Need your help building the ultimate road trip vehicle - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

scottdnb · 01-30-2007, 11:17 AM

Well I am planning on 3-4 month USA and Canada road trip before going to school at Humboldt state in the fall. This "rig" will double also double as my Daily driver/weekend warrior while at school.

I just want all of your opinions on the most dependible/easy to work on vehicles that can hold a good amount of gear.

I am on a budget of about $4000 dollars for the car itself.

Helpfull specs:
Good fuel economy
Room for gear(more than likely will put on a roof rack)
dependable
easy maintence
CHEAP

Thanks a lot for your help! I wasnt sure of the best forum to post on so dont get mad if u see this in a few places. thanks!

**TheJake** · 01-30-2007, 11:35 AM

hm. I want a jeep so bad it's not even funny... not even a jeep but like a Discovery 90. Unfortunately we don't have them in the states though that would be the ultimate travel vehicle.

Sounds like you just want a four-banger car bro.

dream car for the jake

**indierock05** · 01-30-2007, 11:41 AM

Can't tell you cars, but if you are looking for a cheap party stop in Florida, Gainesville is great for it. UF is one of the top party schools

**BigE** · 01-30-2007, 12:08 PM

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is awesome. My brother has one and he has taken me out on the dunes on Nantucket where he lives. Loads of fun. Try looking for a used one from the Jeep USA website in your area.

**BigE** · 01-30-2007, 12:10 PM

Here it is:

**TheJake** · 01-30-2007, 12:34 PM

something tells me he isn't going to find a rubicon for four grand E....

**BigE** · 01-30-2007, 12:46 PM

I forgot it was only 4 grand.

**SuDz** · 01-30-2007, 01:28 PM

Go for my daily driver that will cover all those. A 2000 Chevy S-10. It holds plenty of gear in the back since it is a truck, reliable (get the v6) cheap enough to run considering its a truck, hasn't let me down yet and even has four wheel drive.

SuDZ

scottdnb · 01-30-2007, 03:01 PM

Cool Sudz I will look into that truck. I have also been looking at subaru wagons and jeep cherokees. Anyone have anything against these?

**BigE** · 01-30-2007, 05:42 PM

I own a Subaru. Nice car. All wheel drive. Not bad on the gas. Not alot of leg room in the back seats but plenty of storage places.

**micdans** · 01-30-2007, 09:42 PM

I got a crappy 93 Ford Escort Wagon that has fair amount of room and solid gas mileage (low 30's on highway, ive gotten 40 when driving 60mph tho). It has a rack thingy on top too if you need.
...It is also a pimpmobile

**omisan** · 01-31-2007, 02:37 AM

You can get a late 90's VW Golf for under $4k easy... Great mileage, great handling, and very roof rack friendly. I had the GTI (a bit above the price range) but with the same body, I hauled all sorts of gear, got good mileage, and it was fuuuuun for road trips.

**lost in texas** · 01-31-2007, 07:23 AM

A s-10 is not a bad idea. I had one in high school and the gas mileage is great. Depending on how much stuff you'd want to haul, you might need something to cover the back when it rains...

For reliability/economy, you really can't beat a toyota! Find a used Corolla in decent shape, and it will run forever! 200k+ miles is no problem for these cars. Gas mileage is excellent and you can stuff the back seat and trunk with gear.

Good luck!

**SuDz** · 01-31-2007, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lost in texas

A s-10 is not a bad idea. I had one in high school and the gas mileage is great. Depending on how much stuff you'd want to haul, you might need something to cover the back when it rains...

For reliability/economy, you really can't beat a toyota! Find a used Corolla in decent shape, and it will run forever! 200k+ miles is no problem for these cars. Gas mileage is excellent and you can stuff the back seat and trunk with gear.

Good luck!

Yeah I forgot about the cap. I got my S-10 for 4200 including the cap. Not a bad deal. It only had like 45K miles on it as well when I got it.

SuDZ

**micdans** · 01-31-2007, 08:45 AM

I got my car for $600! I either has 90,000 miles or 190,000 miles

it's driving like it has only 90. I've already made at least 5 trips to from Chicago - Minneapolis. Check it. The taurus is a little bigger if you want that. Otherwise if you want to spend more, toyota is fo sho a nice bet. As a valet, toyota (and lexus which is made by toyota) are the smoothest riding cars out there.

**Joker** · 01-31-2007, 08:50 AM

Best bang for your buck: Old Toyota Pickup (pre-Tacoma days) or a 4Runner. My 1990 4Runner has over 163K miles and though it isn't the best on gas, its reliable and damned near bulletproof.

And Jake, the D90's were shipped to the US for a couple years but are still rediculously overpriced in the used market assuming you can find one.

**TheJake** · 01-31-2007, 10:00 AM

yeah like upwards of 35k for a 1997. Ridiculous.

**LiveFreeorDie** · 01-31-2007, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Best bang for your buck: Old Toyota Pickup (pre-Tacoma days) or a 4Runner. My 1990 4Runner has over 163K miles and though it isn't the best on gas, its reliable and damned near bulletproof.

I will second that. My mom bought what I think may have been the first year the 4Runner was sold in the States, 1988. She had it for like, 14 years? Seriously, the thing would not die. Also, I had an old '85 Toyota pickup as my first car back in the early 90's (dating myself). Never changed the oil, just kept going, and going, and going. The only issue was the body - the truck bed was a separate section from the cab and the welded seam would rust out. Very common for the older Toyota p/u's but Toyotas kick ass.

If I had to choose between a Subaru and a Jeep, I would pick the Subaru for reliability. Jeeps are cool as shit but I have known more people who have had more problems with them....anything by Chrysler is a bit suspect IMHO, particularly when it ages. Good luck!

**Joker** · 01-31-2007, 11:36 PM

1984 was the first year of the 4Runner LFOD. 1985 was the last year of the solid axle front end (a must for serious off-roading). 1990 was the first year of the 4-door model (mine) and marked the end for the old removable fiberglass top models. The more you know

As it stands, old Yota's have huge issues with rust. Mine's rusting out its fenders but I'm not really in the give a shit about it phase. Its not structural and it adds character

**TheJake** · 01-31-2007, 11:41 PM

I wish more companies made SUV's with removable tops. I totally want an old Nissan Patrol or a late 80's 4runner... anything with a removable top...well except the beast of a blazer (i think it was a blazer...maybe it was a bronco) anyway the big one... The wheel base was too wide.