Topic: A good used SUV/CUV for surf roadtrip?

[lebowski]

Hey guys, many thanks for the continual feedback and sorry for not responding sooner.

if your Subaru is too low, take the Matrix off the list.

it would be great on gas but will likely be too low for rutted roads if the Subie is too low

Ok, noted the Matrix would be too low. Thanks for those links! That Outback looks really good - actually my buddy is based near Squamish so I think he'd be very interested in checking it out. As for the B-series pickup - I'm not sure if the bed would be long enough for a 9-footer.

I doubt two 9' surfboards would fit inside a Ford Escape or similar size CUV/SUV.  An 8 ft. piece of lumber fits nicely inside my wife's Grand Caravan through the centre of the vehicle between the middle row of seats with the hatch shut.  Take the rear seats out of the van (or if it has Stow N' Go, flip into the floor) and sleep inside.  Similar fuel economy (perhaps better) than a V6 Escape.  Better ride.

Hey thanks, that's good food for thought. Re: the Escape, it's true a 9-footer wouldn't fit easily with passengers, BUT the great thing about that SUV is the rear glass opens separately, so for short trips to the beach you can just have the rear of the board sticking out a little. Not exactly highway-freindly but doable.

With that said, I agree a minivan like your wife's Caravan would be pretty much the perfect rig, except there is still the issue of ground-clearance. Again, I don't know how big a factor that is but my buddy seems to think it matters.

On another note, my buddy saw this ad in Craiglist - any thoughts on older Isuzu's?

http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/pml/cto/4667086601.html

[Noto]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_Yrih_u-iM#t=176

and then do this to it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_Yrih_u-iM#t=1533

DriverJeff?

[quadzilla]

Just don't let this happen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP2cNSSO9tE

[mrthompson]

I doubt two 9' surfboards would fit inside a Ford Escape or similar size CUV/SUV.  An 8 ft. piece of lumber fits nicely inside my wife's Grand Caravan through the centre of the vehicle between the middle row of seats with the hatch shut.  Take the rear seats out of the van (or if it has Stow N' Go, flip into the floor) and sleep inside.  Similar fuel economy (perhaps better) than a V6 Escape.  Better ride.

They would fit in an Escape for over night only which was the original criteria.
Railton
- Must be able to fit two 9-foot longboards inside (we’d use roof racks for traveling, so it’s more just for securing overnight or in sketchy areas away from the water),

 

[Railton]

I doubt two 9' surfboards would fit inside a Ford Escape or similar size CUV/SUV.  An 8 ft. piece of lumber fits nicely inside my wife's Grand Caravan through the centre of the vehicle between the middle row of seats with the hatch shut.  Take the rear seats out of the van (or if it has Stow N' Go, flip into the floor) and sleep inside.  Similar fuel economy (perhaps better) than a V6 Escape.  Better ride.

They would fit in an Escape for over night only which was the original criteria.
Railton
- Must be able to fit two 9-foot longboards inside (we’d use roof racks for traveling, so it’s more just for securing overnight or in sketchy areas away from the water),

 

Hmmmm....8' 2x4 will fit footwell to back hatch. A surfboard is more ungainly to stuff in especially with the skeg.
Is that picture with 9' boards?
Railton


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[rrocket]

If you're going to be selling the vehicle AFTER the trip....I'd sorta want a Honda/Toyota so you can re-sell it easier with minimal loss of investment.

[tortoise]

What's the ground clearance of a Honda Element?

[rrocket]

What's the ground clearance of a Honda Element?

6.9"

[2JDM]

If you're going to be selling the vehicle AFTER the trip....I'd sorta want a Honda/Toyota so you can re-sell it easier with minimal loss of investment.

What sells in Mexico?

[rrocket]

If you're going to be selling the vehicle AFTER the trip....I'd sorta want a Honda/Toyota so you can re-sell it easier with minimal loss of investment.

What sells in Mexico?

Guns?   

[johngenx]

Cocaine?

[Noto]

I would think trucks.  I think the Mazda B was the best suggestion yet.

[lebowski]

Just don't let this happen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP2cNSSO9tE

Ha! I don't remember that scene. Clearly need to go back and re-watch that movie 

I doubt two 9' surfboards would fit inside a Ford Escape or similar size CUV/SUV.  An 8 ft. piece of lumber fits nicely inside my wife's Grand Caravan through the centre of the vehicle between the middle row of seats with the hatch shut.  Take the rear seats out of the van (or if it has Stow N' Go, flip into the floor) and sleep inside.  Similar fuel economy (perhaps better) than a V6 Escape.  Better ride.

They would fit in an Escape for over night only which was the original criteria.
Railton
- Must be able to fit two 9-foot longboards inside (we’d use roof racks for traveling, so it’s more just for securing overnight or in sketchy areas away from the water),

 

Hmmmm....8' 2x4 will fit footwell to back hatch. A surfboard is more ungainly to stuff in especially with the skeg.
Is that picture with 9' boards?
Railton


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Interesting photos, thanks - i may be wrong but I have a feeling those rescue boards are way longer than 9'. Probably the size of SUP, like 10' or 11'. Either way the Escape isn't huge, that's for sure. But even if the fin-side is hanging out by a couple of feet, it wouldn't be so bad for temporary transport. Also, I miss Baywatch

If you're going to be selling the vehicle AFTER the trip....I'd sorta want a Honda/Toyota so you can re-sell it easier with minimal loss of investment.

That's a good call, thanks. My friend is a proper cheapskate though, so it may fall on deaf ears. I will discuss.

I would think trucks.  I think the Mazda B was the best suggestion yet.

Yeah you may be right. I know I questioned the length of the bed earlier in the thread, but then I realize if it has a bed-cover, i could just hang it out the back. Will keep searching.

Cocaine?

Ha - if you have any ideas for how a Gringo might go about dealing coke in Mexico, i'm all ears

[rrocket]

Ha - if you have any ideas for how a Gringo might go about dealing coke in Mexico, i'm all ears

Just say "Ilello?" and see what happens.  (pronounced yay-o)   

[lebowski]

Just say "Ilello?" and see what happens.  (pronounced yay-o)   

  When I was last down there a couple of years ago, the local "vendors" would approach you and ask, "you want nose candy?" - English really is the language of international business 

[tooscoops]

along rrockets line.... wrangler unlimited? spend big bucks, but sell for big bucks. as long as you are a better buyer than the next person, you might be able to get all your money out of it.

[lebowski]

along rrockets line.... wrangler unlimited? spend big bucks, but sell for big bucks. as long as you are a better buyer than the next person, you might be able to get all your money out of it.

Hey thanks for weighing in. I love Wranglers but definitely a bigger outlay than my buddy would be comfortable with, even if he could recoup later on. Correct me if I'm wrong but it also doesn't seem like an ideal tool for a Mexican road trip? (MPG's, limited cargo given the size, very attractive to thieves)

[johngenx]

...

[lebowski]

Now that there's the real Hellcat in the Chrysler lineup.

[blotter]

since this is being done on the cheap, i'm assuming you don't want to deal with buying roof racks?

that would mean a truck (with boards hanging out) or a van which would be long enough to have them inside?