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yakyak2010
Junior Nomad
Posts: 94
Registered: 4-24-2010
Location: Victorville, Ca.
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4x4 beater preference
I'll throw this ? out there. If you wanted a used 4x4 beater for baja (read cheap,reliable as a rock, and throw in 20+mpg), what would you all think
is the best vehicle out there? Not a offroad racer just something that will get you where you need to go.
I\'ve been told I\'m preoccupied with Baja. They just don\"t understand, in fact neither do I.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
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Your "20+ mpg" criteria sure eliminates most of them, if not all.
Barry
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yakyak2010
Junior Nomad
Posts: 94
Registered: 4-24-2010
Location: Victorville, Ca.
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Barry A.
Your "20+ mpg" criteria sure eliminates most of them, if not all.
Barry |
I didn't ask for easy. As long has it doesn't have solar panels or more than one battery, I'm good.
I\'ve been told I\'m preoccupied with Baja. They just don\"t understand, in fact neither do I.
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Bajaboy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4375
Registered: 10-9-2003
Location: Bahia Asuncion, BCS, Mexico
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4 cylinder Taco
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N2Baja
Nomad
Posts: 147
Registered: 2-12-2004
Location: San Diego
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Does it have to be 4x4? I had a postal jeep that went everywhere the 4x4's went. It had a 6 cyl engine in it and was very easy to work on.
Forget about the danger and think of the fun.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajaboy
4 cylinder Taco |
You took the words right out of my mouth. Try to obtain one with a straight axle - '80-'84 model, preferably.
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mojo_norte
Senior Nomad
Posts: 725
Registered: 2-14-2006
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4 cylinder Taco - unless you want to lower the MPG to high teens..
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BFS
Senior Nomad
Posts: 520
Registered: 9-28-2006
Location: Todos Santos
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4 door sidekick 4x4 gets way over 20 mpg, flies across the sand, cheap to buy, easy to fix...
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mojo_norte
Senior Nomad
Posts: 725
Registered: 2-14-2006
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My 95 wrangler 2.5 FI 4 cyl 5spd gets 20 mpg -
My 87 F150 5.0 VI V8 gets 17 MPG.
Both are rock solid reliable
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ddawson
Nomad
Posts: 103
Registered: 9-6-2010
Location: Hilo
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajaboy
4 cylinder Taco |
This.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64615
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Suzuki Samuri, Old Toyota 4 cyl.
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J.P.
Super Nomad
Posts: 1673
Registered: 7-8-2010
Location: Punta Banda
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Mood: Easy Does It
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I have a clean 1995 Nissan Se v6 4x4 with 138,000 mi with air,power brakes and steering,factory lift, good Toyo tires, Nice camper shell very clean
truck Liscensed untill Oct 2012 I will sell for $4,000dls firm It,s in Ensenada.
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paranewbi
Senior Nomad
Posts: 913
Registered: 4-15-2011
Location: San diego
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"4 door sidekick 4x4 gets way over 20 mpg, flies across the sand, cheap to buy, easy to fix..."
BFS is right!
Got one...230,000 miles and one new radiator. Won't haul cattle but really does fly across the dirt.
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rhintransit
Super Nomad
Posts: 1588
Registered: 9-4-2006
Location: Loreto
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Suzuki Sammys or GEO Trackers...
not much room, but they go anywhere, are easy to fix, and gas mileage is great. (unless you have/run AC, in which case it goes way down, as does the
zip factor)
reality\'s never been of much use out here...
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willyAirstream
Super Nomad
Posts: 1786
Registered: 1-1-2010
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ditto on the Suzuki Samuri
also jeep wagoneer from the 80's, but it won't get 20mpg
[Edited on 10-24-2011 by willyAirstream]
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BooJumMan
Senior Nomad
Posts: 884
Registered: 8-11-2007
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
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Straight axle Toyota "Hilux" (They are just really the Toyota Pickups -- not considered a Tacoma).
They were made from 1979 through 1995.5. Straight axle variations: 79-85. Rest are torsion bar front with leaf rear.
1985 was the only year they offered an EFI (22-RE opposed to the carburated 22-R) and straight axle, and is the holy grail of Toyota pickups.
Even a freshly built 22-RE will give you only 20 mpg on mixed 50/50 city/highyway at best. The parts are very cheap to replace, but you shouldn't need
to. I did my own top end repair (head gaskets, valve job, cam shaft, etc...) for about $250. 
I'm always tempted to buy one of those early 90's Jeep Grand Cherokee's for like $1k but I don't know how reliable they would be. The Toyota pickups
will be a dime a dozen. The Tacoma's (95.5 and above) will be considerably more money because of the larger I-4, coil sprung suspension, body
improvements, etc...
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BajaGringo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3882
Registered: 8-24-2006
Location: La Chorera
Member Is Offline
Mood: Let's have a BBQ!
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My suggestion? Buy the cheapest, most dependable 4x4 you can find and don't worry about the gas mileage....
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Islandbuilder
Senior Nomad
Posts: 555
Registered: 11-9-2011
Location: nob
Member Is Offline
Mood: bewildered
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Hello,
I'm looking at a '96 F-350 regular cab. This has the 7.3 turbo diesel on a 5 speed stick. The seller assures me that it gets 20mpg on the highway due,
I guess, to it having very tall differential gearing.
It's dented and worn, but it starts, pulls well, and is under $4,000.
Any thoughts? Anyone want to do an intervention before Monday when I put it on the rack and inspect it prior to purchase?
Thanks!
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tiotomasbcs
Super Nomad
Posts: 1837
Registered: 7-30-2007
Location: El Pescadero
Member Is Offline
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I'll vote for the Subaru GL Wagon. My 4X 87 Wagon has only 120,000 miles altho its rusting apart. The mountain communities are full of em and they
are super dependable! Snow or sand! Shame on you DK for not mentioning your original Baja vehicles? ps mines not for sale. Tio
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Curt63
Super Nomad
Posts: 1171
Registered: 3-28-2009
Location: San Diego, Ca.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Fish tacos and Tecate
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I cant speak about the year/model of that truck, but the Ford 7.3 Diesel is an excellent engine.
No worries
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