Backcountry Vehicles

[steve]

Its too bad the pathfinder turned into a minivan. The armada will be their only suv I'd want to take offroad, and it's bigger than I'd want.

At least they've still got the frontier and titan.

 

[Bob]

Yep, the old Pathfinders were decent off road, had a couple of those too. New ones are streetized. The Titan and Armada are big....

 

[Nurrgle]

Lol, testy thread at times. Just goes to show different strokes for different folks.

For my part, I have had a Tacoma, a jeep, a very old Legacy Wagon, and old 2wd Datsun pickup, and now an 2011 Xterra. All were great and got me where I needed to go. I bought the Xterra new and I would buy another in a second. I have been all over in it, desert, mountains, snow etc.. I love the leaf springs and the look.

I am a production manager and obviously spent a lot of time in college studying car companies and production methods. I could sit and list a thousand reasons why foreign and particularity Asian cars have the upper hand over American car companies in quality, employee relations, cost, and dependability just from a production standpoint.

Not that we can really say American Car companies anymore but this is interesting:

Most american trucks:

5. GMC Sierra/Chev Silverado
40% American parts
Assembled in Mexico

4. Nissan Frontier/Titan
Transmission Japanese
50% American parts
Mexico and America for assembly

3. Toyota Tacoma
60% American parts
1/2 Mexico 1/2 American assembly

2. Dodge Ram
66% American Parts
Mexican and American assembly

1. Toyota Tundra
Engine, Trans both made in US
75% of materials from US
Assembled in the US

I really like that when Toyota came to the US they asked themselves, "What do we need to do to be successful in America? Build the cars in America." They actively made the decision to build here and create jobs rather then jump on he NAFTA bandwagon with our own domestic auto manufacturers.

FRAT: Most off-road style vehicles are great, all do what they are supposed to and are dependable. IMO it boils down to personal taste and who you choose to support with your money.

 

[DudefromOhio]

Lol, testy thread at times. Just goes to show different strokes for different folks.

For my part, I have had a Tacoma, a jeep, a very old Legacy Wagon, and old 2wd Datsun pickup, and now an 2011 Xterra. All were great and got me where I needed to go. I bought the Xterra new and I would buy another in a second. I have been all over in it, desert, mountains, snow etc.. I love the leaf springs and the look.

I am a production manager and obviously spent a lot of time in college studying car companies and production methods. I could sit and list a thousand reasons why foreign and particularity Asian cars have the upper hand over American car companies in quality, employee relations, cost, and dependability just from a production standpoint.

Not that we can really say American Car companies anymore but this is interesting:

Most american trucks:

5. GMC Sierra/Chev Silverado
40% American parts
Assembled in Mexico

4. Nissan Frontier/Titan
Transmission Japanese
50% American parts
Mexico and America for assembly

3. Toyota Tacoma
60% American parts
1/2 Mexico 1/2 American assembly

2. Dodge Ram
66% American Parts
Mexican and American assembly

1. Toyota Tundra
Engine, Trans both made in US
75% of materials from US
Assembled in the US

I really like that when Toyota came to the US they asked themselves, "What do we need to do to be successful in America? Build the cars in America." They actively made the decision to build here and create jobs rather then jump on he NAFTA bandwagon with our own domestic auto manufacturers.

FRAT: Most off-road style vehicles are great, all do what they are supposed to and are dependable. IMO it boils down to personal taste and who you choose to support with your money.

You must be using older data. As of 2014 the F150 is the number one American made vehicle again, then followed by the Camry (not a truck I know). Gotta defend my Fords around here.


http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-8-most-american-trucks-for-2014.html

 

[Nick]

You must be using older data. As of 2014 the F150 is the number one American made vehicle again, then followed by the Camry (not a truck I know). Gotta defend my Fords around here.


http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-8-most-american-trucks-for-2014.html

Doesn't that link actually say it's in a 3-way tie? Just sayin'...

And they're still making the Ridgeline?!

 

[John Goering]

You must be using older data. As of 2014 the F150 is the number one American made vehicle again, then followed by the Camry (not a truck I know). Gotta defend my Fords around here.


http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-8-most-american-trucks-for-2014.html

Yeah, but only because GM still chooses to market two different trim packages as separate brands. GMC+Chevy=way more than Ford. I owned a F150 once up on a time (1990) and that truck still rates the # POS vehicle I've ever owned. That experience will not be repeated-ever.

