Family exped truck

chadwicksavage

Adventurer
Do any of you have exped vehicles with features you've added to make a family more comfortable? Not for long technical trails but maybe for running the kids or a few friends out to Moab or to a remote camping site maybe down some rougher roads but nothing terribly technical? I was looking at buying a range rover classic this summer and setting it up but not too aggressively. Thanks!


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Dendy Jarrett

Expedition Portal Admin
Staff member
LR3 - Best Family Platform. If you have lux package, heated seats all around. Lots of "atrium" effect with the glass roof. Tons of storage, drink holders, cubbies, etc.
It is already set up for family comfort and use and you really don't have to do much of anything.
D
 

spikemd

Explorer
The most important factor in this thread is price point. How much for the truck and how much for mods?

The LR3 is a pretty amazing compromise between onroad comfort, luggage space and offroad prowess. There is more space in the LR3 than my P38 rangie.
 

tacr2man

Adventurer
For what you want , any of the landrover products will do it straight out of the box , they dont need modifying , and apart from defender they all are well suited to family , just pick your price point and that will select your possible vehicles . HTSH
 

rcharrette

Adventurer
That's us!

We have a 2008 LR3, prior to that a 2001 Disco II. First off, no comparison on comfort, the LR3 is wonderful. We are a family of 3, soon to be 4 and the family dog. With it large tow capacity we regularly tow our 27' camper out to places like Moab, Fruita, Durango, Crested Butte and So California in the winter. We use the camper as a "basecamp" and our LR3 to explore.
As others said the LR3 is incredibly capable right off the lot! All I've added is a large roof rack to carry 6 bike:Wow1: and some other stuff. I also have a hi-lift and shovel mounted on the rack.
The 19" wheels are the only troubling thing, once these tires go I'm changing them out.
You sound a lot like us, just looking for a bit of excitement without damage! The LR3 will easily deliver that stock. For a bit more piece of mind you could also look into the Johnson Rods as a inexpensive way to get a bit more lift. I don't have them personally but people rave about them.
You'll love the LR3 for extended seat time and moderate off road!
 

chadwicksavage

Adventurer
I'll need to finance an lr3 but that's fine. I'm a school teacher ha. Any good online dealers or any good dealers in Atlanta? Thanks!


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chadwicksavage

Adventurer
What's honestly the most important is which rover breaks the least or is cheapest to fix? I was looking at an lr3, Rrc, or d2 from 02-04?


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Rovers are nice when they are running but they do have a myriad of areas that are prone to failures. First and foremost are head gasket failures that plagued the Discos. That was just the tip of the iceberg of the issues that the Discos were plagued with. The LR3 also has it's own set of issues. The have injector issues, tie rod issues and lower control arm bushing issues. These are very common problems and will be expensive repairs. If you buy an LR3 you should plan on fixing these 3 issues because they are that common. I would recommend you look into other vehicles that would make for a great offroader and family vehicle. The FZJ100 Landcruiser is dead reliable and will return much better mpgs. The 2003-2006 Montero may be the most underrated offroad vehicle. It is unmatched when it comes to going fast on dirt roads and they are overbuilt in every way. The Mercedes G-wagon is also a great vehicle if you are looking for classic looks, solid axles and lockers. They are becoming more and more affordable and the V8 engine is a thorough bred. Other vehicles like the Isuzu Trooper, Lexus GX and Jeep JKU are all great options as well. My recommendation is to test drive as many vehicles as you can. You may be surprised what you like.
 

preacherman

Explorer
My family of four has had great success with lots of trucks. I have had a landcruiser, a 4runner a jeep TJ, a trooper and a Montero. All did well. My fj60 cost $1,000 my Montero $2,500, my trooper was $4,000 and my 2013 4runner was...a lot more. None of these trucks left my family stranded and all did Moab trails and even some good trails in Mexico. The key is finding a well maintained truck that has been taken care of, and just work through any PM issues. Then go have fun. Don't fall into the "you gotta have a" trap. Get something reliable and get out with the family!


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aek50

Adventurer
Having a Range Rover Classic myself I can attest that the biggest single item you would want is more space. The truck is simply not that large, especially once you get more than two people and gear into it. Fortunately a roof rack with a few good water tight containers solves much of this problem. Agreed with past posts, if you can swing the LR3 that would be ideal, but if you are looking for less entry cost and more of a classic truck the RRC can be a good choice.

Just make sure you get a clean truck and know the history. As with any vehicle 20 plus years old they will have their issues. All the years I have had my classic she has been good to me and it has been used and abused in the harshest of condidtions. On going maintenance to be sure but it is just staying on top of it and doing the preventive stuff.

Good luck.
 

sedat

Adventurer
I don't have a family but often take friends offroading, or on road trips.

I've added usb sockets for gadgets. I removed the carpet and put in a heavy duty vinyl floor.

There are other things in the works like rocksliders with a step on em to help ingress/egress, non airbag dash grab handle, metal oh **** handles.

Maintenance wise: I also use the truck for my small business. Its also my DD, so I drive around 3-4000 miles a month. I budget around 500/mo on it.
 

SDDiver5

Expedition Leader
Also look into a 4 runner. If you want brand new you can get one for about 35K. Or you can be really cool like me and buy a used one with about 40,000 miles (give or take) for about 25-30K. I've never owned anything other than my F150 when I bought it when I was 16 so I don't have much experience with whats best for a family but the LR's are very popular and so are T4R, monteros, troopers, jeeps, etc. From what I've heard, and maybe an LR guy can correct me if I'm wrong, is that just like any other foreign car they are expensive to repair and maintain. Have you considered a 4 door truck of some type with a pop up camper or a RTT or anything? Might interest you. Let us know what you end up doing!
 

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