[Closed] New family/camping/biking vehicle

It would be a NO from me. You would be better with Transit Custom.

How are you going to put the roof tent on and off? If you leave it on all the time it will guzzle fuel, and be subjected to roadgrime/salt all winter. What does a rooftent do to COG for off-roading. I don't know much about fun-offroading, but I would imagine "fun" and "daily driver" are difficult/expensive to balance.

If you want convenience, don't buy something that you have to take the wheels off the bike EVERY time.

I'd not. Hateful things.

Firstly doesn't do anything well. It's a complete comprise.

I'd look at crew cab swb van and a normal tent with an amdro sort of pod in the van

Roof tent. NOOOOO

they strike me as completeley pointless unless you're in scorpion/snake country

cons
– a bit less internal space

A BIT less space! Are you insane, or is a Dscovery 8 some variant that I have never seen.

I won't go on, but it doesn't look like you've really thought this through

Or at least, if you have, I'm surprised at your conclusions

they strike me as completeley pointless unless you’re in scorpion/snake country

Or you have young kids who would love it and see it as a really cool adventure

But yeah, van would be better, with a roof rack and a roof mounted tent 🙂

I had almost exactly those constraints and bought a Honda Stepwagon. They’re all auto, roomy inside but compact outside (designed for a life of hauling kids in Japanese cities) and easy to drive.

Info on them and my importing of one here: http://stepwgn.uk/

Roof tents are silly. We just use normal tents.

Roof tent. NOOOOO

they strike me as completeley pointless unless you’re in scorpion/snake country

One life live it bro.

How about a Mazda Bongo? You can get them in a 4x4 version and maybe with a pop top it could work as the camper?

I built out a Tourneo/Transit Connect for similar reasons, but as my son has gotten bigger, it's too small for three to sleep in, even rather wedged. It would be much to small for 4 to sleep inside. I wish we got the Transit Custom here as that would seem an ideal size.

Get a Renault Trafic LWB crew cab with 6 seats, remove the bulkhead and you have a functional, capable vehicle.

They drive better than any other van of that size too.

Wow, Slightly one sided so far!

A bit more below around thought process...

They (vans) don't drive half as well as a disco 4 though, or go off-road... I'm starting to think both will be more important to me that getting bike in with their wheels on... which I still wont be able to do with a van if I'm sleeping in it and also need 6 seats occasionally, so I'm no better off. The load area goes nice and flat in a disco and is over 6 foot long so an air bed should be no different than a non pop top van when I'm alone.

80% of camping will be one-nighters on my own, or with 2-3 other mates, 2 of which have campers of their own that have bike garages and spare beds.

Another friend also goes over to to morrocco amonsct other places and going trips like that would be epic - (hence the roof tent idea, also like the bat wing awnings with a rear kitchen that pulls in and out). He's the one with the disco knowledge.

My Mrs wont dive a van and getting an auto she could drive even if I manage to change her mind makes the van choice far more limited anyway, meaning I'll get stuck using it where I'd rather be borrowing her car... i.e work trips where there are multi-stories or just better MPG is a concern (she has a prius) She'll drive a disco.

I've not ruled the van out, just trying to work out which set of compromises I prefer.

fwiw, when I say “easy to drive” about the stepwagon, it’s slightly narrower than a current Fiesta and the same length as a Focus estate. Plus higher up driving position and very flat sides. My wife won’t drive anything she deems “big” but is fine with it.

But if you want to indulge your rufty tufty off-roader fantasies, you’re just going to talk yourself into a Disco instead.

A Disco 4 is a lovely place to be, when it works. An L322 Rangie is even lovelier and probably similar money. Both suffer from being built down to a price, despite being hooring expensive new. We had an L322 and the components that failed were typically the ones specced by Solihull rather than those specced by Munich. Would we have another if we needed one? Yes. Would I have one for your criteria? No. With the best will in the world, you're not going to drive it to Morocco anytime soon, and the rest of the time it'll just be too much vehicle.
I think if I were in your shoes, I'd be trying to find a late noughties Mitsubishi Delica. Kinda funky 4x4 mini camper type thing, but without the weird proportions and stupid name of the Mazda Bongo.

You just want a disco dont you

Your D4 is as likely to be off the road as off road. They aren’t exactly the most reliable vehicles and they are tough on brake and suspension components due to their weight.
As long as you can afford the bills, crack on but even as a full on Land River devotee I wouldn’t have a D3 or 4 without a really good warranty. <span style="font-size: 0.8rem;"> </span>

you don't need a 4x4 to drive to morocco. the majority of cars there are battered pugs and mercs. All saloons. If you want something van-like that's nice to drive and can go to Morocco, get a galaxy

Now... I love a good 4x4, which is totally at odds with my eco-mindset. That said, I wouldn't touch a Landrover with someone elses! Too expensive and too unreliable. If I was going down that route I think something like a Landcruiser would be top of my list. I drove one across the Amazon and it never missed a beat, and that nearly 25 years ago! I keep fantasy shopping for a Landcruiser Duty for a post move wagon since my ancient RAV4 is not the most reliable!

That said, they are thristy. Which keeps making me hold back from the idea!

