Help me pick my rig $2000 budget

[truck mechanic]

I just bought 98 zr2 blazer for $1700 last weekend, but as others have stated I will put mostlikly another $500 bucks into to pass state inspection. But that only puts you at $2200 if you can do the work yourself. So far I really like this little truck. They say they wheel really well out of the box and I think they have a cool look to them. I was just gonna use it as a dd so I could take my Scout off the road and just finish it, but I just cant leave anything alone so, ill be playng with it soon.
Paul

 

[4D55 Performance]

You have listed 8 vehicles and I have experience with all of them. I listed them in order of my favorite to my least favorites. In my opinion the Montero is in a class of it own. If you need help finding a nice specimen send me a pm, I live in Utah so I am close by.


1) Montero - The Montero is by far the most offroad capable and durable vehicle in this group. It is also the only flagship/luxury SUV you have listed. It is in a different class. That rear locker is more valuable than any straight axle and you put on 35's with out any mods. The quality of the Montero is on par or better than that of Toyota and Honda. There should be no squeaks or rattles. While the Montero is the biggest vehicle on the list, mpg will be as good as any on this list including the Suzuki, expect at least 20mpg but I think you can get 24mpg since you live in Utah. If you need help I can help you find a nice Montero for 2K.
2) Trooper - I like Isuzus, the first two vehicles I ever owned were Isuzus. The Trooper is similar to Montero in many ways, but it does not have the rear locker, it lacks dealer support, it only seats 5 and the IFS is not as strong as the IFS on the Montero. The Isuzu does flex really well in the rear end which makes up for the IFS and the lack of a rear locker.
3) Toyota - Toyota makes great vehicles, but the 3.0 4runner in under powered esspecially when loaded with gear. I would look to something with more power. I like my dad's 1994 toyota, but it high strung and it is no where near as sure footed as the MOntero, trooper, cherokee or pathfinder. The 4runner is high on this list because of it reliability and aftermarket support.
4) Pathfinder - My personal experience is the first gen Pathfinder is a great vehicle. My sister also owned one of these and she readily admitted that her 1993 Pathfinder was a much better vehicle than her 2000 Jeep Cherokee.
5) Cherokee - The Cherokee suffers from the poorest build quality on this list. Is does not mean the vehicle is unreliable, it just means it squeaks and rattles. The paint will all be faded, the plastic trim is cheap, the dash will be cracked, the seats will be shot etc. While it does have a SFA, it is not as offroad savy as others on this list. I think rock crawling and flex are way over rated. An IFS will be plenty adequate for expedition use. To own a Cherokee you make a lot of concessions.
6T)Suzuki - This is a tough one, but the little suzukis have there place in the offroad community. The main concern is they are low to the ground, and a lift is required to fit 33's, but once you go with big rubber, the engine will be under powered.
6T)Ford - The Ford family uses the TTB front end that is good for offroading, but it is also hard on tires. The real issue is the Fords don't really excel in any area, they are just average. My brother had a bronco II that was a blast to drive but I would not want to go camping with 4 people and all my gear stuffed into a bronco II. Maybe an explorer would be better.
6T)S-10 Blazer - I also grew up being addicted to GM vehicles. I thought they were the best. While I still like the fullsize pickups, but the S-10 vehicles suffer from many issues. The best part of if the S-10 is the 4.3L but that is where the positives end.

 

[stioc]

...
4) Pathfinder - My personal experience is the first gen Pathfinder is a great vehicle. My sister also owned one of these and she readily admitted that her 1993 Pathfinder was a much better vehicle than her 2000 Jeep Cherokee.

Yeaap. If I knew then what I know now...

 

[Kenny Olson]

I bought this for $2k. 1987 with 41k miles. LOTS of miles left in it and will modify it to my taste as time goes by. And I knew very little about Zus. Monteros are spose to be good rigs too. I was shopping for one when I found my trooper.

