Another Question About SUVs and Off-Road

[R]

We are about to come upon a little bit of money, and I am starting to eye SUVs to replace my excellent but worn out Grand Am. I've always been attracted to the Toyota FJ Cruiser, and the web reviews seem impressed by its off-road abilities. I would use it for work, which would include occasional snow and ice, and back-road, dirt-road use, as well as for hiking trips to the CP. (Sidebar: the suicide rear doors are practically customized for getting my camera bag in and out of the vehicle quickly.) My second choice would probably be the Nissan Xterra.

So my question is: assuming stock or stock with improved tires, how capable is the FJ in the backcountry of Utah? For example, could it get me to the Doll House in the Maze at Canyonlands? Any other opinions or suggestions are welcome.

-Richard

[Win]

I think a lot of the SUV's are more capable than we think. I've had my Pilot on some pretty gnarly roads with no problem. I do have an upgraded tire on it though.

I also have a Rubicon and you might look at the 4 door Unlimited for your needs.
These come out of the box very capable. My first excursion with mine was in Hog Canyon outside Kanab, I was with a club and all the guys were interested to see if the stock Rubi could do it. We had no problems at all, except for a bit of scraping. Mine's a 2005 and there have been a few changes to the new Rubicons,
like V6 engine.

Win

[RedMan]

Have had a few FJs. Can't go wrong its a quality product.
Only complaint I've heard on the new FJ is the B-pillar is sort of large blocking some visibility.

But since it weighs a lot less than the my old FJ's I think its a nit.

Definitely more capable than X-Terra.

[accadacca]

Uhhhh Toyota. Yep, proven. Done. The FJ, well yep that too. :nod:

[moab mark]

We are about to come upon a little bit of money, and I am starting to eye SUVs to replace my excellent but worn out Grand Am. I've always been attracted to the Toyota FJ Cruiser, and the web reviews seem impressed by its off-road abilities. I would use it for work, which would include occasional snow and ice, and back-road, dirt-road use, as well as for hiking trips to the CP. (Sidebar: the suicide rear doors are practically customized for getting my camera bag in and out of the vehicle quickly.) My second choice would probably be the Nissan Xterra.

So my question is: assuming stock or stock with improved tires, how capable is the FJ in the backcountry of Utah? For example, could it get me to the Doll House in the Maze at Canyonlands? Any other opinions or suggestions are welcome.

-Richard

Have two buddies with FJ's. They do well for what they were intended for. But the vision out of them is not the best. One of my buddies is looking at trading his on one of the new 4 door jeeps. Wants to be able to take the top off. :2thumbs:
If I was buying I would be buying a 4 door jeep. But Toyota builds a quality vehicle.
The Rubicon 4 door will be a stronger off road vehicle then an FJ. But both will do the trick.
If you ever want to modify, lift etc. the 4 door is going to be miles ahead.


Mark

[denaliguide]

youtube vids of the fj crusier.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpeprmNmDKA



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5KyVaeeW54&feature=PlayList&p=CAF1D83FEA4756B7&index=5


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VawDCEtW9Qo&feature=PlayList&p=CAF1D83FEA4756B7&index=6


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLYto9BObMs&NR=1



looks to be a pretty capable vehicle to me. getting one of these into the maze and the dollshouse will be a piece of cake. don't think my 4runner would make those.

[moab mark]

Here are a few pics of a FJ on Moab Rim and Cliff Hanger. I included a few of a stock rental.

Mark

[accadacca]

Yeah, one of the main diffs is the reliability. I rarely open the hood on any of my Toyota's.

:popcorn:

[R]

Here are a couple of wild cards in the mix...

-There is a Nissan dealer in my town, but the nearest Toyota dealer is 65 miles away.
-I would be very interested in a flex-fuel vehicle - is there a Jeep that's flex fuel? Or does Toyota have plans to start making the FJ in a flex-fuel version?

[denaliguide]

drive the 65.

[moab mark]

drive the 65.
x2

Unless you want to be able to take the top off I would go with the Toyota. But it's pretty nice to be able to ride around in a open top jeep when the temp is right.

Mark

[R]

drive the 65.

I will probably drive to Dallas or Oklahoma City to buy. It was service I was concerned about.

[accadacca]

drive the 65.

