advice needed on used 4x4 s

[Rontopia]

first time posting.

I sold my truck a few months ago. I took a job that pay about 1/3 less and had to cut some fat off my monthly budget. I have been riding my vstrom to and from work everyday sense. I live in tucson and it can get pretty hot on a bike every day.. (always wear boots, MC jacket, helmet and gloves) .. over all im still happy with the new job and the choice i made to sell my truck. when I did sold I planed to buy a older 4x4 because there are just way to many trails to explore here in AZ.. I read and read.. and found that these models will meet my needs but need advice as I have some concerns..

gen2 trooper (found a few in the area between 100 and 150 k miles in good shape for 3 to 4 k)

I actually owned one of these for several years and it gave me no trouble and with a bit of cleaver driving, I could get it in and out of some pretty rough places. it did develop the lifter tick which I hated. it never left me stranded tho. mpgs sucked. today I understand the lifter problem better. but there are 2 3.2L engines. one with a DOHC and a later model with a SOHC. I dont know which one had the lifter tick peoblem.

I also understand that the 3.5L engine had some issues with eating oil like Harley yuppies drink starbucks..and the later runs of the engines the issue was cleared up. but is there any way to tell which 3.5 L are ok and which are not?

I also keep reading that the transmissions are weak points? I read that its a GM transmission in the trooper? is this correct?

I have one last concern about the trooper. Isuzu is pulling out of the US. Will that make parts hard to find? or cost more?

Montero.

the models that I can afford are the 2nd and 3rd gen full monty and the montero sport. I read nothing but good things about the monty but what about the sport? is it any good offroad? the other thing that I looks like a PITA is working on them. there seems to be no room under the hood and doing things like changing the timing belt(which on Mitsubishi is really important) looks like a real pain. so does changing the spark plugs..

I have driven a sport and it seemed like it wouldnt out run a deary cow.. I can live with that tho. what i am mostly concerned with is maintenance and if its worthy off road or not( also the amount of eletronics in the 4wd system concern me. the trooper seems a much more simple system.

any advice here would be nice. I cant find many fully monty's but there are a butt load of sports for 3 to 5 k.

2nd gen grand cherokee.

I like the sright 6 engine a lot. like a lot of modern 4x4s there seems to be a bunch of eletronics.. of the 3 I actually like the body style of the grand a little less. its shorter, it doesnt have the cargo room and really does not seat 5 people comfortable, 4 yes, 5 no.. that kind of takes it out of the running because I need at least 5 seats as im married with kids.the only reason I have it on this list is the price is in the same area 4 to 5 k for something that is in good shape. the other good thing about the grand is not many of them got taken off road much so the T-case should be in no bad shape.

i guess all have the good and bad. I like the big monty because you can fit 7 people if you need to nice but I think the sport and the later trooper (3.5L) get the better mpgs.


I would not consitter my self an ex-stream off road-er and would not be climbing over giant bolders.. but I would not be able to get where I want to go in a crv either. I am not a bad mechanic but I dont have lots of time with job, kids wife and house. so maintenance is a big deal. and if there is a rig that i did not list that fits in with these I should consider, please let me know.

so there it is.. advice?
thanks

 

[Rontopia]

BTW.. I have found a 96 trooper with just over 100K miles in great shape and a 2002 with 146K also in great shape(with a new transmission) both are about 3k.. which one is the problem..

 

[Applejack]

If you find the Grand Cherokee too small for five, I think you should look no further than the 3rd gen Montero, they can seat seven. My brother has one and it is a surprisingly capable vehicle despite it being ifs/irs. One caveat on the Montero is the alarming amount of body roll with the stock suspension, replacing it with something from Old Man Emu makes it handle better on and off road.

 

[Rontopia]

thanks..

do you like the grand better? do you think it seats 5?

I am ok with body roll. I have been around 4x4s my whole life. I drive like an old man most of the time because it not the place your going that matters its the road there that does. nice bumper sticker huh. anyway thanks for the advice.

 

[Martinjmpr]

If you are looking for a budget 4x4 you should also consider a Ford Explorer. Lots of them around and not very expensive at all. Reliability is at least as good as any Montero or Trooper and there are a LOT more of them around. Parts are much less expensive too.

It has a mushy suspension from the factory but that's an easy fix. The fact that most are "soccer mom mobiles" is an advantage - it's not the kind of car most kids would take off road or hot rod with. For a lower maintenance drivetrain, you can get them with a manual tranny right up through 2002, I believe.

I would consider a 2nd gen (1995-2002, I believe) explorer with whatever drivetrain you choose, including even a V8 (although I believe the V8's only had a single-speed T-case while the V-6's had a two speed case.) There's also the Explorer Sport, the short 2 door.