Harvester towing

[mbeadnell]

I would strongly suggest the harvester model towing more than 5k. This is going to be a deal breaker for most people and cause a lot of cancelled reservations. My opinion but I would not have announced something like this without all the details
In place to make a firm stance. This has created a lot of confusion and speculation and as a result many cancelled reservations. I would like to see the Terra at least able
To tow 7500 at minimum and the traveler at 5000k minimum. It makes no sense for both the tow the same with one able
To tow nearly 3k more on the pure ev models. This is just my suggestion. Keeping the price within the mentioned amount during announcement I hope is possible to have the towing range increased ( 7500 for Terra 5000 for traveler) that’s my suggestion and opinion.

 

[AlanL]

The wife and I both work in education, and I'm a disabled veteran. My current daily driver is a 2004 Lexus GX470 with 205k miles and it's just too small and too old for what we want to do. I'm up next for an upgrade since the wife traded our GX460 for a new van a few years ago.

We are trying to live within our means but still get out there with the kids while we can, in a way that's comfortable for all of us. I have severe anxiety/PTSD from my time in service and try to avoid crowded places. She just isn't an outdoors type person so this is the compromise I am tasked with navigating.

Our total budget is around $130k max thanks to a settlement with 3M. That's for both the new vehicle and trailer with off grid capability. We want to be able to camp on federal land for 3-5 days at a time during the summer months.

The Scout would have been perfect if we could use it as a generator and tow vehicle at a great price. Now I am not so sure.

Thank you for your service. I kind of agree with J Alynn but for different reasons. I hope this comes across as helpful and not a downer.

The Terra (BEV certainly or Harvester probably) will have the towing capacity and can provide power for the trailer. Maybe you can fit the family with two bench seats, as long as the three kids in back don't fight. The Scout will eat up over 1/2 of the budget. You can save weight and money getting a used trailer. With some compromise on ruggedness there are lots of trailers with floorplans that can handle 6. But do you want to wait three years for the Scout? If they start production in late 2027 we won't see many deliveries until early 2028.

The Terra puts you in full size pickup territory. Aside from trucks there are several truck based 3 row SUVs that can tow over 8000 lbs. A used 1/2 ton or 3/4 truck will get you in the game now for a lot less money, you can carry a generator in the bed. Or with an SUV carry the generator in the trailer or in a rear hitch mounted carrier. If you're handy and save money on a used trailer add solar panels. For off grid all you really need for any trailer is electricity and water. My wife and I have found that we can get by using little electricity as long as we don't need to run the trailer's A/C. Our 200 amp hours of lithium batteries and 300W of rooftop solar are enough for other needs if we are in a reasonably sunny place. And we do two to four week trips without electrical hookups. A generator, big tanks, maybe a water bladder in the truck bed can do the job. You need some degree of clearance and ruggedness, but a lot of BLM lands don't need serious off road capability. And will your wife be more comfortable with easier to get to places? Although from your initial overlanding comment maybe that aspect is really important?

All in all I think waiting three years for a Scout is the real disadvantage. Don't wait, the kids are growing every day.

 

[THil08]

I agree with @J Alynn and @AlanL

Don’t wait for a Scout as much as I’m all for everyone wanting a Scout. It could be as long as 2 to 4 years after the two mainstream Scouts come out before a new model of Scout comes out. Since you never want to stress out the factory with too many vehicles at the start.

 

[Chavannigans]

I would question if the Scout is the right vehicle if you are saying your GX is too small. Getting a family of 6 in the Scout for longer travel is gonna be very tight. I’m all for everyone wanting Scouts but maybe a 3-row would suit your needs better. I know what we deal with in a family of 3 when traveling. Granted most of your gear can go in the travel trailer but I just think, having seen it in person, 6 people for a multi hour drive is gonna be really tight. Just my 2 cents

We have made our GX470 work for camping trips and traveling, but it has far less cargo space than the Scout since the traveler doesn't need the third row to seat 6 with the bench seat.

The GX cabin itself is pretty narrow as you go up higher, but there is literally no room for gear with the 3rd row deployed. We have to remove one of the rearmost seats to fit our tents, cooler, and totes while one of the kids is pretty much trapped in the other 3rd row jumper next to all the gear.

