Vehicle Recommendations for fishing

[AFISHN]

I checked and the last post on this subject was about 9 years ago and thus needs to be updated.Especially since I'm in the market for a used fishing vehicle.
I have driven the same 2001 Excursion 7.3 Diesel for 23 years and it has been my "bed on wheels",but it's time.I have two vehicles now :a Chevy RS Sonic and the Excursion....I will be selling/trading in both...so I will have only one vehicle
In terms of specs that I'm looking for: capable of sleeping in(I'm 6ft tall),prefer gasor hybrid /no electric, 20 +mpg...open to a pick up/cap set up,as well as a SUV.
I would appreciate any and all opinions.Thank you.Tom

 

[Swattie87]

Is 4WD a requirement? If not, you’re not gonna beat a minivan in terms of cost/fuel mileage/space/etc. It’s not even close. Current model Toyota Sienna (hybrid only) gets 35 mpg. And even the V6 powered minivans will hit mid 20’s fuel economy. Sienna comes with all wheel drive as an option, I think it’s the only new van to currently offer it. Some older versions of other manufacturers had AWD too. But understand that AWD is not the same as 4WD, if you’re used to 4WD vehicles. (If you have that aversion to minivans from birth, like many do, my advice is don’t ever comparo shop them against SUV’s. The minivan will win in terms of better value and interior space per dollar every time.)

You’re gonna struggle to get over 20 mpg with any regularity with any mainstream body on frame truck or SUV, especially if you’re going down to one vehicle and will be daily-ing it. May be possible with one of the small GM turbo-diesels in the Colorado/Canyon or Silverado/Sierra, but the increase in fuel economy is offset by the higher cost of diesel to where it’s a wash overall. And you’re probably in the red after you factor in the initial additional cost for the diesel engine, and the additional maintenance costs diesels come with.

I have both a 4Runner (4.0 V6) and a Tacoma (3.5 V6). They both will get slightly better than 20 on the highway, if you keep them under 70, FWIW. But just barely. 22 is about the best I can get out of them, and that’s typically been on tanks when I’ve been upstate fishing for a few days and running back roads doing 45-55 a lot. Overall, they’ve both averaged in the 19’s since I’ve owned them, and I tend to get the rated or better MPG…I don’t really have a lead foot and am pretty easy on my vehicles.

So if you want 20+ mpg all-around, you’re probably looking at unibody crossover style SUV’s…Toyota Highlander/Honda Pilot/etc. I like Subarus best probably in that genre, but I’m not sure any of them are big enough to sleep in the back for a 6’0 guy. Ascent, maybe. And if you’re gonna go that route, as opposed to a body on frame truck or truck based SUV, IMO the minivan is the better bang for your buck. (We have a second kid on the way, and one is likely in our future.)

 

[AFISHN]

Is 4WD a requirement? If not, you’re not gonna beat a minivan in terms of cost/fuel mileage/space/etc. It’s not even close. Current model Toyota Sienna (hybrid only) gets 35 mpg. And even the V6 powered minivans will hit mid 20’s fuel economy. Sienna comes with all wheel drive, I think it’s the only new van to currently offer it. Some older versions of other manufacturers had AWD too. But understand that AWD is not the same as 4WD, if you’re used to 4WD vehicles. (If you have that aversion to minivans, like many do, my advice is don’t ever comparo shop them against SUV’s. The minivan will win in terms of better value every time.)

You’re gonna struggle to get over 20 mpg with any regularity with any mainstream body on frame truck or SUV, especially if you’re going down to one vehicle and will be daily-ing it. Maybe possible with one of the small GM turbo-diesels in the Colorado or Silverado, but the increase in fuel economy is offset by the higher cost of diesel to where it’s a wash overall. I have both a 4Runner (4.0 V6) and a Tacoma (3.5 V6). They both will get slightly better than 20 on the highway, if you keep them under 70. But just barely. 22 is about the best I can get out of them, and that’s typically been on tanks when I’ve been upstate fishing for a few days and running back roads doing 45-55 a lot. Overall, they’ve both averaged in the 19’s since I’ve owned them, and I tend to get the rated or better MPG…I don’t really have a lead foot and am pretty easy on my vehicles.

So if you want 20+ mpg all-around, you’re probably looking at unibody crossover style SUV’s…Toyota Highlander/Honda Pilot/etc. I like Subarus best probably in that genre, but I’m not sure any of them are big enough to sleep in the back for a 6’0 guy. And if you’re gonna go that route, as opposed to a body on frame truck or truck based SUV, IMO the minivan is the better bang for your buck. (We have a second kid on the way, and one is likely in our future.)

