wilcam47
Ultimate Member
Wow, I'm really just blown away that every single person who has replied can't seem to say enough good things about it. I'd read plenty about it before making the purchase, but it definitely makes me feel good to read this stuff.
Crabby--yes, I was in GW. I do a lot of backpacking, fishing and hunting there. It's kind of my second home. Now that I can drive the unimproved roads, it's much easier for me to get there. I used to have to borrow my brother's Forester or else park my car at the bottom of the mountain and walk up the road. This time I was just north of Ramsey's Draft, in the Camp Todd/Reddish Knob area. The closest town is called West Augusta--sort of west and between Harrisonburg and Staunton. Once I got above 3,000 feet or so there was a lot of ice.
Those of you who have owned them for a while, is there anything I should be thinking about in terms of preventative maintenance that may not be obvious? I've read some stuff about people having rust issues. I just plan to wash the undercarriage any time I've driven it on salted roads, but I've been wondering if it might be worth it to get some kind of sealant applied under there. That stuff is expensive and nasty to apply myself since I don't have any equipment. Otherwise, it seems like with these that as long as you keep up with the regular maintenance, you're pretty much all set. I purchased it from Tysons Toyota but I'm planning to have all the service done at Jack Taylor Toyota in Arlington, since that is more convenient.
Biggest thing for ours was the brake calipers sticking due to rust/corrosion ...just keep an eye on the MPG if it starts dropping dramatically and you smell the burned/overheated brake smell when you exit the vehicle you prob have caliper problems.