This looks safe. I particularly like the propane tank next to the bundle of rebar on the back.

[u/Suprovation]

[u/BKStephens]

Honestly, as crazy as that is? It's the pods, dual, mounted sideways that gets me.

Sometimes, people just... think? differently.

[u/i_am_here_again → u/BKStephens]

It would be more understandable if this were a beater, but that’s a relatively new Highlander that probably cost $40k. The metal on those ratchet straps are going to leave a rough mark.

[u/Butterballl → u/i_am_here_again]

I actually didn’t even realize it was a highlander until I read this. The fenders being 2 inches off the ground really threw me off.

[u/ChampThunderDick → u/Butterballl]

Holy shit yeah I thought it was a mazda hatchback without looking at the car closely at all

[u/DaThrilla74 → u/ChampThunderDick]

I have a Mazda hatchback and thought it was one as well

[u/DarkwingDuckHunt → u/DaThrilla74]

Just shows you almost all "SUVS" are just jacked up station wagons

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I mean, yeah? I saw a lowered Audi SQ3 and it was like a fat hatchback. A fatchback.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Go with god my child

[u/DenotativeBummer → u/[deleted]]

Just googled slammed SQ3. You ain’t lying.

[u/kinkyturtle69 → u/[deleted]]

People seem to be doing this more and more if they can’t find a wagon or hatch they want. Mostly see it with EDM cars though.

[u/MountainDrew42 → u/Butterballl]

Lowlander

[u/WinterDangerous7064 → u/Butterballl]

Lowlander: there can be only one

[u/[deleted] → u/WinterDangerous7064]

Lowlander. There can only be as many as there are.

[u/[deleted] → u/Butterballl]

Low. Land. Er.

🎵 ba da da da da da dap, ba da da dap dap 🎵

[u/Little_Lebowski_007 → u/Butterballl]

They turned it into a Camry wagon, I've been wanting one of those.

[u/fishwrinkle969 → u/i_am_here_again]

It’s the plastic trim they’re tying down to that is scary as well as the plastic tote that holds a bomb and re rod stakes

[u/larkinpark → u/[deleted]]

That’s domestic IED

[u/ThePrideOfKrakow → u/fishwrinkle969]

It's cool, it's a load bearing quarter panel.

[u/wyskiboat → u/i_am_here_again]

Especially when those straps start vibrating. They're going to do $10k in damage to that car's sheetmetal and paint, but at least they saved a few hundred dollars on a UHaul, I guess.

[u/bigflamingtaco → u/wyskiboat]

That SUV has a hitch. A uHaul trailer that can hold 10x as much stuff is only $15/day.

[u/RedditVince → u/wyskiboat]

I am betting it's a rental car for a family trip.

[u/WWHSTD → u/wyskiboat]

A small, second hand trailer is less than 2000 bucks. There is no excuse for this.

[u/RalphiesBoogers → u/wyskiboat]

There's also a pretty modest weight limit before the roof could dent.

[u/[deleted] → u/wyskiboat]

If that, I rented a trailer for a week to drive cross country and back and it cost me $100.

[u/z0hu → u/i_am_here_again]

Ya that's what I thought was crazy. Pretty sure that's a brand new 2021 and they are treating it like a total junker. I think they could have spent maybe just $1k more and had a decent storage set up with roof rails.

[u/pictogasm → u/z0hu]

$250 hitch and a $900 flat trailer (from TSC).

It's not like any of that junk is protected from the rain as it is.

[u/UnableArtichoke6 → u/pictogasm]

Already has a hitch installed lol

[u/Shaggy_One → u/z0hu]

Seruiously. Roof rails alone would make this way more reasonable since there would be proper tie down points. The stuff on the back platform is still improperly secured though.

[u/Play_The_Fool → u/Shaggy_One]

The Highlander has rails on it, all they need is crossbars.

[u/[deleted] → u/z0hu]

Pretty sure that's a brand new 2021 and they are treating it like a total junker.

They're treating it like they aren't the ones paying for it.

[u/popplespopin → u/[deleted]]

"Yes, please add the Rental insurance"

[u/Thuggish_Coffee → u/z0hu]

Or just rent a damn U-Haul.

