Help choosing the right vehicle

[Overwatch21]

I'm in the market looking at several vehicles. I need/want it for hauling things now and then for different house projects and off-roading/overlanding.

So far I've narrowed it down to the following vehicles:

4Runner TRD Off-Road
Colorado ZR2
Ford Ranger FX-4/Tremor
Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

The Jeep lacks the hauling ability, excels off-road. Reliability is questionable. All are great in their own way.

 

[CountryboyNC]

If you are just going to use it for housing projects, I would go with one of the trucks. You didn’t really mention if there are going to be any other uses, people riding, pets etc.

I would figure out what your going to be doing with it most of the time and how much interior space you need and narrow it down from there.

 

[Herbie]

Not sure why you'd say the Jeep has questionable reliability, but I agree that if this is a multi-use vehicle including home improvement, a van or truck that can handle 4x8 sheets is mighty hard to beat.

 

[Todd n Natalie]

Agree with previous comments. Curious why the Colorado and Ranger made the list but not the Tacoma or Frontier?

 

[Overwatch21]

Thanks for the replies.

I did own a Frontier and loved it. The latest gen Tacoma i wasn't impressed with the engine/transmission combo. I need to drive it again though because I believe they improved the programing of the automatic transmission.

I love Jeeps, but I've always read they were not reliable. However, a lot of that could be due to how they are used, in which case you would expect things to break over time due to the usage.

The Colorado ZR2 is a nice truck but that 8 speed automatic shudder concerns me. Some say it was fixed, others say it hasn't been fixed yet.

4 Door Rubicon is tempting too. Drove a 4Runner this week and liked it as well.

 

[calicamper]

Having a place to keep a 4x6 trailer opens up lots of vehicle options. I like hauling crap in my trailer vs screwing up my vehicle.
I think passenger seating needs are going to be a bigger factor if thats a need. Long road trips taken regularly? Etc?
Which case none of those vehicles would have likely made my list.

 

[spectre6000]

If you have any intention of hauling anything dirty/gross/dusty/etc. you want to focus on the trucks. If you want to really go off road, you're looking at either the Jeep or the Colorado. Jeep reliability is much better than it used to be, no question about that. The Diamler merger was a disaster for both companies. The Fiat merger was great for Chrysler at least (hard to say the same about Fiat from a US perspective since they weren't really here before then, though entry into the US market may be plenty from their perspective). My wife's 2016 Rubicon has had a few warranty repairs (transmission and cooling system), but has been otherwise pretty easy to live with. No complaints. The Colorado transmission issue was been rectified a few years back. The issues appears to have been the fluid taking up water causing lubricity issues; the old trucks get a flush (if performed properly, problem is supposed to be solved), and the new trucks start out with the new fluid. It can all be avoided with the diesel, and you get the advantage of a much better truck engine.

 

[Overwatch21]

Having a place to keep a 4x6 trailer opens up lots of vehicle options. I like hauling crap in my trailer vs screwing up my vehicle.
I think passenger seating needs are going to be a bigger factor if thats a need. Long road trips taken regularly? Etc?
Which case none of those vehicles would have likely made my list.

Good point. There are 4 members in the family. While the mid size are small, they can navigate trails better than the full size. I was looking at the Ram Rebil/F-150 Tremor. Both are nice but a bit too big ideally.

 

[Overwatch21]

If you have any intention of hauling anything dirty/gross/dusty/etc. you want to focus on the trucks. If you want to really go off road, you're looking at either the Jeep or the Colorado. Jeep reliability is much better than it used to be, no question about that. The Diamler merger was a disaster for both companies. The Fiat merger was great for Chrysler at least (hard to say the same about Fiat from a US perspective since they weren't really here before then, though entry into the US market may be plenty from their perspective). My wife's 2016 Rubicon has had a few warranty repairs (transmission and cooling system), but has been otherwise pretty easy to live with. No complaints. The Colorado transmission issue was been rectified a few years back. The issues appears to have been the fluid taking up water causing lubricity issues; the old trucks get a flush (if performed properly, problem is supposed to be solved), and the new trucks start out with the new fluid. It can all be avoided with the diesel, and you get the advantage of a much better truck engine.

Thanks, I was wondering how the quality was with FCA. My friend bought a Ram and loves it. The ZR2 so far seems most ideal. Those front lockers are nice to have.

 

[calicamper]

Good point. There are 4 members in the family. While the mid size are small, they can navigate trails better than the full size. I was looking at the Ram Rebil/F-150 Tremor. Both are nice but a bit too big ideally.

Kids get bigger just a warning. I typically keep vehicles a long time but out growing a costly vehicle before its time to replace it sucks..

My Outback was far superior in seating room than all the vehicles on your list, we out grew it lol. Mainly load capacity as space was pretty decent but yeah space vs trips it was too small.

yep compromises but seating space is a compromise that gets really old really fast especially if you do more than just local trips and aren’t the type that flys to every vacation.

 

[Todd n Natalie]

Kids get bigger just a warning. I typically keep vehicles a long time but out growing a costly vehicle before its time to replace it sucks..

My Outback was far superior in seating room than all the vehicles on your list, we out grew it lol. Mainly load capacity as space was pretty decent but yeah space vs trips it was too small.

yep compromises but seating space is a compromise that gets really old really fast especially if you do more than just local trips and aren’t the type that flys to every vacation.

Yep! If the kids are still young, personally I wouldn't even consider a midsize. Unless you love having the back of your seat kicked / knee'd. Repeatedly. For hours on end.

I'm getting to the other side where if I can, I might downsize when I replace this current truck in a year or since the kids are getting older.

 

[Overwatch21]

Valid point, one I should probably consider. I'm being a bit selfish I must admit lol.

In the full size world, I'm liking the Rebel and F-150 Tremor. FX-4 package from Ford seems mediocre at best these days.

 

[calicamper]

Valid point, one I should probably consider. I'm being a bit selfish I must admit lol.

In the full size world, I'm liking the Rebel and F-150 Tremor. FX-4 package from Ford seems mediocre at best these days.

The tremor is interesting for sure. I replaced my last Toyota “first gen Sequoia” With a 19 Expedition fully loaded zero regrets very nice machine. It beats the Subaru on trip mileage with the 4x6 in tow. It completely crushes the Sequoia on range, mileage, load capacity and even has a rear locker which was what stopped the yota in its tracks every time?
I did a 2 for one swap. Outback and Sequoia for the Expedition totally the right call. The expedition also goes into San Francisco occasionally these new 150/1500 trucks turn tight get 360 cameras size hasn’t been a problem

 

[Overwatch21]

The tremor is interesting for sure. I replaced my last Toyota “first gen Sequoia” With a 19 Expedition fully loaded zero regrets very nice machine. It beats the Subaru on trip mileage with the 4x6 in tow. It completely crushes the Sequoia on range, mileage, load capacity and even has a rear locker which was what stopped the yota in its tracks every time?

Nice! Both the Ranger Tremor and F-150 Tremor looks good IMO.

 

[Todd n Natalie]

Valid point, one I should probably consider. I'm being a bit selfish I must admit lol.

In the full size world, I'm liking the Rebel and F-150 Tremor. FX-4 package from Ford seems mediocre at best these days.

How old are the kids? Still at the age they are growing? If not and they are not tall, maybe they could fit in the back of a mid size truck?

That being said I think my seat was still getting kicked / knee'd when we had a 2009 Suburban. However, I think the current F150's and Rams have more legroom.

Go look at one, get the front seat comfortable for you then have them jump in the back and see?