Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads

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Ignats
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Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads

Post by Ignats »

What about the Xterra. My proX (stock clearance) serves me well on jeep trails up and down. E.g. Hermit Pass no bottoming out.
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susanjoypaul
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Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads

Post by susanjoypaul »

I'd love an electric car as a daily driver but not for backroads and off trail. I'll wait a few years and see what happens with the technology and charging station situation.

I'm hoping the Bronco lives up to the hype. This video shows some of the cooler features: the trail sites, one-pedal driving, 360-degree camera, 12" screen, some of the different G.O.A.T. modes, hero switches for the front and rear lockers, sway bar disconnect (they call it the stabilizer bar or sta-bar, I think), etc. The trail turn assist locks one rear wheel for tight turns. I can't afford all these features (not looking at a car payment equal to my mortgage) and Ford only allows you to add certain things a la carte, and stacks a lot of them so you have to go up a trim or add higher packages to get certain things like the Bilstein shocks (Sasquatch), disco (Badlands), and Baha G.O.A.T. mode. But even the lowest stock trim looks great. This video is the highest trim with all the bells and whistles.

In the meantime, if anyone's looking at a Bronco, there are two events this year where you can see them. The first one's at Mile High May 30 - June 1st and requires a registration for each adult in your party. The second one's in September - another Super Celebration West in Buena Vista. You have to sign up for certain events but the general event is open to the public, including walk-ins.

I missed last year's Super Cel (and the recent Moab ride-along event) but am shooting for the Denver event. No rides, no drives though, dang it. But I may sign up for an off-road driving and recovery course later this year or next summer. There are a couple of places in Denver that offer classes.

Skip to 12:50 for the demonstration - the first half of the video is just the two guys talking.

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two lunches
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Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads

Post by two lunches »

Jay521 wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 2:17 pm
Been_Jammin wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 12:51 pm Saw an article recently where Toyota called dibs on the model name "TrailHunter." Industry speculators think they might be coming out with a new FJ type rig to compete against Wrangler and Bronco. Could be cool!


https://carbuzz.com/news/new-toyota-tra ... p-wrangler
Wow - I do so hope that speculation is correct... Thanks for this!
i figured this would happen but i’m still holding out for GMC to get their poop in a group and give me a new Jimmy
“To walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles.” – Mary Davis
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Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads

Post by Been_Jammin »

stephakett wrote: Sun Apr 04, 2021 6:24 pm
Jay521 wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 2:17 pm
Been_Jammin wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 12:51 pm Saw an article recently where Toyota called dibs on the model name "TrailHunter." Industry speculators think they might be coming out with a new FJ type rig to compete against Wrangler and Bronco. Could be cool!


https://carbuzz.com/news/new-toyota-tra ... p-wrangler
Wow - I do so hope that speculation is correct... Thanks for this!
i figured this would happen but i’m still holding out for GMC to get their poop in a group and give me a new Jimmy
Yes to this. When I was a tween I stole my sisters mid-90s Blazer and had a very pleasant joy ride around the neighborhood. Until I drove past my Mom who was on her way home... lol. But I loved the blazer/jimmy and the two door Tahoe. Bring a legit off-road version of those back please.

The GMC Hummer is sweet... but I have no use for a truck bed. Make that boy an SUV!!!
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Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads

Post by Been_Jammin »

Lol. The magic information screen in front of me just told me Hummer EV is coming in an SUV around 2023... this thing looks incredible. Now if only I had a trust fund.
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Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads

Post by two lunches »

CaptCO wrote: Mon Apr 05, 2021 10:12 am
stephakett wrote: Sun Apr 04, 2021 6:24 pm
Jay521 wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 2:17 pm

Wow - I do so hope that speculation is correct... Thanks for this!
i figured this would happen but i’m still holding out for GMC to get their poop in a group and give me a new Jimmy
I’m sure you’ve seen the ‘22 model then yeah? Should start around 30

If I was trust fund I’d just get the hummer 😛
well thats a great start, but it's got a lock of slack to pick up after that bronco release... LETS GO GM! BEAT FORD
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Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads

Post by Scott P »

pvnisher wrote: Fri Apr 02, 2021 10:50 pm Why don't electric vehicles have solar panels on the roof?
Supposedly Lightyear One is coming out with one soon:

https://lightyear.one/

The biggest obstacle is cost (at least for now; who know's what the future will bring). The Lightyear One is supposed to start at $135,000.

Insurance and repairs will likely be a problem too. I was surprised when I got my hybrid that the insurance cost were almost double the non-hybrid version of the same car (though gas savings help counter this). Apparently hybrids are really expensive to fix after an accident. I'd imagine that it would be much more so if you had an electric solar panels on your hood and roof.

Still if Lightyear One is sucessful, it will be convenient to not have to plug your car in.
I know it's not a ton of current, and dust would be an issue, but seems like a little trickle charge would add up?
Or too heavy? Expensive?
If solar panels were used to power just part of the car, this would be less effcient then just putting more panels on the roof of your house and charging the car from the power generated from your solar panels. If the panels are on the car you are going to be driving around with all that extra weight which is less efficient than plugging into a system that remains stationary. Energy wise, it would be more efficient then plugging your car in, which you could have to do so anyway if you have an electric vehicle. There doesn't seem to be any advantage to putting them on your car unless they are either going to charge the car fully or if you are away from a place to plug in for extended periods of time.
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Scott P
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Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads

Post by Scott P »

susanjoypaul wrote: Sat Apr 03, 2021 7:39 am I'd love an electric car as a daily driver but not for backroads and off trail.
I also wonder how the electics will do off road. I assume it would suck a lot of power in low range and since electric vehicles are much heavier, this would effect driving in sand, etc. Still, time will tell. As daily drivers, electric cars sound great. It would be great if they are good off road too.
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Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads

Post by justiner »

Scott P wrote: Mon Apr 05, 2021 1:01 pm I also wonder how the electics will do off road. I assume it would suck a lot of power in low range and since electric vehicles are much heavier, this would effect driving in sand, etc. Still, time will tell. As daily drivers, electric cars sound great. It would be great if they are good off road too.
I know nothing about cars, but torque should be amazing on an electric, as is always being in gear (or there really not being a gear to be in).

eMTBs are totally taking off. Honestly, just some reg. efficent car and one of these will get you to every TH in CO without having to be me and save you a year of work from your life. These off road vehicles all look like luxury items to me that quickly devalue. But, kermit_with_iced_tea.gif
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Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads

Post by climbingcue »

pvnisher wrote: Fri Apr 02, 2021 10:50 pm Why don't electric vehicles have solar panels on the roof?
I know it's not a ton of current, and dust would be an issue, but seems like a little trickle charge would add up?
Or too heavy? Expensive?
Clearly the manufacturers don't consider it worth doing, maybe it's all those things?
Fisker Karma was an early electric car that had solar panel roof.

https://a2-solar.com/en/fisker-karma-so ... of-module/
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Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads

Post by Scott P »

CaptCO wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:41 pm Unpopular opinion, people who own RAV4s drive like s**t
Harsh. I drive a RAV4 hybrid.
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docinco
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Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads

Post by docinco »

maybe some work on your social skills would be more productive.
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