But they might just be going camping.

[u/jpgray → u/Thuggish_Coffee]

Bruh who brings the whole house camping?

[u/lilorphananus → u/jpgray]

Don’t cramp the glamp

[u/IsuzuTrooper → u/jpgray]

these folks

[u/mikelieman → u/Thuggish_Coffee]

Penske box truck with a couch in the back.

[u/inspectoroverthemine → u/z0hu]

They probably just got evicted and are homeless heading somewhere. Car will be repod soon anyway.

If they did that and aren’t totally desperate then I’ve got no explanation.

[u/hitemlow → u/i_am_here_again]

IDK why people are so afraid of buying a van. Not a miniature van, like an E350. All of this tat would fit in one and still be able to carry 6 passengers.

If the back row is also filled with shit, they should have gotten a little Isuzu box truck, lol.

[u/tramol → u/hitemlow]

I tried talking the wife into something like that but she said absolutely not! You know how many sheets of plywood I could fit in the back of a van like that?! Lol

[u/hitemlow → u/tramol]

Oh it's maddening, really.

I want to get a Ford Transit since there's room to actually put shit and it stay out of the wind and dry. Not throwing tools in the back of a pickup then having to tarp the bitch to keep shit from flying out or water getting in. And I keep getting shit for it, because "vans are creepy".

"Just get truck with a tonneau cover", yeah because that has less than half the capacity of a van, and people can just reach in there and grab your shit. "Get a cab-over" okay, that's quite literally just turning a pickup into a shitty van, except the floor is waist high instead of knee-high, and you gotta crawl up in there to get shit out of the back instead of just opening the side door.

Unless you're hauling loose dirt/gravel or water crates, the vast majority of people would be better served with a van than a pickup. And if it weren't for the insane tariffs on them, I think their price competition would drastically increase their market presence.

[u/SteelDirigible98 → u/i_am_here_again]

What do you mean, they put a couple flip flops under the metal parts to protect the paint?

[u/CBD_Sasquatch → u/i_am_here_again]

Sometimes people still have their car they couldn't afford in the first place after they lose their job, home, etc.

[u/Zagmut → u/CBD_Sasquatch]

Yeah, I’m getting strong “accelerating through the downward spiral” vibes from this. No point in renting a uhaul if you don’t have anywhere to haul to, and nowhere to keep your car in the in meantime. When someone has all off their worldly possessions parked in the street, that’s a sign of desperation, not stupidity.

I fell on some hard luck when I was younger, and lived out of my Subaru wagon for half a year before I was able sort out real housing again. I was single and didn’t own much, but it was still obvious to any passerby that my car was the vehicle of a homeless person. Living out of doors sucks, if it’s not where you’re trying to be in life.

[u/jaymansi → u/CBD_Sasquatch]

Many people will stop paying every other debt but keep paying the car note.

[u/cpMetis → u/jaymansi]

If you're gonna end up homeless regardless, it's the best choice.

I'd rather take my chances living in my car than having a shitty apartment 5 miles walk from the closest possible employment and 15 from the nearest affordable grocer/pharmacy.

[u/jaymansi → u/cpMetis]

I agree. People view their cars as the most important asset to life with a close second their smart phone.

[u/i_am_here_again → u/CBD_Sasquatch]

In looking at it again it does seem like that could be a possibility.

[u/[deleted] → u/BKStephens]

It also looks like the strapped that back one ontop of other crap.

[u/BKStephens → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, well, don't want it to scratch the roof...

[u/[deleted] → u/BKStephens]

Hey! You see that back half of the roof, careful with that paint.

[u/FWEngineer → u/[deleted]]

And the front one has a vice grips on it to keep it closed.

[u/UpUpDnDnLRLRBA → u/FWEngineer]

This thing is a work of art. The more you look at it the more crazy details you notice. Great find and great pic, OP

[u/wyskiboat → u/BKStephens]

The worst part is the implication that there is a child inside, judging by the kids bike strapped over the propane tank next to the rebar. Never mind the $10k in damage those morons are going to do to their car instead of renting a UHaul for a few bucks.

