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Post by LCARS on Jan 15, 2008 21:53:21 GMT -5
Well, I have come to you, the good people of RTH seeking input, feedback & advice in life. As most of the members who are social with me already know I went through a break-up about 7 months ago now. The short version of the story is that shit went to pieces since then and I am now only recently getting my shit back together for another go. My living conditions are not ideal right now but it's allowing me to throw more money at debts and hopefully get outta here sooner. My biggest problem right now is not having a vehicle and it's becoming a very high source of daily aggrivation for me. No ride factored in with my total lack of privacy here makes it clinically impossible for me to have a girlfriend or relationship normal life right now. So, I have been keeping my eyes peeled for a while now and I think I may have come across the best thing to satisfy my requirements. What I want is honest accounts, facts & opinions in case i'm overlooking anything, I want to consider all my options before locking in my decision. What i'm thinking of getting is a mid-late 90's model Geo Tracker. Why a Geo Tracker you ask? Because I need a vehicle that is cheap (I'm talking $1G-$2G cheap), good on gas, gets me to work every day and easy to work on if anything needs doing. BUT, I also need something with a shorter wheelbase 4X4 to take off road to ver specific places and it has to be able to handle the primitive driving conditions in these places as more than just a novelty with good reliablility & endurance for that "weekend offroad adventure 50 miles or further from the nearest shop or tow truck", and you just KNOW it will still get you back home even though you're gonna beat the crap out of it the whole time kind of feeling.  ;D Specifically, I wanted to purchase this vehicle because it can do what I need now and have the potential to do what I will need it to later, all while keeping expenses reasonable. If anyone here actually owns or has owned a Tracker (or any of it's "clones") I would love to hear your stories and opinions.  I know there are certain things about it that many people don't like but so far nothing I can't live with for my purposes, so I want to know if this is really a good investment for me to get into as my primary vehicle for the next 5 yrs. Keep in mind, I have no more than $1000 to get into something by Feb and no more than $2000 to get into something better by March. If i have to wait any longer without a vehicle I may have to be institutionalized. I can always dump some money into it before summer to trick it out.  I know where there is a '95 Tracker in good condition locally that I could buy for $1000 from the original owner for cash after next payday. I would have to see and drive it to believe it doesn't need any work and she's actually willing to let it go for that much though.  Alternatively, I could buy a very simillar one from a dealership near here with fancy aftermarket seats for almost $5000. So, anybody out there have any wise words of advice or encouragement before I break down and buy this thing...?  Rob |
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Post by docone31 on Jan 15, 2008 22:26:20 GMT -5
Run! My son had a Tracker. He smoked the engine merely by changing driving habits on the vehicle. He then had the engine professionally rebuilt. I mean a big bucks rebuild. The Tranny went, the transfer case went, the drive shaft went, then the engine went.
They are made to look good, and if you pamper them, they run. They hit a certain point in mileage and poof!
They make good ultralight engines though. Add a Redrive, keep the rpms around 4000 and they get 100 inflight hours with a fresh rebuild.
Personally, I would look for a used S10, or Ranger. The V6 just keeps on running. We have one with 140,000 miles and it does not smoke, gets great mileage and goes through anything. Lots of upgrade parts inexpensively available. Swap out the tires for 255/70 15s and it tracks like it is in a rail.
Trackers look good, parts are amazingly expensive, and they are sensitive and fragile. Essentially, the clearance tolerance is too tight. Sometimes being too closely machined is not so good if everything is not in a perfect world.
Think you got frustration now? Watch what happens if you upgrade the viscosity of the oil. Switch from 10W-30 to 10W-40. It feels like it has the brakes on. The added viscosity will actually cavitate the bearings ultimately causing failure.
The S10's, and Rangers are pretty lame vehicles, but, they keep on ticking. The S10 with the V6 will upgrade with direct bolt on with a 350. A 383/350 makes it stand out from a distance. The stock hood will still bolt on.
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karenfh
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2006
Posts: 1,495
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Post by karenfh on Jan 16, 2008 0:31:20 GMT -5
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karenfh
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2006
Posts: 1,495
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Post by karenfh on Jan 16, 2008 0:47:10 GMT -5
Nope, don't think it will let you do it. Here's what I have found. A 1998-99 Tracker should go for $1750 to $4750.
They (Consumer Reports) do not have reliability info for years prior to 2000. The year 2000 looks good for most things, except exhaust (very bad), drive system, climate system and squeaks and rattles (kinda bad).
Hope that helps in some small way??
Karen
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stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jan 16, 2008 10:29:29 GMT -5
OK MY wife owns a Toyota RAV (kinda like a tracker) We bought it new (4 years ago) and it is a very capable little 4x4. We got the Standard Tranny ( I HATE AUTOS). Now I would not exactly call this an off road vehicle- BUT if I had to take in off road I could- Ground Clearence is pretty good (well it does have 16 inch tires) and the 4wd (All wheel drive they call it) works well. My wife has put 125,000 miles on it so far- has hit a deer- and has only had 1 spin out with it. It still runs strong- starts right up- and everything still works on it. THe only real mechanical issues we have had are the brakes- it has needed both front and rears (antilock brakes with traction control) and they are "dealer only" parts (read- NOT CHEAP). I will say this- If you are going to do SERIOUS off roading- your gonna need something better than a Tracker.
