Road trip camping with a large family

[EbS-P]

So my wife has two, almost 3 one woman shows that she should start touring mostly to other universities. They could have wider appeal if marketed well. I’m sure there will some university stops that the trip gets planned around. College tours or not.

 

[EbS-P]

The used transit market has become much more populated the last 5-6 weeks. 40-45k can get a 4 year passenger van with under 65k miles. Since ford changed the the eco boost and the dual port injection V6 to both having a displacement of 3.5L it’s more difficult to determine what engine they have. I really think for the weight and possibility of towing I want the eco boost.

That said the sprinter diesel went from a 3L v6 to 2L i4 last year. All reviews say the 2L is superior but. Do I want to tow with a 2L?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

You can quickly tell which engine by the VIN. There should be a different letter designation with the engine.

If both engines had the same torque curve they would probably feel the same for the short term.

Long term, increased pressures and work required to move the weight are bound to wear things faster. But this is only going to become an issue with higher use vehicles. Short term I don’t think you’d see a difference. The boost will probably make the 4 louder.

I’m not sure how many of the boosted 4s in full size trucks will still be around in 15 years. But the guys driving the 2-3 year old ones now are probably pretty happy with them.

 

[brenndatomu]

You can quickly tell which engine by the VIN. There should be a different letter designation with the engine.

If both engines had the same torque curve they would probably feel the same for the short term.

Long term, increased pressures and work required to move the weight are bound to wear things faster. But this is only going to become an issue with higher use vehicles. Short term I don’t think you’d see a difference. The boost will probably make the 4 louder.

I’m not sure how many of the boosted 4s in full size trucks will still be around in 15 years. But the guys driving the 2-3 year old ones now are probably pretty happy with them.

Agreed...more boost (power) means less life, it's just a fact. No replacement for displacement.
Now that's not to say you simply always go for the bigger engine...some engine models are still better than others...

 

[EbS-P]

Agreed...more boost (power) means less life, it's just a fact. No replacement for displacement.
Now that's not to say you simply always go for the bigger engine...some engine models are still better than others..

The 3.5 eco boost in the van is derived from that in the truck. 310 HP and 405 lb feet. The Printer diesel is 211 HP and 311 lb ft.

No more hemi. It’s all going boosted. The Mercedes 2.0L has been around for a while, it’s just new in the van. But only 400 dealers nation wide are able to work on them. (Must be a commercial dealer) The 3.5 eco boost is on its third (or maybe fourth) version. It’s a know quantity now. If you Change the oil every 5k it’s a decent motor. Dual injection has helped a lot. any shop has already done any work you might need done on them.

Yes high loads wears engines faster. There is enough collective experience now form gas turbo motors that I’m comfortable with them. The 5.0L will be gone soon I think.

 

[EbS-P]

We loaded the mini van up for camping. 3 nights near the in-laws, two nights back in beds (7 of us in a second story bedroom with the only AC) then 4 nights in one of the top 5 places I have ever visited. Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier just 30 minutes north of Quebec City. We did really well first time camping. All 7 in a big 6 person tent. Rosalie is just two so she and her 6 and 8 year old brothers didn’t take up much floor. But we really need two tents for the next trip.

The cargo topper and the hitch rack were enough space that I could still see out the back window. Not a necessity but when driving 18 hours straight it’s helpful.

Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier - National Parks - Sépaq

Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier is home to one of the most beautiful glacial valleys in Quebec, the spectacular Vallée de la Jacques-Cartier.

www.sepaq.com

It we had 2 rain showers a small thunderstorm. The tent stayed dry. Not sure I could camp for more than a week this way. Set up required unpacking everything we even pulled the cargo topper off so we access everything easily and park in parking garages. It was a good trip. A bigger van or trailer would have meant we just pack more stuff that we really didn’t need.

A new transportation option has appeared. A lifted sienna AWD van. https://www.journeysoffroad.com/toyota-sienna.html

2020 was the last year for the 3.5 L V6. That’s plenty of power for small trailers.

Think of it as a supersized outback. It’s an interesting idea and probably the cheapest route to an AWD van. Add some stiffer rear variable rate springs and some decent AT tires. It’s not going rock crawling but with the 8 speed transmission it would get you places a regular FWD mini van could not.

 

[begreen]

Looks like a beautiful spot.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Congratulations on completing the first camping trip!

