Keep and upgrade Crosstrek or different rig?

[Wertherman]

Hey all, looking for input.

Running a 2020 Crosstrek, paid off, 90k miles. Solid and reliable but I'm starting to feel its limits hunting elk in Colorado. When I'm doing a two-man elk hunt, it's just tight gear, I dont think it would be possible to pack out two elk. Im driving to Utah with my dad in the fall to do a cow elk hunt am afraid about what happens if we get two elk down.

Thinking about keeping it and investing in a lift and all-terrains since it's paid off and I know the rig, but wondering if there's a point where you're just polishing a turd for backcountry elk. Also looking at a used Tacoma, 4Runner, or Outback/Forester Wilderness. Open to other recs too.

I can only have one car right now so this will be commuter in COS to.

What would you guys do?

 

[sndmn11]

Rent a trailer?

 

[Wertherman]

Rent a trailer?

Definitely could!

 

[Cherokeeguide]

but wondering if there's a point where you're just polishing a turd for backcountry elk

There is. You already found it. It is here:

Thinking about keeping it and investing in a lift and all-terrains since it's paid off and I know the rig

Lift isn't going to do anything uber-meaningful for you. What it will do is put more stress on CV joints and tie rods that aren't really meant to cope the punishment a real Jeep trail can dish out. You may or may not get clearance for taller tires, but you don't have low enough final drive gearing in Crosstrek to make use of them, and if you have a CVT automatic in yours as are in the majority of them, that transmission is going to be very unhappy in front of bigger rubber.

lso looking at a used Tacoma, 4Runner, or Outback/Forester Wilderness. Open to other recs too.

A used Outback ? Forester Wilderness isn't going to be much better, if at all, than what you already have. Scratch that idea.

A 4Runner is more like right. Getting somewhere in an all-wheel drive Subaru doesn't translate to being able to get out of there in it. You need four-wheel drive capability for the worst-case scenario of snow on top of a real "Moderate" or "Most Difficult" trail.

I have a 2015 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk. I've done the Slaughterhous Gulch Loop in it, been to the T-33 Plane Crash, and so on, but add in some snow or heavy rain, and me and Bob Dylan will sing "You Ain't Going Nowhere" together, because trails like those are the limit and that's when they're dry.

I have a 49 Jeep CJ-2A, which is a little beast on the trail. I love old flat-fenders on trails. But getting anywhere out of the town I live in is slow and dangerous in it. It definitely has no business being on an Interstate highway.

I should have bought an AMC-era CJ-5, instead. I'm thinking of doing exactly that. I can get around the lack of cargo room issue because I still have the M-416 military cargo trailer that I bought shortly after buying a new Suzuki Samurai in 1986. I've had that trailer over the Rubicon Trail about 10 times. It'll go pretty much wherever what is pulling it can.

I think you're on the right track with the 4Runner idea. That would give you hauling room and the real low-range four wheel drive capability to get you safely out of elk country if things turn to shit and it is time to go.

 

[mjh]

I'm generally a Subaru fan, but for what you asking about I would not mod the crossteck, forester, outback. 4Runner or Tacoma would by my route. Had a 2016 Wrangler JKU, started falling apart at 82K. If you have heated shop space, an extra vehicle, tools, and you can work on your Wrangler great. Don't forget the time, money, patience. I'm not likely to buy another Stellantis product--ever. The Wrangler was fun, until is wasn't.

I do have a 5X8 trailer that I've hauled with a Forester, Highlander, JKU, and now Outback.

 

[Poser]

I would wager that you could fit coolers with 2 deboned elk in a Crosstrek. It might require a couple of smaller to mid sized coolers vs. coffin size coolers that some hunters seem to think are required gear for elk hunting, but it could fit. So, in order to do that, you need to free up some room for gear, right? Do you have a roof box? A paid off vehicle that you have maintained from the get-go and know how to work on holds a lot of reliability value to you and you alone. At the same time, at 90k, you are coming due for some service so might be a good time to consider unloading it.

IMO, 3rd, 4th and 5th Gen 4runners are among some of the most reliable vehicles every produced, but if you want one with less than 100k on it, its going to cost you and then there is a new learning curve for maintenance. and, the reputation for reliability often seems to work against you in some ways when buying used because many people seem to think reliability = no maintenance.

 

[JCS271]

You have a vehicle that works perfectly for you in all but this one situation. Keep it and just add a rooftop pod or a small utility trailer and be done with it. Great reliable rigs are hard to come by, enjoy yours as long as you can.