I will probably drive to Dallas or Oklahoma City to buy. It was service I was concerned about.
Service? Whaz that with a Yota? :ne_nau: :haha:

[RedMan]

Haha, NEVER had to take my yotas to a dealer. Not once.

[denaliguide]

you mean that you can service a toyota? the only time i even check the oil in my 4runner is when i change it. almost 190,000 miles and it still doesn't leak a drop. and it's a 1990.

[accadacca]

I have a 212,000 on my 95 T-100 and it doesn't leak a drop of anything. :2thumbs:

[RedMan]

My Fj100 has 318,000 and makes regular trips to Utah. Just came back from Kanab. No leaks, doesn't burn oil. Been through a few sets of tires though.

Its more reliable than my F-250 which needs a new alternator dammit.

[R]

Thanks for the posts!

I really do like the FJ Cruiser more and more as I read about it. Abby and I are going to Ardmore today, where there is a Toyota dealer, and we'll drive one if they have one.

In my original post I asked about The Maze. Is the stock FJ enough to get me to the Doll House? That seems like an archetypal destination, and one thing I know I'd like to be able to do.

-Richard

[DOSS]

Thanks for the posts!

I really do like the FJ Cruiser more and more as I read about it. Abby and I are going to Ardmore today, where there is a Toyota dealer, and we'll drive one if they have one.

In my original post I asked about The Maze. Is the stock FJ enough to get me to the Doll House? That seems like an archetypal destination, and one thing I know I'd like to be able to do.

-Richard

I would say a FJ can get to the Doll house in stock form.. you may have a few scrapes on the undercarriage and bump your rockers a couple of times but such is what happens to stock anything on trails and not roads :).. there are people who can take stock rigs lots of places that others would only take a highly lifted rig and have no issues there is a lot of driver ability that comes into where a vehicle can and can not go..

My vote would be get a Toyota Tacoma TRD extended cab, then the 4 door JK then the FJ haven driven all of them then getting back into my XJ :roll:

[denaliguide]

you will have absolutely no problem getting to the maze and the dollhouse with a stock fj. i get my stock 4runner out there easily. i have even seen a 2wd chevy pickup there one time. the road is just not that bad. unless it's wet. then coming down from hans flat can be a problem. the bentonite clay on the side hills get real slick. have to come in from hite when that's the case.

[R]

Okay, another piece of the puzzle: at the Ardmore Toyota place today, they not only didn't have an FJ for us to drive, they told us there were about five in the four-state region, and, much to our disbelief, it's been discontinued. No more FJ Cruisers? That doesn't even make sense.

[RedMan]

Okay, another piece of the puzzle: at the Ardmore Toyota place today, they not only didn't have an FJ for us to drive, they told us there were about five in the four-state region, and, much to our disbelief, it's been discontinued. No more FJ Cruisers? That doesn't even make sense.

I think that rumor is BS. Been floating around a while and Toyota denies it so where it came from I can't figure.

[Hatchcanyon]

In my original post I asked about The Maze. Is the stock FJ enough to get me to the Doll House? That seems like an archetypal destination, and one thing I know I'd like to be able to do.

-Richard

Hi Richard,

you can do that quite easy! We did it years ago with an old Ford Explorer http://hatchcanyon.eu/Inhalt/Utah/Dollhouse/dollhouse.html

Rolf

[ststephen]

In my original post I asked about The Maze. Is the stock FJ enough to get me to the Doll House? That seems like an archetypal destination, and one thing I know I'd like to be able to do.

-Richard

Hi Richard,

you can do that quite easy! We did it years ago with an old Ford Explorer http://hatchcanyon.eu/Inhalt/Utah/Dollhouse/dollhouse.html

Rolf

I agree the FJ will make it easily. As to the Ford Explorer, Rolf you are a fine driver to tackle that trail in that vehicle :hail2thechief:

When I was recently at the Dollhouse there were a couple guys in a FJ in the other campsite. I drove a rental stock 4-door Rubicon.

I am considering these same vehicles sometime in the near future. My only knock on the FJ is the rear seat and rear seat window. I'm hoping my son still wants to do trips with us right through his teen years which means I've got 5-6 years of usually having someone in the back seat. The FJ has a small door and small non-opening window for the back seating. But if you are almost always just 2 people that may not be a concern.

