The Perfect Vehicle for LFers is ?????

[fingel]

To me, this would be the ultimate back country vehicle. But, until I have the millions to purchase one, I will have to settle for taking my car and then walking/hiking to where I want to go.

 

[mark]

To me, this would be the ultimate back country vehicle. But, until I have the millions to purchase one, I will have to settle for taking my car and then walking/hiking to where I want to go.

This summer my dad and I were bouncing down a dirt road about twelve or so miles from the pavement, rounded a corner and low and behold there was a heligoflopper and a goup of gents hanging out on lawn chairs. Your idea is not far off base. I should have gotten a picture.

 

[Eric Rose]

My favorite ride is my 71 VW hippy van. Has the pop top and a big happy face on the front.

 

[John McCallum]

My favorite ride is my 71 VW hippy van. Has the pop top and a big happy face on the front.

Any pictures?

 

[Thomassauerwein]

So here is our new "photo assult vehicle". Does not get the gas mileage our last one got but it was 8 years old and starting to feel it's age. Oh well I just tried to load the image here And could not figure it out so I'll put it in my gallery.

Sean if your listening"How do we load images into the forum threads?".

 

[Eric Rose]

I'll have to dig some up John. It's the perfect photo vehicle. You can get on the top like AA use to do with his Woodie (ok you sick-o's, leave it alone), or you can set up the tripod inside and shoot out the side door during rainstorms etc. Has a cooler so you can keep your beer cold while you wait for the clouds to get just right, a CD player, and of course a bed. Also a full kitchen table so you can develop your film or load new holders.

You will have to get Ian_Greant to tell you all about his Stalker Van. Not a VW, but has loads of character anyway.

 

[John McCallum]

Oh Man - you gotta show us.

 

[ian_greant]

This may be the ugliest of all the vehicles here... Probably the safest one to store photo gear in. Oddly enough one of the most relaxing vehicles to drive in traffic I've ever owned. Everyone keeps at least two if not three car lengths away! No one tail gates me, No one cuts me off...


I'm torn between turning it into a giant pinhole camera, a portable wetplate darkroom, or just continuing to use it for gear/bike hauling/storage.

PS the photo is actually a self portrait of me with the van... I just didn't stand still long enough. Eric was standing/fuming in the darkroom lounge window and wasn't amused by me burning through the last couple shots on the roll.

 

[Robert Hall]

I drive a ford f-350 with a crew cab. I can get 5 photogrphers with large gear for a day trip, or myself for extended periods. It's lifted so I have almost 2 feet of clearance and it will pull anything.

 

[Daniel Grenier]

Thanks for the good lines, folks, on what constitutes a good ''LF'' vehicle.

Well, I took the plunge this weekend and went out and bought a Ford Explorer Sport Track - a mixture between an SUV and a pickup truck with the comfort of a car (almost). With this vehicle, I can carry all my LF gear hidden and isolated in the tonneau-covered bed and I can safely place my opened 8x10 on the folded back seat for ease of access while out photographing. I can also pull a camping trailer, carry coolers, suitcases and camping gear in the back, go pretty much anywhere - anytime (within reason) with its high wheelbase etc...

I can even hop on the back and set up my tripod for a higher vantage point - a good thing. All in all, I think these whels will serve me well as a traveling LF enthusiast. I only wish, and can't wait, for Ford to come up with a hybrid to appease my socially-responsible conscience - my only drawback to buying this thing!

Anyhow. Thanks again folks and happy traveling in whatever it is you are driving.

Daniel

 

[John McCallum]

Woohoo! Sounds perfect.

 

[juan]

Rumor has it that Ford is planning a hybrid version of the Escape SUV.
juan

 

[Daniel Grenier]

Rumor has it that Ford is planning a hybrid version of the Escape SUV.
juan

Actually, Juan, it is more than rumours on the Escape Hybrid... they are coming out soon as a 2005 model - at least here in Canada. As I said, I can't wait to have an Eplorer Sport Trac hybrid, though.

 

[Aggie]

I drove the hybrid a couple of weeks ago. Great pick up and go. I want one. Just have to wait til spring.

 

[glbeas]

I read an article where they test drove a Ford Escape in New York City for 400 miles or so and it got 36mpg, from a 4wd! Got funny looks from the pedestrians when it would take off without any noise on batteries only. I think you can go to the Ford website and see all the details.

 

[Robert Kennedy]

All the better to sneak up on people with....

 

[John Koehrer]

'nother vehicle worth consideration is Hona's Element. Back seats can be folde flat & hung against side wall giving flat floor space. Comes with picnic table @ no extra charge. May not be best vehicle for offroading though.

 

[jd callow]

You're all thinking too small. Think ULF!

