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Weekend warrior vehicle

Original Post
Robert Rowsam · · Grand Junction, CO · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 230

Alright guys so I just got a job looks like I'll be doing the weekend warrior thing for a while. I need a new car and question is, do I spend a bunch of money on a Tacoma that will be a good primary vehicle and still crush off-road? Or get a cheap town car and something like an older jeep to take out on the weekends?

Any thoughts are appreciated. If you have pictures of your rigs, post um. Just trying to get an idea of the best system.

Thanks

BigB · · Red Rock, NV · Joined Feb 2015 · Points: 340

Chevy suburban ftw

Matt N · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 415

No. You don't "need" a new car, just because you got a new job. Don't fall into that borrowing money nonsense. Yes, its anti-American, but save money instead.

Figure out what you actually need, not want, then find a deal on something used. Like how off-road capable does it really need to be? Is that for 5% of your driving? Less? Do you drive lots of miles per year? MPG will factor higher in total cost, then. etc

Tacoma's are great. You'll look like every other climber who doesn't own a Subaru. But they also suck gas for a mid-sized truck and cost a hell of a lot of cash, new.

Jonathan Petsch · · Chattanooga, TN · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 45
Matt N wrote: But they also suck gas for a mid-sized truck and cost a hell of a lot of cash, new.
For a truck, they actually have great mpg's. I can get between 20 to 21 on the highway in mine. They are expensive, but they last a long long time. If you want a vehicle where you will not need to worry about mechanical issues, go taco.

I think the taco is the best of both worlds. It can get you to any crag, it's a great vehicle for any length of trip you want to take, and its a great daily driver.
Michael Brady · · Wenatchee, WA · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 1,316

AWD Astro or a late 80's yota (pre SR5). Gas mileage will kinda suck on both but they are rugged, cheap-ish and they will get you anywhere you want to go.

Of course the new 4x4 Sprinter just got released to north america....if you have 46k and are willing to spend it on a base model. :)

Michael Brady · · Wenatchee, WA · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 1,316
Jonathan Petsch wrote: For a truck, they actually have great mpg's. I can get between 20 to 21 on the highway in mine.
That is not that great considering full sized truck are getting the same of not better. Gas mileage has been the only complaint I have ever had about owning toyota trucks.
Benjamin Chapman · · Small Town, USA · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 18,818

We love this rig.

Chinook Destiny

JWatt · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 25

Wait till about Sept and buy one of hte new 2016 Tacomas. Its best to get the first year of a re-design cause you know the company has put in the effort to make it work.

Michael Brady · · Wenatchee, WA · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 1,316
JWatt wrote:Wait till about Sept and buy one of hte new 2016 Tacomas. Its best to get the first year of a re-design cause you know the company has put in the effort to make it work.
Or they pushed it out and you are sitting on a recall bomb! :)
Jon H · · PC, UT · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 118

Debt sucks. You're young, don't spend money you don't have. Car payments suck.

Buy a 5 year old Civic/Corolla/Mazda 3. Bonus points for a manual trans. Double bonus points for having a good set of summer and good set of mud/snow tires. With careful driving you can get to 95% of the crags within a 5 hour radius of your house. Don't get suckered into having clearance envy. It's a flat out waste of money if you don't have it to spend.

JWatt · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 25

Yeah in all honesty i agree with this guy. I bought a 2003 Toyota Matrix..only 5.9 inch of ground clearance but it's AWD. I've taken it on forest roads, out the back of Cochise Stronghold etc etc. Yeah there's a few places I can't get to but that's when you just jump in with someone going in a Tacoma. Or meet them at the trailhead and beg/pay for them to do another trip out to get you.

The rest of the time I have no car payment, and a car that can get 30+ mpg and get me everywhere i want to go on the weekends.

Also, ask yourself this. Would you rather pay $25k for a truck/4wd etc. Or pay $5k for a car and then spend that extra $20k on 2 years dirtbagging/climbing?

Easy choice for me.

Michael Brady · · Wenatchee, WA · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 1,316

Or buy a late 80's toyota for 1k-4k and be able to go anywhere and sleep comfortably in the back.

redlude97 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 5

99% of climbing in the us can be accessed without a 4x4.

Michael Brady · · Wenatchee, WA · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 1,316

Yeah but 99% of cars don't have the room to sleep comfortably. I love how 99% is the go to number when trying to say something authoritative.

JWatt · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 25

Also takes roughly 5 min to pitch a tent, or 1 min to chuck a tarp and a mat on the ground.

Luc-514 · · Montreal, QC · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 12,506

I've got a Jetta TDI, pretty sweet getting around @ 43mpg. Just bring along my bivy and a small tarp, we're going climbing, not lounging!
My friend has the Sportswagon, sleep in the back same way as a subie, especially nice with the full panoramic roof, just need to get a roof box to stash the gear.
Cons: Price and Ground clearance (but that all depends where you enjoy climbing).

But I do miss my Subaru, especially in the winter...

Mike Cara · · Hendersonville, NC · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 21
Mike Brady wrote: I love how 99% is the go to number when trying to say something authoritative.
This is only true 99% of the time.
Michael Brady · · Wenatchee, WA · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 1,316
JWatt wrote:Also takes roughly 5 min to pitch a tent, or 1 min to chuck a tarp and a mat on the ground.
Yeah, do that for a month or in bad weather and get back to us.
Michael Brady · · Wenatchee, WA · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 1,316
Luc wrote:I've got a Jetta TDI, pretty sweet getting around @ 43mpg. Just bring along my bivy and a small tarp, we're going climbing, not lounging! My friend has the Sportswagon, sleep in the back same way as a subie, especially nice with the full panoramic roof, just need to get a roof box to stash the gear. Cons: Price and Ground clearance (but that all depends where you enjoy climbing). But I do miss my Subaru, especially in the winter...
I'm trying to get the wife to get a Jetta TDI, she has a Legacy 2.5GT which is fun. We used to have an Outback which was cool but the sleeping situation leaves something to be desired.

Just to clarify, my opinions of vans or trucks being the way to go come from thinking about long stays, doing other things than just climbing, comfort, and experience.
Justin Brown · · Bend, OR · Joined Jun 2011 · Points: 120

Toyota RAV4 28 MPG on the highway. Lots of grunt in the v6.

Jan Tarculas · · Riverside, Ca · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 917

My wife has a Jetta TDI and we primarily use that for all our climbing trips. Someone else said it above, we're going climbing not lounging and sleeping. The gas mileage rocks + Diesel is typically way cheaper. We usually get low 40s with all our gear and weight. I've gotten best at 52MPG driving alone with just my gear to JTree, driving about 70mph

If we need to lug around plenty of crap, camping gear, crash pads, extra people and their crap, I have my Tacoma. I guess I got best of both worlds.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
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