Hello, MPG/Road Clearance, and AC

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madrecpally

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Feb 16, 2021
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Hello and good morning.

I want to escape my life and started planning it last year but Covid hit and I got stuck.  I tried buying a Van but sold it after learning of all mechanic problems.  Then I looked into an Truck and RV but the MPG kills me and Id rather stealth camp as much as possible.  Part of this post is for me to lay out my thoughts and hopefully it will help me decide.

Im not sure the best method for me to live on the road and travel the US and eventually Canada is.  Iv read hundreds of pages on here and learned a ton of great information but I am still uncertain if what I desire is even possible or feasible.

Iv about just gave up and buy a Prius but like the Van and Truck/RV situation I am afraid I am overlooking vital information.

Goals:  Drive cross country to National Parks as well as visiting festivals and events.  I used a 2019 schedule of things I wanted to see and it would require about 48k miles per year as I love driving and it relaxes me (one of the few things that does).

MPG example on 4k miles a month with gas at $3/gallon:

  1. Truck/RV/Van:  10-15MPG
    • $1200-$800 a month in gas
  2. SUV Hybrid (2018 or older) - (2019 or new):  30MPG - 40MPG
    • $400 a month in gas for 2018 or older and $300 for 2019 or newer
  3. [font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Hybrid (Prius or similar):  45-55mpg[/font]
    • $266-$218 a month in gas
[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Gas savings between the options for my amount of driving has pretty much ruled out anything with bad MPG.  A good Prius what can get near 55MPG will cost about the same as an older Rav4 that gets around 30MPG so again that is nearly a $180/month in gas difference.  An older Rav4 Hybrid (2015-2018) is in my price range and even with the increased MPG I think it is the better option. [/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Now that I have narrowed it down based on MPG I am concerned if it will actually work in terms of comfort.  I like confined spaces so a Prius wouldn't bother me but a Rav4 or even Highlander would likely be more comfortable driving.[/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Country roads would mean a Rav4 would likely be best since they come with AWD and have better clearance.  No extreme off roading but dirt roads and forest service roads would be ideal.[/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]AC is important for my comfort and its the main point why I am looking at a Hybrid.  From video's and post it seems the hybrid kicks on/off at night and the frequency depends on the outside temps/humidity.  Some of the most common places I will be is Florida, Texas, Nevada (Las Vegas), and Southern CA and the temps in these locations are always on the high side.  [/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]What are ways I can plan for this heat?  Should I avoid getting a moonroof (I really want one to star gaze).  Is white the best color?  Can I add more hybrid batteries so the AC last longer without turning the engine on?  What ways can I find that will allow me to be more comfortable not only sleeping in the car but working on my laptop for hours at a time.  How much difference will a Prius and Rav4 be due to the size difference?[/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]The AC issue is my biggest concern ATM.  The cold weather I can deal with but heat I can not and sadly I can not follow the cooler weather due to the festivals/events I want to attend.[/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Sorry for long post but this helps my thinking process and hopefully I get feedback that either helps prevent a mistake or advice on how to make it work.  Thanks for reading.[/font]
 
The Prius with a 1500 watt inverter attached to the smaller 12 volt battery can power a cheap ceramic heater on low (750 watts) and keeps the car from running so much in cold weather while keeping the car interior warm. Priusoffroad.com sells a 2” lift kit to give you some extra ground clearance which you will need most likely. There are lots of support groups and videos for the Prius. A cheap quick set up tent will make a world of difference if only for storage. With that many miles of travel each year it (a white one) would be my choice. Oh and welcome to the forum.
 
In line with what bullfrog posted about a tent, I have one of these for my Jeep Grand Cherokee when I'm using it for stand alone camping. I really like it and the cost isn't too bad ~ 300 bucks. It really expands your space and options. I usually sleep in the Jeep and use the tent for living space. It disconnects easily although the strap attachments take a while to figure out.

https://rightlinegear.com/truck-tents/suv-tent/

Cheers
 
I used one of those tents for awhile. Here's a couple of things I did not like,

If you detach and run to town or wherever. when you try to reattach it's a pain to get in the same exact location. especially at night.
In a desert windstorm with blowing dust they rub your paint right off where the material touches the vehicle.
Like any tent the wind blowing them makes a lot of noise.
If the tent has any type of hardware touching the vehicle it really messes up the paint quick.
Nylon tents do not handle the UV rays for very long. if used everyday after about three months the tent rips very easy.

Highdesertranger
 
4,000 miles a month is a lot of driving, even if you like driving.

It doesn’t give you much time to explore our beautiful country, walk the streets of old downtown areas, have a leisurely coffee in the morning or enjoy your favorite beverage whenever. Etc.

Aside from fuel expenses is wear and tear on your vehicle with that many miles, and that can mount up.

I do understand wanting to drive and see everything you possibly can, but maybe more thoroughly explore areas you are interested in, rather than driving thru them.

I have a RAV4, my second, and I love it.

I considered one of those SUV tents a few years back, but let go of the idea because of my dog who would not tolerate anything of any size sniffing around outside at night.

