Best car to chase in?

[Michael Towers]

I can't tell anyone what type of car to get, but I can recommend a couple of brand names that I like. I've driven Nissans for about 28 years, and I've only been stranded once. I currently drive a 1999 Toyota Camry as my work car. I put 480 miles on it every 4 days. This car has 197,000 miles on it, and it runs perfectly. My chase vehicle is a 2008 Xterra with 110,00 miles. Have not had one single issue with it. I've always said it, and I'll say it again..... Your vehicle is your MOST IMPORTANT tool while out chasing. If you're stranded on the side of the road during a chase, your 3000 dollar video camera and your 2000 dollar DSLR become useless.

So, in my opinion, you CANNOT go wrong with a Nissan or Toyota.

I’m with you there, my 2005 Camry has 398,000 miles and is still going strong. I couldn’t ask for more in regards to reliability, its always started and never broken down. Never had any engine work done, heck, its never had any work done besides routine maintenance and replacement of wear-and-tear parts. I used it as my chase vehicle through most of 2010 when I bought a Highlander for better performance on secondary roads. At the time the Camry already had around 215,000 miles and I figured it wouldn’t be long before it crapped out and the Highlander would become my every day vehicle. Over 5 years later its still kicking and the Highlander sits waiting in the wings having been used to this point strictly for chasing with about 35,000 miles to its credit and still a hint of that new car smell.

Ultimately the Camry was a very practical and reliable chase vehicle that got me on many a cell and to this day sports some battle scars that recall fond memories of some wicked storms. What’s ironic is that I switched to the Highlander to gain greater accessibility but fear of denting that pristine body has kept me from venturing into spots I’d go with the Camry without giving it a second thought. That’ll change once it gets baptized but until then I tend to give those cores a wide berth.

 

[David Williams]

I’m with you there, my 2005 Camry has 398,000 miles and is still going strong. I couldn’t ask for more in regards to reliability, its always started and never broken down. Never had any engine work done, heck, its never had any work done besides routine maintenance and replacement of wear-and-tear parts. I used it as my chase vehicle through most of 2010 when I bought a Highlander for better performance on secondary roads. At the time the Camry already had around 215,000 miles and I figured it wouldn’t be long before it crapped out and the Highlander would become my every day vehicle. Over 5 years later its still kicking and the Highlander sits waiting in the wings having been used to this point strictly for chasing with about 35,000 miles to its credit and still a hint of that new car smell.

Ultimately the Camry was a very practical and reliable chase vehicle that got me on many a cell and to this day sports some battle scars that recall fond memories of some wicked storms. What’s ironic is that I switched to the Highlander to gain greater accessibility but fear of denting that pristine body has kept me from venturing into spots I’d go with the Camry without giving it a second thought. That’ll change once it gets baptized but until then I tend to give those cores a wide berth.

I agree with the reliability of the Camry. I love my 2007. And now that I've made some improvements, I'm stoked for this next season!

By the way, if you're interested in my build, I'll be posting a YouTube series in the Hail Shield Build Help thread under Equipment forum.

 

[Quincy Vagell]

I’m with you there, my 2005 Camry has 398,000 miles and is still going strong. I couldn’t ask for more in regards to reliability, its always started and never broken down. Never had any engine work done, heck, its never had any work done besides routine maintenance and replacement of wear-and-tear parts. I used it as my chase vehicle through most of 2010 when I bought a Highlander for better performance on secondary roads. At the time the Camry already had around 215,000 miles and I figured it wouldn’t be long before it crapped out and the Highlander would become my every day vehicle. Over 5 years later its still kicking and the Highlander sits waiting in the wings having been used to this point strictly for chasing with about 35,000 miles to its credit and still a hint of that new car smell.

Ultimately the Camry was a very practical and reliable chase vehicle that got me on many a cell and to this day sports some battle scars that recall fond memories of some wicked storms. What’s ironic is that I switched to the Highlander to gain greater accessibility but fear of denting that pristine body has kept me from venturing into spots I’d go with the Camry without giving it a second thought. That’ll change once it gets baptized but until then I tend to give those cores a wide berth.

