WHY did you choose YOUR rig?!

[B_the_GXdude]

So I read the forums here on lovely OLB more than I post. And the one thing I notice, more oft than not, is people contemplating which rig to get, or recommending rigs they should have gotten...but so rarely we see, why YOU chose YOUR rig!
What was it that convinced you on that specific build? Was it what you had? Did you decide to get that rig over another because of a third party influence? Was is an heirloom you built and restored? What were YOUR motives?

This thread is a story about you. The member. You're rig. Why you chose IT, to be a part of your adventure....or maybe how it chose you. This isn't about gear or lift sizes, or any of that, its 100% about your relationship to your rig...

We want to know... lets hear some stories!!

 

[A-Aron]

Wrote my story here, glad you started this thread.. the story tells a lot about a person, helps us get to know each other better! 05 Toyota Sequoia Overland Build

 

[Joey83]

Coming from a really low convertible (I could not get a creditcard between the top of the tire and the bottom of the wheelarch) I needed a more practical vehicle, I've liked 4x4's for a number of years so it made sense to me to get a vehicle I could go on roadtrips in, bring a few friends along, maybe even take a nap in when I got tired.

My ride is a 2005 Hyundai Tucson crossover with zero aftermarket support, it is in no way perfect, it was scratches, dents and leaks fluids from time to time, but it is paid off, it is comfortable, (I have had problems with my back the last 12 years) it is reliable and I am the 3rd owner since it was new, I don't know if it chose me or the other way around, but I've spent a fortune fixing it so far, ($4337.92 to be exact and I bought it for $3500 alittle over 2 years ago), I still have plans for it, but those will have to wait a while, I've been asked 3 times by my dad if he could buy it from me for what I paid for it and I keep saying no, so this car/crossover is staying with me for atleast the next 3-4 years.

 

[Correus]

I have wanted an early Series Land Rover since I first saw one on "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom" back in the '70s. That, and it's performance record. It'll be back on the road before summer's over.

 

[Steve]

Here are two previous threads on this very topic, with quite a few replies you might find answer the question:

why-did-you-go-with-your-current-vehicle.10612

so-whyd-you-buy-the-overland-vehicle-you-did.10181

 

[avgjoe624]

So i grew up in the backwoods of Upstate SC, and a truck is just what you got. So from the time i was knee high to a grasshopper, ive always been a truck guy. If it wasnt 4x4, i wouldnt buy it. Never had to question gas mileage, or family friendly, or anything. I drove a truck, and that was that..

until....

i went to enterprise to rent a truck for a trip, and since they didnt have my compact 4x4 truck, they gave me a jeep wrangler and i can honestly say it was the funnest vehicle ive ever driven, and on that impulse, i immediately started looking for one to buy. 2 weeks later after an intense search from FL all the way to KS, i finally found my jeep in Missouri. i bought my jeep and havent been happier. Since then ive realized that the reason i love them is because of the versatility, in every realm, theyre just versatile. point blank period.

Theres an endless possibility to the build, they can go anywhere, they have so many different possibilities on driving everyday (top and doors) to cater to the weather and the mood.

1 year later i sold the truck and am getting ready to buy another wrangler for the wife because shes sold on them too.

as for my build, i do a lot of offroading and trail riding whether it be a weekend testing the jeeps limits or a small backroad trail to a fishing hole. my jeep sees offroad atleast 3 or 4 times a week, and im preparing to tackle the Trans am Trail, which encompasses MOAB, UT. So im factoring my build on the worst case scenario, and ensuring that i can without a doubt, make it wherever i want to go.

 

[stevenboise]

We went with the Toyota Tundra after researching the Big 5 truck makers for a year and half. We had a Chevy Avalanche for years, but it was time to move on and learn from the mistake I made with the Chevy. Not Chevy's fault, all mine. It was my first off-road build.

First, we wanted a full-size truck, not a mid-size truck for two reasons:

1 - We live in Boise and many of the places we like to go are a long highway drive and we wanted more comfort for us and our dogs for those long trips.
2 - We tow a 3,400 lb trailer when it is loaded. Now, a mid-size can do that, but when we are off-road and pulling a trailer, power and torque are nice things to have when going up steep curvy grades. Also, even our Chevy
4-speed, 5.3L had trouble on the highway towing up steep grades in CO and UT. I was done being under powered so there was no way I was going with a mid-size truck.

We chose the Tundra as it appeared to have the largest off-road after market and fit the two requirements above.

 

[Desert Runner]

We went with the Toyota Tundra after researching the Big 5 truck makers for a year and half. We had a Chevy Avalanche for years, but it was time to move on and learn from the mistake I made with the Chevy. Not Chevy's fault, all mine. It was my first off-road build.

