When Your Daily Driver is Your Overland Rig

[DBs]

Great article.

Should add the benefit of other drivers less motivated to cut you off when they see that small steal elephant in the lane beside them.

Add a secure main cutoff switch for the winch.
Heard about and personal had people massing with the winch line on the street.

The awkward look on drivers’s faces in traffic when they read the “open beer here” on the bumper bottle opener..

 

[KiltedMedic]

I agree with all the comments about what a great article this is. I spent over an hour one way to work between country roads and expressway. So yes my rig is a daily driver and you pay a price for that in fuel but I would not have it any other way. The fact I live in a town with more cows than people and have land and good neighbors around me makes up for the latter. I am still building on my rig and adding more weight as I go so factoring in what tires I want ( have to do well and wear well on the interstate) but still give me good off road capabilities plays in the choices I make. Current ones not so we'll, new ones on the way. Slim down on inside gear but have the necessitys to handle what comes my way. Adapting and overcoming is a every day thing. Thanks to all who have shared thier wisdom on this.

Sent from my SM-N950U using OB Talk mobile app

 

[Seppy]

There's a thrill in pushing your rig to the limit while knowing you have to get to work on Monday. There's an art in keeping the balance. I run empty on my commute back and forth to work, but always worry about security when I have a load on for the adventure.

 

[KarmaSeoul]

Great article, the one thing I always consider is the security. Always have tried to keep things out sight and incognito, especially when in and out of our cities higher theft areas. Becoming a little harder to do lol.

Another thing is because it is our exploring and daily rig, the mind set of being prepared for the unexpected is intertwined together. Having a “gobag” and other tools close by can be invaluable. I have had to help a coworker with their car, basic tools all in the truck, well actually my vw car at the time. Or like the tracks for the snowstorms up here in the northeast. Counted plenty of cars that drove off the road and got stuck this past winter. Having bigger first aid kit on hand, besides your basic edc.

Wouldn’t have it any other way, a daily overlander.


Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk

 

[Haminacan]

I was in the same situation until I realized that I could get a gas saver pretty much for free. My Fiat 500 Abarth averages 30 MPG even when I have my foot in the throttle and costs about the same as I save on gas with my 70 mile round trip drive to work. My Jeep will not have 200k miles when paid off and I have a fun little car. It makes the Jeep feel slow now...the only down side.

 

[Rover2042]

Great Article! Thanks for sharing.

 

[cody_roberts]

Keep plastic boxes ready with cooking supplies and canned/dried food just ready to grab and go...replenish food as soon as you get back to stay ready. I have a Jerry can style container with fresh water ready to go as well. Also a hammock with a tarp can be more practical than a tent in quick situations

Sent from my SM-G950U using OB Talk mobile app

This. I use this method with the ever popular costco boxes , works great. Convert In and out in no time . You have to be organized

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[CR-Venturer]

I daily drive my rig because there's no way I can afford to pay insurance for a car that is just a "toy" for overlanding - my wife drives the minivan, and my car has to be my adventure mobile as well as my daily commuter. I drive 72kms to work each way, so 144kms per day - one of the major factors that went into my choice of the Honda CRV RD1. Also the reason I chose General Grabber AT2 tires - very good on the highway, awesome on the dirt. One nice advantage I have is that when I park my car at work, it's in the parking lot of a government building full of armed law enforcement officers, so security isn't a worry. lol

 

[theBROFESSOR]

Just returned from FJ Summit 2018 and all my check engine lights were on. Thankfully I was able to make the 17 hour trip home. Rig has been in the shop for the last 9 days. Checking this checking that. Now I think we have narrowed it down to the ECM being bad. Not sure why or what happened. Just thankful that it did not strand me way up on one of the Colorado passes while there. I am also thankful that I have a company vehicle to drive while mine is down. It is my only vehicle. But not necessarily my daily driver I guess. lol. I just want my FJ back.

 

[Ben Cleveland]

I grew up doing landscaping and construction, and just kept half my tools in my f250 all the time. I just got used to the preparedness that comes along with that. I’ve towed cars out of ditches, directed traffic at a just happened accident before cops showed up, stuff like that. It’s just good to be prepared for things to happen because guess what....bad things happen.

