24hourcampfire.com
24hourcampfire.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Hop To
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,730
F
Campfire Tracker
OP Online Content
Campfire Tracker
F
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,730
Suppose you're a mining engineer in Southern West Virginia. You're employed by a land owner to keep the coal companies honest by making sure they're maximizing recovery, & you spend a goodly chunk of each week inspecting mines, year-round. You're on mine haul roads about 30% of the time, & the rest you spend on windy roads.

90% of the time, you're by yourself. 10% of the time you're hauling trustees from the land company who come down to keep you honest.

Is there any vehicle as well suited (or better) than a Jeep Grand Cherokee?

FC


"Every day is a holiday, and every meal is a banquet."

- Mrs. FC
GB2

Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,867
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,867
Nissan Xterra, not as much leg room in the back seat, great off road vehicle in stock formation, and built in the US, not owned but built.


�The constitution of the United States asserts that all power is inherent in the people, that they may exercise it by themselves, that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed!� � Thomas Jefferson
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 15,864
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 15,864
Land Rover LR3

More space (3 comfy rows) and the seats lay flat to make for enough room to carry full 8' sheets of drywall.

It's truly an off road beast as well. The wheels have 26" of travel.

You can get one new, fully loaded for around $30K.

I know I love mine!


"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams

Turdlike, by default.
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
Is there such a thing as "an honest coal company"?

I like GCs, have owned several of them, and still own 3; 2001/2002/2004. If you don't need 4-Low, the AWD Toyota Highlanders have quite a bit of room and get over 20 mpg. The downside being that Toyotas bring a premium price. A used Nissan Pathfinder or Xterra might also be a good choice. I'm looking at an Xterra for my daughter.

JEff

Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,730
F
Campfire Tracker
OP Online Content
Campfire Tracker
F
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,730
I think he does use 4 Low to get to some of the places he goes. And when we ride with him, we'd like a little more room when we're packed 3 abreast in the back seats.

The GC seems to couple the widest cabin possible with the narrowest outside dimensions.

We were just down there in my Yukon XL. The ride was better than the GC, but it wouldn't have gone to some of the narrow tracks on the property, & the ground clearance was lacking. My air dam was imitating a dozer blade on a refuse impoundment.

FC


"Every day is a holiday, and every meal is a banquet."

- Mrs. FC
IC B2

Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 18,881
E
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
E
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 18,881
As a big Jeep fan, and I really don't want to say this, but.... The GC's around here are for folks who need to get around in the winter on good roads. Bad roads, with lots of bad spots and the need for low range gearing is not something they have a rep for handling on a regular basis.
I'd look at something that is built to take rough use. Perhaps a Toyota FJ ? E

Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 6,996
B
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
B
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 6,996
My wife and I are on our third GC, this last one is an '08.

Absolutely no complaints about its offroad capacity- this one is the Overland model. Jeep's FWD system in these vehicles is absolutely hard to beat, IMO.

If you are hauling folks around, the comfort and smooth ride of the GC will be greatly appreciated by all.

You could do worse that the GC.....


I'd rather be a free man in my grave, than living as a puppet or a slave....
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,730
F
Campfire Tracker
OP Online Content
Campfire Tracker
F
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,730
Originally Posted by Bighorn


You could do worse that the GC.....



I know. He's on his 3rd now, & I believe they used Jeeps long before that, as well. We've approved a new one for him, but he's looking around since they closed the local dealer. If our dollars are leaving the area, anyway, we figured we'd see if something else might work as well, or better.

Riding in the back over those roads comes close to necessitating a barf bag, but I think that's more the fault of the terrain than the vehicle.

Fc


"Every day is a holiday, and every meal is a banquet."

- Mrs. FC
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,676
J
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
J
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,676
We own a Jeep Commander, and you can get it in the 3.8l V6, 4.7 V8, or 5.7 hemi. We like the 3rd row if needed (folds down when not in use), and can handle some offroad work.

Worth looking into, especially if your looking at GC's.

joe


Providing digital marketing services for startups & small-to-midsize companies - including website design/hosting, videography and editing.

www.jolinmedia.com
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 2,810
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 2,810
Toyota Landcruiser.

