Thoughts and reasons for your chosen rig

[trikebubble]

We had a TJ which was fun, but just lacked the room and power to tow anything of substance. When looking for a replacement I seemed to have settled on the Xterra. I like the platform, chunky truck look, body on frame design, and a motor with gobs of power. The wife liked the utilitarian cargo area, made it easy to sweep up after carting the dogs around. I also seem to find myself drawn to wallflowers, so the Xterra is a good fit. It is a fantastic off road vehicle and good on the highway. I can tie my travel trailer around or kit it out for overland type adventures.

 

[pnwexplorer]

I traded in my 2012 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner 2wd for a 2016 SR5, I just wanted the 4wd. I wanted to stay with Toyota and love having a truck.

 

[PetfishEric]

I have had a number of different rigs over the years starting with a 1978 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser station wagon in college. While I was in the army I picked up a lifted Dodge Power Wagon with a camper top. Picked up a new 1990 Toyota extended cab 4x4 pickup which we really enjoyed until the head gasket blew at 59,900 miles. Went through several Jeeps during the 90's, a CJ5 that was fun to build but brutal on the back, a Cherokee Unlimited that was a daily driver but also capable off road with decent storage, and finally a Grand Wagoner complete with fake wood siding. The Grand Wagoner was one of my all time favorites by the way. In 2001 we moved to Maine where I purchased a Wrangler and set it up for overlanding and we went all over Maine and into Canada, even used it on a Moose hunt to recover the moose and pull it out of the woods. When we moved back to Tennessee I sold the Jeep to get a vehicle for work and later found my current project a 1988 Dodge Ramcharger.
I have always like the looks of the Ramcharger and for the ride quality which it is similar to the the Grand Wagoner and it comes with a 360 V8, A/C and a 727 automatic. It will pull a 7500 lb load when required and has great visibility unlike most newer rides.

 

[Adventureswithlaylay]

I have had a number of different rigs over the years starting with a 1978 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser station wagon in college. While I was in the army I picked up a lifted Dodge Power Wagon with a camper top. Picked up a new 1990 Toyota extended cab 4x4 pickup which we really enjoyed until the head gasket blew at 59,900 miles. Went through several Jeeps during the 90's, a CJ5 that was fun to build but brutal on the back, a Cherokee Unlimited that was a daily driver but also capable off road with decent storage, and finally a Grand Wagoner complete with fake wood siding. The Grand Wagoner was one of my all time favorites by the way. In 2001 we moved to Maine where I purchased a Wrangler and set it up for overlanding and we went all over Maine and into Canada, even used it on a Moose hunt to recover the moose and pull it out of the woods. When we moved back to Tennessee I sold the Jeep to get a vehicle for work and later found my current project a 1988 Dodge Ramcharger.
I have always like the looks of the Ramcharger and for the ride quality which it is similar to the the Grand Wagoner and it comes with a 360 V8, A/C and a 727 automatic. It will pull a 7500 lb load when required and has great visibility unlike most newer rides.

View attachment 5974

Beautiful rig!!

 

[PetfishEric]

Thanks bronco12 I still have a lot to do to get it were I want it, but they are always a work in progress until you get a wild hair to sell it for what ever reason. My immediate plans are to build a roof rack and a custom drawer system for the back.

 

[Adventureswithlaylay]

Thanks bronco12 I still have a lot to do to get it were I want it, but they are always a work in progress until you get a wild hair to sell it for what ever reason. My immediate plans are to build a roof rack and a custom drawer system for the back.

Can't wait to see it when it's done. I also want to build a drawer system, just trying to finish a few things first like installing a second inverter in the back and getting everything ready for my dual battery install.

 

[pl626]

I actually didn't put much thought into my rig. I've always loved Land Rovers, even though I was born and raised in Detroit, well ok, born, but raised in the burbs. I've gone camping in trucks, cars, jeeps, but always thought LRs were something different, so when I had the chance to buy a Range Rover Classic, it was a no brainer. I still have that rig, but I've got an itch for a Defender. I'll never part with my RRC, but I really want a Defender as well, maybe an old Series would work, but it's a disease...multi LR ownership...

 

[Wawa Skittletits]

I originally bought my Outback to be a daily driven second vehicle. I've been a low and fast guy for a long time and wanted something utilitarian to shrug off speed bumps and snow storms all while returning good MPG on 87 octane. While I never purchased it to become an overlanding vessel my eyes were opened up to this community and what my Subaru could become by @grantwilson . Despite its uncommon to the task nature I can't wait to see the places it takes me.

 

[4xFar Adventures]

My truck found me really. I wasn't looking to buy a Land Rover, but my sister's boyfriend at the time was looking to sell his D2. It just kinda fell into my life. And then I fell down the rabbit hole. Hard. Very hard. I haven't looked back since then. That was almost 9 years ago. And while there are times that I question what I'm doing with the money pit sitting in the driveway, hitting the trail makes me forget all about it:)

 

[Lassen]

I went with a Jeep Grand Cherokee, 2007. I had been driving a grand Cherokee (1994) that I bought used and it held up wonderfully as my daily driver. When I started looking to replace it I was really leaning heavily toward VW Touareg with the 4.2 V8. Ultimately it came to a simple point : if I do need work due to a breakdown in a small town, I felt it likely a mechanic in such a place would be more familiar with a Jeep than a Touareg. My choice has been spot on so far as it has been very reliable as a daily driver and in the back country.