My 2010 camry has been my main chase vehicle, mainly due to reliability and gas mileage. The 18.5 gallon tank is huge, as I rarely have to fill up, once the chase is underway. I can regularly get over 600 miles on one tank and have gotten as much as 712.2 miles. It's easy to average close to 40 mpg with long, relatively straight drives across the Plains, well above the rated fuel economy.

I've put over 100,000 miles on the car over the past two years alone with no major issues. The car has over 189,000 miles now and aside from new tires, oil changes, brakes, air filters, fluid changes and a few cosmetic repairs, it's running strong. The only goofy problem I had was a pair of busted o2 sensors, but that's probably from driving through so many muddy and otherwise wet roads.

The Camry may not be the best in terms of traction (4WD will do much better for chasing dirt roads), but I've driven on some pretty gnarly roads and managed to get myself out in one piece.

For me, at this stage in my career, I need a vehicle that's going to give me the most economic experience, in terms of reliability and fuel economy. The car has a few battle scars, including some minor hail dents and it's been through several wind shields, and now that it's paid off, I'm planning on keeping it until it bites the dust.

 

[Kevin Bowman]

I have often thought of this and since I cover many motorsport series, I figured I'd chime in. Obviously you're going to want a car with decent gas mileage, AWD/4WD and some ground clearance. The 2 companies that stick out to me are Mazda and Subaru. Subaru has a long history in rally with its WRX so its AWD systems are honed and are very good. The only problem that I am aware of is oil consumption issues on the boxer motor. Mazda has a range of SUV's/ Crossovers with the CX3-5 and 9, all available with AWD. You also have the myriad of domestic makes like Ford and Chevy and the benefit there is large dealer networks if something does go wrong. If money was no issue, a nice Range Rover or Mercedes G Wagen would be fantastic.

 

[Paul Lemery]

I've been looking at purchasing a bullet proof SUV for chasing and would appreciate any thoughts on this. There is a large market for used ones at relatively low prices. I have no interest in trying to intercept a tornado, but am looking for a little piece of mind when I get caught in a crap storm. That happens way too often for my liking. I'm sure it will help with large hail and some debris, but I am pretty sure I'd still go full Mike Bettes if I got hit. Anyone have any experience with one?

 

[Todd Rector]

This is an interesting thread to follow. Nearly all of us are limited by our budget when choosing a chase vehicle, but even people with huge bank accounts need to consider cost vs benefit vs risk.

Who wouldn't want to chase in a Range Rover Evoque with air conditioned leather seats and a Keureg coffee machine in the glove box? The fact is, we drive our chase vehicles into crazy environmental conditions, with large hail being the most notable hazard. Can a $90K Range Rover handle hail any better than a $1200 2003 Toyota Camry? Probably not.

Personally, I need these things in the following order:

1. Reliability. Under 100K miles and less than 6 year old vehicle.
2. Driving comfort with room for my chase gear (SUV or crossover) since I do 30K miles each season.
3. Ground clearance for those crazy backroads (looking at YOU, Eastern Oklahoma)
4. 4WD is best. AWD is good. FWD is adequate. RWD is stupid.
5. Serviceability. Try finding someone to work on your Saab in Medicine Lodge, KS.
6. Economy. I haul around $15K in camera and computer gear. Gas mileage is comparatively insignificant.

FYI: I took hail damage last year to a new Jeep when I hadn't even made my 4th payment. UGH. I didn't report it to my insurance company because that's one of the many hidden costs of chasing.

 

[Marc R. O'Leary]

This is an interesting thread to follow. Nearly all of us are limited by our budget when choosing a chase vehicle, but even people with huge bank accounts need to consider cost vs benefit vs risk.

