Ah, yes. The Xterra.potownrob wrote:yeah, they're expensive up here too. tacomas are too. good thinking about skipping the first year. some cars i find okay to get the first year, at least after they are used, such as most hondas (both my 03 accord and 12 cr-v were good reliable first year models - granted the cr-v had had recall issues, but they were fixed by the time i had it). what i'm seeing in online searches is expensive jeeps. early (~97-98) TJs are being listed for over 6k, but most of the ones i'm looking at online look to be in exceptional condition, especially for their age and let alone for their location. a hardtop manual TJ in very good condition (for its age) could make a good 2nd/winter vehicle for me, and probably many others as well. now to see if i can get this real job to pay for it all.AHTOXA wrote:I'm actually kind of interested in the JL. From the brief exposure I have had so far, it has potential.
That said, I would not seriously consider buying it until its second or third year in production. I've been burned on a 1st year car (my 2012 Sonic was a flaming dumpster fire of issues and I was not able to lemon it). My F150 is the 2nd year of the new redesign, and it was manufactured after some of the more serious issues, such as the oil burning TSB the 15s and earlier 16s had, where the 2.7 was burning a good bit of oil and owners were getting new long blocks.
On the flipside, I might just consider an old YJ to mess around with, but Jeeps aren't cheap here. They are very much the image vehicle and here more so that I've seen up north. Plus, everyone who wants a rust free jeep comes down here from up north and east to get one, so the prices stay pretty high.
edit: please tell me any thoughts on xterras. tony, didn't you have one way back when?? albeit auto??
I did own one and it was/is a fantastic truck. I had an 02 - the facelifted gen 1.
3.3 V6 is slow and super thirsty. You're looking at like 160 hp and 16 mpg. It's that bad. But, the VG33 is a reliable motor - there were no issues. The manual is weird due to very off-left clutch pedal position, and I couldn't drive it. Thought about a manual one before I got an auto.
They are simple in the way 90s cars were, which is a good thing, but I wouldn't buy one unless you had a specific use for it. It doesn't make a good daily driver, really, but is a great outdoor access vehicle. There's also good aftermarket support for them with a lot of offroad goodies beginning with winch bumpers and ending with solid axle swap kits for the front end.
Great chance to whore out a pic of my modded one I wheeled the crap out of, but I can't be bothered with forgotten photobucket passwords at this time.