Hi.  Am moving to remote high-altitude location.  15 miles of dirt road to get to house.  Roads at their best are heavy washboard and can have deep sand, mud, running water, unplowed snow, gullies.  I'm not foolish, and don't mind staying home if necessary.  Single woman, 3 dogs, not as young as I used to be!

Am trying to decide on best vehicle for these conditions, that also will accommodate dogs, be comfortable on long trips, reliable, not too heavy to change a tire easily (once tried to change a tire on a Ford F-250 --- forget it!).  Am considering Toyota 4-Runner, but am curious about others such as Nissan Xterra or Pathfinder, and all the new Jeeps.  Jeeps have lousy repair records.  Loved my old Subaru, but doubt a simple AWD would handle some of these conditions.  Am I rash to rule out a truck such as the Toyota Tundra extended cab with camper shell? And, of course, I don't want to spend $50,000.

Any input, suggestions, warnings greatly appreciated!  Thanks!  

There is no easy answer here. Being that you had a Subaru and likely it a lot I would lean toward the Toyota 4runner. Toyotas had a good reputation for reliability. The 4runner as comes with full time 4x4 drive capability. What this mean is that you can leave it in 4x4 most of the time if you want to (no shifting in and out) because there is a limited slip differential in the transfer case that relieves drive line bind that occurs with conventional 4x4 on hard or paved surfaces. I still own a old J20 Jeep truck with the original Quadratac full time 4x4 drive system and I loved it over all and especailly off the beaten path. The Toyota (like my old Jeep) has the ability to lock out this center differential and work as a conventional 4x4 drive if you want it to. But I might also add the the Toyota Tcase diff is also a LSD (Limited Slip Differential)meaning that most of the time you will never need to lock it and the LSD in it is based on Torsen gear based LSD design which is old well proven and very sturdy (Military Hummers and OshKosk plow truck have been using these style diffs in axles for many many years and still do) This means you can leave in 4x4 all the time except for maybe long trips and not worry about hurting a thing ANY just drive. This is nice out in the ruff because you will not have to worry about when to shift in and out of 4x4 drive. A selectable 4x4 drive system with full time 4x4 drive capabilties such as 4Runner has is arguably one of the finest 4x4 drive systems you can have in any 4x4.  

Thanks, SnoMan, for quick reply with information that I can really use!  I hear the Nissan Xterra is supposed to be pretty rugged, too.  Any idea how it compares to the 4runner?  

browncow:
Thanks, SnoMan, for quick reply with information that I can really use!  I hear the Nissan Xterra is supposed to be pretty rugged, too.  Any idea how it compares to the 4runner?

Far as I can tell, it has a simple push button conventional 4x4 drive system and not any where near as advanced as system used in the Toyota. (no fulltime ability and you have to drive a 4x4 with it for a while under varing conditions with fulltime to really appreciate it) I cannot speak for whistle and bells as maybe others can. I have been driven 4x4's for over 35 years now and when I look at a new 4x4 candidate, I am looking under the hood and chassis and at drive line design to see if I like that part first because if I do not, I do not really care what it looks like otherwise or what little whistles, bells and gadgets it may have because if is does not pass this "first step", I rarely look at it any further. Two me, when comparing the Nissan and Toyota by my "book" the Toyota is clearly ahead. Someone else that values creature comforts more than the nuts and bolts may have a different opinion. BTW, I do not think Nissan makes bad cars, it is just that Toyota has the better drive train setup for your needs as you stated.  

The Nissan Xterra and the 4runner are good. Have you looked at a Toyota Tacoma or Nissan Frontier? A crew cab with a topper would work well. These trucks also have a little more aftermarket support as well. I would lean more on the Frontier for the factory locking rear diff. (I'm not sure on the Taco having this option?)Some good all seasion tires are a must as well, with plenty of siping for the snow. If you were willing to spend big money id say a Toyota LC, Lexus LX, or Land Rover.  

Because of the conventional part time push button 4x4 drive system on the Nissan is is not even in the same league as a the 4Runner for this posters needs. Fulltime 4x4 drive beats the pants of of part time in easy of use and overall handling and until you have lived with one as long as I have you do not realize what a asset it is. Locking diffs are not as importantt here especially up front because it can make you a lot more prone to slid off a trail that is banked when it is slick. Fulltime 4x4 drive is as user friendly as it gets and all the aftermarket add ons in the world to Nissan will not replace its lack of it for this usage. This poster is not locoing for a rock crawler but rather a vehicle that will take her to her hide away and be more than capable of doing it and while being civilized about it too. I will further add that even if the Toyota got stuck in fulltime 4x4 drive it could live fine that way for a long time and not be a big issue. (she could leave in fulltime for months at a time if she wanted too) If the push and pray 4x4 drive system failed in one mode or other with Nissan at wrong time, it could be a show stopper in the wild or in town.  

Thanks for the frank discussions.  I think SnoMan has hit the nail on the head as to what I'm looking for.  Sexy bells and whistles come secondary to comfortable, reliable wheels that I can count on to get me there.  One reason I'm shying away from a truck is that it's a pain in the a$$ to climb over the tailgate and crawl around under a camper shell to get stuff out. It sounds like the 4Runner will do the job.  I'm currently driving an old ('94? '96? can't remember), very basic Jeep Cherokee. THE most uncomfortable vehicle I've ever had, and it does get me there, but it's spending more time in the shop these days than it's worth.  It'll get me through the end of the year, but then time to move on.  Will take the 4Runner for a test drive.

Thanks again for helping out this "little old lady"!