Pulling back the curtain and showing you some of the conversations going on around here. I am lowkey debating getting an off-road capable vehicle. But when I say that, it gets all the off-road dorks spun up with their biases, brand loyalties and preconceived notions.
So how do I combat that and keep things constructive? Easy. I need to define what off-road means for me, since I am the one paying the freight. Off-road means a vehicle that can be driven front to back at the John1911 gun range. But it also means it could be used at some of my mountain property outside of Washington DC: Trails, mountain roads, logging roads, etc.
If need be, this vehicle could stand in as an all weather, daily driver should I not want to drive The Mighty Tundra ™, or it is being serviced.
Additionally, I am not looking for a vehicle or experience that needs a snorkel to keep the engine alive while trying to cross a river. Creeks are fine however and skid plates are a must. While getting stuck and self rescue is a reality, I am NOT looking for an experience where someone intentionally goes out and gets impossibly stuck and needs 3 winches, a mule and satellite phone to be extricated either.
I am not camping either. Go out. Do what I want. Have fun. Come back.
Now let’s rule out some things. I am not getting a Jeep. And I am not buying some 10-20 year old vehicle that was an extra in a Mad Max movie. Generally I run cars the same way I run guns: I actually use it and will just pay for dealer support as I break things.
So why is a Porsche Dakar on my radar? Well…it’s because I already have a Porsche, the dealer would take my trade in a heartbeat, and a Dakar could maybe do 70% of what I outlined above. So does that make it really an “off-road” car? No, not really. But I could kinda get the utility and experience I want, and not even need take up more space in the garage. So I am Dakar curious.
The problem comes when you realize this was a limited run car, most folks bought them to flip them, and almost none of these Dakars ever see a spec of dirt or gravel. So…I would be paying way over MSRP, just to crash out on depreciation. Even if I never actually crashed the Dakar itself. That doesn’t make a lot of economic sense because collectors ruin everything.
So here we are, casually looking, and trying to get educated on what is possible.
Sincerely,
Marky
www.John1911.com
“Shooting Guns & Having Fun”
Areas of focus: Defense and National Security, Modern Light Weapons, Small Arms, Weapons Training.
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