 

[EbS-P]

Well we made it home! 3500 miles in 17 days! I’ve been ready to spend 75k on a new AWD Sprinter then deciding to just get some custom heavy springs for the Odyssey and adding bread to the 4x8 trailer. Today I went and looked at 2015 Transit and came away thinking a 2015 or 2016 Chevy Express was the best option. Then I looked at the 4.8L vortex specs and was unimpressed. My wife says they look like something missionaries drive. I can’t argue. I said we could get some AT tires and she said we could get mermaids painted on it. So if you see big tires and mermaids driving, yeah that’s me.

I ran the numbers and am with in the GCVR for the Odyssey with my trailer. But and this is a big but it’s really pushing that van hard. I kept up with i95/Merritt parkway traffic. Averaged 22 mpgs cruising at 75-80 with a cargo topper (that takes all of 10 minutes to remove so I can park in any parking garage).

The seats in the Express look awful to spend 17 hours in (yes that’s what it takes us to drive 975 miles in a day)

So at the end of another S-P road trip (that had zero issues other than my 13 year old breaking two beds his grandfather “fixed”, he’s pushing 220 pounds after two weeks of Grammy’s pancakes every morning (my FIL is the get it done fast sort of guy) it was an amazing vacation.

Sunset at the most beautiful lake in New England, Duck tour of Boston and the aquarium (PENGUINS!) and an amazing time in Quebec. Waking up on a 45 degree morning in July to hot cocoa. (The heat in Maine sucked but the water was still too cold to swim at 59 degrees) we had a great trip.

We are planning the Grand Canyon or Glacier NP next summer. I’ll plan on 4k-5k miles either way. It’s slow going pluming a trailer. We could probably, just maybe if I was stupid enough to try, get by with more hotel/resort stays and not pull a trailer but then no bikes. 600 miles per day with a trailer doable but you best rest a couple days before hitting the road again. But in a big van we could do without the trailer.

No right decisions just ones that cost more than others. I’ll probably get some custom springs this week and plan a trip the smoke mountains the fall. I’m too cheap to buy an AWD sprinter and the other options just aren’t good enough to spend money now. May the Odyssey will meet an untimely death. I doubt it. It’s been a lemon but I’m getting good mileage out of the lifetime service agreement. Kevin and I are on a first name basis at the Honda dealership. I even impressed him with my DIY newly recovered arm rests.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Awesome!


Don’t do the Grand Canyon in summer. That’s a December/January trip. Similarly, don’t do the Glacier/Yellowstone trip in the winter. That’s a July trip. June can be a winter trip for those areas. You’ll still see plenty of snow in Glacier in July.

 

[EbS-P]

Awesome!


Don’t do the Grand Canyon in summer. That’s a December/January trip. Similarly, don’t do the Glacier/Yellowstone trip in the winter. That’s a July trip. June can be a winter trip for those areas. You’ll still see plenty of snow in Glacier in July.

We got snowed on while camping the north rim of Grand Canyon in late June some where around 1997. I recall a hot hike down but we didn’t go all the way down.

 

[EbS-P]

Just stopped by the MB dealer and priced out an AWD sprinter. 80k. For comparison here they are asking 70k for an AWD transit HD (rear dually) XLT, high roof, eco boost. So 10k gets you a 3-4” lift, and an MB 2L diesel. New suburban RS is 74k. Most of the production for 2024 has been allocated and assigned. Dealer was going to shop around but I doubt they find one. That means allocation won’t be assigned until December. For probably a spring delivery.

The deal is I could find a used 4x4 suburban. Can’t find any AWD vans used. I’ll keep looking.

 

[begreen]

Just stopped by the MB dealer and priced out an AWD sprinter. 80k. For comparison here they are asking 70k for an AWD transit HD (rear dually) XLT, high roof, eco boost. So 10k gets you a 3-4” lift, and an MB 2L diesel. New suburban RS is 74k. Most of the production for 2024 has been allocated and assigned. Dealer was going to shop around but I doubt they find one. That means allocation won’t be assigned until December. For probably a spring delivery.

The deal is I could find a used 4x4 suburban. Can’t find any AWD vans used. I’ll keep looking.

Check out Hertz car sales. They have good used AWD Suburbans. I got my van this way and it was an easy process.

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www.hertzcarsales.com

 

[ABMax24]

Get the diesel Suburban, way cheaper on fuel than the V8's. Although they're not terrible either for what they are.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Id be all over the comfort of a long wheelbase truck/suburban.

 

[EbS-P]

Get the diesel Suburban, way cheaper on fuel than the V8's. Although they're not terrible either for what they are.

Check out Hertz car sales. They have good used AWD Suburbans. I got my van this way and it was an easy process.

