Best vehicle for my needs

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Renaissance_Man

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Montréal, Quebec, Canada
First Name
Nicholas
Last Name
Monte
Hi everyone,
I'm so happy to have found this forum. On to my question:

My needs:
1)I want a vehicle that I can take anywhere including ATV trails.
2)I also want a super reliable vehicle
3)a pull out kitchen for camping I won't need a mattress because I sleep in a hammock & I don't need a propane stove as I'll use a firebox stove.
4)not be low to the ground like a sedan
5)use it to haul soil amendments & wood
6)Use it as a metal and/or wood workshop

To switch between different applications I imagine that I'll have a hoist in my garage

I really loved the Tacoma for its reliability but I don't think I'd be comfortable in it with my long legs. My next choice is a Ford Ranger. Does anyone have any advice and /or criticism? Is there a vehicle that would better suit my needs?

Happy trails
Nick
 
If you are talking about new vehicles, the other vehicle that checks all your boxes is the Colorado/Canyon. I've not got experience with the Ranger personally, but I will share that the Colorado/Canyon is pretty fantastic. I take mine down ATV trails and its honestly like a little mountain goat. It's been incredibly reliable and, as a platform, actually has been proven going back to 2012; the short version is that the Twins were developed by GM and Isuzu together, and they've been sold in the Australian market as the Holden Colorado and Isuzu DMax since 2012.They were brought to North America in 2015/2016, and since then have seen pretty significant success with minimal reliability concerns (no more than other brands). There are obviously differences between the Holden, the Isuzu, and the NA-spec Canyons and Colorados, but they have all proven to be very effective touring rigs, great off road, and fun to drive -- I refer to mine as a "sports truck", it's zippy and fun and handles in a way that is very un-Truck like, and in this case it's a good thing.

Honestly, the Tacoma, Ranger, and Canyons/Colorados seem pretty similar in terms of what they do, and how they do it -- IFS front, beam axle rear, decent 4x4 systems, and factory rear lockers are an option for all of them. The Taco will be a bit light on payload compared to the others, but the options packages influence this and they are all within a few hundred pounds of each other (still, that few hundred pounds might matter for your application). The reliability of these trucks is pretty close -- when it comes to the individual vehicle, it doesn't matter what brand you own. Some Tacomas are lemons, but MOST are not. Some Fords are lemons, but again MOST are not. Sure, if you buy Toyota, you may have slightly less of a chance of getting a lemon as compared to the Ford, but at the end of the day, there's always a "lemon chance", and it's always relatively low across all brands. But if your truck is a lemon, the last thing that matters is the badge on the grille.

One more suggestion for you to consider - Nissan has just released the new Frontier, which fits into the same category as the above IFS trucks but it is an 'all new model', and some folks don't like year-one vehicles as they have yet to sort out the kinks.

The only outlier in this segment is the Jeep Gladiator, because it has solid beam axles front and rear, but otherwise it's pretty similar (payload, power, etc.) as the others. And, my Canyon has gone everywhere my Jeep did, so unless you have a personally compelling reason to need solid axles over IFS, I would lump the Gladiator in together with the rest and pick the one you prefer the most. Most mid-size trucks are very similar in terms of capacity and capability, and most will do what you need, but you might have strong opinions on interiors which can be radically different (but also totally subjective) across the segment so I'd shop around.

If you weren't using the vehicle for hauling, or if you were comfortable using a trailer to haul, you can broaden your list to wagons (Jeep Wranglers, Ford Broncos, etc.) which will check a lot of your boxes, but it seems like the need for hauling would suggest a need for a mid-sized truck; if I'm mistaken I can give you info on other rigs to check out.
 
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Hello and welcome!

1) please make sure any "atv" trails you would be taking alow multi-purpose 4x4s on them. There are a lot of disputed areas here in Ontario that have led to trails being shit down and drivers of vehicles when found being hit with hefty fines.
That said, terrain can vary greatly on trails and would need some decent clearance and narrow which brings small trucks or Jeeps to mind.

2) anytime a vehicle is modified it has to potential to be less reliable. Also new vehicles can be more reliable and have warranty coverage, but a lot of companies will give you a hard time if they see evidence of off road travel. Older vehicles, if maintained properly, can also be very reliable and most of the time easier to work on.

3) A camp kitchen can be as elaborate or simple as you want and can be built to fit whatever vehicle you choose.

