Hey Guys and Gals
Been a bit of a lurker but finally part of the family.
Wanted to document my build and journey, Hopefully to get some input from those who have done this before me. And maybe contribute some to future members.
This will be a lengthy narrative and will try to include all mods and trips....
We are a family of 5. Wife is (was) a reluctant outdoor explorer but has been warming up to it quite quickly
I've been camping my whole life. Car camping, hiking, backpacking....my wife on the other hand is pretty much the opposite.
Kids are 3-6-9 years old and are avid campers and explorers. Wife has been a reluctant tag-a-long but has warmed to it.
I had amassed quite a comprehensive car camping setup and was very proud of the thoroughness of my setup....
But not only was I taking my family camping, but would bring the grandparents along, and also I have become the regional "take families on their first camping trip" organizer.
And I found myself spending most of my time either packing, unpacking, cleaning, setting up, breaking down, reorganizing, repairing, lending equipment...and it was getting exhausting,
So I began to concoct my ideal setup.
An overland vehicle and a camper trailer that was quick to setup and break down.
I do prefer ground camping but I think I am spending less quality time with family and most of it setting up.
My Xterra was great when we had the 2 girls...but now with the little boy we need more space. 3 car seats in the back is too tight...the Xterra's rear wheel wells cuts into the 2nd row...
Our Honda Odyssey is a great people mover but for camping we'd have 7 people (inc grand parent), 2 cargo carriers on the roof and a cargo tray in the rear hitch and it was getting a bit out of hand.
The car would have a reverse rake and was comical (and dangerous) making it's way up to Sequoia.
4Runner was an attractive option but figured it might get pretty tight in the back seat in a few years.
Plus a usable 3rd row would helpful when the grandparents tag along. (4r 3rd row was not gonna work)
Sequoia was a very strong option but the allure of the LC kept dragging me back
Sequoia is a giant of car and while very capable but I thought it might be a bit cumbersome in the city and the outdoors.
Less aftermarket support for overlanding (although there are some pretty sweet rigs)
It is slightly bigger then the LC and affords some actual usable space behind the 3rd row....
While I don't really care for all the accoutrements and snazzy luxury gizmos, the Sequoia seemed to be a lower build quality vs the LC...and I knew every time I got in my sequoia and pushed some mushy buttons or felt the thin flexible plastics I'd long for the LC
Plus the LC could literally be a family heirloom!!!! (gotta love human rationalization)
So kept bouncing between 4R, Sequoia, LC and recently the Yukon ATC. (Growing up we covered most of the western US in a Dodge Ram Family Van and then a Yukon)
Eventually made up my mind on a LC200 2016+
Metallic Gray + Terra....under 100K miles....near Socal....less then $60K...(flirted with blue onyx/terra for a while)
But while searching on and off for a couple years I never ran into the right deal....some cars fit the bill, but always in midwest or Florida.
Then with the COVID pandemic, wife was going stir crazy and like half of the US she suddenly says we need to do even more camping and outdoors stuff.
Coming from my wife this was amazing as I was barely able to manage 2-3 camping trips a year and annual ski trip.
Plus recently it really began to sink in for my wife and I that this stage of the kids youth will be gone in a flash.
I had secretly been lusting over the Patriot Campers but knowing my wife and her tight purse strings I felt it was a forgone conclusion.
I was looking into the turtle backs or DIY something more affordable.
And one night I casually turn on the Patriot Camper X3 youtube video....and when the scene where the coffee maker pops up she says GET IT....mind blown!!!!!
And now she's really pushing me to get a car that can fit us all and tow the newly approved X3.
So search for the car intensifies.
Found a Black on Black at Claremont Toyota....might actually still be there....
Under $60K but barely. 70K miles....3 owners....was a lease/fleet vehicle for 2 years. Minor accident. Carfax showed DMV reg in CA, UT....All red flags....but I'm really feeling the itch
Looked fine and drove fine and was going to get a PPI by a LC mechanic...and hammer the price down to $52K which seemed fair with all the red flags.
My goal was to get a mechanically sound car and eventually do some mods to it so I didn't need a pristine car.
But they were playing hardball and continue to think their car is worth 59K....
In hindsight glad it didn't work. I was getting overland "beer goggles" clouding my judgement
While reading this forum and looking at cars.com autotrader carguru and carmax....at 1AM
I reload the Carmax search and a white/black '17 107K miles pops up. 1 owner. Looks clean. Under $55K.....high miles (but its an LC...)
Thank goodness for the reserve a car feature that Carmax has...and from watching the market in SoCal I know this car will be gone tomorrow.
I know price will be slightly more then market but you pay for the convenience....
And thank goodness for all the reading material here that kept me up at that hour.
Looks good, clean Carfax. Single owner from Del Mar....so figured its a guy doing highway commute to LA and SD to rack up those many miles in 4 years (he purchased in 12/2016)
Car looks hardly used except the driver area. Silver trim on door handle pretty scratched up. Minor scratches on center console.
I really didn't want White....but then again XOVERLAND Samson and Slee Heritage build look pretty good in white...and everyone says pinstripes don't show up as well
Not Terra...that was a gut punch
We just got some snow here in SoCal....kids are COVID crazy so they want to head up to the mountains for a snow adventure.
Hard to find an LC in Southern California under $55K
So much pressure!!!
Pulled the trigger and dove head first into the the LC club!!!
Gotta love the giant yellow bow thing they do....
Can't wait to get started on the mods and the adventures!!!