Thx ..very useful insights..wasn't even thinking mimivans..will check them out

 

[AFISHN]

Is 4WD a requirement? If not, you’re not gonna beat a minivan in terms of cost/fuel mileage/space/etc. It’s not even close. Current model Toyota Sienna (hybrid only) gets 35 mpg. And even the V6 powered minivans will hit mid 20’s fuel economy. Sienna comes with all wheel drive, I think it’s the only new van to currently offer it. Some older versions of other manufacturers had AWD too. But understand that AWD is not the same as 4WD, if you’re used to 4WD vehicles. (If you have that aversion to minivans, like many do, my advice is don’t ever comparo shop them against SUV’s. The minivan will win in terms of better value every time.)

You’re gonna struggle to get over 20 mpg with any regularity with any mainstream body on frame truck or SUV, especially if you’re going down to one vehicle and will be daily-ing it. Maybe possible with one of the small GM turbo-diesels in the Colorado or Silverado, but the increase in fuel economy is offset by the higher cost of diesel to where it’s a wash overall. I have both a 4Runner (4.0 V6) and a Tacoma (3.5 V6). They both will get slightly better than 20 on the highway, if you keep them under 70. But just barely. 22 is about the best I can get out of them, and that’s typically been on tanks when I’ve been upstate fishing for a few days and running back roads doing 45-55 a lot. Overall, they’ve both averaged in the 19’s since I’ve owned them, and I tend to get the rated or better MPG…I don’t really have a lead foot and am pretty easy on my vehicles.

So if you want 20+ mpg all-around, you’re probably looking at unibody crossover style SUV’s…Toyota Highlander/Honda Pilot/etc. I like Subarus best probably in that genre, but I’m not sure any of them are big enough to sleep in the back for a 6’0 guy. And if you’re gonna go that route, as opposed to a body on frame truck or truck based SUV, IMO the minivan is the better bang for your buck. (We have a second kid on the way, and one is likely in our future.)

Thx ..very useful insights..wasn't even thinking mimivans..will check them out

 

[Swattie87]

Thx ..very useful insights..wasn't even thinking mimivans..will check them out

Just don’t blame me when you end up buying one. 😜

 

[mt_flyfisher]

Tom -

It sounds like that Excursion has treated you pretty well over a long period of time. I don’t envy you when you have to fill that tank with diesel these days though. (I had several Super Duty diesel Ford trucks with 38 gal tanks in the past 20 years and am glad I’m not having to fill them up at today’s prices.). I also had a Ford Expedition in the late 1980‘s that I did a lot of fishing/camping in and it was great.

I camped/fished in a couple Ford F150’s that I owned in the past few years. (crew cabs, 4x4, off road, gas engine, 6 1/2’ bed, with cab high Leer truck caps). Those trucks suited my purposes well, but I’m shorter than you, and an 8’ bed (not available on an F150, crew cab) with a higher cap height would have been more ideal to sleep in.

Here’s a picture of my 2012 F150. I also had a 2018 F150 similar to that one that I sold just over a year ago.

I had planed on getting another comparable Ford F150, and had one on a factory order for nearly a year (from the end of 2022 to the Fall 2023) when there were chip shortages and vehicles weren’t being produced. So, I ended up canceling the order for the truck and buying a new Subaru Outback Wilderness - a BIG change after years of owning full sized trucks.

The Subaru is a great fishing vehicle, but it’s not the best camping vehicle. I’m able to sleep in it, but there’s not a lot of extra space for my fishing gear, cooler, etc. I have a roof rack for it (got a Thule roof top storage box, but never used it and then sold it), also have an ARB canopy/awning for it, and it gets about 27 mpg, etc.

In the past couple months, I’ve been thinking of getting something in between truck size and Subaru Outback size, which would be better for my camping and fishing purposes. So, I presently have orders for a 2024 Land Cruiser and a 2024 Lexus GX 550 0vertrail. I don’t know whether either of these recently introduced vehicles have actually begun to be shipped to US dealers yet, so it might be a year until I’d be able to get one or the other. (I really prefer the Lexus over the Toyota, and plan to buy one, and cancel the order for the other.)

Here’s a picture of the Lexus Overtrail.

