The old Suburban is getting a little long in the tooth.165000 miles and may be close to retirement. I am thinking of pattern hauler options. The Sub is actually a little small for my liking. With the wife, my son and I with 2 pattern ships and all the goodies and maybe a spare plane, things are a little cramped.
We really need 8' to haul a 2x2. It would also be nice to seat 4. Trailers are nice but then you have to store them and where. Gas over $3.25 is also a consideration. A crewcab with an 8' bed and cap. Now I have to build a deeper garage. What do you haul with?

Thanks,
RC Shut up Pete!!!

16,500 miles is long in the tooth?

It's actually an easy answer.
Minivan or if you can't stomach a minivan then The FORD Flex

I think 3 of the people around here have a Red Caravan, cant tell whos at the field when we drive up. A couple others have caravans also, total of 5 I think.

I replaced an explorer with a Honda Pilot and like that solution but I have no kids to haul. But the pilot easily handles two pattern planes on a simple PVC rack, has a small trunk that holds transmitter and tools, room for tent, generator, charge box...and space left over if the wife goes along.

Late model Caravan with Stow and Go seats ROCKS.

I kept looking at the Ford Flex and wondered everytime I saw one if a 2x2 would fit in it.

I have a trailer and to be honest I find it to be a PITA . I use my Pontiac Minivan now.

Tim

I measured the prototype Ford flex and yes a 2-meter plane will fit. Now if your going to get three people in it with two planes could be another story.
But still a lot cooler than a Minivan
Did i mention if you check the correct option box, The second row console is a cooler. Bad news when you have the second and third row seats folded flat the second row console need to have the top opened to continue the flat floor.
Oh why oh why could'nt ford keep the minivan?

I have a Dodge Grand Caravan with stow & go seats and it's great for two planes and two people with gear. If you need seating for four with 2-3 2M planes and gear it probably isn't going to work.
Best single vehicle option to meet your needs is probably a Ford SuperCab F-150 with an 8' bed and a cap or comparable GMC/Chevy.
Cheapest deal would be a small enclosed trailer (4 X 8) for when you need seating for 4 and more than one plane, pulled with a minivan for gas milage and when you need only one plane and seating for 3.

Because they couldn't design a good one?

Having worked on them for years the Windstars were the biggest POS ever made in that market. They really are a pile. The Aerostar was ok but decidedly under powered and a bear to work on. If they'd have put the 4.0 in the Windstar rather than the 3.8 they might have been ok. That 3.8 would blow a head gasket in a heart beat for no apparent reason.

No one makes a better minivan than Dodge period. Early models had there problems, mostly in the trans but they've been pretty stable the last 10-12 years.

Toyota Previa van is the worst designed van on the planet. Mid engine in a van is stupid from every angle. The Sienna is nice.

The GM vans are nice but they seem to start falling apart at 100k, I know I have 2 of them. Both bought cheap with blown head gaskets due to customers ignoring the leaking intakes. Talk about rattles yikes. I do love the way they ride but the fit and finish lacks.

Nissan? Forget it.

For the record I own a 2002 Dodge Caravan from new to 250k on it now, it's the latest in a string of 4 we've owned. We will be replacing it with another Caravan soon. At 250k it still rides and runs like new without the rattles one would expect at that mileage. It is destined to become my main 2x2 Hauler.

I use the GM minivans for customer loaner cars and one has the rear seats removed and stored away that I bring home on the weekends for flying field trips. Once the wife gets her new one the seats will go back into the Pontiac and live it's life out with a bunch of strange screaming kids crawling in and out of it. Poor van.

Tim

I bought an 04 Honda Odyssey this spring when I was flying pattern more and IMAC less.
I can fit 2, 2m planes on a rack I built that holds them up near the roof. Then there is room for 2 out of 3 of the following: 100cc IMAC plane, dog, girlfriend. (No the girlfriend doesn't ride in the back)

Minivans, vans, trucks....y'all need to get a hauler with a little luxury. Besides, I'd rather be in the front, than in the back!!!

Got $2500? http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/cto/2065489054.html

I have a Winnebago 35J that I take to contests and longer stays at the field... so far I have fit 8 pattern planes 15 or so foamys, all my gear and still seat/sleep 6. If I throw in a few tents there would be lots more room

RC11

A full size passenger van is great except for mpg (13-18). I've had a couple of Ford E150's that easily haul 3+ 2m planes, 4 people, and all the stuff you can imagine. Low / short enough to fit most garages (need to retract a mirror for single door garage). The 35 gal. tank will cause shock on a fill-up.

