These Are The BEST Budget Overlanders and Off-Roaders You Can Buy For Under $5,000! 

I purchased the TFL LR3. It has given me 2,000 trouble free miles so far. Great truck.

Buy a WJ and prove your Dad wrong. I loved mine with the 4.7 HO V8. 2” OME lift and some duratracs and your good.

I had a 2nd Gen Explorer, I was amazed how capable it was off road. All I did to it was about 2" of lift and slightly larger than stock tires.

Need a "BlazeCam".

Forgot to mention the xterra. I got my 2007 in Longmont for 3,700 with 160k miles 1 owner 4x4 and locking rear diff

1st Gen Toyota Sequoia, especially the '05-'07. Very reliable 2UZ-FE V8 engine, 5 speed A/T, body-on-frame, locking transfer case, ATRAC traction control, low speed lock, 10+ inches ground clearance w/o a lift, air suspension on the Limited. You can get a decent one for $4-6k, level it with 5100's for $300 or put a lift kit on it for less than $1k, a locking rear diff for $500-$1500, and still have a couple grand left for the gas pump. If you want fuel economy, you have no business watching this video.

Tommy needs to do a budget WJ Overland build! And not just because I have an 02 WJ Laredo and need budget friendly options...well maybe

Yes! Finally some Montero recognition. After market parts are becoming a lot more plentiful, and if you don't mind shipping from Australia, then they have always had aftermarket support. No head gasket issues like Tommy mentioned they might have. The 3.5 and 3.8 in the 3rd gens are pretty solid engines. Just maintain them and watch for things like hydraulic lifters sticking after 100k. But they are solid and capable vehicles. They just turn people off with independent front and rear suspension and unibody frame, but theirs was specifically designed to be kind of the future and had off-road specs in mind when designed. Now you see other vehicles like the new defender going that route. Mitsubishi was definitely ahead of their time back then. Hope y'all come across one for your channel one day and can test it on your local trails along side your other off roaders.

We have 2002 Toyota Sequoia. It's great on and offroad. I just put the falken wildpeaks at3w on. They are amazing. It has alot of aftermarket support now. The 4.7 I force v8 is a great engine yes its trusty. Some have a center diff lock

To me off roading is rock crawling and mudding and there's no implication of camping being involved. Overlanding is long distances on unpaved roads or on actual trails and camping.

Good choice Tommy, I have an ‘04 WJ with the Quadra drive and 4.7HO V8 with a 4” lift and it works great!! Love the solid axles and where I agree the 4.0 was the most reliable engine jeep has made, the 4.7 has been great to me. Keep up the good content guys!

Tommy is my favorite RU-vid nerd.

Have a 3rd Gen 4Runner with 258,000 miles. Love it! With Blizzaks living at 7600 feet it’s an amazing winter vehicle.

Finally, Tommy makes sense. RR Classic is an awesome off-roader.

So when TFL bought the VW Touareg and gave great reviews about it. I thought I found a good deal and bought a 2003 as well, worst buy I can remember, for 9 months nothing but issues, ABS went out, front vibration, check engine light, air flow issue, battery went dead had to take out the front seat to get to it. Ending up cutting my losses and got rid of it. I think some off-road sleeper are the 2002-2009 GMC Envoy and Trail blazer, some came with a good transfer case that had 2wd, awd, 4hi, 4lo, they can be found for a good price and if treated well very reliable. I bought a 2003 Envoy for $1200 with 150k miles used it 4 years put over 30k miles and supper good in the snow. Also the last gen Isuzu Trooper is very good off road but does have the timing belt issues around 120k miles, so those need replaced every 100k.

I currently own a Suzuki Jimny, you don't get those in the USA but man, this car is amazing, tiny with low range, just needs a 2in lift, bigger tires, and diff locks... go have fun.... but seriously I would get an fj cruiser... love that thing

I had a 2006 Commander. 4.7 and trail rated. The thing went off road a lot in the 10 years I drove it. It wasn’t perfect, but it would run circles around most of the 4wd trucks around here. It spent almost every weekend off-road either on our farm or in north west Arkansas.