 

[DudefromOhio]

Yeah, but only because GM still chooses to market two different trim packages as separate brands. GMC+Chevy=way more than Ford. I owned a F150 once up on a time (1990) and that truck still rates the # POS vehicle I've ever owned. That experience will not be repeated-ever.

Everyone has thier own tastes. I work on cars for a living, And after all that I've seen, I'll stick with my Fords.

 

[o2bav8]

Using a 2014 Forester to get the trail head...
Been a great buy so far, just needed some A/T tires as the oem sucked.

 

[heronwheels]

To those of you with XTerras, just a quick question. Do you have any issue with the heater putting out hot air? All the ones I test drove, even after 40 minutes of driving, only put out lukewarm air. Radiator issue? I really had my heart set on one, I love how they look. I did end up with another Grand Cherokee, a 2008, which for what I'm doing will be fine...boyfriend reminded me that we only put my old Jeep into 4WD a couple times last trip to Utah and not at all in MT/WY in the fall. The auto 4WD seems to be handling the sloppy rutted out mess of 8 inch slush that is my driveway like a champ, time will tell I suppose.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Bob]

Nope.....cooks me out and freezes me out with the A/C. Couldn't tell you the problem, never heard of it before.

 

[Nurrgle]

My Xterra heater gets cool when I stop at lights or at the drive-through. It is a 2011 and I have heard that the 2nd gens have the issue.

Only on super cold mornings though.
Never been much of an issue for me, i just turn the heater off when it happens.

Still the best looking SUV when their built out though I think.


Not mine, but someday.

 

[Aldaron]

I think my heater on my '05 Xterra had a problem early on, but I got it fixed and then never had another problem with it. My ongoing problem with it was the Evap Valve clogged almost every time I drove more than 50 miles on a dirt road in the desert. That was extremely frustrating.

I loved my Xterra, but because of that evap valve thing, I didn't cry when I got my 4Runner.

 

[andyjaggy]

Bummer about the xterra. That was pretty much what I had decided I was going to get when I was finally in a spot to get a real off road vehicle.

 

[andyjaggy]

When i think offroad vehicle, the 1980's Chevy Suburban always comes to mind.
Mostly because when i was a kid that's all we used when we'd go camping with the ole boy scout troop...they could go anywhere!

Oh man. when I was growing up my uncle would often come with us with his kids on trips. He had one of those Suburbans and that thing went everywhere.

 

[Nick]

I loved my Xterra, but because of that evap valve thing, I didn't cry when I got my 4Runner.

So now that you've had the 4Runner for a while, do you feel strongly one way or the other about Xterra vs. 4Runner? Do you feel there is a significant quality difference?

 

[Aldaron]

So now that you've had the 4Runner for a while, do you feel strongly one way or the other about Xterra vs. 4Runner? Do you feel there is a significant quality difference?

Yeah, I have had no problems at all with the 4Runner. After two years with the Xterra I had already had 3 or 4 warranty services, including a complete suspension replacement within the first month of owning it. The Xterra had phantom rattles all over the place which irritated this OCD person. It was sealed terribly and would look like a dirt pile on the inside after a weekend in the desert. The evap valve thing ended several trips early because I never knew what the check engine light was for.

The Xterra was easier to drive because it was smaller and it was less expensive, but the 4Runner is better built and handles better.

 

[Nick]

Nice. That 4Runner is super sexy too, IMO. I'm working on convincing Audra that it needs to be her next vehicle so I don't have to drive my big truck when we go to Glen Canyon. I wouldn't want to tow the 'toon long distances with a 4Runner, but from storage to the ramp I think would be a-okay. Have you done any towing with yours?

 

[Aldaron]

The only thing I've ever towed in my life was the boat we rented at Big Water and put in at Wahweap. I towed that with the 4Runner. I didn't wreck it! I guess it did okay. I was just focused on not screwing up the whole time!

 

[Bob]

Unhook the aux fan in front of the radiater in the winter...it could be coming on.

 

[Yvonne]

Nope.....cooks me out and freezes me out with the A/C. Couldn't tell you the problem, never heard of it before.

same here
Never had any issues wth my 05 XTerra, but every now and then the evap valvr problem @Aldaron mentioned earlier.
Too bad that they decided to discontinue the XTerra, I really like mine a lot.
Not sure what my next car will be, maybe a 4Runner or Taco, or maybe something else.