Well, el rusto is up for sale, has been for a while in fact, but obviously the truck market is a bit soft right now (as is the market for anything except a hybrid or a honda civic). Regardless, we are proceding with this post as if the truck will be sold for more than a dollar. What vehicle can possibly replace el rusto? In an effort to answer this question, I have laid out several important factors to consider.
-Value - something the Toyota market seems to lack, I have a hard time paying $5000 for a truck with 240,000 miles. I want to get something that is only 10 to 15 years old with less than 150k miles for under $4000 (at absolute most).
-Size of aftermarket following (internet forums and parts) - This might seem like an odd one to have up here, but generally the better a car, the larger aftermarket following it has in the form of forums and aftermarket parts. This is important, because forums are a great source of walkthroughs and general tips and tricks relevant to a certain model. Its hard to find this sort of content elsewhere. So I give bonus points to the 4Runner and Jeep Cherokee, the two cars I would consider that have the best aftermarket following.
-Room - I need to fit wife, dog and possibly guinea pig in the vehicle, something el rusto cannot accomplish. Heck, even the guinea pig and I can't fit in el rusto at the same time. This basically means a minimum of an extended cab compact pickup all the way up to something as large as a Suburban.
-Fuel Economy - This is an extremely minor consideration, when you drive 4000 miles a year, it doesn't really matter what kind of mileage you get, as long as its above 15 or so. I've been getting 16.5 in the truck. My acceptable range is 15 and up, but if I get 15 I had better be able to tow something huge.
-Towing Capacity - Not the highest priority, but as mentioned above, if I get horrible gas mileage, I had better be able to tow the hell out of something. Slightly important because I might get a larger boat in the future that needs to be towed. Also useful to tow beater cars on car trailers for future projects.
-Reliability - Does it break down all the time? More importantly, are these breakdowns catastrophic - i.e. Do they keep you from getting where you need to go or are they minor, quality of life issues (power window gets stuck, finicky heater fan, etc) I would rather deal with niggling quality of life stuff rather than know I am due for spectacular engine failure at any moment due to a known rod bearing issue or an undercooled automatic transmission (I'm looking at you Nissan Pathfinder).
-Cargo Capacity - Can I fit lumber in the back or on top or in a trailer? Can I put my boat somewhere, can I load it up and go camping for a week.
So, here is a list of finalists I have considered so far and their plusses and minuses
Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon
+You can probably tow a mobile home
+Value is at its apex currently, with high gas prices and perception as a gas guzzler
-Is the size of a mobile home
-15mpg if you drive with a light foot
-probably has the shortest lifespan of any vehicle listed because of the popularity as a tow rig.
-Everyone will look at you like you just dumped a gallon of oil on a seal
Nissan Pathfinder
+Good used value due to the fact Nissan used the same body style for 11 years, making a 1995 model look like a 1984 model.
+Good cargo room, underrated offroad ability
-AT Issues
-Small aftermarket
Toyota 4Runner
+Good cargo room
-Offroad ability not as good
-Most come with 3.0 V6, one of the worst toyota engines still around
-Not much more tow capacity than a Subaru
-Bad gas mileage (15mpg from a 3.0 V6?)
-Expensive for a rig with high miles
Nissan Hardbody Ext Cab Pickup
+Lower cost than Toyota PU
-Fewer selections available
-Interior room is tight
Toyota Ext Cab Pickup
+Extremely reliable
+Great offroad capability
+Huge aftermarket
-Waaay overpriced
-Really hard to find extended cab version
Ford Ranger Ext Cab Pickup
+Lower cost than Toyota PU
-Fewer selections available
-Interior room is tight
Subaru Legacy Wagon
+Fuel Economy
-Towing Capacity
-Automatic transmission issues (potentially)
-High parts/repair cost
Jeep Cherokee
+4.0 Inline 6 is bullet proof
-Low ground clearance
+Huge aftermarket
-Unibody frame
-Relatively low cargo capacity
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment