Jeepster/Commando vs RTV? vs Mule?

Bob_Skurka · Nov 18, 2004

For quite a while I've been kicking around the idea of getting a utility vehicle. Kubota's RTV and Kawasaki Mules seem to be very popular and probably well made. I also looked at and like the AUSA Task 50. But then I saw a picture of TractorErnie's 4wd Dihatsu Mini-Pick up which is not street legal, but will run at highway speeds, has a full cab, etc. I recognized it because those little trucks are all over the islands in the Carribean and have often wondered about importing one, but then found out they can't be made street legal here.

But the idea of a street legal Utility Vehicle still strikes me as the best answer. Today I stumbled across a Jeepster Commando Pick Up. It is very small, 4wd, and they can be had for less than the price of a new RTV. Has anyone else considered using a Commando or similar vehicle and if so, what are the advantages and disadvantages you have come across?

bczoom · Nov 18, 2004

Bob,

Haven't seen one of the Commando's in years. Weren't they made in the 1960's? Can you still get parts and stuff?

How about a Suzuki Samurai? I believe many use these for on and off road. Probably plenty of parts around also. Slowzuki - thoughts/comments? If it weren't for cornering, I'd probably consider one myself.

Brian

rdln · Nov 18, 2004

THE DISADVANTAGES:

I'll probably try to come steal it.

I love those trucks.

other disadvantages are opening doors every time you want to get in, wait you can take them off....hhhmm.

they are bigger than utv and thus harder to get around obstacles and take more storage space.

you are probably looking at the late 60's to early seventies, the 1950's would be my choice, more personality in styling.

There was a member here who had one his name was super7, he hasn't been around for awhile.

I like your style.

Bob_Skurka · Nov 18, 2004

I think production ended in the early 70's and yes parts are still available. The version I am thinking of is their pickup truck version, it seats 2 and has a separate small pick up bed. Overall size is going to be a bit wider and longer than an RTV but still smaller than a min-pick up truck.

The regular Jeepsters/Commandos were open 4 seaters and not well suited for filling up the back with mulch! As for the Samuri, I like those little things, but again, there is no real hauling space in those, even if you take out the rear seat. I've driven them and they are a blast, but not really suited for hauling bulk stuff like an RTV.

SimS · Nov 18, 2004

Bob;
I've been kicking around the same idea. I have been looking at Commandos, Jeep CJs, Samurais, etc. But I think I'm still leaning towards the utility vehicles. The reason is size. Even though a Jeep or Sami is small relatively speaking, it still is quite a bit wider and heavier than any UV. I will be using mine for woodland trails and chore work and I think the smaller footprint is going to be more practical. BTW I think the Jeep Commando is pretty cool and if it will work for you, I think you should snap it up. My 2 cents.

Sim

Bob_Skurka · Nov 18, 2004

I will be using mine for woodland trails and chore work and I think the smaller footprint is going to be more practical. 

Sim and your thought is the nagging thing in my mind that still has me wondering if the Commando P/U is a good choice. My property is fairly small and there are paths now that I can't get a Kubota B2910 down easily so a Commando would need the paths widened. And I would think rutting would be a bigger issue too.

On the positive end of things I could run the Commando into town and pick up supplies, plants, etc. while I could not with a Mule or RTV.

As mentioned by RDLN in a previous post, the doors come off so that makes the cab easily accessable in the woods all summer and putting them on makes it more comfy in the winter if I use it then.

Lots to ponder.

GregMVT · Nov 18, 2004

I had a 1970 Commando, it was similar to the CJ only a little larger. I bought it used in the early '90's. It went everyplace I ever tried to take it. It had a V-6 Buick motor in, a 225 I think. It did have some problems. The frame rusted pretty bad near the rear shocks. I am not sure if it was built with a plastic gas line or if it was an after market add on but that cracke. Also parts were fairly hard to find at that time, and pricey. The saving grace for it was it got me through 3 winters or so and only cost me about $400 to buy it. I ended up putting a lot of parts into it, tranny, body work, rear lights, plus the usual stuff. It was a good vehicle, just check over everything on the one you are looking at.

SkyPup · Nov 18, 2004

I had a 1972 Commando with the AMC 304ci V-8, put over 380,000 miles (blew three timing belts) in 25 years of ownership. It was a great off-road hunting truck.

btolle · Nov 18, 2004

We have 2 Jeeps. Mine is a Jeep Wrangler and Charlotte's is a Jeep Liberty.

