Trooper, Montero, and what else?

[jmeb]

Seeking a new rig for Western US adventures and hopefully Alaska and Mexico trip in the next 5 years. I'm wondering if there other vehicles ya'll might suggest adding to my search list.

Typical usage: My weekend and adventure rig. Carry 4 people to the ski hill. Drive up a lot of Forest Service roads easily. Not be too much of a handful on the highway. Ability to tackle mild to moderate off road trails -- to get places, not to challenge my driving / vehicle (i.e. overlanding, not rock crawling.) Sleep 2 on a platform in back with at least a bit of head space. I hope to put 7-9K per year on this vehicle and own it for ~7 years with relatively minimal "big" repairs.

Based on this and my price range I've currently narrowed my search to two vehicles: a Gen 3 Mitsu Montero and a Gen 2 Isuzu Trooper (or its brother the Acura SLX.)

Rationale:

- Can be found with ~100K and clean shape for 5-8K.
- Off-road ready. Should only need good ATs and maybe an OME coil / shock set. (No plans on lots of armor / bumpers / winches / RTT / etc. )
- Seat 5 (or 7) without much trouble.
- Big cargo area for sleeping platform. Both long enough for a platform and tall enough for headroom above and cargo below.
- Reliable if well maintained.
- Build quality.
- Reasonable MPG (17-20 on the highway).

Besides the veritable Land Cruiser (which doesn't meet the price or MPG points), are there other platforms I'm over looking?

Things I've though about and have currently discarded (but could be convinced otherwise with good reasons.)

- Chevy Astro AWD. Why not? I'm currently dealing with my old one which has many failing systems (gaskets, power steering, electrical, suspension) with 170K, whose upkeep is way too much for the quality, capability and value of the vehicle.
- Isuzu Rodeo / Honda Passport. Why not? Cargo area / sleeping platform size. Way less headroom than Trooper/Montero. Prs: price and maintenance costs.
- Nissan Pathfinder. Why not? Same cargo area size difficulties as Rodeo/Passport. Pros: Probably off-road capable enough. Good parts availability and service.
- Jeep XJ / WJ. Why not? XJ is tight on space. WJ may work but am having difficulty locating good measurements. Pros: 4.0 reliability, huge aftermarket, reasonabl price.
- Toyota 4Runner. Why not? Price mostly. In my market a Trooper / Montero will have 1/2 the miles for the same price. Space is more limited but workable. Pros: Parts availability, reliability.
- Various trucks (Tacoma, S10, Ranger, Frontier). Why not? No cab-access to sleeping area, only seats 2 in most configurations. Hold their value very well in local market.

Things I've excluded irrationally but should perhaps consider:

- Subarus. I live in Colorado and there are just too damn many of the things.
- Domestic SUVs (Tahoe / Explorer / Suburban / etc.): Boring to the nth degree...but maybe they deserve more thought since they are a dime a dozen, cheap to buy and cheap parts.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Sounds like you already figured it out, Montero it is!

 

[Hondaslayer]

Forest service roads, easy on the highway - Subaru

2 people sleeping inside? Yeah, gonna be tight. Outback, maybe.

 

[AdventureHare]

WJ is not long enough to sleep in. The XK Commander would be, although MPG might be difficult to reach. Tahoe is hard to ignore. The Kia Sorento might work but no idea how much space is in the back. Is there something that's preventing you from pulling the trigger on a trooper or Montero? If they meet your needs, why not?

 

[SaltStainedEyes]

I've always been a Toyota guy, until I got a gen 2.5 montero, there's crazy deals out there for Mitsu's of you're patient. Find one with rear locker, throw on some 33's(they fit stock) and it'll go just about anywhere and get 18-20 mpg's. Huge interior space, seating for 7, the shift on the fly 4x4 is great for driving to the slopes, cheap parts, buttwarmers, etc.

 

[Viggen]

Ford Explorer. They are cheap, everywhere, V8 or V6, every junkyard in the country has spares. To discount it is foolhardy.

 

[4D55 Performance]

I have owned several Troopers and Monteros over the years and my favorite was the 1998-2000 Montero. It was a great vehicle, handled great on the road and performed well in the dirt. I like the 1998-2000 Monteros much better than the gen III because the feel more solid to me.

 

[4x4junkie]

Ford Explorer. They are cheap, everywhere, V8 or V6, every junkyard in the country has spares. To discount it is foolhardy.

Agreed.

The 1st-gens ('91-'94) are my favorite... They are extremely capable, and much more durable than say, the XJ (far more rigid body structure, has a frame under it, stronger axles, etc.). One possible area of concern might be the marginal factory auto trans cooling (which has resulted in the trans itself getting a rap that it probably doesn't deserve). Put an external auxiliary cooler on it and it should be good to go (or just get the stickshift).

2nd-gens ('95-'01) are quite decent too, though having lost the venerable TTB front suspension for a more traditional A-arm IFS hurts their offroad capability/durability somewhat. V8 models didn't have a two-speed transfer case from the factory, however the t-case from a F-150 (BW4406, I think?) is a common swap on these. The SOHC V6 for '97-'01 is known for camshaft chain tensioner issues (the OHV V6 however is solid). Same dealio with the AT cooling as for 1st-gens. Air bags also arrived for 2nd-gens.

