New or Used? : A Road Trip… Geo Metro Style
We want to go on a road trip this summer.
There are four of us. Myself, my wife, a teen and a tween. The wife and kids are thin and I’m about average sized.
Why do I mention this?
We are looking at getting a normal-sized vehicle that can potentially sleep four. A minivan, crossover, or even a large SUV would be perfectly fine for us. We think that there will be times when we can’t use a tent, and I would rather get away from the overpriced state parks if it’s at all possible.
Our budget is $10,000. We don’t want anything funky to maintain. For us that means no VW vans. We will consider most anything else. All domestics and imports are on the radar so long as they allow us reasonable sleeping quarters for our family.
Any ideas?
Steve Says:
Yes, rent a trailer or RV first.
A lot of folks think that they can take a big swig of the great American road trip in one feel swoop. But the truth is that close quarters will turn even the slightest of irritable personalities into a smorgasbord of communal hate and vitriol.
A week’s worth of traveling will help you figure out your own family’s tolerances real fast.
Your kids are young? They will want some space. The adults will want some space. Trust me. Whether you chose to give them real space or imaginary space via video games and movies is your call. But if this were my call, I would take the big bite that is the rental of a trailer (if you have a vehicle that can already haul one), a pop-up, or an RV, and make the most of your time.
Most normal sized vehicles can’t sleep four unless you are willing to do some serious customization. There are built-in tents and conversion kits for Azteks that can sleep two. Astros with third seats that can be made into a bed… that sleep two. There are even full-sized vans that supposedly seat four. Although the sleeping space me be a bit claustrophobic for some.
Heck, if you were creative enough, you could probably pull off sleeping space four in a stretch limo. But the truth is the only real games in town for road trips that can house four living souls comfortably are the camper conversions, trailers and RV’s.
What’s the cheapest route? Not going cheap.
In the long run your best decision will likely be trying one of these options out and figuring out what would best suit your family’s needs. Long-term road trip vehicles may be the one area where renting first actually makes sense. So rent something you like. Live it up a bit. Then, when you find the right size, make your investment in mobile living.
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Oh my gosh, why did I just think of this? Rent an Express 3500 from Enterprise, and make sure you get one with under 5K (to make sure it runs cleanly). Throw a couple mattresses on the ground, and bring a lot of blankets for 1. Sleeping and 2. Hiding in case the police pull you over for not having seat belts. Guaranteed to be the best trip ever. Also, smack a Bill Heard badge on the back. Just kidding. Also, get one of the cargo vans with windows the whole way through. Scenic view forever! But remember to put the blankets over the windows when the police come by. ;)
Go over to 3 Way camper on 41 and rent one for a weekend. If you want to keep your family intact, I suggest you try Stone Mountain first. Teenagers, especially females, do not like to be out of touch with their associates for more than two hours. It will be held against you if they miss some news because you made a side trip in the Smokies with no wi fi. I have been in a broken down camping vehicle and it is no fun, so I'd forget about buying some piece of crap and taking some tools. It gets really hot fast on the side of the road and chances are your family members did not know the engine was that hard to get to either. Always get set up before sun down. Even if you rent, always have a spare wheel and tire for each rig that touches the ground. Replacements can be hard to find. Never assume you can buy beer anywhere. Unless you are on an Indian reservation, always carry what you might consume in 2 days worth. It makes the set up easier. I generally went around reservations. If you get a pop up, make it a team effort to set it up. Makes it easier on Dad and takes the kids' minds off what they might be missing out on at home. 4 people over the age of 10 can set up a Jayco popup in about 5 minutes if it is daylight and not raining. When the infighting reaches Tet Offensive level, find the nearest motel with a pool no matter how early in the afternoon it is. I also suggest separate rooms for adults and kids.