Top gear crowns blazer as toughest off roader
Starting Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 233
Episode was pretty entertaining, the ford would have made it much farther with a better driver. But think..If it was just 3 guys babying their trucks to Las Vegas the show would be kinda boring. You need an a-hole that breaks everything he touches to keep it entertaining. Hence the under-hood food, ridiculous trailers, and road crossing methods.
I would say between them all, the bronco would have been the weakest, because of the TTB front axle, but the front axle was the only thing left working on the truck! Can't forget, the Bronco ripped the Chevy and Jeep in the drag race...wasn't even close...the 351 had the most power by far.
I would say between them all, the bronco would have been the weakest, because of the TTB front axle, but the front axle was the only thing left working on the truck! Can't forget, the Bronco ripped the Chevy and Jeep in the drag race...wasn't even close...the 351 had the most power by far.
The idea of having $5000 to spend on a truck you found online got me to look on craigslist, search for 4X4 and put 5000 as the max amount just to see what was out there. In this area (Arkansas), I found several monster trucks available for that kind of money. Large tires and high ground clearance would be ideal for that type of challenge.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,485
From: Lynnwood WA
Personally I think top gear UK is wayyyy better. The guys on top gear America try to hard to be funny and sound really stupid and corny. Although the hosts are cheesy I thougt that episode was good. For those who don't know about TG UK it's on BBC
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,485
From: Lynnwood WA
Yeah that's a good point. I did hear that when TG UK started they where really dry and boring. But for the American TG I think they should do a challenge where they have to eqch buy mid sized SUV's with 4000$ and see which is better. Like maybe a Blazer, an Exploder and a Durango (or something else closer spec wise to the first two). But we all know what would win that... Lol
Super Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,003
From: Eastern Central New York State
Yeah that's a good point. I did hear that when TG UK started they where really dry and boring. But for the American TG I think they should do a challenge where they have to eqch buy mid sized SUV's with 4000$ and see which is better. Like maybe a Blazer, an Exploder and a Durango (or something else closer spec wise to the first two). But we all know what would win that... Lol
Plus the Blazer would probably win that anyway for several reasons:
1. Blazer powertrains are pretty durable and reliable
2. You think the Blazer front ends are junk? Durangos are much much worse. They have had hundreds of ball joint complaints to NHTSA compared to about a dozen each for the Blazer and Explorer in the late 90s when they were all still being made. Dodge Chrysler Vehicles - Poor Quality Reliability Safety Defects (Check about halfway down on the page. Complaints: 12 for the Blazer, 14 for the Explorer, 749 (That is SEVEN HUNDRED FOURTY-NINE) for the Durango)
3. Explorers have major problems of their own. The 2002 and 2004 Explorer made #1 and #2 on the Worst Vehicle list on Carcomplaints.com The 2003, 2005 and 2006 are also on there. The 2004 Dodge Durango also made that list for engine, electrical and cooling system problems. NOWHERE is there a Blazer or Jimmy on there. In fact out of 20 vehicles on the worst vehicle list, there were ZERO GM, 5 Fords (all Explorers), 5 Chrysler (Intrepids, Durango, Ram), 6 Hondas, 3 Toyotas and a Nissan. The problematic vehicle list is the same way, but the 2005 Trailblazer made that list.
4. Plus as I said in a previous post, the vehicle is only half of the key to success in that challenge. The driver's experience and strategy is the other half. A nerd (glasses, unconventional thinking and cautious tactics don't lie) was driving the K5 Blazer and his strategy worked very well. If they do a midsize challenge and put the same drivers in the same brand vehicles, the Blazer already has a much better chance anyway. With the bad driver in the Explorer, that is just going to make the truck's problems appear that much quicker, but not the type of problems you can fix on the trail.
Plus, here is another big question about that episode: If that axle broke and took the wheel with it, wouldn't it have also severed the brake line on that wheel in the process and made it impossible to stop because the brake fluid would just go out the broken lines? How could he even fix that on the trail and bleed the system alone?