I did meet a woman traveling by herself a few years back who had one of these and loved it.

You might consider getting yourself an inexpensive tent and try the lifestyle out to see what you like/don’t like, and what you feel you must have.

You will be surprised at how a little on the road experience can shape your opinions.

Good luck!
 
"I used one of those tents for awhile."

I can tell ya spend a lot of time in your namesake area :D. I've had mine for 4 years. I've taken it camping a good deal (Alabama, FL, and LA mostly) since my Jeep is the only vehicle I have suitable to do so. Aside from those famous Southern TStorms (I have also experienced the ones on the desert and in the Mid West (MN - They were the WORST I've experienced outside of the monsoons in the Pacific) I haven't subjected it to the much harsher desert environment but I personally wouldn't do much tenting out there except for a stand alone room - I had lots of experience in that when I was stationed at Tucson and spent a lot of time in the field (Gila Bend). It's the reason I've decided to go with a rugged teardrop when I head West this fall.

Going back to the tent. Yes it's a little complicated with the straps as I wrote above and it would rub if subjected to the kind of winds you're referring to but hasn't been a prob for me. I leave my chocks on the ground when I disconnect and leave so I have an easy visual reference to back back up to. All tents DO make a lot of noise in the wind but I'm used to it since tents of all sizes are primarily what we operated out of in my previous life beginning when I was seventeen. It's the outdoors after all.

I personally really like the extra space which gives me the option to store things, set up a kitchen and rec area and sleep in if I choose. This leaves plenty of room in the Jeep for when I need to hang out and sleep in it to keep in the heat or cool or, due to the weather. For me, the disadvantages are far outweighed by the advantage of having it to expand your living space and still not need to tow a trailer IMHO...

Cheers!
 
You should also think about what you can do inside the vehicle: can you change your pants, wash yourself with a washbasin/washcloth, use a pail toilet, etc. If you can do these things inside the privacy of your vehicle, you will have many more campsite opportunities. In fact, you can park and live almost anywhere. If you can't do these things, you will need to set up a tent, go to a campground bathroom, rest area, or find a remote boondocking site where you can do them outside.

I think the sweet spot for reasonably high MPG and interior room to move around and do things, is a mini-van.

As far as hot weather, get out of the vehicle and find other comfortable areas during daylight. That might be an air conditioned library, store, restaurant, swimming hole. a shaded, breezy spot outside, or whatever you can find. At night, open roof vents and have one or two fans running on you as you lay in bed in the van. I find the most difficult times are the last few hours before sunset when the sun is coming in from the side. Always have a plan for where to escape the sun during that time. An awning, a breeze and a spray bottle to keep your skin wet can help. I don't think that air conditioning in an off grid van camper is a realistic way to deal with hot weather, unless you have a thousand watts of solar panels or more. If you have access to a 120V outlet, yes, an air conditioner can make things more comfortable. But you should know how to deal with heat without power and AC in case it breaks down.
 
4,000 miles a month is a lot of driving, even if you like driving.


For years iv driven over 60k miles a year even when working from home.  Nearly all those miles are back country roads and exploring.  What I like to do is just take the roads that are headed in the direction I am wanting to go and just cruise.  Main speed is 55mph country roads and when going though towns I like to explore them.  I tend to pull over when traffic builds up behind me or if it is unsafe to pass I pull over sooner to let people pass.  Love looking at old houses and farmsteads though rarely get out because that could get me shot unless I am in town and it looks safe.  

For example I drove from Kansas City to Las Vegas and it took 8 days and 2,200 miles.  A direct route is only about 1100 miles and 2 days (10-12 hour days).  What gets me is I used to stay in hotels and that got too expensive so looking for something I can sleep in instead and just do it full time.  I will still get hotels at the events but the week between them I want to stay in the car.

Those tents are a great idea and I will look into them.  I was considering finding a way to add storage so I can have a tent like toilet for when I am in the middle of nowhere camping for a week or two.  Nothing fancy and iv seen them on here and youtube.

Thanks for the replies and info everyone.  I still have a ton of reading to do but im getting closer to getting away.
 
Welcome madrecpally to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

Sorry when I replied about the tents I didn't realize you were brand new and I didn't give you a official intro. My Apology

Highdesertranger
 
A lot of what works for you depends on you like your physical size and how flexible/mobile you are. A comfortable sleeping arrangement and a good sleeping bag in cold weather are most important. Being able to deal with you preference for using the restroom is probably next.
 
Photo for HDR who is allergic to clicking on links like that.

Hey HDR. Do you think if I towed this with my puttputt it would be ok over hill and dale on the trails?

0325c498ce45cace0be1c01fb32a3955.jpg
 
It's says it's a motorcycle trailer. So it should work, just depends on the suspension. Highdesertranger
 
bullfrog said:
And how many rocks you bring home in it! Lol!!!


That’s IS a problem.... we brought a crap load to KY last year. Not so many this year.
 
Boy I tell you you and HDR “stealing” my country’s resources from me! Lol!!!
 
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