Next vehicle - lessons learned - help me get it right next time?

[4D55 Performance]

I would recommend an 04-06 Mitsubishi Montero. A low mileage one of course. Due to the unique design of the Montero's body and suspension it rides much smoother than any SUV out there. In the turns it handles like a sports car and on the wash boards it's as smooth as can be. The Montero is also very competent offroad. I have owned FZJ80's, Montero's, Jeeps and currently a Mercedes G-wagon. Not only is the Montero the best bang for the buck, but it is also the best vehicle for the type of offroading that you described. Check out this video on the Montero.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gYJCNPYJTM

 

[SpongeX]

Maybe a Tacoma or Frontier with a flippac would fit your bill. Comfy camping but still great room and plenty of off road ability.

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[Huffy]

It sounds like you would do well with a 4WD, 1/2 ton full size and a nice cap. The mileage is pretty darn good on these trucks, shorter and more agile than the Suburban and they ride great. Most of what you are looking for.

 

[98dango]

As the owner of many rigs I would say any newer suv would fit your bill. Quite often forgotten hear is the Tahoe exactly like your suburban just 2 feet shorter. So a platform you are familiar with just more capable. Drives amazing on the road fits in parking lots able to tow if need be gives you room to expand in the future. I love me a toyota but honestly never had one fit the bill like our Tahoe dose.

Now all this said my main camping rig is a lifted superduty why because in 32 and have small man's. If the wife would not get mad when I dent the Tahoe I'd use it. But the Tahoe is always the last minute grab and go.

 

[mapper]

Allow me to share experience from my own current dilemma. Most SUVs seem small/cramped when you are coming from a van. Sure they carry stuff well enough but aren't remotely inviting to "hang out" in at all...for that freak rain storm or cold, blustery night. I grew up traveling in a Vanagon (tin top) and have owned an AWD Chevy Astro for a few years. I've tried to get away from the Astro (mine runs like a top but at 217k it is also getting long in the tooth and I hesitate to further invest in it) but I sure to love having the ability to comfortably hang-out inside the vehicle...and I'm not yet convinced I can give that up.

The Astro is kind of like a VW but with very affordable AWD, strong heater and A/C, ability to go 85mph for hours on end if you like, power for passing and mountain grades, incredible reliability AND nice factory storage cubbies/cupholders. I bought one pretty beat up on whim and have slowly fallen in love. My only regret is that I didn't buy a nicer one to start with. It is not anywhere near as funky and cool as a VW...but that makes it more affordable. AND, at this point they seem to be holding value rather well.

Edit: Forgot to mention that it is a pretty reasonable vehicle to live with in a city too if it must pull duty as a daily driver. Not much longer than my passat wagon. Burns gas like an older mid-sized SUV but nothing like a full-sized 4x4 van. I average just over 15 mpgs with a roof rack, ~3" lift, AT tires and almost a quarter million miles on the all-original drivetrain.

 

[REDrum]

UZJ100. Not FZJ80. I have both for a reason. 100 is best truck I have ever owned. And if you are considering Land Rover anything, stop. Very iconic but equally unreliable. I own a few of those too, and trailer......


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[seanb33]

In my opinion, I think a wrangler may actually do you well. With a 4 door wrangler with all the comforts (typically a rubicon) it is easy to sleep in back with the rear seats folded down. Road noise is not that bad and there are a few things you can do to get rid of that noise. (Headliners on the hardtop, hush Mat on the floor, etc) if that is a definite no, an FJ or a 4wd tacoma with a rtt would be a nice, fun camping vehicle that does plenty well on and offroad

 

[Mundo4x4Casa]

It was only a decade ago that my lovely wife and I decided that camping on the ground was kaput. This is after a lifetime of FJ's, IHC's, and Jeeps of every description. The big deal here is form follows function. I bought a Dodge 2500/4WD, Cummins pickup because the power train (CTD, NV5600, NV241HD, Dana 60/Dana 80 (35 spline)) would probably outlive me. So far so good. As i was trying to assemble a rig that I could sleep/travel in,...in comfort...in all seasons, a truck camper came to mind. I picked up the Recycler and spied a small, hardside, used Lance camper for sale. Within hours the die was cast. We have put many thousands of miles on this truck camper from Mexico to above the Arctic Circle, Camping in a gravel pit near Coldfoot AK, Brooks Range in background: Beyond the Brooks range is the North Slope and the Arctic Ocean.
Sitting in our lawn chairs at 11 P.M. we said we'd drink Margaritas until the sun went down. This is on June 20th, the sun never set.