Wow is that cool! I want one

 

[RAP]

Glad I found this thread. I have been wrestling with what new vehicle to buy, mostly for photography on a limited budget. My poor '91 Mecury Tracer wagon has finally given out, $2,000 for a new transmission and the car is only worth $700, over 220,000 miles on it. That car has taken me all over New England, back roads, Pine Barrens, etc and has proven faithful and true. I was very thankful to have made it home from Vermont back in June with 1st and 2nd gears slipping.

The considerations are Ford Ranger, Mazda B series, or Toyota Tacomas, 4wd or 2wd? I have never owned a truck before and do not know what to expect. Do I really need 4wd, or will 2wd get me to most places, what about snow? Is Toyota really that much better, they certainly cost more. Or are Ford/Mazda as reliable?

 

[Daniel Grenier]

IMHO, unless you're planning to go off-road (meaning in the woods), or are planning to climb Mount Wahington in a snow storm, you really don't need 4x4. I had a Jeep Cherokee 4x4 for a few years and, really, I never went anywhere where a 2x4 couldn't have taken me- save maybe 1 or 2 times over a 4-year period. If you stay on roads, winter or summer, 2x4 is sufficient no matter what the "trend" is these days where those fancy 4x4s (you know the ones that never even see dirt roads, let alone the deep woods?). You will save much $$$ on purchase, insurance, repairs, and fuel if you go 2x4.

A B2000 or B3000 Mazda is likely a good option in your case. A Ranger would be second but if you can afford it and are planning a long term relationship with your truck, then the Toyota is likely the one to come out first in the reliability and longevity game.

 

[dr bob]

I’m thinking: a Gas and Electric Co. bucket truck.

Or: an American la France ladder truck (fire engine).

 

[jd callow]

I have a '92 Ranger with 170,000 miles and it still going strong. It is 2-wheel drive and is pathetic when the streets get the least bit slippery. The difference between an suv and a truck is that the SUV has more weight in the rear end making 4 wheel drive less of a requirement. My wife has a 4wd subaru wagon with 180,000 miles. This car is FWD until you engage all 4. It rarely need the 4wd engaged, but when it is it is unstoppable.

Here in Michigan, I would never again consider a truck w/o 4wd or a car with RWD.

I think that Ford and Chevy/GMC still over engineer their trucks and are every bit the superior to the Toyota and nissan's. This is actually why they will begin to lose ground to the imports. Just as the imports were the first to drop the SUV 'look' on car bodies, because they know the average american doesn't need a truck frame, they are more likely to make their trucks mall friendly.


Being a Detroiter I read all the reviews...
What I read and hear (in my beleaguered Motown) is that the new ford F is the most solid truck you can buy, but that the added weight gained by this makes it get less bang for the gas dollar and HP rating. The new chevy mid/compact has gotten only mixed reviews. The full size chevy/GMC's are said to be nipping at ford's heels and have more power. The current Ranger is long in the tooth but is still well regarded -- where it has lost pace in tech it is getting high marks for durability (typical of a vehicle at or near the end of its production run). The Toyota has gotten good reviews particularly regarding refinement, but most of what I have read puts it a step behind the ford and Chevy/GMC. The Nissan Titan has gotten great reviews and seems to good mix of work truck usability and refinement. The NY times put it just behind the F series.

 

[Donald Miller]

My '95 Toyota 4WD has 249,000 miles. The only problem has been brakes and head gaskets (taken care of by Toyota at their expense at 184,000 mi). So to answer the question are they really that good...Yep!!!

I just bought a '01 Honda Passport to keep the camera stuff more contained. The reputation of the Honda ranks pretty near the Toyota. I guess that I will find out in time.

 

[jd callow]

My '95 Toyota 4WD has 249,000 miles. The only problem has been brakes and head gaskets (taken care of by Toyota at their expense at 184,000 mi). So to answer the question are they really that good...Yep!!!

Not only does the truck sound good, but so does the dealership. If buying new the quality of the dealership, and the support of the manufacturer, should definatly be figured in.

 

[AndyH]

Our third vehicle is a 4wd Jeep Cherokee for camping, hiking, etc. but much of my photography happens on the way to or from work along my 65 mile commute. I can't do that in a rig that gets only 18 MPG, and I don't want to depreciate an asset like a car faster than I can possibly pay it off.

My choice has been an old Saab 900 hatchback and I can't say enough good things about it. It's been reliable for two years now and has netted me over 30 MPG with minimal maintenance investment. It holds all the gear I can possibly stuff into it - not to mention lumber, skis, kayaks, fishing rods and the like. With the seat folded down it provides a 6 foot by 40 inch flat floor storage area which can even serve as a makeshift camper when you open the hatch and throw mosquito netting over the opening.

I'm trying to find a lower mileage one to replace it right now...