This past summer, I had a number of encounters while out on the road that made me realize that a low-slung Miata was not the ideal camping vehicle. While it's an absolute joy to drive, my '90 just wasn't cutting it as a camping vehicle. Nor was my Mazdaspeed 3. It got really frustrating trying to get down trails in a car that will high-center on speed bumps. I had to be really careful and thorough when researching campsites; "easy drive in" from internet reviews wasn't enough reassurance. After looking into the CX-5 as a candidate for an "off-roader" I accepted the fact that I'd have to leave Mazda behind in favor of outdoor pursuits.
Research led me to 4-Runner and X-Terra, I followed my gut and started to look at Toyotas. I've had multiple friends and family with Camrys and Corollas past the 200 mile mark, I trust the brand. I do a lot of hiking and photography, so I felt like I had valid reasons to trade in my the Speed 3. It mostly sat in the summer and had been relegated to being a winter beater and cargo hauler. That's not how a hot hatch should live.
After a bit of searching for 4-Runners, I stumbled across a hidden gem that had been sitting for months on a used car lot. Enter Chungus.
I snagged this minty 1997 LX-450 with a mere 169,300ish miles, 5 previous owners, and one theft. Just looking at it on the lot, I knew this was the 4x4 that I was going to get. The test drive confirmed this. I just love how it trundles down the road without any sense of urgency. It's bone stock. It's slow. It's comfy. I'd even argue that it's one of the best vehicles I've ever driven. I kept the Miata to keep balance in my life.
It's single locked, but I plan on sticking to fire roads and mild trails... for now. The main priority is to have a comfortable weekend trail cruiser that can also be commuted in during the colder months. I will be adding a rear locker down the road, just for peace of mind when I'm in the outdoors.
Under the hood, the day I picked it up:
Under the truck:
I've had it since September and have already racked up nearly four thousand miles. I'll be posting more about what's happened between then and now in the future. My repair hierarchy has been mechanical/reliability first, quality of life second, and adding extras last.
What's been fixed so far:
- Dealer installed new battery, new fluids (Oil, coolant, power steering ATF, etc)
- Clean bill of health from an independent inspection
- Vacuum switching valve (for P0401)
- Fixed rear wiper washer sprayer
- Oil change
- Winter tires installed
- Power door lock actuators
- Greased power window assemblies
- Glued up blown speakers
- New headunit
On the wish list:
- Beefed up bumper
- Winch
- Sliders
- Summer appropriate tires
- Front/rear cameras
I'm really excited to be part of the 80 Series community! Any advice/feedback is welcome. I'll be sharing more in future posts
Research led me to 4-Runner and X-Terra, I followed my gut and started to look at Toyotas. I've had multiple friends and family with Camrys and Corollas past the 200 mile mark, I trust the brand. I do a lot of hiking and photography, so I felt like I had valid reasons to trade in my the Speed 3. It mostly sat in the summer and had been relegated to being a winter beater and cargo hauler. That's not how a hot hatch should live.
After a bit of searching for 4-Runners, I stumbled across a hidden gem that had been sitting for months on a used car lot. Enter Chungus.
I snagged this minty 1997 LX-450 with a mere 169,300ish miles, 5 previous owners, and one theft. Just looking at it on the lot, I knew this was the 4x4 that I was going to get. The test drive confirmed this. I just love how it trundles down the road without any sense of urgency. It's bone stock. It's slow. It's comfy. I'd even argue that it's one of the best vehicles I've ever driven. I kept the Miata to keep balance in my life.
It's single locked, but I plan on sticking to fire roads and mild trails... for now. The main priority is to have a comfortable weekend trail cruiser that can also be commuted in during the colder months. I will be adding a rear locker down the road, just for peace of mind when I'm in the outdoors.
Under the hood, the day I picked it up:
Under the truck:
I've had it since September and have already racked up nearly four thousand miles. I'll be posting more about what's happened between then and now in the future. My repair hierarchy has been mechanical/reliability first, quality of life second, and adding extras last.
What's been fixed so far:
- Dealer installed new battery, new fluids (Oil, coolant, power steering ATF, etc)
- Clean bill of health from an independent inspection
- Vacuum switching valve (for P0401)
- Fixed rear wiper washer sprayer
- Oil change
- Winter tires installed
- Power door lock actuators
- Greased power window assemblies
- Glued up blown speakers
- New headunit
On the wish list:
- Beefed up bumper
- Winch
- Sliders
- Summer appropriate tires
- Front/rear cameras
I'm really excited to be part of the 80 Series community! Any advice/feedback is welcome. I'll be sharing more in future posts
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