Ideal Overland setup for family + dog?

[rayra]

$100-300 two-room 8-man ground tent. Beats all hell out of a RTT at 10x the price, for a family + dog. They come in a huge variety, split rooms with anteroom between, screened porches, domes, tents tall enough to stand up in. If you're an 'overlander', you've got all the room in the world to set one up, amirite? And they don't take anywhere near the room or weight of an RTT, either.

 

[goatherder]

If it were me, I'd find a shuttle bus or shorty school bus in nice condition, jack it up a couple inches, put some 32" AT tires on it, a locker in the rear end, and make the inside into a camper. Plenty of room for four people and a dog. You could even add a roof rack, and tow a car behind.

Oh wait...I'm doing that.:sombrero:

 

[Ozrockrat]

Shuttle bus based on an F series ford (easily converted to 4WD)

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/cto/5888205831.html

 

[shenrie]

The 4x4 E350 van with the same sportmobile top I have been in flexed so much off-roading that the dome light would come on (one of the side doors sensors would think a door was open as the chassis twisted so much).

fwiw, my van did this before I put a poptop on it and doesn't seem to be any worse since the top install. all vehicles are designed to flex. the light popping on every once and a while shouldn't thwart you from choosing a van if everything else about it suits your needs. good luck with your search.

 

[kojackJKU]

Suburban z71, easily lifted, fits everyone, decent range, can build to suit and take all your crap! Cheap as chips compared to some other suggestions floating around here. You can add a RTT, ground tent, tow a friggin big camper to the trail head and go in that way....all in all a very very versatile rig. I just got the A OK on a bill of health for my suburban so I am building it this spring to do some traveling with the family.