First, we wanted a full-size truck, not a mid-size truck for two reasons:

1 - We live in Boise and many of the places we like to go are a long highway drive and we wanted more comfort for us and our dogs for those long trips.
2 - We tow a 3,400 lb trailer when it is loaded. Now, a mid-size can do that, but when we are off-road and pulling a trailer, power and torque are nice things to have when going up steep curvy grades. Also, even our Chevy
4-speed, 5.3L had trouble on the highway towing up steep grades in CO and UT. I was done being under powered so there was no way I was going with a mid-size truck.

We chose the Tundra as it appeared to have the largest off-road after market and fit the two requirements above. View attachment 93240

I like the front bumper, not massive, but good coverage. What brand? You should take a couple of pics of the rear, as from the angle shown, it's aftermarket, and has extra protection to the rear quarter panel.

Us flatlander's need a couple of days to acclimate to 8500 plus feet. Coming from 2500 ft above sea level quickly, and doing any strenuous walking around will quickly catch up with you.

 

[stevenboise]

I like the front bumper, not massive, but good coverage. What brand? You should take a couple of pics of the rear, as from the angle shown, it's aftermarket, and has extra protection to the rear quarter panel.

Us flatlander's need a couple of days to acclimate to 8500 plus feet. Coming from 2500 ft above sea level quickly, and doing any strenuous walking around will quickly catch up with you.

As I mentioned, the aftermarket was much better for the Tundra then any other Big 5 truck maker. An acquaintance of mine I made during Chevy build, Billy Simmons, owns Brute Force Fab in Fresno, CA. He only does Toyotas and had not yet done a 2014+ Tundra. During our research I called him and asked what he had for 2014+ Tundra and he had nothing.....and wanted one to spec out. Just another bonus for us in our decision making process.

So I gave him the truck for a few months and he did all the body work and gave me a deal on the cost for giving him the truck for an extend period of time. The headache rack was his idea. I told him I wanted some sort of "cat walk" across the bed and he came up with the entire headache rack idea. It worked great for antenna mounts as well.

He started putting steps on his sliders a few years prior and I had him include those on my sliders as well. They are great for full-size trucks when you have cargo up on the bed. We carry our mtn bikes up there, among other things, and both my wife and I need the extra step to get up there with the OME lift I added to the truck.

 

[RootedWanderers]

I had an 07 FJ that had nearly 300k miles on it when the trans went out in it from the larger tires, gears, and being on the trails all the time. When it came time to get a new vehicle I wanted something I could take the top and doors off and be able to enjoy the sun with the stereo jamming. I started building it as a rock crawler and got bored with that and transitioning it to an overland / trail rig. There's tons of aftermarket out there for it so it's been an interesting journey for it. It's been very versital in both cases.

 

[Desert Runner]

As I mentioned, the aftermarket was much better for the Tundra then any other Big 5 truck maker. An acquaintance of mine I made during Chevy build, Billy Simmons, owns Brute Force Fab in Fresno, CA. He only does Toyotas and had not yet done a 2014+ Tundra. During our research I called him and asked what he had for 2014+ Tundra and he had nothing.....and wanted one to spec out. Just another bonus for us in our decision making process.

So I gave him the truck for a few months and he did all the body work and gave me a deal on the cost for giving him the truck for an extend period of time. The headache rack was his idea. I told him I wanted some sort of "cat walk" across the bed and he came up with the entire headache rack idea. It worked great for antenna mounts as well.

He started putting steps on his sliders a few years prior and I had him include those on my sliders as well. They are great for full-size trucks when you have cargo up on the bed. We carry our mtn bikes up there, among other things, and both my wife and I need the extra step to get up there with the OME lift I added to the truck.View attachment 93249View attachment 93250View attachment 93251

Your 3 rules were definitely met, a hit out of the ballpark. Very clean, all the pieces seem very well designed. I like the swing out rear bumper designed arm. keeps the license plate visible without relocation??. The rear recovery tabs allow the hitch to be used separate from a hitch stinger.

 

[stevenboise]

Your 3 rules were definitely met, a hit out of the ballpark. Very clean, all the pieces seem very well designed. I like the swing out rear bumper designed arm. keeps the license plate visible without relocation??. The rear recovery tabs allow the hitch to be used separate from a hitch stinger.

Thanks for the compliment. We (my wife had a lot of say in this truck and design) spent a very, very long time doing a lot of research before picking the truck out. We're pretty happy with how it functions.

Yes, when not towing, the plate is visible. The mount for the hitch is behind the plate and I had to install a flip up plate holder. With the hitch behind the plate, it's kind of a pain in the ass to install the hitch pin, what are you gonna do, right?

Now that I have it, I would never do any bumper other than a high-clearance, swing out. That high clearance saved us a couple times on the Mojave Road. No way we could have done the section east of High 95 while pulling a trailer without it.

The only thing I lost with the new bumper was the rear blind spot monitor. Toyota was (in 2017) the only company of the Big 4 (I don't know about Nissan) that didn't install them in the taillights. So when the OEM bumper came off they are destroyed as they are simply too delicate to save. Billy saved all the other sensors (front and back) and license plate light and re-installed them on his new bumpers.

