by "witchdoctor11" (witchdoctor11)
Published 04/17/2017 at 17:51
by "witchdoctor11" (witchdoctor11)
Published 04/17/2017 at 17:51
No Tags
STARS: 3
Greetings,
First let me say I always like to check the site for some quick inspiration/escapism, especially on Mondays.
I work for a a non-profit in California called Guided Discoveries, we own and operate summer camps as well as outdoor educational programs that focus on hands on science and character building.
We have been around for over 40 years and served over 1.3 million kids all the while getting them outside and getting their hands dirty.
Here is a picture one of our facilities to give an idea. Only accessable by water(obviously, and straight up the hillside via a very dusty and rough road)
An idea of what we do with the kids.
As you may imagine, operations like this require pretty heavy logistics and one thing we are always looking for are new vehicles.
Currently, we are looking for some new work trucks. I have tracked down a few late model Dodge Dakotas that will probably be sold for a pretty low price from a government auction.
Does anyone have any experience with these Dakotas? Are they worth it from a reliability and capability standpoint?
One of our directors keeps pushing a Honda Ridgeline, the older one, I just don’t see how it will last on the road conditions we have out there.
Does anyone have any long term experience with fairly abusive offroad use of Ridgelines?
Thanks in advance for any advice. If there is another option that I am mission I would love to hear about it!
Cheers
"OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars" (jakeauern)
04/17/2017 at 18:00, STARS: 0
I would avoid Dodge at all costs. No matter how cheap. In this case I would just go ahead and get a F150, Silverado, Tundra, or Tacoma. The F150 is common in these situations for a reason.
"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
04/17/2017 at 18:05, STARS: 0
I have rancher friends and they absoutly beat the shit out of their trucks. So what they do is go into town and buy a high miles full size truck like an F250 or Chevy 2500, put a flat bed on it and then kill it in about one year. There is no reason to buy a newer truck or even the 1/2 ton version because the 3/4 ton versions are so much more durable. Since you are on an island I’d probably stick with gas engines too, if you have any issues with a Diesel repairs could be difficult. The Ridge Line would be nice for one week then start rattling apart.
"For Sweden" (rallybeetle)
04/17/2017 at 18:08, STARS: 1
One of our directors keeps pushing a Honda Ridgeline
Does your director tell you to click the link below to read more of their thoughts?
"witchdoctor11" (witchdoctor11)
04/17/2017 at 18:11, STARS: 0
Yea, he is not really a car guy. I am looking for more ammunition to use against his train of thought.
"DipodomysDeserti" (dipodomysdeserti)
04/17/2017 at 18:12, STARS: 0
Is this CIMI at Toyon Bay? I went there for a few days when I was ten. Twenty years later and I still have that camp imprinted in my memory. We camped out in the old barracks, hiked, snorkeled, got chased by a bison. It was probably the most rewarding thing I did for the first fourteen years of my life. I want to go back there with my daughters (we do a lot of hiking and exploring together).
I can’t believe no one was killed by this buffalo that charged through our camp. Some kid decided it was a good idea to antagonize a 1,400 lb animal. Not a good plan.
If I remember the roads there are pretty rough, and part of the island is pretty wet. I’d stay away from Dodges. If you have the cash, Tacoma is always the answer for small pickups.
"DipodomysDeserti" (dipodomysdeserti)
04/17/2017 at 18:17, STARS: 1
I drove past a ranch in northern Arizona this past weekend that had five generations of Chevy pickups rotting in front of it. I was awesome.
"Scott" (merl3noir)
04/17/2017 at 18:17, STARS: 0
Definitely get Dakotas over the Ridgeline. The ridgeline is more a family truck, for occasional trips to Loews or Home Depot. It’s not built for the kind of abuse that employees are going to put it through, or harsh terrain. If a mid sized truck is really what you need, then a Dakota is probably a pretty good truck to go with. Only one I’d recommend over that is a Tacoma, but Toyotas hold their value so much it’s hard to find one cheap, and if it is in the price range of a Dakota you probably better stay away. While a Tacoma may cost more up front, most of them will take the abuse better.