Excellent video. Forgot to mention the 1st gen Toyota Tundra. I have an ‘06 DC SR5 4wd with 200,000 miles. It has the legendary 4.7l V8. Bought it in 2018 with 165k miles, one owner, and decent service history, from the dealership for $11.5. I’ve since put Bilstein 5100 shocks and larger tires on and it does superbly as an overlander. I I constantly scour Fb marketplace and have seen these going for 8-9 with 200k+ miles but there are getting more expensive now as they get rare and desirable - they are the perfect size truck. They only made the 1st gen tundra double cab from 04-06. Great truck and no big issues so far with it just routine stuff. Hope to get 500-700k miles out of it before it dies.

The father/son banter is hilarious. Both sides make reasonable points based on research vs experience.

When I bought my XJ back in 2012 I was looking at XJs, GXs, and 80 and 100 series land cruisers. I ended up going with the XJ because I didn't want a payment but there were plenty of really nice 7-10 year old GXs for 9-12k. Those same GXs that are now 16-19 years old and with more miles are 15-20k if they've even been reasonably well take care of over the last none years. It's nuts how popular they became.

Jeep Liberty or Any pickup truck. Your budget trucks are perfect examples.

I bought a 3rd gen runner for 5400. Only 125K on the clock. It needed about $1500 of work and some elbow grease. Love the thing.

Honorable mention: Kia Sorento (1st gen only). The first gen Sorento was available with a part time 4WD system with low speed transfer case and a rear LSD and was built body-on-frame. It is surprisingly good off road, and the last years included a fairly powerful 3.8L V6. The 5 speed auto wasn't that great but it did the job.

Tommy the Grand Cherokee WJ was available with a 4.7 L V8

You guys didn’t give enough time to the Tahoe/Suburban. VERY underrated platform. Any model up to the GMT800 (I wouldn’t by anything after that) is going to be reliable, parts are everywhere and anyone can work on them. We overland in a 2000 3/4 Suburban, we have a family of 5 plus a golden retriever, and it’s perfect. It goes everywhere.

Roman and Tommy, Beyond brand reputation, the most important component of any used vehicle purchase is a comprehensive, PRE-purchase inspection by a competent mechanic. I think it is fair to say your channel has demonstrated this reality many times.

i got a 1991 4runner with 210k on the body, and a new(used) motor with 114k on it installed fricken love it

Had a Mk.2 XJ and a WJ. I really miss that old XJ - looked fantastic in metallic green.

Regarding land cruisers, I know that LC fans will say that 150k is just getting broken in, but there are things about vehicles that, no matter how well built, will degrade over time. A 150k Land Cruiser will have the same kind of interior wear and tear than a 150k Land Rover. And yes, the mechanicals might be bomb-proof but everything else is going to wear and tear just like every other vehicle. Also I thought nobody offroaded GX's Tommy :P

At least here in Az you can pick up a very sorted 3rd gen 4Runner for under 5k. But as far simplicity and longevity the 4Runner is the best of the bunch

For those who may be looking for an inexpensive, WK Grand Cherokee, I did find a 2008 Limited, 8000 dollars, with the Mercedes diesel engine in it. The limited comes with heated front seats, some come with a DVD system for the back seat, Quadra-Drive II system and many others.

Vehicross gettin some love! Fun little car.

I just picked up an 01 S10 ZR2 5 speed, rust free TX truck, still looks new. Even after fixing all the GM BS from that era, (intake manifold gasket, HVAC vacuum stuff, iffy spider injectors and worn front end and driveline parts) I'm in it for $3000. Love how cheap parts are for this truck. Try one of these or a Blazer/Jimmy ZR2. In all honesty, I did want a Toyota or a Range Rover Classic, but Toyotas are priced like they are made of latinum and the Rovers are getting really hard to find.

Very entertaining video and i love your cute cewy dog 😄

You guys should build out a cheap keep Frank Cherokee WK (05-10) overlander

You showed a glimpse of my suggestion, and then it got talked over by the excursion. I’d recommend as a very cheap starting point, a First gen Expedition. Body on frame, solid rear, all v8’s, some came with LSD rears, can fit 35”s with a under $300 lift, comfy and lots of room to haul gear. It not like, the best choice, but you can snag a 100k in good shape for under $5k and a beat one to have fun with for $1k.

