Looking for Recommendations - Cheap Used AWD/4WD Vehicles

[Redmanss]

I want to poll the Hide mind for some recommendations on a used vehicle. My step-daughter is likely moving out here to Wyoming to take a new job, and she will need something more reliable in the snow and ice than her current Prius. She has two small kids and coming from North Carolina, she is obviously not experienced yet in snow driving, so more wheels turning with good tires will be necessary. I'll teach her the nuances, but she'll still need all the help she can get.

Max budget is around $3k and has to be a 4-door for the kids, so that throws out most Jeep models right off the bat. I don't mind wrenching on something and would give it a front to rear tune-up and testing before handing it over to her for the winter, what I'm looking for is what models/engines/transmissions in the older vehicles are the go-to for durability. Anything I can later turn into a decent off-road vehicle is a big plus. No rush as it's still a few months off of the first snow in the lower elevations.

My first thought is to find a used 2nd gen 5.0L AWD Explorer, I'm admittedly a fan of them and they're easy to wrench on, and they're a dime a dozen with mostly soccer mom work loads in their histories. They're easy to convert to true 4WD, have a solid drive train, and I know how to fix the typical issues seen with them already. But, I'm all open to alternatives some of you may have had over the years, and that's why I'm here asking.

So, what out there would you put your daughter in if you were in the same situation? Any suggestions welcomed.

 

[TheBigCountry]

Used Yota 4Runner. 4x4 with a V6 and plenty of room. Older ones can be had. I had a 92 with rebuilt motor and it would go anywhere and do anything I wanted it to. Sold it for what I bought it for ($3K).

 

[Deleted member 113831]

Nissan has the same reliability reputation and is usually much cheaper than a Toyota of similar mileage and condition. I love my 4 door Frontier but the Xterra is basically the same vehicle in an SUV.

 

[flyer]

A Subaru works well for that but repairs are expensive and become frequent on older cars.

On the one hand, a perfect transition, on the other, it could go bad quickly.

I'm tempted to suggest a rwd beater to teach her skid control instead of 4wd to mask the issue.

 

[ajwcotton]

2000-2007 Tahoe ls motor and reliable drivetrain. They get rusty, but are solid suv's.

 

[Sean the Nailer]

I don't know, but we're still running a '99 F150 4x4 4.6 (auto) Lariat (suicide doors) and I know it ain't the best truck on the road but it has been FANTASTIC for what we do.

Biggest thing, is to run All Seasons in the summer, and Winter Tires in the winter. Teach her to drive in 2 wheel drive only, and use 4 wheel drive to get out of 'stuckness'. That in itself will prevent the vast majority of issues.

In a bad snowstorm/blizzard, she could drive a moderatly short distance in 4x4, but she HAS to know that when she gets stuck driving like that, she's gonna need a wrecker to get her out. With the former, also stress the 'slowly' part. These vehicles ain't magical. But parts are everywhere, and we've had to replace hardly anything on ours.

Body rust is our biggest issue with a vehicle this old. Mechanical components though,,,, are still in 'better than excellent' shape, considering the age. I've a lot of good to say about this era of Ford's, compared to other eras and other models.

Hope that helps.

 

[Bender]

Cheap Jeep! Cherokee!!! I get 17mpg at 80mph with a 3” lift! A nice low mileage one is $5k? I found mine for $3500 on Craigslist and talked him down to $2600.

 

[Bender]

Oh yeah, it holds 5 with 4 doors

 

[Maggot]

Used Yota 4Runner. 4x4 with a V6 and plenty of room. Older ones can be had. I had a 92 with rebuilt motor and it would go anywhere and do anything I wanted it to. Sold it for what I bought it for ($3K).

Toyota.

I dont know about the V6 but I had an 87 with the 22R engine that went 375 K and started everytime I turned the key in all those miles.

Avoid the Jeeps, repair history is abysmal, as is mileage.

Before I buy any used (or new) vehicle I always consult Consumer's Reports. Theyre unbiased and give you a good feel for reliability.

 

[Redmanss]

Thanks thus far for the suggestions gents. I'm a big Toyota fan as well, damn things are tough and aftermarket kits are plentiful, but I thought they might be outside the price range. Looks like if I search around enough, I might just find one. Thanks @ajv35XX for the PM, I'll bookmark that one if this becomes a "go".

