Help me choose the right 4x4!

[Porkanbeans]

Hey guys,



Well, the lack of 4 wheel drive has finally gotten to me, I`ve listed my truck on Auto Trader. I saw no point in having a daily driver that used so much gas but couldn`t be taken out for some weekend off-roading fun. Here`s my dilemma in this whole desire: I can`t lose any money in the whole deal. The new vehicle must end up costing less or the same as what I sell my truck for.



I`ve been going back and forth between a Jeep TJ and a Silverado Z71. There are times when I need a pickup bed, and my truck has been great in those times, plus I love the Silverados, so that`s why I`m considering those. We have a Tahoe, so I pretty much know what I`d be getting into. A Wrangler just seems like a really fun vehicle I can "evolve" with through mods and the whole Jeep lifestyle. This vehicle will have to be with me through the 2 years of high school I have left as well as all of college. I`m just at a crossroads deciding what to do. The creature comforts of a more civilized vehicle like a truck would be hard to leave, but having driven and been in a Jeep many times, it seems to me like it`d be worth it. A truck, on the other hand, is something I`d use a lot and enjoy in comfort.



What`s your say? Feel free to assess the pros/cons of both these vehicles, I`m all ears.



Thank you!

[Five Star]

I would take the silverado, price of gas is seriously gonna bring the rebates and incentives up high.

you`ll steal it off the lot. make sure you check out edmunds and get the invoice price.



I used edmunds, when I bought my 05 express cargo for 17.9k and msrp was over 24k

[MrSelfDestruct]

I`d take the GM!



We BEAT THE **** out of our 2006 Sierra 4x4 snow plow trunk, nothing ever broke on it.

[GlossyTundra]

*Tundra* cough cough *Tundra*



Seriously, the tundra can do everything the silverado can and will get better gas milage and last longer to boot. My buddy in his 5.3 z71 gets 15mpg and mine gets 19mpg and I floorboard it alot.

[kev7706]

Silverados and Jeeps are two different animals.



The Silvy is weighty and durable, but my complaint is that the steering makes the driver feel disconnected from the road.



The Jeep, on the other hand, has a much more lively feel to it. If you go the Jeep route, I would look into the Rubicon model since you`re looking for off-road ability.



Also, might I suggest you look into a Tacoma. It has a similar (albeit smaller) following as a Jeep in the off-road community, it`s much more fun to drive than a Silverado, and you can still haul stuff around in it.



Personally, I would only look at the Silverado if I really needed it for its size, towing, etc. Otherwise, I would stick with a smaller, more fun to drive vehicle like a Jeep or a Tacoma. But that`s just me.

[autobahn]

toyota FTW.



the only problem with toyota is you`re going to get an older truck for the $ because they hold their value better.

[Kanchou]

*cough* subaru *cough*



get a baja, put a lift kit & some knobbies on it. :]

[detailbarn]

I`m pro jeep here. I would say look into a 2005-2006 Wrangler unlimited , you get the great jeep heritage in a more user friendly package. With the longer wheel base the ride is more comfortable and you have more room for people and gear. Also with the longer wheelbase the towing limit goes up to 3500 lbs , so you can tow a nice size trailer for your larger hauling needs. With the jeep you have more options , you can have the hardtop , softtop , no doors , half doors , tube doors. Any too many offroads products to even think about. I think you`ll also like the Jeep to do the fact they are a breeze to work on the engine is strong and last forever and has a good aftermarket following. I`m supercharging my 4.0L in my Comanche and it should be good for 250Hp and 300ft lbs of torque.

[imported_chpsk8]

Hmmm... those are two different animals really.



With the Silverado remember that the new 07 will be completely redisigned and should lbe out at the end of the third quarter. The benefit of this is that there will start to be more rebates on the 06`s soon, but not yet.

The downfall is that an 06 and older is going to depreciate faster since the new truck has had a huge facelift and the interior is going to be far superior than current models.



The Jeep is just that... a Jeep. Probably a more truck-like ride than a truck! Quality is sub par as far as materials and fit/finish goes. Thank Dodge (DCX) for that.



Whatever you do, don`t get a Dodge Ram. I could tell you stories about mine that would make you cry. Worst POS I`ve ever ever ever owned. As soon as the 07 Silverado hits the show room I`m getting one. (I`d consider a Toyota, but I get a supplier discount from Ford GM and DCX, but not Toyota... money still talks.

[topnotchtouch]

Just thought I would share this link. It is a bit of Ford propoganda but, it is telling. Ford takes an F150, Dodge Ram, Chevy Silverado, Toyota Tundra and completely disassembles them so that you can see how they are constructed. No matter what you think of Ford, the comparison is very interesting. I was suprised by some of the differences.



http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/f150/truth/

[spotter]

I guy I work with just got one of the new Toyota FJ`s.....if you want to get offroad this is a serious ticket.

[Studdg]

"Well, the lack of 4 wheel drive has finally gotten to me, I`ve listed my truck on Auto Trader. I saw no point in having a daily driver that used so much gas but couldn`t be taken out for some weekend off-roading fun."



I think that there are several other things you should consider. How reliable is the vehicle you are looking at? Will repairs and gas mileage put you in the poor house? What will insurance be? It just seems to me that an off-road vehicle, while fun, doesn`t suit the needs of a high school student, especially when college is coming up. I say this as a student myself (although a law school student).



You need to figure out how important off-roading is to you. Jeeps are definitely fun, but are terrible choices for on-road trips of more than about 20 minutes (wind noise, terrible mileage, road noise, rough ride, poor handling, etc...). Also keep in mind that if you go to college, you will probably be driving the same vehicle for 4 more years. Are jeeps reliable enough to last that long? I honestly don`t know. I`m just saying that there are a lot more considerations to a vehicle that what you would like to use it for on the weekends.



Before you think of me as an over-practical buzzkill, keep in mind that I drive a Miata, which isn`t the most practical vehicle in the world. Still, it is one of the top 5 most reliable vehicles that Consumer Reports has ever tested, I get between 23-30 MPG (depending on how hard I push it), and it has plenty of room for an unmarried 160 pound student.

[Studdg]

I guy I work with just got one of the new Toyota FJ`s.....if you want to get offroad this is a serious ticket.



Remember that he`s a high school student that is planning to go to college. Unless he`s a trust fund kid, that`s probably out of the picture.

[Porkanbeans]

Thanks for all the help guys. I do realize that this new vehicle needs to take me through college, and even if I end up keeping my current truck, it would be a PITA to drive on a college campus. Rams, in particular, are like semi-trucks to park. I realize now that I need a truck for too many reasons, so I`ll probably end up with another truck. Maybe a regular cab short bed would fit the bill. It has plenty of space for stuff I need to keep in the cab, and hopefully the shorter wheelbase would help a little in the driveability department. What I`ve found is that I got too much truck as my first vehicle. I`m more than willing to give up the Ram for something more practical for me. I will keep you guys posted on the latest developments in this saga. :lol