Help us pick our next rig!

[OverlandTribe]

Family and I are hunting down which way to go with our new overland rig for 2019. Boy oh boy though are we having a hard time pulling the trigger on which way to go. So for fun and perhaps some view points we haven't thought of , we are reaching out to the awesome community.
Which has your vote and why for a family of 5?
A: 01 Grand Cherokee with an LS swap and overland trailer with Cvt tent.
B: JKU with overland trailer with Cvt tent.
C: E series 13 passenger van with rear seat removed for galley and gear storage. Cvt tent on top.
D: Fullsize crew cab truck with drawer system, topper and Cvt tent on top.

 

[SubeeBen]

My wife & I love our jku’s. Would never think of owning anything else. Looked @ Tacoma’s, fj’s, vans tec. & in my opinion nothing felt better than the Jeep. Thing is solid drives like a tank & we just love them hands down. Good luck with your adventures.

 

[Supernaut]

D. Raptor or Power Wagon depending on what you want to do with it.

Not sure how you’d fit a family of 5 in a Jeep with gear. Guess you’d have to pull a trailer. I’d be worried about weight too.

 

[Truckee]

I think you can narrow down a bit further if you first decide what type of trails/terrain you want to explore. If you like to basecamp and then tackle more rocky terrain, choose A/B. If most of your travels involve fire roads, national parks and such, then C/D would probably be my choice. Dedicated vs dual purpose vehicle would also factor in my decision. I wouldn't want to daily drive a 13 passenger van. With a family of 5, I'd put "easy set-up/take-down" high on my priority list.... and one RTT is easier than two... especially those types of tents that are pictured.

 

[Jrahn0822]

As much as 1 sounds cool I would stay away from that option. Although a LS motor has parts abundantly, it is only as good as the swap is. Option 2 provides you with the most space since you will be taking a trailer. I would probably lean more towards number 2, however 5 people in a JKU does not sound very comfortable if you ask me. The E series should have parts be available and gives you a decent amount of storage inside, however I would look at having a awning to better use the galley area in the back. The 4th option is similar to the E series, only difference is you might not be as comfortable in the backseat as the E series.

My choice would probably be either the E series or the full size truck due to comfort-ability for people.

 

[Anak]

Speaking as one who has a family of 5, it needs to be either C or D.

I have a Jeep Cherokee (XJ). Yes it will seat 5, but it won't take 5 on a trip. It works well for 4, but not 5. The Jeep trips are just me and The Varmints:

If The Bride is going, then we take the Suburban:

Trying to seat 3 across in a narrow vehicle on rough terrain just simply is not comfortable, and the pestiferous runtlings soon make themselves all too well heard. Some space between them is vital. For that reason, I would probably give the nod to option C. But I hate working on vans. Access to the engine is just too awkward for a big guy. This may not matterto you if you don't do your own wrenching.

 

[toxicity_27]

How old and big are your kids? Growing up we did trips with 5 of us in an extended cab F150. I loathed sitting in the back seat, but I was the tallest by far, and never had enough room. I'd vote for the JKU for capability, but depending on how old/big your kids are they will be miserable in the back. I like the idea of an E-Series, but I would probably lean towards the full size truck.

 

[Gabriel Bozeman]

Family and I are hunting down which way to go with our new overland rig for 2019. Boy oh boy though are we having a hard time pulling the trigger on which way to go. So for fun and perhaps some view points we haven't thought of , we are reaching out to the awesome community.
Which has your vote and why for a family of 5?
A: 01 Grand Cherokee with an LS swap and overland trailer with Cvt tent.
B: JKU with overland trailer with Cvt tent.
C: E series 13 passenger van with rear seat removed for galley and gear storage. Cvt tent on top.
D: Fullsize crew cab truck with drawer system, topper and Cvt tent on top.
View attachment 82085

B. The Jeep Wrangler is probably going to be you most versatile vehicle if the four. You can unhook the trailer and get some awesome capabilities. Also relatively good mpg compared to the others. (They also look kick-butt)

In the end, it's up to you. Good luck with finding a good rig!


Gabriel Bozeman

 

[OverlandTribe]

Thanks everyone for the great feedback so far! Please keep it going.

To answer a few questions:

Where do you want to go?
Not knowing the trails, but I do know a couple of the destinations. We will use Point Sublime at the Grand Canyon and Top of the World in Moab as two examples that I plan on visiting this year.

Purpose built or dual?
I work from home so a daily commute is not an issue.

Family size?
My kids are 17, 13 and 6 with the oldest being almost my size now at 6'3" 300 lbs. Some thoughts

A: Is a vehicle I already own with a blown motor so it would be the cheapest out of all 4 even with the trailer and the LS swap from a shop I trust.

