Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads
Forum rules
- This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
- Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
- Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
- Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
-
- Posts: 29
- Joined: 8/10/2018
- 14ers: 33
- 13ers: 285
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads
I have a 2010 Chevy Suburban 2500. The 2500 has engine/transmission coolers, rear locking diff, load range e tires, better clearance than the 1500. I have towed for thousands of miles with it. Driven some crazy 4wd roads with no problem! If you come head to head with a speeding OHV no worry about who is going to win! lol Took the rear seats out almost immediately, so it hauls 5. I flip the middle bench up and put an air mattress in the back, very comfortable at trailheads. Obviously you would have heat, there is a 12v plug at the rear, plenty of storage. The disadvantage is that it has a long wheel base, once you learn to drive its not a problem. The 2500 suspension in a little tight so it can be a bit jarring at times but it will get you there. Known to be a dependable high milage vehicle.
Dislike the new body style.
Dislike the new body style.
- Attachments
-
- thumbnail.jpeg (398.35 KiB) Viewed 4386 times
- CaptainSuburbia
- Posts: 1102
- Joined: 10/7/2017
- 14ers: 58 35
- 13ers: 125 9
- Trip Reports (44)
Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads
Ram 1500 is best!
Some day our kids will study Clash lyrics in school.
Nothing drives people crazy like people drive people crazy.
Save Challenger Point
Nothing drives people crazy like people drive people crazy.
Save Challenger Point
-
- Posts: 33
- Joined: 8/4/2017
- 14ers: 15 6
- 13ers: 23
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads
Anyone looking at the rivian vehicles? Been holding out on replacing my 4runner until I can go electric... This is looking like the first contender. They're installing chargers in all co state parks which is pretty cool. Not sure I can stomach the price, but if you take off incentives and believe the gas/maintenance savings estimates it's competitive with new trucks (although still doesn't help the monthly payment).
-
- Posts: 33
- Joined: 8/4/2017
- 14ers: 15 6
- 13ers: 23
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads
Yeah, still waiting on final EPA estimates but their current claim is 300 and 400 mile models. we are thinking the 400 only because if you factor in uphill, cold weather... might lose a lot more than expected. Where to get them serviced is one of my biggest outstanding concerns... They just released the warranty info which looks pretty good assuming you can get it performed somewhere.CaptCO wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 12:27 pmI’m curious as to the battery life, replacement of a quad battery system, and regular maintenance issues i.e tire rotations etc. I know my old store manager was too lazy to order lift pucks for Tesla’s, so he would turn down all customers, pretty lame. He was also not mechanically inclined whatsoever hahaAgstrohmeier wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 12:23 pm Anyone looking at the rivian vehicles? Been holding out on replacing my 4runner until I can go electric... This is looking like the first contender. They're installing chargers in all co state parks which is pretty cool. Not sure I can stomach the price, but if you take off incentives and believe the gas/maintenance savings estimates it's competitive with new trucks (although still doesn't help the monthly payment).
Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads
Yeah - I have to agree. My '07 FJ has 230K miles on it now and the only maintenance I've done has been the standard stuff - tires, brakes and a battery. No unscheduled maintenance of any kind and has gotten me to every TH I've wanted to get to. I can't imagine a better vehicle for getting to what I want to get to. The only thing I really hate about it is that Toyota stopped making them.JephgonnaSteph wrote: ↑Wed May 06, 2020 12:55 pm Toyota fj cruiser... Can pretty much get you to any trailheads in CO
I take the mountain climber's approach to housekeeping - don't look down
- susanjoypaul
- Posts: 2051
- Joined: 9/8/2006
- 14ers: 58 2
- 13ers: 88 6
- Trip Reports (2)
Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads
Still holding out for the new Bronco. My dealership's only getting 200 this year, and even with a second-day reservation (I made the reservation within 15 minutes of the system opening but my original dealership held onto it for 24 hours before putting it into the system), I may not make it into that allocation. It's a good thing I'm patient.
- Been_Jammin
- Posts: 153
- Joined: 2/5/2019
- 14ers: 58 1 1
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads
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!Jay521 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 12:32 pmYeah - I have to agree. My '07 FJ has 230K miles on it now and the only maintenance I've done has been the standard stuff - tires, brakes and a battery. No unscheduled maintenance of any kind and has gotten me to every TH I've wanted to get to. I can't imagine a better vehicle for getting to what I want to get to. The only thing I really hate about it is that Toyota stopped making them.JephgonnaSteph wrote: ↑Wed May 06, 2020 12:55 pm Toyota fj cruiser... Can pretty much get you to any trailheads in CO
https://carbuzz.com/news/new-toyota-tra ... p-wrangler
Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads
Wow - I do so hope that speculation is correct... Thanks for this!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
I take the mountain climber's approach to housekeeping - don't look down
- +Gravy
- Posts: 29
- Joined: 1/29/2021
- 13ers: 1
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads
...
Last edited by +Gravy on Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Dan_Suitor
- Posts: 776
- Joined: 4/23/2012
- 14ers: 58 4
- 13ers: 90
- Trip Reports (3)
Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads
If price isn't an issue, the new all electric GMC Hummer blows all others away. Check out the video, pretty cool!
Century Bound, eventually.
Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads
I feel like any early EV off road vehicle needs backup fuel capacity either built in or via an external generator. Range will be impossible to calculate off road on steep and crawling terrain. Throw in the weight of camping gear and things will get complicated.
-
- Posts: 1727
- Joined: 9/28/2006
- Trip Reports (8)
Re: Best vehicle for 4wd trailheads
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?
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?