Budget Overland Vehicle Choice (UK)
 

Hey guys,

This is my first post on here so go steady on me :smartass:

THE PLAN

Basically I'm a 20-year pro travel/documentary photographer (Just finishing off my degree over the next 18 months at the same time) with a dream to pursue a completely location independent lifestyle when I have finished off with studying in 18months time. I have the idea that I want to spend at least 12 months but maybe up to two years driving overland through Africa.

Africa has been a dream for me for many years and as a photographer I feel having a vehicle would allow me to get out to the places I want to shoot like the nomad settlements in Mauritania and so on which would be difficult to reach otherwise.

BUDGET

The main problem I have is that currently I don't have stacks of disposable cash to go out and buy 10s of thousands of pounds of car/gear for the first trip (I'm young anyway and like an adventure) and so I would probably have to limit myself to around £5-6000 for everything to start off with.

CAR CHOICES

Defender

Originally I thought I had decided on getting a 110 Defender. Seems to be a common choice of car for overland expeditions and I hear it is 'relatively' fairly simple mechanics in case anything goes wrong on the road. The problem is that even an old battered one is at least £4k and a solid one closer to £6k.

Discovery 300tdi

Seems to have everything I want, cheap parts, simple mechanics, cheap second hand market here in the UK, loads of mods available. A reasonable one with 100k on the clock is only around £2k in the UK. The main problem is that 1) They have a terrible rep for rusting 2) Everyone keeps saying they are unreliable. I see plenty of people using them but I don't want to get to Africa and spend all my money fixing it up every couple of weeks.

LC Troopie 78

Solid, reliable but harder to get here in the UK. I have been told I could get a solid one for £3k but struggling to find any for sale. They also don't have the charm of a Landy but seem much more reliable?

MODS

I understand that with a budget for mods of £3-4k I won't be able to buy the world but these are a few things I am thinking of adding to the prospective vehicle if they aren't fitted when I purchase.

My not very detailed list so far is:

Upgraded shocks/springs for weight
Roof rack
Roof Tent
Side awning
Safari Snorkel
GPS device
Dual Battery System
Rock sliders
Front bull bar + Spots
Diff guards
2 x spare wheels
Fridge?
Extra Fuel & Water would be in jerrycans or similar rather than a dedicated extra tank (again to save £)
DIY storage/draw system (could be built in by my dad)

Is there anything else people can think of as essential? anything you would ditch?

Apologies if I sound like I have not got a clue, I'm still learning hence why I would love to get the base vehicle now so I can spend 2 years working on it myself and building it slowly. :thumbup1:

Hi Jacob

Most of the locals drives old Toyota Corolla and similar cars with no 4x4 in most areas of africa.

With your budget i would look for a cheap car, a roof rack and a roof tent and go for it. Spend your money for traveling, not for modding your car.

For shure, an 4x4 could help you there. But that is optional i think.

Whats with this idea of a setup:

http://www.4x4tripping.com/2013/12/o...em-budget.html

Spent your money better for traveling comfort, fridge, cooker and so on.

You can mod your SUV and travel another time, when the money is available. I don't think that you can buy an reliable SUV you named, and mod them the way you like for your budget.

Surfy

Thanks for the reply Surfy

That's a great idea as well and something I have considered as well but my thought process was that with £4.5k I could get a solid Disco 300tdi and a second hand rack and roof tent.

That would then leave me with £1.5k to add extras with a few hundred £ comfortably covering a DIY tarp style awning, second battery for camera gear etc, basic DIY camping awning, DIY storage set-up and a load of jerry cans and still have plenty of money (£1k) left over for fridge, cooker, extra spare wheel, spares etc. The other costs of travelling will come through the money I earn from my photography, writing and other sources so that isn't an issue :thumbup1:

Feel free to rip this apart if it still seems redic :helpsmilie:

Have you looked at the Landcruiser Colorado/Prado or the Hilux Surf?

Both can be picked up cheap and are more than capable as overlanders.