The Land Cruiser only comes in a hybrid, and will get something over 20 mpg, and with just 2 rows of seats, it might suit your purposes. The Lexus on the other hand has a V6 turbo charged engine that requires premium grade gas, and will probably not get 20 mpg overall.

 

[jifigz]

I have a green 2009 Chrysler Town & Country. I lovingly call it my "fishing buggy." I'd buy another mini van in a heartbeat for traveling and staying out of. You just need to be cautious of terrain, ground clearance, etc.

Edit: some people think it's weird when a single guy without kids has a minivan.... Oh well.

Oh, and since I live near a high Mennonite population, there is a secret Mennonite wave kind of like the biker guys have. I'm always getting "the wave" from other dark colored vehicles driving by.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear AFISHN,

You don't say if you are looking for a new or used vehicle, so I'd suggest that you look at some of the cargo vans available like the Ford Transit, or the Mercedes Sprinter. I think Nissan and RAM also offer them?

They offer AWD if that is a preference, and you will have plenty of room to outfit the interior into a fishing/camping rig. I have spoken to people who own 24 ft Mercedes Sprinter diesel motorhomes and they have been really pleased with the mileage they get out of them. Even when outfitted as a motorhome with beds, kitchens, bath/showers, and high roofs most people have said they get 20 mpg on the highway.

I met a group of people a couple years ago who went cross country from Oregon to Maine in a long wheelbase AWD Sprinter diesel at Sayers Dam one Fall. The van was outfitted with a kitchen, shower and bathroom and even had satellite TV. It had solar panels and lithium-ion storage batteries so they could go off grid for a couple of days. They told me that for 6000 miles they averaged over 20 mpg.

They had built the rig themselves, expressly for cross-country trips, starting with a bare AWD diesel van. They researched and went with proven gear to outfit it. They had a little over 70K in the build but that was in 2020. You may be able to find a campervan used that will hit all the bases for you?

Me, I'd buy a worn-out 2000 Dodge 2500 long bed quad cab 4wd diesel with a 6 speed and pay to have it rebuilt. I had one with 4:10 rears in it and it averaged 19 mpg on the highway with the old 24valve Cummins 6BT 5.9 liter. The amazing thing was when I took on gravel roads and drove State Forests the mpg went way up. That diesel in 2nd or 3rd gear could simply idle along at 30 mph and burn almost no fuel. I'd get 25 mpg running 200 miles through Bald Eagle or Sproul State Forests on a weekend.

Good luck in your search and report back please!

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Dear AFISHN,

You don't say if you are looking for a new or used vehicle, so I'd suggest that you look at some of the cargo vans available like the Ford Transit, or the Mercedes Sprinter. I think Nissan and RAM also offer them?

They offer AWD if that is a preference, and you will have plenty of room to outfit the interior into a fishing/camping rig. I have spoken to people who own 24 ft Mercedes Sprinter diesel motorhomes and they have been really pleased with the mileage they get out of them. Even when outfitted as a motorhome with beds, kitchens, bath/showers, and high roofs most people have said they get 20 mpg on the highway.

I met a group of people a couple years ago who went cross country from Oregon to Maine in a long wheelbase AWD Sprinter diesel at Sayers Dam one Fall. The van was outfitted with a kitchen, shower and bathroom and even had satellite TV. It had solar panels and lithium-ion storage batteries so they could go off grid for a couple of days. They told me that for 6000 miles they averaged over 20 mpg.

They had built the rig themselves, expressly for cross-country trips, starting with a bare AWD diesel van. They researched and went with proven gear to outfit it. They had a little over 70K in the build but that was in 2020. You may be able to find a campervan used that will hit all the bases for you?

Me, I'd buy a worn-out 2000 Dodge 2500 long bed quad cab 4wd diesel with a 6 speed and pay to have it rebuilt. I had one with 4:10 rears in it and it averaged 19 mpg on the highway with the old 24valve Cummins 6BT 5.9 liter. The amazing thing was when I took on gravel roads and drove State Forests the mpg went way up. That diesel in 2nd or 3rd gear could simply idle along at 30 mph and burn almost no fuel. I'd get 25 mpg running 200 miles through Bald Eagle or Sproul State Forests on a weekend.

Good luck in your search and report back please!

Regards,

Tim Murphy

I love this idea for Tom!

