits from the disco 2 transfer right over.(cup holders)

 

[Jason Shelby]

All I have to say is you must really love this girl to sell the Jeep!! LOL

 

[alexdnick]

All I have to say is you must really love this girl to sell the Jeep!! LOL

All I have to say is you must really love this girl to sell the Jeep!! LOL

I do, but also I do a ton of highway driving compared to city driving and that’s where a Jeep with 35’s is the worst. I really miss have my ‘17 truck, driving a basically new vehicle that is silent inside is so nice.
I know I’ll regret selling the jeep once I do my first 4x4 trip without it, but it’s just too expensive and not “luxury” enough you could say to be my daily. lol

 

[alexdnick]

Strange. I guess it depends on where you go. For most of us it's not an issue. At the most recent Expo East I learned a lot from the driving classes that made sense but weren't the way I thought that might have prevented many of the bumps and dents I have had. I had the chance to drive over exadurated obstacles. With the great teacher Mark from 7P I was able to drive without damaging anything.
I guess it depends on what you are trying to do with the vehicle. I plan on long trips. Months at a time. I can certainly appreciate a short wheelbase for some trails I will avoid.

Good luck and safe travels.

Yeah, super skinny tree line trails with lots of rust and big rocks around my area. So not a lot of room for large truck to maneuver

 

[Jeep backroads]

Jeeps work great for overlanding