New DD recommendations

[Tin]

Fiesta ST, but I'm biased. It's arguably the best FWD car I've owned. The insurance is cheap, maintenance is cheap, and it gets 30mpg beating the piss out of it. Throw some Michelin X-Ices on 15" steelies for the winter and you are set. Mine had no trouble getting through my unplowed subdivision last winter. You should be able to find a '14 for under $15,000 with average miles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM1nkR8pkX4

EDIT: Never mind, looks like '14s are going for $17k to $18k now . When I was shopping them last year, the '14s were $12k to $15k. Might be because they are now discontinued for the US market. Some dealers have new '17s on the lot for $18k right now.

[DeFormula]

Fiesta ST, but I'm biased. It's arguably the best FWD car I've owned. The insurance is cheap, maintenance is cheap, and it gets 30mpg beating the piss out of it. Throw some Michelin X-Ices on 15" steelies for the winter and you are set. Mine had no trouble getting through my unplowed subdivision last winter. You should be able to find a '14 for under $15,000 with average miles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM1nkR8pkX4

EDIT: Never mind, looks like '14s are going for $17k to $18k now . When I was shopping them last year, the '14s were $12k to $15k. Might be because they are now discontinued for the US market. Some dealers have new '17s on the lot for $18k right now.

The STs look like a ton of fun, and arguably one of the best hot hatches ever. It kind of depends where he plans to go though. He may want more ground clearance up north. STs you have to stay on normal roads.

[Tin]

The STs look like a ton of fun, and arguably one of the best hot hatches ever. It kind of depends where he plans to go though. He may want more ground clearance up north. STs you have to stay on normal roads.

True, but it is still good on dirt back roads. I've had mine through slop many times lol. Granted, it won't go on any of the primitive roads like we have in the UP, but most other cars can't either. It's fine in the dirt though.

[Birdie2000]

A buddy of mine has a Fiesta ST and loves it as well. If they had an AWD variant I'd be all over it. I'll definitely consider it though.

Many of the roads up here are rather nice, just once you get off the main roads they can get steep and/or dirt and windy.

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[Tin]

A buddy of mine has a Fiesta ST and loves it as well. If they had an AWD variant I'd be all over it. I'll definitely consider it though.

Many of the roads up here are rather nice, just once you get off the main roads they can get steep and/or dirt and windy.

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You live in a great place to own one. Most of the roads down here are straight. This thing is at home in the curves. It's a street legal go kart in every sense of the word. Me and my girlfriend were in a UP a couple weeks ago and I missed not driving it. There's a stretch of road between Munising and Grand Marais that has 198 curves in 50 miles, I damn near shed a tear because we were in her Wrangler and not my ST.

[Birdie2000]

If you're considering any Toyota 4x4s, lemme know and I can answer most questions you may have.

Don't sit in a 4runner then, because you'll never look at a Blazer the same again.

Care to enlighten me? 3rd gen 4Runners are high on my list but have been uneasy paying the prices needed for a clean one especially without being able to see/drive one prior to heading across the country. Maybe they're worth it? Most seem to be fairly high mileage.

[Birdie2000]

You live in a great place to own one. Most of the roads down here are straight. This thing is at home in the curves. It's a street legal go kart in every sense of the word. Me and my girlfriend were in a UP a couple weeks ago and I missed not driving it. There's a stretch of road between Munising and Grand Marais that has 198 curves in 50 miles, I damn near shed a tear because we were in her Wrangler and not my ST.

Oh for sure. I'm extremely fortunate in that regard. We've driven the shit out of the gf's Cooper S up here and it's been great.

[moneypit]

https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/...339885279.html

https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/...340753318.html


fly out drive home, If you dont like it sell it for 10k here, rust free 4runner in Michigan $$$$$$$$


if it ran and drove
https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/...342351073.html

[DetroitStyle]

Care to enlighten me? 3rd gen 4Runners are high on my list but have been uneasy paying the prices needed for a clean one especially without being able to see/drive one prior to heading across the country. Maybe they're worth it? Most seem to be fairly high mileage.

Gimme a minute to get settled in at work...


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[DetroitStyle]

Care to enlighten me? 3rd gen 4Runners are high on my list but have been uneasy paying the prices needed for a clean one especially without being able to see/drive one prior to heading across the country. Maybe they're worth it? Most seem to be fairly high mileage.

1. Check the frame, as mentioned, but if you're buying out west or down south, it should be good. They were known to rot out, there was a recall where Toyota would replace the frame and typically a lot of things directly connected that may have rusted (brake lines, etc).
2. You want the 3.4 liter V-6. They have a timing belt. Recommended service interval is 90k, but almost everybody agrees that 150k is perfectly fine and many people push past 200k. I'd want one that has been changed at 150k though. It's a non-interference engine, so if it breaks, it's not a huge deal.
3. As mentioned, they are occasionally found with a manual trans which is cool. A few also came with an optional electric rear locker and that's a pretty nice feature.
4. Other than that, there isn't much to worry about. Look for rust at the bottom of the door seams and under the fender flares.
5. There's a ton of aftermarket mods available... solid axle swaps are popular out west, or you can go with a long travel front suspension but that will run you about $4000 (requires fiberglass front fenders, etc).

If I wasn't always hauling motorcycles, I'd be in a 3rd gen 4Runner right now. I just sold my double cab Tacoma (2WD) and I'm going to look at another one (4WD w/rear locker) tomorrow.