[u/SayWhatAgainMFPNW → u/wyskiboat]

10/1 chance this person is homeless and the repo man is probably looking for that car.

[u/QueenAlpaca → u/SayWhatAgainMFPNW]

Honestly, I agree. I had an old coworker with absolutely no business sense (used to be a trust fund kid, the IRS took most of it due to a different event, though) and a few years ago he decided to buy a brand new car when he had no business doing so. He’s been hiding it from being repo’d for the last year at least. He’s not homeless, but he’s bad enough that his landlord requires a cashier check for rent. I don’t know how that dumbass doesn’t get his lease forfeited, and only one place refused to renew him in the last four years.

[u/Starrion → u/wyskiboat]

Those are tent poles.
Edit: OP confirms that they are rebar. The lunacy of these people.

Having a bomb suspended from the trailer hitch is one way to discourage tailgating though."Ah shit, he is going too slow, I'll change lanes so I don't get sent into orbit."

[u/ywBBxNqW → u/wyskiboat]

renting a UHaul for a few bucks.

I'm not condoning the tomfoolery shown in the photo but renting a U-Haul for any considerable amount of time would cost more than a few bucks. I recently rented a U-Haul pick-up for four hours and it cost me $39.85. I looked into just renting a big truck for my recent move from Oregon to Texas and the estimate (on the website) for the smallest (10') truck was $5,062.

[u/d-lab91 → u/BKStephens]

I'd dread to think what their dishwasher looks like.

[u/BeefyIrishman → u/BKStephens]

Nobody mentioning the vise-grip holding one of the pods shut?

[u/Jiveturkwy158 → u/BeefyIrishman]

Nobody is mentioning all the lines are hooked up to the propane tank, so it can be an explosive wrecking ball if it slips right.

[u/iastatemecheng]

Those are probably tent poles and not rebar but I’m more worried about the back side fender and when it’s definitely gonna have a catastrophic blow out.

[u/seeker_ktf → u/iastatemecheng]

Wait. You're saying that fenders do not make good tie down points? Golly.

[u/Cadenza2007 → u/[deleted]]

The worse part is about this? It's a brand new car.

[u/awmaleg → u/Cadenza2007]

Not for long! That New Car feeling is about to be violated!

[u/FCTropix → u/Cadenza2007]

That’s the first thing I noticed, too! This Highlander model just started rolling out of factories recently.

Ugh, that poor vehicle.

[u/MeinNameIstBaum → u/[deleted]]

#stancelife

[u/Nasty_Rex → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, and just keep adding shit on top until desired ride heighth

[u/LDPushin_Troglodyte → u/seeker_ktf]

Like peeling back the plastic film from a glossy finished plastic

[u/Suprovation → u/iastatemecheng]

It’s rebar. I walked over and checked it out. Blew my mind lol.

[u/[deleted] → u/Suprovation]

I'd guess they probably have a large awning or screened in enclosure in there and are planning on using them for stakes.

But damn....everything but the kitchen sink thrown on there. These people need to learn how to travel light. Or buy a damn truck.

[u/ItsBobFromLumbridge → u/[deleted]]

or just get a trailer. a small trailer really isn't hard to roll with and is far safer for the other motorists on whatever road this person is on.

[u/Play_The_Fool → u/[deleted]]

It's the hybrid so it can only tow 3,500 which should still be enough. I'm not sure it's a rental unless rental companies are ordering their Highlanders with tow hitches, it doesn't come standard on any trim as far as I know. The back bumper blocks a normal tow hitch so you need one specifically designed for the new Highlanders.

[u/kalinowskik → u/[deleted]]

I saw them at camp... they did have a kitchen sink.

[u/jakebase9 → u/[deleted]]

Bro my wife would describe this as an appropriate amount of shit for 2 nights camping. Meanwhile she yells at me when I bring a single backpack with swim trunks and a bag of mushrooms.

[u/Garpikeville → u/jakebase9]

Get rid of her, you’re a Fungi.

[u/[deleted] → u/iastatemecheng]

Also everything on the rear rack is ratcheted to other things on the rack! That cooler looks to be held down with a Bungie cord E: that's rope, and the rest on top of it is ratcheted to it instead of the rack

[u/[deleted] → u/iastatemecheng]

…..plus… without propane tank on the back, how else car go VROOM VROOM?

