Help me pick a vehicle for my tour of the west!

[Wolverine33]

I plan to travel around the Rockies fly fishing the entire summer and fall. Here is the criteria of what I'm looking for:

1. Must be good on gas, this is the #1 thing
2. I'd like to have something I can sleep in the bag of (I realize this doesn't go that well with #1).
3. Reliability must be good

I'm thinking about a van or a suburu outback at this point. Van gets me the sleeping in the back, but not great mileage. Outback is just the opposite, but it does offer AWD and better clearance than a van. Doesn't seem like too many good options out there that accomadate both things. I'm not married to an outback or van - any recommendation would be appreciated.

Thank you

 

[BobM]

I see a lot of these on the road. http://www.jucyrentals.com/ Not sure if you're looking to buy or rent. If you are buying I'd get a truck and either an FWC or ATC since they can go anywhere.<br />

 

[JaSAn]

I spent 6 weeks, four years in a row, camping and backpacking out of a Subaru Forester (with a Beagle, even). I was comfortable most of the time. I took out the front passenger seat, built a platform, folded down the rear seat so I could stretch out and sleep. Was quite comfortable with a 2" foam pad. I could barely sit up on the 'bed' (I'm 5'9").

If I had kept it, I would have removed the rear seat and built storage. It did require a lot of moving stuff around to sleep or drive, but it worked. All other stuff is done outside. I did not try it during bug season (one reason I go in September - October). Sucks if you have lots of sloppy weather, but all camping does.

I think the Outback is about 6" longer than the Forester. I got ~26 MPG. I could go on most forest service roads, ground clearance being the main limiter.

Having to deal with a muddy dog for 6 weeks convinced me that I need something bigger. I now have a Grandby on a Ram 2500; ~12 MPG.

 

[Foy]

My thought is the larger streams are by and large accessble by conventional automobile given that Federal, State, County, and Forest Service roads run along most prominent valleys. I've always run a 4WD but for a strictly fishing access vehicle, you can probably do without it.

Sleeping in the back is as much a question of how tall you are and how well you'd fit in the back of a smaller vehicle than anything else. I'm 6'3" and 220 lbs and I am unlikely to get comfortable in the back of anything which doesn't have at least 7' of stretching-out space. I'd definitely have a simple tent on board, as National Forest campgrounds abound and many are up canyons hosting trout waters to begin with. Many are low fee ($5 to $9/night) or no fee and offer vault toilets, water, and a picnic table. Many larger streams have abundant free disbursed camping sites, as well.

A reasonable vehicle may be a minivan with the 3rd seat removed and the middle seats folded down if such gives you a flat surface front to back. Minivans don't get the best mileage, but in my experience, neither does a Subaru Outback. I'd suppose either ride is going to see real-life mileage in the mid 20s on the highway and upper teens cruising Forest Service gravel roads.

Put Rock Creek, Montana on your list. While there are many Rock Creeks in Montana, the one I'm speaking of empties into the Clark Fork River about 20 miles east of Missoula, MT, right on I-90. From its mouth it runs over 50 miles south, mostly through Forest Service lands, and it branches into several tributaries as its headwaters are approached within the Anaconda-Pintlar Wilderness Area along the Continental Divide southwest of Anaconda. There must be nearly a dozen small FS campgrounds in the drainage and innumerable disbursed campsites. I can also recommend the Wise River drainage south of the village of Wise River, MT. The Wise River is a tributary of the Big Hole River and offers fine fishing along the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway, a paved parkway running between the village of Wise River and that of Polaris, MT. There are a half-dozen or more NF campgrounds along the Byway, particularly the Wise River end.

Foy

 

[escadventure]

Have you considered a roof top tent? That would make pretty much any vehicle want, a camping car. Most are easy to set up, and comfortable.

 

[Basin Deranged]

Honda Element? Lots of room, fuel economy about 2 to 3 mpg worse than Outback. There was an all wheel drive model too.

 

[Happyjax]

http://www.myminicamper.com/minicamper_overview.pdf

I had actually considered this route but I wanted to be able to stand in my camper
I believe the Sienna is AWD.

 

[mitch h]

We have a 2013 outback. it gets 27-28 with everyday driving and if you run 65 mph or less you can get around 34-35 mpg. Really don't care for the new transmission. I am about 5'11 and could sleep in the back but i don't think i want to. Slepped in camper shell on a two week trip and four week trip a couple years ago. that was enough for me. Getting fibbel i guess. I think our hawk and grandby spoiled us. That is why we are looking for another hawk. When the time is right and you can afford it, go for a fwc or a atc.,can not go wrong. Mitch

 

[Wolverine33]

Wow, great information people...thank you very much. That article on the mini van was outstanding. I'd really like to go that route if I could. Do they really get 25mpg though on the highway?? That would be outstanding. Only issues would be lack of ground clearance and no AWD...I think the Sienna has an AWD version, but the mileage isn't very good. Most of my travels would be to places like The Madison, Missouri, Rock Creek, Henry's Fork, etc. which have easy access. I don't know - I think the mini-van idea has legs .

