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Went on vacation with my wife's family to the Outer Banks and one of the things they like to do is go to a beach you need to drive on to access. It was fun. I have no experience with 4x4 vehicles or off-road driving, so it was something completely new to me. Now I'm starting to look into it and it's a bit daunting.

Anyone have any pointers for someone just starting to look into the world of 4x4 vehicles?

Part of me would like to pick up something used that needs a little work. I've done some light repairs on my vehicles, but always wanted to have a reason to get more in-depth with working on something for fun. I'm a controls technician for industrial machinery, so I've done lots of things mechanically already, just not much with regards to vehicles.

Respect the beach. The natural landscape, the quiet, the wildlife. Walk or cycle there, don't run it over with a 4x4 behemoth. Please.

The perfect vehicle. Not to big, not to small, and minimal environmental impact. Hit up to 15 scale mph!

I bet that day wasn't fun for any other living thing on that beach.

Try not to end up like poor Rik Mayall, the beloved British comedian who nearly died (technically he did die) in a quad accident: https://www.beyondthejoke.co.uk/content/classic-interview-rik-mayall#google_vignette

That little kid in the video should be wearing a helmet too.

I understand the environmental concerns expressed, but we're on a forum for a hobby that is dependent on: lumber cutting, oil drilling, mining, global shipping, consumer use and disposal of toxic chemicals, travel for recreational amusement, etc. Everything we do has an environmental impact.

I'd like to keep the discussion to the original topic and glean any useful information about that topic anyone has. Thanks.

Your argument is nonsense, it's like saying "people fly planes for holidays so it's ok if I use these bird nests as piniatas". No.

It's not just the environment, it's everybody and everything else, including peaceful tourists/inhabitants of the place. Behave appropriately for the place chosen, want burn rubber and make terrible noise - go to a racing track or something like that. If you go to a place of natural beauty - respect your surroundings. You are not the only living thing that is there. You are a guest, be a good guest.

Want to see the place? Just walk or cycle there. What's the problem with that?

Cyel wrote:
Your argument is nonsense, it's like saying "people fly planes for holidays so it's ok if I use these bird nests as piniatas". No.

It's not just the environment, it's everybody and everything else, including peaceful tourists/inhabitants of the place. Behave appropriately for the place chosen, want burn rubber and make terrible noise - go to a racing track or something like that. If you go to a place of natural beauty - respect your surroundings. You are not the only living thing that is there. You are a guest, be a good guest.

Want to see the place? Just walk or cycle there. What's the problem with that?

Cyel, as previously stated, I'd like to keep this thread to the original topic. Thanks.

Honestly this a forum for model games - chances are 4x4 drivers who actually go off-road are few and far between. Beaches in many countries are also under a lotof pressure and threat (as honestly is most of the wilderness) so people can be a bit more hostile toward such use - something to keep in mind if you get into that hobby is that you will likely get flack from some groups for it.

Your best bet is to find a trusted good group that does such activities. They'll not only have the best vehicle advice from practical experience; but also show you where and when to drive; the good safe spots and hopefully also how to drive to mitigate/limit your damage to the environment you're driving though (cause afterall if they trash it they can't go through it any more either)

 Overread wrote:
Honestly this a forum for model games - chances are 4x4 drivers who actually go off-road are few and far between. Beaches in many countries are also under a lotof pressure and threat (as honestly is most of the wilderness) so people can be a bit more hostile toward such use - something to keep in mind if you get into that hobby is that you will likely get flack from some groups for it.

Your best bet is to find a trusted good group that does such activities. They'll not only have the best vehicle advice from practical experience; but also show you where and when to drive; the good safe spots and hopefully also how to drive to mitigate/limit your damage to the environment you're driving though (cause afterall if they trash it they can't go through it any more either)

You never know what fellow hobbyists are into, so I figured why not try the off topic forum.

Some of these replies are hilarious. You don't have to apologize for wanting to buy a used truck. I'm no expert mechanic just a DIYer like you are talking about, so take all this for what its worth and a lot may seem obvious. I bought a 2011 during Covid, have kept it in good working order, and made it look like a new truck (if you don't get too close!). Between the Chilton book and Youtube I've been able to do a good chunk of the repairs and all the bodywork myself. I'm sure you can do the same.

