Photo travel by vehicle, what's your favorite?

[John Kasaian]

Horses for courses.
My beautifully battered ex Forestry Dept. 4X4 could take me anywhere burning 13 mpg.
The VW TDI would take me anywhere that's paved burning a miserly 48 mpg.
I wish I could have afforded to keep both.
Now I have none, and it's killing me.
Sometimes I ride the #26 crosstown bus which goes from the big airport to the big new shopping center.
For .65 cents (Senior fare)

[Jody_S]

I have gone on expeditions and camped in both Ford Econolines an GMC 1500 pick-ups. The pick-up had better ground clearance and was easier to work on, the van was more comfortable inside. These days I use 15 year-old minivans, for similar reasons: my trips are usually to northern Canada where there are few car parts stores or garages. I won't buy a vehicle that isn't common in scrap-yards and didn't sell millions of copies. When my alternator gives out in Chisasibi, 1000km from the nearest 'town', I can find an alternator at the local mr. fixit and do the repair myself by the roadside. Had I gone in a VW van, the alternator was $1000 and had to be ordered from Germany, so I would have been stuck there for 2 weeks and been at least $1000 poorer for the ordeal. As it was, I spent $85, met some interesting people, and it took 20m to fix the truck. Yes the VW did get better gas mileage, but I'm still glad I didn't buy it.

[goamules]

On a mule, wetplate style.

[Jim Galli]

Model A Ford, of course! Preferably a woody station wagon, but a Roadster will do if you're by yourself.

[Greg]

I have gone on expeditions and camped in both Ford Econolines an GMC 1500 pick-ups. The pick-up had better ground clearance and was easier to work on, the van was more comfortable inside. These days I use 15 year-old minivans, for similar reasons: my trips are usually to northern Canada where there are few car parts stores or garages. I won't buy a vehicle that isn't common in scrap-yards and didn't sell millions of copies. When my alternator gives out in Chisasibi, 1000km from the nearest 'town', I can find an alternator at the local mr. fixit and do the repair myself by the roadside. Had I gone in a VW van, the alternator was $1000 and had to be ordered from Germany, so I would have been stuck there for 2 weeks and been at least $1000 poorer for the ordeal. As it was, I spent $85, met some interesting people, and it took 20m to fix the truck. Yes the VW did get better gas mileage, but I'm still glad I didn't buy it.

One reason to use a 1970s VW type 2 van, all parts are readily available via 2 day USPS Priority mail. Unfortunately a type 2 VW in reasonable condition goes for 10K+ out here in Connecticut.

[Willie]

One reason to use a 1970s VW type 2 van, all parts are readily available via 2 day USPS Priority mail. Unfortunately a type 2 VW in reasonable condition goes for 10K+ out here in Connecticut.

Check the prices asked on eBay an you might be surprised seeing 10K is low now.

My Uncle has an 82 VW diesel pickup with a camper shell on it. Going on a million, 300 thousand miles now and still gets 46-52mpg. Add in an electric winch(he carries one) and a few metal fenceposts and he can pound them in and pull the vehicle out of most anything. The Racetrack at Death Valley and down the track to Saline Valley, over Hunter Mountain into the area until the snow gets too deep. That little truck has been around. A 15 gallon tank is standard and on the highway give him well over a 700 mile cruising range. Back country mileage is still in the 40's and front wheel drive helps a lot. He has migrated to taller tires for a bit more ground clearance and currently runs Nokian WR-G4 All Weather tires on it. Good traction in snow, ice and mud and very nice on the highway. A bed in the back, cook stove and nice water tank. Extra battery for auxiliary power - like a battery powered shower with propane heating so he even gets hot showers on location.

It isn't big but I have watched him drive it all over from 122 in Death Valley area to 47 below in Montana and such. He even braced the camper shell so he can stand on it for a higher viewpoint to set up his 8x10.

I do know one time he got a hole in the fuel tank and plugged it with a bar of soap. Nearest fuel place had no diesel so he got a bunch of ATF and ran it on that the 70 miles to the diesel station in the next town. (Nevada desert)

The old VW diesels are still going and I doubt he will ever get rid of it - unless VW brings in the newer TDI diesel pickups they sell in other countries. He wants 60+ mpg on the highway.

[Tin Can]

Our engine test team modified and ran a French Fry Oil VW Diesel for years

I could smell his car way back in rush hour Chicago traffic, he lived in Wisconsin

He commuted 200 miles a day in all weather, we had 2 fuel tanks, a small Diesel tank to start it and a larger FF one to run on

Plus 2 heaters for FF Oil. He used to fill up at McDonalds, really

Lots of filters, and many piston ring replacements, as it would lose compression with glazed cylinder walls and NOT start...

Also very illegal to NOT pay Road Tax

The engineer got it all for free, I hated the dern thing, so many valves, solenoids, extra plumbing, and dirty

New Diesels seem to need additives, no thanks

Read this, Piled Up in Huge Lots, Volkswagen’s Reworked Diesels Trickle to Buyers https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/22/b...i-resales.html

[archphotofisher]

served me for 20 years,

[William Whitaker]

I have a soft spot in my heart for VW Type II. Had several. Even a Eurovan Camper conversion (with kitchenette). It was great until the transmission started acting up. It was a CPO and VW didn't want to replace the transmission. But they gave me great trade-in on a new GTI. Useless for LF photography, but oh-so much more fun to drive. Another GTI later and I have just leased a brand new VW Atlas Cross-Sport. It has 4-Motion (VW's AWD). I know that's not the same as 4WD. But it'll be beneficial in getting me past chain controls if I ever end up back out west. (I don't think we have them on the East coast; I could be wrong. But if so, then I'm prepared.) And at least a bit more control in less than optimal road conditions.
This car is the Atlas model without 3rd row seating. Single and alone, so do NOT need 3rd row. Fold the back seat down and there is 80+ inches of length. Easily enough for me (72") to stretch out in, So cameras on one side and me on the other and I'm in for a night's sleep. Mind you, I'm not going on any photo expeditions, so a full camper/4WD is not necessary. And I can't afford that, anyway. This is a very comfortable car. It's an SUV, but to me it feels more like a sedan. And as an SUV it's not gargantuan. It fits well into in-town traffic. And for my needs, it's a nice balance of features. For me it's ideal. But YMMV. Literally.

[rfesk]

The VW Type II Great bus - my primary transport ('70 model) for years -but you are not going to get anywhere fast.