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jimgrms
Senior Nomad
Posts: 664
Registered: 9-30-2005
Location: oceanside ca
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Mood: its always good
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajaguy
Might I suggest a nice pre-owned VW Kombi bus..........plenty of room for the doggies and co-pilot, and store all of your other stuff on the roof.
Fast enough to get you where you might want to go (downhill), slow enough to enjoy the scenery (several times), great gas mileage. You will be the hit
of the military checkpoints if you paint multi-colored daisys and rainbows all over it..... |
just as long as you don't mind unloading and bacpacking you gear up the hills
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Bajalero
Nomad
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Registered: 11-24-2003
Location: todos santos/ rcho san diego
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Cypress
Underwear? That's a layer of clothes that isn't needed. Causes heat rash etc. |
Cypress , are you really Jimmy Buffet?
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bajabound2005
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2762
Registered: 10-15-2005
Location: Punta Banda, BCN
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Mood: words cannot describe...
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Bajaguy -- our friends have a Vanagon they want to unload (oh, it's here in Baja if there are any takers) -- it's in great shape and as I recall, low
mileage. But we remember the stories from about 2 years ago of their driving here from Walnut Creek. He in the VW, she in the ancient Toyota druck
(heck, it might even have been a Datsun!) He went up the Grapevine at about 25 mph; meanwhile she was already in LA....sounds like a fun vehicle for
the flatlands. We'll be getting it listed for them soon here on the Nomad board with pix.
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805gregg
Super Nomad
Posts: 1344
Registered: 5-21-2006
Location: Ojai, Ca
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I wouldn't want to drive either one of those pigs, take less stuff and drive something smaller and more economical. I have a saying when I load up my
motorcycle for a camping trip, 3 days or 3 years, I take the same gear.
[Edited on 7-5-2007 by 805gregg]
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mtgoat666
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 20025
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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For hotel-ing for 2 people and dogs, I think a jumbo SUV is too big. Big SUVs drive like crap, and are way too big for load you describe, and are a
pain in the watusi to drive/park in cities. For hotel-ing travel I recommend a wagon, like subaru or audi makes. If you want an mid-size SUV w/ 2WD
or 4WD, I suggest you look at toyota 4runner or other japanese mid-size SUVs -- they drive much better than monster SUV, are much more reliable than
american-built vehicles, and suck less gas.
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805gregg
Super Nomad
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Registered: 5-21-2006
Location: Ojai, Ca
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Alot of Jap cars are built in America by Americans.
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mtgoat666
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 20025
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by 805gregg
Alot of Jap cars are built in America by Americans. |
But it seems that the gringos don't do quality work unless managed by japanese 
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bajamigo
Super Nomad
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Registered: 6-17-2006
Location: Punta Banda, BC
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Mood: hubimos llegado
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The CEO of Sony Corporation is a US citizen named Howard Stringer; the head of Nissan Motors is a Brazilian (Carlos Ghosn). Go figure.
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mtgoat666
Platinum Nomad
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i didn't mean the figurehead CEO level -- meant the staff level engineers that design or oversee production. the CEO does not do work, only goes
golfing with other equally useless managers
having owned gringo and jap cars, I found fit, finish and durability of japanese to be better -- I will never again drive a gringo car after being
burned so many times before.
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joel
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Posts: 361
Registered: 2-2-2007
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On the original question, I'm going to go against the current.
I am a long-time Expedition owner (still have my 98 4wd).
Last year, we decided to do something similar: bring our two young kids on a multi-part Baja surf adventure for the summer and fall where we left the
car various airports and would fly home for a few weeks of work, etc.
After a year of Baja travels, I have to say that I'm not as happy with the Suburban as I am with the Expedition. I like the extra room of the
Suburban, but that may not be a deciding factor for you.
My main problem is that the Chevrolet steering appears not to be as tight as Ford's and that is certainly the case in my Expedition. On Highway 1,
with big rigs coming at you and no shoulder, steering is a big deal. I've had this experience with other Chevy's I've driven -- and played a role in
our initial decision to go with the Ford in 98.
In terms of parts, while the Suburban is more common in Baja, it's not particularly common. Ford seems to be more popular than Chevy's and the
Expedition is built on the very popular Ford f150 platform. If you're in a remote location, Ford parts definitely appear easier to come by than Chevy.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
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Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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The Suburban used to be the ride of choice for the Federales. They're probably driving Escalades now, purely in service to the country.
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joel
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Registered: 2-2-2007
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I said "appear"....
I'm hardly an expert, but I have spent the past two summers (and intermittent trips over the past 20 years) roaming around some remote parts of Baja.
Since I switched to Chevy, I've been noticing these things. My sense is that I see more Fords than Chevy's among Mexicans....
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
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Location: South of the broder
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My part of Baja - quite a ways from yours - many more Ford than Chev.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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805gregg
Super Nomad
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Registered: 5-21-2006
Location: Ojai, Ca
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How about going with a full size truck with a diesel, get an extended cab put a camper shell on the back, your all set. I prefer dodge with a cummins.
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joel
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I wasn't including Dodge, but I was including GMC.
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805gregg
Super Nomad
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Location: Ojai, Ca
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
| Quote: | Originally posted by 805gregg
Alot of Jap cars are built in America by Americans. |
But it seems that the gringos don't do quality work unless managed by japanese |
When Nissan started building trucks in Tenn it was found that the trucks built in Tenn had less problems than the ones made in Japan. My last 2 Dodges
were assembled in Mexico and I had no problems with either now at 180,000 miles between the 2.
[Edited on 7-6-2007 by 805gregg]
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bajamigo
Super Nomad
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Location: Punta Banda, BC
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Thanks!
Before this thread slides off the board, I want to thank all the Nomads who gave me such a great education on what to buy for our trek (it will
probably be a 4-runner). You guys are a treasure trove of useful information. Thanks again.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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great, b'amigo....you just threw gasoline on the fire!!!!!!!
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jimgrms
Senior Nomad
Posts: 664
Registered: 9-30-2005
Location: oceanside ca
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Mood: its always good
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jeep grand cherokee has come out with a diesel (by mercedes ) but at over 40.000 lots of sticker shoch like my old cherokee more and more
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bacquito
Super Nomad
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Registered: 3-6-2007
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I agree wih Howat regarding 4wd. I managed to get stuck in a 4wd Chev. Tahoe and it was a mess getting it out. It is better to park and walk to remote
locations-better exercise!!
bacquito
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