Fellas, good chat. An interior designer will help get that room where it can and should be.

Isuzu troopers are awesome my buddy had one back in high school we loved it

Blaze is clearly the best off road dog!

I have an 04 Honda Pilot that has never left me stuck and it is a really good truck for overlanding

i bought a 1984 F-150 short wheel base 4.9 6 cyl 4 speed granny 1st gear new, only thing i did was a 2 inch spring lift on front, use to got out with Jeeps Toyotas Nissans form above Fresno to the Sonora pass to all around Mt Shasta area and went everywhere they did as long as i could fit, 21 years later and 540,000 miles only major thing i did was a new head gasket sold to a friend and last l heard he was still using it in 2018

Best off roader I had was a Jeep Grand Cherokee 1bull997, 4.0 petrol auto, it had over 300,000 miles on it, only mods was a front bull bar and tyres were 235 85 16, I just cut and rolled the arches. Second best Discovery 1 300 Tdi 2 inch lift and 235 85 16 tyres. It wasn't as good as the Jeep on road but just a fraction better off road.

@TFLtalk great video, interesting topic. On the Ford side of things, I know it's not considered a genuine off-road capable machine, but I'm interested in your opinion: what would you say about the 1st gen (and later, but especially 1st one, 2001 to 2007) Ford Escape? It's got clearance, although unibody only, open diffs, but the 3.0 v6 I've heard does some interesting trails. And they definitely go for under 10k, might be possible to find for under 5k, too. Cheers!

How about an episode on the best JDM SUVs that you can buy. There are a bunch of them out on the market, especially after they turn 25 years old.

I might have missed it but was there any mention of the Kia Sorento? The 1st gen ('02 - '09) was on a frame and has a Low Range. @TFLtalk you guys ever drive or test one?

Agree to disagree on the Commander...my '08 Commander has 185k miles on it and has been dead reliable. 06/07 weren't great, but 08/09 4.7L or 09/10 Hemi. Front/Rear eLSD's, quiet & roomy, but its a vehicle that on first test drive is weird. Give it 3 mos. and you'll 'get it'. Love ours...but I overland with my Renegade... :D FrontRunner roof rack and RTT and I've got plenty of room. :D

The early generation 2014 to 2017 WK2 can be found below 15,000. I have a 2020 Trailhawk, and other than the air suspension acting a little weird, and your typical jeep infotainment issues. At 88,000 miles it’s been pretty damn bulletproof and it has gotten me anywhere I need to go. Fuel mileage, and Highway comfort or exceptional on the WK1 and WK2.

Picked up my '06 150K mile WK Overland w/Hemi & Quadradrive II for $4,200 here in the St. Louis area. So far I've had to replace the front brake calipers, the abs sensors, waterpump and jury rig the heat blend door (WK owners know what's up). All work done in the driveway and I'm still under 5 grand and have enjoyed our adventure vehicle for just over a year. PS, get the Hemi, you can thank me later.

I’m biased as a XJ owner but they are the best! I would love to add a toyo to the stable but I’m with roman, they are so crazy expensive! No matter how many miles and how beat up they are toyo owners want an arm and a leg.

I had a 1991 cherokee laredo thing was tough as iron could not break it 4.0 straight 6 is amazing

Roman you need to get the newest Crosstrek that you can get with a manual and test it off-road. I bet many of your viewers would like to see a comparison, between the cvt and the manual.

I can still order parts for my 3rd Gen Montero from the dealer. Plenty of places online as well. As far as off road mods, it's not whored out like Toyota but you can get skid plates, ARB bumpers, winch, rock sliders, ect. Great off roaders and over built. Heck they have a 9 inch rear diff with massive axles. Toyota is 8 inch or 8.2 in 2010 and newer. The Monteros front diff is 8 inch.

The issue with the all aluminium engi mg e was two issues. Not upgrading the liners with "T" liners. The liner would slipdown slightly. Most head gaskets were skipped liners. But what caused all of their issues were the fuel settings run too lean. If you get it remapped most issues go away.

