4Runner - XTerra - Liberty

Looking for opinions. Considering the

Toyota 4Runner
Jeep Liberty
Nissan XTerra

Proposed uses:
Goin to work vehicle, city streets. Local freeways, and periodic
freeway trips to hiking/camping areas.

Weekly:
Desert dirt roads, hardpack, washboard roads, soft sand, washouts.
<or> (depending on time of year)
Mountain roads, rock, gravel, rocks, washouts, altitudes to 10.000
feet,
Rock crawling is not anticipated.

Must have sufficient room in the back to haul a family members
wheelchair (standard issue, folding) from time to time without folding
seats down.

Starting the initial shopping soon. Would appreciate comments.
Thanks

On Sat, 14 Oct 2006 06:17:29 -0700, QX <nomail@nospam.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>Looking for opinions. Considering the
>
>Toyota 4Runner
>Jeep Liberty
>Nissan XTerra
>
>Proposed uses:
>Goin to work vehicle, city streets. Local freeways, and periodic
>freeway trips to hiking/camping areas.
>
>Weekly:
>Desert dirt roads, hardpack, washboard roads, soft sand, washouts.
><or> (depending on time of year)
>Mountain roads, rock, gravel, rocks, washouts, altitudes to 10.000
>feet,
>Rock crawling is not anticipated.
>
>Must have sufficient room in the back to haul a family members
>wheelchair (standard issue, folding) from time to time without folding
>seats down.[/color]

You are in the Toyota group, guess what's going to get suggested...
But the XTerra should be okay, too.

I would be wary about the Jeep Liberty - the CJ line has a long
reputation as a great off-road crawler - but only AFTER you spend
several grand beefing it up and adding armor. Stock, they tend to
break things fairly easily. Now I know that Daimler is going to try
and turn that around, but it hasn't been that long.

Any 2WD one that will be driven off-road at all should have a
limited slip differential in the drive axle, and even on 4WD it is a
definite advantage to have an LSD in the transfer case and the axles -
dirt, sand, snow, gravel is where you inadvertently stop in a soft or
slushy spot and get stuck trying to leave.

One off-road stuck avoided is easily worth the cost of the LSD
option, even aftermarket. You do NOT want to know what legit tow
companies charge for an off-road recovery. And if you abandon the
vehicle and walk out for help, it might not be there - or you might
find a body shell picked cleaner than a Thanksgiving Turkey when you
get back...

Wheelchair - go get a Class-3 receiver type trailer hitch and a
hitch-mount bicycle carrier, put the chair on the back of the car.
Even if the chair can fit inside the car behind the back seat, it
displaces small cargo that you would normally put there like purses
and backpacks, groceries, and ice-chests. And it will be a struggle
getting it in and out, and you'll likely damage the interior doing it
repeatedly.

And the most important reason: If you get in an accident, the
wheelchair is big, top-heavy when folded, and hard to secure properly.
Hit something hard, and the wheelchair turns into a missile.

Do not use the "Clamp on the spare tire mount" type bicycle rack -
the rear door with the integrated tire carrier isn't strong enough to
add /any/ extra weight.

--<< Bruce >>--

"QX" <nomail@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:hpo1j2t6cc04rqcga3ugntnk330pi0bvea@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> Looking for opinions. Considering the
>
> Toyota 4Runner
> Jeep Liberty
> Nissan XTerra
>
> Proposed uses:
> Goin to work vehicle, city streets. Local freeways, and periodic
> freeway trips to hiking/camping areas.
>
> Weekly:
> Desert dirt roads, hardpack, washboard roads, soft sand, washouts.
> <or> (depending on time of year)
> Mountain roads, rock, gravel, rocks, washouts, altitudes to 10.000
> feet,
> Rock crawling is not anticipated.
>
> Must have sufficient room in the back to haul a family members
> wheelchair (standard issue, folding) from time to time without folding
> seats down.
>
> Starting the initial shopping soon. Would appreciate comments.
> Thanks[/color]

Even though your in a Toyota group Id still tend to go for the 4Runner.

"QX" <nomail@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:hpo1j2t6cc04rqcga3ugntnk330pi0bvea@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> Looking for opinions. Considering the
>
> Toyota 4Runner
> Jeep Liberty
> Nissan XTerra[/color]

Where I get my car work done, there are 3 mechanics, each with many years'
of experience. Any time someone mentions Jeeps, all 3 guys say something
similar:

"Oh...you like electrical problems that will drive you crazy?"

"If you love electrical problems, why not just get a German car? At least
you'll enjoy driving it when it's not broken."

They all acknowledge that Jeep may have gotten over these issues with newer
models, but nobody will know that for a number of years. You may be the
guinea pig.

QX wrote:[color=blue]
> Looking for opinions. Considering the
>
> Toyota 4Runner
> Jeep Liberty
> Nissan XTerra[/color]

If a Liberty is big enough for you, check out a Rav4 or FJ. The 4Runner
is kind of in a class by itself on your list, being more of a erally
nice, luxury ride (but still extremely good off-road) nowadays.

This long time Jeep owner would take a Rav, FJ, 4Runner, or Xterra, over
a Liberty any day of the week. I've had crappy Wrangler after crappy
Wrangler, who's only saving grace is the removable top & doors.

Bring on a drop-top FJ!!!

QX wrote:[color=blue]
> Looking for opinions. Considering the
>
> Toyota 4Runner
> Jeep Liberty
> Nissan XTerra
>
> Proposed uses:
> Goin to work vehicle, city streets. Local freeways, and periodic
> freeway trips to hiking/camping areas.
>
> Weekly:
> Desert dirt roads, hardpack, washboard roads, soft sand, washouts.
> <or> (depending on time of year)
> Mountain roads, rock, gravel, rocks, washouts, altitudes to 10.000
> feet,
> Rock crawling is not anticipated.
>
> Must have sufficient room in the back to haul a family members
> wheelchair (standard issue, folding) from time to time without folding
> seats down.
>
> Starting the initial shopping soon. Would appreciate comments.
> Thanks[/color]

If your driving a frail elderly person who required that wheel chair,
chances are the xterra's brutal ride would really shake out those
fillings. The 4 runner has a better and quieter ride, I thought.


Dave

"B A R R Y" <balsapilot@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:P3NYg.11649$TV3.6385@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com...[color=blue]
> QX wrote:[color=green]
>> Looking for opinions. Considering the
>>
>> Toyota 4Runner
>> Jeep Liberty
>> Nissan XTerra[/color]
>
> If a Liberty is big enough for you, check out a Rav4 or FJ. The 4Runner
> is kind of in a class by itself on your list, being more of a erally nice,
> luxury ride (but still extremely good off-road) nowadays.
>
> This long time Jeep owner would take a Rav, FJ, 4Runner, or Xterra, over a
> Liberty any day of the week. I've had crappy Wrangler after crappy
> Wrangler, who's only saving grace is the removable top & doors.
>
> Bring on a drop-top FJ!!![/color]

Eh, Jeeps jumped the shark when Kaiser phased out the Willys marque in 64.
<G>

The 4Runner is likely to have the best ride out of the three.
--
Mike Harris
1995 Tacoma 2WD 2.4L
1963 Willys 4WD Wagon SBC conversion
Austin TX