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I am unlikely to do it (at least any time soon), but I've thought some about the possibilities of a custom modified SUV, van or wagon.
Are you planning on doing the SUV/van/wagon from scratch? Because it could actually save you some bucks to just find one that's already done!
Like I said, we have an Excursion.. 2003, I believe.. and it did pretty well on the tough roads, but a hole got knocked into the muffler, so we won't be taking it on any more nasty roads. I really don't think that SUV's are suited for that type of thing, ya know? I'd stick with a van! Wagon's are nice and hardy, but they're lighter, so they have a bigger chance of getting tipped or something of the sort!
Last edited by Love_Idaho; 04-04-2011 at 01:49 PM..
I wish I could see it, but for some reason my computer doesn't seem to want to open it up. I tried once, and it went real slow, then the second time my computer shut down all of sudden. Vids of our Baja Bus (the orange van). I was sitting in the back of that van on every video.. haha. We went on some pretty scary roads!
Last edited by Love_Idaho; 04-05-2011 at 09:12 PM..
An update! Thanks to all of you who weighed in in 2011 when we decided we were going to look for the perfect Idaho vehicle! We decided to wait until our 2nd car, a Honda Civic, was on its last leg, so we have kept it going for another 4 years. Really amazing car. But now the repairs are adding up, and we thought it would be the right time to get a new car that can handle the Idaho dirt roads a little better that our road-weary, faithful CR-V, be good for the road trips, and also a reliable commuter car with good mileage. Somewhere in this thread several posters suggested the Subaru Forester, but at the time it was not what we thought we were looking for. But now, with the new design (2014), it turned out to be the perfect solution! AWD, comfortable, good looking, room for dog, and with good visibility through the rear window--something with the new CR-V has sacrificed for a more streamlined look, which I hate, anyway.
I did fall in love with a used Jeep Commander along the way, but thought twice when I read the Consumer Report issue about new and used cars. Jeeps are at the bottom of the list , except for off-roading...
Can't wait to see how it does on our gravel access road in Clark Fork, and our driveway...and up and down those forest roads in the Green Monarchs and Cabinets we've been reluctant to drive! So when we head north to Idaho this summer, it will be in a greyish-green Forester, with a foxy-looking dog's happy face out the window! Honk and wave if you see us!
We're going thru a similar thought process, and a Subaru is one of the candidates. We've got some time, so we'll probably continue to think about it for a while.
An update! Thanks to all of you who weighed in in 2011 when we decided we were going to look for the perfect Idaho vehicle! We decided to wait until our 2nd car, a Honda Civic, was on its last leg, so we have kept it going for another 4 years. Really amazing car. But now the repairs are adding up, and we thought it would be the right time to get a new car that can handle the Idaho dirt roads a little better that our road-weary, faithful CR-V, be good for the road trips, and also a reliable commuter car with good mileage. Somewhere in this thread several posters suggested the Subaru Forester, but at the time it was not what we thought we were looking for. But now, with the new design (2014), it turned out to be the perfect solution! AWD, comfortable, good looking, room for dog, and with good visibility through the rear window--something with the new CR-V has sacrificed for a more streamlined look, which I hate, anyway.
I did fall in love with a used Jeep Commander along the way, but thought twice when I read the Consumer Report issue about new and used cars. Jeeps are at the bottom of the list , except for off-roading...
Can't wait to see how it does on our gravel access road in Clark Fork, and our driveway...and up and down those forest roads in the Green Monarchs and Cabinets we've been reluctant to drive! So when we head north to Idaho this summer, it will be in a greyish-green Forester, with a foxy-looking dog's happy face out the window! Honk and wave if you see us!
How many miles were on your CR-V?
Good luck with your new Forester!
Scott
You'll probably love that Scooby! The Jeep Cherokee (Not Grand) has also come out since the 2011 thread and could be a contender but you mentioned the reliability issue, which I can't really speak to.
I'd have to vote for either a Can-Am Outlander XXC, Triumph Tiger 800 XCx or KTM 1190 Adventure. Very versatile for someone that rides in the backcountry and still needs to get somewhere quickly. Much better in the backcountry than any SUV or crossover. Winters are a bit of a challenge though.
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Got a Forester!
, except for off-roading...