and it is the best for us at this time of life. We have camped voraciously in all four seasons. Don't try that with an RTT. I kept working on the truck part to make it more off-road worthy and, while it's still a work in progress it fits our lifestyle very well: Bohemian. Boondocking. Dry camping. Longest trip in one pop: 9000 miles LA to AK, round trip. Nights sleeping in the box: over 200. With a 10 foot 2 inch height, all underground parking is out. But what's in is the ability to make long trips, on or off-road and do it for months at a time in a modicum of comfort. XTC is what we call this style of TC-ing: Extreme Truck Camping. Here's what we looked like traveling the Mojave Road a couple weeks ago:

or following the road up some obscure canyon in Death Valley a few years ago:

When we were 30 years old, we looked forward to laying on the ground in a tent and backpacking our brains out. Now at 70 yrs. old, this has less appeal, and we understand the trip, the travel is now more important, not the destination.
When all the stars align, we are planning a 16 week Expedition, clockwise around the U.S. boundary states, starting September 1st in CA, arriving in the N.E. for color about October Xxx and working our way down the eastern seaboard during fall, camping ON every beach that is available to vehicles and on thru the south and back west as winter sets in, again arriving home in No. Cal. by New Years Day. Just a broad itinerary, nothing concrete, camping at state parks, county parks, N.P.'s, N.F.'s, BLM's, COE's, dry camping, stealth camping, and once a week a high buck hotel. We have the appropriate vehicle for a trip of this magnitude. We're just following Steinbeck's lead here.
This is not something I would have even considered back when I had a lot more testosterone and when low range, locked up was the pinnacle of cool. We do use all the techniques acquired over the decades to make our little white box a pleasure to travel and live in, come hell or high water.

Just figure out what your real needs are and move to an appropriate solution.
jefe

 

[Shocker]

Well said! I love the plan!

 

[rallygabe]

My vote, to the OP, is newer generation Tahoe/Yukon. Not the suburban versions though.
Many aftermarket parts available, and in stock form should get mid-teen fuel economy.

I could comfortably sleep in one and not much less. My WK Jeep Grand would never have fit me inside, though was far more capable off-road. IMHO.

just my $0.02

 

[nutcracker]

Amen!

It was only a decade ago that my lovely wife and I decided that camping on the ground was kaput. This is after a lifetime of FJ's, IHC's, and Jeeps of every description. The big deal here is form follows function. I bought a Dodge 2500/4WD, Cummins pickup because the power train (CTD, NV5600, NV241HD, Dana 60/Dana 80 (35 spline)) would probably outlive me. So far so good. As i was trying to assemble a rig that I could sleep/travel in,...in comfort...in all seasons, a truck camper came to mind. I picked up the Recycler and spied a small, hardside, used Lance camper for sale. Within hours the die was cast. We have put many thousands of miles on this truck camper from Mexico to above the Arctic Circle, Camping in a gravel pit near Coldfoot AK, Brooks Range in background: We said we'd drink Margaritas until the sun went down. This is on June 20th, the sun never set.

and it is the best for us at this time of life. We have camped voraciously in all four seasons. Don't try that with an RTT. I kept working on the truck part to make it more off-road worthy and, while it's still a work in progress it fits our lifestyle very well: Bohemian. Boondocking. Dry camping. Longest trip in one pop: 9000 miles LA to AK, round trip. Nights sleeping in the box: over 200. With a 10 foot 2 inch height, all underground parking is out. But what's in is the ability to make long trips, on or off-road and do it for months at a time in a modicum of comfort. XTC is what we call this style of TC-ing: Extreme Truck Camping. Here's what we looked like traveling the Mojave Road a couple weeks ago:

or following the road up some obscure canyon in Death Valley a few years ago:

When we were 30 years old, we looked forward to laying on the ground in a tent and backpacking our brains out. Now at 70 yrs. old, this has less appeal, and we understand the trip, the travel is now more important, not the destination.
When all the stars align, we are planning a 16 week Expedition, clockwise around the U.S. boundary states, starting September 1st in CA, arriving in the N.E. for color about October Xxx and working our way down the eastern seaboard during fall, camping ON every beach that is available to vehicles and on thru the south and back west as winter sets in, again arriving home in No. Cal. by New Years Day. Just a broad itinerary, nothing concrete, camping at state parks, county parks, N.P.'s, N.F.'s, BLM's, COE's, dry camping, stealth camping, and once a week a high buck hotel. We have the appropriate vehicle for a trip of this magnitude. We're just following Steinbeck's lead here.
This is not something I would have even considered back when I had a lot more testosterone and when low range, locked up was the pinnacle of cool. We do use all the techniques acquired over the decades to make our little white box a pleasure to travel and live in, come hell or high water.