3rd & 4th-gen (2002-2010) adds IRS and a bit more width, and removed the 2-door option. Still fairly capable offroad (V6 ones have a two-speed t-case, and the F-150 case swap on V8s is still applicable), but unless there's something special you find you like about these, there are better choices if offroad capability is paramount.

 

[jmeb]

Thanks for the thoughts all, individual replies below...

Forest service roads, easy on the highway - Subaru

2 people sleeping inside? Yeah, gonna be tight. Outback, maybe.

Yeah, Subaru always comes up. Sleeping is the difficulty. Great MPG. My local market (Front Range) means lots available but also very high resale.

WJ is not long enough to sleep in. The XK Commander would be, although MPG might be difficult to reach. Tahoe is hard to ignore. The Kia Sorento might work but no idea how much space is in the back. Is there something that's preventing you from pulling the trigger on a trooper or Montero? If they meet your needs, why not?

Re:WJ -- I was basing sleeping ability on http://www.xxxpedition.com/ and their posts here which has them in it.

Tahoe/Kia Sorento are options. I've discounted the former due to aesthetics and preferring the build quality I've felt sitting in Mitsu/Toyota/Isuzu vs my current GMC.

Nothing stopping me pulling the trigger, just finding the right one.

I've always been a Toyota guy, until I got a gen 2.5 montero, there's crazy deals out there for Mitsu's of you're patient. Find one with rear locker, throw on some 33's(they fit stock) and it'll go just about anywhere and get 18-20 mpg's. Huge interior space, seating for 7, the shift on the fly 4x4 is great for driving to the slopes, cheap parts, buttwarmers, etc.

These qualities are exactly why I think Montero is my main preference right now. Still-extant dealer network, massive interior space (esp after I remove the third row and use the storage compartment for gear etc. Best MPG in the class.

Ford Explorer. They are cheap, everywhere, V8 or V6, every junkyard in the country has spares. To discount it is foolhardy.

I don't like that you're right, but you're probably right. Need to get some measurements to make sure I'll fit.

I have owned several Troopers and Monteros over the years and my favorite was the 1998-2000 Montero. It was a great vehicle, handled great on the road and performed well in the dirt. I like the 1998-2000 Monteros much better than the gen III because the feel more solid to me.

Good to know. I've been mostly restricting my search to more recent ones for longevity / mileage sake.

Agreed.

The 1st-gens ('91-'94) are my favorite... They are extremely capable, and much more durable than say, the XJ (far more rigid body structure, has a frame under it, stronger axles, etc.). One possible area of concern might be the marginal factory auto trans cooling (which has resulted in the trans itself getting a rap that it probably doesn't deserve). Put an external auxiliary cooler on it and it should be good to go (or just get the stickshift).

2nd-gens ('95-'01) are quite decent too, though having lost the venerable TTB front suspension for a more traditional A-arm IFS hurts their offroad capability/durability somewhat. V8 models didn't have a two-speed transfer case from the factory, however the t-case from a F-150 (BW4406, I think?) is a common swap on these. The SOHC V6 for '97-'01 is known for camshaft chain tensioner issues (the OHV V6 however is solid). Same dealio with the AT cooling as for 1st-gens. Air bags also arrived for 2nd-gens.

3rd & 4th-gen (2002-2010) adds IRS and a bit more width, and removed the 2-door option. Still fairly capable offroad (V6 ones have a two-speed t-case, and the F-150 case swap on V8s is still applicable), but unless there's something special you find you like about these, there are better choices if offroad capability is paramount.

Good beta, thanks. I haven't spent much time researching Ford options.

 

[Viggen]

I don't like that you're right, but you're probably right. Need to get some measurements to make sure I'll fit

I am 6'4 (35" inseam) and have had a first, second, and third gen Explorer. I fit comfortably in every single one. I fit more comfortably inside then than any of the contemporary unibody Jeeps you are considering.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

The poster 4D55 above is 6'8" and fits in the Montero just fine, he is part of why I ended up getting a Montero 2 years ago.

 

[4D55 Performance]

The poster 4D55 above is 6'8" and fits in the Montero just fine, he is part of why I ended up getting a Montero 2 years ago.

That I am, 6' 8" 360lbs, and I fit with ease in my 1989 Isuzu Trooper as I did in the Monteros and my GWagon. Personally I think you can't go wrong with most Troopers or most Monteros. As in all thing there are some models that should be avoided like the Troopers with the 2.8 GM engine. Some Troopers and Monteros are less desirable but they are good for the most part. Just drive as many examples as possible and you will get a feel for what you like. As for the Ford Exploders, I have never driven or owned one so I have no opinion other than I like to call them Exploders.

This is what I am currently rocking and it fits the bill nicely for now. It's not what you drive, it's what you do with it.

This was a pretty well put together Gen II.5 by a member here on the forum. This is a very well thought out build.

 

[Jelorian]

That Gen2.5 is a beauty. I would love to build one like it. The Gen2.5's are hard to come by nowadays. I'll just have to be patient and keep looking....or settle for Gen3.

 

[Michael Brown]

That Gen2.5 is a beauty. I would love to build one like it. The Gen2.5's are hard to come by nowadays. I'll just have to be patient and keep looking....or settle for Gen3.

I like the look of the 2.5, but I don't think it is settling to buy a Gen 3.

 

[BigSwede]

A mid-90s Trooper with a manual transmission is one of the best values out there - they can be had dirt cheap and are very rugged, reliable, cheap to lift, ridiculously easy to fit 33s, and very spacious inside.