 

[southdiver1]

I bought my 2010 JK as a replacement for my 1973 VW Beetle which, quite literally, was falling apart. All I was looking for was:
1: Something fun
2: Something with 4X4 (I am part of a group that helps for disaster relief)

The Wrangler fit the bill. In hindsight, I should have gotten the JKU as it has WAY more room.

 

[TylerG]

I was pulling into the dealership to check out this fully locked 97 40th anniversary 80 series that was there literally not even 24 hrs when I witnessed the new owner driving off with it. Upset I knew I was going to test drive something. Then I seen a FJ cruiser and always thought they looked cool and wanted to drive one so I did and instantly fell in love with it and the quirkiness of it. Bought it the next day.

 

[Ranger]

Own a 98 4runner. Bought it for its small size, to navigate some of the tiny mining roads here in Colorado. It also has enough space to Cary a family, a dog and some gear. Bonus was aftermarket availability, durability, and the locking rear diff.

 

[chris90]

I have always loved defenders and I felt I had to finally get one last year as it would be my last chance to pick one up new.
In an age where everything is becoming computerised and so many 4wds are covered in plastic panels and made for comfort on the highway rather than utility it has not changed. Still a hand made brick on wheels, it's not fast, it's not comfortable, it's loud, it's underpowered, it's not fuel efficient and it doesn't have any flashy gadgets but it is tough and it will go anywhere even before making any modifications which due to it's aforementioned simplicity are very easy to do.
I think a car like a defender is an emotional purchase more than anything but after having one I can see why they have an almost religious following, they have so much character and I cant see myself driving anything else.

 

[mylilpwny]

I am of the belief that anything can get you out and going. Just depends on how far off the beaten path you are wanting to go. My rig is going to be a 2003 gmc envoy 4x4 (trailblazer). I currently have a 2008 f150 2wd that we take camping now but dont really take it off road since i do not want to harm the truck ( was my grandfathers and means a great deal to me) . The choice vehicle for my build was not my first choice but 2 major factors made it easy. 1st was that i have owned many chevy trucks and suv with the 5.3 and 4l60e combo so very familiar with working on it. 2nd is its free ( okay that was the real deciding factor there. The other was a big bonus) i say what ever you have or are comfortable with go for it

 

[Explore Maine]

I choose the Suzuki SX4 because I wanted something small and economical with AWD capability. I use my car as a daily driver as well as a toy hauler for my weekend adventures.

 

[WJ - Firefly]

Actually, my rig picked me. I had always had large vehicles. Station wagons ( My first was a 1967 Rambler Rebel Wagon, then a Dodge Coronet Wagon, a Kingswood Estate wagon, 76 Suburban, 80 Suburban, Safari Van). After the van blew a freeze plug, under the flywheel, I bought my first small car, a 2007 Chevy HHR. I was fun to drive, except in the snow. It did not like it in winter at all. It only had 4 inches of ground clearance.

After the Safari died, the HHR was our only vehicle for a year and half. I was looking for a 4x4 pickup so that we could haul loads, but a guy with a Grand Cherokee called back first. This was our first Jeep and I began to research upgrades. It became my wifes vehicle, but I still wanted one, so I began to look for another. Ended up finding a lady who wanted a small economical car and she had a 2000 WJ Limited with a horse trailer to trade. The trailer solved my hauling problems and the WJ became my overland project.

 

[Jose]

I started off with 82 mustang fastback, then got me a 92 YJ lifted it up 4" with 35" Super swampers and ran with that for about 10yrs. The tranny started to give me problems and before I would end up broken down I traded it in for a Chevy extreme. After about a yr I started to regret trading in the Jeep. After the Chevy extreme I had a Ford F-150, another Chevy 2500 that i ended up selling to my brother n law cause he needed a truck to pull his boat. So recently I got my fix back and couldn't be more happy with the choice a 2016 JKU-Rubicon! which I'm keep for the long haul this time cause and building it up little by little to be an Overland Jeep. We also have another 4 door Chevy as a second truck.

 

[ChepoCDT]

Hey guys, a few hours ago I was discussing with a good friend why I have a Tacoma and not a Jeep if the Jeep is more capable for the trails here in the center part of Mexico...

Well, the thing is that I didn't buy the Taco for overlanding or offroading reasons... I bought it because I needed a pickup for my job and use as a daily driver, with high security standards and that could drive in a reasonable way in the highway... Also, bought it with a huge discount...

I started looking at TacomaWorld.com forums and loved every mod of every truck, so I quickly started modifying it, and well... here I am... A truck that was for my job (actually used it very little for this) transformed into my hobbie vehicle!

• What's your story?
• Did you buy your rig for offroading/overlanding reasons?
• Did it happen that while you were getting to know the hobbie it suddenly became an overlanding rig?

 

[The other Sean]

My previous truck was a 2wd, regular cab Ford Ranger. It was horrible in the MN winters ( I got stuck in my own driveway a few times...) and the regular cab was all but useless for any kind of gear.

As the truck got to 11 years old and well over 100K miles, I started casually looking for a replacement. I was in no hurry, I wanted to find just the right vehicle. I REALLY wanted a Jeep Wrangler, but, I need a truck bed and the buy in price on Wranglers for what I was getting was a no go as I was shopping to buy something with something of a warranty. I also started looking at used fullsize trucks, but I found nothing under $15K that had fewer than 100K miles on it.

One day I decided to troll car soup and saw an add for an '11 Nissan Frontier Pro-4x. Liked how it looked, decided to go check it out after work. Crew cab, rear locker, all black, Bilstien shocks, skid plates, all the bells and whistles, and just on the upper end of my price range, still had some of the OEM warranty left. I took it home.

Didn't know about "overlanding" just knew I liked to hunt, fish and camp.