Daily driving my “overlanding rig” isn’t really about overlanding or being cool. It’s about being prepared. I like having my tools with me. The number of times I’ve plugged a friends tire and aired it back up BEFORE he even got the spare lowered is high. And that’s how I like it. Also, living in a hurricane evacuation area, it’s good to be prepared with supplies and gear for a quick evacuation. My wife and I could be loaded in our car, with over a weeks worth of water and freeze dried food, and completely self-sustainable set of camping gear in under 30 minutes. No different than packing up for a weekend trip!

The cost is driving around a heavy vehicle with a ton of crap on it. And getting 13 mpg. I think it’s worth it though. I have a work truck I have the option to commute with, and I still drive my 4runner 3-4 days a week. I just feel safer and better prepared.

 

[The_Roverlander]

My adventure rig is also my daily driver. Being a Land Rover LR4 it’s never been known to be the pinnacle of reliability even when it was new. That being said I do try and take it easy and not get myself in a situation that could cripple the car.

 

[sabjku]

I grew up doing landscaping and construction, and just kept half my tools in my f250 all the time. I just got used to the preparedness that comes along with that. I’ve towed cars out of ditches, directed traffic at a just happened accident before cops showed up, stuff like that. It’s just good to be prepared for things to happen because guess what....bad things happen.

Daily driving my “overlanding rig” isn’t really about overlanding or being cool. It’s about being prepared. I like having my tools with me. The number of times I’ve plugged a friends tire and aired it back up BEFORE he even got the spare lowered is high. And that’s how I like it. Also, living in a hurricane evacuation area, it’s good to be prepared with supplies and gear for a quick evacuation. My wife and I could be loaded in our car, with over a weeks worth of water and freeze dried food, and completely self-sustainable set of camping gear in under 30 minutes. No different than packing up for a weekend trip!

The cost is driving around a heavy vehicle with a ton of crap on it. And getting 13 mpg. I think it’s worth it though. I have a work truck I have the option to commute with, and I still drive my 4runner 3-4 days a week. I just feel safer and better prepared.

That is exactly how I feel about driving my Jeep every day. And the sad thing? I have two other cars, AND a motorcycle lol.

 

[LostInSocal]

Nice to have first-world problems...LOL!
At least with the abysmal MPG I'm getting, I've learned to not be so heavy-footed or it would literally cost me.

 

[Ben Cleveland]

Nice to have first-world problems...LOL!
At least with the abysmal MPG I'm getting, I've learned to not be so heavy-footed or it would literally cost me.

Truth. I’m a much friendlier driver in my 4runner.

 

[sabjku]

Nice to have first-world problems...LOL!
At least with the abysmal MPG I'm getting, I've learned to not be so heavy-footed or it would literally cost me.

That’s part of the reason I enjoy driving my Jeep so much-it forced me to slow down. It’s nice to have a clean driving record after all these years!

 

[cody_roberts]

That’s part of the reason I enjoy driving my Jeep so much-it forced me to slow down. It’s nice to have a clean driving record after all these years!

I can agree with that, came out of 600whp z06 into my Jeep lol.

 

[LostInSocal]

That’s part of the reason I enjoy driving my Jeep so much-it forced me to slow down. It’s nice to have a clean driving record after all these years!

Right!? It's forced me to plan a bit better to get to my destination, meaning to give myself plenty of time to get there. The driving is just less stressful than it used to be. You think it'll fly if I say to my wife that I'm getting a steel bumper to reduce stress while driving? Ha!

 

[sabjku]

............... You think it'll fly if I say to my wife that I'm getting a steel bumper to reduce stress while driving? Ha!

Do you think your wife would notice the bumper change?! Easier to ask for forgiveness than it is for permission:) But that's coming from me, with no wife or kids!

 

[sabjku]

I can agree with that, came out of 600whp z06 into my Jeep lol.

Wow! I can't even imagine putting my foot into that throttle any more. I have an older John Cooper Works Mini Cooper with tons of tasteful suspension, brake, and engine upgrades, and it's sitting around 220hp. That's enough to get me into trouble lol.

 

[Terex]

I've been telecommuting for years and live in the country, so usually no problem, but last week we were visiting one of our kids in LA and I had to park on the street. I pulled out everything from the bed, took the mtn. bikes inside and put cable locks on Rotopax, Maxtrax, HiLift and spare. Got through unscathed. My muddy ZR2 diesel got lots of rubbernecking in a town populated mostly by very clean cars. Even the UPS guy gave me props.