 

[rs680]

I have owned many 4x4 pickups over the years full size Chevy's and Ram. A couple of small trucks like a Nissan and a Tacoma. The Tacoma was my best and I enjoyed modify that. But I always wanted a Jeep Wrangler. So after more then 30 years I finely got my Jeep. And I Love it. They are simply and easy to modify No two seem to look the same.
I have added a few things over the last 9 months.
pro comp 17 inch rims with custom paint accents
2 inch mopar lift.
LOD front bumper that I had Rino liner coated.
Warn vr8 s Winch
The Jeep is set up to be towed behind my motorhome but I also want to get alittle trailer to do some more remote things.
Also added Roam Side steps sliders. and a few other odds and ends.

 

[Desert Runner]

Thanks for the compliment. We (my wife had a lot of say in this truck and design) spent a very, very long time doing a lot of research before picking the truck out. We're pretty happy with how it functions.

Yes, when not towing, the plate is visible. The mount for the hitch is behind the plate and I had to install a flip up plate holder. With the hitch behind the plate, it's kind of a pain in the ass to install the hitch pin, what are you gonna do, right?

Now that I have it, I would never do any bumper other than a high-clearance, swing out. That high clearance saved us a couple times on the Mojave Road. No way we could have done the section east of High 95 while pulling a trailer without it.

The only thing I lost with the new bumper was the rear blind spot monitor. Toyota was (in 2017) the only company of the Big 4 (I don't know about Nissan) that didn't install them in the taillights. So when the OEM bumper came off they are destroyed as they are simply too delicate to save. Billy saved all the other sensors (front and back) and license plate light and re-installed them on his new bumpers.

You might have lost those sensors, but if you ever break a taillight, you will be glad they were where they were . Taillights with them are....$$$$...really to replace..

 

[Stewart (Stu) Pirie]

Well, my dad always ran 80 series cruisers and I was going to get one of them, but I also wanted something that is cheaper and easier to repair, and with easily bolted off panels etc (since jeeps are way over priced in the UK that wasn't an option) I went looking for a defender, all the ones in my budget at the time needed extensive work, so I set about planning on building one. Then the same day I was about to purchase a rotten doner vehicle, Lola the landy popped up, and with a full recent rebuild, fresh bulkhead, and a galvanised chassis all for 7k I couldn't say no, I bit the guys hand off and haven't looked back.

For me the Defender was always an icon for overlanding, it has been taken everywhere. Granted it has many short falls, I wouldn't trade it for anything now.

 

[trikebubble]

I wanted a full size gas powered truck. I have no interest in diesels, and wanted something that had a proven pedigree and excelled in reliability. I wanted to buy a truck and drive it, not worry about it having to be "in shop again"....ever. I picked a 2014 Tundra Double Cab and haven't looked back. The Tundra has amazing power, great brakes, a very comfortable driving area for me and regardless of what the Anti-Toyota fanboys say I'll put it's reliability up against anything on the road today. Period. I had briefly looked at the Power Wagon, then decided against a Chrysler product...and just to remind me of my wise decision not too long after my 2015 work Dodge Caravan shat it's motor with only 110K km on it.....that cost me $5K to repair and I swear I will never buy another pos Chrysler product again.

 

[MazeVX]

After some trouble with ifs cars and being tired of streets and some other stuff, I wanted something with a solid front axle.
Wasn't happy with the LR Defender, Toyotas where to expensive and fullsize trucks aren't a thing here...

So I bought a wrangler jku.
Wasn't love at first sight but we are growing together like in a good relationship.

 

[stevenboise]

I wanted a full size gas powered truck. I have no interest in diesels, and wanted something that had a proven pedigree and excelled in reliability. I wanted to buy a truck and drive it, not worry about it having to be "in shop again"....ever. I picked a 2014 Tundra Double Cab and haven't looked back. The Tundra has amazing power, great brakes, a very comfortable driving area for me and regardless of what the Anti-Toyota fanboys say I'll put it's reliability up against anything on the road today. Period. I had briefly looked at the Power Wagon, then decided against a Chrysler product...and just to remind me of my wise decision not too long after my 2015 work Dodge Caravan shat it's motor with only 110K km on it.....that cost me $5K to repair and I swear I will never buy another pos Chrysler product again.

I too have a Tundra DC. I also looked at a Power Wagon and passed. But we looked at a lot of trucks too.

The other thing that the Tundra had that the others didn't was the tightest turning radius. That was a big plus for us. The newer Ford, Chevy and Dodges are turn wider than the Tundra (and even our old Chevy). And in the backcountry, every inch can count on switch backs!

 

[Kimmar]

I chose the Wangler because they are super fun to drive in town and endlessly configurable, between the doors and the tops. I bought a stock Rubi and so far I have had no issues. I just signed up as a member and I can't wait to take a trip and of course, build out my rig.

 

[titicaca]

My friends all drive Toyotas, I must make amends. So oh lord I got myself a Jeep Wrangler.