I have always been intrigued by those Sprinters and the like, so I want him to get one to test it out for me 😁

I have the Outback, and that gets my vote if you put your rods away in the tubes to sleep. That said, I can keep a 10'6" rod in there not broken down and 10 foot one-piece surf rods too.

But I wonder if the Subaru Ascent has a little more cargo space?

 

[jifigz]

I love this idea for Tom!

I have always been intrigued by those Sprinters and the like, so I want him to get one to test it out for me 😁

I have the Outback, and that gets my vote if you put your rods away in the tubes to sleep. That said, I can keep a 10'6" rod in there not broken down and 10 foot one-piece surf rods too.

But I wonder if the Subaru Ascent has a little more cargo space?

I have no idea how you guys do it in an Outback, but Barry (Linwood) does it, and he is a pretty big guy, so it is definitely possible.

I just want to say, and no, you can't argue this because you would be wrong, that minivans are cooler than Outbacks.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

I have no idea how you guys do it in an Outback, but Barry (Linwood) does it, and he is a pretty big guy, so it is definitely possible.

I just want to say, and no, you can't argue this because you would be wrong, that minivans are cooler than Outbacks.

Yes, I thought of Barry! And I think the bar is pretty low on cool in Mifflin County??

 

[jifigz]

Yes, I thought of Barry! And I think the bar is pretty low on cool in Mifflin County??

I don't get out of the county much. My only source of what's cool is what the girls in prayer coverings are driving..

 

[BruceC2C]

Damn....I am DEF gonna b tracking this thread.🤓
Thanks, AFISHN!

 

[TimMurphy]

I love this idea for Tom!

I have always been intrigued by those Sprinters and the like, so I want him to get one to test it out for me 😁

I have the Outback, and that gets my vote if you put your rods away in the tubes to sleep. That said, I can keep a 10'6" rod in there not broken down and 10 foot one-piece surf rods too.

But I wonder if the Subaru Ascent has a little more cargo space?

Dear Nymph-wristed,

Almost 5 years ago I bought a low mileage 2011 Subaru Outback for my daily driver. Six months later Covid hit and daily driving became an afterthought with work from home.

I was reluctant to buy a Subaru, but my wife had bought a used Nissan Altima a month before and I was amazed by how much roomier and more comfortable what were formerly known as econo-boxes had become.

An Outback Premium with a 6-speed and 76000 miles was advertised locally on Autotrader on a Friday. I was at the dealership before they opened on Saturday waiting to buy it.

It's been an awesome vehicle for me. I've done nothing more than oil changes and a set of front brakes on it in almost 5 years. Yeah, flat 4 burns a little oil, but as soon as the light comes on, I buy 3 quarts of synthetic 5W-30W at Tractor Supply and I'm good to go for thousands more miles!

I love the little thing and getting 25 to 32 mpg has been great. I'm a gigantic man at 6'5" and 350 pounds. I can report that with the homemade pillow and handknit cubby blankets my wife made for me sleeping in the power reclining driver's seat in the Outback is easy-peasy even in 10-degree temperatures.

If and when this thing dies it will be replaced with another Subie. It has never let me down in any weather conditions on any road, paved or otherwise. The 6-speed and my well-modulated right and left feet have gotten me through many OH-S&%T moments with no trouble.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[nymphingmaniac]

I have a green 2009 Chrysler Town & Country. I lovingly call it my "fishing buggy." I'd buy another mini van in a heartbeat for traveling and staying out of. You just need to be cautious of terrain, ground clearance, etc.

Edit: some people think it's weird when a single guy without kids has a minivan.... Oh well.

Oh, and since I live near a high Mennonite population, there is a secret Mennonite wave kind of like the biker guys have. I'm always getting "the wave" from other dark colored vehicles driving by.

I must admit I thought that when you drove up at the WW jam this fall LOL

 

[mt_flyfisher]

Dear Nymph-wristed,

Almost 5 years ago I bought a low mileage 2011 Subaru Outback for my daily driver. Six months later Covid hit and daily driving became an afterthought with work from home.

I was reluctant to buy a Subaru, but my wife had bought a used Nissan Altima a month before and I was amazed by how much roomier and more comfortable what were formerly known as econo-boxes had become.

An Outback Premium with a 6-speed and 76000 miles was advertised locally on Autotrader on a Friday. I was at the dealership before they opened on Saturday waiting to buy it.

It's been an awesome vehicle for me. I've done nothing more than oil changes and a set of front brakes on it in almost 5 years. Yeah, flat 4 burns a little oil, but as soon as the light comes on, I buy 3 quarts of synthetic 5W-30W at Tractor Supply and I'm good to go for thousands more miles!

