Ah I didn’t scroll down before I made my comment. Yes. And bonus, these are diesels w/manual transmissions, and adequately robust. I say that because you pound around in anything on Afghan “roads” for long enough and anything rubber in the suspension is a goner. But other than shocks and front suspension bushings,…

I know the audience is limited, but the Afghan National Police and Afghan National Army have been using up-spec’d (non-US-market) Rangers and Everests for over a decade. Google them sometime. Pretty bad ass.

Man this is tough because if you took an average across the entire model line, it’d be Mustang hands down. But top spec to top spec, recent cars, I’d pick a ZL1 Camaro over a GT500 Mustang.

I acknowledged the airbag recalls. And they’re bad. I had mine fixed the day after the recall was announced. RAM also has a few airbag recalls:

You uh... read any of those recalls? 8/10 are for aftermarket, dealer-installed accessories by Southeast and Gulf States Toyota distributors. 2/10 are for airbags... and those 2/10 are from the past 3 years.
Hop on over to the 2019 RAM 1500.

Does the 4Runner count? I have a 2016, and have been a grand total of once for a recall in the past 4 years and 52k miles. Before he traded it in, my brother in law’s 2015 RAM was in 10+ times for recalls, and now his brand new one has been thrice recalled.

My brother in law has one. It’s great when it isn’t in for a recall. I think he’s had his 2019 in for... 3 recalls now so far since he bought it in January.

Any kid who grew up driving FWD beaters with functional e-brakes in New England could have told you that.

5th gen 4Runner towing that same u-haul trailer (~2100 at the CAT scales) with a 3rd gen 4runner on the back and I averaged 11 mpg on an all-highway trip on very flat roads at 65mph avg. Drop it down to 55mph and mpgs went up to ~13.
The Gladiator did really well mpg-wise with that load at that speed.

Calling an XJ a crossover is going to rustle some jimmies.

That part (b-pillar door trim) on the Ranger is occupied by some of the cheapest vinyl tape I’ve seen on a production car made this side of the Nixon administration. It bubbles, it scratches easily, it fades, and in places where it isn’t applied correctly, it has tear marks.

Or, another option people seem to ignore: the bus. I know, I know, it isn’t as sexy as a scooter (never thought I’d see myself typing those words), but I commuted from Ocean to my office on Ocean Park near KSMO (~3.3 mi) via blue bus. $1.10 each way (w/TAP card). Avg one-way trip was ~15 min, and you’re maybe one of 4…

The only ones I kicked or threw around when I was there were the ones _people_ left leaning against my street parked car.

I AGREE. THAT MAN IS A NATIONAL TREASURE!

Wow, both of the Volvos pictured are nicer than the 98 S70 n/a base and 89 740 turbo wagon currently sitting in my garage. And David Tracy of all people is calling them beaters. I think it’s time for me to face the music...

Every time I see him, this is what I think.

It’s good to see Ronny Dahl getting some publicity. Unlike 99% of the youtube overlander (“touring” as I think he calls it in Australia) set, he is the real deal.

I agree with a lot of that. Back when I re-entered the 4x4'ing world (after a brief, unsuccessful stint driving an Integra) in the late 90's, I had a stock 4Runner 4x4 with highway-focused Bridgestone Duelers.

Shhhhhh stop telling people how nice it is up here haha.

As one of “those people” (I live in Arkansas) I approve of your message.