She wants to eventually get a Subaru like her mom has, just needs to get established in her career first as she's newly graduated with her Masters. I love the little Crosstrek, the thing loves playing in the snow, but she isn't pulling off a $30k car until the student loans get paid down a bit. My recommendation to her was to use her paid off but ten year old Prius for fair weather, and I would find her something for the nasty months so this would see about 4 months of in town usage at most. As for the used Subarus, I'm hearing the same that they're pricy to work on when they get long in the tooth, although they're also reliable as hell so that might not be as necessary as some of the others. If anyone knows otherwise, would love to hear about it.

Tahoe, probably too big for her taste. We loaned her an '04 Explorer last year with the 3rd row seat and she didn't like driving it. Annoys me a bit, but that just means a skinnier trail rig for later is all, never a bad thing. The second gen (95-01) were a lot skinnier than third gen, better engines too, I'm not a fan of the 4.6L from fighting that engine on my ex's Expedition.

I'm of course one who only switches into 4x4 to get out of a stuck situation and will teach her the same, the transfer case will be more for her and her mother's peace of mind than anything I hope. Roads in the small towns don't get scraped all that well here if they aren't heavily traveled, even the main highway through town was fully covered with 3"+ of packed snow and ice for two months this past winter, hence the want for something a bit more.

 

[1J04]

A Subaru works well for that but repairs are expensive and become frequent on older cars.

On the one hand, a perfect transition, on the other, it could go bad quickly.

I'm tempted to suggest a rwd beater to teach her skid control instead of 4wd to mask the issue.

My first thought right off the bat. Subaru. All rigs have down sides, but I've got friends with Subaru's and I'd own one in a hot minute if I needed a soccer mom rig.

 

[Maggot]

Thanks thus far for the suggestions gents. I'm a big Toyota fan as well, damn things are tough and aftermarket kits are plentiful, but I thought they might be outside the price range. Looks like if I search around enough, I might just find one. Thanks @ajv35XX for the PM, I'll bookmark that one if this becomes a "go".

She wants to eventually get a Subaru like her mom has, just needs to get established in her career first as she's newly graduated with her Masters. I love the little Crosstrek, the thing loves playing in the snow, but she isn't pulling off a $30k car until the student loans get paid down a bit. My recommendation to her was to use her paid off but ten year old Prius for fair weather, and I would find her something for the nasty months so this would see about 4 months of in town usage at most. As for the used Subarus, I'm hearing the same that they're pricy to work on when they get long in the tooth, although they're also reliable as hell so that might not be as necessary as some of the others. If anyone knows otherwise, would love to hear about it.

Tahoe, probably too big for her taste. We loaned her an '04 Explorer last year with the 3rd row seat and she didn't like driving it. Annoys me a bit, but that just means a skinnier trail rig for later is all, never a bad thing. The second gen (95-01) were a lot skinnier than third gen, better engines too, I'm not a fan of the 4.6L from fighting that engine on my ex's Expedition.

I'm of course one who only switches into 4x4 to get out of a stuck situation and will teach her the same, the transfer case will be more for her and her mother's peace of mind than anything I hope. Roads in the small towns don't get scraped all that well here if they aren't heavily traveled, even the main highway through town was fully covered with 3"+ of packed snow and ice for two months this past winter, hence the want for something a bit more.

Check out Ebay motors if you havent already. YOu can set search for type, and distance from you.

 

[Deleted member 113831]

I thought only lesbians drove Subarus, seems like the current trend in Bellingham, WA.

 

[supercorndogs]

A Subaru works well for that but repairs are expensive and become frequent on older cars.

On the one hand, a perfect transition, on the other, it could go bad quickly.

I'm tempted to suggest a rwd beater to teach her skid control instead of 4wd to mask the issue.

This was the conclusion I came to. I bought a 2002 Subaru outback LL bean with blown head gasket for cheap, and put a used engine in it. The subaru seems like a decent choice, but I would choose the 4cyl if I did it again. And I will probably sell this one for profit and do it again. I have the H6 the power isn't worth the milage loss. If you are looking at 1996-2004 subarus H4 or H6 engine. Make sure the head gaskets and timing chain have been replaced recently. It is a really easy car to get the engine out of.

 

[1J04]

I thought only lesbians drove Subarus, seems like the current trend in Bellingham, WA.

