With its raised suspension and roof-top tent, today’s Nice Price or No Dice F250 is literally three stories tall. It can be had without the camper for half the cost, but as is always the case with big trucks, we want to see what it’s worth to go whole hog.
It’s long been said that “good things come in small packages.” Contrastingly, it’s also been averred that “size matters.” A prima facie example of such polar opinions could be found in yesterday’s 1972 Honda Trail 70 motorcycle. Small enough to fit in a trunk once its handlebars are folded down, it came with a contrastingly large $3,950 price tag. Those irreconcilable extremes came to a head in the form of an 89 percent No Dice loss.
What we should note about yesterday’s tiny Honda is that it does seem to have been priced market-appropriate as others in similar condition ask about the same. That doesn’t make it right, however, which you all noted in both comments and the vote.
Another area where opinions might differ from those of the category’s adherents is in the world of Overlanding. That’s the adventurous advocacy of driving to remote locations and living for a time “off the grid” in what is typically some capable but markedly bougie 4×4 converted van or camper truck.
Today’s 2000 Ford F250 Superduty Crew Cab 4X4 is offered as a stand-alone work truck with a modular flatbed in the back featuring side-mounted toolboxes and a fold-down work table that can be removed for spillover space. In addition to that, the seller offers a 2022 Scout Kenai slide-in camper with rooftop tent, leave-behind camper jacks, and, among other niceties, a self-contained toilet, because, unlike a bear, it’s not appropriate for us to shit in the woods.
The ad asks $35K for each component or $70K for them as the Wonder Twin combo. We’re going for the combo since it’s just so darn cool, but let’s take a look at them one at a time.
Based on the description in the ad, the truck alone is pretty neat. Powering the big beast is a 7.3-liter Powerstroke turbo-diesel V8. That offered 235 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque in this model year. Backing that up is a ZF S6-650 six-speed manual and 4WD with solid axles at both ends. That’s all pushed the truck a substantial 263,000 miles, but this is a stout drivetrain and it all appears well maintained and updated.
The color of the matte-finish paint is described as “Lieutenant Dan” green, and the seller fitted new seals and a windshield before that was laid down. Tires are big knobbies, but oddly, the seller says they will be mounting even bigger meats “shortly.”
The cabin seems clean and has later-model captain’s chairs with trail covers in front and a versatile folding bench in the back. Various outlets and a big stereo have also been added. In fact, there’s almost too much to mention here as the truck seems to have been obsessively updated and kept in the right state of affairs.
On the other hand, the Scout camper is only 2 years old and looks darn near brand new. It sleeps six and offers an acrophobia-inducing collapsable ladder for external access to the tent on top as well as an internal hatch for alternate ingress. This is Scout’s top-of-the-line camper and is designed to offer off-grid comfort via a space heater, portable shower, and indoor/outdoor propane hookups. While also the largest of Scout’s offerings, the 1331-pound Kenai doesn’t overwhelm the big F250, making each a perfect complement to the other. That’s why we’re going with the $70,000 asking for the pair.
That gets the buyer what seems to be a solid, clean title work truck for the week, which can then be turned into a home-away on the weekend. Or longer, considering the truck and camper’s combined capabilities.
What’s your take on this combo and that $70K price? Does that seem like a fair deal for a well-sorted Overlander? Or, at that price, are you simply over it?
You decide!
San Diego, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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