The overland craze is out of control

[Ripitz]

I’m no angel but I do try to make a conscious effort. It’s frustrating seeing people who don’t. Conspicuous consumption is rampantly celebrated in this country as if that is some sign of success.

Went to go test drive a 2023 PHEV Mitsubishi Outlander yesterday to replace our 2018 model. The new one has slightly more range and is a little bigger. I asked my wife how she likes driving it and the first thing she said was, “I feel safer.”

 

[Campgottagopee]

Oh and lift kits and giant knobby tires on road driven pick ups? That's the fashion equivalent of baggy jeans worns half way down the ass with underwear showing. Both ridiculous

 

[Sbob]

Agree

If a person feels the need to lift their truck, then they bought the wrong truck to begin with.

I used to work in a ski shop a long time ago and a coworker’s brother had lifted his Jeep CJ and put huge off road tires on . He insisted on not wearing a seat belt, one day someone cut him off and he swerved onto the grassy divided highway . The Jeep flipped and he was ejected , roll bar crushed him .

Being higher up has it’s safety limits.

My wife and I had a small station wagon until she was hit and the car totaled in an active school zone of all places. For a long time after that she would only drive a larger SUV .

 

[Peter Minde]

I used to work in a ski shop a long time ago and a coworker’s brother had lifted his Jeep CJ and put huge off road tires on . He insisted on not wearing a seat belt, one day someone cut him off and he swerved onto the grassy divided highway . The Jeep flipped and he was ejected , roll bar crushed him .

Being higher up has it’s safety limits.

My wife and I had a small station wagon until she was hit and the car totaled in an active school zone of all places. For a long time after that she would only drive a larger SUV .

I've driven a small wagon (Subie, VW Jetta) for nearly 30 years, thank the gods no bad accidents. The ex-wife was rear-ended in her Toyota Solara some years back. Car was totaled although she wasn't hurt. She went to a Honda CRV for the visibility. Now she's driving a Prius.

 

[Campgottagopee]

I've driven a small wagon (Subie, VW Jetta) for nearly 30 years, thank the gods no bad accidents. The ex-wife was rear-ended in her Toyota Solara some years back. Car was totaled although she wasn't hurt. She went to a Honda CRV for the visibility. Now she's driving a Prius.

A few years back, my dad, in his outback, was rear-ended by a full-size truck while sitting at a red light. It pushed him into the full-size truck that was sitting in front of him. Long story short, both of the drivers of the trucks were taken to the hospital in ambulance's. My dad went and played golf. Not in his car, but still. Those subies can take a hit.

 

[Sbob]

I've driven a small wagon (Subie, VW Jetta) for nearly 30 years, thank the gods no bad accidents. The ex-wife was rear-ended in her Toyota Solara some years back. Car was totaled although she wasn't hurt. She went to a Honda CRV for the visibility. Now she's driving a Prius.

My wife didn’t fare so well. The doctors told her it was a soft tissue injury. They totally dropped the ball, after six months they discovered four bulging discs . They recommended fusion surgery but she refused . She’s been dealing with the pain for more than 20 years.

 

[Campgottagopee]

My wife didn’t fare so well. The doctors told her it was a soft tissue injury. They totally dropped the ball, after six months they discovered four bulging discs . They recommended fusion surgery but she refused . She’s been dealing with the pain for more than 20 years.

Ugh
That stinks. Sorry, bro.

 

[Harvey]

1) This is clearly shopped.
2) Why do I need a car that can drive up a ski slope?
3) I doubt this plastic cladded minivan could even get up a ski slope for real.
4) Do your own research but our ever bigger vehicle sizes, weights, and grille heights are killing us at increasing rates.

1) Agree
2) You are a snowmaker who is late to work?
3) Maybe could get up Overlook.
4)

 

[TheGreatAbyss]

Those subies can take a hit.

Yes they can: https://jalopnik.com/the-subaru-outback-is-the-only-good-midsize-car-in-iihs-1849370644

I wish they sold the outback as a PHEV.

 

[Harvey]

We started with some lofty ideas about energy efficiency, but the cost adds up very fast. We have backed away from many of those ideas, because in the short term we just cant afford to pay for them.

I was thinking about this. Investing in the energy efficiency of a house makes a lot of sense. But if you have smaller sums to invest, a better car or truck might be a more affordable way to invest in efficiency. I bet Ford and Toyota could build some big trucks that would get 20 mpg, if they tried. V6 turbo hybrid or something.

The building code has raised the bar.

In the Adk it's all 2x6 now. Is it like that everywhere? I think I want my own thread for this.