DMcPher316

I really would like to get a 1999 XJ and I probably will sooner or later. Now is part of the learning curve stage.
But I have to wonder, is there anything out there other than a jeep to off road? I can't afford a new wrangler, I wouldn't pay $30,000 for a jeep any way. The new jeeps are nice but IFS limits what you can do with them and is expensive to maintain. I would like something XJ size not full size, I have one of those. I would be using mine on the roads with occasional trips to like the badlands in Attica, Ind. and winter sports. Not knocking jeeps, but what else is out there?

Martlor13

tons of things. Tacoma, 4runner, pathfinder, sana said, and lots of others. Rangers too. Tgats just off the top of my head

cvc944

I always drove Chevy S/10 Blazers and Pick-ups. I think the Jeep is way better than them. No experience with the Jap 4X4s

extrashaky

Don't forget the Suzuki Samurai. They're small and light and can be built out to be very capable.

If you want to go bigger instead, you could always go older and look at FSJs and Commandos (not Commander). You can get a J-Truck, Wagoneer, full sized Cherokee or square grilled Commando for under $5K if you watch and wait.

aroundincircles

Vitaras and grand vitaras (can be had with a real transfer case with a low range), chevy/geo trackers. Bronco II,

SirCyber

Throwing in my 2¢, I see tons of tacomas out here, another I would suggest are International Scouts, trackers and samurais are about the same build wise, land Rover... Don't see many s10's out here. Mostly yotas and Jeep's. I always did want a Scout, looks like a great platform to build on

Biggsly

I had an SR-5 Toyota truck that I lifted. It would climb anything. It's hard to beat a Jeep offroad. I am 46 years old. I have been driving Jeeps since I was 16. I have owned many CJs. A CJ that has been set up right will go anywhere off road, but may not be much fun on the road. I just started on my first XJ. I am already in love with it. I drove 70 mph on the highway in it last night. I have only had a chance to play a little off road, but I can already tell that this thing will probably go about anywhere I want to go.
I might catch some slack for this, but I am not real big on the JKs. When they first came out I planned on getting a 4 door. I went and rented one for vacation and took it on several trails. It did fine, but I feel like it was no CJ. I honestly felt like the JK was made for SUV people that wanted to say they were Jeep people. I have several friends that drive them, but if you took away their AC, power windows, fuel injection, and the ride of an SUV, they would not want it. I have a couple of friends that would complain about riding in my CJs that now drive JKs. I tell them all the time that they will never be Jeep people. lol
On a positive note, the JK has brought a lot of people into the Jeep thing which is good. Not saying that I would never buy a JK and not talking down on JK owners. I have seen some of them turned into great trail rigs.

kgm

F250

Martlor13

lol what? For one it's really not xj size. Second, they are heavy. I've taken my pops f250 out many times and that sucker is tough. But nothing I want to wheel with all the time. That's any diesal too haha

00t444e

How much are you looking to spend? Does it have to be an SUV or will a truck be fine? Are you wanting something new or older? What mods and what size tires do you want to run? There are several options depending on what you want, and if you want something reliable and easy to get parts for I wouldn't recommend any European made vehicles.

Rogue4x4

Any Toy with a solid axle. Or a Sammy that's been modded heavily. Also seen Troopers that have killed it.

My last ride before my XJ was an IFS Toy truck. Ran all kinds of trails in Colorado and Utah. Never let me down, except coming home on the Vail pass once, clutch was burned after a week in Moab, haha

elwoodblues

Just get a Jeep, anything else is a knockoff.

Bugout4x4

I know I am going to get flack for this... But my Bronco II will crawl circles around all these and doesn't need a roll bar for slow off road roll overs. It's just not long enough to sleep in.

EZEARL

Had one for a short time. Liked it a lot. Auto trans started acting up. Then it developed the infamous dead cylinder when taking it in to the trans shop. Just gave it up.

Bugout4x4

Are you talking about a Bronco here? lol If so then we found the cure for the auto trans issues years ago. We just added more clutches and turned them into a stouter trans that eliminated all those problems. But mine is a 5 speed.