Road Tripping Yaris... or should I just buy a van? - Toyota Yaris Forums

nookandcrannycar · 03-05-2014, 10:25 PM

Very interesting thread, OP. I thought about doing the same thing, but I'm too tall (a bit over 6' 3" guy). I thought about getting a standard Prius or Prius V (do a search for 'Prius RV'...there is a lady who has driven a 2004 Prius abouk 50k miles around the U.S., using it as an 'RV') as my next car (my height wouldn't be an issue), but I don't know if I would use this aspect often enough to justify the extra cost.....and I recently decided against any Prius, as I still want to have a manual transmission.

What about getting a tent? I spent over 4 months in 2006 driving across Canada (Vancouver, BC to St. Johns', NL (Newfoundland and Labrador)) in a 2001 Suzuki Swift 3-door Hatch (same body as the last generation Geo Metro...smaller than a Yaris). I brought a 12' tent from Wal-Mart with me. The tent folded down to a very small footprint. Sometimes I stayed in a hotel or a motel, and sometimes I pitched my tent. The first time I used the tent was also the first time I'd ever put up a tent by myself. Five minutes after I finished, and had set up my air bed, it started raining (I was in Jasper, Alberta). I stayed dry, and the sound of the rain on the tent =

. I ended up getting my Yaris (once back in the U.S. on this trip), because the roads at campgrounds in Newfoundland pretty much fried the remaining life of the steering rack in my Suzuki. I was already looking at the Yaris before I left on the trip

.

I loved driving my Swift around Canada

. I've been to 46 states in my Yaris (all but ID and MT (visited those in an AWD sedan), and of course HI and AK) and to Ontario, Canada...and I've never regretted doing so in a Yaris. If you are like some members (definitely not me) who can fix anything (or just about anything) that might go wrong on a van, that option would give you more room. Personally, I can't imagine doing that (because I wouldn't want to spend the extra money on gas..and would be worried it would break down).....and having already camped in your Yaris, you might find the van to be a waste.

Pic of dog = adorable. One thing that would definitely tip the scale in favor of the van would be if you plan to bring a dog with you. Person + Dog on long term camping/road trip in a Yaris

....NOT a good idea

.

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03-05-2014, 10:25 PM	#10
nookandcrannycar Drives: 2('14+'07)MT 3d ,wHandCrWndws! Join Date: May 2009 Location: S.MontgomeryCnty,TX(HoustonMSA) '07=BayouBlue=300,125miles=OrigOwnr '14=ClassicSilvr=29,059miles Posts: 4,839	Very interesting thread, OP. I thought about doing the same thing, but I'm too tall (a bit over 6' 3" guy). I thought about getting a standard Prius or Prius V (do a search for 'Prius RV'...there is a lady who has driven a 2004 Prius abouk 50k miles around the U.S., using it as an 'RV') as my next car (my height wouldn't be an issue), but I don't know if I would use this aspect often enough to justify the extra cost.....and I recently decided against any Prius, as I still want to have a manual transmission. What about getting a tent? I spent over 4 months in 2006 driving across Canada (Vancouver, BC to St. Johns', NL (Newfoundland and Labrador)) in a 2001 Suzuki Swift 3-door Hatch (same body as the last generation Geo Metro...smaller than a Yaris). I brought a 12' tent from Wal-Mart with me. The tent folded down to a very small footprint. Sometimes I stayed in a hotel or a motel, and sometimes I pitched my tent. The first time I used the tent was also the first time I'd ever put up a tent by myself. Five minutes after I finished, and had set up my air bed, it started raining (I was in Jasper, Alberta). I stayed dry, and the sound of the rain on the tent = . I ended up getting my Yaris (once back in the U.S. on this trip), because the roads at campgrounds in Newfoundland pretty much fried the remaining life of the steering rack in my Suzuki. I was already looking at the Yaris before I left on the trip . I loved driving my Swift around Canada . I've been to 46 states in my Yaris (all but ID and MT (visited those in an AWD sedan), and of course HI and AK) and to Ontario, Canada...and I've never regretted doing so in a Yaris. If you are like some members (definitely not me) who can fix anything (or just about anything) that might go wrong on a van, that option would give you more room. Personally, I can't imagine doing that (because I wouldn't want to spend the extra money on gas..and would be worried it would break down).....and having already camped in your Yaris, you might find the van to be a waste. Pic of dog = adorable. One thing that would definitely tip the scale in favor of the van would be if you plan to bring a dog with you. Person + Dog on long term camping/road trip in a Yaris ....NOT a good idea .