Rig ideas needed for apartment dweller

[JoshDante]

HI all - looking for ideas for a new rig but I live in an apartment and want to also use it as a daily driver. So I can't use a rooftop tent (without leaving it on, which I'd rather not do) or make regular mods to it, like those that would require a garage. I'm also about 2 hours from the nearest overlanding areas, so it would have to be fairly decent on the highway. Sleeping inside of it would probably be the way to go, except I'm 6'1 and a lot of vehicles won't fit me, so being spacious would be a big deal.

My budget is about 40K and am thinking a 2020 or 2021 used vehicle with max 20K miles on it. (I'm a little flexible on these numbers since they are just guidelines). I'm very flexible on anything else not listed.

I'd love to hear any suggestions - I'm almost thinking of getting out of the hobby because of these limitations......but......thought I'd come here first and see what y'all think, lol. Thanks!

 

[K12]

You can make anything work for you, and if its going to be a daily then build it over time. An SUV can be great if you want to sleep inside, 4runner, sequia, tahoe, would all likely fit you if you put the seats down. If you bring a tent anything will work, you wont be inside the vehicle but youll have a comfortable place to sleep and can put all your other luxury items in the vehicle. You dont have to have a built rig to get out. you find a rig you want to build and use it a few times before building it to see what will work for you.

I had a built 1500 that just didnt work having an RTT and dog. Honestly I built that setup too fast and dint take into acxount all factors as I built it. I liked it but didnt work and the more I went out the more I wanted something else.

Get a vehicle you like and is reliable, can do some trails without modification, get a propane stove, tent sleeping pad and get out and enjoy nature.

 

[JoshDante]

Thanks K12, appreciate the response! I guess I have more options than I thought, which is always better than having less ;) Go USAF

 

[K12]

Thanks K12, appreciate the response! I guess I have more options than I thought, which is always better than having less ;) Go USAF

Just get out there have fun and enjoy nature. Never forget the fishing pole and youll never be bored.

 

[DintDobbs]

I agree with @K12, it depends on what you're trying to do. There's a reason that the 4Runners are so popular in the scene. They're very capable right out of the box, and they're a great deal smaller than the Sequoias and full-size trucks.

I understand your height is a concern, but I would get the smallest vehicle possible. No hatred toward full-size trucks, but my mid-size can get through places you wouldn't dream of taking a full-size.

The most important thing in my opinion is to find a vehicle that you connect with and like to drive. Use that as your starting point, and build it from there. And don't overbuild, if it's your daily driver.

 

[TheDirty120]

I built drawers in a GX470 with some long travel bits and the good Ole 2uz is a tank. I have a 35 quart fridge in place of the smaller of the 60/40splt seats. Stealth camping in parking lots has perks too vs roof top options. I use a exped duo megamat and sleep like a dream with my gf in there.

 

[MOAK]

Wow, you’ve caused me to day dream a bit- 40k budget. Me? Id clean up our 80 series, then put in a completely new somewhat modern drivetrain, think Toyota V8, or LS swap. But you’ve asked about you, so- if I were you, I’d find a GX470 for about 20k in spectacular shape and go from there. Remove the 2nd row seats, get a drawer system with sleeping platform, unless you are tenting, then go full bore kitchen and fridge pull outs. Put an appropriate OME suspension underneath it with a set of 5 AT tires, rear locker, sliders, rear bumper with swing out and a winch bumper up front. If needed later, a rack up top to carry stuff we all can’t live without. Something like this. Sad but true, once you drive a Toyota product you’ll ask yourself why you didn’t get one in the first place. The GX 470/Prado has a world wide reputation for being extraordinarily dependable, great on the trail, and very comfortable.

 

[madcratebuilder]

I sleep in my 6' bed in my ZR2 Colorado. Have a drawer system for storage with locks. I have a Softopper and it keeps me dry and fairly warm with a little buddie heater. Any 2nd gen Colorado with the ext cab has a 6' bed. Z71 may be in your price range. Capable off road truck with G80 rear diff. The 3.6 V6 is a reliable engine and you get 15/16 in town and 25+/- hiway.

 

[ZombieCat]

@K12 and @DintDobbs are 100% correct! It’s not what you own, it’s what you do. Get out there! The build discussions and gear posts are all of us having fun with our hobby, but sometimes they lead newcomers to believe that they need to invest a lot of cash and purchase elaborate rigs in order to enjoy “overlanding.”
Get a reasonably capable vehicle that can be improved upon later, but serves as a good daily driver, get a tent, sleep system and whatever you need for cooking. For extended trips, a cheap 12v fridge (mine cost less than $300) and solar setup. To conserve space, a hardshell rooftop carrier (Thule or similar) to store the camp gear and some inexpensive storage boxes for the kitchen and personal items. Toss ‘em in the cargo area of your vehicle. Maybe an awning for shade. Sure, you won’t have a fancy drawer system or kitted out rig to make you look cool, but you’ll be far more versatile and adaptable. With the money you save, you can fund your initial travels.
I’ve said this before, but I spent over 10 years packing my entire camp system in a 65 liter Osprey backpack, tossing it in the cargo hold of a commercial aircraft and flying out west for 1-2 week adventures in a rental vehicle. I had awesome adventures. Have fun and make memories NOW - you can save for and make upgrades along the way.
Peace out!

 

[DintDobbs]

@JoshDante For your information, that $40k budget is more than what I paid for all four of my vehicles. I mean, these other guys have me thinking, what's wrong with buying two cheaper vehicles? I know you live in an apartment, so storage space might be a problem, but I'm sure you have a friend or relative or acquaintance somewhere who might let you store a second car if you do mow his lawn for him... Just a thought.

