Daily driver overlanding

[AggieOE]

Two vehicles is nice and all but it's also two insurances, two sets of routine maintenance, two parking spots, etc.

If you aren't doing anything crazy and aren't all giddy about a specific type of rig that isn't practical enough for DD (like an old LC, Jeep, LR, etc.), there really isn't a reason to have two vehicles.
Buy one good vehicle that you like.

Here are my quick picks out of your current thoughts:

If prioritizing mileage: Subaru Forester or Outback
If you don't need low range and want something fairly unique and has strong off-road DNA, a newish Forester (unfortunately with a CVT) with an LP Adventure lift kit and some all-terrain tires is pretty cool.

If prioritizing comfortability & "niceness": Acura MDX
Plenty capable in snow and dirt if not raising a wheel and has all the nice amenities. Throw some trail-terrain tires on there.

If prioritizing capability: Toyota 4Runner SR5
Keep it simple with OEM size all-terrain tires and no lift and you'll get ~20mpg highway. Note though, does NOT have full-time AWD unless you buy Limited trim.

Thats that im coming to realize. I went out exploring a bit today, and not saying I'm not gonna also try elsewhere, but the places I went today weren't difficult. Honestly a 2WD unibody could make it, granted it has enough clearance (some ruts and potholes etc). I DO however like to plan for bad weather so snow capability in AWD or a 4wd would be nice although a solid AWD would do it.

I should state also im looking at cars 10+ years old so thats where long term maintenance and reliability is a big consideration

10+ years? Ah, Yeah, Subaru or Toyota then. Depending on your budget, a 2013 4Runner could be a solid option. The engine and drivetrain haven’t changed since then. So, reliability and ease of maintenance are there!

 

[leeloo]

Thats that im coming to realize. I went out exploring a bit today, and not saying I'm not gonna also try elsewhere, but the places I went today weren't difficult. Honestly a 2WD unibody could make it, granted it has enough clearance (some ruts and potholes etc). I DO however like to plan for bad weather so snow capability in AWD or a 4wd would be nice although a solid AWD would do it.

I should state also im looking at cars 10+ years old so thats where long term maintenance and reliability is a big consideration

It is what I did. The last few years I always had 2 cars, a small Toyota hybrid for commuting and a big 4x4 for week-end trips and holidays. I live in europe, 99% of big 4x4 are diesels, so for short city trips you kill it very fast, and the fuel cost is problem here . Parking in the city is a pain, had 1 small garage, so one car inside, the other blocking it. If I had to switch cars - it was like playing tetris, but with cars...
Got a Wrangler 4xe. I commute using only electrons, tax is low, I use gas only on trips, only 1 car, 1 set of wheels 1 annual inspection, 1 insurance.. and so on. A lot of improvement for my comfort and less chores. So I get you..

For 10 + year old cars with decent fuel economy I would go for :
Disco Sport - probably the best off road - more expensive maintenance for sure.
Subaru Forester/outback - if it is the 4 th generation a manual only, the CVT sucks offroad, the moment you stress it a bit in low traction up a hill it will overheat and leave you stranded. The generation pre 2012 is ok with the automatic as well, but more fuel hungry, dated interior, lacks many safety features.
I had a 2004 Forester - had 2 issues - payload and lack of any kind of hill descent control. I was overheating the breaks coming down on steep mountains. Otherwise is was fantastic.
4 runners are crazy expensive ...
A late JK with the 3.6 ? uncomfortable for sure, probably the most fuel hungry, but pretty reliable and plenty of spare parts and DIY ...

 

[FirenzeForza4x4]

I'll also represent a Land Rover LR4, either the '12-'13 V8, or the later supercharged V6, with the HD rear locker package. Mine is a daily and transforms into expedition mode when needed. It takes a bit more dedication because I strip it all out for daily duties, and then have to put all the gear back in for trips. But anyone that's ridden in a Rover with air suspension, you can't beat the comfort on-road. And if you're not rock crawling, Rovers are highly capable off-road with nothing more than a tire upgrade. The LR4s and full size Rovers have been just as reliable as anything from the Big 3 in my opinion. They can also be had for less premium than what used Toyotas go for!

 

[ThundahBeagle]

You know, its funny you said that. My daily is a 2014 civic si. Car is fun to wrench on and a blast to drive plus i fill it for $30. The more this thread has gone on I just may do that.

Finding a one size fits all vehicle is damn near impossible. But I DO wanna get back on the trails.

Ya. I would LOVE to keep my truck AND have a Forester Wilderness. Not in the cards right now but if they were both older vehicles, it might be possible. For example I just got rid of my lifted Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ this past spring

 

[TM89]

Its seeming like a secondary vehicle may be best. One trip with the dog on the trails kinda confirmed it. I dont want to be paranoid about my daily getting thrashed.

More to come. But, with that in mind, fuel economy really isnt a concern. Reliability yes. Ill keep you posted!

