Best Out of the Box Wheeler...(bang for the buck)

[spencurai]

OK....there has been a lot of talk lately about what is a good wheeler and what isn't. We all know that the best vehicle for each individual is custom built and taylored to the owner's wheeling style.

I pose this question....

What is the best out of the box wheeler?

Here are the qualifications....

1) I have to be able to walk into a dealer and order this vehicle with all OEM options....anyone can buy a wrangler and send it off to X's offroad shop then sell it to a customer!! It has to be factory options direct from the manufacturer.

2) It has to be availible on US soil. You cannot import it from austrailia, pakistan or some other country....not even continental north america!!

3) It has to be under 50k$. Lets be realistic, anything over 50K$ for an offroad rig is out of the running...MSRP.

4) I have to be able to get a 2004 model. Vehicles of decades gone by are up for speculation but NOT in contention for best out of the box offroad rig.

I am going to state the obvious one's that I know of....

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Edition. Reasonably heavy duty axles lockers and transfer case.

Toyota Tacoma TRD with Factory Rear locking differential.

that is all I got off the top of my head....lets hear it!!

 

[bobdog]

Does this have to be a street legal rig or can we consider construction/farming ect type things.

 

[Greg]

Unimog.

Insane Gearing, Turbo Diesel motors, Portal Axles, Cable Actuated Lockers, Large Tires, Fording Ability, PTO driven winches, etc..... All factory.

I know you can get them brand new. Weather it be in the USA or not, I'm not sure. It may be out of the running, if new ones have to be imported.

I still want one...

 

[Floppy Hat]

Frieghtliner of Utah on 2100 South and 5600 West in West Valley will sell you a new 'Mog. They even have a bunch of implements that can be purchased wiht them.

 

[Hickey]

Unimog.

Insane Gearing, Turbo Diesel motors, Portal Axles, Cable Actuated Lockers, Large Tires, Fording Ability, PTO driven winches, etc..... All factory.

I know you can get them brand new. Weather it be in the USA or not, I'm not sure. It may be out of the running, if new ones have to be imported.

I still want one...

Not under 50k. Way not.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Yup Freightliner is now a Mog dealer... but not under $50k... I am going to have to go with the TRD... based on longevity and reliability...

and for under $50k you can have a dealer installed lift and the TRD Supercharger...

 

[Hickey]

The mog name is owned and manufactured by Freightliner. Guess who owns Freightliner? it Starts with a D.

 

[Greg]

Not under 50k. Way not.

Damnit!

 

[OCNORB]

I tell anybody that asks me to buy a Toyota with the TRD package. 3 of my co-workers have bought them in the last 2 yrs on my advice and they couldn't be happier.

 

[Hickey]

Damnit!

the one I drove was 108K

 

[bobdog]

I beleive that the Rubicon will be more capable in many situations, mostly because of the Toyotas IFS. A front locker really is an asset and the Toy does not have one does it? I also think that in a few situations the Toyotas wheelbase will bring it out on top. On the other hand departure angle is not very good with the Toy. I have no idea about engine power how do they compair? What about crawl ratio the Rubicon does pretty good in that dept. I like the idea of having a bed to put the little thing to work ,but I also like the open top feeling that the Rubicon can provide. Brand loyaly aside let's say that you had to compete in a rock crawl competition for big stakes and had to chose a bone stock 4X4 off of a dealer lot in the US and could not spend more than 50k what would you really pick. Just to throw out an idea I beleive you can order a standard cab F250 with a short bed. I have never seen one just read that it is offered. I know no lockers and a lot of body to damage but bulletproof drivetrain (front 60 now) and the size would be sort of managable.

 

[sibeta]

I would have to go with the Rubicon, Best bang for the buck. I owned a unimog a year ago and well i hated it. It was unique but a total pig. Mine was the 404 so that probably says it all. But Rubicon with 44s and locked up from the factory.

 

[O'neal]

I like our 2003 tacoma quadcab,rear has decent flex and with w/the rear locker it does pretty good.It ride's nice down the highway and get's good fuel economy.
Although,a solid front and higher ground clearance it'd be good.

 

[tweakeyjeep]

Rubi...

Solid Stout axles.
Lockers front and rear
4.10 gears in axles
4to1 kit in T-Case
Fixed Yoke on T-Case
MT/R's Stock
Disc Brakes all around... Stock
Rock Sliders (kinda) Stock

Yeah it may be more expensive than the Tacoma (I think), but it's is a lot more capable... It's got solid axles! No IFS Crap.

The only thing it really needs is more clearance. But the way it comes straight out of the factory... I'm not complaining.

 

[TigerStripe40]

4) I have to be able to get a 2004 model. Vehicles of decades gone by are up for speculation but NOT in contention for best out of the box offroad rig.

I am going to state the obvious one's that I know of....

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Edition. Reasonably heavy duty axles lockers and transfer case.

Toyota Tacoma TRD with Factory Rear locking differential.

that is all I got off the top of my head....lets hear it!!

