Karen St John
EF3
A vehicle that gets you out of a storm is a bonus...
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What makes a storm chasing vehicle?
- Thread starter Shawn Gossman
- Start date
Bob Hartig
EF5
The essentials. I feel like such a fool for forgetting to mention them in my own previous post.
I'm revisiting this thread because I'm presently looking into a "new" used car, and chasing naturally factors heavily into my choice. So too do my financial constraints as a self-employed writer and editor who isn't exactly raking in cash by the bucketful (but who loves what he does!).
I am now down to the wire with two Toyotas--a 2002 Camry and 2003 Avalon. Either one should last me for a long time, and both have rave reviews when it comes to customer satisfaction (something Toyota can't claim for its later models). When it comes to navigating miry, slippery clay backroads, I'll accept whatever limitations the vehicle I select imposes and will stick with the pavement when I have to. My chief requirement is that whatever I drive should be mechanically reliable so I don't find myself in an aw-$%^#! situation with a wedge bearing down on me; it should be comfortable for long-distance driving; and it should be reasonably fuel-efficient.
I think these are just commonsense considerations when purchasing a vehicle for any reason. If I made more money, I might look at a 4WD--probably a Subaru, which would be fantastic for negotiating Michigan winters as well as Kansas backroads. But for what I've got to work with, I think I'm on the right track.
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Matt Cunningham
Personally I think power over versatility is my preference and reliable. I know that storm chasing sometimes requires you to drive dangerous unstable roads.
But on the other hand. I would rather have the power to get away from the storm in the event I find myself in the wrong place at the wrong time. I don't plan on driving dirt roads, as a matter of fact I won't take dirt roads at all. I will watch from afar, if dirt is my only option.
Eventually I will get a vehicle that will enable me to take dirt roads such as a Subaru or a Lancer Evolution. I am a car person no trucks here.
Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk 2
But on the other hand. I would rather have the power to get away from the storm in the event I find myself in the wrong place at the wrong time. I don't plan on driving dirt roads, as a matter of fact I won't take dirt roads at all. I will watch from afar, if dirt is my only option.
Eventually I will get a vehicle that will enable me to take dirt roads such as a Subaru or a Lancer Evolution. I am a car person no trucks here.
Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk 2
We fly over from England each year so we have to keep our fingers crossed that we get a car we like. The first year we opted for a Ford Expedition. It was fantastic, big enough for 2 people's camera gear and tripods, 2 laptops, 2 suitcases, endless books on storm chasing and we could still sleep in it (relatively comfortably!). The only downside was ~18mpg. The second year we selected a smaller car and were given a Nissan Dodge. Even after a week my legs and bum were aching so much. I guess the seating just wasn’t as comfy. We did get about 28mpg though.
Last year we got a Ford Escape and it was perfect. It was quick, had good turning circle, it was compact but still had enough room for all our gear for 3 weeks. I couldn't get much of a night's kip curled up on the backseats so had to sleep in the front with the seat back. Whoever out of me and my boyfriend got the driver's seat had to make sure not to wriggle too much otherwise we accidentally sounded the horn and usually in the middle of a Wal-Mart car park at 3am in the morning. Not what we wanted whilst trying to remain inconspicuous!
So for us, definitely the balance between space and fuel efficiency it something to consider. And from experience, Fords tend to be the most comfy (but that's only my personal opinion).
By the way, does anyone have any tricks or tips for achy bums and legs due to driving about 500miles a day for 3 weeks?!
Last year we got a Ford Escape and it was perfect. It was quick, had good turning circle, it was compact but still had enough room for all our gear for 3 weeks. I couldn't get much of a night's kip curled up on the backseats so had to sleep in the front with the seat back. Whoever out of me and my boyfriend got the driver's seat had to make sure not to wriggle too much otherwise we accidentally sounded the horn and usually in the middle of a Wal-Mart car park at 3am in the morning. Not what we wanted whilst trying to remain inconspicuous!
So for us, definitely the balance between space and fuel efficiency it something to consider. And from experience, Fords tend to be the most comfy (but that's only my personal opinion).
By the way, does anyone have any tricks or tips for achy bums and legs due to driving about 500miles a day for 3 weeks?!
Mothra
EF0
being an emergency worker i've seen a lot of bad car accidents. the trend is the person with the bigger vehicle is the winner(or rather the one that walks away). i will not drive in small cars anymore. suvs and trucks are the way to go. i sacrifice mpg for safety any day.
John Fertsch
EF0
love my '12 Blackberry Dodge Charger with the 300 hp v-6 and 8 speed auto - plenty of power to get outa jams but yet fuel mileage up in the 30's when not dogging on it.
enough room for my ham radio mounted to glove box and iPhone cradled via seat bolt mount...
enough room for my ham radio mounted to glove box and iPhone cradled via seat bolt mount...
