need to replace a small(er) SUV?

[lloyd3]

Am presently looking at a used 4x4 Ford Explorer. Jeeps seem to have too-many problems long-term, Japanese cars in rural Minnesota are hard to service, but I'm open to suggestions. Like the 2010s because they still defaulted to RWD (need to use to tow and launch a boat). Am open to suggestions.

The ideal vehicle would be comfortable for long-distance hauling, have decent fuel-economy, and still have good off-road capabilities. What I've used in the past for this job isn't made anymore (Troopers & Monteros) and all of them are simply too-old now for continued use. I know a used Toyota 4-Runner or even a Nissan X-Terra would do the job handsomely but a domestic vehicle would blend in better up there. There's only a million (or two) Explorers floating around, right?

[b5blue]

Durango? I like my 07 Dakota. 

[lloyd3]

B-5: I hadn't considered the Dakota, thanks for that. 

[b5blue]

  Good luck!

[Todd Wilson]

A durango may be a cheaper replacement and be stronger then the explorers.. I really like the 4 runnners and if I was in the position to buy a newer vehicle right now I would probably go with a 4runner.


Todd

[RiverRaider]

Some of the older Escalades can be bought right but they can be expensive when the self leveling suspension starts to fail.  I have a couple friends that have older Escalades to pull boats.
They both got rid of the leveling system when it failed.  Chevy Tahoe seam to run a couple grand more than the Explorers in SW Minnesota but there are a lot available to choose from.
The people I know that had Durango's didn't like the poor gas mileage.  Explorer bodies seam show rust sooner than Tahoe's but you will want to check the frame
on Tahoe's.  That spray on deicing stuff MN DOT uses kills vehicles.

[b5blue]

My 07 Dakota Club Cab has a V6, mileage is good and it is peppy.  (I even got a fiberglass topper for 67.00 from Pick and Pull.  )

[mr. hemi]

I have had good luck with '05 & '06 Jeep Liberty's. They will tow 5000#. I have two of them and regularly drive them across the country. As long as you get one from a rust free area and keep it oiled in Minnesota there are fine. Get one with the premium transfer case and you get 2WD, 4WD & AWD.

[lloyd3]

anybody here with Honda Pilot experience?

[Pinballjim]

I know this won't help, but I'm pretty sure my Ford Excursion will pull a house!!  It gets sub 10 MPG but it'll take 8 adults and their luggage to the airport.   It'll also pull pretty much any trailer you hook up to....   I know they're not politically correct these days but I still like it!!   

The 7.3 diesels run FOREVER.  The 6.0 Diesels run forever too but you have to 'bulletproof" them.  The V10 gas jobs are good but don't pull like a diesel.  Adding a good tuner helps a LOT (mine's a V10).  Stay away from the 5.4 V8 gas models.  They're very under powered.  Watch out for rust.   

Best of luck with whatever you choose!!

   

[Mike DC]

  

anybody here with Honda Pilot experience?

I've got an older relative who bought one new about 15 years ago.  No major issues.  The mileage is maybe 150k now.  He only uses it for suburban transpo (no towing).  
           

[lloyd3]

Big (& real) 4x4s are great tools for so-many things. The situation up at my former father-in-laws place requires something a little different. Small(er) and nimble seems to work best there for many things too. Pulling boat docks and getting down narrow & overgrown forest roads there requires something competent but...just not too-big. The Isuzu Trooper we had up there for the last 10 years or so was almost perfect. Easier on gas and just big enough to be comfortable for bigger folks (IE...me), it burned half the gas of the older F150 that I have there (now here at the moment, getting some work done). Small 4x4s (RAV4s, Samurais, Swifts, etc.) are mostly not real off-road deals. Many are only really front wheel drives with a light driveshaft back to the rear wheels. That might be allright for most of it but... I'm suspicious of their utility off-road and their towing ability.