[brookiekiller]

I have owned both the FJ and the Xterra - still have the Xterra. I did not like the FJ - it looks better, but that is about it. The X is just as capable. All the hard core 4 wheel drive magazines agree that the only difference is looks. I found that the X is cheaper to insure, takes the cheaper gas - not the premium that the FJ recommends. The FJ back doesn't go perfectly flat - Xterra does.

[JP]

I'm with Win on the Rubicon :2thumbs: Off the showroom floor you're not gonna find a more capable trail rig. With some mods, it will be set a world apart.

[moab mark]

I'm with Win on the Rubicon :2thumbs: Off the showroom floor you're not gonna find a more capable trail rig. With some mods, it will be set a world apart.

X2 :nod: Four Door Rubicons with a 33" tire are impressive in Southern Utah terrain

[Salmoholic]

I just bought a brand new 08 fj love it. Looked at the jeep no cargo inside with seats up. The yota has plenty of room pulls 5000 lbs and digs like a gopher. I have already added an arb air locker 9000 lb warn winch warn bumpers front and rear with rock slides Lift and level kit.. Will have to post pics. Its already been to city of rocks and all over the South Slope of the Uintas next week I leave for a week at Camp Steiner hope to wheel while I'm there. Sure I can't go topless but the air blows cold. As to the b pillars threw onsome convex bug spotters problem solved. With the seats folded down I don't even need the rack when its just me and the misses.

[UtahFire]

I go to Moab regularly with friends with Jeeps, FJs, Land Rovers and a number of other rigs. The FJ is a fine trail ride. With a small lift and 33" tires they can do most of the trails in Moab with no problems. The only problem people have with the FJ is visibility.

The new 4 door rubicons are very trail capable and a nice ride. The toyota will be better built. But the rubicons are worth a look.

[accadacca]

I just bought a brand new 08 fj love it. Looked at the jeep no cargo inside with seats up. The yota has plenty of room pulls 5000 lbs and digs like a gopher. I have already added an arb air locker 9000 lb warn winch warn bumpers front and rear with rock slides Lift and level kit.. Will have to post pics. Its already been to city of rocks and all over the South Slope of the Uintas next week I leave for a week at Camp Steiner hope to wheel while I'm there. Sure I can't go topless but the air blows cold. As to the b pillars threw onsome convex bug spotters problem solved. With the seats folded down I don't even need the rack when its just me and the misses.
Please post pictures. :popcorn:

[R]

Okay, after looking at many factors, not the least of which is fuel economy, I am mentally striking a compromise. I think we all agree that the price of fuel is likely to go WAY up in the next five years, and I don't just drive to Utah in my vehicles, I also work in them for my newspaper every day. So I'd like something that's got a little 4x4 push to it, but still gets better fuel mileage. On Monday I drove the Jeep Compass and the Jeep Patriot, and hated them both. I drove the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Subaru Forester, and was MUCH more impressed with the Forester. Nissan had nothing I even wanted to drive, and apparently won't be getting any Xterras in anytime soon. The Toyota RAV4 had the crappiest seats ever, so I eliminated it immediately, and the Toyota 4Runner was much too large for my purposes. I did find one FJ Cruiser, a used one with 24k miles on it in great shape, but everything the critics said about the visibility problem was true; it's terrible. Then Wednesday I sat in a 4wd Ford Escape, and liked it, but they didn't have one to drive. They make a hybrid 4x4 version of the escape which gets excellent fuel economy ratings.

Ideas, notions, concepts, suggestions? Should I just get a scooter and forget the whole thing?

Thanks in advance again. -Richard

[Salmoholic]

Hers a few pics

[JP]

If you're not planning to really get into it with the Ford, go for it. It's independent front and rear suspension which leaves that setup very vulnerable to damage. Getting into back road conditions, that vehicle would probably do you just fine. You can still pack your camera gear and camping equipment in it, hop in and take off for the weekend.

[asdf]

What about a four door Tacoma? This is my next 4x4 of choice.

[R]

What about a four door Tacoma? This is my next 4x4 of choice.

I can appreciate pickup fans among us, but I have to have a place to put photo gear that is out of the weather and still be able to seat four people, so it's an SUV or a car with a trunk in that respect.