 

[smritte]

for me the choice would be simple. Make a list of what you need to bring on a trip, add in mods and add in sleeping arrangements.
1. Dependability and parts availability. Will it start to fall apart because it was never designed to drive on dirt. This is a big one because most vehicles are not, we do it anyway. This means less part life.
2. Can I buy a part off the shelf or do I have to import the part from Dubai (yes, I buy parts there. hard to find mostly)
3. Vehicle mods. how is the aftermarket support? Do I want to lift it, add bumpers or do I just need dirt tires. If one of my parts failed, was there only one company in the world that made specialty parts for it? Their now out of business (ask me how I know this one).
4. Comfort for long drives. That 3500 4 door truck sure looks nice but the suspension is brutal
5. Can I store all my gear or am I forced to live out of a back pack. I love my gear.
6. Will I need to sleep inside it. Been there a few times and not on purpose.

Every one is diffrent and we all have diffrent likes and needs. For this reason alone no one is going to tell you want you need. Were just going to tell you what we need or what we want and cant afford. I completely disagree with quite a few of the suggestions made because they either wont hold up to my expectations or part availability reasons. They do on the other hand fit what these people want or need, not me.

My opinion
1. Toyota. Will outlive you if you take care of it. great part availability and aftermarket support.
2. Jeep, Great part availability and aftermarket support. Will last if you know what flaws to fix on what models and take care of it.

 

[MOAK]

for me the choice would be simple. Make a list of what you need to bring on a trip, add in mods and add in sleeping arrangements.
1. Dependability and parts availability. Will it start to fall apart because it was never designed to drive on dirt. This is a big one because most vehicles are not, we do it anyway. This means less part life.
2. Can I buy a part off the shelf or do I have to import the part from Dubai (yes, I buy parts there. hard to find mostly)
3. Vehicle mods. how is the aftermarket support? Do I want to lift it, add bumpers or do I just need dirt tires. If one of my parts failed, was there only one company in the world that made specialty parts for it? Their now out of business (ask me how I know this one).
4. Comfort for long drives. That 3500 4 door truck sure looks nice but the suspension is brutal
5. Can I store all my gear or am I forced to live out of a back pack. I love my gear.
6. Will I need to sleep inside it. Been there a few times and not on purpose.

Every one is diffrent and we all have diffrent likes and needs. For this reason alone no one is going to tell you want you need. Were just going to tell you what we need or what we want and cant afford. I completely disagree with quite a few of the suggestions made because they either wont hold up to my expectations or part availability reasons. They do on the other hand fit what these people want or need, not me.

My opinion
1. Toyota. Will outlive you if you take care of it. great part availability and aftermarket support.
2. Jeep, Great part availability and aftermarket support. Will last if you know what flaws to fix on what models and take care of it.

Absolutely agree with # 1 & #2, parts availability is still pretty good on the 80 series and there are more than a few guys with cottage industries making those little things that work. Witts End and solvefunction.com come to mind. Same is true of the Jeep TJ, once the learning curve is past and one knows what & when to maintain they are great little trucks and can be a great daily driver. Then of course, there is this to consider -

 

[rgallant]

I will add to this no matter what you buy it will need maintenance, if you are wealthy enough or need to have some else do all the work great find a good shop and find out what they service.

Otherwise buy wisely have full pre-purchase inspection done by a reputable shop, once you find the vehicle, you want to do ALL the maintenance - before you buy anything like racks, tires bumper etc.

Then keep up on maintenace and have savings account with 1000 or so as a just in case fund and leave it alone - no toys purchased with that money.

I have an 18 year old Land rover Discovery II I drive everywhere, excepting an alternator failure it has l always gotten me home and even then, I almost made it. I do regular spring maintenance and create a to do list, for example next spring tie rod ends need replacing.

Do that and drive it.

 

[AggieOE]

Its seeming like a secondary vehicle may be best. One trip with the dog on the trails kinda confirmed it. I dont want to be paranoid about my daily getting thrashed.

More to come. But, with that in mind, fuel economy really isnt a concern. Reliability yes. Ill keep you posted!

With that plan, the sky is the limit on what to wheel. Good luck! This sounds like it could be exciting.

 

[MOAK]

With that plan, the sky is the limit on what to wheel. Good luck! This sounds like it could be exciting.

Well then, if fuel economy is nary a concern, stop hedging and get yourself a 70, 80 or 100 series Landcruiser.

 

[mrpeterclark]

Not what you were originally asking about, but somewhat unconventional, capable, COMFORTABLE, easy to service option would be a Suburban or Tahoe or the GMC cousins. Not nearly as expensive as a Toyota. Dependable. I'm all for building what you have and by no means think one thing is best.

 

[BCMoto]

Keep the civic and buy a Jeep TJ and go have your fun

 

[DintDobbs]

@TM89 Gonna jump on the "separate" bandwagon and recommend you have one daily driver and one dedicated rig. I bought a second car for free in what I was saving on gas, NOT driving my SUV daily. Was paying $240/month on gas in the SUV, paying $220/month for the car. Do consider the cost of insurance and maintenance, of course, but also consider that maintenance shouldn't cost as much as often, since your mileage is split between two vehicles.

