In The Market For A New Whip

[clayton86]

So the soon to be ex and I are finally on the same page filing papers this week for uncontested divorce and in the deal I'm letting her keep the ford edge she bought well I was gone. Few reasons being I hate the thing and I cant get out from under it trade in is crap and don't feel like sitting on it waiting to sell and she loves it and is gonna take over payments with the new job she got. So she is keeping it but that leaves me with no wheels of my own.

 

I did my taxes a few weeks ago its just in que to be filed since they keep pushing the date back the IRS will accept returns and I'm getting 7000 back. She is taking 25% to buy the kids clothes cuz they need it pretty bad and then some other things shes getting also. so that leaves me with roughly 5000 I wanna spend 3000 or less and a new set of wheels. then the rest I'm splitting whats left over half towards my credit cards half into savings. 

 

I'v got a few vehicles in mind and they are plentiful iv found a bunch for sale and in my price range if not cheaper. Here is what I have in mind Jeep Cherokee, Jeep wrangler, Subaru Outback or a Forester, Or a pick up of any make really as long as its 4x4. 

 

The jeeps are tanks especially the 4.0 six in them iv had a Cherokee in the past absolute tank. The Subaru is also bullet proof then the pick ups well not tanks or bullet proof I can rebuild a 350, 318, 302 ect with my eyes closed and they are every where and so are parts should anything go bad. The reason I am leaning away from the jeeps and pick ups is gas mileage but I love the clearance and 4 wheel drive a lot of my hunting spots I need the 4 wheel. The Subaru though lacking clearance has a killer AWD and they are great on gas. The only thing with the Subaru is I would want it to be 5speed trucks I can deal with auto trans but cars I prefer stick. Or I could just get a car like a cavalier or some jap car iv had em before and made due iv had count less deer strapped to the hood and trunk of my old cavys along with my Toyota turcel pulled into the river with me standing on the hood casting catching small mouth I can make cars into wanna be trucks for the gas mileage lol. 

 

I know 3000 or less wont get me a great car but I'm a mechanic and can fix most stuff or catch it before it goes and every thing Iv looked at I have personal hands on experience tearing apart and rebuilding or repairing from working in shops and while in school I built a 4.0 HO jeep engine ground up they are pretty simple. 

 

Any one have any input or experience with the said vehicles I may even spring for a 4cyl wrangler for the gas mileage.

[Shane J]

If you can do a head gasket on a Subaru, they're great cars. Just a known problem with them. 

[clayton86]

head gaskets are known problems on like 99% of the vehicles out there lol every honda, toyota, chevy, ford, and subaru out there has head gasket problems lol yeah some are more prone then others just like how the chevy v6 engines all blow intake gaskets which at that point might as well do the head gaskets well your at it because there next. I have rebuilt 2 Subaru WRXs one was a STi the other was a base model we turned into a STi for the most part(stayed 5 speed not 6) I'v taken that boxer engine down to bare block and built it back up not the easiest engine to work on but I will take that over the mazda rotory engines iv done 2 of them as well it just makes your head spin and say wow how simple at the same time lol. 

[deaknh03]

The outback is a great car

[Raider Nation Fisher]

You will absolutely hate a 4cyl wrangler. They are so under powered it would blow your mind. Id opt for a older chevy 4x4. Or if your feeling it a subaru brat. I want one of those so bad.

[flyfisher]

You will absolutely hate a 4cyl wrangler. They are so under powered it would blow your mind. Id opt for a older chevy 4x4. Or if your feeling it a subaru brat. I want one of those so bad.

I will respectfully disagree. I had a 4cyl wrangler for about 12 years and it did just fine. No jeep is a speed demon and getting about 5-6mpg better than the 6cyl version was a nice bonus.

I also wheeled with a lot of guys with both 6cyl and 8cyl wranglers and there was nothing they could get through that I couldn't.

[clayton86]

Older chevy 4x4 would be nice if we could go to gas prices 8 years ago at least. I'm driving. 2013 Nissan Titan SV right now(rental) I love it but but it only gets 15mpg on a good day. Another consideration is need room for car seats I have the 2 little ones still in car seats which is another downfall on the wranglers.

[flyfisher]

I have a Subaru outback now and it is a nice car. Does well in the snow, not as good as true 4wd, gets decent gas mileage and can easily hold all my fishing stuff.

They also hold their value well come resale time.

[MyKeyBe]

My choice would be the outback (always thought those were cool) or a 4.0 liter cherokee. I bought my last cherokee, a 93, in 2005 for just under $2000.00 and other than basic maintence had no problems at all with it. I got rid of it last spring because the body was rusting out bad. Actually the body still looked decent but the holes in the passenger side floor and the holes in the hatch were getting really bad. 

[ww2farmer]

Clayton I have had two of the Jeep Cherokees with the 4.0L inline six........they run forever, easy to work on, junkyard are full of them for good cheap used parts. They will rot out before they wear out. I put 200,000 on my first one (a 97) and was still running strong when I sold it, I have 150,000 on my current one (a 2000), I bought it with 125,000 on it for $2800. And other than enevitable WNY rocker panal, and bottom of the doors rust, should get me to 200,000 before the rust/rot gets it.

[clayton86]

Farmer I really do like the jeep Cherokees I had one as a loaner when my transmission went in my mazda. We aquired it at the shop after towing it out of a ditch. It had rolled on its roof and ran upside down for what we were told 10 minutes. George still has it to this day 5 years later few dents but running strong it's his sons truck.

I'm mostly torn between ther Cherokee and outback. Both indestructible just rust but that's inevitable here in WNY. Jeep I like cuz some of my coyote spots are pretty rough terrain to get to. The outback gets good mileage.

[J Francho]

Clayton I have had two of the Jeep Cherokees with the 4.0L inline six........they run forever, easy to work on, junkyard are full of them for good cheap used parts. They will rot out before they wear out. I put 200,000 on my first one (a 97) and was still running strong when I sold it, I have 150,000 on my current one (a 2000), I bought it with 125,000 on it for $2800. And other than enevitable WNY rocker panal, and bottom of the doors rust, should get me to 200,000 before the rust/rot gets it.

I had one too. Had 140K miles on it, and I put another 140K on it. Bought it for $500, and sold it for $500, lol. Only things I replaced were the water pump and exhaust. Loved that stupid Jeep.

[MCS]

The new 3.6 six in the dodge/jeep are so far pretty good. They have gotten a few awards put out good HP and Torque numbers. My caravan is getting an ave of 22 mpg and a highway trip from Jax to Orlando crusing at 80 mph got me a hair over 25 mpg. Have about 3000 mi on the thing, so far so good.