IC B3

Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,069
Campfire Kahuna
Offline
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,069
Originally Posted by 260Remguy
I like GCs, have owned several of them, and still own 3; 2001/2002/2004. If you don't need 4-Low, the AWD Toyota Highlanders have quite a bit of room and get over 20 mpg. The downside being that Toyotas bring a premium price. A used Nissan Pathfinder or Xterra might also be a good choice. I'm looking at an Xterra for my daughter.

JEff

Pick up a copy of the latest Popular Mechanics. They have a spread about the current crop of crossover vehicles. They say the Highlander fills a hole that isn't there. Toyota makes several others, like the 4-runner and RAV4 that do about everything better than the Highlander.

The article also gives a brief comparison that's worth reading. These are the so called crossovers, though, not the true off road vehicles, so it might not give any useful info for FC's original question.


“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
― George Orwell

It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,705
R
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
R
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,705
I don't know about the newer ones, but I have had several Grand Cherokees from the 1990's to 2002 models. Currently on my second 2002 after the first one had almost 300,000 miles on it. The last ones have been the Overland model and I have put another 2" lift on them. With slightly oversized tires, tuned suspension and heavy duty sway bars with quick disconnects, they offer an amazing ride in the rough stuff. I have had mine on trail rides where heavily modified Wrangler guys were simply amazed at what the slightly modified Grand Cherokee Overland could do with great comfort. Mine are not wildly modified since they are daily drivers averaging about 35,000 highway miles each year for work and still ready to play too. I have also had older Toyota's and they are great but not as comfortable. Nice to have the 8 cylinders too when you need them. I think they suit your intended purpose about perfectly if you would slightly modify the suspension as discussed.

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
The 4-Runners are pretty expensive and the RAV4s are pretty small, so the Highlander kind of falls into the middle.

We rented a Highlander for the 10 days that we were in YNP/GTNP from Dollar in Jackson and it was great on the road. Plenty of room for 4 and our luggage, plus great gas mileage. The rear seat had more foot/leg room than my daily driver 2005 Mountaineer or my Wife's 2004 Grand Cherokee. I don't mind AWD, but prefer that they have a low-range option, which the Highlander and Mountaineer don't, but the GCs do.

JEff

Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,069
Campfire Kahuna
Offline
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,069
It depends on your needs. The cross-overs, like the Highlander, are road cars with 4x4. They're not designed to take an off-road beating like the GC or 4-Runner.


“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
― George Orwell

It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 481
L
Campfire Member
Offline
Campfire Member
L
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 481
rflshtr, please provide us with the source for the suspension parts, particularly the sway bars with quick disconnects. Thanks.

Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8,424
C
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
C
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8,424
Suburban or Tahoe.
GC too small .
Cisco

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
Yes, I am well aware that cross-overs are 95% paved and gravel road vehicles, with limited off-pavement capabilities, sort of like my daily driver AWD Mountaineer.

JEff

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,705
R
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
R
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,705
I had Burnsville Off Road in Burnsville MN do the work. I believe the quick disconnects were JK products, the suspension lift was Terraflex and I can't remember about the HD sway bars. Dan at Burnsville Off Road can answer whatever questions about it you have better than I can. Their phone is 952-890-3990.

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,731
B
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
B
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,731
Toyota 4runner. Have had three of them. The newer ones have more room. The Trail edition has some extra off road add-on options.

They are hard to kill. Read that 1.9million have been made and 1.3million are still going down the road.


laissez les bons temps rouler
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 29,383
O
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
O
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 29,383
Originally Posted by battue
Toyota 4runner. Have had three of them. The newer ones have more room. The Trail edition has some extra off road add-on options.

They are hard to kill. Read that 1.9million have been made and 1.3million are still going down the road.


+1 one of the most durable "Real" 4wds ever sold. I had a friend that bought one when they first came out , he ran almost 400k on the thing and sold it for almost 5k to some guy on auto trader. That was 5 years ago.

Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  RickBin 

Link Copied to Clipboard
YB23

Who's Online Now
96 members (257robertsimp, 99Ozarks, 10gaugemag, 16penny, 17 invisible), 1,661 guests, and 667 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums81
Topics1,187,727
Posts18,400,741
Members73,822
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023


 







Fish & Game Departments | Solunar Tables | Mission Statement | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA
Hunting | Fishing | Camping | Backpacking | Reloading | Campfire Forums | Gear Shop
Copyright © 2000-2024 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.089s Queries: 15 (0.003s) Memory: 0.8964 MB (Peak: 1.0477 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-29 07:55:33 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS