New DD Direction 4X4

DropTopPony · Sep 3, 2009

I have been semi looking for a DD and was thinking a 4.6 Tbird or maybe a Crown Vic etc but lately i'm starting to take interest in a Lifted 4X4. Maybe a Ranger or Wrangler. what i'd really like is a late 80's Jeep Grand Wagoneer with a lift and 33's but they get like 9mpg avg and i might need a little better.

What do you think i should look for?

MustangChris · Sep 3, 2009

9mpg 4x4 +n2o

duff daddy · Sep 3, 2009

dear god no wagoneer, get a yj if you must or pick up a late 90's tJ

BlkoutGT · Sep 3, 2009

You can look for a ranger, they are cheap (depending on year of preference), and the forums comunity is freaking huge, Im on 3 ranger forums as well. There probably a huge forum base for jeeps too (Just havnt looked) and like nothing for GM products. I swear those chevy guys dont like to talk to each other or somthing.lol. You can fit 33s on a ranger with just a 3 inch body lift. (like 99-04, probably other years too, just dont know for sure)

MustangChris · Sep 3, 2009

honda... 4.6 swap

Crone · Sep 3, 2009

Rangers area great cheap little dependable trucks. My friend has an 88 with 31's I think it is. It's 2.9 v6 and 5 spd. He gets like 20 mpg, and it's not bad on a trail either. It even has a stick shift transfer case. Pretty decent truck for the money. Jeeps are great too. the yj's are probaly the cheapest out of the wrangleers. They have front and rear solid axle and leaf springs so it's pretty simple to work on. I wish I could afford a truck and the mustang at the same time. Nothing like going out finding new trails and land to wheel.

Petek · Sep 3, 2009

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v411/Supra_Pete/?action=view&current=ridindirty41.flv

My vote is for an XJ. mine had 370 000kms on it and it was still reliable as heck. plenty of room, fun offroad, and got enough power to pull small trailors and such. and they can take a daily beating and put up with it.

2slo95fiveoh · Sep 3, 2009

Depends on what you are wanting for a daily.. I've got a little Mazda Protege to huff around in (24+MPG in town w/ A/c on),
But a little ranger might not be too bad.. And if you get bored with it down the road you can v8 swap them pretty easy...
But IMO, based from all the vehicles i see at work, I wouldn't buy a jeep, or at least one with the 4.0 straight 6...

Crone · Sep 3, 2009

The straight 6 is a great motor it's has a pretty decent anmount of torque, it's not to bad to work on, and they are reliable if maintained right (not beat to hell).

El_Diablo · Sep 4, 2009

my wagoneer does great, if the motor was fresh it would get around 12-15 but my compression sux... so right now im getting 8-11mpg but then again, i beat it to hell and back, thats also with a 2-3 lift and nothing that works as it should

i vote wagoneer, you'll love it, takes a bit in gas but mine has gone through stuff in 2wd on street tires most trucks wouldn't dare in 4wd, next up are 31's and then im hoping for a new motor, maybe a 6.0 gm motor and a 700r4 or an isuzu diesel, the 6.0 would get 17-21mpg and the diesel would get between 25 and 31mpg (yes, you read that right and i typed it correctly)

Petek · Sep 4, 2009

2slo95fiveoh said:
Depends on what you are wanting for a daily.. I've got a little Mazda Protege to huff around in (24+MPG in town w/ A/c on),
But a little ranger might not be too bad.. And if you get bored with it down the road you can v8 swap them pretty easy...
But IMO, based from all the vehicles i see at work, I wouldn't buy a jeep, or at least one with the 4.0 straight 6...

the inline 6 4.0 is one of the most reliable engines ever, and it makes great power (unless its in a jeep grand cherokee, they are just way to heavy for the 4.0)

Crone · Sep 4, 2009

Have you considered some older full size trucks? The 79 fords were built like tanks. They could probaly clears 35's with just a little fender trimming. They had one of the strongest transfer cases ever made. They were solid trucks, relaible as hell and lately they have been going for reallyyyy cheap prices. It'd make a great beater. Even the old chevy trucks were good...... and parts aare easy to find since they kept the same design for maybe ten years? The old first gen rams came with desiels, Their 12 valve engines will run forever. They are a little pricier though.

Petek · Sep 4, 2009

i got an 86 F250 4x4 4spd diesel for 1200. its a great truck for the price, and it gets 18mpg, not bad for an old 6.9 liter.

EastBayStang98 · Sep 4, 2009

go with a ranger

Petek · Sep 4, 2009

if you get a ranger, atleast go with a level 2 fx4

DropTopPony · Sep 4, 2009

Crone said:
Rangers area great cheap little dependable trucks. My friend has an 88 with 31's I think it is. It's 2.9 v6 and 5 spd. He gets like 20 mpg, and it's not bad on a trail either. It even has a stick shift transfer case. Pretty decent truck for the money. Jeeps are great too. the yj's are probaly the cheapest out of the wrangleers. They have front and rear solid axle and leaf springs so it's pretty simple to work on. I wish I could afford a truck and the mustang at the same time. Nothing like going out finding new trails and land to wheel.

I was just looking at a very similar one on craigslist and it was cheap @$1200. I emailed the guy so we'll see if its still for sale.

Then there is this

Crone · Sep 4, 2009

That is badass, can't go wrong with a classic man. Did you want to get something nice like that though to dd, or get something cheap, and still have money to sink into the stang... :dontknow:

DropTopPony · Sep 4, 2009

That would only cost me @$3,000 where a ranger in decent shape would be less but not as sweet. Money isn't an issue if its something i like, and my G/F loves the old Wagoneers so she wouldn't complain too much if i spent more on a beater.