The mini-van is a reasonable compromise (Odyssey / Caravan) that will haul two 2m planes and 2 people, or 1 plane and 3 people with stuff. At 20-28mpg they're a lot friendlier at the gas pump.

Our kids have outgrown the back seat of our extended cab pickup truck. Wanting something other then a truck I've been looking at all the options. The majority of the time its only me so the airplanes can travel inside. When the rest of the family comes along I am thinking of building a - BIG - roof top box for the airplane and carrying my generator on a hitch platform. The closest contest I attend is 300 miles away making gas mileage paramount.

The roof top box would have a plywood bottom with fiber-glassed pink foam top and sides to keep the weight down..

I'd really like to hear more experiences about mopar mini vans. Late model used ones sell for significantly less than Toyota's or Honda's in our area. Another car I'm looking at is the Honda Element. A friend allowed me to put my 2M in his Element. Surprisingly with the seats folded flat, it fit.

corch, Your killing me! LOL I know we can't have it all, room, luxury, style MPG. And as you have shown,,, We ain't takin it with us anyway.....

What I really want is something that looks like a Vette and miraculously shrinks my stuff to fit the glove box then reinflates it after I get to the field. Oh yeah, and it has to seat 4 and get 50 MPG.

I think I'll have to wait for technology to catch up...

Rick

Yeah Pete,
I know.... Make sure its out of the glove box before it inflates!!!!

RC

I use a 2006 Sienna. These pics, I had wife and I, plus two kids (4 and 1), both my Xigris with all the contest spares, and a 17 foot trailer! Through the Rocky mountains, and on a ferry to Victoria I probably averaged around 18 imp. mpg.

With just two people we can haul 4-5 2 meters and gear inside.

What's not to like? Cadillac, and that bubble light will get you through all the red lights on the way to the contest.

Interior, probably could fit 4 2X2 minimum, plus the slide out "work" table. Anyone not considering a good, used hearse has their head in the clouds

OK, I'm done now. Happy New Year to you all. With the weather in Michigan, that Jan. 1 flyins are looking real good. Got to charge my batts and buy some fuel!

I was too busy shutting up to make comment about inflating.......

Just fix the suburban or go buy a trailer and something that can haul it (and my boat)......I would seriously consider a full size van since it's 3 adults and 2 planes that need to go to the contests.

Lets gut your boat and make it into a plane hauler. I'm sure your wife will be "On Board" with that! As long as it doesn't rain we should be OK!


RC

I like the hearse up above, you could paint the logo on the side "Death From Above"!

Minivans are great and most will pull a small trailer without probs, full-size vans and pickups can pull more trailer and hold plenty too.  If you go to fly-ins and need to camp for 2-3 days don't forget all the camping gear too! 

We're up to 12 kids now so are stuck w/ a full-size van and trailer and usually one of the older kids will drive a pickup with another trailer w grill/ dirtbikes etc.  We stopped thinking about gas economy a long time ago and every once in a while a city representative stops by and reminds us to get trailers/vehicles off the lawn! LOL.

Get a little trailer, I made this little trailer for around $600. and it weight about 600 lbs, and pulled it with a 6 cylinder VW golf. I could back it into the garage charge the planes.

super..

You guys are going about this ALL WRONG! Get a Chrysler minivan with stow and go and mount 2 seats to the roof rack for the family. The van will easily accommodate 2 airplanes with all the accessories plus whatever food and drink you're bringing.

There'll be no backseat driving or other unsolicited complaints or comments to contend with.

You'll also want to carry a big section of visquene in case of a rain event. The alternative of course, would be to wait it out under an overpass with all the bikers provided you don't mind them eating all your food....

Verne

My '03 Pontiac Vibe (eq to Toyota Matrix) works great for solo trips with a single 2M. The front passenger seat folds flat. If I wanted to haul people too, this thing's pretty roomy, and can handle a small trailer. I haven't done it but knew another guy who hauled a couple of dirt bikes with his. If you have removeable stabs, you could easily fit a couple of 2M's, and take one passenger riding tandem behind the driver.

30MPG, 160K mi.

I would be interested in building a similar trailer. Did you buy the frame as a unit or make that too?
What is the box made out of?

John