You should be able to find many used 4x4 trucks for under 5 figures in places like Craigslist. When buying one, bring an OBD2 scanner to see if the seller is trying to hide a problem (They may have cleared a code with their own scanner so this isn't 100%). The scanner will be useful later when you want to diagnose problems. Check the oil and transmission fluid for grit and clearness. The less miles on the engine, the better. Minor dents, flaked paint, and surface rust is to be expected, especially in areas with snow. Avoid stuff that is rusted so badly that holes and large flakes are being created. A black or white truck is easiest to match paint when doing body work. Expect to buy new tires and rims, but if the wear on the tires is not uniform it may need an alignment before/when you do so.

One of the first things you'll want to do (again, especially in snow areas) is apply a rubberized undercoat to extend the life of the vehicle. You probably want to give it a coat of Rustoleum Rust Reformer first but can skip that if the rust doesn't look too bad. Be disciplined with the maintenance and don't skimp on parts, tools, oil, etc. Check Youtube and the Chilton book before ordering anything to get an idea of what work is involved and if it looks like something you can do.

In general for body repair, you can hash out the matching paint by checking a code on the plate on the door. The combo paint brush/pens are nice to fill in small chips. If you need to do some sanding or use Bondo, go ahead and get a case of the matching paint (you'll want a case of Rustoleum Rust Reformer and Undercoating too if you do that). Primer is available everywhere, you can get a few cans at a time. You can just buy new body parts like the tailgate and doors that come primed or with the matching paint for an extra couple hundred. Rust Reformer only comes in black, so a black truck will be slightly easier to work on. Cerakote Ceramic Trim Coat is a great product.

It's fun to do these repairs as a project and the savings compared to buying a new $80k+ vehicle (possibly double that with a payment plan) is very welcome. And in the US, I doubt anyone you meet in real life is going to scold you for owning one. From what I've seen on Youtube, driving right onto the beach and doing some fishing in a line of other people doing the same thing looks like fun and a way to make some vacation buddies. I say go for it.

 Slowroll wrote:
Some of these replies are hilarious. You don't have to apologize for wanting to buy a used truck.

Epic strawman, you should go into politics. Nobody's protesting what this guy does to a used truck in his garage.

 Slowroll wrote:
Some of these replies are hilarious. You don't have to apologize for wanting to buy a used truck. I'm no expert mechanic just a DIYer like you are talking about, so take all this for what its worth and a lot may seem obvious. I bought a 2011 during Covid, have kept it in good working order, and made it look like a new truck (if you don't get too close!). Between the Chilton book and Youtube I've been able to do a good chunk of the repairs and all the bodywork myself. I'm sure you can do the same.

You should be able to find many used 4x4 trucks for under 5 figures in places like Craigslist. When buying one, bring an OBD2 scanner to see if the seller is trying to hide a problem (They may have cleared a code with their own scanner so this isn't 100%). The scanner will be useful later when you want to diagnose problems. Check the oil and transmission fluid for grit and clearness. The less miles on the engine, the better. Minor dents, flaked paint, and surface rust is to be expected, especially in areas with snow. Avoid stuff that is rusted so badly that holes and large flakes are being created. A black or white truck is easiest to match paint when doing body work. Expect to buy new tires and rims, but if the wear on the tires is not uniform it may need an alignment before/when you do so.

One of the first things you'll want to do (again, especially in snow areas) is apply a rubberized undercoat to extend the life of the vehicle. You probably want to give it a coat of Rustoleum Rust Reformer first but can skip that if the rust doesn't look too bad. Be disciplined with the maintenance and don't skimp on parts, tools, oil, etc. Check Youtube and the Chilton book before ordering anything to get an idea of what work is involved and if it looks like something you can do.

In general for body repair, you can hash out the matching paint by checking a code on the plate on the door. The combo paint brush/pens are nice to fill in small chips. If you need to do some sanding or use Bondo, go ahead and get a case of the matching paint (you'll want a case of Rustoleum Rust Reformer and Undercoating too if you do that). Primer is available everywhere, you can get a few cans at a time. You can just buy new body parts like the tailgate and doors that come primed or with the matching paint for an extra couple hundred. Rust Reformer only comes in black, so a black truck will be slightly easier to work on. Cerakote Ceramic Trim Coat is a great product.

