BajaNomad » Baja Questions & Answers » What is the CHEAPEST and most reliable vehicle to buy, own and maintain for long term travel throughout Baja, mainland Mexico...
Yes, Sprinters are reeeeeeally nice but don't fit into the CHEAP category, plus, they are too "rich gringo" like which could be an invitation for
ripoffs.
Quote:
Originally posted by El Jefe
Van. I like a van. If I was looking for a vehicle for an extended surf trip I'd go with a used Dodge Sprinter diesel. Put a locking rear end in it and
away you go. Stand up interior room. Put a bed in the back with LOTS of room underneath for storage. Boards inside lashed to the roof.
Pull over to the side of the road in a safe place and go to sleep. No setup. No fuss. And I like the idea of the little moto for exploring etc.
Keep it simple. Guys I know with those Sportsmobiles won't take them off road for fear of tearing up their fancy interiors. And they cost way too much
anyway. Same for even an older cheap moho. You will find the cabinets falling apart on the first washboard you come to. Hit that pothole and
everything comes flying out of the upper cabinet. Keep your stuff packed in plastic boxes under the bed where it can't fly around.
Pulling stuff out to camp is okay if I'm staying in an area for a while, but I agree 100% that having to set up and de-set up is a drag when having to
make trips into town to get supplies or when you're on the move a lot. Thats why I was kind of thinking of a Toyota motorhome.
Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
Quote:
Originally posted by MMc
The new motor home of choice is a full size 1/2 ton with pop-top.
You know, that is REALLY probably the way to go, though it probably wouldnt satisfy the OP criteria of a cheap vehicle.
But you could go ANYWHERE in a rig like if it had 4x4. Almost no clearance issues. Almost instantaneous setup of a place to eat, kitchen, place to
sleep, place for when mother nature calls, place to shower (although usually those are outside on pop-ups).
It really does get to be a drag to have to pull everything out of your truck bed/SUV everytime you want to lay down in privacy or make camp. At least
it does on any trip longer than, say, two weeks. And that constitutes long term, which is another goal of the OP.
I have lots of questions about towing a trailer with your 22R and 4Runner please...
1) Do you know what the total weight of the trailer was including all the stuff you packed into it?
2) Did you upgrade anything on the pickup or the 4Runner to handle towing the trailer? Bigger radiator? Transmission cooler??
3) What was it like towing on those long gnarly wash board roads?
4) Why did you prefer the older Toyota pickup over the 4Runner?
5) Did you ever find yourself thinking: "Oh man, I wish we had everything in one vehicle instead of towing a trailer!"
6) Did you have a propane fridge or cooler with ice?
7) Would you still consider towing a trailer if you were traveling in Baja, mainland Mexico, and Central America?
8) Do you remember the difference for the MPG when towing?
Thanks!
Quote:
Originally posted by dean miller
We toured Baja with an old Toyota with a 22R engine for many years. It was repaced by a later model 4 Fourunner. I preferred the earlier Toyota ..
Our trailer was small 13 foot "Roust a bout trailer." It was one of the sleepers which over built and never sold well. In an 8X10 space we had all
the comforts of home. Sink, Stove, Heater, Bath, Bed, Lighing, Storage...Just don't make them like the "Roust a bout" any more...
First mod to the "Roust a bout" was to seal the joints of the trailer with caulking and spray generous amounts of undercoating on all the joint areas.
The tires needed replacement so 3 size over size tires, requiring the wheel wells to be cut out and rubber "eye" lashes be installed. Then the 3 leaf
springs broke, so replaced in Mexico with 6 leaf high arch springs. After 10 years of hard useage they broke, so replaced the entire spring system
with all new components which were tac welded in place.
The interior items the toilet, the water system was replaced by marine grade items, the lighting was converted to florescent 6-12 volt and 3-110 (just
in case)all the lighting was also supplemented by three solar panels.
The single propane tank was replaced by two tanks and the single battery was to be replaced "when I got around to it" high above the back bumper I
welded a mesh rack 2feet by ten feet which held a jack, Jerry cans for water and gasoline,supplies etc etc etc...
This trailer went were ever we wanted to pull it..on the concrete or where the concrete ends.
It would not be economical feasible for a US manufacture to market an off road trailer, there is just no market for one. The US has insidiously become
a nation of RV parks and concrete. So we made our own.
The 80s diesel Suburbans with the 6.2 N/A motor worked/works great for me. Lotsa trips to Costa Rica and Panama from Cali. 17/19 mpg. I still own an
1984 with 330,000 miles and running strong. Its no speed demon. You can pack alot of stuff in and on top of with room to sleep inside if need be.
Plenty of them in Central America so parts are not a problem.
Originally posted by Gaucho
I HAD a Ford Ranger truck and it was a pile! Toyota for sure.
Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
If by small Ford pick up, you guys mean the Ranger series, I would disagree. I cant recall any reliable years for the Ranger that would be cheap now.
A Toy is probably the best best but I wouldnt shy away from the 3.0L V-6, really. The only real problem I've heard of with them in the factory
recalled head gasket replacement. And, at this point, it's probably impossible to find one that hasnt had it replaced, via recall or outright failure.
I think I would lean towards a 4-Runner, too. Just a little more secure than a truck with a shell. Bigger rack options, too.
My 2001 had the 3.4 V-6 and the '05 and '10 have the 4.0 V-6... both were fantastic engines and never a bit of problem... total between the three,
about 300,000 miles... never a drop of oil on the ground either
David you sell your trucks at 100,000 miles, a Yugo can go that distance, it's the after 100,000 miles that makes a statement. My 2000 Dodge has
350,000 and is still going strong, original auto trans and Cummins, can't a good diesel.
