Thoughts for the next build... (Family Build)

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Obi-Juan

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Had a 2013 JKU then a 2016JKU and when i got re-married realized you couldn't camp a family of 5 out of them very well. Paid 12k got a 08 Z71 Suburban and really other than taking on too much water crossing the Mojave River it's been pretty great!

Pro's : Has lots of room. Can sleep all 5 inside in bad weather ( Owl Canyon below 30 and windy ) the 5.3 Vortec gets you where you need to go and the MPG is decent for the size

Con's : Does not do well with water crossings or tight trails
Sleeps 5! Wow, must be hug inside! Might have to look into to these as well. Thanks! :)
 

Obi-Juan

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- Yeah Costner's truck is nice.
- How about a Ram Tradesman with the Power Wagon package
Yeah, i've looked a few of those to. They are nice, but not much can come close to the space and comfort of the CrewMax, especially for passengers in the backseat. The RAM truck is a beast, no doubt about that! :)
 
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Obi-Juan

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- Did you go with the Crew Max
Not going to make any big purchase decisions till tax time. So, I have plenty of time to find a rig that is better suited for the needs of my family. The Tundra CrewMax is definitely high on my list, but I am still open to most larger platforms.
 
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PB&Me

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Just another approach to think about is building up a van that will meet your needs.

This is an interesting video on that point - his build isn’t 4WD so may not meet your needs but the idea of having a van and building it out may be something to consider:

 

Obi-Juan

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Just another approach to think about is building up a van that will meet your needs.

This is an interesting video on that point - his build isn’t 4WD so may not meet your needs but the idea of having a van and building it out may be something to consider:

Yeah, I've looked into to Sportsmobile vans that were custom factory made, and although very nice, were just way out of our price range. I wish I had time for a DIY van project, but I just don't. However, I have ran into a few decent deals on used SM rigs in the past, so used might make for sense for us if we decide to go that route. thx
 

Obi-Juan

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Wow, I really have to get better at updating OB forum threads!

So after much thought I decided to purchase a Toyota 100 Series LC. It took me about 2 months to find it, but our family is now the proud owner of a 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser.... had 1 owner, excellent carfax and service history, and low miles to boot! (only 141k to be exact).

My wife likes it, and is still on the fence about the age of the vehicle...but happily she understands the value this rig will add to our family outing experiences overall.

My daughter absolutely loves it, and can't stop talking about it to all of her friends! (she's only 8! Haha) Yesterday she made me give her and a few of her friends a ride just so they could use the 3rd row seating.... all I heard was the sound of laughter and little voices saying "wow look at all this room we have!" :)

So that being said, thank you all again for all of your input. Yes, I was a little reluctant considering the LC in the beginning, but I think it fits our families needs for now.... now on to building this thing out bit! ;)

-John

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MidOH

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2017-2018 Ford F250 Super Duty crew cab, FX4.

Seats 2 adults and a kid/dog up front. Seats 3 adults in the back.
 

trailrunner33

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Happy Labor Day weekend to All! :)

So if the past few years adventures have taught me anything, its that we really need to consider a larger family sized rig. So I'm tossing around the following questions, in hopes that the OLB community might have a little more experienced input, that might help me decide on what rig would be best for our future larger family sized rig. Please feel free to attach a pic or two of your family sized rig! :)

1) What will my rig be used for primarily? Daily driver, weekend camping, week long camping, trails and moderate rock crawling.

2) What is your current rig build? 2012 Nissan Xterra Pro-4x, with roof rack and OZTent. Dogs have to get boarded on longer trips to make space for extra gear.

3) How big of a rig do I really need? Something that will comfortably accommodate 2 adults, 2 kids, and 2 dogs (safely), with some breathing room for longer trips. Plus room for all gear, and an RTT on top.

4) What types of family sized rigs have you considered or have in mind? Tundra crew cab or similar sized pickup with shell, roof rack and RTT. Excursion Diesel with roof rack and RTT or even a Sportsmobile van conversion with roof rack if I found a reasonable deal. Have also tossed around the idea of an offroad trailer, but still not sold on the concept.
Hey if you decide to get a Tundra I work for Putco and we just released a new product called the Venture-Tec-Rack ill put a link up if you want to see what it looks like on a tundra!

VentureTEC Rack, choose your vehicle
 

grubworm

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Hey if you decide to get a Tundra I work for Putco and we just released a new product called the Venture-Tec-Rack ill put a link up if you want to see what it looks like on a tundra!

VentureTEC Rack, choose your vehicle
Pretty sweet...great accessories to go with it. $1500+ is a lot, but it seems well made and aluminium isn't cheap.
 
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