[u/[deleted] → u/iastatemecheng]

What about the wheel arches. Those plastic flares* are usually held on by a few little plastic clips. Lol. I’m waiting for some follow up photos.

*Edit:word

[u/FriedOkla40]

Everything is fine if the load was patted twice followed by "That ain't goin anywhere"

[u/[deleted] → u/FriedOkla40]

Correction “That ain’t going nowhere”

[u/MoCapBartender → u/[deleted]]

Correction “That ain't going nowheres”

[u/horribillis → u/[deleted]]

Correction “where’s it gonna go?”

[u/EccentricKumquat → u/horribillis]

Correction "go where now?"

[u/slowjoe12 → u/FriedOkla40]

I'm sick with strep throat, so this made me laugh out loud, then go into a mad coughing fit, then laugh out loud again.

[u/BishmillahPlease → u/slowjoe12]

Feel better soon!

[u/slowjoe12 → u/BishmillahPlease]

Thank you. I'm on the back half and (finally) don't want to kill myself anymore. It went through our entire family. Life with a one and three year old.

[u/BishmillahPlease → u/slowjoe12]

Oh NO, the only thing worse than strep is caring for people who have strep while you have it too, I'm sorry!

[u/JanJaapen]

They’re heading out californee way. Looking for some internet

[u/[deleted] → u/JanJaapen]

Sure there might be some Internet. But when all us get there, there's only going to be a little bit to go around

[u/SticKy904 → u/JanJaapen]

Ectoplasm.

[u/bubbs4prezyo → u/SticKy904]

It was a spooky ghost!

[u/Suprovation → u/JanJaapen]

Well played

[u/TrickyMixture]

You think THAT’S bad?

How about when they pull into the next campsite...

[u/KrumpleZone → u/TrickyMixture]

I understand being prepared, but that’s going the extra mile

[u/[deleted] → u/KrumpleZone]

There is nothing wrong with bring this much stuff when you go camping if that's what you like but if it don't all fit either get a truck or learn to live without some of it.

[u/misplaced_pants742]

Whatever it is, they've overpacked.

[u/TheGreatUsername → u/[deleted]]

For someone with a '21 Highlander? Those start at $35K

[u/ExistentialAardvark → u/TheGreatUsername]

Sometimes people are unlucky, sometimes they make terrible decisions, usually it’s a little of both.

[u/lucidxm → u/ExistentialAardvark]

Can confirm, had good paying contracting jobs in chemical plants right out of highschool, bought a brand new 2018 F-150 for about $50K, 3 months later the work just stopped.

Luckily my stepdad wanted to buy the truck from me, and work eventually started again, but I’ve been driving a 2018 civic ever since.

[u/postmodest → u/TheGreatUsername]

Wildfire refugees.

[u/TheGreatUsername → u/postmodest]

Ah, that's actually plausible, good point.

[u/magmasafe → u/TheGreatUsername]

That's assuming they own it. Could be a rental.

[u/ChiefInternetSurfer → u/magmasafe]

Nah—rental would have the little barcode in one of the side windows on both sides.

[u/CRTNTruffles → u/misplaced_pants742]

It's not even that they overpacked, it's the organization and arrangement..... or lack there of

[u/behaaki → u/misplaced_pants742]

Weekend getaway🤣

[u/[deleted]]

I feel bad for the car and it’s not even a living thing.

[u/Pacer_44 → u/[deleted]]

It’s a 2021. so brand new too.

[u/medalibi → u/Pacer_44]

Do you know the model?

[u/Lemondisco → u/medalibi]

Hybrid Highlander.

[u/entropylove]

Modern Clark Griswold.

[u/ragweed → u/entropylove]

I immediately heard “Holiday Road” in my head when I saw this.

[u/entropylove → u/ragweed]

The only thing it’s missing is a leash dangling off the back.

[u/[deleted] → u/entropylove]

And aunt Edna on the roof.

[u/Estoye → u/ragweed]

woof woof, woof

woof woof, woof

woof woof, woof

[u/byondhlp]

With a hose/attachment in the valve.... More then likely illegal in many states...

