Interesting midsize truck comparison / test

[Todd780]

Exwife had a Jetta, can't remember the year. Biggest pile ever...can't even begin to tell you how many repairs was done to that thing, all before 70K miles. Fixed it "one last time" and bought a Civic. That was over 14 years ago, believe she still has that Civic.

If I could get VW styling on a Honda or Toyota chassis...

Too bad we don't get the Avensis.

By my work there is a storage yard that has a mid '90's camry wagon parked there. I've been here almost 5 years and that car has never moved. Gotta wonder what the mileage is on that thing. A little work to refresh it and it would probably last a long time!

 

[Clutch]

@Todd n Natalie View attachment 499134

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Definitely some Rednecks with Paychecks going on thar...

 

[Clutch]

By my work there is a storage yard that has a mid '90's camry wagon parked there. I've been here almost 5 years and that car has never moved. Gotta wonder what the mileage is on that thing. A little work to refresh it and it would probably last a long time!

View attachment 499139

My aunt's best friend husband has an early 90's Camry sedan, that he bought new...IIRC has something like 20K miles on it since he rides his bicycle everywhere. Kinda the same thing with our Trooper, we live 3/4's of mile from her work, and since she is a professor, it doesn't get used much over the summer either. Wonder how long that thing will last us at that rate.

 

[Todd780]

My aunt's best friend husband has an early 90's Camry sedan, that he bought new...IIRC has something like 20K miles on it since he rides his bicycle everywhere. Kinda the same thing with our Trooper, we live 3/4's of mile from her work, and since she is a professor, it doesn't get used much over the summer either. Wonder how long that thing will last us at that rate.

What's the mileage now? I'm guessing a long way till it hits the 390,000 miles that are on the truck.... lol

 

[docwatson]

I would just like to point out that talking about the Ridgeline got us on stationwagons... that doesn't happen with BOF trucks.

"I drive a Ridgeline because I can fit my kids soccer stuff back here and still fit in with the other parents."

 

[Clutch]

What's the mileage now? I'm guessing a long way till it hits the 390,000 miles that are on the truck.... lol

120K, we have had it for 6-7 years??? It had 97K when we bought it. Drove much more when we live in AZ.

According to my fuzzy math, it should last about 84 more years if we run it up to 390K...LOL!

I would just like to point out that talking about the Ridgeline got us on stationwagons... that doesn't happen with BOF trucks.

"I drive a Ridgeline because I can fit my kids soccer stuff back here and still fit in with the other parents."

That made me laugh out loud.

 

[Clutch]

Sounds good! I was really just speculating on how to maximize strength, stiffness, utility and weight in an expo style camper van... suited for myself, and probably not many others! Because it would be light weight, crude, and simple. More like an enclosed custom dune buggy than a modern truck. The Stonefield is an interesting concept. This guy has a few ideas when it comes to custom FG bodies: https://rqriley.com/product/phoenix-van/

I went through this before I bought the Tundra, and realized that I was only ambitious in imagination, not when it comes to actually doing the work! I don't have any experience building cars and haven't even wrenched much. I'm not shy about doing things I've never done, but I could see being dead before "building my own custom offroad van/camper" reached completion. Heck I even lost steam building the camper for the Tundra! Too many unfinished projects at the moment....

Oh, I've been searching for some detail on how the Rav hybrid drivetrain works and came up somewhere between empty and confused. Any good links?

There was a point I was going to build a composite camper for my Tacoma, something 4 seasons. But by the time I add up the cost of material and my time...and for such a small living space. Too much hassle.

Think I am settled on getting a cargo trailer and insulating it. Something small enough a Tacoma (or the like can tow) Nothing too-too nice either, something I can kick off my muddy dirt bike boots and gear, without worrying too much about screwing up the interior. I know I complain about vehicle interiors getting soft, don't consider myself a tough guy, but want something I don't have to handle with kid gloves. Maybe not hose-able, but at the very least being able to blow out with a gas leaf blower. Super barebones, so when I spill gas in it (and knowing me I will!)...it won't matter all that much.

 

[Grump E-Vet]

I did look at wagons when I bought my '09 TDI. They are nice but, that car swore me off VW's....lol Sad thing is I think an AWD Golf Sportwagen would be a good commuter and I like the looks. But, wouldn't really tow my trailer to well....

The whole using Jewish slave labor under the Nazi regime during WWII did that for me with VW. Of course they have at least acknowledged it and even paid into Holocaust memorial funds, Ford and GM (Opel) played the “oh we had no control thing”...

 

[Grump E-Vet]

There was a point I was going to build a composite camper for my Tacoma, something 4 seasons. But by the time I add up the cost of material and my time...and for such a small living space. Too much hassle.

Makes sense especially as 4 season RTTs are becoming more viable as well as some of the better built offroadable trailers as a more expensive option.

 

[Grump E-Vet]

I would just like to point out that talking about the Ridgeline got us on stationwagons... that doesn't happen with BOF trucks.

I still maintain that the ridgeline is not a truck no matter what kind of body lines they add to make it looks like it has a separate bed. It is like the NIT Men’s basketball tournament sure it exists but no one really cares or knows why...

 

[Grump E-Vet]

Oh boy.. Looks like someone got bored of their 32" rims and wanted to go muddin' lol The Magnums that got the revised front end in '08 I think were nice...

I will admit seeing them lifted is interesting but for around the initial vehicle purchase cost and for far less spent afterward you could do a 2nd Gen 2004-2009 Dodge Durango when they still had a fully boxed frame (and kind of looks like a pregnant Magnum) or even a 2006 to 2010 Jeep Commander.

 

[Clutch]

The whole using Jewish slave labor under the Nazi regime during WWII did that for me with VW. Of course they have at least acknowledged it and even paid into Holocaust memorial funds, Ford and GM (Opel) played the “oh we had no control thing”...

Ironic that it became a peace loving hippie mobile.

Sure do miss our '73 Westy. Not many vehicles you can do a road side engine swap with. Right before I sold it some guy in the Netherlands.

There is one running around here that could be its' twin that I saw heading to work. Different style top though.

Makes sense especially as 4 season RTTs are becoming more viable as well as some of the better built offroadable trailers as a more expensive option.

Even looked at refridgerated slide-in truck bodies. If you can keep it freezing why not heat it too? But after having a truck camper, thing I hate about it is...never fails get it all setup and have to run somewhere. Dropping a trailer instead sounds more appealing to me.

 

[Grump E-Vet]

Sure do miss our '73 Westy

I wish Westfalia would bring their new vans into the US.

https://vanclan.co/westfalia-camper/

 

[Clutch]

I wish Westfalia would bring their new vans into the US.

https://vanclan.co/westfalia-camper/

That is pretty cool. We are getting a lot of decent van builders here. Way out of my budget.

https://www.outsidevan.com

Like the VW California...ironically named since we can't get it here. Lots of neat features packed into a small package.

 

[Grump E-Vet]

Yeh they don’t like the chicken tax apparently I don’t know why they don’t bring the vehicles in as knockdown kits for reassembly like Fiat does or MB had been doing with the Sprinter until recently. If you have ever seen this Sportsmobile plant tour video, in the beginning of it Alan Feld one of the founders talks about the interesting history around the founding of his company working with VW and Westfalia and what they did to them.