Well.....asking which Landcruiser I ended up buying a 3.0 diesel Surf because one came up at a bargain price ! only looking at shortish trips (n africa) until I leave the military so it should suit for now

Mongolia and Siberia nice, would love to have a crack at that, will keep an eye on your progress

You won't regret buying a Surf.
Is it the 3 liter one?

They are far better than the 2.4L.

My son has this

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They are really very under rated.

Tough as nails !

Very underrated and very reasonably priced. My 3.0TD 4Runner has`been in Africa for 4 years and it's taken a serious hammering, esp. in EA.

__________________
Enzo

Just to stick my 2 penny worth in

Depending upon where you are the HZJ 78 'Troupie' has got to be a real contender.

Even if you are in the UK you an still import them. If you are interested in importing one this is what I found out:

1. Importing a troupie with a certificate of conformity (new)

If you have a certificate of conformity then with a lhd vehicle all
you need is Customs docs, registration docs and current MOT - you do
not need to go through a SVA. However you are not going to get a cert
of conformity on a second hand Troupie - you will get one with a new
vehicle.

2. Importing a second hand troupie without a certificate of conformity

You will be required to take it through a SVA this means changing
Speedo and lights prior to SVA - you will need the docs mentioned
above also (not the certificate of conformity of course as it won't
exist).

3. Importing a second hand troupie without a certificate of conformity
but already converted as a campervan

If the troupie is already converted to a campervan then, when you apply
to DVLA for registration, they will send someone out to inspect it to
ensure that it is indeed a camper. If it qualifies then no SVA is
required and VOSA will not even get involved. All you need is customs
docs and a current MOT.

You do not need to change the speedo nor do you need to change the
headlights – all you need is to tape up the lights with reflectors
same as you would when taking a right hand drive to Europe for your
hols.

If the German (or other nationality) documents actually state that the
troupie is a campervan (many Germans do this as they get a lower road
tax rate), then DVLA will not even send someone out to inspect it and
all you need is MOT.

On another matter

Gil - what fuel consumption are you getting? Did it go up when you fitting the Turbo?

I think I'm using 13 litres per 100 km when fully loaded at 80kmph on tarmac

Cheers

John

John,
the short answer is yes! It went up from 13L/100km to 17L/100km. However for interest sake I also looked at our naturally aspirated company cruisers today:
105 Series Cruisers (averaged over 5 vehicles, at an average of 30,814km per vehicle) = 13.85L/100km. Twenty Miles Per Gallon. Running on a mixture of gravel and asphalt. The use of these cars is mixed gravel and asphalt - good, bad and down right ugly, and pretty comparable to overland type use.

Our two 79 series pickups averaged a rather shocking 21L/100km. Thirteen and a half miles per gallon! These are in pure off highway use, potholes and only saw asphalt when we bought them - also loaded up like hell!

When you say camper van, would a bed type arrangement in the back be enough do you think? Any idea where you would source speedo conversion kit?
Gil

Hi Gil

The British authorities (VOSA) have got a bit sad at defining what a 'camper' is. They toughened up their definition recently because people were importing pannel vans in this mannrer and just chucking a bed in temporarily to get round the inspection program.

The conversion has got to look like it is permanent, and apparently, should include sleeping arrangements and cooking arrangements.

I don't know where to get the speedo conversion kit, but you could try all the usual 4x4 and expedition outfits. i know Paul at Footloose would have been able to source one for me had I needed to do the conversion.

As a footnote about imports. All my earlier comments were about importing a LHD. I think (but am not absolutely sure) that there is still a real problem about importing a RHD troupie

Cheers

John