But seriously guys, these are all good suggestions, but the man said he wants something reasonably new, with low mileage. It's also going to be his daily driver. That seriously limits the options.

I assume he wants to leave the interior complete, with full seating capacity. He didn't specify this, but with it being his daily, I wouldn't imagine extreme overhaul is his intention. Refrigerator, drawers, sleep platform - waste of money and MPG's. Also waste of passenger and cargo space. If you want to help a friend move, you don't want to fit furniture around a fat refrigerator and set of drawers, and not have space for your helpers.

This is his hobby. It isn't his life.

 

[tjZ06]

Hmmm, you'd have to do some measuring and see if it will work for sleeping, but I'd put a WK2 Trailhawk out there as a suggestion. Super comfy, you can get a nice, low mileage unit for $40k easily. Personally, I'd suggest the 5.7 Hemi V8. In the real world it gets nearly the same mileage as the 3.6 V6 and is just much better suited to the vehicle. I've owned 3 WK2s ('16 Overland High Altitude 5.7, '17 Trailhawk 5.7, '18 Trackhawk 6.2 Supercharged) and I've loved them all. For a "one vehicle to do it all" they're fantastic, outside of fuel mileage perhaps. With +1" BFG KO2s and lift-rods on the Traihawk I'd still get 18-19 MPG highway, but around town it wasn't stelar. The High Altitude had a highway-oriented tire on it and I often saw 22+ MPG freeway. The Trackhawk, well let's not talk about MPG with tha tone, lol...

-TJ

 

[CR-Venturer]

1st Gen Honda CRV with 2" lift and 235/75/r15 tires and a skid plate, limb risers, custom roof rack and a winch. Relatively cheap, extremely well built and reliable, simple and easy to repair, very compact and light weight, excellent geometry, and a RT4wd system that will get you just about anywhere you want to go. I could get 550kms from a 60L tank of gas. There's also a ton of parts and parts cars out there, and it was sold in various international markets, so parts can even be found internationally, if that's your thing. Also one of the comfiest cars I've ever driven, and I'm 6'2."

 

[Krusty]

HI all - looking for ideas for a new rig but I live in an apartment and want to also use it as a daily driver. So I can't use a rooftop tent (without leaving it on, which I'd rather not do) or make regular mods to it, like those that would require a garage. I'm also about 2 hours from the nearest overlanding areas, so it would have to be fairly decent on the highway. Sleeping inside of it would probably be the way to go, except I'm 6'1 and a lot of vehicles won't fit me, so being spacious would be a big deal.

My budget is about 40K and am thinking a 2020 or 2021 used vehicle with max 20K miles on it. (I'm a little flexible on these numbers since they are just guidelines). I'm very flexible on anything else not listed.

I'd love to hear any suggestions - I'm almost thinking of getting out of the hobby because of these limitations......but......thought I'd come here first and see what y'all think, lol. Thanks!

View attachment 249246
1st Gen Honda CRV with 2" lift and 235/75/r15 tires and a skid plate, limb risers, custom roof rack and a winch. Relatively cheap, extremely well built and reliable, simple and easy to repair, very compact and light weight, excellent geometry, and a RT4wd system that will get you just about anywhere you want to go. I could get 550kms from a 60L tank of gas. There's also a ton of parts and parts cars out there, and it was sold in various international markets, so parts can even be found internationally, if that's your thing. Also one of the comfiest cars I've ever driven, and I'm 6'2."

I love this one!! Awesome job!

 

[Red_Leaf_Overland]

Having one this in the past ( with a much smaller budget mind you), I know that living in an apartment you kinda want to keep the vehicle discreet. Too many people looking to take advantage of stuff sitting on the roof that you spent your hard earned money on.
So when I built my rig out the first time, I kept the lift low, interior stock, and any time I was heading out I just loaded it up with gear I needed for the trip. I lived on the 14th floor of a building that the elevator seemed to always be out of order so I packed fairly light. I carried a lot of backpacking gear like a jet book stove, and backpacking tent. Most of the time I just loaded it all into a 65L backpack and loaded a cooler, threw it in the back of the jeep and left town for a week or 2. Sometimes I made a few trips to bring tools and spare parts if it was a rougher trip planned.
My suggestion would be to leave the intilerior alone as a daily. That way to have the most options for what tou want to bring and how tou can bring it. All I added to mine was a couple USB chargers to the dash. I still don't use a fridge or drawer system I'm my vehicles 10 years later.
Don't get caught up in the hype of a lot nofx the overlanding gear. A tarp works as good at an awning but takes a little longer to set up. A tent works just fine, a cooler works for 90% of trips, and big tires and lifts are cool but most of the time aren't needed.
I say all this after owning and loading up 5 different vehicles for long camping trips and only 2 have really been "built". Keep it simple wherever possible.

 

[AggieOE]

With a $40k budget, I think the 4Runner or GX SUVs are the easy go-to choices. At that budget, you can have leather, a locker, a sunroof, and then some. No need for mods except tires.
Theres a post HERE about a 6'1" guy sleeping in his 5th gen 4Runner.

Not that I'm saying this is an easy decision but for me, I know my choice would be between these two. Worst case, if you regret it, you probably won't have lost any money during reselling.

 

[GrundleJuice]

Don't overlook a truck with bed cap. There are midsize trucks with 6' beds and double cabs, like a Tacoma (maybe a Colrado?). The Ranger only comes with a 5' bed in the double cab option, or 6' in the single cab. There are full size trucks that would offer much more interior space and a longer/wider bed, too. If you plan on any tight or technical trail riding, a full-size truck can be a bit much, but it can be done!