Just figure out what your real needs are and move to an appropriate solution.
jefe

 

[kojackJKU]

OP. Get a wrangler Unlimited Sahara fully kitted. Comes with every creature comfort, and still plenty capable off road. Then you have a great base to work off. I have an unlimited sport that I have been building to my perfect travel/expedition rig. I do ALOT of driving in it. its not uncomfortable at all. One suggestion is put on a set of headliners. I am ordering mine very soon. Keeps down on heat and noise in summer and keeps the heat inside the rig in the winter. You can do the rubicon trail in your stock wrangler so its plenty capable off road. If you keep the tire size to 33" its a great on pavement driving machine. NO, you won't win any land speed records but you will be plenty comfortable. I have a 2005 suburban, as well as numerous other rides as well, and I keep driving the jeep. Its the best vehicle I own.

Plan your modifications on what you need, Not what someone else thinks you need and your JKU will give you years and years of enjoyment. Plus when its nice out there is nothing better than poppin the top off and enjoying the sunshine and air. NO other vehicle can do that! besides a defender.

 

[Ultralite]

Man, what great information and recommendations.

Mundo4x4Casa: thanks for the considered response and pictures. Coincidentally, my parents started camping with me in a truck camper when I was a kid. Fond memories. And with the right truck, very capable.

Please do keep the posts coming, I am a long term planner that analyzes things to death. I have found the best information comes from talking to people and that's what we're doing here "digitally"

 

[Rosco862003]

In the spirit of being different, may I suggest a Subaru Outback? It has about 6' behind the seats if you're interested in a sleep platform, has 8.7" of ground clearance, averages about 25 mpg according to Fuelly.com, and there are skid plates available to add a few more degrees of protection. To put this into perspective, a Tahoe has 9" of ground clearance, averages 16.6 and will also get you to where you need to go. You mentioned that you live in the southeast and plan to take trips to the west. I live in Charlotte and will use that as a reference point for point A and Prescott, AZ as a reference for point B. that comes out to 2041 miles one way, along I-40 and comes out to 4082 miles round trip. Lets say 5,000 miles total. Using today's national gas average of $3.96 your trip in a Tahoe will cost about $1192 in gas alone, as opposed to the Outback which will cost $792. A difference of $400. If you need a basic mode of transportation to get you places than I would highly recommend test driving a Subaru, it's when you add things like towing and sleeping quarters where you might find it a better option to go bigger. In terms of being an "analyzer", I myself fall into that category and while I drool over the build threads that are strewn across this forum, I can't bring myself to get rid of my Impreza wagon that does everything I need it to do and more. After owning a Cherokee, a Nissan hardbody and this Impreza I've found that with the former two vehicles i often got stuck more, and had more broken parts because I tended to load more stuff into them and run them harder down trails just for the sake of 4 wheeling. With the Subaru I have to be very conscious of what I pack and I don't go up trails (however tempting) just to go four wheeling, in turn keeping my vehicle in tact. It serves as a tool to get me at natures front step, at which point I'll load up that backpack and hit the trail. I'm not saying that you shouldn't run trails or want a vehicle that's a slight bit overbuilt, but I bring up the Subaru as an option for someone who mentioned that they were interested in simplicity. Good luck on your search.

 

[Scoutn79]

I likely will never buy one (NOT planning on replacing my '79 ScoutII) BUT I really like the functionality of a extra cab/double cab Toyota Tacoma and a RTT mounted on a low profile bed rack(so the top of the RTT closed up is not much higher than your roof line.
Lots of aftermarket support, Newer design, world wide parts availability, Toyota relability. Decent mileage (I think). The cab design of the extra/double would give you room for inside storage/dog(s) and outside for stuff that can get dirty/wet. I would look at making an enclosed shell under the lower roof rack to keep items in the bed dry/secure.

Darrell