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brucey · 11-19-2009, 02:37 PM

I don't realistically see you getting good MPG out of anything that can off road decently. At least not while also staying cheap.

My samurai could go anywhere up the side of a mountain, but got 23 mpg doing 55mph (top speed was probably around 60~65 or so) and it was pretty mild for an off road vehicle. It also was properly geared for the tires it had. It cost way too much for what it was. Rusted all through out. Beat to hell. Laughable interior, or rather lack there of. Non running condition when I got it. No shocks. No brakes. Bald tires. 600$

So a decent running one in decent condition is probably 2 grand minimum. They carry a premium because of their fan base and its hard enough finding them in stock condition anymore.

I loved it, but it was a four wheeler with heat. And not something I'd ever consider driving 300 miles even if the world ended and it was all I had. I'd rather walk.

The goals seem to be working against each other. You can smooth out the belly all you want but you're still going to have not one but TWO solid axles that you can't do anything about, along with the brakes/shock lines connected to them. It's shaped not box shaped, but just box. You really can't get them any lighter than they are. A few pounds here and there. I cut the bolts to the doors so I could lift out the doors and enjoy the off road and they couldn't have been more than 30 lbs. The tub couldn't have weighed much of anything. The metal on the entire vehicle was paper thin.

Re: Cummins fanbase: Theres a reason for that (: Same with the samurai fanbase, 4BT's arent that expensive and I've seen the entire swap done for less than 2K into a full size pick up.

I just don't see this as a realistic goal, and much better way of getting what you want.. but what the hell, go for it. We're Americans right, aren't we supposed to be pioneers?

For what its worth, anything I could call a 'road' I wouldn't hesitate taking my Subaru over. I've hauled 1000 pound oak trees with it without issue. Pulled a 3500 dually driving the other direction, and stayed with the big boys in mucking mud. (I cheated there and actually had swampers on it at the time.) And thats with my daily driver outback, with the girly AWD. We had a mid 80s GL 4WD subaru on the oak farm that I could absolutely not kill and it was more useful on the farm than the K5 Blazer we also had there.

This post is way too long.

11-19-2009, 02:37 PM	#30 (permalink)
brucey A madman Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: WV Posts: 1,018 Pequod - '17 Subaru Outback 90 day: 22.79 mpg (US) Thanks: 73 Thanked 183 Times in 98 Posts	I don't realistically see you getting good MPG out of anything that can off road decently. At least not while also staying cheap. My samurai could go anywhere up the side of a mountain, but got 23 mpg doing 55mph (top speed was probably around 60~65 or so) and it was pretty mild for an off road vehicle. It also was properly geared for the tires it had. It cost way too much for what it was. Rusted all through out. Beat to hell. Laughable interior, or rather lack there of. Non running condition when I got it. No shocks. No brakes. Bald tires. 600$ So a decent running one in decent condition is probably 2 grand minimum. They carry a premium because of their fan base and its hard enough finding them in stock condition anymore. I loved it, but it was a four wheeler with heat. And not something I'd ever consider driving 300 miles even if the world ended and it was all I had. I'd rather walk. The goals seem to be working against each other. You can smooth out the belly all you want but you're still going to have not one but TWO solid axles that you can't do anything about, along with the brakes/shock lines connected to them. It's shaped not box shaped, but just box. You really can't get them any lighter than they are. A few pounds here and there. I cut the bolts to the doors so I could lift out the doors and enjoy the off road and they couldn't have been more than 30 lbs. The tub couldn't have weighed much of anything. The metal on the entire vehicle was paper thin. Re: Cummins fanbase: Theres a reason for that (: Same with the samurai fanbase, 4BT's arent that expensive and I've seen the entire swap done for less than 2K into a full size pick up. I just don't see this as a realistic goal, and much better way of getting what you want.. but what the hell, go for it. We're Americans right, aren't we supposed to be pioneers? For what its worth, anything I could call a 'road' I wouldn't hesitate taking my Subaru over. I've hauled 1000 pound oak trees with it without issue. Pulled a 3500 dually driving the other direction, and stayed with the big boys in mucking mud. (I cheated there and actually had swampers on it at the time.) And thats with my daily driver outback, with the girly AWD. We had a mid 80s GL 4WD subaru on the oak farm that I could absolutely not kill and it was more useful on the farm than the K5 Blazer we also had there. This post is way too long.