I need help

Hey everyone .. I have this new found love of the expedition style 4x4's ! I am a current import car club owner and want to try something different. My question is WHat would be the best 4x4 to do an expedition style camper? or something to sleep in that affordable .. Keep in mind i have a wife and daughter that would be going with me. I would also like to stick to imports ! I live in Maine and have alot of great area's to go but would like to do a big one someday and thats my goal .. I see alot of styles with the tent on the top which i like.
 

haven

Expedition Leader
Welcome to ExPo. You'll find lots of ideas and opinions here.

Expedition camping falls in several categories
-- modify a standard vehicle to include a sleeping platform inside (unlikely to work for more than two people)
-- sleeping in a tent beside or on top of the vehicle, with gear carried in the vehicle
-- pull a camping trailer (lots of options here)
-- mount a camper onto the vehicle (this includes slide-in campers for pickup truck, and custom campers mounted to a larger truck's chassis)

You'll find plenty of examples of these approaches on ExPo.

Three additional questions to guide your selection
-- How much do your wife and daughter like rough and ready camping?
-- What sorts of off-pavement driving do you want to do? (travel on forest service roads? overcome small obstacles? unstoppable rockhopper?)
-- Will the vehicle be used as a daily driver as well as for recreation?

You don't need a super-specialized vehicle for adventure travel. People have traveled around the world in ordinary sedans. A vehicle modified for off-pavement travel will let you choose a wider range of routes, which will lead to different sorts of adventures. It's all good. The important thing is to get out there. Your experiences will tell you what sorts of additional gear you want to buy.
 
This wont be a daily driver but more a weekend warrior. The daughter is 3 so she don't care and the wife ... well we are both from Maine and love camping! I would prefer small obstacles Since its the way of our terrain. This would be on pavement going to and from home and maybe 1 good expedition a year with a group of people if i can find any. I have found some threads about Nissan pathfinders but is the aftermarket support group ? and how do they do keeping up ? I really like the idea of the tent on the top and whatever i get there will be an exo skeleton with tire mount on side or the rear .
 

jeep-N-montero

Expedition Leader
Look at 95-97 Isuzu Troopers, they have more room and cost less than the Pathfinder but are just as reliable. What "car club" do you own?
 
Psychotik Illusions auto club ( also on facebook ) or www.teampi.com we dont update that alot , Now that i am reading the support for the year i am looking for on the pathfinder just is not there .... My other concern is height with a tent on top and lots of wooded area's in Maine.
 
I am also thinking after reading of changing plans to the not so better judgment of a cherokee sport ... In which they have great support and affordable ! I am looking for other people that enjoy doing this same thing in Maine if anyone knows any shoot them my way :)
 

jeep-N-montero

Expedition Leader
I actually grew up there and have family there, but don't miss the rust and backwoods thinking folks. Where in Maine are you?
 
From Winter Harbor. Not your normal backwoods thinking guy here ... Hence why most of the cars in my club are imports :) .... Where did you grow up too ?
 
And after just a few short hours of research i am pretty impressed wi ththe trooper ! I am a bit of a newer freak so a 97 would be a must ... But what model ?
 

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