Does the car I want exist?

[Caucasian Asian]

Why do you have to sleep sideways?

[iceman]

Why do you have to sleep sideways?

The dead hookers take up a ton of space when you have to stack them lengthwise.

[liv2ski]

Why do you have to sleep sideways?

I don't know, but he must be short if 64 inches will work???

[ill-advised strategy]

??????

[skiJ]

I'm searching for a new (to me car) this is what I want:

-AWD/4wd and a wee bit of ground clearance (good in snow)
-at least 68" wide inside (so I can put a bed in the back and sleep crosswise)
-preferably a mini van (so I can put a bed in the back and still have a 3 seats)
-25 mpg or so
-Not shittily made like most american cars in the last 20 years (holy fuck no wonder they all went bankrupt)

I think I'm basically looking for an astro van but with much better gas mileage and say a toyota.

Does this car exist?

ha, Patrick -- No, this car does not exist . ... a Toyota Astro van is a Sienna - they make an AWD.
you've got some pretty conflicting requirements - primarily Space and mileage.
Some of the recommendations above are for trucks, and an extended cab would give you a third seat .
diesel trucks get better mileage, but you pay for them up-front, and the price of diesel fuel had been upside-down recently ( so economically there was no-advantage ) .
I don't know that you can find a used Tundra ...
( looks like there are a bunch that are five years old for $20,000 )

good luck.

[Flyoverland Captive]

68" wide inside?!! Good luck; most vans/pickups are designed to carry a 48" piece of plywood.

[BmillsSkier]

Have you considered a Honda Pilot?

[NW_SKIER]

Have you considered a Honda Pilot?

As I waited for the picture to load the only thing going through my mind was please be upside down

[MakersTeleMark]

This is a classic Patrick thread. Just for preservation purposes.

[Tippster]

Granted, the Element isn't 68" wide, but really how many cars ARE that wide inside?

68" wide inside?!! Good luck; most vans/pickups are designed to carry a 48" piece of plywood.

Yeah, nothing comes to mind that's not a box, and those thing will suck the gas mileage even more than AWD/4WD.body.

My FIL used to swear by the old 4WD Ford Aerostar vans. He owned 2 and put ~300K miles on each. He'd drive all over the EC all year and haul back corvette parts in the back while pulling a trailer with a wreck on it to pull apart later..

[ak_powder_monkey]

68" is probably the least important thing, I guess I could sleep longways, the idea is to be able to sleep and have a second row of seats that just stick around. I don't think that's reasonable, but I bet I could design a system with captains chairs where I have a one person bed and three seats, then if I need extra room take out that other seat and bam queen sized (well large twin).

I plan on living in this vehicle for summers and on ski weekends, and I'll commute on bike, fat bike and once in a while said vehicle.

My current list of canidates:
Honda Odessy
Toyota Sienna
Honda Element

[Flyoverland Captive]

Crew-cab Tundra. Why the hell does it need to be a van?

[dschane]

The Element is your best bet.

The Odyssey comes only on 2WD, at least as far as I know. 2017 may have an AWD option, but that would triple your budget. I own a 2005 version. Reliable but it has the ground clearance of a skateboard.

It will be pretty hard to find an AWD Sienna in Alaska for under $10K, and not sure you want to rely on those run flat tires, though I have zero experience with them.

[ak_powder_monkey]

Crew-cab Tundra. Why the hell does it need to be a van?

to fulfill my lifelong dream of living in a van down by the river

[ill-advised strategy]

definitely be sure to completely overlook the obvious:

[Flyoverland Captive]

definitely be sure to completely overlook the obvious:

I had one of those. Worst mountain vehicle ever; so underpowered. Going up I-70 I was getting passed by semis.

[Kopi_Red]

http://columbiamo.craigslist.org/cto/5123318801.html

[AKturnanburn]

maybe time for a monkey road trip???

http://cranbrook.craigslist.ca/cto/5119814523.html no sideways sleep BS but u ain't sleeping sideways comfy in anything smaller then a cabover or box truck.

I've heard the fishings ok there too, ha

edit, awww crap right had drive, wtf???

I just picked up a small s10 with a small cabover camper. I'll be lucky to get 18 on the hwy but chillin in style and sleeping sideways like a baby. both for under $4K

[guroo270]

Have you considered a Honda Pilot?

It's gotten to the point that I chuckle when I see one right side up.

I suggest this towed by whatever the fuck ever...

[BigDaddy]

definitely be sure to completely overlook the obvious:

Sorry, but there's not a single supermodel in any of these pics.


Total fail. Super car must come with supermodel.

[Timberridge]

If you wait a bit, the Chinese are now cloning cars and selling them at a significant discount. The Landwind below is likely too small but you should be able to get a new G500 clone soon for peanuts.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/gu...e-rover-evoque

[gravitylover]

Land Rover Disco with third row. Pull the two rear seats on one side so you have a 6+ foot long flat floor and still have seating for 4 and a bunch of crap inside. Sure your mpg will take a serious hit but you will have a go everywhere rig and you can buy them in good shape in CA for well under $15k.

Actually most of the big suv's with a third row give you the same ability just not necessarily with the flat floor and high headroom.

[cat in january]

Pretty sure it is just the sheet metal that is being cloned. Hyundai has been doing this for a while.

[MarcusBrody]

68" is probably the least important thing, I guess I could sleep longways, the idea is to be able to sleep and have a second row of seats that just stick around. I don't think that's reasonable, but I bet I could design a system with captains chairs where I have a one person bed and three seats, then if I need extra room take out that other seat and bam queen sized (well large twin).

I plan on living in this vehicle for summers and on ski weekends, and I'll commute on bike, fat bike and once in a while said vehicle.

My current list of canidates:
Honda Odessy
Toyota Sienna
Honda Element

I just built a platform that folds onto itself when you want to put the middle row seats up. It takes about a minutes to fold out/up. If you're going to be carrying 3 sleeping 1 frequently, a single bed and leaving a seat in might be easier.

[snapt]

Honda Element. Take out the back seats and build a platform. If you need 3 or 4 seats, put 'em back in.

This, I love mine. Actually putting the finishing touches on my platform for this weekends fishing trip. It's 48" wide and 68" long, plenty of room for myself, the gf, and the dog. I run snows in the winter and Dynapros in the summer. My gf drove it down one of the shitty steep 4x4 roads off the Gros Ventre a few weeks ago and I was able to drive it back up after a few tries. Great fishing rig, wish I had a true 4x4 during mud season, otherwise its rad.

The Jeep Patriot probably isn't as reliable or big inside but might work for you too and on the cheap.