What truck should Argatoga buy next?

[argatoga]

This may come as a shock to many, but my Disco is rusting and isn't worth repairing. There isn't an immediate need to replace it, but within the next year I'll want to ditch it.

So I'm trying to think what I would replace it with.

Notes for my uses of the truck:
-I hike regularly which involves roads that would not agree with four wheel drive cars.
-I want a lockable center diff with low range.
-I'm looking for an SUV and not a pickup truck.
-I'd like a 5k tow capacity in high, but I can deal with 3k or so.
-Must seat four comfortably (no 2 door Wrangler).
-Must have room to fit two mountain bikes without fully dismantling them.
-I'd like to avoid a giant truck (no Excursions).
-A huge plus if the tongue weight on the hitch is at or over 500lbs.

I'd like to keep my budget under $7k. Here is a list off the top of my head (I'm open to other suggestions):
-Land Rover Discovery Series I. If I can find a rust free model. I'll have plenty of spare parts.
-Jeep Cherokee ('97 refresh or later). I do like them, especially as they are smallish. My concern is that they aren't full time four wheel drive. I like having the added traction of all four wheel all the time.

[JipJopJones]

I believe you could get full time 4wd on the Cherokee's. I can't remember what they called it. I think it might have been CommandTrac II.
It was a strange system, I think it was:
2wd
4wd HI Fulltime
4wd Hi Parttime
4wd Lo

What about a ZJ or WJ Grand Cherokee? Full time 4wd, Locking center diff, the overland and certain limited models even came with frond and rear limited slip diffs.

[Cobol74]

Mitsubishi Shogun - or Pinnin what ever your market calls them.
Toyota Landcruiser - not the Amazon - that is too big.

Isuzu Trooper
Nissan Patrol
Suzuki Grand Vitara
Hyundai Santa Fe - my fav of this list.

[argatoga]

I believe you could get full time 4wd on the Cherokee's. I can't remember what they called it. I think it might have been CommandTrac II.

What about a ZJ or WJ Grand Cherokee? Full time 4wd, Locking center diff, the overland and certain limited models even came with frond and rear limited slip diffs.

I should have added, I cannot live with '70s/'80s interiors. This rules out the ZJ. The WJ is an option, but it is larger than my Discovery.

Mitsubishi Shogun - or Pinnin what ever your market calls them.
Toyota Landcruiser - not the Amazon - that is too big.

Isuzu Trooper
Nissan Patrol

My Dad owned a Mitsubishi truck, I won't make that mistake. I think the Toyota's suffer the interior issues above as well as engine and rust problems if I remember correctly (I can be wrong).

[Cobol74]

You have a chance of buying a car from a dry state that should have no rust at all though - Arizona springs to mind. Yes, my Fav is the Santa Fe by some margin.

[argatoga]

I don't believe the Hyundai Santa Fe has a low range and lockable center diff.

The Suzuki Grand Vitara is also a bit bigger than my Disco, but it does have what I am looking for. Though it is new enough to be above $7k.

[Cobol74]

No OK give you that. You are really looking at Landy's and Jeeps then probably.

[argatoga]

It does look like that. I wouldn't mind another LR, but the rust issues with the pre-P38 RR and pre-S3 Discos (not that I would buy a DII) are annoying. If only the English engineers knew what it was like living near an ocean where there is rain and snow.

- - - Updated - - -

It isn't hard to find a Disco with engines problems here and I can always have my current one swapped in and still keep the cost under $7k. But I'd need to find a rust free one.

[rickhamilton620]

The 2nd and 3rd gen Explorer was available with full time 4wd. Dunno if that meets your requirements.

[TC]

You could get a decent 4Runner for that price. Not sure about how well a bike fits inside or what the towing stats are though.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/00-4X...item35c1a87325

[argatoga]

I'll add a '95 Range Rover Classic to my list as a lot of my Disco parts will easily swap in.

[Spectre]

You forgot one:

Checks all the boxes. And if you suddenly discover you do need a truck, the rear top comes off and you can do the convertible thing.

And they're cheap - not just to own, but to buy:
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/ctd/3424276477.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/3423795275.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/cto/3389673645.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/3412061221.html

[ScarFace88]

I was going to suggest an OJ Bronco, but then you said no 70s/80s interiors and I'm not really sure whether they have locking center diffs or not.

EDIT: Spectre Ninja'd me, lol.

[argatoga]

The interior kills it for me.

[Spectre]

It has a locking center diff and a 90s interior.

Also, check the links I added above.

Edit: No, really. While the interior isn't awesome, it's not exactly made of compressed low-grade vomit blocks:


The Eddie Bauer edition ones were a bit nicer and had leather. And unlike your Disco, the controls are where they make sense and you can actually see them. (Picture from: http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/3360042420.html)

[ScarFace88]

What about one of the very last 2 door Tahoes?

[TC]

My dad had a Bronco like those, with the 5.8L motor. It was a pretty solid truck, very comfortable and capable offroad. It was a thirsty bitch though and he had a hell of a time getting rid of it, so you could probably haggle a very good deal on one. It's not a small truck though. Short wheelbase, but big everywhere else.

[Spectre]

What about one of the very last 2 door Tahoes?

Those are hard to find and most of those were 2WD.

Here's what looks like a good option - a Bronco that's been dealership serviced its entire life: http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/3360042420.html

By the way, the 92-97 Broncos were the ones with the interior pictured above. The older ones were the ones with an interior made of compressed vomit blocks:

[argatoga]

OK the 92 and newer look like an option. So it's pretty much the same as the LR system (I can use locked high or low, or low unlocked), but it also has the option to disable the front drive?

- - - Updated - - -

A 4x4 Bronco with the 7.3 would be very tempting.

[Spectre]

OK the 92 and newer look like an option. So it's pretty much the same as the LR system (I can use locked high or low, or low unlocked), but it also has the option to disable the front drive?

It depends on what engine you get - Ford used different transfer cases. Most of them are the classic part time case with the selectable configurations of RWD, 4WD High Locked, neutral and 4WD Low Locked. Hubs in the front wheel can be automatic, but they fail with age and use. Most people install manual locking hubs if their truck doesn't have it already. Swapping one for the other is not difficult or expensive.