Tacoma / 4Runner Buyers Guide for Overlanders?

[nwoods]

$5000 Trooper, comes with a parts vehicle.

Could you sell the Volvo and with savings pay cash?

Sadly, the Trooper is one of those vehicles that I can't get a loan for, and I don't have the cash to buy it outright. Nor would selling the Volvo get me there if I have to pay the nearly $4k it will take to fix it.

There is a Volvo salvage yard in Tucson that might have a tranny for your XC70. They may want to buy the XC70 off you as well...

https://plus.google.com/109326897775619294160/about?gl=US&hl=en-US

Interesting....although I suspect most of the XC70's in the yard are there due to bad transmissions... LOL. Still, good link to have in case the repair doesn't work out

 

[Clutch]

Interesting....although I suspect most of the XC70's in the yard are there due to bad transmissions... LOL. Still, good link to have in case the repair doesn't work out

Could give the guy a call, he might have a good transmission out of wreck, never know.

Sadly, the Trooper is one of those vehicles that I can't get a loan for, and I don't have the cash to buy it outright. Nor would selling the Volvo get me there if I have to pay the nearly $4k it will take to fix it.

I was thinking you could sell the XC70 as it sits, might get $2500 for it...perhaps a small personal loan instead of a vehicle loan.

 

[p nut]

Well, so much for my "preapproved" loan. The bank won't issue a loan on a vehicle more than 12 years old with an excess of 100,000 miles on it. Yes, that means a nice clean 2004 4Runner does not qualify, not to mention a nice 2003 Land Cruiser I drove the other day. They'll only give a partial loan (about 60% of the vehicle cost), which doesn't help me at all...

Try a credit union. They'll usually do 100% of NADA value and usually even have better rates.

 

[nwoods]

Try a credit union. They'll usually do 100% of NADA value and usually even have better rates.

It was! www.amerfirst.org

 

[hornytoad]

other suggestions

For the cash have you looked at a Xterra or Suzuki Grand Vitara? My tall friends (only 6'4" 300lbs) each have one of these vehicles. A quad cab F150 4x4 is another option too. The Suzuki was 18k MSRP and a 1 year old xterra is only 20k so they might be worth looking at. 2005+ for the xterra gets you the 4.0 motor and I think the 2006 Suzuki was available with a stick and a V6.
Both have been dead reliable stock trucks for my friends the xterra has way more aftermarket support.

I work in the oilfield and every other truck out the is a 4 door, 4x4, F150 or F250. They are big, they fit big people, they don't get great gas mileage but there are always around and have lots of aftermarket support.

Good luck!

 

[Martinjmpr]

Have you checked out a Sequoia? 1st gens are well within your price range.

As for loans, are you a veteran by any chance? I've had very good experiences with USAA.