That may be true up there, but down here in Men's Country a few friends have'm for their Wive's and they seem to be very reliable. They gettem dirty in the boonies as well.

 

[Redmanss]

I'm not scouting specific vehicles as of yet, not buying for probably a month or two at least, I'm more here to find out what to look for as I narrow down the field. Basically, wanting to avoid money pits. The Ford Explorer 4.0L SOHC is a perfect example, well known for timing issues, as well as the 4.0 OHV is known for cracking heads.

That may be true up there, but down here in Men's Country a few friends have'm for their Wive's and they seem to be very reliable. They gettem dirty in the boonies as well.

Yep, know a guy who took his way back in the Hills elk hunting, bagged a big bull, quartered it, loaded in the roof rack, and drove home. Subarus are only for lesbians if an Indigo Girls CD is stuck in the head unit or if it's the Birkenstock trim edition.

 

[flyer]

My sister mover to Pittsburgh for a few years and I pointed her to a new Subaru because she's a spazz behind the wheel and needs all the help she can get. It worked well for about 8-9 years, then the water pump went and it was going to cost $$ so she traded it in on a Toyota RAV4 (pretty nice).

The wife of a friend drives a Subaru and loves it but my friend is in charge of the maintenance and he hates it. It's a PZEV or something, the catalytic converters have crapped out twice and the clutch went out once. He's not a fan of the reliability.

To me, those examples seem less than stellar.

Oh, my sister's 2.5 liter (I think) non-turbo never got particularly good gas mileage either.

In theory they are great, in practice, not so much.

Lastly, I've heard great things about Honda Pilots for snow vehicles but probably not budget friendly.

 

[Redmanss]

PZEVs have a horrible record on the cats, they try to make them do too much and the heat just kills them, hence why they offer a 150k warranty on emissions systems. Being in Wyoming, I could give two shits about emissions here because we don't have that silly shit. Clutches, well, it's hard enough to find a female driven manual transmission that doesn't have a glazed over clutch. Noted and appreciated though, certainly won't be going manual on this one since it's also for a young lady.

I really don't care to go Subaru on this one though if I can avoid it, I'm probably going to buy it and loan it to her for the winters until she gets fully settled, like I said earlier if I can later make it a good trail vehicle, that would be awesome. What man doesn't need another mountain and desert beater, right? The AWD versions would just be waiting to have a proper transfer case swapped in if at all possible.

So, old 6cyl 4Runner, 5.0 Explorer, Cherokee (look it over hard). Any other suggestions?

 

[MarinePMI]

Another vote for a cheap Subaru. My buddy in MT swears by them. His girlfriend had a Legacy (4 door sedan), and he was so impressed with how it handled the snow, he went out and found a used one for himself. I think of Subaru's as the Chevy Chevettes of Land Rovers; all wheel drive, decent engine and creature comforts, just at a lower build quality (and associated price point).

 

[flyer]

My friend's wife is European and probably never saw an automatic transmission before she came to the US. Her clutch was not glazed, just worn out.

Point taken on the PZEV in states without emissions checks but the computer won't like it if you're driving on dead cats.

Again, Subarus are nice until they crap out but they do crap out.

 

[Snipe260]

There's a damn steal I saw yesterday here in alabama ! Mercedes 450 all wheel drive! 87000 miles. Looks brand new in and out. 20,500

 

[Bender]

https://fortcollins.craigslist.org/cto/d/2000-jeep-cherokee-sport-4wd/6639025408.html

 

[Redmanss]

There's a damn steal I saw yesterday here in alabama ! Mercedes 450 all wheel drive! 87000 miles. Looks brand new in and out. 20,500

Haha, if I had $20K of vehicle money, I'd buy a old $2k Explorer, drop a grand into synthetic fluids and good tires, and then swing down to Mile High to pick up an AXMC with some NF glass and a couple barrels. Thanks though, that would be a neat car, just not for me.

The only thing German I want is a Fortner actioned Annie and a pretzel, because ours are knotted up turds compared to Bavaria's. Damn I'm hungry...

 

[Geno C.]

