There we were, high in the mountains above Vail, Colorado, for two days of driving and instruction.
More than just a joyride, the drive was designed to showcase the fact that eBay modified and kitted out four vehicles with parts and accessories exclusively sourced from eBay.
Yes, it was as much fun wheelin’ a Tacoma, Jeep, Porsche, and Lexus as you might think. And yes, full disclosure, eBay covered all our costs for this trip. So, why should you care?
It’s not just people cleaning out their garages
According to eBay, they have the largest selection of parts and accessories for overlanders, off-roaders, and general car enthusiasts. But it’s not just people selling their used stuff.
With a mix of OEM marketplaces, reputable third-party vendors, and verified private sellers, eBay boasts 550 million parts ready to outfit and upgrade any ride you have, or don’t have…yet.
We were surprised to learn that a lot of brands set up shop on the platform, selling new parts and equipment. There’s a healthy mix of genuine OEM parts, too.
And, it’s basically become a global pick ‘n’ pull, saving you from calling all your local junk yards trying to find a random part off a salvage vehicle. Now, pretty much anything you need is a click away. Having shopped for our own mods & parts, we’ve been surprised at what we can find there.
It’s a good fit
More importantly, with their eBay Guaranteed Fit, you’re well protected. Add your vehicle to a “Garage” and you’ll see only parts and accessories that fit your rig. eBay verifies your vehicle is compatible with the information provided by the seller.
If the part or accessory you purchased doesn’t fit, return it for free within 30 days for a full refund. Remember, eBay was a trailblazer in eCommerce and was at the forefront of the now-ubiquitous review. It’s been cultivating trust between its vendors and sellers for 25 years.
Day 1 – The Rides
On the morning of Day 1, we boarded a shuttle to Camp Hale, elevation 9,238 feet above sea level. During the early days of World War II, Camp Hale was a U.S. Army training facility for the famed 10th Mountain Division. There, soldiers learned mountain warfare techniques and were trained in mountain climbing, Alpine and Nordic skiing, and cold-weather survival. Now, visitors can hike, rent side-by-sides, or enjoy the hummingbirds flitting about.
We had a safety briefing, met with our pro diving coaches, and saw the vehicles we’d be driving. On hand were:
- 2022 Porsche Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo
- 1999 Jeep Cherokee XJ Sport
- 2009 Lexus GX 470
- 2024 Toyota Tacoma SR5
If that seems like an odd mix, it’s because the folks behind eBay Motors are all car nuts. They basically cherry picked the vehicles they’d want to drive and mod, and who wouldn’t want to rally a Porsche?
All vehicles kitted out with various overlanding mods and gear, all bought from eBay, of course. They started clean and shiny but wouldn’t stay that way for long.
1999 Jeep Cherokee XJ
I got to drive the Jeep first. We hit up McAllister Gulch, a 12-mile climb up to 11,700 feet. I was paired with the incredibly fun automotive journalist Motorhead Mama and my driving coach, Baja 100 racer, Ford Performance Racing School, and NASCAR/Andretti Driving Experience instructor Daniel Buckle.
We switchbacked our way up through fragrant, towering pines and technical, rocky sections. Outfitted with Black Rhino beadlock Primm wheels wrapped with 35-inch Nitto Grapplers, on a Rusty’s Offroad suspension lift, the moderate-rated trail was a casual Sunday drive.
Upon reaching the top, we got out and gawked at the expansive view before us.
Overlanding is often about the journey, but let’s be honest, we also love the gear. After admiring the view, I turned to the play with what the Jeep was hauling. eBay had outfitted the XJ with a Yakima OpenRange Kitchen mounted to an EXO Swing Base. The kitchen was equipped with a Gerber ComlpEAT cook set.
2022 Porsche Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo
I was ridiculously excited for my second vehicle of the day. It was time to get behind the wheel of the Taycan. There was a 5-mile stretch of pavement to get to the forest road we were to drive. Remember that for later.