It's fun to do these repairs as a project and the savings compared to buying a new $80k+ vehicle (possibly double that with a payment plan) is very welcome. And in the US, I doubt anyone you meet in real life is going to scold you for owning one. From what I've seen on Youtube, driving right onto the beach and doing some fishing in a line of other people doing the same thing looks like fun and a way to make some vacation buddies. I say go for it.

Thanks! Looks like a fun hobby and a way to flex some of the skills I've picked up working with industrial machinery into personal entertianment while learning new things along the way.

Which vehicle did you get? A Wrangler?

Back on topic:

Is this a truck that will see every day use, that will sometimes go on the beach, or a dedicated beach cruiser?

If it's dedicated, you don't have to worry about A LOT of stuff. It's a beach, so no need for air conditioning, or even a roof. I've seen many people have fun in old 2-door Chevy Blazers with the rear roof removed to be a half-convertible. I'd instal some tow hooks in the off chance you need to be pulled out.

Just a humble Silverado 1500. I was looking at those and equivalent F-150 and RAM trucks. Jeeps may be a bit more expensive. I don't actually do much off roading with it, it does help in the snow.

There are specific places and public/private lands for 4x4 usage. Use those places.

Beyond that, I have a friend that rebuilds and mods ATVs as a side-hustle. However, in this area it is mostly for agricultural purposes with some hobby use. We have dedicated ATV trails and back-country places for such activity. It is not uncommon to see people driving around town in their ATVs instead of their pick-up trucks to run errands or review their fields/fences. Larger 4X4s are often towed to the site of any off-roading.

Be prepared to drop more on any ATV/4x4 hobby than you do on wargaming. Other than that, I do not have much advise for you.

A limited slip rear end is a strong recommendation. Locking front end is less important, but might be useful if you're going somewhere hard core.

Sandy beaches were mentioned, and that's an entirety different bag that country trails. Might want to look into comically wide tires/rims. Perhaps 10 inch wide rims and 12 inch wide tires.

Most 4wds are similar enough.

My suggestion, is pick one solidly midsized - don't go too small (advice I don't live by with mine, I have a Jimny) you won't have space, but don't go too big either. Bigger cars have clearance, but they can also struggle with tighter tracks and turning circles, and if you get stuck in a 1500, you'll need a big and beefy car to help extract you as opposed to any body.

For beach driving, get a portable compressor, and check with people/reviews about how soft the sand is. Don't drive below the high tide mark, don't hoon, don't tear up the beaches. Let your tyres down, and take it easy.

And it's great fun - here in Australia, at least, we have designated beaches for 4wding (they get abused, and that sucks, but people also enjoy them responsibly). Don't go to a bathers beach and be that guy.

One of the coolest 4wd's I've seen was a modified mid-90's Geo Tracker. Had a V6, snorkel, winch, 4-wheel lockers and 3 seats (mounted a bucket seat in the middle in the rear). HUGE tires. A vast majority of the build was junkyard scavenged, including the winch.

ATVs are really easy to flip, roll and otherwise ruin your day on especially if you're just starting out so wear protective clothing and especially a helmet if your doing anything other than gentle pootling along on a flat surface

yes you may see plenty of folk using them with just t-shirts, shorts and flip flops (oh so tempting when it's hot) but try and avoid temptation

if your planning to do any semi serious off road messing about a roll cage (or at very least a decent roll bar and harness) is your friend in a truck or similar

Don't forget a good number of people you see driving ATVs fast over terrain are often driving over terrain they've driven over dozens of times before. Ergo they know the land; know where the ruts are and are not and where there might be more.

Ergo some of their speed is familiarity. It doesn't remove the risk, but its very different to driving one over terrain you are unsure of


And yeah even with a helmet you can still get hurt - knew a guy who was wearing one and still lost teeth when he was thrown going into a rutt.

I knew a lady who had her hand and wrist crushed completely by an ATV accident. Her hand ended up outside of the vehicle during a roll. Crunch.

