I just thought I would pose this question to the group just to hear what people think. Your decision might make me think, but ultimately, I need to make my own choice here. Most people aren't in this situation, but if you were...

Let's assume that you already own 3 cars. Car-1 is an old, reliable beater that gets great mileage. Car-2 is a conservative, semi-sporty compact car that gets decent mileage. Car-3 is a sport/luxury car with a lot of power, but it doesn't get very good mileage. Your commute to work is only 5-10 miles, so economy doesn't matter too much. Also, you live an hour away from the mountains and it snows up there for part of the year. You decide you want to sell one of the cars and get a T4R to get into the mountains for summer and winter fun. I am a little curious which car you'd choose to sell, but the bigger question is this...

The Challenge
Let's assume that your budget after selling a car is $10,000. Would you get a mostly stock T4R with low-ish miles (~120,000), keep it pretty much stock, and have a nice truck that is comfy for regular driving and gets reasonable mileage, but can also get you through some snow and some trails? Assume total cost for the truck to be about $10,000, your pick of the generation (within reason), and your pick of features.
OR, would you opt for a beater of a truck... One that has a rough exterior and a rough interior, high miles (230,000+), some mechanical issues but not needing a rebuild, not all the new features that you might want, and the savings will allow you to make a very capable, utilitarian off-road vehicle? Assume that the truck costs you $3,000 and the newest T4R you can get is a 1995. The rest, $7,000, can be spent modding the truck just the way you want. Lift, winch, bumpers, tires, skid plates, sliders, lights, roll cage, or whatever floats your boat?

Further, to put us all on a similar playing field, let's assume that you can do most/all the mechanical work yourself, but you don't have any major hook-ups in the industry. I mean, you don't have a rich cousin who can get you free suspension, winches, or whatever trail-gear you want. Your $7,000 of upgrades would actually cost you $7,000.

Let's hear it.

Edited...
Here are the details of the cars:
Car-1 - 1993 Honda Civic DX coupe 5-speed, 191k miles
Car-2 - 2000 Honda Civic Si coupe 5-speed, 104k miles, intake, exhaust, full suspension with custom spring rates (lowered 1"), custom electronics and interior touches, security, front lip, 17" rims, strut braces, tie bars, 22mm anti-roll bar, needs timing belt done
Car-3 - 2006 Infiniti G35 coupe 6-speed, 56k miles, intake, true-dual exhaust, upgraded to 10-spoke 19" rims from G37 sport

Let's also assume that whatever truck I get must be road legal and able to drive from home to the mountains, maybe a little further for ski trips.

I'd just buy a truck that's already built. Hell, if you can get this: 1972 Chevy Luv Crawler Full Widths for $14k, you can find something nice and capeable for $10k.

Good point. Let's say that's also an option.

Personally, I steer away from this a little bit. I always wonder about someone else's questionable work. I don't let anyone work on any of my cars/motorcycle, unless specialized equipment is required that I don't have (alignment, for example). Also, it's tough to find a truck that's built just as I would want.

You should be able to tell if it's crappy work or not when you look at it, look under it, take it for a drive, etc. It's not like you'd go out and buy a clapped out truck and not notice the booger welded brackets, bent leaves, death wobble, oversteer, crappy engine, you name it.

You prob won't find a truck built the way you want for $7k. Gotta have some compromise. Basically all I'm saying is you can get something for much more bang for your buck for $10k if you buy something already built. A 2nd gen 4runner on tons, with duals, on 39.5's, beadlocks, lockers, cage, hydro assist, etc.

Sell car #2. Keep the beater for bad weather or parking in sketchy areas. Keep #3 for travel and the ladies! Then buy a clean, low mileage stocker that u can mod to ur liking.

This post would be way better with actual vehicle make and model...

Sell them all and get a 5th gen. Don't have to work on it, don't have to worry about it, don't have to do anything at all. Then you can drive it for everything. Simple. Problem solved. Next?

This!

This is basically the same setup I have, 3 cars;

-Beater Subaru with 227XXX
-4Runner with 89XXX
-Tacoma with 141XXX

The 4Runner is for the ladies (leather), the Taco is the fun drive around car, and the Subi is the beater.

we need more info... the value of the vehicles you are thinking of selling is a key factor. that will also help dictate the type and era of vehicle you will replace it with.

and whos to say that a vehicle with 230k miles is gonna be a beater... i have over 270k miles on my 4runner and its damn clean for its age, sure it has a few nicks in the paint and a couple of scratches here and there but i defy you to point them out to me...