The Traveler may be a little cramped for seating 6 adults, but will have far more cargo room in the rear hatch than our Lexus. Factor in the frunk and we are talking quadruple the storage we currently have.

Our boys ages range from 3-10 so they are still pretty small and don't take up much room.

 

[Chavannigans]

Thank you for your service. I kind of agree with J Alynn but for different reasons. I hope this comes across as helpful and not a downer.

The Terra (BEV certainly or Harvester probably) will have the towing capacity and can provide power for the trailer. Maybe you can fit the family with two bench seats, as long as the three kids in back don't fight. The Scout will eat up over 1/2 of the budget. You can save weight and money getting a used trailer. With some compromise on ruggedness there are lots of trailers with floorplans that can handle 6. But do you want to wait three years for the Scout? If they start production in late 2027 we won't see many deliveries until early 2028.

The Terra puts you in full size pickup territory. Aside from trucks there are several truck based 3 row SUVs that can tow over 8000 lbs. A used 1/2 ton or 3/4 truck will get you in the game now for a lot less money, you can carry a generator in the bed. Or with an SUV carry the generator in the trailer or in a rear hitch mounted carrier. If you're handy and save money on a used trailer add solar panels. For off grid all you really need for any trailer is electricity and water. My wife and I have found that we can get by using little electricity as long as we don't need to run the trailer's A/C. Our 200 amp hours of lithium batteries and 300W of rooftop solar are enough for other needs if we are in a reasonably sunny place. And we do two to four week trips without electrical hookups. A generator, big tanks, maybe a water bladder in the truck bed can do the job. You need some degree of clearance and ruggedness, but a lot of BLM lands don't need serious off road capability. And will your wife be more comfortable with easier to get to places? Although from your initial overlanding comment maybe that aspect is really important?

All in all I think waiting three years for a Scout is the real disadvantage. Don't wait, the kids are growing every day.

That's a great perspective. Thanks for the reply and advice.

I come from the Toyota world and have spent the past decade going to off-road rallys and events. I don't think I'm ready to give up having those capabilities yet. We live about an hour from Barnwell Mountain which is one of the best off-road parks in Texas. We go hit the trails once every few months and the kids love it.

We also have pretty bad weather here at times so the wife wants something that can still get us out of town even if highways aren't passable.

So the front and rear lockers, swaybar disconnect, factory 35" tires, fording depth and other features really speak to me and there aren't many similar options out there aside from the Lexus LX700h Overtrail, but that runs around $114k. I've had Land Cruisers before and both had over 330k miles when I sold them. They last forever and are remarkably capable. But that would hoover up most the budget short term.

The TRD Pro Sequoia is pretty rad but it needs around $10k in a lift and $5k in wheels and tires to be capable on the trail. There is no front sway bar disconnect and due to the design of its front differential, it cannot be fitted with a locker.

The new Pro4X Nissan Armada is another consideration. This is actually a historic vehicle because it's the first time the United States is getting the same Nissan Patrol platform the rest of the world gets. It however requires premium fuel and I'm not sure Nissan will be around in 5-6 years to warranty anything with the way things are currently going between them and Honda. There will be a huge aftermarket available for it though.

Maybe the Terra would be a better option. I think it would be less stressful than a Super Duty. I've had Tacoma's and Tundras as well as a few F150s so I'm not above the truck. Its just longer for the trails.

We could also try a smaller trailer like the MDC Robson XTT Dual Fold. I think it can sleep 8 but it's still pretty small and light. No AC but it does have several fans and a fridge for cold drinks.

We could go even smaller with something like the Moonlander X camper shell on the Terra. I think I could rig up a 12v AC in there and if the kids are with us we can put them in tents like we do already.

Moonlander X

 

[BartMan Terra Total EV]

That was a chardonnay fueled diatribe. I owe an apology to the literate that had to suffer that lol. I am just trying to understand why they are giving us such a low number for a vehicle that could revolutionize the outdoor industry.

There are other trailer options, but it's challenging to find a balance when you have a family of 6. We just have a lot of crap and limited money.