We like to go offroad in Colorado and Utah so the Wrangler has a winch, OME suspension (2 1/2" lift), mud grips, etc.

You are already aware of the problems associated with the larger vehicle. A Jeep needs an 8,000 pund winch to get it out of a "stuck" whereas an ATV can use a 2,000 pound winch.

The Jeep weighs between 3,500 and 4,000 pounds so it will make deeper ruts.

The ATV will go many places the Jeep won't go.

On the other hand, an ATV is more dangerous than a Jeep in a rollover. I doubt if ATV's are really more prone to rollovers it is probably that ATV riders take more chances than a Jeep driver would, but there are a lot more people hurt or killed on ATV's than in Jeeps.

We had a Forest Ranger killed a few months ago near where I live. He rolled an ATV and it crushed him. The irony was that he was in the process of laying out a new ATV trail when it happened. And the Forest Rangers are sent to ATV riders school before they are allowed to operate them.

Bill Tolle

Riddler · Nov 18, 2004

Bob, the guy who was born, raised and passed away on the 30 acre place I bought earlier this year left behind a Willy's jeep that looked almost like a war issue thing (he was in the Army for a long time). His relatives sold the thing before I took possession of the place, but I can see now that he used the thing exactly the same way I use my Kawasaki Mule now. I have no idea how old it was, but its small size, modest weight, open cockpit and rock bottom price probably made it an alternative of sorts to a RTV or Mule.

NHGatorGuy · Nov 18, 2004

Bob-

I have used numerous vehicles to get around my woodlot, including a suzuki, a small GMC SUV and a Nissan P/U. In 1998 I got a JD Gator- Since then I haven't even had a thought of using a road legal vehicle. The Commando was a way cool truck but my opinion is that any road vehicle is much more difficult to maneuver, much easier to get stuck and extricate and cannot get into half of the terrain that any of the UTV's can. Think in terms of ground pressure as well- most UTV's exert >10lbs of ground pressure- ie you can still function in mud season without gettin' the tractor to pull out your truck! Good Luck! Jake

Will_C · Nov 18, 2004

Bob, I think others have summed up the biggest disadvantage: size. We used an old Toyota 4wd truck on my brother's 90 acres for many years, until the frame rusted through. The Mule that we have now is much more handy. We thought about replacing the Toyota with another, but we were looking at spending $2500 or so for a decent truck, in fair mechanical shape.
Will

flyingn · Nov 18, 2004

Please don't say that you actually *believed* what CR said about them lil Zooks rolling over.. Do you realize that it was all staged by CR (consumer reports) and proved in court and suzuki countersued CU?? Bet you did not see THAT in the news.. Thats the facts.. The samurai is as stable as any other small SUV is..

( Bob,

Haven't seen one of the Commando's in years. Weren't they made in the 1960's? Can you still get parts and stuff?

How about a Suzuki Samurai? I believe many use these for on and off road. Probably plenty of parts around also. Slowzuki - thoughts/comments? If it weren't for cornering, I'd probably consider one myself.

Brian

)

Dargo · Nov 19, 2004

Are you being funny about the Suzuki? I know an attorney who worked some on that case. Suzuki admitted nothing, but dropped the case. There was a dispute about how fast they (cr) drove the Suzuki and that they tried turning harder with it than others, but that notion was proven incorrect. Both sides claimed victory, but in the separate tests done during the court proceedings, the Suzuki also flipped. It's all moot now since that particular model hasn't been made in years.

flyingn · Nov 19, 2004

no, Im dead serious... Thats what happened. The video of CR filming the flipover was actually doctered and th eoriginal tape was found and shown on the net. It showed CR trying about 9 times to flip it. And when it finally went over the camera man cheered and yelled "yea we did it" !! Well this won th ecase for Suzuki and it was determined that CR rigged the test.. Suzuki countersued.. Its still in court.

http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosinsider/0407/09/b01-207320.htm

( Are you being funny about the Suzuki? I know an attorney who worked some on that case. Suzuki admitted nothing, but dropped the case. There was a dispute about how fast they (cr) drove the Suzuki and that they tried turning harder with it than others, but that notion was proven incorrect. Both sides claimed victory, but in the separate tests done during the court proceedings, the Suzuki also flipped. It's all moot now since that particular model hasn't been made in years. )

