Advice sought: E350 vs. Tacoma w/ Popup Camper

[BC in CA]

Hi Folks,

I'm new to the expedition scene, really most interested in boondocking in and around SoCal and Arizona more than anything. Wanting to explore BLM land out in Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Imperial counties and maybe into Arizona as well. Not looking to cross the Gobi Desert anytime soon but might do an occasional urban stealth boondock on the way to someplace more interesting.

Trying to decide which kind of rig would best suit me. I've read through several build threads for both. I wondered if the cognoscenti would care to impart any morsels of wisdom gleaned from your r collective experience.

Can you guys tell me the pros and cons of both a Tacoma with a popup camper ala FWC or Palomino versus an extended Econoline Cargo van with a raised roof and 7.3 Diesel engine? Not sure if a 4wd conversion is needed on the van.

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Kind regards,
BC in CA

 

[radorsch]

For the So Cal deserts, there is a lot of terrain you can cover with 2wd... But you definitely need a LSD or locker (1wd doesn't cut it:sombrero. I love my van. It's a great camping platform. With the van, you get more space and can have more amenities for a longer trip. In exchange, the size may limit you from exploring certain trails/canyons (as will lack of 4wd). Are you traveling solo? If you're looking to spend most of your time exploring the deserts, a Taco 4x4 camper may be more versatile. On the other hand, the van may be more comfortable for a prolonged excursion, or if you're traveling with companion(s). Also, the van would be better for urban stealth, probably.
Overall, if its me with the family, I'd do a ($ permitting, 4x4) van. If its just me, I'd do the Taco.

 

[ert01]

When it was just myself traveling, I solely used my Jeep XJ. I built a sleeping platform inside it and it worked really well.

When I got married and my wife wanted to share in the experience, we bought a roof top tent. It also worked quite well but it took longer to setup and break down each day than when I was traveling solo.

When we had our first daughter, we put the rtt on a small trailer. It was a very capable setup, but it just took even longer to pack/unpack camp each day because of the specific order everything had to be packed in.

Now we've sold the rtt and trailer and bought a 4x4 7.3 extended van. We have 2 daughters and it works AWESOME. The space inside the van is really comfortable and we don't even have a high top or pop top yet. And we can make/break camp in merely a couple of minutes.

The downside of upsizing the vehicle is that the trails get a lot harder and it limits where you can go. With my XJ on 35's locked front and rear, I could go on almost every trail I wanted and be confident that I could get over or around most obstacles without damage. With the van, I have to be a bit more selective of what trails to do and I have less options as to what lines I can take around obstacles simply due to the size of the van. But I'll take the trade-off since it means I can bring my family along for the adventure.

You'd just have to decide what your goals are and decide if a larger vehicle could fit in the places you want to go.

 

[boardrider247]

When it was just myself traveling, I solely used my Jeep XJ. I built a sleeping platform inside it and it worked really well.

When I got married and my wife wanted to share in the experience, we bought a roof top tent. It also worked quite well but it took longer to setup and break down each day than when I was traveling solo.

When we had our first daughter, we put the rtt on a small trailer. It was a very capable setup, but it just took even longer to pack/unpack camp each day because of the specific order everything had to be packed in.

Now we've sold the rtt and trailer and bought a 4x4 7.3 extended van. We have 2 daughters and it works AWESOME. The space inside the van is really comfortable and we don't even have a high top or pop top yet. And we can make/break camp in merely a couple of minutes.

The downside of upsizing the vehicle is that the trails get a lot harder and it limits where you can go. With my XJ on 35's locked front and rear, I could go on almost every trail I wanted and be confident that I could get over or around most obstacles without damage. With the van, I have to be a bit more selective of what trails to do and I have less options as to what lines I can take around obstacles simply due to the size of the van. But I'll take the trade-off since it means I can bring my family along for the adventure.

You'd just have to decide what your goals are and decide if a larger vehicle could fit in the places you want to go.

This is a very good summary^^^^^^^^^^^^
And similar to my trajectory to a van.

A quick comparison on van vs tuck camper strengths

Van-
Incognito for sleeping in the city
Ability to move from cab to sleeping area without going outside (see above)
No set up or takedown

Truck camper-
Mostly pre built (this is huge as you can get out and use it right away)
Possibly more space then inside a van
2 separate units-the ability to remove the camper and use just the truck is appealing in some ways
More capable offroad in stock trim


Obviously this is the van forum so most of us have made the decision that a van is the right choice. But honestly when anyone asks me about building their own van I tend to steer them towards buying something pre built.
I have spent many hours in the garage that could have been spent outside exploring. I enjoy the build so I don't regret my decision but it is something to keep in mind.

Cheers!
Be sure to post back what you decide to do

 

[BajaSportsmobile]

I've owned them all and still have a Cherokee and a Tacoma - I've never enjoyed anything for your stated purpose more than a 4x4 van built out for camping. And, that is on and off the road.

 

[ert01]

Obviously this is the van forum so most of us have made the decision that a van is the right choice. But honestly when anyone asks me about building their own van I tend to steer them towards buying something pre built.
I have spent many hours in the garage that could have been spent outside exploring. I enjoy the build so I don't regret my decision but it is something to keep in mind.

Cheers!
Be sure to post back what you decide to do

Agreed.

I enjoy building and tinkering and designing just as much as I enjoy exploring so a van was an appealing route for me to take.

The other downside of a van is that you can't easily upgrade your base vehicle without selling your living space too.

With a truck/camper, you can sell the truck and replace it with a newer one easily and keep the same camper.

With a van, when you need to sell it, you need to find a very specific buyer that wants your custom modified van... So you'll likely have it on the market for a lot longer and/or it will sell for less than you'd like.

And then your living space goes with it too so you would need to start from scratch again.



Not trying to talk you out of a van though! I love my van and I expect to have a 4x4 van as my adventure vehicle for many years to come. Just know what you're getting into.

 

[350outrage]

One advantage to the Taco, etc. is that it makes a fair daily driver/ commuter. I love my van, but I drive a Camry to the office!

 

[martell06]

One thought: if you get a 7.3 it should get the same or better fuel economy as the Taco empty.

As RIDGE showed in the Pics thread, vans can be quite capable assuming you have the balls and skills to drive it: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/17756-Pics-of-your-VAN!-Post-up!?p=1900646#post1900646

 

[BajaSportsmobile]

One thought: if you get a 7.3 it should get the same or better fuel economy as the Taco empty.

As RIDGE showed in the Pics thread, vans can be quite capable assuming you have the balls and skills to drive it: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/17756-Pics-of-your-VAN!-Post-up!?p=1900646#post1900646

We've appointed Chris (RIDGE) our official "TEST DUMMY" with all due respect for his mad wheeling skills. He gets the most out of our Agile Off-Road Long Travel Suspension 4X4.

 

[KMG]

I use to drive a 2012 Tacoma with a camper shell and RTT. Now I have a 2014 Nissan NV high roof van with 4x4.
Can't express enough how nice it is to have access to the rear while traveling. And the safety feature of being able to get up and drive away from a situation with out having to climb down from the tent and get into the truck.

 

[boulderite]

For peace of mind BFE ,BLM extended trips is no-brainier for me. Tacoma and XR650R get it well done.