All-around vehicle for outdoorsmen?
 

Hi everyone, so I'm graduating college and working soon, and I'm looking into purchasing a new or lightly used vehicle for everyday use. Activities that I currently like to do include: fishing, surfing, snowboarding, camping, and road biking. Activities I hope to get into soon include: KAYAK FISHING and mountain biking.

My total budget is 20-30k, but hope to keep it as low in the 20s as possible. Prefer vehicle that can seat at least 4 and with at least an average of 20mpg. This vehicle will not only be used for outdoor adventures (i.e. camping Big Sur road trips) but also 10-20min everyday school/work commutes and monthly visits to the OC (~90mi).

I'm currently showing interest in a new base model Honda CRV (w/roof rack of course), new access cab Toyota Tacoma, or used supercab Ford F150.

I know y'all are a nice bunch of superoutdoorsmen, so any suggestions or advice on what vehicle I should get or look into? THANKS!! :you_rock:

Quad cab taco prerunner. I get an avg of 21mpg, and it has served me well. 4x4 if you are into that, but will sacrifice a few mpg.

x5
Been serving me well for 6 years. But i'm getting more like 16.5mpg :( Dam mini lift a slightly bigger tires. I snowboard, fish, camp, typical socal stuff and even did a few truck trails and in six years I only wished I had 4x4 twice. Both times I was in mammoth on heavy show but the chains did the job. If you have the money go 4x4 off road package. If not the SR5 double cab v6 is awesome don't bother with the sport model its all looks, it performs the same as the SR5. An SR5 short bed should run you around 24k out the door and loaded Offroad 4x4 package will be over 30k.

Crew cab pickup with normal bed. Good all-round utility. Yaks (even 13') can be easily loaded in bed. Lots of seating. Versatile.

Downsides will be gas mileage but some newer models have improved . . . maybe a stiffer "truck" ride but lots of flex in carrying stuff, higher clearance, ease of access and tie down.

4 X 4 really isn't needed by most folks, nor are Tonka tires.

.....right !...and if you really need to tow a heavy load for some reason its a piece of cake !...I have an F-250 Diesel and haven't been happier...with all the things you do your going to need a real truck

no short beds!!! You'll need all the room you can get. I had a Tacoma but now loving my Tundra. 15.5 mpg with lots of power and an 8 ft bed for everything I want to toss in there. Get a dualsport motorcycle while you are at it too to save MPG from your truck.

I bought my mother-in-laws old awd CRV to use as my outdoorsman beater. It's been awesome. I seem to drive it more than my challenger. Perfect setup for camping, snowboarding, fishing, kayaking, etc... Like you are look are looking for. And as I mentioned, it's a beater (1999), so I don't care if I scratch the crap out of it. But it's been an extremely solid car for all my needs. It's not flashy, and the wife hates driving around in it with me... But I've grown attached to it.

Maybe look into a penta star v6 grand cherokee? I think that gets 25mpg highway, and you can probably find a new one in your price range. I'm digging the ecodiesel v6 that they put in the grand cherokee limited. Good gas mileage (30 highway) and rated for 7400lb towing I believe (someday I'd like to get a boat). Unfortunately they only put the ecodiesel in the limited version and higher end models which bumps it up to 40k or more. I'm still debating on getting rid of the beater and the challenger and picking one up.

you will spend 90 -95 percent of time doing regular road driving to school and work.

Plan on taking care of that first.

Honda Ridgeline is a very nice vehicle,

seats 5 in the cab

v6 about 20 mpg if you drive nice

Its a honda and will outlive you

The trunk under the bed of the truck is bad ass! Just throw your crap in there and go. Perfect feature for the outdoors, the only truck with it.


If you put racks on it, even better. OR run a bed extender ont he days when you move a kayak........50 bucks.

With the kind of money you plan on spending. Get a good car with good mpg for your day to day. Then get a fawk it bucket for your outdoor activity. You can get a Toyota 4 banger extended cab long bed for cheap. And they run for ever. I have a buddy who has a 89 toy. He drove it in high school. Truck has 450,000 miles + and runs like a champ. His son will be driving it next year for his first car.