Who wouldn't want to chase in a Range Rover Evoque with air conditioned leather seats and a Keureg coffee machine in the glove box? The fact is, we drive our chase vehicles into crazy environmental conditions, with large hail being the most notable hazard. Can a $90K Range Rover handle hail any better than a $1200 2003 Toyota Camry? Probably not.

Personally, I need these things in the following order:

1. Reliability. Under 100K miles and less than 6 year old vehicle.
2. Driving comfort with room for my chase gear (SUV or crossover) since I do 30K miles each season.
3. Ground clearance for those crazy backroads (looking at YOU, Eastern Oklahoma)
4. 4WD is best. AWD is good. FWD is adequate. RWD is stupid.
5. Serviceability. Try finding someone to work on your Saab in Medicine Lodge, KS.
6. Economy. I haul around $15K in camera and computer gear. Gas mileage is comparatively insignificant.

FYI: I took hail damage last year to a new Jeep when I hadn't even made my 4th payment. UGH. I didn't report it to my insurance company because that's one of the many hidden costs of chasing.

My vehicle:
1. 2007 Subaru Forester...150k miles. Uh oh.
2. Kinda small, but suitable.
3. Lowered, but still higher than most stock cars.
4. Good. Good.
5. Subaru...coin toss in great plains. Toss a dead cat in Colorado and hit a Subaru mechanic.
6. Terrible (turbo) , but carries lots of gear at speed.

 

[Tim Paitz]

Is there a car with 4WD, good gas mileage (25+ mpg) and enough leg room for a 6' guy like me? XD

 

[Drew Terril]

Is there a car with 4WD, good gas mileage (25+ mpg) and enough leg room for a 6' guy like me? XD

Unfortunately, anything I can think of off hand that gets 25 or better is AWD and not 4x4. That said, if you look at AWD, there are several options, and I've found the Nissans (Rogue, Murano, and crossover style Pathfinder) and Toyotas (Rav4 and Highlander) to be more than adequate in terms of room. I sat in a new Rogue a month or two ago and was amazed at how much room there is for such a small vehicle. It blows the similarly sized Honda CRV out of the water in terms of legroom (the CRV my grandparents have is too small for me). The Rogue and Rav4 are only 4 bangers, but both get better than 30 on the highway, whereas the V6 powered Murano, Pathfinder, and Highlander average mid to upper 20s on the highway.

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[Jason Boggs]

I like my Xterra for a good all around 4x4. It has plenty of power (270 hp V6. It has plenty of legroom, and it's a reliable vehicle. Not the best on gas mileage (18-22mpg) depending on how you drive it. I will sacrifice a bit of gas mileage to get 4x4, power, and size/comfort.

 

[David Williams]

Doesn't anyone have a 4runner? A buddy of mine has a 96 4 runner that he loves. The gas mileage is somewhat low but he says it has great off-roading ability and that it's tough and it has never broken down. I'm surprised I haven't heard more positive stories from 4runner owners.

 

[Jason Boggs]

Brandon Sullivan just got one a while back. He was going to get another Jeep, but was talked into a Toyota 4 runner. I think he made a great decision.

 

[Drew Terril]

I like my Xterra for a good all around 4x4. It has plenty of power (270 hp V6. It has plenty of legroom, and it's a reliable vehicle. Not the best on gas mileage (18-22mpg) depending on how you drive it. I will sacrifice a bit of gas mileage to get 4x4, power, and size/comfort.

Had it not been for the fact that my Camaro on a trailer weighs only a few hundred lbs short of the stated towing capacity, I probably would have bought either an Xterra or Frontier. But it's unwise to pull something that close to the limits, hence the Titan.

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[Jason Boggs]

I've put 100,000 miles on my Xterra with 0 problems whatsoever. All I've ever driven has been Nissan's and Toyota's. I've put 115,000 miles on a 99 Camry in 3.5 years without a single problem as well. It currently has 207,000 miles on it, and still runs extremely well.

 

[ericjkelly]

Love my 2010 Outback! 8.7 inches of clearance (similar to most SUV's) AWD system is pretty awesome. 27-29 MPG chasing.