 

[Martinjmpr]

While the Montero is the biggest vehicle on the list, mpg will be as good as any on this list including the Suzuki, expect at least 20mpg but I think you can get 24mpg since you live in Utah.

The only thing I disagree with is the above. 20 MPG from a Montero? I had a 1990 with a V6 and 5 speed and my average was closer to 16 - 17. On long, slow drives in flat country I could eke out 19. I think one time I broke 20. I find it hard to believe a more modern Monty with a heavier body and auto tranny will give you 20 and 24 seems like a pure fantasy. Is there any data to back this up? I've never heard of Monty's being known for good MPG (except for the turbo diesels, of course, which were never available in the US.)

Realistically, if you are talking about a 3500 -4400 lb vehicle made in the early to mid-90s (remember gas was cheap then and people didn't care much about MPG) 15 - 18 is all you can reasonably expect, and is perfectly adequate for these vehicles. The Trooper with the 4 cyl engine might do a bit better but its boxy shape probably negates any MPG advantages of the 4 cyl engine. A 4 cyl Taco or 22r equipped 4runner or Toyota Pickup can probably do 20+ MPG but it will be as slow as molasses going uphill in January.

 

[4D55 Performance]

The only thing I disagree with is the above. 20 MPG from a Montero? I had a 1990 with a V6 and 5 speed and my average was closer to 16 - 17. On long, slow drives in flat country I could eke out 19. I think one time I broke 20. I find it hard to believe a more modern Monty with a heavier body and auto tranny will give you 20 and 24 seems like a pure fantasy. Is there any data to back this up? I've never heard of Monty's being known for good MPG (except for the turbo diesels, of course, which were never available in the US.)

Realistically, if you are talking about a 3500 -4400 lb vehicle made in the early to mid-90s (remember gas was cheap then and people didn't care much about MPG) 15 - 18 is all you can reasonably expect, and is perfectly adequate for these vehicles. The Trooper with the 4 cyl engine might do a bit better but its boxy shape probably negates any MPG advantages of the 4 cyl engine. A 4 cyl Taco or 22r equipped 4runner or Toyota Pickup can probably do 20+ MPG but it will be as slow as molasses going uphill in January.

Sorry for the late reply but, I definitely understand where you are coming from. I had a 1991 Montero and the best I ever saw was 17mpg on the open road. The Gen I's were terrible on fuel economy. The 1997-2000 Montero excelled at returning excellent fuel economy and 24 mpg on the open road is very attainable with stock tires. They had a 4.2 rear end, a very efficient engine and improved arrow dynamics over the previous generation. I also understand that a lot of MPG has to do with the actual driver. For instance I also have a Mercedes G500 and I will get 18-19 MPG in mixed driving, while others only get 13 mpg with the same vehicle. Maybe I am way more conservative than the average driver, but to me I feel like I just drive like everyone else. I hope this helps.

 

[KeZu]

Others have mentioned this, but being a recent college graduate....

Step 1: Lift current 2wd toyota. Enough to fit 32" tires see #2.
Step 2: Add A/T Tires, 32" is as big as you need to get most places.
Step 3: Go. You can build what ever else you need as you go, but really....

I have a 4wd Isuzu Rodeo that I got in college and I wasted a ton of money getting the 4wd part to work. But, honestly with a 3" susp. lift and aggressive 32" tires I can go almost anywhere I need to in 2wd, 90% of the time. Total cost of those two mods? $500.
If I bought again, I wouldn't care so much about making sure I got a 4wd one. Expedition type offroading, to me, is all about the getting out there, not surmounting the toughest trail, though I know that can be fun.

Other option is sell current 2wd for an older, cheaper, but reliable 4wd. If you must.

Just my .2

 

[jeep-N-montero]

I recently learned that the early Trooper was capable of 22-26 mpg with the carb tuned correctly, seats 5, and has tons of cargo space. Oh, and you can easily fit 31's on them stock, even 33x9.50's could be accomplished. I'm actually looking at replacing one of my Jeeps with a 95-97 Trooper in the next month or so.