Turning onto the forest road, we put the Porsche into “gravel mode,” inflating the car’s airbag suspension and raising the car to give us seven inches of ground clearance. To be fair, the dirt road wasn’t truly “off-roading,” but it had enough rocks, ruts, and dips that you had to pick careful lines. Especially when you know you’re sitting in a borrowed $200,000 sports car.
We drove 11 miles up to the beautiful Homestake Reservoir, dodging obstacles the entire way. We got curious looks from others up there.
The reservoir sits at 10,000 feet above sea level in a stunning valley. Once there, we deployed the Porsche-branded rooftop tent. It is a re-branded iKamper Skycamp DLX Mini, which might be the pinnacle of luxury rooftop tents.
After making our way back down back to the the civilized asphalt, it was time to take the car out of “gravel mode” lowering it 1.5 inches. I had a little time to play with the settings on the impressive cluster, happening upon a setting that called “Sport Plus” mode. Hmmmm, I wonder what that does.
Now, the phrase “pin you to the back of the seat” is wildly overused in automotive writing. However, it’s the most apt phrase I can think of. No hesitation, no lag, no spin-up, just pure acceleration. The curves of the mountainous road become a playground as opposed to an obstacle. The “25mph curve” sign more a challenge than a warning.
Day 2 – More Driving, Different Vehicles
2009 Lexus GX 470
No vehicle embodied the potential of eBay’s capacity to outfit an overland truck better than the Lexus. When eBay purchased the GX, it was bone stock. Then, using only parts bought off eBay, they built it with:
- ICON suspension and wheels wrapped with BF Goodrich KO2s
- Dobinson snorkel
- DV8 bumpers
- Rhino Rack roof rack, awning, and RTT
- RCI Off-Road skid plates
- Rough Country lights
After turning this luxury pavement princess into a full-on overland rig, we drove over rough, loose roads through tight aspen alleys. The trees thinned out and we topped out at 11,700 feet with views of Colorado’s famous 14,000-foot peaks.
My driving instructor was third-generation racer Shelby Hall. Her family is royalty in the off-road racing world. She’s competed in the Baja 1000 and won the Rebelle Rally in a Bronco. It’s safe to say she knows a thing about off-road driving, it was an honor to have her look over my shoulder.
2024 Toyota Tacoma SR5
Being a 3rd-gen Tacoma owner myself, I was excited to try the new one. I was even more excited to drive under the watchful eye of my instructor for the afternoon, none other than Davy Jones. He’s a 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, 24 hours of Daytona Winner, and Indy 500, NASCAR, SuperTruck, Baja 1000 racer. In short, you name it, if it has wheels, Davy Jones has raced and probably won it.
The Tacoma was outfitted with a bed rack, lights, MOLLE panels and a slick hidden winch mount and winch all from Rough Country.
In the bed, it was loaded up with gear for a typical camping weekend with a tent, sleeping bags, fridge, water jugs, camp furniture etc. It was a representative of how people really use their Tacomas and a subtle reminder that you really can get everything you need for overlanding from eBay.
We left camp and had a quick tutorial on recovery gear and rescue. We went over safety and tips and tricks. We did a mock self rescue and pulled out a side-by-side from a steep slope.
After that, we had a mix of high- and low-speed technical climbing. According to Jones, I could use a little more throttle climbing up steep water bars.
We got to the top as a storm was coming in. Basecamp had been set up for us, with an exact replica of everything we were carrying in the bed. I thought that was a smooth touch.
We made it down in a light drizzle and regrouped with the others at basecamp. I thanked eBay for their hospitality and we lingered and reminisced about the previous days. It was then that eBay informed us that all these vehicles are actually for sale as well. On eBay, of course.
Our takeaway
It’s easy for trips like this to seem like thinly veiled marketing. But here’s the thing: Since this trip, we’ve started ordering bits for our own vehicles on eBay and been pleasantly surprised at what’s available.
We’re building our own GX470 and started with adding keys from 1010keys, a prominent reseller that can not only cut new keys from a photo, but also provide the OBDII programming tool for modern security chip-enabled keys so you can program them yourself, saving hundreds of dollars. We bought two, with the programmer, and had them working in under 10 minutes, for under $80, with excellent customer service.
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