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Post by akansan on Jan 16, 2008 10:53:36 GMT -5
Stefan, the RAVs are a higher quality vehicle than the Trackers. The Geo line was a discount line - the Chevy version of Hyundai.
LCARS - my father would tell you to run for the hills as well, but he's a paramedic. Any accident involving a Tracker, unless in a parking lot (low speed), results in major injuries. They're easy to roll and don't stand up to impact very well. From my own experience, you're going to get tired of that 4 cyl. really quick. I had the 4 cyl. S10 (2.2L, 118hp) which has more power than any of the Trackers and had to be careful passing, going up inclines, etc.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,491
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 16, 2008 11:02:50 GMT -5
We have a ranch in the Calif. Gold country and all of my fellow ranchers make fun of me for driving a Ford 4-by. They all have old Nissan and Toyota 4-by pickups and drive them for hundreds of thousands of miles. Truck before last, I had a Ranger 4-by and it had continual transmission problems but larger Fords have always treated me well and I like a little steel around me with Calif. traffic. A little Geo would scare me a bit!....Mel
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MidNight~Rocksi3
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2008
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Post by MidNight~Rocksi3 on Jan 16, 2008 11:16:16 GMT -5
Hiya Lacars..
Well I'm afraid I am in the middle.. knowing someone who owned one first hand.. but they too never really got to 'Enjoy' it.. Due to the constant repairs.. and then with it also had a car accident and the tracker was a complete loss..
However I'm after a suzuki side kick which I hear they are barbie twins from what the dealer has told me.. and as much as I want one.. cuz I think they are soooo cute.. and soooo perfect.. Everyone around me advised me NOT to get one.. So If your going to go with an older and used 4x.. Get something you can rely on.. not only does your tracker have no turn around value.. which means you'll get Maybe Half of what you pay for it.. if you ever want to trade it in for something other than bubble gum..
And my one request was to take mine off road as well.. So. I drive a tank/ tracker LOL. But I think a Jeep would be a little better than a tracker.. a older can pickup would be more sturdy if your planning on hauling rock.. but it's something you'd have to think about .. spend less money now.. and keep spending money to fix.. or save and invest in something you wont have to keep fixing.. unless your into that sorta thing..
*smiles*
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Post by LCARS on Jan 16, 2008 23:53:30 GMT -5
Well, thanks for the replies so far guys. I basically have no experience with trucks or other ORCV's since i've only ever owned hatchback/sedan type vehicles and only driven a handfull of manual tranny's so it's good to hear that some of you have been this route before. Like I said before, i'm trying to satisfy two different uses with the same vehicle under a budget (like $1000 to get me rolling ASAP) so I don't expect any miracles but I do need to get mobile soon. The longer I wait the more I am becoming a victim of my current transportation arrangements.  I will only have about $2000 to spend on a decent vehicle by March at the lates but am not willing to get into a fixer either at any price because I need something I know will get me to work every day and get me back home from as far away from a gas station as I can go in any direction without needing an additional few hundred dollars worth of "surprise" maintenance dumped into it every month just to keep it going, like my brother's beat up old pimp daddy Caddy does now (but hey, that's another story...) Ideally, I need to find a smaller sized 4X4/SUV/ORV type vehicle with a shorter wheelbase than a standard bed truck. Something that can take larger than stock meats & springs but nothing crazy, just a couple extra inches of clearance and traction is all i'm after for driving offroad. Most of the time it will just be for getting me to work and local driving but there are definately going to be plenty of times when I will need to call on the awesoma powa of the 4X4 gods whether it be for rock hounding trips, back country exploring, or the usual X-treme GPS contest action adventure road trips out into the rugged wilds of Vancouver Island and even deep into the Utah/Colorado outbacks. Oh, did I mention I will only have a max of about $2500 to spend on it before summer since I will still have to insure it for at least six months too.  My problem is seemingly simillar vehicles going for a ridiculous range of prices, like that single owned 95' Geo Tracker for $1000 and an identical looking Suzuki Sidekick going for $3000, and then I see various Jeep going from $3-9G privately, and then there's the dealerships and their rip-off used car prices and sales tactics to get rid of the ones anyone who knows better wouldn't touch. It may be true that you can get more bang for your buck with certain makes & models but I just don't know which ones would suit me and the thought of buying privately is always fraught with some form of strife, especially if you're not informed. I have to be confident that what I am trying to find is what I need and if need be, I can work on "affording" it as I go. it's more important for me to get to work every day on time and keep my job than save a bit more money over the next couple months and lose my job sometime before then because the boss is tired of me rolling in late every few days whenever my brother decides to leave. So far he averages 3/4 days being on time as long as i ride his ass every morning but if i didn't he would be lucky to get two full days in during a week.  