What's the BEST Family Adventure Vehicle?

There are some shared components, but they are different vehicles. I just think the sequoia is underrated because it is not as cool as the land cruiser. I have a family of six and have a little experience with the family adventure vehicle thing.

If he is going to seriously consider the armada, then the sequoia should be on the list as well (Armada's are cool, don't get me wrong)
 
Hey Frank:

I'm with the others on your situation - A full-size four door truck is the only way to go. You can take five people and as much gear as you want (including firewood) just about anywhere. Maybe someone in your area would let you borrow their truck for a weekend trip with your wife/girls so that she can get a feel for it.

Another BIG benefit is that you now have a real truck for use on the home front. How many times have you said to yourself "Boy, if I had a truck, this job would be a lot easier!" or "Maybe I should try to borrow my buddy's truck for this..."?

I love my truck!

Cam
 
I'll be taking the family out to east Texas sometime in the next few weeks, if you would like to meet up somewhere and take my pickup for a spin.
 
I love my X for family adventure, 4 of us.
003.jpg
002.jpg


If its just me and the girls, we sleep in the back. When the wife comes I throw in the tent. I get tired of packing before I fill it up....
 
Dave said:
Just to muddy the waters a bit, what about a Suburban? One of my all time favorite American vehicles.
Click to expand...

This was going to be my suggestion as well. I always bought trucks in the past, and always had shells on them. Once I finally got a Suburban, I wondered why I hadn't done it years before. I have no intention of ever getting a truck again.

I've not carried more than 5 people, but have tossed the 3rd seat in both the Suburbans I've had and built a rack/dog shelf in the back. It gives more accessible and useful cargo space and a place for the dog to lay even with a ton of junk in the back and 5 people. I use the factory top rack at times, and use a rear hitch cargo carrier for stuff I don't want to put inside or just for the extra carry room. A pickup bed or other decent cargo or camp trailer would be easy to pull also.

Just a thought.
 
Expedition Camping isn't a fad or a passing fancy. It's a lifestyle. When I looked for my ideal vehicle, I went WAY outside the box and fell in love. I am an old VW lover and my current truck fits the bill with a better price tag than a used Syncro wagon with way more capability. A/C? no. PS,PW,PD's? no.no.no. Reliable? The most reliable I've owned. I would take my Pinzgauer to the ends of the earth with the comfort of knowing it would also get me back.

Don't limit your adventurous lifestyle. Explore vehicles that enhance the experience. After all. We only live once.
 
0326141242a.jpg
I'm assuming your reference to 1st or 2nd gen imply Air cooled gasser or Turbo diesel. Mine is a 1975 710m( soft top 4x4) air cooled 4cyl.
This photo was taken earlier this year on my way back from Annacortes, Wa. to San Bernardino and back to East TX.

the only mods are civi tires, Solid State ignition, and (2nd gen Pinzgauer)high speed transmission.
The High speed tranny not only improved my top speed, but it increased my fuel mileage by 65% and made it quiet enough to have a conversation at cruising speed(65mph)

P.S. My wife loves ours and looks forward to getting a second one.
 
Very cool...

Where do you buy such a truck? and how much would it cost?
What sort of mileage does it get?
 
I do NOT recommend an XJ.

While I'm totally on board with the 100 series, the 80 series is just a tad more appealing to me due to the live front axle.

My dream-machine would be a VW Syncro. I have an eye for impractical vehicles, and a penchant for practicality. On my deathbed, my thoughts will be laced with regret... for not spending $40,000 on a 20 year old van; for not keeping that leaky old Disco, and for not tossing the frisbee back and forth with my son often enough.

Get the Syncro. Spend the nights camped among the pines, and the days in coffee shops, pecking away at your laptop.
 
8 pages and my turn! Drink the Toyota kool-aid! There is something so nice about gas and go, the story on rock climbing tells me at some of your trips, you want to go somewhere (fast and worry free) enjoy the area and get home (fast and worry free) - Go 100 for the space!
 
Having owned an 80 and spent some time in various 100s, is say go for the 100. 80s are sluggish, and get horrible fuel economy for what they are. They really don't wheel too well either without heavy modification. My triple locked 80 wheeled better than my full sized dodge, but my 4runner could run circles around it and was a far better wheeler, IFS and all. The 80 was never really mean to tow. That's another reason why I sold mine... It was marginally better than my 4runner. Lets put it this way, if Toyota had put the 4.7L v8 in the 80, I would probably still have it, but given the choice between the two, i would still pick the 100. IMO the best land cruiser ever made.
 
BushHead said:
I love my X for family adventure, 4 of us.
ATTACH=CONFIG]10245[/ATTACH]
Click to expand...

What make and model is that cnopy? I have been looking at ez ups but I really like that one. What is the fabric on perimeter of the floor do? Does is have a zip in floor or walls?
 
001.jpg

It's easy to put up, except for the top pole that holds up the middle... it's a bear, I've had to cuss it in place every time I've set it up.
 
Quick update: The Jeep is being picked up on Tuesday from my shop after having spent nearly six weeks there! From there, it's going to the house to have some of the mods pulled (to save for replacement vehicle), then to the car wash to get all spiffied up, and then off to a car broker to be SOLD!

Right now I'm currently looking at a 2000 LX 470 with only 90k miles, one-owner, completely stock, and at $12k. Yes, it's a little older than what I've been thinking but at this price I can do some of the body armor upgrades, etc and have $ left over for a trailer build in 2015.

What do y'all think?
 
OutdoorX4 said:
Quick update: The Jeep is being picked up on Tuesday from my shop after having spent nearly six weeks there! From there, it's going to the house to have some of the mods pulled (to save for replacement vehicle), then to the car wash to get all spiffied up, and then off to a car broker to be SOLD!

Right now I'm currently looking at a 2000 LX 470 with only 90k miles, one-owner, completely stock, and at $12k. Yes, it's a little older than what I've been thinking but at this price I can do some of the body armor upgrades, etc and have $ left over for a trailer build in 2015.

What do y'all think?
Click to expand...

This sounds like a great pre-internet vehicle (not connected to the web) and can't be shut down remotely :) .

Cam
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom