jeep4runner
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- First Name
- Mike
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- Mar 11, 2019
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- noneofyourbeezwax
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Hi Jeep enthusiasts,
I have a question that I'd love your thoughts on—which should I buy: a new Rubicon JL or a used 4Runner Trail (2014-2016).
Yes, it one of those. BUT, I'm not here to incite a flame war. I'd like to tell you my specific needs, to get specific feedback to help make sure I get the best thing for what I want to do.
My 3 primary aims for this vehicle are: Off-roading, Rock crawling, and camping/hiking.
Context:
• This will not be an everyday vehicle (I have a small Prius C banger for that—and while boring, is insanely reliable and has stupid-high gas mileage).
• This will not be a soccer mom, mall cruiser, or wishful thinking vehicle. I don't have kids (nor will I). Just my mrs and our dog who love the outdoors. So I want it to be functional, not just "look" functional. This will be exclusively for outdoor adventures (and maybe the occasional dog park).
• I plan on keeping this vehicle for a long time—adding mods as I go.
Why a Rubicon JL and 4Runner Trail?
From what I've seen and briefly experienced, the new Rubicons drive much nicer on the road, and have an interior (finally) that puts the 4Runner to shame. To me, the TRD Pro is pointless and overpriced. I can get a used Trail for around $27k, and spend $10-$12k on mods overtime that will give me an absolute beast of an off-roader. But that starts to creep up right around what a base Rubi goes for (since a used Rubi is still much more money) that gives me things like front and rear lockers, nicer interior, tires I'd actually want to use, and more. But even with that, I can build a used 4Runner Trail for cheaper than a new Rubi.
And here's a bit more for each aim—with a bit more context, too:
1. Off-roading: I use to do a lot of off-roading with my first Toyota truck—mudding, fire roads, etc. We love to just get away and see different kinds of terrain. We like to do this a few times a month (weekends mostly). We'd be out all day doing this—so driving home has to be comfortable.
2. Rock crawling: I love to crawl. But I haven't done it for a while. So I need to walk, before I can crawl (that makes sense, right?). I won't be crawling every weekend. I'll upgrade things and do smaller crawls to get the hang of it again. This will be almost exclusively on weekends. And to start, maybe once a month. But the aim is to go several times a month as I get back into it.
3. Camping/Hiking: This kinda goes hand-in-hand with the other two. We love to hike. My mrs and I want to visit as many National Parks as we can. So this would mean driving long distances across the country. So it not only has to be reliable (yeah, I know most will say Toyota right away), but have the space to have a rooftop tent. or tow a small teardrop trailer instead. But when we get to these locations, we'll also want to off-road or crawl.
Questions are welcome. Your passion is encouraged. But let's keep it civil
I have a question that I'd love your thoughts on—which should I buy: a new Rubicon JL or a used 4Runner Trail (2014-2016).
Yes, it one of those. BUT, I'm not here to incite a flame war. I'd like to tell you my specific needs, to get specific feedback to help make sure I get the best thing for what I want to do.
My 3 primary aims for this vehicle are: Off-roading, Rock crawling, and camping/hiking.
Context:
• This will not be an everyday vehicle (I have a small Prius C banger for that—and while boring, is insanely reliable and has stupid-high gas mileage).
• This will not be a soccer mom, mall cruiser, or wishful thinking vehicle. I don't have kids (nor will I). Just my mrs and our dog who love the outdoors. So I want it to be functional, not just "look" functional. This will be exclusively for outdoor adventures (and maybe the occasional dog park).
• I plan on keeping this vehicle for a long time—adding mods as I go.
Why a Rubicon JL and 4Runner Trail?
From what I've seen and briefly experienced, the new Rubicons drive much nicer on the road, and have an interior (finally) that puts the 4Runner to shame. To me, the TRD Pro is pointless and overpriced. I can get a used Trail for around $27k, and spend $10-$12k on mods overtime that will give me an absolute beast of an off-roader. But that starts to creep up right around what a base Rubi goes for (since a used Rubi is still much more money) that gives me things like front and rear lockers, nicer interior, tires I'd actually want to use, and more. But even with that, I can build a used 4Runner Trail for cheaper than a new Rubi.
And here's a bit more for each aim—with a bit more context, too:
1. Off-roading: I use to do a lot of off-roading with my first Toyota truck—mudding, fire roads, etc. We love to just get away and see different kinds of terrain. We like to do this a few times a month (weekends mostly). We'd be out all day doing this—so driving home has to be comfortable.
2. Rock crawling: I love to crawl. But I haven't done it for a while. So I need to walk, before I can crawl (that makes sense, right?). I won't be crawling every weekend. I'll upgrade things and do smaller crawls to get the hang of it again. This will be almost exclusively on weekends. And to start, maybe once a month. But the aim is to go several times a month as I get back into it.
3. Camping/Hiking: This kinda goes hand-in-hand with the other two. We love to hike. My mrs and I want to visit as many National Parks as we can. So this would mean driving long distances across the country. So it not only has to be reliable (yeah, I know most will say Toyota right away), but have the space to have a rooftop tent. or tow a small teardrop trailer instead. But when we get to these locations, we'll also want to off-road or crawl.
Questions are welcome. Your passion is encouraged. But let's keep it civil
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