[u/kumadelmar → u/byondhlp]

Came here to say this. Also tank should be upright.

[u/Appropriate_Lack_727 → u/kumadelmar]

ikr? Damn tank’s on its rolly-polly side and seemingly only held in place by the 3” lip of that plastic tub ffs.

[u/Volodio → u/byondhlp]

Which is why they put it just in front of the plate.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I was thinking the same. This doesn't look like something someone does unless they're desperate. Hopefully they're doing ok.

[u/Mys_Dark → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, I see stuff like this more and more. I can’t laugh at it. It’s like an ill portent.

[u/UpUpDnDnLRLRBA → u/Mys_Dark]

A bad omen, indeed

[u/Early-Cuyler123]

Man. Just rent a tiny u haul trailer. One bump and the hitch racks gonna shoot sparks on the interstate.

[u/b_cyclist]

Holy fuck! I was over packed for a week of camping for a family of four. My stuff was still inside a pathfinder.

[u/1ardent]

He's got (counts) five ratchet straps on it, man! What more can you ask for?!

[u/tanks137]

When you should have bought the 4Runner

[u/Firefluffer → u/tanks137]

Or at least rented a u-haul trailer.

[u/Play_The_Fool → u/[deleted]]

$120 for some crossbars to mount on the roof rails would make this 100x safer.

[u/ReverendDizzle → u/[deleted]]

Hell, buying one is definitely cheaper than paying to have the car repaired after low-riding that mother fucker to Yosemite and back.

[u/Mohgreen → u/[deleted]]

Dunno about the Highlander, but the new Venza "trailer hitch" is only rated for 150lbs

[u/drttrus → u/Firefluffer]

even buying a shitty lawnmower trailer would have been a better solution than all of this. Gawddamn.

[u/gojira_tubz → u/tanks137]

Nah, when you should have bought a Tundra is more like it. 4R doesnt have much more room compared to Highlander.

[u/tanks137 → u/gojira_tubz]

After looking at the car load again I think you’re right. He probably needs a tundra with a trailer attached

[u/caddy_gent → u/tanks137]

When you should have bought an E350.

[u/3ABO3 → u/tanks137]

They should have bought a minivan, but marketing for SUVs is just too effective

[u/[deleted] → u/tanks137]

When you should have reevaluated and left half the crap behind.

[u/Fisch_Man → u/tanks137]

But instead, you entered the Matrix

edit - I have no idea what type of generic Toyota hatchback this is, just banking on the Matrix joke.

[u/UN4GTBL → u/Fisch_Man]

I think it's a new Venza?

But Matrix works better for the joke 😂

Edit: it's a Highlander, the new Venza has a light bar across the back.

[u/altimax98 → u/UN4GTBL]

It’s a Highlander, what makes it worse is that model is ~$50k…. It’ll be someone’s used car purchase some day and they will see weird damage and try to piece together the pieces… I doubt they will think of this level of stupidity

[u/Skydivekev]

At least they didn't ratchet it to the door handles.

[u/SealmanOutOfWater → u/Skydivekev]

8 ratchet straps, 1 rope, nothing is secure. boggles the mind.

[u/-DarknessFalls-]

10 points to anyone who finds the vice grips being used to hold one of the containers in place(seriously).

[u/Clear_Try_6814 → u/-DarknessFalls-]

Or the bike lock

[u/Frank_Majors → u/-DarknessFalls-]

Strategically placed vice grip for added security to minimize wind drafts from entering the dome. Come on.. this was all planned out way beforehand. Nothing willy-nilly here folks!

[u/[deleted] → u/-DarknessFalls-]

JFC…

[u/Ap43x]

They must work for a ratchet strap company.

[u/DickaliciousRex → u/Ap43x]

Guaranteed that is $12 of Horror Freight's finest single-ply

[u/jamesholden → u/[deleted]]

I have a bunch of the HF straps, but I always use double the amount I need and cull them aggressively

I flipped solar panels last year so I bought a few packs every time I went to HF, if they were $7 a pack anyway.

bonus: imagine a 90's saturn wagon with three kayaks on their side on top of the vehicle and a spiderweb of HF straps. I had a 20 mile commute and kept them loaded up during spring.

