Nancy Jocoy

Next year I will buying a new *dog* vehicle. It will be my primary vehicle with the Ford Explorer, wich will have 225K by then in retirment as a back up vechicle only. Since I will be working from home commuting miles not an issue but hauling pine straw, fertilizer, etc is.

Looking to a smaller truck (tacoma, ranger, dakota, colorado) but may consider bigger - want to meet my goals while being as fuel efficient as possible.

I have decided on a truck for sure - still debating engine and transmission options. Most efficient and long lasting would be manual transmission with smaller engine and locking differential. But I am not sure how good that would be off road. I know old farm trucks when I was a kid did not have 4 wheel drive and I remember those going everyhwere. Off road for me is: farm fields, muddy dirt roads, clear cuts, lake banks. I think the same vehicle that would work for a hunter * fisherman would work for me. The biggest thing I would ever tow is a jon boat.

What is your take? Fuel Efficiency and Longevity are both considerations but I don't want to get stuck.

Also concerning bed options-most of the beds will not fit 2 crates side by side between the wheel wells but anchored properly above the wells could be an option with storage underneath. I don't want to have to be a gymnast to access dogs and gear. Want to be able to lock everything up and keep it dry.

Option 1 - Fiberglass Shell with crates etc. inside
Option 2 - Custom Dog Topper (Expensive-not sure of hot weather performance, most dog compartments are smaller than I would like but may be big enough at 36x24x24)
Option 3 - Ladder rack and customizing myself (may give me better warm weather performance.

Would love your insights about what does and does not work. I figure dogsport folks probably have almost as much gear and leave dogs in vehicles for long times like SAR folk. I guess you probably don't have to have to accomodate overnight stuff but that is the exception for me, not the rule but you have to be prepared nonetheless.

MY argument against SUVs is that they get hot, not great for 2 dogs, not great for extra gear, no place for me to sleep in a pinch. My argument against minivans is ground clearance and heat issues again.

Thanks for your thoughts on this

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Nancy
www.scsarda.org