I would consider a 1997 Defender 90. or a 1994 FZJ80 Land Cruiser.
If you absolutly must have new, I would consider a TRD Taco or a Wrangler Rubicon.

There really isn't much else to consider. THe Mercedes Benz G Klasse (Gelandewagen) are well built, and have some cool features (like a 330 hp 5.7 litre V8 and 3.8:1 low range, solid axles, front and rear lockers) but WAY overpriced in the 80-100k range.

Also, the Land Rover DIscovery II is a neat vehicle, that articulate VERY well in stock form. No factory options for lockers, but I hear ARB makes a nice unit. Decent front and rear solid axles, etc.

Just my 1/50 of a dollar.

 

[Greg]

I would consider a 1997 Defender 90. or a 1994 FZJ80 Land Cruiser.

Those would be my next 2 choices, in that order. D90's are the Poop.

 

[tweakeyjeep]

I would consider a 1997 Defender 90. or a 1994 FZJ80 Land Cruiser.
If you absolutly must have new, I would consider a TRD Taco or a Wrangler Rubicon.

There really isn't much else to consider. THe Mercedes Benz G Klasse (Gelandewagen) are well built, and have some cool features (like a 330 hp 5.7 litre V8 and 3.8:1 low range, solid axles, front and rear lockers) but WAY overpriced in the 80-100k range.

Also, the Land Rover DIscovery II is a neat vehicle, that articulate VERY well in stock form. No factory options for lockers, but I hear ARB makes a nice unit. Decent front and rear solid axles, etc.

Just my 1/50 of a dollar.

My brother loves his Defender 90.... But his is a 94. He actually loves it so much, he is going to retire it from "hardcore" wheeling and use it as his... "Family Wheeler". He wants to retire it because he is so worried about ruining it... He's had some really close calls, and to Total something that expensive would kill him... He'd never get his money's worth out of it again. He bought it for a little over 30k, and has put tons and tons of money and custom work into it.

He is planning on getting an old Tacoma, like a 95, (that has been rolled or wrecked or something so it's cheap) Do a solid axle swap and a custom suspension... Then that thing will be his Helldorado and Proving Grounds rig.

 

[mbryson]

Rubi...

Solid Stout axles..............................

They really aren't that great (very similar to my cute little D30--only difference is the centersection), but will hold up quite well to 33" tires. 35" tires push them a little but with attention will hold up OK.....find some spare shafts for the front. They are needed.


Tough to beat a Rubicon for a stock rig for the money. You could add a 3" lift with 33" tires and drive it for years on some fairly serious trails (anything over the Pritchett Canyon level would be a little much IMHO)

 

[N-Smooth]

Rubi...

Solid Stout axles.

haha stout?? i can't remember who said it but the f250 idea ROCKS! i would rather have something like that, a pretty decent wheelbase and okay approach/departure angles. definitely some tougher axles. you could beat the hell out of it like they did on that ultimate adventure thing. if you could cut sheetmetal you could make it badass. hell a new dodge could even be an option.

other than that i think a taco would be good because they do come with rear lockers... ifs sucks but i would rather have that than a rig that is built for you by a jeep dealer. just my opinion, people always get pissed when i talk crap on the poopycon.

-nate

 

[tweakeyjeep]

They really aren't that great (very similar to my cute little D30--only difference is the centersection), but will hold up quite well to 33" tires. 35" tires push them a little but with attention will hold up OK.....find some spare shafts for the front. They are needed.


Tough to beat a Rubicon for a stock rig for the money. You could add a 3" lift with 33" tires and drive it for years on some fairly serious trails (anything over the Pritchett Canyon level would be a little much IMHO)

haha stout?? i can't remember who said it but the f250 idea ROCKS! i would rather have something like that, a pretty decent wheelbase and okay approach/departure angles. definitely some tougher axles. you could beat the hell out of it like they did on that ultimate adventure thing. if you could cut sheetmetal you could make it badass. hell a new dodge could even be an option.

other than that i think a taco would be good because they do come with rear lockers... ifs sucks but i would rather have that than a rig that is built for you by a jeep dealer. just my opinion, people always get pissed when i talk crap on the poopycon.

-nate

Sorry...

I meant Stout compared to my rig's "stock" axles...

I knew they were not as strong as an old school Dana 44 likethe one I have in the back of my jeep, but they are a lot better than the Dana 35/30. Bigger Centersection helps of course, but I remember the mian problem on the Dana 30s (which also have the same U-joint size as the Dana 44's) was axleshafts and U-joints. So of-course it's not like an F-250 axle which is supposed to handle 500 + horsepower and mass torque.

But with 33's... Like my rig... Those would be pretty stout.

Let me remind you... We are also talking about "out of the box" no modifications required. I have seen a stock Rubi go over the actual Rubi with minor damage, mainly to the rear plastic bumper. When I was in Moab for Easter, I saw millions of little Rubi's rolling the streets and trails. Still in stock form..... I mean honestly, they come with MT/R's, yeah they're no Krawlers, but still... Better than my tires.