Link to my Colorado fit out My KZJ95 Mods & Kit | MOROCCO 4x4 FORUM .com

As suggested, I'd be tempted to go with whatever little car / van is most used in your target countries. Maybe make a few mods like bash-plates to protect any obviously vulnerable bits underneath. Get a few spares and tools together and crack on.

Using a local-looking vehicle should be a great help with meeting people rather than being seen as a rich traveler.

A few years ago I would have suggested an old Merc or Pug 504 but I suspect a Corolla or Hi-Ace might be more realistic these days.

Hi Mark,

That seems like an excellent build and I think if I could add a roof tent to something like that to give me dual sleeping options it would be perfect. Can I ask you a few questions:

1) How expensive are spare parts for the Landcruiser in your experience? I have heard that the cost can be 5-10 times higher than equivalent landy spares?

2) what sort of MPG were you getting from your LC? I have seen figures of 20-22 compared to 28-30 for a disco. Makes quite a difference over tens of thousands of KM

Thanks

jake


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I'd definitely agree there however just being white and having pro looking camera gear generally gives the impression of being rich in Asia, so id imagine it's the same in Africa.

I suppose I still have this dream of a 4x4 in Africa but I will definitely look at a cheaper local car as well. I've still a long time to plan and chuck ideas around to any more suggestions would be greatly appreciated


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I'm now thinking a separate freestanding tent on an expedition rack with some marine ply would work equally as well as a roof tent for 1/2-1/3 of the price? I could add mounting points for the tent to the base of the rack. It would also stop me having another 40kg+ in the car?

Jacob:

Your proposed budget is unrealistic for a modded Land Rover. I was able to buy a decent '93 110 Defender County Station Wagon for 4,500 GBP as a base vehicle. It was in good shape but probably not ready for an extended overland trip without some mods.

After replacing all the suspension (springs and shocks), adding underbody protection, additional fuel tank, fridge/freezer, solar panel, dual battery system, cubby box, Raptor dash, security devices, new wheels/tyres, etc. the total cost of the vehicle is currently about 18K.

You can certainly get away with less modifications, but the list you have is going to take you over the 3-4K you want to spend on mods. An Engel MT45 fridge will retail at 700GBP, for example. A roof tent and awning will suck up a huge chunk of your mods budget. I suggest that you draw up a list of mods that you think you need and then begin pricing them using online prices. You'll soon get a realistic idea of what it would cost to kit the vehicle out to meet your dreams. You can then decide where to prioritise. For example, a decent ground tent will cost way less than a roof top tent and that way, you wouldn't need to buy a roof rack either.

I opted for a modified Defender - but I'm not on the tight budget that you are. It may not be the right choice for you. Considering your budget, I agree with some of the other posts. You may be better off looking at a suitable car, rather than a Land Rover/Land Cruiser type vehicle. There may be some roads/routes that you can't take in a standard car but you could save yourself a lot of money. Perhaps a station wagon / estate car that has 4-wheel drive would be a good compromise. You could fit out the rear of the vehicle so that you can sleep inside. Spend some money upgrading the suspension and maybe add a small fridge.

I don't know if you have given thought yet to the issue of a carnet, but perhaps you should factor this into your budget considerations before taking the plunge. You will need a carnet for the vehicle for Africa. Look into the cost implications for a carnet and how the cost changes depending on the cost of the vehicle. You may find that a low-budget car will keep the cost of the carnet down. Same thing with the cost of insurance - you may need to get specialised overlanding vehicle insurance such as that offered by Herts Walkabout.

In short, do your research and get a firm idea of all of the associated costs to make the trip a reality. Then 'tailor your suit to the cloth', to coin an expression.

Good luck.

Thanks for the info :thumbup1: I've added some comments in red below

Jacob,

Your amended mod list looks much more realistic. My personal preference would be to omit the roof rack as, with one, there is a tendency to store heavy equipment up high, affecting the centre of gravity and causing the vehicle to be less stable. Also, equipment is more prone to theft when on a roof rack.

Good luck with the search for a vehicle.

Thanks mate, I'll definitely think hard about the rack too :thumbup1:

Hi Jake,

TBH I've never really tracked mpg on my trips but as a guess I'd say lows 20's off road and high 20's on tarmac. My first trip to the Western Sahara was with a group including a defender 90, 110 and disco 300tdi. The Disco was several down on power over my truck and the roof rack/roof tents really effected mpg on the disco and the defenders. They also suffered with strong sidewinds.

