The truck I sold to buy the 4runner depreciated 29% over 4 years. It was bought new, so the average depreciation was 7.5% a year, which isn’t bad (it also had 77k miles on it).
Toyota Tacoma’s, 4runners, Wranglers, and Diesel trucks hold their value way better than the majority of other vehicles.
During our trip, my wife and I camped every single night of the 8-9 weeks except for 3 nights we stayed with a friend during his wedding. We also cooked 90% of every single meal from scratch, on a grill. So not “cereal and sandwiches” - every morning was eggs/oatmeal or eggs/potatoes. Every lunch and dinner was some form of meat/carbs - thus - while we saved a ton on food and housing - we also needed to bring more things. We camped in areas where it didn’t drop below 80, and also areas where it snowed every day/night, so we had a lot of clothes for all weather/activities. Plus - I wasn’t going home before going back to work, so we had a tote of all my work stuff. My dogs 35lb dog food bags take up some room. They are $45, while an 18lb bag is $33, so having extra room for more food helps, same with enough clothes/food we aren’t doing laundry or grocery shopping every other day.
We could’ve probably done much of the route in a $15k dollar stationwagon with car too.
That being said - I don’t think there’s a single more fuel efficient vehicle that could’ve done the trails in Ouray we did. No car, or wagon would’ve had the ground clearance and drive to do them. Much of the continental divide couldn’t be done in a car/wagon either.
Last winter we did 3000 miles of Baja Mexico on a motorcycle. We hope to go back soon ( maybe this winter) in the 4runner. Most of those trails couldnt be done in a car/wagon either.
Also, there’s some comfort to be had when you’re on a non maintained, rarely traveled road, with no service, 75 miles in either way from the nearest town, and being in a more reliable vehicle.
Everything I posted aside, yes - I could’ve done it cheaper. Due to my work I do often spend far more time than most in a vehicle. I’ve also had older unreliable vehicles in the past that have cost me days of work (a day of work at some Jobs is 2 monthly payments if I were to finance) so there’s that issue as well.
Our other car is a 1999 Camry with 125k miles.