• After witnessing the continued decrease of involvement in the SpotterNetwork staff in serving SN members with troubleshooting issues recently, I have unilaterally decided to terminate the relationship between SpotterNetwork's support and Stormtrack. I have witnessed multiple users unable to receive support weeks after initiating help threads on the forum. I find this lack of response from SpotterNetwork officials disappointing and a failure to hold up their end of the agreement that was made years ago, before I took over management of this site. In my opinion, having Stormtrack users sit and wait for so long to receive help on SpotterNetwork issues on the Stormtrack forums reflects poorly not only on SpotterNetwork, but on Stormtrack and (by association) me as well. Since the issue has not been satisfactorily addressed, I no longer wish for the Stormtrack forum to be associated with SpotterNetwork.

    I apologize to those who continue to have issues with the service and continue to see their issues left unaddressed. Please understand that the connection between ST and SN was put in place long before I had any say over it. But now that I am the "captain of this ship," it is within my right (nay, duty) to make adjustments as I see necessary. Ending this relationship is such an adjustment.

    For those who continue to need help, I recommend navigating a web browswer to SpotterNetwork's About page, and seeking the individuals listed on that page for all further inquiries about SpotterNetwork.

    From this moment forward, the SpotterNetwork sub-forum has been hidden/deleted and there will be no assurance that any SpotterNetwork issues brought up in any of Stormtrack's other sub-forums will be addressed. Do not rely on Stormtrack for help with SpotterNetwork issues.

    Sincerely, Jeff D.

Best Vehicle For Chasing

  • Thread starter Thread starter Zachary Lassiter
  • Start date Start date
AWD Ford Escape Hyrbrid. excellent gas mileage, AWD, good cargo area for 3 chaser (4 might be pushing it), plenty of space up top to mount weather instruments.
 
01+ V-6 Honda Odyssey. Dad has an 01, and that thing has a ton of room, excellent viewing ability, tons of cargo space, 25mpg on the highway, 15 gallon tank (400 mile range), lot's of "hauling the mail" pep if needed, very very reliable, especially for multiple people.
 
Drew,

Love my Escape Hybrid. Had 4 chasing in it last year. Not too bad....a little tight. The 110V plug on the dash is really helpful!
 
I have a '95 Silverado Ex Cab 4x4. Its not great on fuel, but it goes lots of places, is very stable, lots of room, and they are CHEAP! Besides, another scratch or ding will just add more character.

Besides that, I dont think you can get parts for another vehicle any easier than you can a Chevy truck. Also very easy to work on.


b7e40cea.jpg
 
Decided it was time for a new chase vehicle, so I just purchased a new Toyota Highlander and I absolutely love it. Plenty of room, not only for equipment but for people, great gas mileage, now I just need a good chase to test it out.

I bought the 2010 4x4 Limited at the end of last year’s season and it’s been a fantastic vehicle, both for chasing and for general use. It met the criteria I noted in a previous post and has been a quite pleasure to drive and a definite upgrade from my 2005 Camry. I love the ample space, it’s very comfortable and has allowed me to access with confidence gravel roads that previously would have given me anxiety. A subtle but not insignificant improvement over the Camry is the ease of access to my gear, most notably my tripod. I’m into filming outside and now I can get my already fully extended tripod out in a flash and be filming in seconds. Conversely I can also stow it in and get moving in quick fashion if I need to make a fast exit. So far I’ve averaged almost 22mpg overall and haven’t experienced a single mechanical problem, giving me satisfactory efficiency as well as the reliability I expected. The only downside is I’m far less aggressive in my chasing style when it comes to cores and more likely to miss some tubes as a result. That’ll probably change after a few seasons but for now I’ll take the cautious play in lieu of risking another 6-7-09. Those craters may be badges of honor on my Camry but they’d be devastating to see on my sweet new ride.
 
92 Dodge Grand Caravan.
ewww.....god no...too old, those K-bodied Caravans are weak. Go with at least a 96. Besides, parts are getting few and far between. A 92 would be what I would call a "sacrifice" chase vehicle. One you go out and buy in the central states at the beginning of chase season at some crazy used lot for $500 to $800...and almost immediately drive into a hail core with multiple cameras set up, and throw it away once the 'job is done'.
 
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Although I do think this is an interesting approach to social engineering and a way of finding out who drives what.... :) I know my vehicle is far from optimum. I drive a VW Passat, moonroof and all. I have to admit when I purchased it I wasn't thinking about chasing (not sure why). I have some fear of hail etc because the body is in excellent condition. However, I wouldn't change the performance for anything.
 
The new Subaru Impreza hatchback sounds like a good fit. AWD and 30+ mpg? Yes please! In the meantime, I'm happy with our Subaru Forester.

I recently went to look at them and would agree. I ended up with a new Subaru Legacy instead (I need ample space for the kid and wasn't real fond of the outback) and I love it. It's comfortable on long drives, 31mpg on the hwy, and plenty of space for the camera equipment and laptop desk. I'll be a little bummed when it gets its first hail dents but I do my best to avoid the grapefruits : D
 
I recently went to look at them and would agree. I ended up with a new Subaru Legacy instead (I need ample space for the kid and wasn't real fond of the outback) and I love it. It's comfortable on long drives, 31mpg on the hwy, and plenty of space for the camera equipment and laptop desk. I'll be a little bummed when it gets its first hail dents but I do my best to avoid the grapefruits : D

I almost bought a new Legacy myself. I really like the new look and like you said 31 mpg is pretty good. I've always driven a truck though so I decided to get a new Silverado. I probably wont take it chasing for a couple of years and will just keep using my 2001 Ranger for chasing purposes.
 
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