I've got about a month to catch up on several years of offroading expreience and knowledge that I never really got in my youth to draw on. I don't want to end up in a viscious negative cash flow situation with a POS vehicle that's inadequate for my overall needs anyway. I will also likely be able to get some reasonable form of vehicle financing once my full union status kicks in (after 260hrs) but I am trying to avoid having to make car payments over more than a 6m term to pay off the ballance after down payment so it won't be a financial burden to me once I move out of here. I have seen some other simillar formatted vehicles around, like the Jeep TJ/CJ models & Toyata RAV's etc. but I know next to nothing about any of them. I'm not going for looks, I need a real life practical vehicle that I can use every day without pouring tons of gas into it and be able to drive it up a mountain in "adverse" conditions without getting stuck, broken down or otherwise killed under questionable circumstances. A "crazy eskimo" friend of mine in Penticton had a Suszuki Sidekick and he took me "shitpantsing" in it all over Campbel Mountain one day when we were bored. I thought I was convinced we were going to die at least three times before he nearly drove it right over a 40' high rounded cliff face and then I swear I actually felt my soul trying to escape from my body. Somehow, we made it home OK, so i'm not sure if that means it was a good little 4X or we were just lucky that day. I don't have any plans to die or get horribly mutilated because of my vehicle while offroading thanks. Aw jeez, well here am am rambling on and on about all the thoughts going through my head, and there's just so many things to think about and consider before buying a vehicle I can't help but feel a bit frantic right now as my patience is getting pretty thin. I'll keep stewing on this for a while and see if i can find anything that looks better suited for me within my budget. Thanks again for the input and please, by all means keep it coming, I can use all the advice i can get right now. Rob |
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Post by catmandewe on Jan 17, 2008 0:13:29 GMT -5
If I was in your situation I would look for an older toyota pickup, they run forever and are pretty economical. Can go just about anywhere.
With whatever you get, as soon as you start jackin it up and puttin big meats on it you will lose some fuel economy. It is better to learn how to drive offroad, and leave the clearance alone, than to jack it up to gain an inch or three. You would be amazed at how much farther you can go if you just learn where to put the tires, and how to keep the vehicle balanced.
Too bad, I just sold a real good scout for 1300 bucks 2 weeks ago, woulda been a good one for ya. It was a real climber.
Have fun with whatever you get.....................Tony
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Post by Titania on Jan 17, 2008 9:24:11 GMT -5
What about an older model subaru? Most of the older models will accept truck tires, and there's a big community of off-road subie fans out there. It would be more expensive to repair than a domestic, but parts and such would be easier to come by than for a Sidekick/Tracker.
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jan 17, 2008 10:37:21 GMT -5
I have a Subaru- one of those Bajas- A great little car..umm truck... um well whatever you call it. The biggest beefs I have with subaru (older ones) is RUST- they rot out in the strangest places. Oh and emmisions sensors- for some reason SUbaru never could figure out how to make and inexpensive sensor! I love my Subie- I have had it off road a couple of times without any problems (well other than the idiots parking me in at the entrance to a local stream- hehehehe but I did a little more off roading and COVER the motor cycle and the Beamer in MUD hahhahahaha!) I think you may be hard pressed to find a reasonable off road capable dependable vehicle in your price range. If you think the tracker is a good one (and there are some pretty dependable trackers out there- maybe you can take it to a mechanic and have them check it out for ya (probably the best $50 you can spend on a used vehicle)
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karenfh
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2006
Posts: 1,495
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Post by karenfh on Jan 17, 2008 23:31:40 GMT -5
Go to the library, or invest in the most recent Consumer Report book on vehicles. You can do some research, then, when you are ready, you can ask questions. For instance, if the year/model appears to have problems w/the tranny, you can ask if it's ever been replaced, or if it has been having problems. Or you can check the fluid and see if it looks suspicious. If the trouble spots have been fixed, great! If not, your vehicle may be fine, may not. It's a guide, not a bible. But it does give you some insight into what questions to ask! You may read thru the section on small ATVs and get some more ideas. And, yes, take it to your favorite mechanic, and have them check it out. Then, you can go back to the seller, and see if they will fix things. Sometimes they will, sometimes they will lower the price. Sometimes they won't deal. But it doesn't hurt to ask, right? Good luck to ya, and let us know what you end up with!
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Post by LCARS on Jan 22, 2008 23:10:29 GMT -5
Hey guys, thanks again for the car buying advice, i'm going to stew over it for a bit longer while I pay off my CC & personal debts but I will definately be keeping my eyes open. I would have replied sooner but uhh I guess I must either have computer gremlins or I somehow pissed the proboards48 server off because nothing from that domain has been able to load on my machine for over a week! |
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;D