4) lifts can be added to most vehicles if required for the terrain you plan to travel. If you are looking to do modifications, check the aftermarket support for whatever vehicle you have in mind and make sure that you won't have to fabricate parts just to make your build fit together.

5) trucks are what come to mind when hauling anything, however the trucks you mentioned have lower towing capacity and less bed room than others because of their small size. Trailers can be added for trail use to make up for lack of internal ( or bed) storage and can bring their own pros and cons lists.

5) what would you mean by workshop? You could run a solar setup with a large battery bank to run electric tools, or run a generator to power them. Not knowing what you would be doing its hard to say, but a generator may fit your needs best.

I know these are very broad, open ended answers, but there is no right or wrong or perfect vehicle to choose and it will come down to what you find comfortable. I am personally a Jeep guy and love the gladiator platform. If I could I would build one, but it's not in the cards for me.
 
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ChasingOurTrunks said:
If you weren't using the vehicle for hauling, or if you were comfortable using a trailer to haul, you can broaden your list to wagons (Jeep Wranglers, Ford Broncos, etc.) which will check a lot of your boxes, but it seems like the need for hauling would suggest a need for a mid-sized truck; if I'm mistaken I can give you info on other rigs to check out.
Click to expand...

The only reason that I want a pickup over a wagon is for soil amendments for a big garden/small farm
 
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genocache said:
Maybe I am wrong , but I think ATV trails are limited to vehicles 50" wide or less. That eliminates most vehicles including some UTV's.

Vehicle Width | Stay The Trail

staythetrail.org staythetrail.org


My Land Rover is 58" wide. Yotas are wider.
Click to expand...


This is super important and I think it will be valuable for me to clarify what I mean when I say I take my truck down ATV trails. Above all else, ALWAYS follow local regulations and laws regarding trail travel. Not doing so is a disservice to the entire Overlanding community because it results in access being closed for everyone else. Thank you @genocache and @Red_Leaf_Overland for bringing this up.

In Canada, we don't have the same level of formal trail network that exists in the USA and Australia. We have some, as @Red_Leaf_Overland stated, in the more populated areas like southern Ontario or in our parks (of which there are many). But in really remote parts of the country, you are likely to find an "ATV" trail that is actually an old access trail cut by prospectors 50 years ago and maybe travelled a dozen times since. Some might be informal access trails to a remote lake with an easy natural boat launch on shore put in by locals. You might find them on satellite images, but not on maps, and they very much are uncontrolled parts of what we call "Crown Land" (public land). These trails might have a local name - like "Smith Lake Trail" (even though the lake isn't Smith Lake....) but usually not a formal identifier. There's a lot of bush in Canada, and very few people, so these types of "ATV" trails are usually uncontrolled in more remote areas and can be fun to explore.

This is changing though as more people start exploring by vehicle, and so respect for the bush is paramount or we'll all lose access. On that score, regardless of the type of trail -- I don't mind cutting dead trees that have fallen across these trails, and I don't mind if the occasional small branch scrapes my paint or breaks off as I drive by, but if there are healthy trees that prohibit progress because I'm too wide, that's when I go on foot or turn around and grab my motorbike instead.

It's really important to know where you are with good, reliable maps (Backroads Mapbooks are excellent for Canada), and whether you are on an informal track, or a marked, named trail with rules related to it. It's worth springing for the digital editions of maps, because they get updated regularly and many trails and tracks that used to be OK for 4x4s, especially out in BC, are formally closed now, or you are only allowed non-motorized transport (horses and bicycles). Not respecting this guidance will just get more areas closed, which would be a shame no matter how you travel.
 
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Renaissance_Man said:
My needs:
1)I want a vehicle that I can take anywhere including ATV trails.
2)I also want a super reliable vehicle
3)a pull out kitchen for camping I won't need a mattress because I sleep in a hammock & I don't need a propane stove as I'll use a firebox stove.
4)not be low to the ground like a sedan
5)use it to haul soil amendments & wood
6)Use it as a metal and/or wood workshop
Click to expand...

That reminds me of "What can you sleep in, sit on, brush your teeth with?" – Answer: "A bed, a chair, and a toothbrush."

