Seeking opinions on a vehicle setup for very long road trip

Have you looked at EarthRoamer?

http://haw-creek.com/off-road-rvs/

Joel Eade wrote:Have you looked at EarthRoamer?

http://haw-creek.com/off-road-rvs/

Yeah. Those are beasts. Very expensive beasts. Too rich for my blood. But cool!

mortsgah wrote:

Joel Eade wrote:Have you looked at EarthRoamer?

http://haw-creek.com/off-road-rvs/

Yeah. Those are beasts. Very expensive beasts. Too rich for my blood. But cool!

That's the problem with most of the really good solutions, they cost as much as a decent house in much of the country!

How about these puppies...built in Bend Oregon
https://earthcruiser.com/

I have a 4wheeler pop up camper for my 4 wheel drive P/U, 9' with toilet and shower. Though it has a furnace, I would consider it a comfortable 3 season. Water freezes in really cold climes. It only weighs 1000lbs.

Mike in O wrote:How about these puppies...built in Bend Oregon
https://earthcruiser.com/

Yeah, those are awesome looking. The two big ones start at $225K and $175K respectively and can go up a lot from there depending on how you outfit them.  The other problem in N.A. is that they are based on a platform that is fairly rare here so you could be down for parts for some time if something goes wrong.  The other problem with them is that they are in the neighborhood of 12,000 lb once you outfit them with the interior and all of that is being pulled by a measly 160 HP.

Torque and gearing is what counts...many 80,000 lb pullers have less than 400hp.

Mike in O wrote:Torque and gearing is what counts...many 80,000 lb pullers have less than 400hp.

Granted for getting off the line but for going up some long hills in the SW, you also need ponies.  Those rigs slow down to 20MPH going up even Interstate grades down here.  The truck has 295 ft/lb of torque which is less than my crossover SUV

A friend whth a great job purchased a Ford F 350 Sportsmobile with 4 wheel drive.  He is an avid avian shooter.  I was shocked to see they are $160,000 US.  As shown in the photo, one can also rent one.

Sticker shock is brutal in this 4 WD arena.  I found a place called Quigley Motor Company that 4 wheel drive converts most of the popular work vans in the US, like the Nissan NV 2500.  Price is $12,000 US.  A new NV 2500 is about $35,000.  They also convert used vans.  Then you'd need to camperize the interior.  Still way less than the $160K vehicles.

Quigley has been around a long time. Sportsmobile used to and probably still uses their 4wd conversions as the basis of their van. Some vehicles in my mind, like the earth roamer, are more cool than necessary, practical or even desirable in the US and Canada. Frankly it is tame compared to some of the stuff I saw at the overland convention that looked like it used an Oshkosh Corporation body to start with (think airport fire trucks and military trucks) with tires at least 4ft in diameter. I think there are better choices that may not be as cool but then you can take the money you save and buy something really cool like a Porsche to tow behind you. The sportsmobile at least is usable.

E.J. Peiker wrote:

Mike in O wrote:Torque and gearing is what counts...many 80,000 lb pullers have less than 400hp.

Granted for getting off the line but for going up some long hills in the SW, you also need ponies.  Those rigs slow down to 20MPH going up even Interstate grades down here.  The truck has 295 ft/lb of torque which is less than my crossover SUV

Every thing in perspective...my old Ford 150 (7700) has only 265 hp but 400lbs of torque but is rated at towing 13,000lbs. Newer engines have more hp but the torque was dropped.

Even though made in Oregon, the owner is an Aussie and the vehicle is marketed to a worldwide buyer, not really for the North American market.

Winnebago has a 4x4 option that looks very interesting - only 19' 5" long, should be easy to maneuver in the city...
- Winnebago Revel

rajandesai wrote:Winnebago has a 4x4 option that looks very interesting - only 19' 5" long, should be easy to maneuver in the city...
- Winnebago Revel

Yup, that's built on the new Sprinter 4x4 platform.  Looks like a great turn-key solution - I DL'd the brochure, I think my biggest concern would be if there is enough storage space for all of the gear.   Sportsmobile gives you that option of vehicle too and lets you customize it in an almost infinite number of ways...

Update, never my mind on the storage.  I watched the video.  It's not an issue.

Have you looked at the VW California option?

https://www.curbed.com/2018/5/9/1733089 ... california

dbolt wrote:Have you looked at the VW California option?

https://www.curbed.com/2018/5/9/1733089 ... california

That vehicle is not sold in the USA according to the link you provided.

Confirmed - the VW California is not sold in US, much to the annoyance of a large number of van people. Odd name for a vehicle not sold in this country.

Sticker shock - most RV's are sold at significant discount of the MSRP. I am told that 20 to 30 percent off is common. That does not apply to the custom builders however. Also the van market is really hot right now (darn boomers and their retirement wanderlust)! Oops forgot, I am one.

Anyway there is also a significant used market for these things. Some people buy the dream but find it gets old and moldy in a three day rainstorm - reality sucks.  If interested and diligent (and quick) a lot of these things come on the used market.

This Texas dealer is well known for discounts - https://www.mhsrv.com/

Edit - a  FL dealer specializing in vans - https://sunshinestatervs.com/

E.J. Peiker wrote:

rajandesai wrote:Winnebago has a 4x4 option that looks very interesting - only 19' 5" long, should be easy to maneuver in the city...
- Winnebago Revel

Yup, that's built on the new Sprinter 4x4 platform.  Looks like a great turn-key solution - I DL'd the brochure, I think my biggest concern would be if there is enough storage space for all of the gear.   Sportsmobile gives you that option of vehicle too and lets you customize it in an almost infinite number of ways...

Update, never my mind on the storage.  I watched the video.  It's not an issue.

I was very intrigued when  I first heard of it. But then I checked one out at an RV show and with an interior height of 6'3" and me being 6'2" it felt like I was crawling in to a cave.

I'm a teacher, so I have the time to do longer trips... though never months at a time. I just returned from a 17 day (16 nights) that began near Minneapolis (home). We visited Theodore Roosevelt NP, Glacier, Kootany NP (in BC) and the Olympic Peninsula. We stayed in a mix of rustic (non-facility) campgrounds as well as NP campgrounds with electrical hook ups (Kootany and Sol Ducky). We travel with a 17 foot rPod trailer. We have two golden doodles (biggish dogs) that joined us. The rPod can be fitted with solar and two gas tanks and a lift kit with off road tires. It is small enough that a Jeep Grand Cherokee can pull it through the rockies and dirt/rutted roads. I wouldn't take it off road, but you would be able to haul it through BLM roads. The solar panels are enough to charge the batteries and the refrigerator can run off propane. I have done longer trips in smaller trailers (ALiner for 18 days in Algonquin and another 18 day trip into the Canadian Rockies). I have also done two similar trips on the west coast in old Westfalia VW vans. While the van was fun, my current set up has been the best because I am left with a vehicle that allows me to explore off the beaten path. FYI... you can buy an rPod fully loaded for less than $20,000
cheers,
bruce