Yahoo Autos I'm Looking For Something With Good Ground Clearance That Can Haul Parts! What Car Should I Buy?
Ryan lives in the Texas panhandle, which is home to a lot of flooding. He wants something that has a bit of lift on it that can haul project car parts. Other key requirements are that it cannot be domestic and he wants to be able to easily modify it. What car should he buy?
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Here is the scenario:
I live somewhere with regular major flooding and need something with ground clearance, and space for project car parts. I really like classic Land Rovers but I don’t want to deal with the maintenance. It can be an SUV, or Outback style lifted wagon, 2-doors or an RX-8 style 4-door setup. Needs to have substantial aftermarket so I can play with it, a good car for road trips, and light camping. MAYBE a truck. I really don’t care for domestic cars. My budget is up to $60,000.
Quick Facts:
Budget: up to $60,00
Location: Texas panhandle
Daily Driver: Yes
Wants: Higher ride height, room for parts, easy to mod
Doesn’t want: Anything from the Big 3
Expert 1: Tom McParland — New Old-School
Ryan, if you are worried about high flood waters and other hazards, you want to go with something that is as indestructible as possible, and that means a Toyota 4Runner. It’s not going to be the fanciest ride, nor the most fuel-efficient but what it lacks in refinement it more than makes up for in durability.
Aftermarket support for 4Runners is super solid. If you want a lift kit, snorkel, or overlanding set-up, it’s all there, if you have the money to spend. Your biggest challenge with the Toyota is sourcing one at a fair price in a reasonable time frame. I ran a 200-mile search from Amarillo and only found four new vehicle listings. A wider net will give you a lot more options. Personally, I would forgo the top dog TRD Pro that is bound to have a huge market premium and instead get trim that is easier to source and spend the balance on mods. Here is a very cool TRD Off-Road Premium in Lime Green listed in AR. This one may or may not actually be available, so it will take a bit of legwork to see which dealer has an incoming car that isn’t already spoken for.
Expert 2: Owen Bellwood - Cruise You Never Lose
Ryan, the 4Runner Tom suggested is a good place to start, but it’s not quite the right recommendation for you. Heck, it might not even be the right Toyota for you. I reckon the Toyota you really want is the FJ Cruiser, probably the coolest car Toyota has made.