I'll vote Cherokee also. I had one for a few years in college and it was a solid piece. Mileage in the high teens and surprisingly comfortable for a 6'2" 200lbs guy. Took it all over the country on hunting trips in the winter. Handled the snowy roads awesome with a set of duratrac tires and the mud was no problem either. Not too tall or short to get in

 

[THEIS]

Hi,

OT but @Redmanss
Here you go... https://www.bavariasausage.com/prod...Laugen-Bavarian-Pretzels-IMPORTED-FROM-MUNICH

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[Geno C.]

https://fortcollins.craigslist.org/cto/d/2000-jeep-cherokee-sport-4wd/6639025408.html

You're on the right track but he's asked for 4 doors

 

[Bender]

Haha, if I had $20K of vehicle money, I'd buy a old $2k Explorer, drop a grand into synthetic fluids and good tires, and then swing down to Mile High to pick up an AXMC with some NF glass and a couple barrels. Thanks though, that would be a neat car, just not for me.

The only thing German I want is a Fortner actioned Annie and a pretzel, because ours are knotted up turds compared to Bavaria's. Damn I'm hungry...

A Korth .357 would work too.....

 

[Redmanss]

On the Cherokees, are there certain drivetrain combos to look for? Say mid 90s to mid 2000s age bracket for best pricing. I know the D35 rear axles on the Wranglers are shitty, any way for a D44 in a Cherokee?

 

[RNWRKNP]

+1 for Subaru. Light, reliable and just gets it done in nasty shit.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

I have an Xterra for a gun truck. Dependability plenty of power and gets 15 MPG . I had an old Cherokee that was a hunting truck. Same thing but simpler design and better mileage. Both were part time 4WD. I would also consider an older model Chevy/GMC 2WD truck with a G80 positrac rear end. SUV or pickup. Hell, I thought you was in Virginia.

 

[Marinevet1]

Good is never cheap, cheap is never good......

 

[natdscott]

Subaru Forester, Outback, or AWD/4WD Toyota. The trouble is that used Highlanders and 4Runners hold value a LONG time. So do Subies, but they didn't START as high...

 

[Redmanss]

I have an Xterra for a gun truck. Dependability plenty of power and gets 15 MPG . I had an old Cherokee that was a hunting truck. Same thing but simpler design and better mileage. Both were part time 4WD. I would also consider an older model Chevy/GMC 2WD truck with a G80 positrac rear end. SUV or pickup. Hell, I thought you was in Virginia.

Got the opportunity to finally get out of the east for good and we took it. Getting the rest of the family out here one at a time too, this will be the first.

Good is never cheap, cheap is never good......

Absolutely agree, just looking for the bargains here where we can make the dollar stretch the furthest.

Efficiency is appreciated, but not a concern so much in this case and I'll take horsepower over fuel mileage provided it's an engine known for it's longevity. It will never be a commuter vehicle beyond 5 miles around town, but will get played with in the Black Hills and Bighorns for certain. I guarantee if it doesn't come with 4.10 or shorter gears, it will get them before long.

 

[Maggot]

Haha, if I had $20K of vehicle money, I'd buy a old $2k Explorer, drop a grand into synthetic fluids and good tires, and then swing down to Mile High to pick up an AXMC with some NF glass and a couple barrels. Thanks though, that would be a neat car, just not for me.

The only thing German I want is a Fortner actioned Annie and a pretzel, because ours are knotted up turds compared to Bavaria's. Damn I'm hungry...

Youre right on that one. I had a MB diesel. Great car...42 mpg, 0=60 in about 6.5 seconds, stop on a dime and give you 9cents change, and handled really well even in snow. Now, as Paul Harvey says...the rest of the story.

-Windshield...$800 because of the rain sensors.
-Injector....$1150
-Chip to control the injectors...$850
-Fuel filter (its in the tank) $500
-Engine mount (must be done in pairs) $450

If youre independently wealthy their wonderful, if not, Toyota!

But Red, you forgot Heidi:

 

[Redmanss]

Second award divorced, I'll take the other guys' word for it and be tired of her shit right off the bat.

I would love a Toyota, as mentioned earlier they're harder to find a deal on. I'll definitely be in the hunt for one though.

 

[Bender]

On the Cherokees, are there certain drivetrain combos to look for? Say mid 90s to mid 2000s age bracket for best pricing. I know the D35 rear axles on the Wranglers are shitty, any way for a D44 in a Cherokee?