The same is true for your list:

1) An ATV would be great. Or a dirt bike.
2) A Toyota Camry
3) A trailer with a pull out kitchen, but no stove and no bed
4) A jeep or a hot air balloon
5) A truck with a proper work bed
6) A panel van

I'm sorry, but your list sounds rather delusional to me to cover with a single vehicle. You can do one or two or even three items with one, but all of them? Good luck, because if you find something that works on all of them, it will also suck at all of them, because it will be a layer cake of compromises and improvisations.
 
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I don't have any experience with small vehicles, but have you seen a late 90s / early 2000s Mitsubishi Montero? Those are very narrow and sit 4 adults max due to the width.
 
Red_Leaf_Overland said:
Hello and welcome!

5) what would you mean by workshop? You could run a solar setup with a large battery bank to run electric tools, or run a generator to power them. Not knowing what you would be doing its hard to say, but a generator may fit your needs best.
Click to expand...

I don't know what kind of workshop I'll want - maybe welding maybe woodworking maybe metalworking or any combination of them. All I know is that whatever I build in a shop will be function over form - I don't care if what I make is pretty

Happy trails,
Nick
 
I'm not sure I'd use it as a workshop, but a 4.0l, 6-speed TJ Brute conversion checks all of those boxes. Small, reliable, bed to haul (not a lot), and taller than a Subaru.
 
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Renaissance_Man said:
I don't know what kind of workshop I'll want - maybe welding maybe woodworking maybe metalworking or any combination of them. All I know is that whatever I build in a shop will be function over form - I don't care if what I make is pretty

Happy trails,
Nick
Click to expand...

I could recommend some tools for heavy duty trail repairs buy they may not equal a shop.
If there is room under the hood, you could use a York compressor or a converted AC compressor that would give you a good enough cfm to run air tools. Paired with an air tank you can run almost anything air powered.
You could also run battery powered electric tools if an air tool isn't an option. Run a bank of chargers off of an inverter to keep their batteries topped up. Or if the alternator and batteries can handle the draw, you could run right off of the inverter is it is strong enough. With a hand throttle you can also bump up the rpm to help the alternator produce more power.
I know of guys that set up mobile repair shops at events under tents and run generators for tools, but that all gets loaded into a trailer and hauled away after.
I also know of guys that run on board welders and air to so major trail fixes to get them and their buddies back out of the woods, but they are also trailered offroad rigs that don't see any highway and are more tube chassis than anything.

I would say a "workshop" would be best left for a trailer. Especially since it doesn't seem to be a high priority and non-essential at this time.

I would focus mainly on where you want to go, how you want to get there and how you want to pack it.
 
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Red_Leaf_Overland said:
Renaissance_Man said:
I don't know what kind of workshop I'll want - maybe welding maybe woodworking maybe metalworking or any combination of them. All I know is that whatever I build in a shop will be function over form - I don't care if what I make is pretty

Happy trails,
Nick
Click to expand...

I could recommend some tools for heavy duty trail repairs buy they may not equal a shop.
If there is room under the hood, you could use a York compressor or a converted AC compressor that would give you a good enough cfm to run air tools. Paired with an air tank you can run almost anything air powered.
You could also run battery powered electric tools if an air tool isn't an option. Run a bank of chargers off of an inverter to keep their batteries topped up. Or if the alternator and batteries can handle the draw, you could run right off of the inverter is it is strong enough. With a hand throttle you can also bump up the rpm to help the alternator produce more power.
I know of guys that set up mobile repair shops at events under tents and run generators for tools, but that all gets loaded into a trailer and hauled away after.
I also know of guys that run on board welders and air to so major trail fixes to get them and their buddies back out of the woods, but they are also trailered offroad rigs that don't see any highway and are more tube chassis than anything.

I would say a "workshop" would be best left for a trailer. Especially since it doesn't seem to be a high priority and non-essential at this time.

I would focus mainly on where you want to go, how you want to get there and how you want to pack it.
Click to expand...

Which tools for heavy duty trail repairs?
 
Renaissance_Man said:
Which tools for heavy duty trail repairs?
Click to expand...
A York compressor for air tools and a welder lol. Maybe a cordless grinder. Then whatever sockets or other tools you will need specific to your rig.
We fixed this thing up enough to drive it off the trail with 3 wheel drive with hand tools, a winch ( to lift the truck..... which I wouldn't recommend) a cordless impact gun, and some spare parts.IMG_1611.jpgIMG_1612.jpg
 
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