About 10 years ago my nephew's neighborhood friend (about 9 at the time) was just putting along in the backyard, parents watching. He went up a slope, gave it a bit too much gas, and it flipped backwards on him. Killed him. So even "safe" activities on an ATV aren't really safe.

cuda1179 wrote:Back on topic:

Is this a truck that will see every day use, that will sometimes go on the beach, or a dedicated beach cruiser?

If it's dedicated, you don't have to worry about A LOT of stuff. It's a beach, so no need for air conditioning, or even a roof. I've seen many people have fun in old 2-door Chevy Blazers with the rear roof removed to be a half-convertible. I'd instal some tow hooks in the off chance you need to be pulled out.

Thanks! Not looking for an every day driver, but something fun to drive occasionally and the only 4x4 use I'd need I'm thinking about is beaches.

Easy E wrote:There are specific places and public/private lands for 4x4 usage. Use those places.

Beyond that, I have a friend that rebuilds and mods ATVs as a side-hustle. However, in this area it is mostly for agricultural purposes with some hobby use. We have dedicated ATV trails and back-country places for such activity. It is not uncommon to see people driving around town in their ATVs instead of their pick-up trucks to run errands or review their fields/fences. Larger 4X4s are often towed to the site of any off-roading.

Be prepared to drop more on any ATV/4x4 hobby than you do on wargaming. Other than that, I do not have much advise for you.

Thanks! I'm in the suburbs, so not really any trails. Mainly looking for occasional driving and beach use. I've been in the wargaming hobby since the early 90s... so unless I bought a new vehicle I'll probably spend less than I have overall for wargames.

cuda1179 wrote:Back on topic:

Is this a truck that will see every day use, that will sometimes go on the beach, or a dedicated beach cruiser?

If it's dedicated, you don't have to worry about A LOT of stuff. It's a beach, so no need for air conditioning, or even a roof. I've seen many people have fun in old 2-door Chevy Blazers with the rear roof removed to be a half-convertible. I'd instal some tow hooks in the off chance you need to be pulled out.

Thanks! Only for occasional use in my regular life and some limited beach driving.

cuda1179 wrote:A limited slip rear end is a strong recommendation. Locking front end is less important, but might be useful if you're going somewhere hard core.

Sandy beaches were mentioned, and that's an entirety different bag that country trails. Might want to look into comically wide tires/rims. Perhaps 10 inch wide rims and 12 inch wide tires.

Thanks! No idea what a limited slip rear end is, so I've got some learning to do. Only really aiming for beach use and occasional driving otherwise.

Farseer Anath'lan wrote:Most 4wds are similar enough.

My suggestion, is pick one solidly midsized - don't go too small (advice I don't live by with mine, I have a Jimny) you won't have space, but don't go too big either. Bigger cars have clearance, but they can also struggle with tighter tracks and turning circles, and if you get stuck in a 1500, you'll need a big and beefy car to help extract you as opposed to any body.

For beach driving, get a portable compressor, and check with people/reviews about how soft the sand is. Don't drive below the high tide mark, don't hoon, don't tear up the beaches. Let your tyres down, and take it easy.

And it's great fun - here in Australia, at least, we have designated beaches for 4wding (they get abused, and that sucks, but people also enjoy them responsibly). Don't go to a bathers beach and be that guy.

Thanks! Really debating on size. I'm not tied to the idea of a jeep, but I haven't done a ton of research to see what other options there are yet. I like the idea of the 2d Rambler because it's smaller, but a 4d would probably be more practical overall.

OrlandotheTechnicoloured wrote:ATVs are really easy to flip, roll and otherwise ruin your day on especially if you're just starting out so wear protective clothing and especially a helmet if your doing anything other than gentle pootling along on a flat surface

yes you may see plenty of folk using them with just t-shirts, shorts and flip flops (oh so tempting when it's hot) but try and avoid temptation

if your planning to do any semi serious off road messing about a roll cage (or at very least a decent roll bar and harness) is your friend in a truck or similar

Thanks! Not looking to do anything adventerous. Beach driving is the most off-roading I'm thinking about right now.

Since I do not live anywhere near a beach, can you tell me a bit more about what that entails? Is it like driving on Daytona Beach in Florida or something else?