Here are 10 used 4x4 you can get to hit the trail with.

I love my sports and muscle cars but sometimes I want to hit the trails or go camping "out there" and turn off the paved road. If you are new to off-roading and don't know where to start it's a good idea to get turned on (sort of speak) to the right kind of vehicle so you don't regret it later.

For me, it was really a no-brainer. I am building an off the grid home I need to have 4 wheel drive and the ability to get un-stuck is needed where I am at.

It is extremely important when you don't have a lot of cash and working with a limited budget. Here are 11 different 4x4 that you can find and take off-roading. By the way, these are in no particular order and I picked the color red because it just looks cool...

Jeep Cherokee

Old school Cherokees are a dime a dozen and are one of the cheapest and most reliable vehicles to modify for off-road use. These are great vehicles that are dedicated to hitting the trails.

They can be utilized as a daily driver as well. They come mostly with the 6 cylinder 4.0. There is a reason the older vehicles are on the road today... they just refuse to die!

Jeep Grand Cherokee

This is the "luxury edition" of the boxier Cherokee. These Jeeps had the option to come with the 6 cylinder or V8.

These vehicles are not as cheap as the regular Cherokee they can be more comfortable as the regular model. The extra power from the larger engine can help you get over that hill better.

They can be found around for about a $1000 bucks.

Mitsubushi Montero

Another V6 contender these were built with a decent engine and ground clearance.

You need to look over before you commit to the purchase. Their aftermarket parts may be few and far between though. They normally go for the 2 to 3 thousand dollar range and are able to take on the trails.

Jeep Wrangler

This is the most expensive 4x4 you will find out there. You can modify one as much as you want and you can do a lot more with their uni-body frames.

They have 4 cylinder engine so they can be a daily driver as well however I would steer clear of it because they do not offer the same resale value.

A decent rust free Wrangler in good working order can be found in the ballpark of 5 thousand dollars.

Toyota 4 - Runner

Toyota trucks are some of the most reliable trucks ever built. There is a reason why 3rd world nations use these vehicles for their military.

They are not without their own specific issues. Rust is the killer of the older ones. Inspect closely and if you see the vehicle has a lot of rust walk away...

If you happen to find one with no rust you have a very capable off-road vehicle that can be used for a daily driver. They start out at $800 and go up depending on year and condition.

Toyota Land Cruiser

This 4x4 has a proud history of being a willing capable and able off-road vehicle and cruise around in comfort and style.

There is enough room for 7 people and loads of camping gear. The 4 wheel drive system is more than able to get you to where you need to get going.

However, finding one for under 5 thousand dollars can be difficult and you may need to wait for the perfect one to fall in your lap.

Subaru Outback

This is my personal favorite and people are wondering what is this doing on the list. Because when they think of a Subaru going off-road, it is in the form of a world-class rally car.

The ground clearance of these little all-wheel-drive cars rivals some of the larger vehicles on this list. While there is not a lot of upgrades to this line 7 inches of clearance will get you down the logging roads with no problem.

The argument can be made they receive the best gas mileage on the list make great daily drivers and start at about 1000 dollars.

Suzuki Samurai

I know some people are shaking their head after reading that. I remember back in the 80's they were prone to tipping over at high speeds... This is one you either love or hate.

They get great gas mileage because they are small. They have sort of a cult following and have a score of aftermarket parts. If you are going to go off road you are going to need some bigger tires and more power.

Good Samurai's can be found in the 3 grand range and go up from there.

Isuzu Trooper

Yes, it is possible to find a decent 4 wheel drive trooper for under $1000, just make sure you don't buy the 4 cylinder diesel or gasoline model, performance was awful.

GM inserted the V6 from their small block truck line and all was well for the boxy looking sport utility. The 4 wheel drive system works fine and some have taken these in some really off-road applications.

There are not as abundant as the other 4x4s on this list but are plentiful enough to get in good shape.

Nissan Pathfinder

Probably more toward the bottom of the list. These are not quite as capable- off-road as some of the other vehicles.

However, they can be found for cheap this leaves for further mods down the road. You can find a good Pathfinder form the early 90's for under a thousand bucks.

With all 4x4's be sure to inspect for rust because it can be an issue. The V6 version makes an affordable 4x4 that can get you through the woods.

What do you think of the list? Do you have a favorite one? Put down what you use to hit the back roads...