[R]

Hers a few pics

Got any pics of that thing getting 28mpg?

[denaliguide]

i doubt that you are going to find a vehicle capable of getting into the maze that gets 28 mpg. certainly never in 4wd.

we have a forester as a second vehicle and i find it difficult to get in and out of. the steering wheel doesnt tilt. i don't think i'd give it a chance of getting around teapot on the way to the dolls house.

going to have to make some compromises. do you want mileage, or do you want to get into the real out of the way places? can't have cake and eat it too.

and, there's no way to look cool on a scooter.

[JP]

Got any pics of that thing getting 28mpg?
:roflol: :roflol: :roflol: :roflol:

[R]

i doubt that you are going to find a vehicle capable of getting into the maze that gets 28 mpg. certainly never in 4wd.

we have a forester as a second vehicle and i find it difficult to get in and out of. the steering wheel doesnt tilt. i don't think i'd give it a chance of getting around teapot on the way to the dolls house.

going to have to make some compromises. do you want mileage, or do you want to get into the real out of the way places? can't have cake and eat it too.

and, there's no way to look cool on a scooter.

Yes, compromise. Believe me, I WANT an FJ like I want a Cirrus SR22, but I am saddened to accept that it might not be a realistic choice for me. To go to the Maze, I may end up being a lowly Jeep renter. In the mean time, I still need a new vehicle, since my Grand Am is getting long in the tooth, and I still need ideas about what my next vehicle might be.

[denaliguide]

i doubt that you are going to find a vehicle capable of getting into the maze that gets 28 mpg. certainly never in 4wd.

we have a forester as a second vehicle and i find it difficult to get in and out of. the steering wheel doesnt tilt. i don't think i'd give it a chance of getting around teapot on the way to the dolls house.

going to have to make some compromises. do you want mileage, or do you want to get into the real out of the way places? can't have cake and eat it too.

and, there's no way to look cool on a scooter.

Yes, compromise. Believe me, I WANT an FJ like I want a Cirrus SR22, but I am saddened to accept that it might not be a realistic choice for me. To go to the Maze, I may end up being a lowly Jeep renter. In the mean time, I still need a new vehicle, since my Grand Am is getting long in the tooth, and I still need ideas about what my next vehicle might be.

i have about 18 hours in a sr-22. talk about a fast plane. glass panel, flying with a joystick, xm radio and bose headsets. what a hoot.

[moab mark]

i doubt that you are going to find a vehicle capable of getting into the maze that gets 28 mpg. certainly never in 4wd.

we have a forester as a second vehicle and i find it difficult to get in and out of. the steering wheel doesnt tilt. i don't think i'd give it a chance of getting around teapot on the way to the dolls house.

going to have to make some compromises. do you want mileage, or do you want to get into the real out of the way places? can't have cake and eat it too.

and, there's no way to look cool on a scooter.

Yes, compromise. Believe me, I WANT an FJ like I want a Cirrus SR22, but I am saddened to accept that it might not be a realistic choice for me. To go to the Maze, I may end up being a lowly Jeep renter. In the mean time, I still need a new vehicle, since my Grand Am is getting long in the tooth, and I still need ideas about what my next vehicle might be.

Grand Cherokee?

[R]

Grand Cherokee?
Abby and I just bought her a used one - 120,000 miles. She loves it, but I would be in the market for something newer, maybe showroom new, since I drive so much more than she does. I have thought about it. Grand Cherokees are pretty pricey. The 2010s are supposed to be available with a flex fuel engine. It's on the long list, for sure.

[DOSS]

My wifes car is a 03 forester (this will be the second Subaru that we have owned the first was a 93 Impreza sedan that we sold at 215K) and we love it. The AWD is great and we have had it down some double track trails without any issues. currently we are at 110K and have had 0 problems with it (other than windshields - Damn Semis). If you are looking for something that will get good MPG and has no problems with getting off the beaten path I would say a Subi is the way to go.

Our Subi has a tilt steering wheel so it isn't hard to get in and out of even if I don't use it and I am 6'4".

[UtahFire]

I have a Jeep Wrangler with the 4-banger in it. It goes anywhere and gets pretty good milage. You can get newer used ones for a very good price.