I am looking for a beater truck or SUV that I can use when I want to move larger things or tow a small trailer or when I need to go somewhere that the roads aren't so great.  I don't think I really need 4WD and that's just more mechanical crap to break anyway.  I'm shopping in the $2500 and under price range.  This will not be a primary vehicle or primary transportation.  It could potentially become a daily driver or commuter vehicle if I get moved to a jobsite without decent parking.

It looks like I can find an early '90s Cherokee or Toyota pickup from the same time period for about the same amount of money with about the same amount of miles.  Either way I'd want a 6 cylinder and not the 4-banger.  Being in FL I need reliable AC also.

Any thoughts one way or the other?  Is one easier to work on or have cheaper parts available than the other?  Any suggestions for another vehicle I might be missing?

Cherokee.  I'm a GM guy but in good faith I unfortunately cannot reccomend the older Chevy Blazers.  My sister had a '96 and had problems with it.  

Go for the yota!

Get the Jeep Cherokee!

If you don't want or need 4wd, you should be able to get a cheap 2wd Cherokee...

Another nod for the Toy

Go for the 4 wheel drive Cherokee. Lots of them around so there is lots of parts. Get a 91 or newer. 89 and older had bad trans. I owned my first one for 10 years. I am on my seceond and it is 15 years old.

Toy. (extra cab!!)

But I would urge you to reconsider a 22RE engine. the 3VZE kind of sucks...
not a whole lot more power while chowing up more gas.

22R series = bulletproof.

Quoted: Toy. (extra cab!!) But I would urge you to reconsider a 22RE engine. the 3VZE kind of sucks... not a whole lot more power while chowing up more gas. 22R series = bulletproof.

+22

my 22r has just under 265,000 miles on it, runs like a top.

Get the Toyota. I'm being dead serious: Think about all those rebellions in Africa. Now think about what truck they all pile into. Yup, a Toyota. Those trucks will not stop running.

I would pick either an older (89-ish) toyota, or a newer xj cherokee, witch ever I could find first for a good deal.

Quoted: Toy. (extra cab!!) But I would urge you to reconsider a 22RE engine. the 3VZE kind of sucks... not a whole lot more power while chowing up more gas. 22R series = bulletproof.

+1 for the Toyota, and steer clear of the 3.0 liter V6. You probably wouldn't find a newer Tacoma with the 3.4 V6 anyway, so go for the 22RE 4 banger.

It will be a pre-Tacoma pickup if I go that route.  I haven't seen any with the Tacoma name on them in my area in the price range I'm looking ($2500 +/-).

I don't understand all these engine codes you guys are posting.  If it has less than 8 cylinders I don't know too much about it.  I'm assuming that what ya'll are trying to tell me is to stay away from the 'yota V6s and stick with the 4 cyl?  Does the 4 cyl have any balls at all?  I can't go from driving a 400 hp daily driver to putting around in a 100 hp truck on the interstates around here.  I also need to be confident that I can actuallly haul and/or tow a couple hundred pounds

The one to stay away from is the 3.0 they have headgasket issues....
Other than that your fine...