Ok we moved to the mountains (Arkansas Ozarks) and I also quit my job, retired early, and now a not well known and not so good full time youTuber

My income dropped and dreams of a new Bronco or 4runner are over (but I owe nothing) We currently have a Silverado regular cab 2014 WT trim with cap, and 2020 Hyundai Kona 1.6T AWD (wife's)

so a few years ago I looked for the same in a car (cheap, fast, and reliable) and found a crossfire with 26K miles for $7500 and it's been the greatest CAR. I put lots of miles as it now has 66K miles on it

But my new driveway is 1/2 mile of gravel and We get some flooding in the areas if I go to town.

Is there cheap, capable, and reliable for the mountains? I can't believe used FJ cruisers are going for more than I bought mine used (sold with 200k miles, then got subaru outback and put 100K miles, then crossfire that I was driving when I quit my job in Wisconsin)

I was looking at my dream vehicle Land Rover discoveries but always remember "if you want to get there drive a discover, and if you want to get back a Toyota" Is that true? I was told the same about my Fiat and crossfire (Mercedes) and they both were super reliable.



Jeep wranglers? I had a liberty and it was not great


My wants 4x4, at least rear locker, body on frame, spare tire on back (wish), 4 doors, simple, and able to sleep in it with seats folded down (we are short)  AND smaller than the silverado

I have been looking but nothing is cheap.
Is there some outlier I'm missing like a crossfire? something knobody wants but checks all the boxes? I'd say budget $10K $15max if it has low milage or super duper.

Everything I'm seeing is 200K miles or more or rusted out POS.
Looing at geo tracker 4doors, monteros, Discoveries, OLD 4runners,

Found a discovery 1 with ARB bumper snorkel and 160K miles for $4K (my absolute dream vehicle with those options) and I feel like it's going to really cost me like triple that


or do I invest in the Silverado or now that the King Is back and the economy should pickup take advantage of a NEW vehicle if 0% financing comes back (jeep 4xE, Branco, or ? ) we are not broke and my wife still works. We just don't want spend a large chunk all at once.


It's like any capable vehicle is overpriced.

Don’t think cheap, capable, and reliable belong together…..  Also don’t think you’ll find all those today….unless you just luck into something.

I assume you need 4x4. Jeep wrangler would be pretty decent. Maintenance heavy but would get you where you need to. Older 4 Runner…maybe older Tacoma? Sounds like you’re not brand loyal which is good when buying used.

I like Wranglers so would probably start there. Plus, you can use it as a weekend toy given your location. Lots of great roads to explore in your new area. Wranglers are mostly simple to work on and have tons and tons of parts availability along with a very robust aftermarket.

I would avoid any exotic type of vehicle. Recommend you pick common brands like Ford, Toyota, Jeep etc.

I have owned a few Cherokee's. I think they are great. More room that Wrangler. Can sleep in the back.

Non salt area, you aren't going to beat an older Toyota for longevity and reliability.

Think they would have been great a few years ago but they are all getting pretty old and most have high miles. The XJ ended in 2001. That said, if he finds one with lower miles and decent shape it would do what he wants. Great vehicles. Too bad they aren’t made any more. Loved the old square body.

Cheap
Capable
Reliable
4x4

Pick one only.  You are not going to find all of those without a Time Machine.

I went down this road recently.

The best bet for high mileage reliability and low cost 4x4 is a  v6 4th gen 4Runner.

I searched for a month and looked at multiple before I found one that the frame wasn’t rusty.

I paid $6k for it. It has 200k miles. It had a perfect service record at the dealership. It has dents and scratches as expected from a 16 year vehicle.

200k miles doesn’t bother me in a Toyota as long as it was taken care of. Plenty of life left in it. You see them pretty common with 400k+ miles.
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Check out a gx470. They are Land Cruiser prados in other countries. Basically a bulletproof 4x4 v8 Toyota made in Japan. Lots of reports of them running 500k+ miles. The 470 needs its timing belt changed but the newer 460 is a timing chain. Not sure you will get newer for your price.

Also lots of aftermarket to make it rugged and super off road ready. Parts and service are cheap since it’s Toyota guts.

You have to figure out what you want the vehicle to be capable of. What will it's job be. I have two. Designed to do separate things. Neither is stock. The jeep is a highly modified piece of equipment. Built to be abused and drive home.
The '01 2500 ram came factory with lockers, tow package. I added the lift, tires, air bags, flat bed and Ranchhand bumper. The engine is all BanksPower. It self tunes, doesn't "Roll Coal". New lift pump with water separator and eliminates factory style fuel filter for a better spin on. It tows the toys. Goes through anything..nothing stops it..not even the brakes.

https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/JTJBT20XX90178811

not mine but a good looking deal at first glance

Body on frame makes searching easy.

Most that have everything functional are going to start at about $15k and rapidly climb though.

Why does it need to be body on frame? There are plenty of capable unibody AWD vehicles. I can think of several really reliable cars with AWD and diff lock that will get the job done and meet your needs.

Nissan hardbody or a frontier. Both very good rigs. The hardbody is older but it's reliability is legendary. No Toyota tax. Less aftermarket support. Write capable. I did fins n things on 29" tires, open front diff and rear LSD in my hardbody. Couple spots were interesting but it did it. It's been great in the woods and mountains. Stupidly reliable. Very over built.



Never been impressed with the Toyota tin cans. Way over priced for the lifestyle vehicle you get.

4Runner.

Minus the body on frame part. And I'm a bit biased
First generation Porsche cayene or a vw toureg.
The cayennes regularly break 250k miles.
It will go about anywhere you want on a set of ats.
It's comfy, cruises at 80 and gets ok mpg.
If you can diy, it's affordable to keep running and it's about bullet proof.  The VW is almost the same car, but the v6 is the better engine for the vw.

The best and and worst thing about the cayennes.
A nice one  with low miles is about 6 k.
My daily beater one is 180k miles, I've owned it since 60k and besides tires and brakes and oil changes I've done very little maitnence.  I'd drive it to Alaska tomorrow. It pulls my boat, hauls the dogs, and cruise control at 80.

I was thinking about how the Nissans would be worth a look for the OP as well.

I'm a Gen 1 Tundra owner but moving forward the Nissan frontier will be the first truck I test drive when its time to replace my current truck.

This.

Making a locker a requirement is going to drive the price way up.

Thanks everybody

been searching and also looking at Xterra's too now

I actually did look at the porsche SUV's as I also heard they are reliable (what engine and year range?)
(used to own 924s, 944, and 944 turbo) The other thing is my area is a little touristy but I don' want to look pretentious (but I guess a beater 20 year old porsche would not)

Wondering if I need the locker but the other day we drove to an access point that the day before was under 30' of water and I was a bit nervous in my wife's Hyundai with holes that would swallow it and rocks sticking that could pop through the bottom. Maybe for my thing  ground clearance and skids is needed more than a locker. Maybe no locker but get winch? I notice grandmas drive around here and have winches

Found a local 2004 4runner for 12k with 130kl but I think it's got already

UPDATE To add
Think we want to keep the truck and I can camp in that or use a tent

Main thing is to get around some trials and stuff. carry at least 4 people, I could handle two doors but would prefer 4

l live on top of a mountain but I need to be able to pass the low spots to get to town

this was a mile from me and a few hundred feet lower
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a day later



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The last body on frame Mercedes was the W163 (1998-2005) ML series.
Designed to operate in 23" of water.
Mechanically very solid.
If you avoid 1998 and 1999, the electronics are generally better than a 20 year old US car with traction/stability control.
You can get a decent one for under$5k. Maybe $7500 if you want a ML55.