2006 Chevy Tahoe 4x4. As long as you don't have a PA you can easily get the kayak on the roof. All your other stuff can be locked inside. Big and heavy enough to go remote camping fully self contained, which can be a couple thousand pounds. Still comfortable and practical as a daily driver. Ilike that the surfboards or fishing gear can be loaded inside the night before I go.

I took this rig on a remote surfing/fishing trip in mexico a few weeks ago, self contained with four people and a dog off the beaten track. Worked great.

Downsides: MPG and I have had to do a few major repairs.

tacos !
 

In 2003 and in 2004 I had two ford( I've had fords my whole life) F250 diesels,first one got lemon lawed(oil leak) , second one was a replacement for the first. It got lemon lawed(tranny) as well. Reasons being factory defects that the local ford dealer couldn't repair. I loved fords but thought I'd try a chevy. Not one bit better, dealership couldn't fix defects(computer cable that was causing random things to happen)sold it.OK I'll try a toyota tacoma,that was 2007 and three baja trips ago and 75,000 miles and it runs perfect, not one rattle in it, no leaks nada runs as great as a brand new one. AND IT HAULS MY PA 14 PERFECTLY(most important)lol

Don't buy an access cab, you'll regret it. the access cabs are made to do one thing, access the cab. I once road in the back seat of an access cab, it was a 300mile round trip and I swore that I would never ride in a access cab again, I'd rather drive the 300 miles in my own truck by myself than to sit in an an area that is perfect for a 6year old.

Also, take Matt's advise and buy based on your regular day to day driving. When I bought my Tundra crew cab I was driving around with a family of four, now that my kids are 24 and 18 they're too cool to hang out with mom and pops so they will stay home and now my 13mph truck is my primary but hopefully not for long.

Crew-cab F-150, and absolutely love it! Mine is a 2003 with 190K and runs a like a champ with only minimal maintenance and service issues. Of course the mileage isn't where I'd like it to be but I figure that's compromise for the size of the truck and its capabilities. I drive for work so I am in a Taurus during the week but on the weekend we are primarily in the truck. I've looked into smaller trucks but with 3 kids under 7 it's not an ideal fit right now, otherwise I would be back in a Tacoma. Had one prior to the kids and loved it, more reliable than anything else out there with better mileage than my full-size. Have to agree with what others have said, buy based on your daily habits and outfit it for what you need. I've gone out with guys in everything from Honda sedans to Volvo wagons, with the choice in racks today there is almost no vehicle that can't be fitted to haul a kayak and fishing gear. Prior to the Taurus we had an Odyssey and that was a great vehicle for recreational activities. I liked that all my gear could be safely stored inside if I wanted to stop anywhere prior to or following fishing, plus I used it a couple times to head down the night before and just slept in the back. I even went camping one time last minute and just slept in the van instead of having to setup a tent and it was super comfy. Find something that is comfy and meets your average daily needs.

yep, my 2007 has over 100k on it; no major issues.

toyota 4x4 with an elocker

Get a Subaru Outback. It's full-time AWD and with a 4-cyl, you get 24-30MPG.

I have an Outback and a truck, although I use the truck mostly because I have a PA (too damn heavy) now, I used to load a tandem Hobie on the Outback.

Trucks are nice, but realistically, you're gonna get 19MPG on Avg.

The Subaru Outback fits your needs perfectly, including the cost. Tacoma trucks aren't cheap! V6s get you to $30k quick.

I use my Volkswagen Golf TDI for Kayak transport, hiking, camping, going to the shooting range ect. My lease is up in a few months and I'm likely going to be swapping out for one of the new TDI Sportwagens (Going to be called a Golf Sportwagen as of 2015 model year) just for extra space and built in roof rails.

I get almost 40 MPG Combined city and highway fuel economy average and I drive like an idiot most of the time.

Best all around vehicle has to be a pickup. From hauling trash or your friend's refrigerator or your kayak, to hauling camping gear or bikes and motorcycles, it's the only choice. I use mine (F150) for everything including pickup and delivery for my work. Only 15mpg average but it's a 4x4 which I haven't needed often but when I do I'm sure glad to have it.