A & B: Both have the concern though of fitting all 3 kiddos in the back comfortable, especially for long distances.

C: One of my favorite options due to the space. The weight of a RTT does concern me with a lift on the van. I wouldn't be going over a 4" lift with 33's if I go this route.

D: I do like that two of the kids could sleep in the truck bed inside the topper. While Mom and I sleep in the RTT and the remaining kiddo in the annex.

 

[RXV_POOR]

I would go full size truck with a family of 5.

 

[toxicity_27]

Given the additional information, I would say A & B should be off your list. Of the remaining choices I choose D for the full size. Less top heavy than the E-Series, and although everything isn't necessarily inside, I think it would be the best fit, especially with how you've laid it how. The next question is would you go half ton, or 3/4-1 ton?

 

[Anak]

You don't have a small family. 6'3" and 300 lbs you guys are bigger than we are. Unless you plan on giving the 17 yr old the boot in a year I think you need to be thinking full size.

OTOH, you have evidently made things work thus far with the WJ, so you have a good idea of what your family's tolerance level is for comfort/discomfort. Money saved may do more for your quality of life than the comfort of the ride for a few weeks out of the year. Those are decisions only you can make,

 

[MazeVX]

I vote for D.
Owning a jku and I'm sure it's just to small for 5 + stuff and food and pulling a trailer doesn't make it much better. You will need to spend a lot money to make it work reliable and comfy.
And you will work constantly over its weight limit.
Go fullsize if the trails and terrain you like allows it. You can still pull a trailer for Basecamp if you want to.
You can leave it nearly stock and it will work.

 

[Supernaut]

FWIW:

Most people are surprised by how much room is in the back of an F-150 Supercrew. I’m 6’2” and have the driver’s seat in normal driving position.

A person my size can sit behind me and have legroom like in a 7 series. Forgive the junk and low light but I thought pics of seat up and down might be helpful.




Really a ton of room back there. Seats aren’t bad either.

 

[Jeff B]

Having been in all of those vehicles and family and friends owning all of them, definitely c or d because of the weight capacities and the amount of room.

 

[RXV_POOR]

Family and I are hunting down which way to go with our new overland rig for 2019. Boy oh boy though are we having a hard time pulling the trigger on which way to go. So for fun and perhaps some view points we haven't thought of , we are reaching out to the awesome community.
Which has your vote and why for a family of 5?
A: 01 Grand Cherokee with an LS swap and overland trailer with Cvt tent.
B: JKU with overland trailer with Cvt tent.
C: E series 13 passenger van with rear seat removed for galley and gear storage. Cvt tent on top.
D: Fullsize crew cab truck with drawer system, topper and Cvt tent on top.
View attachment 82085

I left out the other reasons as to why other than fitting 5 people. The adaptability of space. It's a bigger canvas to start with.

With a full size truck your towing of a trailer is a better option at some point.

If you get a 3/4 ton of 1 ton you get much stronger drivetrain, better cooling and a higher GVW stock. This is often overlooked. Also at times they come with a stronger alternator which is very handy. If you get a diesel you get a dual battery stock and an option to add a 3rd.

The also ride and handle better fully loaded. There is less space to add sound reading material to. Fitting 35's is easy and the wheel weight won't effect the vehicle or reliability very much.

As always your budget dictates your build. Good luck with your choice. I look forward to what you choose and the following build with it.

 

[Dermot leeson]

Love c

 

[kappels]

IMO, I am leaning toward the JKU for versatility and capability. But, with all the people you’ll be carrying, D is also a solid option.

D gives you the option to have a roof top tent, trailer, AND have people be able to hang out in the bed and cab during sleep and downtime.

Depending on where you adventured to, you might be able to have some kiddos sleep in a ground tent? But that would depend on the weather and what the camp areas looked like.

 

[Arepas]

JKU Owner here... Love my Rubicon but have to admit that storage is tight, the idea of the trailer would solve that... besides it helps you set up a base camp and then go and explore from there.

Just so you know the JKU has a dynamic weight load limit of 300lb on the roof which a tent for 4 people and a couple of chairs plus some tools would reach easily. Strongest roof racks provide up to 800lb of static load.

For a large family I would go for a C (the van) and beef it up but it all depends on where you want to go. That being said we (family of 3) do not see our self changing our JKU

 

[Biker Eagle]

Option E- a Landcruiser/Lexus LX with 3rd row seating, plus a trailer with RTT on it and the LC. A Suburban can do that same setup, but it isn't as robust as the LC offroad.