Jason Russell
EF0
It needs to be big (2002 Tahoe), it needs to be fast (lots of performance stuff) and it needs enough lights to outdo a football stadium on those moments when everyone and their grandma pulls out a camera. It needs at least two forms of radio communication and at least one of those needs to exceed 100 miles range.
Yes, I'm a whacker to the core. But I'm a law-abiding whacker, so no sirens (I do have an air horn), blue or red lights here! I want to be able to tear someone's eyes from the storm long enough for them to realize that A) there is a stop sign and B) I have right-of-way.
Yes, I'm a whacker to the core. But I'm a law-abiding whacker, so no sirens (I do have an air horn), blue or red lights here! I want to be able to tear someone's eyes from the storm long enough for them to realize that A) there is a stop sign and B) I have right-of-way.
brett conner
EF0
Why do you have right of way? And you sure as heck should not be running red and blue. Unless you are police, fire, EMS, or EM and in your jurisdiction.
Brett Conner
COMT
Director of communications
Multi-County Fire Corps
www.okfirecorps.com
Chris Cooper
EF0
Here it is instant confiscation of your lights and possibly your car and you get a huge ticket. You have to have a blue card for the lights for just about any color. And in my county if you have lights on you better not speed or do anything stupid...
david diehl
EF2
some of these setups really burn me.
Here is what I have.
1992 pontiac bonniville,
Computer mount, GPS, ham radio, HAM RADIo License, APRS, video camera,
and yes, I do have warning lights, two sets in the back window, and one set in the grill. yes I do have a air horn, used for warning off deer, very effective.
I do not light my vehicle for attention, or to TRY to tell people that I have the right of way because I do not, and when some yahoo thinks they can do this it makes all Storm chasers look bad, and If I see it I will report that stupidity.
Yes I am ranting get over it.
Here is what I have.
1992 pontiac bonniville,
Computer mount, GPS, ham radio, HAM RADIo License, APRS, video camera,
and yes, I do have warning lights, two sets in the back window, and one set in the grill. yes I do have a air horn, used for warning off deer, very effective.
I do not light my vehicle for attention, or to TRY to tell people that I have the right of way because I do not, and when some yahoo thinks they can do this it makes all Storm chasers look bad, and If I see it I will report that stupidity.
Yes I am ranting get over it.
Bob Hartig
EF5
Easy, hombres, let's keep it civil and respond rather than react. A person's meaning and full circumstances don't always translate clearly in print, and I think this is one of those times.
Reading Suburbazine's profile, I see that his primary interest is in emergency response and that chasing is secondary. Knowing this may shed a different light on things, and it would have been helpful to have had it explained up front. At any rate, let's nobody here pull out the flame throwers.
To be clear, no one has the right-of-way or in any way owns the road just because he or she is a storm chaser. Bad road manners has been a huge reason why storm chasing has acquired a tarnished reputation in some parts of the country. But I don't think that's what we're dealing with here.
Reading Suburbazine's profile, I see that his primary interest is in emergency response and that chasing is secondary. Knowing this may shed a different light on things, and it would have been helpful to have had it explained up front. At any rate, let's nobody here pull out the flame throwers.
To be clear, no one has the right-of-way or in any way owns the road just because he or she is a storm chaser. Bad road manners has been a huge reason why storm chasing has acquired a tarnished reputation in some parts of the country. But I don't think that's what we're dealing with here.
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rdale
EF5
Read it again - he said "NO" blue or red lights here.
Sean Ramsey
EF4
The best storm chase vehicle to me is one where you start with x amount of miles at the beginning of the season, and you don't care about how many you end up with at the end of the season.
Bob Hartig
EF5
Money paid, papers signed, plates transferred, and new all-weather tires installed as of this afternoon. The best storm chasing vehicle for me is now a 2002 Toyota Camry. 
Joshua Nall
EF4
Congratulations on your new ride, Bob. I'm having to put a water pump on mine tomorrow, started leaking coolant today.
To others... I think what was meant by the "right of way" comment is that his lights were intended to cause them to look and notice the stop sign they are coming to and give the right away. Which is what you do at a stop sign. But anyway, man I need to get me an air horn. I do have a loud speaker on my other truck. I just take the mic and say "Beep Beep".
By the way I think I got a tornado Monday, but haven't had time to even upload my pics. Funnel condensed less than half way with a 2 second debri whirl twice maybe. I don't know if I can count it or not
To others... I think what was meant by the "right of way" comment is that his lights were intended to cause them to look and notice the stop sign they are coming to and give the right away. Which is what you do at a stop sign. But anyway, man I need to get me an air horn. I do have a loud speaker on my other truck. I just take the mic and say "Beep Beep".
By the way I think I got a tornado Monday, but haven't had time to even upload my pics. Funnel condensed less than half way with a 2 second debri whirl twice maybe. I don't know if I can count it or not