Been a bit of a lurker but finally part of the family.
Wanted to document my build and journey, Hopefully to get some input from those who have done this before me. And maybe contribute some to future members.
This will be a lengthy narrative and will try to include all mods and trips....
We are a family of 5. Wife is (was) a reluctant outdoor explorer but has been warming up to it quite quickly
I've been camping my whole life. Car camping, hiking, backpacking....my wife on the other hand is pretty much the opposite.
Kids are 3-6-9 years old and are avid campers and explorers. Wife has been a reluctant tag-a-long but has warmed to it.
I had amassed quite a comprehensive car camping setup and was very proud of the thoroughness of my setup....
But not only was I taking my family camping, but would bring the grandparents along, and also I have become the regional "take families on their first camping trip" organizer.
And I found myself spending most of my time either packing, unpacking, cleaning, setting up, breaking down, reorganizing, repairing, lending equipment...and it was getting exhausting,
So I began to concoct my ideal setup.
An overland vehicle and a camper trailer that was quick to setup and break down.
I do prefer ground camping but I think I am spending less quality time with family and most of it setting up.
My Xterra was great when we had the 2 girls...but now with the little boy we need more space. 3 car seats in the back is too tight...the Xterra's rear wheel wells cuts into the 2nd row...
Our Honda Odyssey is a great people mover but for camping we'd have 7 people (inc grand parent), 2 cargo carriers on the roof and a cargo tray in the rear hitch and it was getting a bit out of hand.
The car would have a reverse rake and was comical (and dangerous) making it's way up to Sequoia.
4Runner was an attractive option but figured it might get pretty tight in the back seat in a few years.
Plus a usable 3rd row would helpful when the grandparents tag along. (4r 3rd row was not gonna work)
Sequoia was a very strong option but the allure of the LC kept dragging me back
Sequoia is a giant of car and while very capable but I thought it might be a bit cumbersome in the city and the outdoors.
Less aftermarket support for overlanding (although there are some pretty sweet rigs)
It is slightly bigger then the LC and affords some actual usable space behind the 3rd row....
While I don't really care for all the accoutrements and snazzy luxury gizmos, the Sequoia seemed to be a lower build quality vs the LC...and I knew every time I got in my sequoia and pushed some mushy buttons or felt the thin flexible plastics I'd long for the LC
Plus the LC could literally be a family heirloom!!!! (gotta love human rationalization)
So kept bouncing between 4R, Sequoia, LC and recently the Yukon ATC. (Growing up we covered most of the western US in a Dodge Ram Family Van and then a Yukon)
Eventually made up my mind on a LC200 2016+
Metallic Gray + Terra....under 100K miles....near Socal....less then $60K...(flirted with blue onyx/terra for a while)
But while searching on and off for a couple years I never ran into the right deal....some cars fit the bill, but always in midwest or Florida.
Then with the COVID pandemic, wife was going stir crazy and like half of the US she suddenly says we need to do even more camping and outdoors stuff.
Coming from my wife this was amazing as I was barely able to manage 2-3 camping trips a year and annual ski trip.
Plus recently it really began to sink in for my wife and I that this stage of the kids youth will be gone in a flash.
I had secretly been lusting over the Patriot Campers but knowing my wife and her tight purse strings I felt it was a forgone conclusion.
I was looking into the turtle backs or DIY something more affordable.
And one night I casually turn on the Patriot Camper X3 youtube video....and when the scene where the coffee maker pops up she says GET IT....mind blown!!!!!
And now she's really pushing me to get a car that can fit us all and tow the newly approved X3.
So search for the car intensifies.
Found a Black on Black at Claremont Toyota....might actually still be there....
Under $60K but barely. 70K miles....3 owners....was a lease/fleet vehicle for 2 years. Minor accident. Carfax showed DMV reg in CA, UT....All red flags....but I'm really feeling the itch
Looked fine and drove fine and was going to get a PPI by a LC mechanic...and hammer the price down to $52K which seemed fair with all the red flags.
My goal was to get a mechanically sound car and eventually do some mods to it so I didn't need a pristine car.
But they were playing hardball and continue to think their car is worth 59K....
In hindsight glad it didn't work. I was getting overland "beer goggles" clouding my judgement
While reading this forum and looking at cars.com autotrader carguru and carmax....at 1AM
I reload the Carmax search and a white/black '17 107K miles pops up. 1 owner. Looks clean. Under $55K.....high miles (but its an LC...)
Thank goodness for the reserve a car feature that Carmax has...and from watching the market in SoCal I know this car will be gone tomorrow.
I know price will be slightly more then market but you pay for the convenience....
And thank goodness for all the reading material here that kept me up at that hour.
Looks good, clean Carfax. Single owner from Del Mar....so figured its a guy doing highway commute to LA and SD to rack up those many miles in 4 years (he purchased in 12/2016)
Car looks hardly used except the driver area. Silver trim on door handle pretty scratched up. Minor scratches on center console.
I really didn't want White....but then again XOVERLAND Samson and Slee Heritage build look pretty good in white...and everyone says pinstripes don't show up as well
Not Terra...that was a gut punch
We just got some snow here in SoCal....kids are COVID crazy so they want to head up to the mountains for a snow adventure.
Hard to find an LC in Southern California under $55K
So much pressure!!!
Pulled the trigger and dove head first into the the LC club!!!
Gotta love the giant yellow bow thing they do....
Can't wait to get started on the mods and the adventures!!!
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