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.

[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.
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.












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.

[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?

[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.

[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

[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.