The Family Daily Driver ExPo Rig Thread!

Best Daily Driver and Family ExPo Rig

  • Small Truck (Tacoma)

    Votes: 39 9.0%
  • Big Truck (full size)

    Votes: 75 17.4%
  • Small SUV (Jeep/FJ)

    Votes: 47 10.9%
  • Mid-size SUV (Land Cruiser/Land Rover/4Runner)

    Votes: 185 42.9%
  • Massive SUV (Suburban/Camper Van)

    Votes: 55 12.8%
  • Minivan (kill me now!)

    Votes: 18 4.2%
  • A car and good hiking and camping gear. Don't be a wuss!

    Votes: 5 1.2%
  • OTHER

    Votes: 7 1.6%

  • Total voters
    431

nwoods

Expedition Leader
What show is this? Sounds good!

Firefly. One of the best shows ever made. Great writing, brilliant cast, excellent production quality, engaging characters, but mostly the writing.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly_(TV_series)

Here is a clip that includes the lines we were quoting:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohUR-ltpJlE&feature=youtube_gdata_player"]YouTube - Firefly - 1.8 - Out of Gas [1/3][/ame]
 
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eric1115

Adventurer
Firefly. One of the best shows ever made. Great writing, brilliant cast, excellent production quality, engaging characters, but mostly the writing.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly_(TV_series)

Here is a clip that includes the lines we were quoting:

YouTube - Firefly - 1.8 - Out of Gas [1/3]

Don't forget the cheese factor! It was a show that was very willing to not take itself seriously. The whole totally-forget-the-steadycam thing, racking zoom and focus, having something happen and the camera has to pan super fast to catch it as if the cameraman missed his mark...

Aside, do you watch Castle? In a Halloween episode, Nathan's character got into his Malcom Reynolds getup. They asked him what he was supposed to be, and he said, "I'm a space cowboy." There were Captain Stretchypants references, and his daughter told him to let it go, that happened years ago and it's time to move on.
 

nwoods

Expedition Leader
Aside, do you watch Castle? In a Halloween episode, Nathan's character got into his Malcom Reynolds getup. They asked him what he was supposed to be, and he said, "I'm a space cowboy." There were Captain Stretchypants references, and his daughter told him to let it go, that happened years ago and it's time to move on.

Absolutely. I laughed long and hard. My wife just looked at me. Sigh....
 

shortbus4x4

Expedition Leader
Thats funny, Firefly is the one scifi show of mine that my wife really liked. She would actually watch it even if I was't home, now she is a big Castle fan.
 

eric1115

Adventurer
Thats funny, Firefly is the one scifi show of mine that my wife really liked. She would actually watch it even if I was't home, now she is a big Castle fan.

You sure she's not just a huge Nathan Fillion fan? I know my wife likes the show for the show's sake, but I know a couple OTHER guys' wives like the show for the sake of oogling Captain Reynolds. :pROFSheriffHL: Women can be so shallow. :)
 

Cards81fan

Osage Hilltopper
I voted mid-size SUV.

I have a smaller SUV (KJ Liberty), and for me and my wife and 2 kids, it works well enough but is pretty tight inside. We can load the cargo area, the roof rack pretty full. On the rack I use under bed storage totes to keep the weight and height down, and pack them full of lighter items. If I bought a hitch mounted cargo carrier, I could add a good amount more. But the internal space is cramped, from leg room to the cargo area.

I can carry tons of gear in the bed of my short bed Dakota, but again passenger space is limited. As mentioned, try keeping a cooler or bag of toys to entertain a child and it can get pretty tough in the cab of a truck. For a party of 2, a truck rules. But for any more than that, their utility is limited. Trucks are good for hauling cargo but not so much people.


So if I were buying anew and had the choice of something with more leg room and cargo space, I would do a larger SUV in a heartbeat. An 80 or 100 series would be a behemoth compared to the KJ, in a good way. Fuel mileage is not that much worse either honestly. For comfort and space alone, it would be worth it for a family that does any amount of semi-lengthy travel. If one is only on highway, something like the Highlander or 2010 Explorer would be perfect. But like most here, I get off road so I like a touch more capability.
 
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fifthcircle

Adventurer
Whoa, talk about thread drift.... Where did this SUV talk come from :)

I am glad someone could get it back ON TOPIC.... :coffeedrink:

So far, the mid size SUV is (not surprisingly) pulling way ahead. It will be at least another year before I even think about a new vehicle. Only problem with that is the owners of the 80 series TLC's will just keep putting miles on them. I would really love to just snag the next 80 in great condition with about 75k on it and "make it mine". Who knows, maybe my Tacoma will be ok for another 5yrs, and something really great will be produced.
 
Do you have photos of the jump seats


Little Passenger Third Row Seats

original_4.jpg


original_5.jpg
 

Scoutman

Explorer
The rig you pick probably has to do a lot with the way you camp. Truck camper, RTT, tent, etc all drive what you drive.

For us my truck was bought to be first a good daily driver, second a hauler, and last a camping/exploring rig. It has to work best for that priority of the list. We have 2 kids ages 3 and 6 months and our truck camper with my 1 ton Dodge Ram 4x4 works nice. We have plenty of cab space and with the camper in the long bed we have sufficient camper space. The nice part is when I get home after a trip, I pull out from under the camper and drive to work the next day with all my gear still loaded up waiting for the next trip. Fuel econ is pretty good (~18-22) for an 8k# truck and I like the security and power it provides. We have a JK unlimited and an XJ rockcrawler so if we're doing day trips or 4 wheeling trips, I can always take one of them. Of course the other nice thing about such a big truck is I can trailer one of those rigs WITH the camper if I want to combine hobbies.
 

EricM

Standard American Mutt
DSC04027.jpg


Cherokee Sport (1993) Got us to the Arctic Circle and back

We also did some Gold Mining :)

DSC03932.jpg


there were Five of Us in the Jeep, along with all our crap. It spent most of the time behind the RV though....

jeep2.jpg
 

Greggk

ZombieSoldier
i personally prefer my 1999 f250 with the powerstroke. endless torque ( can get almost an extra 150 hp and 300ft pounds of torque for under a grand), great fuel milage enough room for the kids and my boxer, plenty of cargo room, and it takes us wherever we want to go. fit 35's with just a leveling kit, diesels will keep running even if the body rotted off the frame around it, and well diesels are just cool! lol
 

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