Thanks Roman, I agree, CVT's are not bad to rugged off-road. Sure they can do light duty. Not for long term, hard driving. Would you buy a truck with a CVT?

Curious to get your opinion on the new cars coming from the EV company Alpha based in California... The Alpha Wolf and the Jax look pretty amazing in pre-production and they look amazing. Prices are decent as well. Hopefully production models are just as good

I do not agree with the comment on the Renegade. We have owned three in the Red River Gorge and they have never failed me. I also own two XJ Cherokees and Three TJ Wranglers. All get me through the Danial Boone Back Country Byway with the Renegade being the most comfortable. Love your content.

im happy with my 1998 isuzu trooper with LSD in the rear and i just picked up a 2002 mitsubishi montero

If I want a street truck then the TRX is the way to go, but if I want a off road truck then the raptor is my chose.

As a renowned XJ expert and legend in my own mind I assert the 91-01 Cherokees were the best. They had the port injected 4.0 HO six and the NP231 transfer case. Most had the Chrysler 8.25 rears and Dana 30 front diffs. Avoid the late 80’s Renix fuel injection and some early 80’s had GM four and sixes from the S trucks.

I agree that the renegade isn't a great overlander since it's so small, and I certainly wouldn't buy one, but there is a video on youtube of a lifted one successfully completing black bear pass along with a crosstrek with only a/t tires and skid plates. very impressive!

I've had great experiences with ZJs and WJs.

"It just feels wrong to put a solar panel on a Bronco." Ha Ha! That's so true.

You mentioned Excursion, but went straight to the Powerstroke. Which don’t qualify for your list as you mentioned. But for sure the V10 and V8 can be had for less than 10k. A lot of vehicle for the money, built on the Super Duty platform.

Check out the XJ on Matt’s Off Road recovery, he pulls people out of all situations with an XJ modified.

I love my gx470. And yes they have exploded in price

Gx470!!

When I was a waiter back in the early 2000’s I had an older couple who were regulars who just loved me... they wanted to sell me their 88 Cherokee, it was a red 5 speed with grey lower trim... it was cherry as could be... but at the time, I couldn’t swing the (very reasonable) $2800 they wanted for it... it only had 78,000 miles on it. I’ve always wished I could’ve come up with the money for that Cherokee.

Nah, you’re respectfully wrong on the R50 Pathfinder (2nd Gen). The VQ35DE equipped 2001-2004 models were pretty good off-road. Mine went everywhere I wanted to go. Mild lift and tires, it would have done even more. Unibody, sure, but it was definitely truck life more so than car like.

WJ for the win. Although I believe there are lots of options that aren't far behind.

Anything Toyota, at least in So Cal, is NOT a budget vehicle by an means of the imagination. I bought a 2002 Nissan Xterra completely stock about two years ago, and it is a work in progress, but with a 3" lift and many other off-road goodies, I have spent less than $4k total on a reliable, albeit slow with the 3.3L VGE V6, on a solid reliable rig. Lower gears, supercharging, and custom made long travel front suspension are next in the works. I will be more than happy to share my rig with you guys. Not as nice as some Xterras out there, but built for way less.

I stated with a XJ that I bought at auction for $1300 and it had a new motor and only 100k miles. It has been very inexpensive to mod and is small enough to go almost anywhere in the forest trip I run it on. New project is 1999 Durango. For $200 you can lift it for 2 inch lift and fit 33s on it.it is long enough in the back with seats folded a 6'3" guy sleep in it. 360 V8 give it plenty of power. Plus Durango are very inexpensive. I bought mine for $350 with 120k did a valve job for 1800 and it is a great ride.

Ha, what a difference a couple of years makes. Prices on most of those vehicles are 50-100% above what they were then, and higher milages too.

My parents have a first Gen GL450 with the off road package. I’ve only seen one other than theirs.

i got my 80 pretty solid build for 6,500 2 years ago.

My parents had a '94 Isuzu Amigo they bought new when I was a kid ....don't see many of those anymore, it tore it up!

I just wish there were decent fuel efficient options for off-roading/overlanding that aren’t brand spanking new.

