Something like a Jeep would be your best bet, the original short wheelbase jeep, they put a bicycle rack on the back. Those won't look too out of place, I do some side consulting for a small start up company who has a college girl working for them that drives a jeep and has the bike rack on the back, those are common enough that they bland in.

As for me, I would rather everyone in my BOB group have a KLR650, here. I feel the need to go off-highway. The platform on the back and a backpack is enough room for survival equipment.

I would actually think the long wheelbase wrangler would be a bit better choice. Noticeably more space for storage without sacrificing much off-road ability (it actually has greater approach and departure angles) or fuel mileage. Anyone that has ever owned a regular wrangler knows there isn't much storage space, especially without the rear seats folded up if you squeeze more than two people in. The new version with the two extra doors, while not as sporty as the two door, is much easier for entry and exit (for packages and bags as well as people). The LWB can also tow more, which is nice to have the ability, even if you don't own a trailer.

If they ever made a 4-door LWB Rubicon with the diesel they put in the Grand Cherokee, it would be my perfect suv.

Reason I said the short wheelbase one was for the in condo/parking lot/parking garage manuverability.

Didn't the grand cherokee have one of the Mercedes Diesels, or was it a good one? They really need to bging back the 4b series cummins.

I've been driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee for less than a week (rental while my Compass gets de-accordian-ed) and I'm taking it back tonight for something else...I hate it.

Hard on gas (and it's only the V6), hard suspension, rough ride. Sure it's bigger inside but in all the wrong ways. Worst of all it barely fits in my parking spot.

If I'm going to drop 40k on a vehicle (or more) I'm going to judge it by more than just it's post-apocalyptic merits like some people (you know who you are ).

[quote=Eugene A 4x4 truck is designed to carry a few people,tools, supplies, gear which fits a family well. I can carry my family in the extended cab and still have room in the bed for planty of gear and supplies. [/quote]

+ 1 on this one Eugene. My wife has the SUV (Dodge Nitro) and I have the truck. It is the best possible vehicle to have in an emergency for the reasons you mentioned and more IMHO(great off road capability as well). The problem is the gas mileage (or lack thereof) I drive a Dodge Ram 4 x 4 Quad cab with 5.7L HEMI. (fastest truck between two gas stations) fuel storage for an emergency or bug out situ is critical for me. This is the down side to all the other benefits.

Yea, the current one has a 3.0L Mercedes diesel. It's an excellent engine, though a bit underpowered in the Grand Cherokee. It would be great in a lighter Wrangler though.



The Compass is basically a wagon (car based), while the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee are, for the most part, truck based SUVs. The ride is going to be much different between them. Most people who aren't used to "trucks" don't like driving them, at least not right away. Personally, I've been driving various types of trucks and heavy equipment around since I was a kid, so I'm used to driving both and neither bother me in the least. The Grand Cherokee is a Cadillac compared to half the stuff I've driven (most of which costing well over $40,000).

With that in mind, you can't expect a compass to have the durability and utility of a true truck or good truck based SUV. It's a trade off. If you want to try driving something in between the compass and the grand Cherokee, try the Patriot (must be version with Freedom Drive II). It's still a car based chassis setup, like the Compass, but with low range gearing and some other touches; like skid plates and all-terrain tires.

It won't be as heavy duty as the truck based guys, but better than the compass, at least for simple off-road stuff. The next step up would be the Liberty (which is right smack in the middle of Jeeps car/truck spectrum), followed by the Grand Cherokee, and lastly the Wrangler (which is more "truck based" than most modern trucks). Remember that not all SUVs are equal, they have different abilities and purposes.

My cousin/friend had been a mechanic for years and is now the shop foreman at a Dodge dealership, he would kick you out very fast if he ever heard anyone say the Mer4cedes diesel was even a decent engine, they have been nothing but problems for them.

Hacksaw,

What happened to your jeep? Did I miss something? I have an FJ cruiser myself which I love but I know some of the jeepers out there don't like them. I do love jeeps though, CJ's the best.

Blitz

He's probably talking about the Mercedes diesel used in the dodge sprinter. It's a fine engine as long as you don't treat it like an old low pressure injection diesel (which most guys who buy them probably do).

For years guys with diesel engines would add all kinds of oils and lubricants to their diesel fuel because in the early 90's, when they went to low sulfur fuel, they didn't get the formula right and it would kill the fuel pumps.

Guys think the same thing will happen now (since they lowered the sulfur content again last year), so they add oil, power steering fluid, and all kinds of other stuff to their fuel. This kills the injectors, the fuel pump, the cats, the exhaust filters, and just about every other component except the shortblock and the turbo.

Mercedes makes solid diesel engines, but a lot of guys don't understand the differences between the new clean diesels and older diesels. Very different in quite a few ways, both in the way they operate and the way they are maintained.

(I've worked as a diesel mechanic as well, so I've played with most of them. Though, usually the stuff I work on is bigger.)