If you need ideas... this is what I have:

T4R -- 5 speed supercharged lifted. Perfect for camping, offroad, winter snowboarding. Fun and tough. 233k miles

Audi RS6 -- luxury sports sedan. For the ladies? Goes like a rocket ship. Puts a smile on my face whenever I drive it. 133k miles

Porsche 944 turbo -- because race car? 178k miles



If I were to sell one it would be the Porsche.

Sell car 1 and 2 and keep the nice car. Get a stock 3rd gen that has been taken care of and mod it how you want. Plenty of people use their lifted 3rd gen as a dd.

Hey the kid, gorgeous ride!!! Definitely not a beater.

I added some details of the cars I am talking about into the original post. I am planning on selling Car-2, after I take the performance stuff off it and sell that separately. I am planning on keeping Car-1 because it isn't worth much and it is so cheap to keep it going. Car-3 is a keeper. I have wanted it for many years and finally bought it about 8 months ago.

ok so i say sell car 1 and 2, and the parts from car 2... then use that money to find the best 3rd gen you can find, prices around here are gonna be any where from $5-9k for a nice one. with care 1 and 2 gone you dont have to worry about insurance on them, why have a beater junker when you have a 4wd for bad weather and mountain trips and a nice fancy sports car for dates and sunny summer days? tell me when will you ever use that beater? its just gonna sit and soak up insurance money, 3 cars for one person is a lot, heck 2 vehicles for one person is more than enough. so you take that money and get a nice 3rd gen, obviously MPG isnt a huge deal, i mean you dont live that far away from work so its not like your commute is 30+mi a day. take what ever you have left over from the 3rd gen and bring it up to date on maintenance -ie LBJs(lower ball joints, radiator/external trans cooler, and maybe the TBU(tundra brake upgrade) if it needs from brakes, and call it a day, if you still have some money left put a nice set of tires on it, tires will probably do more for it than any other mod as far as making it capable on logging roads for exploring in the summer and snow in the mountains for skiing.

after that you can start figuring out what mods you want to do for it, and how you are gonna use it. dont jump into lifts or bumpers ect right off, use it how you want first and see what limitations you are presented with then find the mods you want to overcome those limitations. throwing money at something because you think its cool is dumb, and in the end most of the time its money wasted. -take my snorkel for example, they sell for anywhere from $4-500 new, then install(if you pay a shop its gonna be $150-200 probably for labor) and some other odd and ends call it $50 so $450-$800 for a snorkel all said and done... now how many times have i actually used it, really once, i and i only did it cause i knew i had it and i wanted to test it out. after that i have not "used" it, i know it works. -now lets back up, i have always wanted a snorkel, i think they look cool and BA, but not $450 BA... so i didnt buy one, then one day i found one for sale locally on craigslist for $100, i jumped and bought it, installed it myself and so im in it $100. for $100 i could justify having something that looked cool. -it has had other benefits as well, it helps keep the air cleaner element clean longer as well, this is actually more of the use i have come to see from it. what i am trying to say is dont just go throwing parts and add ons to your truck when you dont know how to use them or if you ever will. -sure if you have to ford a 4' deep stream every day to work then by all means get a snorkel, or if you have a drive way that will swallow smart cars the get a lift, but dont do so without knowing what your buying.

i say sell both cars cause once you find a nice runner you are not gonna drive the beater if you have a choice between a 4runner and a G35, lets be real here. but if you think im wrong, keep car number 1, and sell it in a year when you find out later that im right, and it hasnt moved in 10months. someone will pay you $1500-2000 for it for their kid for a first car or for someone who needs a cheep economical car to get to work so they can keep their job ect. it would make a good first car for a highschooler.

also a say 3rd gen because im partial yes, but they were the only gen in your price range that came with a factory rear locker, and you might find that you will want that later down the road and that just saved you $500-1000

I agree with The Kid.

and I hope that G35 is a coupe
nice ride

It is. I fixed it in the first post. Thanks

Hey the kid,

Thanks for all the good advice and ideas. You are right about the path to modding, in regards to waiting until I know how it will be needed. One thing I don't know if I agree with is that the old Civic DX will be left to sit once I have a 4Runner and a G35 in the garage. I'd expect the DX would still be driven to work most of the time, and it would be the choice at anytime when I want to take a longer trip (45 mpg is nice). Right now, the 2 Civics get about equal use and the G35 is for nice weekends/girls.

My first chore is to turn the Si back to stock and sell it, then I can better evaluate where I want to go.