Before getting my '01 Tacoma, I did shop for a Ford Ranger... oh, I am SOOOO glad I got the Toyota... Our son has a 4WD Ranger and it is a miracle
when the 4WD works or there aren't other issues.
Who said anything about the engines in the Rangers? It was every thing else, especially the trannys. Check out older issues of Consumer's Reports
buying guides.
David you sell your trucks at 100,000 miles, a Yugo can go that distance, it's the after 100,000 miles that makes a statement. My 2000 Dodge has
350,000 and is still going strong, original auto trans and Cummins, can't a good diesel.
You buried your reply inside of my quote, so I didn't discover it until now...
Tacoma #1 had 136,000 miles on it in almost 5 years.
Tacoma #2 had 102,000 miles on it in a little over 4 years.
Tacoma #3 has 45,000 miles on it so far at almost 3 years.
Toyotas are just 'warming up' at 100,000 miles!
#1 was a 2 door 'xtra cab' and only had room for two adults and two small kids for any distance... my kids out-grew it.
#2 (and #3) was a four door, second generation (bigger overall) Tacoma. room for 4 adults comfortably, and 5 if needed.
The trucks are on a 5 year lease (as they are used for both business and pleasure)... Toyota does not add any penalty for exceeding the annual 12,000
mile lease mileage if you trade for another Toyota... and since Toyotas last so long, the mileage deduction is not severe on dropping the value of the
truck at the time of the trade in.
When I traded in my 2005 for the 2010, I didn't have to pay one cent, and the only change was $20 increase in the lease payment. Leasing is awesome if
you cannot afford the payments of a purchase (don't have a large down payment), you want to deduct the entire cost of the truck from your business
tax, and you want to have a new truck every 5 years or less. It was the only way I could get safe, reliable vehicles for my family and business.
Now, the negatives of leasing is that you don't want to do any major modifications, specially if they cannot be removed and used on the next truck (as
I did with my light bar). Also, if you like the truck so much, that you want to keep it, then it will cost you more overall to have leased it for up
to 5 years then purchase it... with a few more years worth of payments added.
Originally posted by magentawave
Yes, Sprinters are reeeeeeally nice but don't fit into the CHEAP category, plus, they are too "rich gringo" like which could be an invitation for
ripoffs.
OK, so substitute Ford or Chevy or Dodge for Sprinter in my post and you have the same thing only much cheaper. With the rear locker in my old Ford
Econoline and BFGs aired down I could get just about anywhere I wanted. Yes, sometimes I wanted to camp just "over there" and had to settle for "right
here" because it looked too soft over there. Fuel mpg is not as good as a toyota maybe, but utility is way better. More carrying capacity for your
toys, room for a nice big comfy place to sleep out of the elements etc. People along the road may try to flag you down thinking you are the collectivo
bus, but hey you will look like a local for sure.
Originally posted by monoloco
I have owned 19 different trucks of just about every make and a 1981 Ford F250 4x4 with a 300ci 6 cylinder and manual transmission was the most
reliable truck I ever owned.
I second this. Ford made this engine up until the mid 90's. mostly in the the F150's (PU's) E150 (Vans). Lots of torque. 4X4 is nice but the 2wd with
the 4 speed with the granny low crawler gear will get you most places . High teens in gas mileage. Toyota's are great but $$ for anything decent. I
have both.
i have had 3 trucks in my driving lifetime-all chevys(1964, 1985 and 2001) with small block v-8's, manual trannies, 4x4. reliable, economical. parts
are readily available.
I agree keep it simple and easy to fix is the way to go
and I dont care if its a Ford, Chevy or Dodge they all can work
for get about all the bells and whistles, when your broke down in bum F... some place, and you open the hood and you cant even see the engine, you can
get that sinking feeling real fast
No worries... more Nomads who actually drive in Baja seem have Toyotas than other brands (specially pick up owners). It was all the Nomads who had
Toyotas before me, that helped convince me to go Toyota (specially Neal Johns).
Seems Ford and Dodge/ Ram is next, with diesels being popular.
No longer in the pick up truck business (that may soon change), but Jeep is probably the next popular Baja vehicle with Nomads.
DK, You should be getting some compensation from Toyota. They do make good
trucks , but for driving all the time in Baja I think I would prefer an older model for simplicity's sake. I have some friends in Todos Santos who
bought a brand new 2009 Tacoma, and they have been having problems with body panels coming loose and parts falling off from the rough roads, they also
busted a leaf spring.
More than once, on a rough dirt road, a ranchero in sometimes in an older Toyota truck would stop as he passed where I was taking a break, look at my
Tacoma, and then say "Toyota... Numero Uno"... Another time, when asking about road conditions ahead at a ranch... I would be told that the road is
"muy, muy malo"... but then added: "no problema con Toyota"
VIVA BAJA... VIVA TOYOTA... Built in Baja for the Baja!
Not only can a Tacoma drive UP the infamous Diablo Dropoff in Anza Borrego Desert State Park... but here I am PULLING a 2WD Tacoma (that had no
business attempting to)... The group of Jeep owners at the top looking down had just eariler shaken their heads in disbelief as I was hitching up my
tow strap to the stuck in a dune 2WD Tacoma... saying it would be impossible for my pickup to pull another up the DropOff!
Here is where I climbed a very steep hill where only one other Tacoma had... and the rest just watched... this was demonstrating Toyota's A-TRAC front
and rear locker-like traction system:
BajaNomad » Baja Questions & Answers » What is the CHEAPEST and most reliable vehicle to buy, own and maintain for long term travel throughout Baja, mainland Mexico...
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They do make good
trucks , but for driving all the time in Baja I think I would prefer an older model for simplicity's sake. I have some friends in Todos Santos who
bought a brand new 2009 Tacoma, and they have been having problems with body panels coming loose and parts falling off from the rough roads, they also
busted a leaf spring.
