New England B.S. Thread

Seeing those big camper shells on a Tacoma remind me of this picture of the the Ram with the broken frame.

 

"Nature's Snowbrush"

 

Bro my HOUSE cost that much. (at least in 2017 )

bananas. Meanwhile I rock up missing a passenger seat like "hello fellow overlanders!"

Won't lie, overlanding level of it vs wheeling, having a shitter and a kitchen that isn't "in the elements" is a game changer. Not a 195k variance game changer, but still. I am toying with a fridge setup this year, I have a camp stove that sits in the bed, if it's raining it's like...well....Guess I'm having some canned soup in the driver seat and then crawling over to bed. Dealing with dirty dishes, etc. I can do a good long weekend no problem, but longer term I'd want a van. Not for 225k but hey, if someone wants to foot that bill, so be it...

Here's something for 160k. Still bananas to me, but I'm sure resale makes sense. Could make sense if you look at lodging costs long term too. At 200/night that's 800 nights to break even for hotels though

https://www.rvt.com/Winnebago-Revel-44E-2023-Manassas-VA-ID10908512-UX487514

 

The pricing of RVs is just crazy. I thought the Revel was around $120K a couple years ago when I first looked into them. You could fly anywhere, rent a car and VRBOs for years for that money. And you have a real bathroom.

 

The one big downfall of owning a van: once you're set up, you aren't moving without a big hassle. Overlanding isn't a big deal because you're always on the move, but if you want to spend more than one night at a campsite and go for day trips around the area to explore, you need to bring the whole campsite with you.

 

I see it more as "full timing" instead. Some people retire to cruises, some retire to an RV and explore the country. Drop 100k on an RV, live in it for a year, resell it for (I dunno) 75k. 25k for a year (plus campsite fees, too, though)

I lived in Maine - I've dealt with the plague of everyone dragging their 5th wheel up to the beaches for the weekends - spending 100k to save 50 bucks, I hate that level of it, but if you ARE in it long term, I can see it.

 

wut

most vans I've seen (at least my thoughts on them) without popouts and whatnot is you turn the van off, turn around, and you have a house (tiny house). Pop ups, trailers, yeah if you want to take that with you it's a hassle. Awnings, blahdy blah. But I have the same thing with the truck. If I set up an awning, set up my kitchen, etc - if I want to leave for the day I have to break that all down.

I have a few friends with trailers, idea being drop the trailer and they can drive the trucks without having to break down camp. I like the idea, I'd do a teardrop maybe - at least with what I do right now.

 

I guess it really depends on how you want to camp. I have a wife and kid - need to set up a camp site so we got a trailer that we plop on a site and can use the truck to explore around the area. Maybe its a bit of being lazy, but when I set up the chairs, awnings, mats, outdoor grill, etc, i don't want to have to break all that down and put it away every time I go somewhere.

 

Yup, for sure. I see the van for 2 as being used similar to mine. Pull up, done. No tents to unfold, awnings to break out, etc. Grab a chair if you want, otherwise, done. Seriously under-rated how much goes into setting up a campsite every night even with something as easy as a rooftop tent.

I'm toying with the idea of an AWD sedan ideally rally bred (WRX is the "well, you just would, wouldn't you" option) and doing similar to the truck - sleeping platform inside, put a cooler in the trunk, call it good. Being able to rip up in NMW but being a lot friendlier for broverland trips instead of putting a bunch of highway miles on a floating brick with wheels. (The WRX mileage isn't stellar, to be fair...but it'd also be fun )

edit - also the WRX autos are only CVTs, so it would have to be manual. I'm not opposed to an automatic, but I AM opposed to a CVT. I think it would be easier to have an automatic for something that would most likely be a daily as well. I envision suspension being a 6-10k expense on this thing if I do it. I won't be shitting around

 

Corolla GR, import a Celica GT4, get an EVO. If it's not an early bug eye or blob eye I don't seem interested in the Subarus. Maybe a Hawkeye

 

Not much to report on regarding this past snow storm. It was predicted to dump 8"-12" but reality was closer to 2"-3". @jpereira2 You will hate this, I am not even going to bother to plow. Temps the next 5 days are above 40 degrees and rain on Friday and Saturday. Mother nature should take care of my plowing.

 

I wish they'd go after people for that more. I've never seen a local cop do it. More than once, I've had to swerve to avoid giant flying ice chunks off people's roofs. It's amazing how far they go when they take flight.

 

Not gonna lie, the newer WRXs are shmexy - but CVT no thanks. And, no hatchback option

Definitely like the corolla. But it's NEW new, so $$$. But, definitely an option. I've seen the one they have built up for races and that thing is slick. EVO is on the list too, there's just a lot less of those than WRXs when you start looking.

Trunk would be nice vs hatchback though. Cooler + mud/dusty stuff can go back there, I'd rip out the seat and sleep in the cab like the truck. Hatchback I'd just sleep in the back, but spare wheels/muddy stuff would be in the cab with me.

I haven't done a LOT of looking, this is still an early stages consideration

edit - F me hard with a rusty spoon, them corollas are STARTING at 36 grand. That's what I paid for an up trim truck, new model year, in 2019. Yeesh.

I also just looked and reminded myself there is an AWD stinger. So. Could be an option.

 

Sounds like you need a turbo baja....

 

You can fit a surprising amount of stuff in the hatchback/wagon. I used to have a 2006. An old clean low mileage one would be sweet.

 

I had a hatchback Mazda 3 before this truck. Loved that car. But, it's not AWD/woods ready. I could make it, but FWD seems like a why bother. I want to hit the NMW fire roads at 90. I have a few wheeling trips but also plenty of highway + dirt road "broverland" trips. My wife has a hybrid camry for 100% highway trips, which is nice.

It's not fitting it - it's sharing the space with my sleeping bag and snuggling up with a muddy tire for the night vs chuck it in the trunk and have the clean internal cabin.

 

There was a wrx up in NMW last year when we were up there. I saw it at haymock lake

 

Or a Forester XT or I always wanted an early outback wagon, what was it the 3.6r or something

 

Forrester XT would be a sick sleeper

 

My buddy had one in.... oof, I don't remember if it was in or just after high school to be fair. That thing RIPPED.

I don't care about a sleeper. Thing's going to look like this (ish), and sending it for the NMW and other broverland camping trips. I want it to boot it and handle corners and washboards, and let's be honest, I want it to able to take a (small) jump. There are some whoops in the NMW from drainage ditches that I don't want to slow down for but I won't be focused on 50/50 so I can't sail the bastard.

One of my coworkers has a white WRX and every time I see her car I get envious. New ones at base (what I'd get since I'd be ripping the tires and suspension apart) is 30 grand and things need ("need") 91.