6 times the clothes.

6 times the water consumption.

6 times the food.

6 times the poop.


They make a smaller and lighter hybrid pop up version but it will be pretty cramped with all of us and it's still over the 5,000lb rating.
View attachment 5750

The Taxa Mantis X is also pretty cool but it has an inefficient window unit for AC and standing room is quite limited.

View attachment 5752

Your mountain bike analogy makes sense, but we aren't Amflow Carbon Pro budget people. We are more like Aventon Ramblas from UpWay people lol.


The wife and I both work in education, and I'm a disabled veteran. My current daily driver is a 2004 Lexus GX470 with 205k miles and it's just too small and too old for what we want to do. I'm up next for an upgrade since the wife traded our GX460 for a new van a few years ago.

We are trying to live within our means but still get out there with the kids while we can, in a way that's comfortable for all of us. I have severe anxiety/PTSD from my time in service and try to avoid crowded places. She just isn't an outdoors type person so this is the compromise I am tasked with navigating.

Our total budget is around $130k max thanks to a settlement with 3M. That's for both the new vehicle and trailer with off grid capability. We want to be able to camp on federal land for 3-5 days at a time during the summer months.

The Scout would have been perfect if we could use it as a generator and tow vehicle at a great price. Now I am not so sure.

OK let's brainstorm as off road trailers hunts are an obsession of mine. So let's say 75 for Traveler Harvester and 55 for trailer. I assume that's about what the XT 17 will cost. I will see if i can find ar least one other option. By the way thanks for your service.

 

[J Alynn]

That's a great perspective. Thanks for the reply and advice.

I come from the Toyota world and have spent the past decade going to off-road rallys and events. I don't think I'm ready to give up having those capabilities yet. We live about an hour from Barnwell Mountain which is one of the best off-road parks in Texas. We go hit the trails once every few months and the kids love it.

We also have pretty bad weather here at times so the wife wants something that can still get us out of town even if highways aren't passable.

So the front and rear lockers, swaybar disconnect, factory 35" tires, fording depth and other features really speak to me and there aren't many similar options out there aside from the Lexus LX700h Overtrail, but that runs around $114k. I've had Land Cruisers before and both had over 330k miles when I sold them. They last forever and are remarkably capable. But that would hoover up most the budget short term.

The TRD Pro Sequoia is pretty rad but it needs around $10k in a lift and $5k in wheels and tires to be capable on the trail. There is no front sway bar disconnect and due to the design of its front differential, it cannot be fitted with a locker.

The new Pro4X Nissan Armada is another consideration. This is actually a historic vehicle because it's the first time the United States is getting the same Nissan Patrol platform the rest of the world is gets. It however requires premium fuel and I'm not sure Nissan will be around in 5-6 years to warranty anything with the way things are currently going between them and Honda. There will be a huge aftermarket available for it though.

Maybe the Terra would be a better option. I think it would be less stressful than a Super Duty. I've had Tacoma's and Tundras as well as a few F150s so I'm not above the truck. Its just longer for the trails.

We could also try a smaller trailer like the MDC Robson XTT Dual Fold. I think it can sleep 8 but it's still pretty small and light. No AC but it does have several fans and a fridge for cold drinks.

We could go even smaller with something like the Moonlander X camper shell on the Terra. I think I could rig up a 12v AC in there and if the kids are with us we can put them in tents like we do already.

Moonlander X

I had a 99-1/2 pathfinder and loved it. I like the new one as well and tying from the Patrol is a big plus. One thing to keep in mind and I’ve been told by several manufacturers-you can run lower grade fuel so long as you are consistent so the computers sync on it. I would think the Nissan would still run fine. I’ve run several sport sedans on lower grade and never had any issues. Now if you are racing a car regularly I certainly wouldn’t do it.
If you can fit 6 and that works then hold out for the Scout

 

[AlanL]

I had a 99-1/2 pathfinder and loved it. I like the new one as well and tying from the Patrol is a big plus. One thing to keep in mind and I’ve been told by several manufacturers-you can run lower grade fuel so long as you are consistent so the computers sync on it. I would think the Nissan would still run fine. I’ve run several sport sedans on lower grade and never had any issues. Now if you are racing a car regularly I certainly wouldn’t do it.
If you can fit 6 and that works then hold out for the Scout

We considered the Pathfinder Rock Creek in early 2023, ended up buying our Pilot Trailsport. At that time the Pathfinder recommended premium fuel but it was fine to use regular for a loss of a few hp. But that is with a normally aspirated engine. The new Armada is twin turbo, do they get along with regular fuel? Never had a turbo.