Used Cars for Sale - Hertz Certified | Hertz Car Sales

Shop thousands of Hertz Certified used cars at incredible below market prices. We offer a free warranty, a buy back guarantee, home delivery, and more!

www.hertzcarsales.com

The suburban has like 3 more cu ft behind the third than my odyssey. Even with an extra large roof topper I don’t see being able to pack everything in an organized way in a suburban with bikes. Suburban would mean we needed a trailer and I can pull a trailer now with the Odyssey. Most the vans on the rental company for sale listings are the base model V6 making 260 HP. About the same or torque. The MB diesel is only like 211 ho and 300 torque but it’s at like 1300 rpm.

I should go sit in the suburban. I sat in an expedition max and ruled it out completely. As there just was not enough cargo space.

Interesting fact about the MB sprinter in that it has a transverse front leaf spring.

 

[EbS-P]

Id be all over the comfort of a long wheelbase truck/suburban.

I have not read any reviews on how the new independent rear suspension tows or handles and wears tires when loaded.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Why not put a bike rack mounted on the receiver hitch? It’d be in the draft of the vehicle.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I have not read any reviews on how the new independent rear suspension tows or handles and wears tires when loaded.

Theoretically it should keep the tires vertical so they don’t wear differently.

There are different definitions of “loaded” though. Too much weight on a passenger rated tire isn’t good. Upgrade to E tires if you plan to use it as a truck often.

 

[ABMax24]

I have not read any reviews on how the new independent rear suspension tows or handles and wears tires when loaded.

Good from what I hear, co-worker has a new Tahoe with the 6.2 and pulls his 6000lb travel trailer with it. Says it's not quite as stable as his 3/4 ton with the 6.0 gas engine, but way more power and better on fuel. They prefer it, as their 3 kids have more space in the back.

 

[EbS-P]

Why not put a bike rack mounted on the receiver hitch? It’d be in the draft of the vehicle.

That’s the plan a vertical 6 bike rack. Something like this.
(broken link removed)

 

[begreen]

Most the vans on the rental company for sale listings are the base model V6 making 260 H

I found they have a lot of the premium versions. The Dodge van I got was top of the line. Looks like the same for the Suburbans and a random check showed them to be V8 powered.

 

[EbS-P]

I found they have a lot of the premium versions. The Dodge van I got was top of the line. Looks like the same for the Suburbans and a random check showed them to be V8 powered.

All the Chevy vans for sale were v6. I saw lots of higher spec non commercial vehicles. I’ve not see one commercial van with a top spec engine. If you need to rent a 12-15 passenger van don’t really care how nice it is? Maybe the film companies do. They al use high roof transits around here. Maybe that’s why I can’t find one locally.

Got to sit in Suburban with the all glass roof. It was nice. Seems didn’t bother driving it. Glass roof just seems extra hot in the summer and colder in the winter but the V8 should keep you warm down to -10 I’m guessing list price was 77k. Seats 7. 2-2-3 means three middle kids get the back. Two will be in booster for several more years. That gets kinda tight but I didn’t have the booster with me. Had 7 suburbans in the lot. All 4wd. Said RWD is a special order. 2 premiums at over $90k.

I really think the auto market is in for a huge correction. Cheapest new full size SUV is $75k. Not one new 12-15 passenger van in town. Our MSA has a population of 470k people. Need to widen my search to SC and VA. If I wanted a truck or a Wagoneer I d have plenty to choose from.

I’m about to orders custom springs for the Odyssey. Just feel like there are about 40 vans used nation wide that are AWD 12-15 passenger. Half are crew versions with 5 seats. 1/4 have less than 1000 miles are basically priced as new. Some have more than 125k miles and are unappealing. Found one in grand junction CO. I’d buy it if it was a days drive away and I got to drive it in person.

 

[begreen]

Provided the link for Suburbans, but apparently not clicked on. Didn't mention any commercial vans but I do see them come up on FB marketplace. Best prices are in the winter.

 

[EbS-P]

I have until Monday to decide if want a Sprinter AWD that’s in Durham. It’s one of about 12 for sale outside CA that is AWD with an electric sliding door. No more scheduled for production this year. I didn’t think I was being picky. I’d post picks but I was in such a hurry I didn’t get any. Picture a short gray bus with a bit of aggressive stance. It’s pricy. I’m justifying as about the cost of new van and an RV. I just get to drive the RV every day and on to the beach if I want. Decisions. The Odyssey would probably get replaced in the next 12 months. It’s had a good run at over 95k miles for us. My seat is needed re padded. It’s beyond seat cover helping any.