I have two options... short and simple, any truck gets my vote.

I have a Jeep Patriot, low miles, has issues. Soon to be sold. That's another story. Anyway, It's a pain to load a kayak on top compared to putting it in a truck bed. Plenty of storage space inside though. Not the best in sand either.

My employer lets my drive around a crew cab f150, and I love that way more for transporting the kayak and gear. It's just simpler.

Outback or the cross-trek. One of these two will likely be my next ride.

I have a 2010 Toyota 4 runner and a 2013 Toyota Tacoma. Wouldn't mind getting rid of one of em. PM me if you are interested.

I have a '99 Subaru Forester and a truck. The Forester works good for me. I used to throw my folded porta-bote on top and all the accessories inside and had plenty of room. I use it now to transport my 12' Tarpon around. 4 cylinder and AWD.

I love my wrangler unlimited. Does not get 20mpg though...

Had a 2001 taco 4x4 Total Chaos long travel with 33's, probably around 19-20 on the highway, sold it with 139,000 for $9500, still running strong down here in SD. Have had two Grand Cherokee's the since 2010, just sold a WJ and bought a 2005 WK with a 5.7 Hemi, 4' lift and 33's....and yes it does burn gas, but heated seats, lockers front and rear and power to pull puts a smile on my face. Just about any moded jeep or taco will get you anywhere....Moab, to Baja and anywhere in between. The new Cherokee's have a great diesel engine.....720 miles on a tank.
If you decide to buy new, keep in mind that the moment you drive off the lot....your resell value has dropped significantly. Buying used ( of course inspected and in good condition) is usually a better deal than new. Paying more for a fuel efficient vehicle versus a less fuel efficient vehicle added a reduced cost....well do the math....5-6 grand buys a lot of gas.

I have 2000 and it goes everywhere. 170,000 miles and still purring.
Use it more than my 2500 silverado.
my next choice would be a late model cherokee/straight 6

Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4, any trim model you care for. New would be great because they are improved all the time. I you are looking on a bugget looked used. I have had several and currently drive a 1999 limited 4x4 with a 2" lift, larger tires etc, etc. Of all the cars, vans, trucks I have owned it is the best vehicle all around. They drive more like a car (sweet ride and sports car handling) goes everywhere and I don't have to get out and engage anything. When I get to snow or sand, fishing or hunting, all I do is just keep driving. It does not have that rough truck ride all large or Japanese trucks do. Parts are a lot less expensive and it is easier to find someone that can work on then if you need. It has 202,000 miles and runs like new. Buy American. I work at a Japanese car dealer and used to work on the cars and trucks, they are not as trouble free as people like to think and parts and labor are expensive. So if you don't work on the vehicle your self it going to cost. My jeep has carried anything I ever carried on trucks I owned and it's a great tow vehicle. I personaly would choose the V8 engine because of the extra power and only about 1 to 1 1/2 miles per gallon less in milage. The V8 engine does not have to work as hard and that means keeping the RPM down saves fuel. If available get the later model that has a Hemi. Best all around vehicle. Can't beat heated leather seats, 4X4, AC climate control, etc. etc.

2006 2500 Silverado

I'm probably a little biased, but I think my truck has exactly what you're looking for. It's a 2002 Tundra 4x4 with the 3.4 V6 engine.

I love this truck... It's my 6th 4x4 truck and this one is the best, best, best one I've had in terms of being an overall awesome daily driver that meets my needs for everything (especially since I've only needed to tow a bass boat and nothing huge with it and that V6 did the job adequately) while also giving me awesome gas mileage for a 4x4.

In Texas I consistently got 20-22 on the hwy and probably 18-20 in the city. The city driving MPG is probably what I like the best about this truck. All of the other 4x4's I've had were decent on the highways but absolute gas pigs in the city. Not so with my truck, possibly because the body's the old style and smaller/lighter than most full size pickups. Admittedly, here, my mileage's slightly lower, because the area's a lot more mountainous than texas, but I'm completely fine with what it's giving me.