Thanks for the help and any additional thoughts are welcome

 

[CALIcamperdad]

I plan to travel around the Rockies fly fishing the entire summer and fall. Here is the criteria of what I'm looking for:

1. Must be good on gas, this is the #1 thing
2. I'd like to have something I can sleep in the bag of (I realize this doesn't go that well with #1).
3. Reliability must be good

I'm thinking about a van or a suburu outback at this point. Van gets me the sleeping in the back, but not great mileage. Outback is just the opposite, but it does offer AWD and better clearance than a van. Doesn't seem like too many good options out there that accomadate both things. I'm not married to an outback or van - any recommendation would be appreciated.

Thank you

I have a 2010 2.5 CVT OB we get between 23-32mpg pending speeds head winds and roof gear etc. It would be snug but if your shorter than 6ft I've seen folks rig up very low profile cots in the current OB for sleeping in the car.

Regarding mileage nakid no roof rack gear 70mph road trips no head winds flat run 28-29mpg is possible, toss in a big head wind and I've seen that same 28-29mpg trip return 23mpg. I have a sleek 30inch wide 7foot long roof box which is typically about a 1-2mpg hit at 70+mph speeds under 70mph it doesn't seem to affect mileage enough to suggest its making a big impact. If I have two mt bikes on the roof with the box 70mph highway speeds we see about a 4mpg hit to our typical average. 65mph and under however and we have seen tank averages with the bikes up there 31mpg!

60,000 miles now on the CVT and its been really good especially in the mountains. Off pavement the OB is like a magic carpet ride very smooth and pretty good till you hit very rocky technical stuff then the long overhangs start to make getting through without dragging plastic parts difficult. For lots of pavement miles to cover the OB has been really good! Very comfortable roomy interior quiet ride and good mileage etc. The AWD is a big bonus never had any issues with being worried about getting stuck.

Our prior Subaru was a 2001 Legacy which we finally caved and replaced to get the new roomier larger 2010 OB.

The 09 and earlier Subarus rarely get much better than 27mpg and we typically averaged between 24-26 mpg with the old car. The CVT and modern slicker engineering has made a big difference in the mileage capability.

From Norcal to Eastern Washington we have done 520 mile runs on a single tank by keeping speeds 70mph and below which has been nice.

 

[CALIcamperdad]

Wow, great information people...thank you very much. That article on the mini van was outstanding. I'd really like to go that route if I could. Do they really get 25mpg though on the highway?? That would be outstanding. Only issues would be lack of ground clearance and no AWD...I think the Sienna has an AWD version, but the mileage isn't very good. Most of my travels would be to places like The Madison, Missouri, Rock Creek, Henry's Fork, etc. which have easy access. I don't know - I think the mini-van idea has legs .

Thanks for the help and any additional thoughts are welcome

Good friend has a new sienna they get about 16mpg around town and their trip to Disney land last spring they got 23mpg for the trip. Its a big heavy platform they get better mileage than our Sequoia on the highway we get between 17-19mpg depending how fast were going with the 4.7L v8 they get 22ish with the Sienna.

 

[CALIcamperdad]

One of the Ford Rangers, or 4cylinder Toyota Tacomas could see low to mid 20's with a light weight camper if your light on the go pedal. Put some Ok tires on the 2wd truck and carry chains and you would do pretty well especially with gear weight over the rear wheels.

Or just go little 4x4 basic Toyota 4cylinder Tacoma with a simple bed cap. Neighbor just got one very nice looking little truck very simple pretty cheap price wise 4x4 his is very basic with a Manual. His general plan kids are graduating HS this year so putting a cap on it and yep doing some fly fishing and crashing in the back for overnights etc.

 

[CALIcamperdad]

Wow, great information people...thank you very much. That article on the mini van was outstanding. I'd really like to go that route if I could. Do they really get 25mpg though on the highway?? That would be outstanding. Only issues would be lack of ground clearance and no AWD...I think the Sienna has an AWD version, but the mileage isn't very good. Most of my travels would be to places like The Madison, Missouri, Rock Creek, Henry's Fork, etc. which have easy access. I don't know - I think the mini-van idea has legs .

Thanks for the help and any additional thoughts are welcome

Just so you know the Toyota Highlander is the same platform as the Sienna just offered in a more SUV like format. That might be the right mix your looking for. It has the same flat load floor as the mini van though better ground clearance and very similar mileage.