Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Which older 4x4 would you choose ?

One that would be an economical daily driver , do it all hunting , fishing - drive it out west 3000 miles [round trip] on an elk hunt ?

A vehicle not dripping with flashy 20'' mag wheels and expensive tires & light bars , not jacked up 4 feet tall , doesn't need 10,000lb towing capacity . It will be left parked overnight at boatramps or places where you backpack in for a few days . Enough room for one person to sleep in .

Not a new truck because scratching/dinging up a new truck isn't financially a smart thing to do , so a truck/suv/jeep that needs a tune-up , fluids change , brakes etc. .

? ?

Toyota

Toyota pickup or 4Runner.

1989 thru 1998 Dodge diesel

Toyota with a 22 r motor

My late brother had a circa 1990 Toyota 4WD that was one heck of a truck, and those trucks had very good reputations, so I imagine later models would be good as well. So, here's my spin on it.....I have a 2000 Ford Ranger 4WD that I use for short trips, hunting, and if I wanted to I could use it for a daily driver around here. BUT......I would not drive it 3000 miles for an elk hunt, I'd want a full size truck for that.


I believe you're going to find that a full size pickup will work better for you, especially if you plan on using it for a long drive or for sleeping in.

1979 F150 4x4 inline 6, 4 spd, 3.5 gears 33x10.5 15 inch bfg TKO on plain steel wheels. Bilstein 5100 series shocks, NO AC, no exterior trim, quiet single exhaust, NP205 T case, Warn lockouts, Trac lok up front, truetrac in back.

76-77 Dodge power wagon.

Toyota.......problem is it's hard to find a nice used one because people tend to hang on to them.

I'd get a Chevy Suburban or Yukon XL (same basic vehicle) in 4x4. Preferably 8th Generation (1992-99). With the 5.7 (350 cu in).

I have a 1994 version of one of these in the 2WD, and wish I had 4x4, but have a different vehicle in 4x4 for that (a 1984 Blazer). 268,000 miles on the Suburban and still going strong. Including 20 years of at least a couple road trips of over 1,000 miles each way through hilly/mountainous country, often towing a boat or trailer.

These are ubiquitous vehicles, go anywhere, do anything, roomy, comfortable. Parts and consumables available anywhere. Anyone with a few punches in their man-card can do most of the basic work needed to keep them running. (Mine is very low maintenance, for example).

Something decent can be found easily in the $2,500- 4,000 price range.

Good luck in your search, and please post how you finally rolled on your decision!

And also because they rust away faster than an ice cream bar melts in the desert.

The Toyotas don't rust away out here. I'm sure they do in Minnesota. Find a 1985 Toyota 4x4 with the straight axle and the injected 22RE motor. The 84's had a carburetor.

Good point......we all know American vehicles never rust.

Another factor would be that he lives in FL where they salt the roads 365 days a year.

Yep......stay away from those Toyota's.

Early 2000's Chevy 2500 HD.

6.0 litre engine. Automatic.

Talk about the Zenith.

around here those have fallen in half by now. Sad because they were really something. My dad bought a new one in 83 or 84. tough little truck.

Dodge power wagon

Things dont rust here.

Toyota Tacoma V6 manual TRD extra cab with a camper shell

This is literally the most sought after of all stock Toyota 4X4's so I don't know that I'd go that route.