Top 10 Used Overland Vehicles: Do you agree?

[Scott Brady]

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:

That is certainly fair, and why you would put a DII on the top of your list. I made every attempt to remove personal bias from the list and use my direct experiences and testing. I love my DI to a fault, but didn't make the list

This is owner abuse, not a reliability problem:

 

[reece146]

This is owner abuse, not a reliability problem

No, it's early run 2007 axle housings that were made incorrectly. I forget the details - basically the metallurgy was wrong or something like that. It is not a pervasive issue across all JKs.

 

[Haggis]

Well, I've only had three vehicles that were set up for trips fitting the "overland" designation, if we're just considering North America. So picking the top ten is beyond my ken. The 1st generation Ram gave us a lot of great memories but rust issues, bad trannys and horrible mileage will keep it out of any top ten list. The Tundra has been a great rig and a case could be made for it. My LJ has been great also and works well for just two people on an extended trip. Saying one of them should be on the list would just be me rooting for a rig I owned as I don't have any experience with any of the rigs on Scott's list. Any one of those highlighted by the article could be better than what I own (though you'd have to forcefully succumb my will to put a Patriot or Mercedes in my garage, my ridgerunner ways just abhor them for no good reason.)

Feel free to drop the ten rigs on your list off at my house for awhile so as I can give them an unbiased evaluation and compare and contrast them with my current vehicles. Then I can form a real opinion and not cheerlead for the rigs sitting in my garage. :elkgrin:

 

[Scott Brady]

No, it's early run 2007 axle housings that were made incorrectly. I forget the details - basically the metallurgy was wrong or something like that. It is not a pervasive issue across all JKs.

Good to know. I have never heard of that issue. Fortunately, all of our JKs were 2008 or newer.

 

[Scott Brady]

The Tundra has been a great rig and a case could be made for it.

Agreed, but a bit too big. It will make the full-size/ camper list

 

[deepsouth]

5th gen 4runner

Scott. what is your opinion of the 5th gen 4runner trail edition? How does it stack up against some in your list? I have had all of the generations of 4runners and thinking about the 5th gen trail once my 4th gen has finally had it. I am very pleased thus far with my 2007 4runner

 

[Red Crocs]

May I assume your favorite vehicle that did not make the list is the Trooper!

 

[reece146]

The list is an interesting mix.

If it were mine I'd pull the Patriot and replace with an XJ. I'm daily driving mine, getting 22.x mpg AVERAGE with it on 235s; been driving various XJs for 10 years, they all do this. They are dead reliable. The occasional dumb, cheap-a55 ChryCo thing will appear in the ancillaries like a electric window lifts, stereo, etc. but nothing major. AMC made a better quality XJ - amazing but true.

Driveline and EFI is "bulletproof" in my experience.

I'd never take that E-class anywhere near a gravel road, especially that cheaped out vintage. A Mercedes W123 or W126 on the other hand I'd drive to the ends of the earth.

I'm not sold on that vintage Suzuki. If it was a Samurai I'd agree.

2¢

 

[TangoBlue]

The Tundra has been a great rig and a case could be made for it.

Agreed, but a bit too big. It will make the full-size/ camper list

The Tundra is just a Tacoma on potent steroids so the "'birds" came in second place. :victory:

 

[TangoBlue]

I love talking about vehicle selection, but mostly because people rarely, if ever agree, which makes for an interesting debate and we all learn a little more.

Good article Scott; fair observations. A good number of salient points, too. By the number of responses I'd say mission accomplished.

 

[jeffryscott]

Cool list. Since 1987 I've owned three Suzukis - Samurai, 4-dr Sidekick, and Vitara, not the grand, the more reportedly more reliable 4-cylinder. Also in the mix were a first and third gen 4Runner, Isuzu Rodeo and Trooper, Land Rover Discovery I (as well as two Series IIa 109's) and currently have a 91 FJ80 and an 81 Mercedes 300d, the W123 platform that I would choose over any newer platform for this kind of travel.

So, with that bit of trivia out of the way, I think the choice of vehicle would also largely depend on where one was going. If one wants to travel abroad or ship the vehicle then a Tacoma may not make the list since it is North American only.

I totally agree with having a Zuk on the list - if you don't need tons of room. For one or two people, there is room for all the necessities, and Scott and others here saw what the little Vitara could do. They are little beasts, mini LC100s from my experience.

The 80 though would be my first choice, the 91 and 92's don't have the issues of the HG or pesky heater hose and can be found cheap. You could do all the PM on it, and equip it for an around the world expedition for not much more than just buying a nice 100 series.

 

[jeffryscott]

Forgot to add I would love to see a similar list for travel in Africa or Australia, where they can get the really cool trucks.

 

[Paladin]

No, it's early run 2007 axle housings that were made incorrectly. I forget the details - basically the metallurgy was wrong or something like that. It is not a pervasive issue across all JKs.

Yes, things were bad back then during the "steel shortage". Manufacturers had to take whatever crap the mills were foisting off on us. Carbon content for the batch met spec, but it was "clumped". We found chunks of graphite in some failed tubes.

That is certainly fair, and why you would put a DII on the top of your list. I made every attempt to remove personal bias from the list and use my direct experiences and testing. I love my DI to a fault, but didn't make the list

Ok, now you did ask for opinions right? I find this "Con" of the LC80 is what belongs in the column for the D2. It's almost exactly the same.

Eats head gaskets for dinner, PHHs for desert and axle seals for breakfast

I'd list the D2 like this:

Pros:

1. Classic adventure style and feel
2. Excellent payload and volume
3. Excellent driving quality

Cons:

1. Eats head gaskets for dinner, front driveshafts for desert and unit bearings for breakfast
2. Poor fuel economy
3. Everybody will think you're rich if you can afford to take a Land Rover off-road, how little do they know...

 

[Chazz Layne]

I'd list the D2 like this:

Cons:

2. Poor fuel economy

Unloaded and on the street sure, but as an overlander I have to disagree. When loaded up with water, goods and gear for a week (or more) I've always found I get better gas mileage than most of the other folks I'm out with (in Series 80 Toys, FJCs, etc), often comparable to a Taco under the same load. The Disco just seems to be built for load, and tends to handle the extra weight much better.

 

[Rev]

I was glad to see the Xterra on the list. The only issue is that in 2005 the X was completely redesigned. They look a lot alike but are two very different rigs. Still, both are great.