Car Shopping: Swank has no clue edition

Crushed that his beloved XJ is well... crushed. Our hero returns to the search yet again for another interesting and/or quirky daily driver with no real direction as to what he wants. Or another XJ.

I have a couple pretty irrational "Do not wants," and by that i mean i will not even consider them. Full stop.

1) No more red. Ever.
2) The only domestic vehicle i could be persuaded to buy will have a "Jeep" emblem on it.
3) Snore. Boring.

What i don't really enjoy about our current fleet:
1) If SWMBO and i had to take a road trip, we were taking a Cherokee. I can live with SUV world, i like SUV world. This is just the only beef i had with having two SUVs and a race car that's unbearable to drive on the street.

To make this harder, i have no idea what my budget will be as of yet. But i'm pretty sure it's enough to go and get this thing: http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/644561402/overview/

Really i have no idea what to do. Brain is everywhere. Another XJ? Buy one already "built?" If i get enough monies, step up to an FJ80 Land Cruiser? Switch gears and look for a 350z? IS300? Scour the country for a 1st gen Montero that hasn't returned to earth? 1st gen Trooper? Embrace the funk and get a Vehicross? Take the plunge and import something really weird from Canada? Find the cleanest B2600i in the country?

Halp. I hate forced car shopping. I had just come to terms with the fleet, too. And really fallen in love with this XJ during our trip to the Smokies.

Oh good. One of these threads.

Find a Suzuki Samari tin-top and add a turbo.

pres589 wrote: Oh good. One of these threads. Find a Suzuki Samari tin-top and add a turbo.

Last time worked out well. Did not want red, or Cherokee. So i bought a red Cherokee. And then fell in love.

So here's the disclaimer: I make no promises. Take this thread as an invitation to try to talk me into the worst decision possible that still has a 50% or greater chance of success.

The Sammy is intriguing, but a bit smaller than i'm looking for. Being able to achieve highway speeds without E36 M3ting myself would be nice.

Just find something in red

In reply to Swank Force One:

... did you miss the part where I said "add a turbo"?

And why do you need a vehicle larger than a Sami? There should be plenty of space for a driver to fit without bashing the tub with a hammer or adding thousand dollar seats and mounts (cough like a Miata cough) with a bit of storage. And tin top for weather and security over a cloth top. You've already got a Cherokee for a bigger SUV and the MX-6 when you want something spacious and a Miata to prove that you're not too tall.

I have had a 2007 FJ cruiser for 6 years. I love that thing way more than I thought I ever would. Tons of power, real transmission, rides/drives really nice on the highway, is one of the best offroad vehicles I have ever owned. (I've had jeeps/trucks/samuri). I can take it on a 6 hour drive and not feel like E36 M3 after. My only gripe is that the gas mileage isn't great, I average 14/15. And I do miss having a truck sometimes but only for the bed. Mine has 135K miles and is reliable as a stone hammer.

I have no idea why that Land Cruiser(not sold in that configuration here in the USA) is so cheap. Just go buy it already. $1500 is a steal even if it only runs on 2 cylinders.

TL/DR... but Brunton Super Stalker for 28k ought to do whatever your requirements were.

Get a 4 runner. Be done with things.

D2W wrote: I have had a 2007 FJ cruiser for 6 years. I love that thing way more than I thought I ever would. Tons of power, real transmission, rides/drives really nice on the highway, is one of the best offroad vehicles I have ever owned. (I've had jeeps/trucks/samuri). I can take it on a 6 hour drive and not feel like E36 M3 after. My only gripe is that the gas mileage isn't great, I average 14/15. And I do miss having a truck sometimes but only for the bed. Mine has 135K miles and is reliable as a stone hammer.

If i get an FJ Cruiser, it'll become SWMBO's and i'll get stuck with the blue XJ. Also: FJs are still ridiculously expensive and likely well out of budget.

I'm guessing we'll be working in the $4-8k range.

You should be on your way to buy that Land Cruiser. That thing is amazing. 22R?

RossD wrote: You should be on your way to buy that Land Cruiser. That thing is amazing. 22R?

Listing mentions a diesel, so no not a 22R. Probably a 4 cylinder non-turbo slug, but durable as all heck.

Can you get a Lexus LX450 (luxury J80) for that kind of money?

4 cylinder turbo. It's a 2.4 liter turbodiesel. 2L-T motor.

Already found out that the "1KZ-TE" is pretty much a drop in. 3.0 4 banger turbo diesel at 145hp/253ftlbs.

G_Body_Man wrote: Can you get a Lexus LX450 (luxury J80) for that kind of money?

Yes, though condition seems to be hit or miss. They're on my radar.

Swank Force One wrote:

G_Body_Man wrote: Can you get a Lexus LX450 (luxury J80) for that kind of money?

Yes, though condition seems to be hit or miss. They're on my radar.

They're tough as nails, awesome off road, and very civilized. Try and find one with a few minor faults (bad window rubbers, leaky valve cover gasket, faded paint), then fix them yourself.

Diesel Jeep Liberty?

Swank Force One wrote: 4 cylinder turbo. It's a 2.4 liter turbodiesel. 2L-T motor. Already found out that the "1KZ-TE" is pretty much a drop in. 3.0 4 banger turbo diesel at 145hp/253ftlbs.

Are you positive it's a turbo? I ask because I have a friend with a JDM version of this same Cruiser, and it is a non-turbo.

Road trip to FL for pimpm3's 350z flip project.

Advan046 wrote: Diesel Jeep Liberty?

This is what I was thinking. They have some known problems, but if you want an "offroad" type of machine that gets good mpg, this is the one.

At the same time... $8k is a REALLY good downpayment on a trailhawk rated cherokee which are about $25kusd last time I checked. That's about a $225/month payment for a brand new vehicle that gets amazing mpg and all the benefits of owning a new vehicle.

Just sayin

Neon srt4. Room, boost, greater than 50% chance of success.

Mazdax605 wrote:

Swank Force One wrote: 4 cylinder turbo. It's a 2.4 liter turbodiesel. 2L-T motor. Already found out that the "1KZ-TE" is pretty much a drop in. 3.0 4 banger turbo diesel at 145hp/253ftlbs.

Are you positive it's a turbo? I ask because I have a friend with a JDM version of this same Cruiser, and it is a non-turbo.

It says turbo on the grill, so i'm pretty sure it's a turbo.

HiTempguy wrote:

Advan046 wrote: Diesel Jeep Liberty?

This is what I was thinking. They have some known problems, but if you want an "offroad" type of machine that gets good mpg, this is the one. At the same time... $8k is a REALLY good downpayment on a trailhawk rated cherokee which are about $25kusd last time I checked. That's about a $225/month payment for a brand new vehicle that gets amazing mpg and all the benefits of owning a new vehicle. Just sayin

berkeley a new "Cherokee," and berkeley a car payment.

Swank Force One wrote:

Mazdax605 wrote:

Swank Force One wrote: 4 cylinder turbo. It's a 2.4 liter turbodiesel. 2L-T motor. Already found out that the "1KZ-TE" is pretty much a drop in. 3.0 4 banger turbo diesel at 145hp/253ftlbs.

Are you positive it's a turbo? I ask because I have a friend with a JDM version of this same Cruiser, and it is a non-turbo.

It says turbo on the grill, so i'm pretty sure it's a turbo.

Good catch. I didn't see that. Still no idea why it's so cheap. Must be a scam.

If you want a good DD, what about this?