Top 10 Used Overland Vehicles: Do you agree?

[Paladin]

http://www.jdpower.com/autos/Jeep/Wrangler-Unlimited/2010/SUV/ratings/

You'll notice JDP doesn't have a rating below 2.

JDP overall Initial Quality:

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-j-d-power-and-associates-iqs/full/#3090967

And before you point out Jeep is ranked higher than Land Rover, I'll point out that you stated the LR3 is reliable.

JDP Vehicle Dependability:

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/17/jd-powers-2011-vehicle-dependability-study-names-lincoln-best-b/

2nd last for Jeep. And this is reported problems after 3 years.

I don't think any of us have access to the real data, R/1000 from the manufacturer to compare.

 

[Ryanmb21]

Nice list, I like it.

Your comparison between the 80 and 100 were interesting.

Of course there are different opinions out there people, relax.

 

[Scott Brady]

I am surprised too since the FJ Cruiser and the 4th gen 4Runner share the same chassis and suspension components, same as the overseas Prado Land Cruiser.

Gen two is 1990 to 1995 with the 3.0 V6.

Ooops, Freudian slip? Fixed it.

On the FJ Cruiser, your description above is why they did not make the list. Same chassis and essentially the same drivetrain, but I find the 4Runner to be a better and more usable/refined vehicle overall. Again, just one man's opinion:ylsmoke:

 

[Scott Brady]

incredible the defender doesn't make the list.

$30,000 was the cap on price. A 110 is nearly impossible to find and 90 is just too small. I love defenders and have driven them on four continents, but the NAS versions just don't make the cut on this list. If we had a 110 with 300tdi available, it would be a different list.

 

[Scott Brady]

I'll point out that you stated the LR3 is reliable.

For a Land Rover, it is.

Sorry, but it would take a lot of convincing for me to believe a DII is as reliable as a JK

 

[goodtimes]

Does the Patriot *really* return 30mpg? Call me skeptical. I have yet to REALLY achieve 30mpg on any compact car, let alone a small box with AWD.

We've broken 30mpg several times in Marisa's 4cyl Patriot (best 1-tank average was just over 33mpg). All with significant highway/freeway driving (65 - 85mph), always cold weather, and never with cruise control.

It seems that every time we drive somewhere cold, it breaks into the 30's. The same trip when it is hot, we end up well below 30mpg.

Typical highway mileage (mixed with minimal in-town miles) is closer to 26/27. 100% in-town is closer to 24/25mpg. I imagine that if we slowed down to 65/70mph on the freeway (typically we cruise at 80 - 85) and used cruise control (which her Patriot doesn't have), we'd be pretty close to 29/30 on a regular basis.

 

[Scott Brady]

2nd last for Jeep. And this is reported problems after 3 years.

That is for the brand, not Wrangler as a model. It looks like based upon your other link that the Wrangler is a half point above "the rest" if I am reading it correctly.

 

[Christian P.]

Well, I personally think this list makes a lot of sense and actually find it difficult to argue.

The bottom line, if you have to go on Ebay or Craigslist right now, and pick a vehicle to drive to South America and leave this weekend, I doubt you will find a better choice than the Land Cruiser serie 100 - price, reliability, capability, etc.

The rest of the choices follow the same logic - well, except perhaps for the Compass, which in my personal opinion would probably better make the list of the top 10 ugliest Overland Vehicles....

 

[Scott Brady]

The rest of the choices follow the same logic - well, except perhaps for the Compass, which in my personal opinion would probably better make the list of the top 10 ugliest Overland Vehicles....

I picked a Patriot not a Compass Christian - the Patriot is much sexier eepwall:

 

[kuroi]

No mitsubishi on the list? What a joke.

 

[Paladin]

For a Land Rover, it is.

Sorry, but it would take a lot of convincing for me to believe a DII is as reliable as a JK

And obviously, no data I provide could possibly convince you.

I am curious though, what is the most milage you have put on any single JK, and were any of them purchased from a dealer lot?

That is for the brand, not Wrangler as a model. It looks like based upon your other link that the Wrangler is a half point above "the rest" if I am reading it correctly.

Nope.

http://www.jdpower.com/autos/Jeep/2010/

We've broken 30mpg several times in Marisa's 4cyl Patriot (best 1-tank average was just over 33mpg). All with significant highway/freeway driving (65 - 85mph), always cold weather, and never with cruise control.

It seems that every time we drive somewhere cold, it breaks into the 30's. The same trip when it is hot, we end up well below 30mpg.

