Autism Family Travels
Rank IV
Enthusiast III
We just priced up a TRD Pro Sequoia and before taxes it's 82,900. Add taxes etc, it's 1100 bucks a month. Almost my mortgage. Ha ha.
Overlanding with a large family
- Thread starter Johnreynolds10
- Start date
I was looking into used for more around our price range and I have a few questions for you.
1. With the 3rd row seats set up...what all can you fit behind them? Do you have any pictures of your gear loaded in? Is it s 60/40 split?
2. If I don't get a TRD Pro...what sort of off-roading capabilities do I lose? The comment you made on suspension I suppose is why I ask.
Thanks
Autism Family Travels
Rank IV
Enthusiast III
None really. The pro has better shocks and tires, but that's easily remedied with aftermzrket stuff.
I think you'd do well with a used Sequoia.
Here's what the back looks like day to day. We are a family of 5, so my 7 year old sits in the 3rd row left. We keep the right seat down for cargo, groceries, etc and we are getting a dog this year to so he'll likely sit back there.
There's ~51" from the back of the second row seat.
In it's current configuration there's ~18" from the back of the third row.
And ~34" of useable height in the rear.
I hopped in the 3rd row where my son sits a few minutes ago and took this picture. I'm 6'1" and have tons of leg room left over and plenty of head room. It's really nice back there. Note, we have 2 newborns (twins) that sit in the second row in their rear-facing car seats.
I can't stress enough on how impressed I am with this truck. It's not the fanciest family hauler out there, nor the newest, but it's reliable and proven. We hope to have this as our main trip platform for 8-10 years.
The previous answer is correct, by *not* getting the TRD Pro you really won't lose tons for off-road capability with the Sequoia. It's really not meant to tackle anything too crazy. For us, we stick to dirt roads, camp grounds, state parks, a few class 6 roads and our families both have off-grid properties that we visit.
Thanks for taking the time to show me that. I am impressed with the space behind the 3rd row...more than I thought. We have 4...so if we need the extra storage we could split the seats down and travel like you do. For under 40K I can get a nice one that has low miles...so maybe I will start there. Thanks again for the help.
Good luck with those twins!
Good luck with those twins!
Enthusiast I
Great post. After a decade of upsizing vehicles for our three kids (12,9,7) we decided to change philosophy last year and go a bit smaller on our off-road vehicle (formerly F-250 and Sequoia) to improve our off-road capability And get out farther. We have a Lexus GX460 (pretty much a 4Runner with a third row) and use a XL Thule roof box on our platform rack for much of our lighter bulky items when going long distances with the whole family. Fishing rods (key for us) go in a simple PVC rod tube on the roof. We ditched the rooftop tent for an ARB 2500 awning plus the associated awning room plus a Gazelle T4 Tent (rides on roof). We actually all fit in the T4 tent for now but the awning room gives us a ton of flexibility and options to split up sleeping and hang out in inclement weather/bugs. Space is tight but we pack smart, saving space with items like down sleeping bags, backpacking sleeping pads for the kids, compact aluminum stools, etc. Kitchen table is attached to the swing out rear door, camp table attaches to the bottom of the roof rack, and a drawer system and fridge on slides on one side of the third row keeps us relatively organized and keeps drinks and cold snacks handy (beer). I tend to keep cars for 10-15 years or longer (Thank You Ford and Toyota) so we purchase and built with the philosophy that the car was just big enough and plenty capable now and will be plenty big in 5 years and ripe for upgrades as the kids trickle off out into the wide world. We do sometimes miss the Sequoia and its incredible space when we head out on long road trips.
This is exactly what I needed to see! Like Johnreynolds10 and glNH333 have discussed space is my driving factor here. Thanks guys, being 6'2" and having 3 kids in car sears with more in our future space is key! I really like the idea of something like a land cruiser or gx460 (like GXExplorer mentioned), but it is those stinkin' car seats that really lead me to needing something a little more spacious. I just don't want to have to buy anything again as our family continues to grow.
@GXExplorer What would you say the biggest trade-offs were between your sequoia and gx460?
@GXExplorer What would you say the biggest trade-offs were between your sequoia and gx460?
Enthusiast I
Look for a used Land Cruiser with third row to see what's out there. I have a family of 6. Pretend like you are backpacking when you pack otherwise you will start to look at trailers. Use collapsible fuel and water containers, limit foods that require refrigeration. Grocery shop daily to keep food storage down. Get travel boxes you can sit on so you don't being chairs. Ground tents. White gas and camping stove. Satellite phone. Hit the laundromat instead of bringing heaps of clothes or just wash them at camp.
Enthusiast III
We role heavy with our family of five and 98lb chocolate lab. We overland in our series 100 landcruiser. The key is storage and efficient packing. Tough decisions are made every trip but always have a great time. Packing lists that are updated every trip
Traveler III
