Typical setups costs
 

For those of you who have done long trips in a 4x4, would you say on average most people would likely spend around £10,000 on their vehicle preparation?

Taking into account all the mechanical side of things, spares, camping equipment, all of the running around looking at things, test trips, gps/maps etc etc?

Yes, thats about what I've spent - and it hasn't stopped yet:helpsmilie:

The trouble seems to be sitting at home waiting for the next trip the mind turns to vehicle mods and kit.

Chris

ps.I've stopped counting now - someone sensible/rational might ask why

"The trouble seems to be sitting at home waiting for the next trip the mind turns to vehicle mods and kit."

Oh lordy - tell me about it!

But most of it is improvements over the last system (at least thats how you justify it to yourself ;-)

If I was paying myself by the hour then my ex defender and current troopy would be worth their considerable weight in gold!! Sad thing is when I sold my defender and I saw what I got versus what had been spent on it! My vehicle is used for trips as well as weekend jaunts and a bit of playing in the mud. I hope the troopy lasts for many years, and to be honest I find vehicle preperation and tinkering a very satisfying pastime in limited free time from a high stress job, so I kind of justify it to myself like that. It also sits there as a safety net so if one day it is all too much I can pack up and hit the road. If I want to buy 'kit' it takes about three months to reach me, so I like to think everything I have done to the vehicle has been planned well. Bits have been procured from as far afield as Oz, SA and even Devon! My Defender all in cost me about 7K for vehicle and prep, and it was and is a top vehicle that has done coast of Ghana to Timbuctu twice, and North of Ghana about six times, as well as some severe off-roading. But my advantage is 'own' workshop facilities and some highly skilled but cheap mechanics.
Gil

Trouble is when you do get away you need less and less stuff. Infact while home I want more and while away I want less. Yes, there is ongoing development and product testing - 7 stoves at the last count ( anybody need one?) - but £20 here and £20 there is such a waste of traveling money - I blame ebay in part for 24 hour bargain shopping.

I'm with you there - my vehicle is also a safety net and has taken on a disproportionate importance in my life - infact it's worse than that because I have a second vehicle which was originally bought for spares but is in fact in far better condition. Rationally I should abandon the first and concentrate on the better one but basically I don't want to. I would much rather keep the first and renovate/modify it as time goes by. I have 2 merc G wagons and, unlike most 4x4s they rot from the outside in - the chassis is as good as the day it was built 21 years ago so it has a lot of life left yet - why change? Infact a bit scruffy on the outside seems to be an advantage.
Time to stop rambling - I'm raising more questions than answers..........:confused1:

10 000£ ???
 

huh???

My first trip, I bought a secondhand Landrover and added for around 3000€ kit. In total that ended up to around 11000 - 12000€. Looking back, I could have done the same trip with similar comfort with a few 1000's less on the car and a few months longer on the road.

I'm just back from a 3 month (20 000km) trip in central asia with a 500€ lada and probably another 500€ kit. Looking at it, we didn't lack creature comforts at all and had much less to worry about then any other overloaded truck. The car was pretty good off road as well, and didn't break down... at all (which I thought was boring, because I too like fiddling with cars).

(pics are here:Collection: 2007 Central Asia )

Huppa,

Rob

Not always that simple
 

Although we have not left for a trip longer than 3 weeks yet, we are intending on leaving on one long non stop trip for a year or three.

The money we have spent and are going to spend is actually going to expand to fill the time we have before we leave. We have chosen an off date that is dictated by work and personal circumstances more than money. Hence we are probably going to spend double what you suggest Darrin. Our ability to save has also been much better than we anticipated.

Man, if I did it again I might just leave in a lada and replace it with a local vehicle everytime it is trashed, if ever! At the same time as that it might depend on your skill and confident levels, which varies with everyone. I think I may have done that if travelling with one of my male friends. I know my wife is not so keen to be 'too' stranded. Or am I mirroring my concerns onto her shadow?

How I would sum this up is that you can most probably leave with a minimum amount of money spent on a vehicle, but that might not be you. As a maximum, well there have been some other threads about two bikers going through Africa :) I am trying my hardest not to comment on them!

How come your thinking about this Darrin? Sounds like something specific on your mind?

:detective:Indeed there is a reason Ollie - a little project in the pipeline, more later etc.

I'm guessing 10K is about the average - you can do it cheaper, or spend a lot more, but for the 'average' setup for a 4x4 of roofrack, tent, tyres, 2 batteries, mechanical bits and servicing etc etc and all those trips to Halfords and ebay packages arriving then I'm guessing 10K is a vague average.

At least for those english reading people who turn up on this board anyway :thumbup1:

(Wow, there is a 'more' button next to the animated gifs, I must try some out!)
:palm::blushing::stupid: :wave: :taz: :mad2: :donatello: :rockon: :hang: :arabia: :tooth: :death::punk::2guns: :gun_bandana: :yawn: :ninja: :walkman:

yep
 

Yes - £10k has got to be a good, fair average price to get yourself equpped. I think the less you know the more you will spend!

Expensive
 

I think you all should come to RSA to prep your vehicles:cool4:

I agree - much more sensible to ship to SA and then drive to Europe - but sadly not all trips are through Africa...

10k is sensible, however I think I spent in the region of 15k. :(

cost of trips
 

How right you all are, in saying 10 k would be a good average. However, this figure drops dramatically the more you do. I guess with a lot of things in life really? I logged my first trips costs to Morocco, and came in at £8.5k. The second trip to the same place, nearly £5k less, even staying one week longer. Next xmas i will return for a total of 5 weeks, and would say that this will cost in the region of £2.5k. Keeping my fingers crossed for no major breakdowns?
Oh that's it now, the kiss of death will slowly descend on me in the new year. I wonder now if i will make Portsmouth? (only 10 miles away)?
I have dedicated the land rover to stay setup for long distance travel, so it doesn't get used all year round, so i guess the money to keep it on the road isnt a fair reflection of the true cost of running it.
Anyway, back to the main point, 10k seems spot on Darrin.

Nick.

P.S. Are you starting your own preparation guide book or similar?

Thanks Nick - my question is really only concerned with how much you spend before you leave, but it's a fair point to raise that you spend less on the whole trip the more experienced you get at it.

My last 7 month West African trip had me leaving with only 1500 euros of which 900 was left by the time I got to Morocco. The rest of the trip was funded by sales of my Morocco DVD (I lost a lot of weight), being fortunate enough to stay with loads of ngo type people (village life is very cheap in Mali!) and offering a few informal tours at the end to friends. Good preparation and luck meant nothing went wrong mechanically.

I have a couple of projects that I'm writing proposals for and need to include a page of info on the overland market and the (amazing) amount of money spent in buying and preparing a vehicle. This should hopefully light up the eyes of potential sponsors. Else I'll have to get a job in an office :(