Another nice thing about this truck is it's a tweener, falling in between the tacoma and those newer full sized tundras and any of the other full sized pickups. Parking and maneuvering in tight spaces are a lot easier with this truck.

Just food for thought. The 3.4 V6 is a fantastic motor. I picked my truck up with 87k and I just hit 157k. Zero problems with it other than needing to replace the radiator and alternator. People often comment on the 3.4 about it being one of the best motors Toyota ever came out with.

And if anyone's wondering, no, the truck's not for sale. :)

But admittedly, I kind of like the thought of getting a FJ Cruiser. The 4.0 V6 in that truck's pretty awesome and it seems like people who drive reasonably get around 18-20 MPG in that truck, based on what I've read on some of the toyota forums but really, I just don't think I can ever drive anything other than a pickup ever again. Just waaaay too convenient having that bed in the back for all of that gear, and to sleep in. Yeah, on one or two night camping trips, I'll just sleep in my truck -- tons easier than messing with a tent.

Good luck with your decision!!!

:kayak-surfer:

THANKS!!
 

Thanks, everybody, for all the advice! I ended up leasing a 2014 Tacoma Double-cab 4x2 PreRunner TRD Sport V6 from Cabe Toyota yesterday. Joe Garcia at Cabe is AWESOME! Definitely definitely definitely recommend going to Cabe if you're looking to buy a Toyota.

http://i1150.photobucket.com/albums/...psbad6886b.jpg

Will determine at the end of my lease if the Tacoma is for me, or if I need a bigger truck, or if I'm more of an SUV guy. Again, thanks BWE for all the advice! Helped a bunch. :you_rock:

(and now.. the hunt for a yak begins...) :drool5:

Looks like the short bed. Its the same one I got but mines an 07. Your gonna need a bed extender for anything over 10ft. I had to get one for my outback.

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Yup. Will likely get this one: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001P2HWC6/...=I6EMSZCUT0FKV

If anybody has any suggestions for getting a 13-14ft yak on a Taco double-cab short bed feel free to shout out! Thanks.

beauty!
 

I have owned a Tacoma since 2002. I have a 2013 now. I will never own anything else. I love them! Enjoy your new ride!

J

I've had my taco for 6 years And I love it.....just oil changes and it runs like a champ. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/10/re9ane7u.jpg

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Tacoma or the Subaru. I would lean more towards a Tacoma though because it is a truck and you can do everything with a truck. Both cars hold their value very well so you can't go wrong with either. I have an 04 Ford f150 FX4 which is great except I will never be able to sell it for anything and on a good day with upgraded intake and exhaust I only squeeze out 13.5mpg. Trucks sure are convenient though.

I think you should have got a mule.

Since I just picked up a PA I am now looking for a truck - time to get rid of my Envoy XUV. Looks like the Taco is getting thumbs-up all around. Don't need anything fancy, just a Home Depot runner and yak hauler. I have a Civic for commuting and wife has a nice SUV for family outings.

What should I look out for on higher mileage Tacomas? Other trucks to consider?

IF going with 4x4 check the CV boots, and spindle bearings, engage the E locker to make sure it works. Check out the "grey wire" mod online for a bonus! Check out the heads and look for leaks, coolant or oil. Test drive a few, the fellow I sold mine to stated that my taco with 139,000 had more power than others with around 80,000, so how it's driven and taken care of can make a difference in resell value.

I was going to suggest a Subi, but the Forester, a little cheaper then the Outback, same kind of features. My wife recently got one with the 2.5 four.Plenty of power for what it is, and lots of room inside. We just did a weekend trip and avg over 30MPG, 25MPG commuting. Looking at roof racks for it now for bikes, kayaks and things.

Nice looking truck Shawny. Everybody needs a truck!

I have a Subaru outback as well. I also have a small trailer for truck'n needs. The infotainment sucks but it runs like a champ off road and on.

+1 Love my Wrangler JKU.. Im regeared with 37s and get 12/16 mpg city/Hwy. Definitely not something I would load a PA on though wih a 6' lift lol. Fits my Hobie Outback perfectly though..:cheers1: