Anytime you stick a label such as "Best" onto something, you're going to stir up a hornet's nest. Then again, the troublemakers on our staff have been known to love a good argument, and since the new 2010 trucks will be rolling into showrooms soon--and because dealers are looking to pare down inventories of their 2009 trucks--we thought it time once again to praise the best in class of the most recent model year. We're deviating a bit from our usual methods of picking them this time, though--instead of choosing the obligatory "Best Midsize" or "Best Subcompact," we've decided to cut to the chase and simply pick the 10 best brand-new, out-of-the-box trail machines you can get, regardless of class. Of course, we're keeping in mind that some of you may like to do other things with your new truck besides four-wheeling--like towing a load behind it, or even driving it to work--and we haven't neglected those parameters, either. You can find our picks for 2009 starting on page 22, and let the debating begin.
We're also covering Best Buys in Used 4x4s this month. Especially nowadays, folks are looking for bargains when shopping for a used truck, and sometimes the definition of a "bargain" can extend beyond whatever price the seller is asking for. As an example, I can recall a mid-'70s Postal Jeep I bought as government surplus a number of years ago. It came with the good ol' AMC 258ci six-cylinder, TorqueFlite 727 transmission and Dana 44 rear axle--valued components all. It only had 30,000 miles on it, and it came for the princely sum of $400. I drove it around for a year (good everyday transport) until I got tired of it. Then I parted out the engine, tranny and axle, sold the rest for scrap, and ended up making a nice, tidy profit. In that spirit, we're focusing our "Best Used Buys" articles not only on price and buildability, but on what kind of hard parts you typically get with the truck for your hard-earned dough. Sometimes, after all, the best "bargains" aren't necessarily the least expensive ones.
Finally, one place where we don't advise looking for a bargain per se is in your differentials. If your truck sees much trail use beyond mild dirt, picking the right type of differential might be the next most crucial component you'll make after your choice of tires and wheels. Of course, there are differences in prices between brands, but whatever you pick, go with the best and stoutest units you can afford. How to pick one that's right for you? Well, it pays to have plenty of knowledge before you buy, so we're investigating lockers and limited-slips in detail this month, so you can know the relative virtues of cones versus clutch packs, and mechanics versus electromagnetics before you plunk down for a set of new diffs. Our survey of lockers, spools and limited-slips begins on page 40.
--Douglas McColloch