Bird · Nov 19, 2004

Good ole "unbiased" Consumer Reports went after the Suzuki Samurai and got'em. And then later there were news reports that, yeah, you could turn it over, but not as easily as you could turn over a Ford Bronco. And the Samurai owner's manual, as well as decals on the driver's door and on the sun visor, warned consumers about the fact that it was different from a sedan. I don't know of any other manufacturer who went to any greater lengths to inform customers.

bczoom · Nov 19, 2004

( Please don't say that you actually *believed* what CR said about them lil Zooks rolling over.. )

Frank,
My use of the word "cornering" wasn't precise. I meant it in terms of "turning radius". Heck, I can roll most anything.
Brian

Dargo · Nov 19, 2004

Great link. I hadn't seen that article, but it does pretty well say what my attorney buddy told me; no money changed hands and both sides claimed victory. Hmm, was Ralph Nader employed by CR then /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I wonder why CR didn't go after the 70's model of the Toyota Land Cruiser? I flipped my dad's new 1975 Toyota Land Cruiser 5 days I got my drivers license. Yes, I was going around a corner a bit too fast. However, no tires were squealing or sliding and, it went over quickly and easily. Those model Land Cruisers are now collectors items and they are beasts off the road, but I assure you that they will roll over easier than the Suzuki! Besides turning over, those Land Cruisers also needed the valves ground in their inline 6 about every 20,000 miles. If you have ever had one, you'll know what I mean. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif I saw one on eBay a few months ago that was advertised as a Chevyota. It had a Chevy 350 transplanted into it.

TBrown · Nov 19, 2004

I've had a '78 Jeep CJ-5 for 15 years. I rolled it the very first winter I had it. I was coming home from my hunting club's annual banquet in the late evening. It was cold, but the sanders had been out and the driving was good. I crossed a bridge and all **** broke loose. As everyone knows, the bridge decks will freeze before the roadway, and this one looked wet, but was actually black ice. The jeep bounced a little coming onto the bridge and started fishtailing, but when I left the bridge it grabbed hard. I hit the snowbank, which was rock-hard, and went up and over. The jeep ended up right in the middle (thankfully) of the snowmobile trail on its top. I walked to the closest bar, called the restaurant where my dad and the rest of the hunting club were, and an hour or so we had it back on its wheels. I drove it along the snowmobile trail until I could get back on to the road, then home (10 miles with the windsheild busted out, brrrr!).

That accident was the result of driver error. I've lived in the great white north all my life, and I know enough to slow down when I come to a bridge under those conditions, and pick a line and pay attention. I didn't do any of those things, I just barreled along. Did the Jeep roll when a car probably wouldn't? Absolutely. But if someone's going to own a vehicle like a CJ or Samurai, thats something they have to be aware of, and respect. I certainly don't blame the Jeep. That consumer reports thing was total B.S., in my book. It was not unsafe, you just had to be a little smarter when you drove one. But for what it's worth, I only drive mine in the summer now.

Anyway, I've got Snapper Groundscruiser for a UV. I'd be interested in hearing the opinions of some other people who have, or have had, both a UV and a jeep-like vehicle, with regards to stability. To me, the UV 'feels' more stable. It seems, from a seat-of-the-pants perspective, that it would be awful tough to roll. And the Snapper is pretty crude compared to the RTV and others.

rdln · Nov 19, 2004

My first car I bought was a used 1979 cj-7 with v-8 and a nice cozy hardtop.

I had it two weeks when I took my mom to her hair appt. in town, there was 1 or 2 inches of fresh snow on the curves around a lake. The last curve was downhill to the left and my backend went right and hit a dry spot under the trees.

We were both inducted to the upside- down club that morning.

We stopped on the roof and dangled there with the seat belts on. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I blame the wide mud tires with 20% tread left on them that came with the jeep, I was going slow but still was issued a too fast for conditions ticket which ticked me off more than the accident.

8 years later I rolled my jeep j20 onto its side, I blamed Bud and his friend wieser for that one /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Bob, The 1960's bronco half cab is close to the jeepster you are looking at if you want to do a search on it.