 

[Chavannigans]

OK let's brainstorm as off road trailers hunts are an obsession of mine. So let's say 75 for Traveler Harvester and 55 for trailer. I assume that's about what the XT 17 will cost. I will see if i can find ar least one other option. By the way thanks for your service.

I appreciate the help and support from y'all.

I have zero experience with campers but have romanticized the "Australian Touring" lifestyle.

I'm also known for making very poor decisions off-road so I need something that can handle abuse.

One brand I have been told to avoid by people in the industry is Black Label.

MDC seems to strike a good balance of affordable and durable.

If money was no onject I'd be getting a Brüder EXP-8 or a Palamino Pause.

The Mammoth TL is very interesting but it is probably a windsail at its height.

Part of me leans towards hard side trailers because the more effortless the setup is, the easier it will be to convince the wife to hit the road.

But I am open to more ideas.

Id really prefer to make the Scout Terra or Traveler work if possible.

 

[Chavannigans]

We considered the Pathfinder Rock Creek in early 2023, ended up buying our Pilot Trailsport. At that time the Pathfinder recommended premium fuel but it was fine to use regular for a loss of a few hp. But that is with a normally aspirated engine. The new Armada is twin turbo, do they get along with regular fuel? Never had a turbo.

If I had to guess the ECU will pull boost if it starts knocking with lower octane fuel.

 

[THil08]

We considered the Pathfinder Rock Creek in early 2023, ended up buying our Pilot Trailsport. At that time the Pathfinder recommended premium fuel but it was fine to use regular for a loss of a few hp. But that is with a normally aspirated engine. The new Armada is twin turbo, do they get along with regular fuel? Never had a turbo.

The ECU, will adjust, it reduces boost(psi) and will adjust its timing consistently to prevent knocking. Or at least that’s what we learned in BMW training last session for new 2025/26 models.

 

[J Alynn]

We considered the Pathfinder Rock Creek in early 2023, ended up buying our Pilot Trailsport. At that time the Pathfinder recommended premium fuel but it was fine to use regular for a loss of a few hp. But that is with a normally aspirated engine. The new Armada is twin turbo, do they get along with regular fuel? Never had a turbo.

Didn’t realize that was twin turbo.

 

[BartMan Terra Total EV]

I appreciate the help and support from y'all.

I have zero experience with campers but have romanticized the "Australian Touring" lifestyle.

I'm also known for making very poor decisions off-road so I need something that can handle abuse.

One brand I have been told to avoid by people in the industry is Black Label.

MDC seems to strike a good balance of affordable and durable.

If money was no onject I'd be getting a Brüder EXP-8 or a Palamino Pause.

The Mammoth TL is very interesting but it is probably a windsail at its height.

Part of me leans towards hard side trailers because the more effortless the setup is, the easier it will be to convince the wife to hit the road.

But I am open to more ideas.

Id really prefer to make the Scout Terra or Traveler work if possible.

The AU designed Chinese built rigs like MDC, Black Series, OBI Conqueror/Dweller and ORC amongst others are a bit cheaper compared to North America craft off road trailers. But in the long run they scare me. MDC is at the top of the heap but anything older then a 2025 has BMPRO electronics that have issues. Plus they are getting more expensive. Plus they often mis lead folks about them being Chinese made and that they own the factory in China.

That said I would take an MDC over that Mammoth TL. It's a hot mess and those guys should stick to airplanes.

I am keeping an eye on Skinny Guy Trailers. Elkhart made and reasonably priced. Cubed Series is a hard sided pop up.

Right now if you could find a used Kimberly S Series that would be worth a look.

Either way I think you better plan on a Terra if you want the Harvester.

I will keep looking for you.