Teardrop Trailer vs. Van.
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I tried to find a discussion on this topic and my search produced nothing of substance. |
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One advantage of trailers over any other vehicle: when you need to drive somewhere (many climbing areas have commutes between camping and the actual rocks) you don't need to stow and lash down all the loose items. You can even leave your kitchen stuff laying around. |
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Buy a nice tent, and alternate between the tent and the Subaru depending on circumstances. |
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We recently bought a Chalet Alpine trailer that we tow with our V6 Rav4. The Rav gets about 26 mpg on the hwy and 20 around town with no trailer. With the trailer it gets about 15 mpg. It is great to be able to roll up to a climbing area, set up our trailer and then leave it while we are at the area. Our rav is quite capable of towing it and is great to drive with out. |
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I have owned vans, pickups with toppers, a toy hauler, and a soft-top popup. I stay in a tent now, or spring for a cabin or hotel. I think if I were to buy something it would be one of those A-frame hard shell popups. |
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That teardrop is going to feel mighty small on a rainy day... |
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I recently sold my '99 Toyota Tacoma with 243k with a topper on it for 5600 bucks and bought a '94 Toyota Previa Van with 200k for only 800 bucks. I then promptly put another 800 into a complete royal flushing of all fluids, replacing a window (30 bucks at a junkyard) some new belts, new tires, etc. So far, we've put around 1500 miles on it and it drives like a champ--Gets about 7 mpg better than the truck did, right around 21-22 mpg, it has AWD that handles as well as the 4x4 truck on snowy roads, and is much warmer for ski camping in the winter. It's also an automatic which is nice for my fiance to swap drive time with me..... |
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Why dont you just live out of the Subaru Forester? If it's just you, it's MORE than large enough. I spent over 24 months living in a car a hell of a lot smaller than the Forester, and my recent upgrade to a larger car is still smaller than the Forester. Remove the back seats and you will have enough room. If you dont, you brought way too much stuff. I have more than enough room for all my stuff and myself in there if I pack smart and efficient. |
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I have slept in my car, I have spent a LOT of time in a tent, and when we feel rich we still bring out the old F150 with the topper and platform in the back. |
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I'd rather have a F250 and a truck camper. All the compact car business is a fools errand; all the expense without any of the convenience or comfort. |
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Stephen: |
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I would assume a super compact trailer is also super easy to steal - might want to keep that in mind if you keep valuables in there. |
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viet goes west wrote:Stephen: I recently spent 4 months living out of my Outback. I'm small guy so even if with all the climbing gear in the back I could still sleep comfortably and soundly though when I stayed at a climb area more than a few nights I'd rather pitch a tent. If you have all the free time then go for it... If you're new to car living I'd just buy the largest roof box and save your money for the next option... like upgrading to a van/truck. Cheers!Viet, Do you have any pictures of your setup? I might try and cram 2 of us plus a dog into a 2014 Outback for some extended road tripping. There's lots of space when we fold the seats flat I am just not sure how to best organize everything. Did you build a platform? A rooftop box would definitely be necessary. |
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I think minivans offer the best compromise between space, fuel economy, and low initial cost. I had a Previa for awhile, and it was the best van I've ever owned. I only sold it because the repair list was starting to pile up. |
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+1 for Toyota Van. Especially when they are a 4x4. |
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+1 on the dirtbag vote. I've been living in my 4runner for just under a year. I questioned if I could do it at first, but eventually my perspective on comfort changed. Just like converted vegetarians who say they no longer crave meat, I hardly ever find myself wanting more room. I think I can sacrifice the comfort because I really appreciate the benefit of what I can do with the money not spent. I may spend a day or two cramped up in the rain, but I will be spending it somewhere I wouldn't have been able to go otherwise. |
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So my personal vote on this is a VW Vanagon preferably a Westfalia. I am pertial to these because I own one and travel in it frequently. Very easy to work on. Mine has a full solar setup, kitchen, fridge, two very comfy beds, and the list goes on. |
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I can't drive yet, so I don't know much on this subject, but I will tell you that a popup, which my family has had for years, is a lot of work to set up, it's not as versitile as a custom build could be, and it sucks for anything more than a smooth dirt road into a recreational campground. |
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not to sound too much like Killis but chicks dig mini-vans over the back of a Suby |
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High clearance and/or 4X4 is going to get you to a lot cooler places. Trailers suck off road. To me this is the best tradeoff between comfort, cost, and access. |
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Thanks, everyone! I appreciate all the input so far. |