Top nine vehicles for Overlanding (in no particular order)

What exactly is overlanding you may be asking yourself. To put an actual definition on it I would call it a self-reliant travel to a remote destination where the journey to get there is more the goal than the actual destination. Think of it as a road trip but without the roads, or at least without paved roads. What separates overlanding from off-roading is the core activity itself. Generally speaking when you are off-roading you are with a bunch of your friends and their rigs and making a day out of it. When you are overlanding you are going somewhere. To quote Doc Brown, "Where we're going, we don't need roads."

When you scour the internet looking for overland rigs most of what you will find is well above the $10,000 mark and some rigs can get well up into the hundreds of thousands. What I have done here is put together a list of vehicles that can, for the most part, be obtained and outfitted for overlanding with a budget of $10,000. They are in no particular order, just a list for you to think about.

Jeep Cherokee (XJ) 1987-2001
If any of you have read any of my other posts you will undoubtedly know that I am a Jeep guy. My daily driver is a Jeep Commander and I had a nice Cherokee XJ that I sold to my son. There are two things that any Jeep enthusiast will tell you. One, the Jeep 4.0-liter Straight Six engine is a bullet proof work of art. They are reliable and easy to work on should the need arise when you are out and about. Two, "It's a Jeep Thing". There aren't many places that you can't take a Jeep and Jeep lovers will take any chance they can to let you know exactly where they have gone. Depending on where you live a stock XJ can run you anywhere from $500 to $6000 based on the current condition and mileage. The nice thing about any Jeep really, is that there are no shortage of parts available to customize and outfit your rig. You can spend as little as $400 piecemealing a lift together or you can drop $4000 on a lift kit. Either way you can get the job done.

Suzuki Samurai 1985-2001
The Suzuki Samurai is another all terrain vehicle that has no shortage of after market parts available. Although small, this "cute ute" is very capable. A quick search shows that these can be found for as low as $1000 while some that were already built up had a price tag of over $20,000. It is not uncommon to see a Samurai that has been stripped down to nothing more than a frame with a steering wheel, engine, drivers seat, and transmission zipping through trails and or sand dunes. Much like the XJ, the Samurai is another vehicle that has a very devoted group of owners.

Ford Ranger XLT 1998-2011
Unless you get one through a site like Craigslist or one that has been ridden hard and put away wet, expect to get into one of these machines for just under the $10k budget. Because of their popularity and ruggedness, most Ford trucks hold their value quite well. Available with a 2.5-liter SOHC i4 or a pushrod 4.0-liter V6, the Ranger had any option to meet your needs. While the i4 may not have had the power of the V6, it had a slightly better gas mileage for those long overland trips. As with any of the other pickup trucks on this list, the availability of a cap for the bed was perfect for when you needed a place to sleep on your trip and didn't want to bust out the tent.

Toyota 4 Runner 1995-2009
1995 to 2009 covers both the third and fourth generation of the Toyota 4 Runner. Sharing a chassis with the Land Cruiser Prado, the third generation 4 Runner was available with either a 2.7-liter i4 or a 3.4-liter V6. Both engines were more than capable to get you through whatever terrain you are wanting to go. Much like the Cherokee, the 4 Runner in stock form is highly capable for all of your overland needs. That does not mean you won't have a good choice of after market upgrade options at your disposal.

Subaru Outback 1994-present
Some of you may be thinking that since the Subaru Outback doesn't belong on this list because it is not a truck. I assure you that, and anyone who has owned one can attest to, the Subaru Outback may be able to perform right along side any of the vehicles on here. Sure, it won't have the suspension travel necessary for rock crawling, but how often are you really going to need that much travel? I miss my Outback. If there was any vehicle, other than my Jeep that I had the utmost confidence in when it came to off road capability, it was my Outback. While the after market lifts for Subaru's aren't as plentiful as for say, a Jeep, they are out there. If you have any doubt as to what these things are truly capable of take a trip over to Battlewagons and see what can be done. Subaru;s hold their value pretty well so while you may not be able to find a new one for under $10,000 you can definitely find an older model well within that price range.

Toyota Tacoma 1995-2004
Admittedly I don't know much about the Toyota Tacoma other than the very rabid fan base they have. Affectionately referred to as Taco's, these are just as plentiful in my area as Cherokees, just as nicely priced. While the Toyota Tacoma is quite adept at traversing all terrains in it's stock form, you would be hard pressed to find one (at least in my area) that isn't already outfitted for off road use. Known the world over as the Hilux, the first generation Tacoma is available in the US with a 2.4-liter i4, a 2.7-liter i4, or a 3.4-liter V6. Just like the Ford Ranger, one of the things keeping the Tacoma in the top tier for overlanding is the bed.

Isuzu Trooper 1991-2002
The second generation Trooper was a complete redesign to keep up with the changing landscape of the SUV market. Pre 1996 the Trooper still used a part time four-wheel drive system requiring the manual locking in of the hubs. Next to the Vanagon, the Trooper is one of the more rarely spotted vehicle in my area making the prices when you do find them for sale relatively high. Stock from the factory the Trooper is pretty capable for whatever you need it for.

Toyota Land Cruiser 1984-2015
Starting in 1984 the J70 was introduced. Much like Jeep's war-time pedigree, the Land Cruiser was created as an all around Utility Vehicle. Offered with everything from a soft top version to the troop carrying military version. What ever version you are lucky enough to have in your garage there is no doubt about the rugged capability it offers. Out of every vehicle on this list, the Toyota Land Cruiser is the only vehicle that truly needs no after market mods to make it better. Regardless of the low price tag you can find these for the Toyota Land Cruiser definitely keeps it's own against the likes of the Mercedes-Benz G Wagen, and the Land Rover Discovery.

VW Vanagon 1979-1990
Much like the Subaru you may not feel that the Vanagon belongs on this list. At first glance it appears to be a slightly lifted Mini-Bus but throw a set of snow chains on the Vanagon and it will get you pretty much anywhere you want to go. A quick search on autotrader.com only brought in 12 results country wide under $10,000 but there were some offerings as low as $3000. The biggest difference between the Vanagon and the Mini Bus was the fact that the engine was water cooled which means that it had a heater that actually worked. This is a key piece of hardware to have functional in your overland rig for those long winter treks.

So there you have it, my top nine (in no particular order) best vehicles for Overlanding. What do you think?