Is say the beat bang for buck is the 3rd Gen 4Runner. I donated mine to someone who just sent me a photo with the odometer rolling over 300k, and it doesn’t even burn oil.

my fj 80 is getting an ls3 pretty stoked

Nissan released a couple of year ago the Nissan Terra, i don't know if the Terra is the new Xterra.

Long live the XJ. If only Jeep had brought the Cherokee back more akin to the XJ. I had a 02 WJ Overland with Quadra Drive II and it was a beast - LSD in the rear, rock rails, skid plating, recovery hooks in the front - all stock! It felt almost unstoppable off-road short of hard core rock crawling. And it had great power with the 4.7L V8 and luxury to it as well with leather seats, tire pressure sensors etc.

I’m gonna have to revoke some gear head cards for not being able to change your own head gaskets or pretty much work on your own vehicles at all.

My top two: XJ (Cherokee), 1997-2002 w/4.0L--capable and tough; weak spot (like almost all Jeeps) is the electrical system and electronics. Toyota 4-Ruuner--reliable and long-lived. Properly maintained, the XJ or 4-Runner can go 300K miles+. Compared to the XJ, the Grand Cherokee is unreliable junk, by the way. Forget all the "exotics"--Land Rover, etc. if you're going to be very far away from a large metro area--out in the sticks, there probably aren't dealers, parts are hard to find, and local mechanics often don't know how to work on them. That's the big advantage of the American Big Three brands (even though their reliability often lags) and Toyota--they have an extensive dealer network, even in fairly rural areas, and the local auto parts store might actually have parts for them. I live in one of those type of areas, and I've seen broken down "exotic" 4WDs that had to be towed 150 miles or more to get to a dealer that could work on them.

I’d take a Disco 1 over an LR3 ANY DAY! Pops trippin’ on that one. 😂

I was hoping you wouldn't talk about the gx. I am about to buy one.

If you believe a Subaru with a CVT is great off road, you've probably never driven a good 4x4 in low range off road. They are literally built for inclement weather and gravel roads, nothing else.

do you guys have a video like this without the price cap?? I'm new to overland/off-road/car camping with about a 20k budget any opinions? must be super reliable

there are tons of the 2nd 3rd 4th gen 44unners in washington state for under 10k TONS

If you buy an older Toyota, have the frame inspected for rust 1st. Mechanically great vehicles though.

You guys talked about the Xterra for 10k and never mentioned the H3 and H3 Alpha? 5.3l LS V-8 or the 3.7l inline 5 and lockers! I have 3, they're so under rated.

Whew .... as a Jeep KK owner ... was getting concerned at 10:50,.

Hi 5 to the XJ!

Are manual Subaru Crosstreker any good off road?

Give the Dog a bone. Let’s go.

What about fhe 1st Generation Kia Sorento 03-09 for under 5k?

You know nobody ever mentions them, but in Europe, they are known as farm vehicles why not an off-road liftedd volvo Wagon what does TFL think about that? And I speaking specifically of the 750,800,900 series pre-Ford take over.

LR4 with the 5.0 V8. Just the timing chain will need to be replaced. 2010-2013

Don’t sleep on a Toyota Highlander I can’t remember if they come with selectable 4wd but most are AWD and they pretty sweet and cheap too We picked up a fully loaded 2010 highlander leather seats 3rd row seating sun roof all the perks navigation heated seats you name it it had it lol 76k miles for 8k flat No different than a Subaru really lol

You barely mentioned the square body Blazer and skipped past the S-10 Blazer. It has low range but no locking diffs. I bought an 04 for $1500 in 2018 that gets around. It’s pretty basic being a fleet vehicle, but the 4.3 liter is in millions of vehicles and mine has almost 190,000 miles and a few pinstripes

What about the late 90's Infiniti Qx4?

Land Rover disco II oh my that was the least reliable vehicle I ever owned . I was always working on that thing ,death wobble ,three amigos , radiator , fuel pump, and my favorite when the windows would randomly roll down .. and sometimes they would roll back up eventually . I replaced so many modules on that thing . I can say I never had the head gasket overheating luckily I sold it before that .