My employer is looking to buy an SUV as a lead vehicle for truck convoys in Iraq. The only basic requirement is that it is 4WD, and has the capacity to tow 2,500 lbs on occasion.
I've really been looking at American offerings. OE parts for GM and Ford vehicles tend to be cheaper locally than Japanese alternatives. The aftermarket is also vast, and higher quality than aftermarket offerings for Asian vehicles, which tend to come from Malaysia and China. Considering parts for this vehicle will be sent up from Kuwait, that's a plus.
Also, we have no requirement for vehicles to conform to a certain standard, such as OBD-II. Unless a vehicle is from a US manufacturer, or built in the US (e.g. Nissan Altima, Mitsubishi Galant, etc.), you cannot use an OBD-II reader to pull codes, etc. You need manufacturer specific code readers. Considering this is a standard feature on US cars, it's convenient to have and OBD-II readers are cheap.
I've looked at two vehicles so far, which are the Tahoe and the Expedition. The Tahoe LS starts at $35,805 for RWD, whilst the Expedition XL starts at $28,654 (also RWD). The budget is $36,000, so the Expedition seemed to be the SUV of choice at $32,950 for an XL the way we want it:
- Control Trac 4WD
- 3.73 rear axle ratio (LSD unavailable unfortunately)
- Rubber floor mats
- 17" steel wheels with 265/70-17 tires
- Daytime running lamps
- Heavy duty trailer towing package
ATF/PSF and engine oil coolers are also standard, along with a 5 year/200,000 km (125,000 mile) warranty. It also comes with a 150 amp alternator, which I reckon will be sufficient for the light bar and yellow/white LEDs. Just looking for opinions really.
Thanks!
I've really been looking at American offerings. OE parts for GM and Ford vehicles tend to be cheaper locally than Japanese alternatives. The aftermarket is also vast, and higher quality than aftermarket offerings for Asian vehicles, which tend to come from Malaysia and China. Considering parts for this vehicle will be sent up from Kuwait, that's a plus.
Also, we have no requirement for vehicles to conform to a certain standard, such as OBD-II. Unless a vehicle is from a US manufacturer, or built in the US (e.g. Nissan Altima, Mitsubishi Galant, etc.), you cannot use an OBD-II reader to pull codes, etc. You need manufacturer specific code readers. Considering this is a standard feature on US cars, it's convenient to have and OBD-II readers are cheap.
I've looked at two vehicles so far, which are the Tahoe and the Expedition. The Tahoe LS starts at $35,805 for RWD, whilst the Expedition XL starts at $28,654 (also RWD). The budget is $36,000, so the Expedition seemed to be the SUV of choice at $32,950 for an XL the way we want it:
- Control Trac 4WD
- 3.73 rear axle ratio (LSD unavailable unfortunately)
- Rubber floor mats
- 17" steel wheels with 265/70-17 tires
- Daytime running lamps
- Heavy duty trailer towing package
ATF/PSF and engine oil coolers are also standard, along with a 5 year/200,000 km (125,000 mile) warranty. It also comes with a 150 amp alternator, which I reckon will be sufficient for the light bar and yellow/white LEDs. Just looking for opinions really.
