What vehicle is best and what modifications to make for best adventure mobile in the backcountry

[Chicago Transplant]

As far as the reliability question, I had a 2002 XTerra (stock) for the first 8 years I lived here. I got to the old upper trailhead on South Colony and almost to Jaws 1 on Blanca. I have also been over/up numerous 4x4 roads and passes chasing 13ers. It got to about 150,000 miles before some larger surprise repairs. There was the radiator leak on Engineer Pass, got back to Lake City and headed towards Gunni before needed to get towed back to Lake City, I think that was late August? Missed a day of work getting it patched, ordered a new one when I got home and had probably close to $1000 (with the tow) for that total. Then the following January blew a Fuel Pump just outside Leadville, tow and repairs maybe $500? So $1500 in repairs on a 10 year old 150K vehicle in under 6 months, or about $250/mo. While that probably would not have kept up at that pace, the remote THs I had planned for the following summer did have me worried about expensive tows if it did. I decided that was a good time for replacement rather than putting that kind of money into it. I guess that is my threshold on "reliability", I needed to know if I was 5 or 6 miles up some 4x4 road climbing 13ers that I can drive back home afterwards without an expensive tow and/or repair and I just wasn't there anymore. Its something to consider with high mileage vehicles anyway, remote towing gets expensive.

[greenonion]

2011 4Runner and love it. I'm 6'2" and comfortably sleep in the back at THs and elsewhere.

[bergsteigen]

As far as the reliability question, I had a 2002 XTerra (stock) for the first 8 years I lived here. I got to the old upper trailhead on South Colony and almost to Jaws 1 on Blanca. I have also been over/up numerous 4x4 roads and passes chasing 13ers. It got to about 150,000 miles before some larger surprise repairs. There was the radiator leak on Engineer Pass, got back to Lake City and headed towards Gunni before needed to get towed back to Lake City, I think that was late August? Missed a day of work getting it patched, ordered a new one when I got home and had probably close to $1000 (with the tow) for that total. Then the following January blew a Fuel Pump just outside Leadville, tow and repairs maybe $500? So $1500 in repairs on a 10 year old 150K vehicle in under 6 months, or about $250/mo. While that probably would not have kept up at that pace, the remote THs I had planned for the following summer did have me worried about expensive tows if it did. I decided that was a good time for replacement rather than putting that kind of money into it. I guess that is my threshold on "reliability", I needed to know if I was 5 or 6 miles up some 4x4 road climbing 13ers that I can drive back home afterwards without an expensive tow and/or repair and I just wasn't there anymore. Its something to consider with high mileage vehicles anyway, remote towing gets expensive.

This is beginning to be an issue with my 2002 Taco. My solution is to take it to a 4x4 shop periodically so they can find any problems. Since they know how I use the vehicle, and they care (as in they like to work on vehicles that go off pavement and get used to their potential), I can hope this avoids the remote tow problem. I took my Taco into Beartown last month feeling confident. I don’t like the new Taco’s, so I’ll be fixing mine till the engine goes out.

[Conor]

As far as the reliability question, I had a 2002 XTerra (stock) for the first 8 years I lived here. I got to the old upper trailhead on South Colony and almost to Jaws 1 on Blanca. I have also been over/up numerous 4x4 roads and passes chasing 13ers. It got to about 150,000 miles before some larger surprise repairs. There was the radiator leak on Engineer Pass, got back to Lake City and headed towards Gunni before needed to get towed back to Lake City, I think that was late August? Missed a day of work getting it patched, ordered a new one when I got home and had probably close to $1000 (with the tow) for that total. Then the following January blew a Fuel Pump just outside Leadville, tow and repairs maybe $500? So $1500 in repairs on a 10 year old 150K vehicle in under 6 months, or about $250/mo. While that probably would not have kept up at that pace, the remote THs I had planned for the following summer did have me worried about expensive tows if it did. I decided that was a good time for replacement rather than putting that kind of money into it. I guess that is my threshold on "reliability", I needed to know if I was 5 or 6 miles up some 4x4 road climbing 13ers that I can drive back home afterwards without an expensive tow and/or repair and I just wasn't there anymore. Its something to consider with high mileage vehicles anyway, remote towing gets expensive.

This is beginning to be an issue with my 2002 Taco. My solution is to take it to a 4x4 shop periodically so they can find any problems. Since they know how I use the vehicle, and they care (as in they like to work on vehicles that go off pavement and get used to their potential), I can hope this avoids the remote tow problem. I took my Taco into Beartown last month feeling confident. I don’t like the new Taco’s, so I’ll be fixing mine till the engine goes out.

I can promise you that having the motor rebuilt is more cost effective than a new vehicle. Especially if you're keeping up on the maintenance like you say you are.

[bergsteigen]

I can promise you that having the motor rebuilt is more cost effective than a new vehicle. Especially if you're keeping up on the maintenance like you say you are.

Interesting! I’ve been doing the basic maintenance myself (oil changes, filter, tires) and leaving the bigger stuff I’m not capable of to the shop. It only has 138K on it as an ‘02, so I do expect it to last another decade. Original clutch and only just got it’s first set of new brakes, so I do take good care of it.

Based on getting a new Subi 3.6R recently, that’s fricken expensive! Registration and insurance alone are painful on new vehicles. My truck is dirt cheap in comparison.