Typical highway mileage (mixed with minimal in-town miles) is closer to 26/27. 100% in-town is closer to 24/25mpg. I imagine that if we slowed down to 65/70mph on the freeway (typically we cruise at 80 - 85) and used cruise control (which her Patriot doesn't have), we'd be pretty close to 29/30 on a regular basis.

Huh. That's the 2.4L right? If so, basically the same engine as in my Kia Forte. 2.4L Mitsubishi/Hyundai/Chrysler "World Engine". The BEST I've ever gotten is 30mpg on a pure highway run. Typically get about 26. And it's more aerodynamic, and a 6 speed manual.

 

[Scott Brady]

And obviously, no data I provide could possibly convince you.

I am curious though, what is the most milage you have put on any single JK, and were any of them purchased from a dealer lot?



Nope.

http://www.jdpower.com/autos/Jeep/2010/

Odd, JDPower rating is inconsistent depending on the page. Regardless, I am not saying Jeep is more reliable than Toyota, just that a Wrangler JK is more reliable than a DII.

I bought my first JK right off the lot in Denver, then strapped the EarthRoamer conversion to it and proceeded to drive it all the way to the Darien Gap. Zero failures in over two years of ownership, trips to Baja, trips to the NE, etc. I took one of the XV-JPs over the Rubicon too- nothing wrong.

The Overland JK is even more shocking. It is an S2 first article truck that spent a summer on the Rubicon trail with journalists, then was a Superlift development vehicle, then was turned over to Fourwheeler for the Border to Border trip, then we finally got it and have put another 30,000 miles on it, including using it as a training vehicle for the US military! Again, not a single solitary mechanical failure. Nothing.

Jonathan's Editor's Jeep was brand new and he put nearly 40,000 miles on it which includes the miles of dirt road to his house and a bunch of trips. Not a single mechanical failure.

On our Central America trip, there were actually three JKs, all purchased by the owners. Three trucks representing over 30,000 miles of combined, overloaded miles through jungle, dirt roads, beaches, volcanoes, etc. Not a single mechanical failure.

Believe me, I have experienced the worst of what Jeep can offer (I owned two ZJ Grand Cherokees!), but these JKs have been perfect, at least for us and our immediate travel partners.

In the end, vehicles have become so much better. Toyota set a very high standard for quality and all of the competition has stepped up their game. New Land Rovers are twice as good as old Land Rovers for reliability - same for Jeeps. Hard to go wrong anymore on reliability, which allows us to make purchase decisions based more on our needs and taste.

 

[Scott Brady]

No mitsubishi on the list? What a joke.

So tell us what makes a Mitsubishi a better choice and which vehicle you would remove from the list to make room for it.

That is what makes this interesting - other peoples opinions.

 

[Paladin]

Odd, JDPower rating is inconsistent depending on the page.

I noticed that too. And frankly I'm not a big fan of JDP either, their methodology is just as bad as CR. They both allow considerable bias to be reflected in the numbers (Usually a bonus to those at the top, and a detriment to those at the bottom). But really, neither of us have the straight poop. R/1000 from the manufacturer. I used to be able to see that stuff, and some of it was terrifying. At one point, 17% of Econolines had transmission oil leaks. :Wow1:

I really like www.TrueDelta.com, much better methodology, but after almost 10 years of trying, he's still not getting it off the ground. The big plus to his system is participants are poled every month. So it's less likely that Toyota customers "forget" about their dealer trips as they commonly do.

In the end, vehicles have become so much better. Toyota set a very high standard for quality and all of the competition has stepped up their game. New Land Rovers are twice as good as old Land Rovers for reliability - same for Jeeps.

You're right, the past 10 years, quality has increased a huge amount due to computer aided design, better statistical manufacturing controls (that's how we fixed the Econoline), and a few bankruptcies to kick'em in the butt didn't hurt either.

I think performance and safety have improved more than reliability... reliability of the old dirty bits has improved, but vehicles are so much more complex now that there's more to fail. Just ask BMW.

You've had some pretty good experiences with JK's. It hasn't been what I've seen.

I would like to see you guys get some up around 60,000 miles when things really start happening.

Hard to go wrong anymore on reliability, which allows us to make purchase decisions based more on our needs and taste.

Which is why the D2 should be on the list, because there's no other truck I'd rather spend time behind the wheel of. :victory:

 

[Christian P.]

I picked a Patriot not a Compass Christian - the Patriot is much sexier eepwall:

oops, my mistake. I remember being at the SF car show with Persephone and trying to decide which one was the worst looking...