Jeeps and Tacoma/Four-Runners seem to get most of the love and are priced like it for a general overlander platform. I am not into 'rock crawling' so, wonder if something like a Grand Cherokee might be a better option for my wallet - leaving more money for travels!
General 'googling' shows a lot of options in the mid-$20K range for vehicles with 20K~60K miles on them at 3~6 years age.
While this style of vehicle would be awesome for Interstate stretches to between trailheads or for a big drive home, I wonder about its potential in something rougher than a Forestry Service road.
What do I need to know about reliability/durability and things like bigger tires and drawer systems? How does it handle deep sand and muddy trails? Does it have drivetrain clearance to clear deep ruts and reasonable rocks (not boulders
? Is the Transmission tough enough to handle service like this with the Pentastar 3.6L V-6 which seems to generate torque and Hp a bit higher in the rev range than I think would be best for heavier vehicle like this one.
General thoughts, good or bad?
TIA,
Sid
General 'googling' shows a lot of options in the mid-$20K range for vehicles with 20K~60K miles on them at 3~6 years age.
While this style of vehicle would be awesome for Interstate stretches to between trailheads or for a big drive home, I wonder about its potential in something rougher than a Forestry Service road.
What do I need to know about reliability/durability and things like bigger tires and drawer systems? How does it handle deep sand and muddy trails? Does it have drivetrain clearance to clear deep ruts and reasonable rocks (not boulders
? Is the Transmission tough enough to handle service like this with the Pentastar 3.6L V-6 which seems to generate torque and Hp a bit higher in the rev range than I think would be best for heavier vehicle like this one.General thoughts, good or bad?
TIA,
Sid