I have both, and love them for different reasons. The Sami's (I have a SPOA tin top and a SPUA soft top) are small machines, until modded, that are greatly capable for light to medium offroad bone stock. For mud purposes, I would probably consider a T-case gearing upgrade, some armor, and a small lift, in addition to some AT or MT tires. If you pull out the backseat you should be able to have the dogs in the "back"
, and still have room upfront for your grandson. The Samurai's are better wheelers, due to the lower gearing and host of aftermarket upgrades, in my opinion. The downside for me is that my kids are now too big to fit comfortably in the back, which is why I prefer the Track/Kick for the whole family. I put a set of OME shocks, struts and coils under the Track/Kick, which allowed for 30x9.5x15 MT's and greatly enhanced the ride. While by no means a luxury vehicle, the Track/Kicks are much more "comfortable" than the relatively spartan Samurai, in my opinion. When we still had our dog, he liked to ride in the back of the Track/Kick, and we still had room for camping gear/fire wood etc. up top and between the kids when they were smaller.
For 3K, depending on your location and the local market, you should be able to find either in decent shape that should meet your needs. Ultimately, I love both, but the Track/Kick for me is a bit better of a daily driver, and the Samurai is the better wheeler, although the Kicker is quite capable on its own right, especially with a 4.24 T-case gearing upgrade. I hope some of that info helps, if not, disregard!