This is coming from somebody with 4 vehicles. I change the oil in each once or twice a year, since none of them get many miles. Wear and tear is largely negated on the daily, since the big strains of wheeling will be absorbed by the dedicated off-roader. I find my dedicated wheeler needing alignments often, which is pricey, but only routine maintenance on the daily.

Considered looking at a 2nd-gen Ford Explorer, any XTerra, or even a 2nd-gen S10 Blazer or Isuzu Trooper I/II? All have dedicated communities, and the first two are extremely common at scrap yards, for spare parts.

 

[DintDobbs]

If gas mileage is a concern (which you said it wouldn't be, if you have 2 vehicles), expect a maximum of 20 MPG's from any of the ones I listed. Bigger tires and cargo only make it worse.

If you want a heftier set of wheels, may be consider a 1st-gen Dodge Durango 4x4 with the 5.9L, solid engines that will last a lifetime with minimal maintenance (watch out for water pumps and tensioner pulleys). These are plenty big enough to sleep in, and can also be used to tow up to like 7000 lbs.

I towed my toy 500 miles across the state and back in my Rango and slept in the back, no tent needed. A roof rack or something to lug your gear would free up the back seats, folded down it could sleep two easily.

 

[the_great_white]

I bought a second car for free in what I was saving on gas, NOT driving my SUV daily. Was paying $240/month on gas in the SUV, paying $220/month for the car.

I did the same. Bought a Focus for DD and the F150 stays in the driveway. The car payment and insurance is less than what I was spending on fuel for the F150.

Also, I converted the F150 to a secondary vehicle on my insurance which dropped the rate significantly. Only caveat was the F150 is limited to less that 7500 miles annually which really doesn't impact me much since it's not driven often anymore.

At the end of the month, it's actually cheaper for me to have 2 vehicles than just the one.

 

[DintDobbs]

@the_great_white Sing it, guy! Some insurance providers also give you multiple-car discounts, so (as weird as it sounds) if you get a reasonably cheap second car, it can actually bring your insurance rate down.

@TM89 Let us know what you decide to do, and how it works out for ya!

 

[the_great_white]

Some insurance providers also give you multiple-car discounts,

You're right about that, the multi car discount helps offset the second vehicle costs and also helps with my homeowners multi policy discount, too.

 

[MazeVX]

So if your initial list is still a thing, I would choose Lexus or Volvo.
Awd is actually beneficial for what you described and I would prefer it over part time 4x4.
Volvo is known for occasional parts falling of but keeps on driving always.
Volvo would be high on my list if I would look for a suv.

 

[DintDobbs]

@MazeVX Or get the best of both worlds, lockable high and low plus AWD! I've found that I quite like Ford's older ControlTrac setup. Although this isn't the thread to discuss the specifics, basically it is AWD with selectable 4WD High/Low. If that interests you, consider a 2nd-gen Explorer or if you need something bigger, a 1st-gen Expedition. The torque control is pure excellence.

 

[XC70_OVERLANDER]

Good evening all!

Before long I'll be back in the overlanding game and wanted some opinions on rigs that could double as a livable daily driver, meaning a realistic compromise between reliability (roughly 20k miles a year, much of which is highway), mpg, comfor and capability.

Keep in mind I live in SW Oklahoma and it's fairly flat. The extent of my travel will be pavement, dirt roads, small amounts of mud, and snow, weather dependent. Outdoor activites would be camping, kayaking, fishing, hiking, etc. No hardcore mudding or rock crawling. I know the big names are obviously solid (4runner, tacoma, wrangler, etc), but I have began looking at some unconventional alternatives and wanted to see if anyone had experience in this area.

My thoughts are with these vehicles:

Toyota Highlander
Lexus RX models
Acura MDX (gf has one, so Im familiar) or RDX
Volvo XC70 or XC90
Honda pilot or ridgeline
Mazda CX5,7,9

I look forward to chatting with everyone! Safe travels.

Hey. Cool approach. I had exactly the same thought. Here in the north of Germany, there is no real off-road either and besides, my focus is mainly on overlanding. I wanted to have a vehicle that works for both urban and non-urban use. I used to have a Subaru Outback from 2000 that I was super happy with. It took me everywhere in the Alps without any problems. Now I've been driving my XC70 P2 for about three years and I have to say I'm really happy with the car. It offers enough space, comfort and a good all-wheel drive, which exactly meets my requirements. The only drawback is the low ground clearance (210mm - which is more than many modern SUVs). Here in Europe (especially Germany) it is difficult or impossible to get lift kits officially installed and technically approved. I lifted mine with a 1" top head lift and outfitted the xc70 with a nice 3mm steel skid plate so everything should be fine now. In the USA, however, this is relatively easy to do and so you can remedy this (in my opinion, the only negative point). Contact Jesse @Xc70overland - he converted his Xc70 exactly the way I would do it. There are some great companies that provide lifts for the xc70 (a common lift is by Cross Country Performance and Bad Swede Springs)

Maybe it will help you in your search.

follow me on Instagram for more pictures @XC70_OVERLANDER