It is a shame that Landrover are expensive and unreliable as the new Defender 130 with 8 seats could be just the thing for our new business venture. I may have to see about an Arctic Trucks 4x4 Sprinter bus instead though 😉

Delicas are pretty hand off-road. I think it's a people carrier body on top of a Shogun? You can get lift kits for them!

Merc Vito/Viano is easier to find auto versions and the V6's are auto only. They tend to be better spec than most other vans too.

Could probably get a cheap airport taxi one with 400k miles for when the Disco is broken.
Had Discos as work vehicles in the past (or one and the garage loaners).

I looked at viano’s when I was deciding that transporters don't offer much value. Was leaning that way but 6 seats in 2 rows wasn’t an option and the bed would have to be custom (which is fine).

The van half of the plan was XLWB viano or LWB transit custom to help with the bike space while sleeping in it.
Not entirely sure anything modern mercedes is any more reliable than a disco though! (Just had an 07 e-class for a couple years) great car engine but not trouble-free, not enough to put me off though - I’m quite handy and have access to a car garage of a quiet weekend afternoon.

I suppose I can always book the passenger seat more often for the off-roading. Very much in 2 minds! I even considered disco plus caravan/trailer tent then quickly thought better of it.

If you want something van-like that’s nice to drive and can go to Morocco, get a galaxy

I'd like one of those stepwagons (or similar Japanese minivans) but I was a bit put off by the import stuff, so I bought a 2010 Galaxy. It's massive inside, had 7 adults in it and all comfortable, load bay is over 2m long so you can get a bike in lengthways - my 29er wont fit upright as a wheel in, but with multiple bike they've just been stacked. Wheels off and on the passenger seat, reckon you'd get a single airbed in.

IMO it's really nice to drive, mines a 2l turbo petrol so pretty thirsty mind. It's done 105k but still feels pretty decent mechanically.

If you have the budget for a decent lateish t5.1, then a well specced kombi will give you 6 seats, you can insulate and carpet the back, fit an exploria bed which will enable you to do most of what you want. You can get bikes in, sleep, ferry people around. You could probably get creative with a cab bed and sleep the 4 of you at the ages they are now.

You’ve then got the perfect base vehicle for a full conversion if you want to go that way, or sell it on as a ready to convert camper and you’ll not lose money.

All that with a swb and room for some cooking equipment, awning and everyones gear?

If a SWB will do what I want its an easier sell as that makes the mrs driving easier, assumed it would be too small.

Are you mechanically minded and prepared to consider a cheap 20 year old wreck as a plaything?

Isuzu used to sell a 4x4 called the Bighorn in Japan (known as the trooper in the uk) with options for a removable bedding platform, sink and small camping stove in the back. It was intended for pretty much what you are suggesting (but with more fishing). Lots of them were imported to the uk. The model variant was called "Plaisir" (yes, that's french for pleasure) "Bighorn Plaisir" was often written down the sides of the vehicles in very large letters.

Some R reg Isuzu Bighorn pleasure could be yours for less than the price of a decent bicycle. They are pretty bullet proof and unlike a more modern vehicle are relatively easy to fix with simple tools, which is exactly what you want if you are going to be playing offroad. - You will get stuck and damage your vehicle at some point.

Using the theory of n+1 you can then spend most of your money on a decent car with a less ridiculous name to use day to day. (I know you said you only have 2 spaces on the drive. but some of us manage without a drive at all.) A proper car will be much better on the road.

The optional platform in the back of the Isuzu creates a level load area when the seats are folded but with storage space underneath. You can replicate the idea with a few bits of timber in virtually any vehicle with folding rear seats, which opens up a range of other old 4x4's for consideration.

I am pretty handy so the cheap off road toy plus normal car has also crossed my mind. It would only tick the off road box properly probably leading me to a LWB low roof van for ‘my car’ which would have 6 seats, a bed over the 2nd row somehow or pulling out from one side of the back area, and room for a bike. Could be the best of every world except me having a nice comfy car to drive, which may be the least of all evils in this case - I got board of driving on the road years ago so no need for fast sporty cars, been there done that.

Tourneo custom or XLWB vito possibly.... tourneo would have to be new to tick the auto box though.

My feeding is that something Peugeot Expert size would do the job.

Off roading is an odd thing. You really need a vehicle that your happy to damage. If you go to a pay and play almost no one will have a vehicle that isn't scruffy because you'll be wacked by branches all day. Quite likely end up on your side or sliding side ways into a tree. Green Laning your less likely to fall over but you'll still get body damage. In summary if you want to give off road you really need a vehicle just for that. oh you'll be fixing it all the time. A friend got dirty water on the timing belt. Didn't realise and the belt failed valves hit the piston. Also seemed to be loads off suspension repairs to do.

Of roading in Africa your less likely to get body work damage as the roads are wider. Ideally you need to know what the locals use. I'm sure my 4x4 mate would say take a Toyota Land Cruiser.

But it's a long drive to Africa if you have a job. Not sure how the kids would find the European bit looks, like it's about 1500 miles each way.

I spent 6 months on Africa camping on the ground

But I really like the idea of a kitchen pod and a van that I can sleep in with my bike. It was going to be this summers project. Trying to create a vehicle to make camping a way easy as possible in terms of set up and pack up