I love the little thing and getting 25 to 32 mpg has been great. I'm a gigantic man at 6'5" and 350 pounds. I can report that with the homemade pillow and handknit cubby blankets my wife made for me sleeping in the power reclining driver's seat in the Outback is easy-peasy even in 10-degree temperatures.

If and when this thing dies it will be replaced with another Subie. It has never let me down in any weather conditions on any road, paved or otherwise. The 6-speed and my well-modulated right and left feet have gotten me through many OH-S&%T moments with no trouble.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Back in the Fall, I had sciatica and wasn’t able to sleep comfortably anywhere in my house. Fortunately, however, I was able to sleep in the passenger seat in my Subaru in my garage. So I slept there for nearly a month. Not only was I comfortable, but I slept better and more soundly than I can ever remember sleeping in my bed!

I put the seat back as far as it would go, lowered it all the way down, removed the headrest, and reclined the seat back about 3/4 of the way. I put a couple pillows beside the door and another on the center console, and used a lightweight down blanket on the couple nights when it got chilly. My wife thought I was crazy, but I was actually very comfortable. (I might try sleeping that way on an overnight fishing trip, rather than in the back of my Subaru, and I think a small cushion under my feet on the floor might make it even more comfortable.

Oh, I also forgot to mention earlier that I also have Weathertech window shades for all of my Subaru windows to block out the light and give more privacy when camping, plus I have something called a Roadie tent/ bug screen to put over one window.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

I don't get out of the county much. My only source of what's cool is what the girls in prayer coverings are driving..

If I shave my top lip but leave the rest of the beard, I get a lot of marriage proposals out there

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Dear Nymph-wristed,

Almost 5 years ago I bought a low mileage 2011 Subaru Outback for my daily driver. Six months later Covid hit and daily driving became an afterthought with work from home.

I was reluctant to buy a Subaru, but my wife had bought a used Nissan Altima a month before and I was amazed by how much roomier and more comfortable what were formerly known as econo-boxes had become.

An Outback Premium with a 6-speed and 76000 miles was advertised locally on Autotrader on a Friday. I was at the dealership before they opened on Saturday waiting to buy it.

It's been an awesome vehicle for me. I've done nothing more than oil changes and a set of front brakes on it in almost 5 years. Yeah, flat 4 burns a little oil, but as soon as the light comes on, I buy 3 quarts of synthetic 5W-30W at Tractor Supply and I'm good to go for thousands more miles!

I love the little thing and getting 25 to 32 mpg has been great. I'm a gigantic man at 6'5" and 350 pounds. I can report that with the homemade pillow and handknit cubby blankets my wife made for me sleeping in the power reclining driver's seat in the Outback is easy-peasy even in 10-degree temperatures.

If and when this thing dies it will be replaced with another Subie. It has never let me down in any weather conditions on any road, paved or otherwise. The 6-speed and my well-modulated right and left feet have gotten me through many OH-S&%T moments with no trouble.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

I am on my third 'Ru, Tim, and I agree. I had a Forester for a long while and a manual transmission wagon way back in the early 90s too.

I am assuming the Ascent like the Outback is not really quick on the on ramps, but I can live with 22 in the City and over 30 on the highways, especially since my "local" creeks are an hour away....

 

[mt_flyfisher]

I am on my third 'Ru, Tim, and I agree. I had a Forester for a long while and a manual transmission wagon way back in the early 90s too.

I am assuming the Ascent like the Outback is not really quick on the on ramps, but I can live with 22 in the City and over 30 on the highways, especially since my "local" creeks are an hour away....

The new Ascents have a SUBARU BOXER® 2.4L turbocharged four-cylinder engine. That’s the same engine that I have in my Outback Wilderness. Although the Ascent is bigger and heavier than the Outback, with the turbo I’m sure that Ascent will REALLY go. My wife has a 2023 Subaru Outback Limited (her 5th one) and there is no comparison in power between mine and hers.

 

[jifigz]

I must admit I thought that when you drove up at the WW jam this fall LOL

That I was a weirdo or that I was a Mennonite? 🤪😜

Did you think I was more or less weird after talking to me? Lol

I would buy another van, no doubt.. And by the shape the fishing buggy is in, that might be sooner rather than later.

But this thing EXUDES COOL!!😎