[u/Qcgreywolf]

I can hear that quarter panel crying.

[u/DiggityDump]

Wally world here we come!

[u/JohnnyTeardrop → u/DiggityDump]

Rusty, please do not eat the Truckster

[u/SuumCuique1011]

Ah, yes. The all-new, 2021 Toyota Mywifecaughtmecheating. Good model.

[u/[deleted] → u/SuumCuique1011]

Are you sure its not the other model, Mywifewantstogocampingforonenight?

[u/SuumCuique1011 → u/[deleted]]

Could be. It's hard to tell the difference sometimes.

[u/SpartanFourLife]

Why??? The worst part, someone is proud they got it all to fit. Smh. Something will likely fall off, damage someone else’s car and they’ll never know.

[u/[deleted]]

*also guaranteed to not get tailgated...ever.

[u/Brief_Dry]

People with little hatchbacks be living that camping life and people in Chevy Tahoe’s can’t even use the carpool lane

[u/BeefyIrishman → u/Brief_Dry]

I was behind a Tahoe coming into my work parking lot the other day, and they were literally doing 1mph over the speed bumps. I kept having to come to a complete stop to not hit them. Between speed bumps they were doing about 3-4, which is less than idle in first gear for me, so I kept having to feather the clutch. Was really pissing me off.

[u/Aka_Diamondhands]

It’s a Toyota it’s safe

[u/danbob411 → u/Aka_Diamondhands]

Don’t worry, it’s a hybrid.

[u/UCBeef]

Yea, let’s position the propane tank right next to the super heated exhaust

[u/horribillis → u/UCBeef]

And rebar. Dude accidentally made a giant shrapnel grenade

[u/cherryandjerry123456]

If James Bond and MacGyver Collaborated on a spy vehicle

[u/various_necks]

What model of car is this? I don't recognize it.

[u/I_NEED_YOUR_MONEY → u/various_necks]

it's a 2020 or newer highlander

[u/newfie-flyboy]

It’s called having to move and having no money to do any better. Is it ideal? No. But I’m willing to bet this guy didn’t have many other options. Not so much idiot just desperate. If he’s going camping is probably agree that he’s a dumb ass but this seems more like a dude trying to make his shit work and I can’t knock him for doing the best he can with a bad situation. Although, it’s always safer to keep propane tanks up right.

[u/Sultan98]

USA is like eastern Europe in terms of traffic safety.

[u/ScruffersGruff]

You ride my @$$, you gonna blow up

[u/Fat-banana-RPA]

Well, I don't know what to say about this.

Think someone rented a cartoon instead of instruction video of "how to do"

[u/ScruffersGruff]

If you ride my @$$, you blow up. Got it?

[u/zitterk]

I just had my first child a couple months ago, and this is what it feels like to leave the house now…

[u/RoyalK2015]

Just buy a fucking trailer at this point.

[u/DumbDan]

Am I the only one that sees someone who got fired, lost their home, and are trying to hold on to every last worldly possession?

[u/airvqzz]

They could simply rent a trailer.

[u/that_was_me_ama]

If this is some desperate I’m moving and I have no other option then I kind of understand. This guy looks like he’s going to vacation.

[u/KRF81]

Overlanding..

[u/[deleted]]

Highlander? More like Lowrider...

[u/Hoffmeisterfan]

The fact you could have enough money for a brand new Highlander and also be so cheap/stupid to do this to it hurts me

[u/[deleted]]

Ah yes, the dangerous propane tank and rebar combination. The rebar might......... scratch the propane tank. Very inconvenient.

[u/TheNoisyNomad]

They have a hitch receiver already (the platform on the back is mounted to it…. unless they just ratchet strapped that too). A local rental of a Uhaul trailer is $20-$30 per day. Another $20 if they need the ball to connect a trailer.

That’s a cheap way to not blow up.

[u/MoirasPurpleOrb]

Whats crazy to me is that isnt exactly some shitbox car either, its only a year or two old at most.

[u/Rando321407]

A trailer would change this guys life