The only time the axels are a problem are when they put 33”s or bigger on factory stuff. If you keep it 31”s or less. They will last forever. 97’ to 2000’ have the OBDII port and newer fuel injection type. They are built like tractors. The 4.0 will do 400k easy if you just change the oil. Super easy to work on. Thermostat change is 5 mins if you are slow. No lie. The 4.0 i6 is absolutely bulletproof. I can do 80 in Wyoming winds with 31/10-50’s and get good mileage. It has the same basic running gear as the Wrangler, but longer wheelbase is more stable at speed. They are done depreciating, as they are no longer made in this body style they will only increase in value, but will never be a collector status because of how many millions they made. I think they are the bargain of the century. The automatic is bulletproof, I would prefer a manual but that’s just me. The manuals are much more rare. And the automatic actually has better reliability than the manual.

 

[Geno C.]

On the Cherokees, are there certain drivetrain combos to look for? Say mid 90s to mid 2000s age bracket for best pricing. I know the D35 rear axles on the Wranglers are shitty, any way for a D44 in a Cherokee?

I don't really know which ones to avoid. Mine was a 94, buddies had a 92 and 96 all were good to us

 

[Bender]

Oh.... huuuge aftermarket. Sky is the limit if you want to slowly piece together a super Jeep....(my plan)

 

[Clearlight]

I don’t know if it made it to USA , but the 2.8 diesel 4 door Toyota Hilux LN106 model is the cockroach
of the automotive world . Here in Aus , they are very common in remote areas due to their epic
reliability , low cost and great off-road ability . They are rather low powered and slow , so very good
for a younger inexperienced driver . There’s a conversion kits availiable here to drop in a few different
motors too , like the Buick V6 or a small block Chev . I’ll find a pic and post .

 

[Clearlight]

One of 100s for sale over here , this one with 150k miles is around $ 2000 USD .

 

[dmg308]

Consider a 2000 to 2002 Isuzu rodeo. You can get one in real good shape for under 3 k. Amazing value I picked one up awhile back as an around town and shooting vehicle. They are very reliable and parts are very inexpensive. There's a lot of cross sharing with gm and Isuzu.

 

[powdahound76]

But what $ to import one to the US? A small fortune I am guessing.
Plus, would it be like the euro model diesel cars that are tough to import because O’Bummer allowed dumb rules?

A diesel Toyota Hi-lux would be an ultimate hunting truck IMAO.

 

[timesublime]

Sky is the limit if you want to slowly piece together a super Jeep....(my plan)

Dem cracked windshields from flex do...!

 

[Redmanss]

I would absolutely LOVE to have a diesel Hilux, but Toyota will never put one in the US.

 

[Pritch]

picked up an old 1986 toyota land cruiser for 1000 bucks AUS dumped 2 k in to get the road worthy ppl to go away it had 300,000 odd on the clock and had a rebuild around the 250,000 km mark been an epic vehicle and not weighed down with electronic's, 6 cylinder 2h motor could dump a chev motor in the bay if i wanted to go from diesel to petrol, its old but it works more of a tractor than a road vehicle, u gotta try to get stuck

 

[Bender]

Cummins makes an all in one turbo diesel crate motor (repower) for jeep. Bolts right up. Has its own computer and 4” display/Engine data/management for on your dash. At $9k it’s steep... but waaaay cheaper than hilux import for a worn out motor.

 

[Clearlight]

^^ Cummins diesel conversions are catching on here in Aus . Over $ 15k in local money , but for
the really serious guys , rebuilding something like an 80 series Landcruiser for long term use , is
a great option . For guys doing big distance and very bad conditions in the outback , a rebuilt
customised 80 series is often the better option . The new 200 series is a great vehicle , but over
$ 100 k in Aus . Easy to add $ 20 K to that in accessories . A fully rebuilt 80 series with a Cummins ,
air Lockers and a bunch of fruit can be done for $ 30 k .

 

[Tucker301]

The older Ford Escapes / Mazda Tributes that were AWD might be worth a look.
We had a 2001 Escape and it was a decent vehicle.

 

[Tucker301]

Another bargain niche would the 2004 and up Saturn VUE in 6 cylinder. Engine and transmission were from Honda.

 

[supercorndogs]

Oh.... huuuge aftermarket. Sky is the limit if you want to slowly piece together a super Jeep....(my plan)

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For a chreeokee to customize do some research. I used to be able to tell you what years you wanted but I do not remember anymore. there were couple years that dana 44 axles front and rear. Those are the ones you want if a lift kit and big tires are in its future. The dana 44s hold up well vs 35" tires. The dana 30s not so much.