ok, so i'm open to suggestions. i'm looking for a smallish type suv/wagon/betty car. wanna go around $5,000. to $9,000.
has to be reliable as sh!t, decent on gas and 4x4.
GO!

late 90's Tahoe/Suburban, they'll get around 18 on the highway. Mid ninty's Cherokee, find a cream puff, they are out there. I get around 20 from mine driving like I stole it. Between dependability, ease and cost of repair, total cost of ownership, I don't think you will find anything to beat these two choices. I purposi[ly left out Ford products after my experiance with the 4.6 in my Van. Teh Ford modular motors are a PIA to work on and are expensive to repair. On the Jeep, check around high end neighbor hoods, when the Jeep was new, they were the yuppie choice of vehicle, a lot of people kept them as back up cars while the Bimmer was in the shop, I see one every once in a while that loks brand new.

Good point Ferm. I was, of course, speaking about my Cherokee 4.0L which does have the distributor and coil, but you're absolutely right..the engine changed thru the years as progress marched on. As an example. my next door neighbor has a mid 80's(?) Jeep CJ(?) that's carburated, and of course, mine's injected. I'm sure that as you go thru the years there have been many changes to the engine, but whatever flavor it's in, it's still one of the best damn engines I've ever driven.

Not a fan of Surburans, because of their terrible (to me) turn radius, but I gotta agree with you Spare that they're reliable. I got 20.6 MPG on my trip to Fla. with my Cherokee. The Cherokees a tad small Charlie, but it turns on a dime, is reliable as sh_t and is in the price bracket you're looking in. Try and get one that has antilock brakes. Mine doesn't have them and I think* that Tsubaki said he had one and it had antilock brakes? Look for a late 90's vehicle as they are the more "stylish" with the smooth tailgate and sides... IMHO. Oh and make sure it's injected. You should be able to pick up a cherry one for about $4500. Less for a well used one. Given the area we live in, go under the tail of the vehicle and look at the frame rail where it crosses the rear axle. I've seen several rust in that one spot. Other than that they seem to be pretty good with road salt.

A 96-99 TAHOE or YUKON with the 5.7L VORTEC V8 would be at the top of the list. The turning radius was poor on the 95 and older ones, but 96+ are MUCH better. A 91-95 CHEROKEE would be at the top of the list as well. 96 is when CHRYSLER started implementing alot of there so called upgrades and the downward slide started. ALL of the grand cherokees with a 4.0L have sorry trannies in them, and the differentials in them have proven troublesome over the years in the 4X4's. The small BLAZER isn't bad, but the 4.3L V-6 leaves alot to be desired as far as power goes after you've driven something with a 4.0L in it. One of the new style(99-04) grand's with the 4.7L V-8 has a good engine(if it is maintained properly), the trans in them is solid and lasts, but you are still stuck with the crappy diffs that CHRYSLER put under em that like to sing like crazy. The EXPLORER isn't bad, but I'm just not a FORD fan. And there are some decent imports out there, but I don't drive rice.

i've had 3 of those motors and they are good for 175 to 200 K miles then the rear main seals leak you just drop the pan replace the main bearings and the seals then it will go another 200 K tough motors if you ever rebuild one you should always make a stroker out of it with just changing the crank and rods to a 4.2 older 258 jeep motor. the 4.0 / 242 is one good motor.

In my opinion the only candidate to fit the bill:

3rd generation Toyota 4Runner. 1996-2001

http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/...y/IMG_0289.jpg

My wife drives a 2nd generation, but the 3rd gen has the much improved 3.4 liter engine.

4Runners have a cult like following:
www.toyota-4runner.org