"Scott" (merl3noir)
04/17/2017 at 18:23, STARS: 0
A 3/4 ton truck is certainly very useful, but extremely heavy. It will do all the work he could ask of it, but if things at all get muddy, which certainly happens at times there it would sink right into the ground. Lighter trucks could be better on the roads he would be using. That said, I could see having at least on 1 ton truck, or even a surplus military truck, for when you really need that extra capability.
"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
04/17/2017 at 18:26, STARS: 0
Yes, good point. Seems a Tacoma or Nissan Frontier would also be a good choice. I’ve never had any serious issues with the full size trucks in mud, usually a bit of momentum and keeping the gas going keeps you from getting buried. But if you do get stuck, life really changes for the worse!
"witchdoctor11" (witchdoctor11)
04/17/2017 at 18:57, STARS: 0
It is CIMI! Glad to hear you had such a great time all those years ago. What you described is exactly why we do it, all about the kids. What school did you attend with?
The buffalo can be pretty dodgy, we did have to take one down a few years back, it gored one of our staff. He was ultimately fine but had a rough go for a bit.
The combo of the roads and proximity to the ocean makes for a challenging maintenance regime, to say the least. We have looked at Tacomas but they hold their value so well Im not sure the lifespan vs cash outlay equation works out in our favor, we generally don’t sell vehicles. We use them until they die.
"themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles" (themanwithsauce)
04/17/2017 at 19:02, STARS: 0
Okay, you’re looking for mid sized pickups with crap badges on them. What you want are the Mitsubishi raider and the Suzuki equator. Both are mid sized pickups from other makes but with different badges. The raider is a Dodge Dakota, and the equator is a Nissan frontier. They hold ZERO value and can be frankensteined with body panels from the original trucks if needed.
Oh! The Isuzu i-250/350/370 is a Colorado/canyon with an Isuzu badge.
There you go. Trucks with good equipment but a crap badge so no one likes them. The secret is that they look the same as the original when you smash both of them into a tree.
"DipodomysDeserti" (dipodomysdeserti)
04/17/2017 at 19:21, STARS: 0
I went with Lookout Mountain Elementary School in Phoenix. I think they stopped going a few years after I went. Yeah, I’ve been around Bison as an adult now, and I can’t believe we were running up to this thing. It ended up making a run through the little corridor in the center of the campus.
"Klaus Schmoll" (klausschmoll)
04/17/2017 at 19:26, STARS: 0
This looks like a perfect location to have kids run around and explore while still being somewhat safe. I’d love to book a week with my 5th graders.
"witchdoctor11" (witchdoctor11)
04/18/2017 at 10:51, STARS: 0
We would love to have you! we also have 2 other facilites on the island that run our program. Where do you teach?
"wiffleballtony" (wiffleballtony)
04/18/2017 at 13:08, STARS: 0
My wife and I hiked from the airport in the sky down to the campground at Little Harbor and back. Great place. If the work Truck is for inland then probably anything. If it’s for Avalon, then a Golf cart with a bed.
"wiffleballtony" (wiffleballtony)
04/18/2017 at 13:08, STARS: 0
Watch out for wild buffalo.
"witchdoctor11" (witchdoctor11)
04/18/2017 at 13:25, STARS: 1
That is a great hike, especially right now with the flowers out. It would be for the interior so fullsize truck is the way to go.
"Klaus Schmoll" (klausschmoll)
04/18/2017 at 17:48, STARS: 0
Ahem, Germany...
"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
04/18/2017 at 18:09, STARS: 0
I spent 100% of my childhood summers on the family boat in Two Harbors and probably days worth of hiking and traversing the Island. I miss it over there. One of our friends has that Jeep with the Shark livery. I always wanted it.
Anyway, I know its tough over there, but I wouldn’t want a Dakota there,
"witchdoctor11" (witchdoctor11)
04/18/2017 at 20:38, STARS: 0
Huh?
"Klaus Schmoll" (klausschmoll)
04/18/2017 at 21:09, STARS: 0
Yep. That’s why the “I’d love to book...” thing was more metaphorical.
"witchdoctor11" (witchdoctor11)
04/19/2017 at 13:57, STARS: 0
Totally missed that you were in Germany...we have had groups come from that far!