Parts are very reasonable but I've not had to replace much in 3 trips and 15000 miles. Rear dampers are £40 a piece so very reasonable. When looking at parts you need to consider availability where your going to travel and reliability. I know theres a lot of rivalry between the LC and LR camps which I try not to get involved with but it does seem that Toyotas are more reliable. So whilst LR parts may be cheaper you may need more replacements. LR's do have a lot more aftermarket kit available

Pros -uk LC Colorado - rear locking diff as standard and twin batteries already fitted :) (check the diff lock works before buying as many don't work and these are expensive to replace (£400).

From you kit list you woukdn't need twin batteries, tyres definately. Shocks yes for the distance and punishment they take but you don't necessarily need raised suspension (I only have a 2" lift on the rear but it copes very well without this). Underbody protection is very expensive and heavy and not required if you drive carefully. I've banged the standard sump guuard a few times but not heavy impacts.

Light and reliable is the way to go other having all the toys. Fully loaded with kit, spare fuel and water my truck is probably very close to standard weight.

My truck also look very standard which seems to help getting through checkpoint, in the WS I regularly got waved through while the kitted out vehicles got stopped

For Sale - Toyota Land Cruiser Colorado 3.0 TD FX (95-series))

This came up for sale recently to give an indication of price for a kitted out truck, the buyer got a real bargain

Thanks for the info again mate, this is really swaying my decision towards a slightly modded LC like yours. I'd definitely need some sort of dual power set-up for charging and using laptops, cameras etc for my work as I need to do that regularly to earn the money to travel :)

This would have been perfect, I definitely need to keep an eye out for a similar vehicle!

have a look on that forum for buying advice, they know a lot more than me :). There are potential issues with cooling systems mostly on autos, easily prevented with simple checks on the system and maybe a new rad.

Although I have had trouble with my LC the only maintenance parts have been 2 new rear shocks and a 2nd hand alternator.

For you power supplies look at getting 12v car chargers for the laptop and cameras, much easier and more efficient than inverters. They do come with twin batteries but for long travel a proper split charge system might be better than my cheap isolators

Thanks again mate, I think you may have swung it :thumbup1: As an aside, what was the approx total build cost for your colorado including everything to get it up to scratch?

the truck cost me £5k with 5 new BFG AT Tyres in 2011 (I then sold it and bought it back for £1300 less lol)

The platform/storage about £100 for mdf and screws carpet etc, £10 on window tint, £50 on a cb, £70 for a leisure battery, £10 for battery isolators and maybe £150 in spares for the truck.

All in under £6k based on the original purchase.

From my thread linked above you'll have read about the trouble I had with the rear axle (worth checking these as the brackets rust). I had the axle repaired in Morocco to get me home and then done properly back here last summer. This cost about £300 but I got all the mounting points on the axle strengthened so should last the truck another 170k miles

Thanks again, seems like my budget is definitely doable then for a car like yours :thumbup1: Especially if I can source a bargain solid base vehicle.

Sorry, just read this back and it became a rather long post!!

you budget is definitely doable.

You absolutely do not need to spend thousands on preparation, a good base vehicle could easily tackle the trip stock, don't be lured by all those articles in the off road press telling you about all the expensive kit you need!!

have a look at post 14 here
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...277#post447817


I bought an old Toyota Landcruiser H60 for travelling, a good one would be within budget but they are getting old and thin on the ground now so would be tricky to find a good one, but they do come up occasionally. That budget would get you a shabby 80 series, but most haven't been abused so the damage would be mostly cosmetic and they don't rust like the 60s do/did. The prado is ok, but not as tough, but it really depends just what your intentions are, most of the world is accessible in a suitable 2wd car these days!

Hilux's are now going for silly money, getting a good one for that budget would be tricky, a surf is the next best thing but be aware that some models are prone to blown cylinder head gaskets and cracked blocks. hpoc.co.uk is a good source of info for surfs even though ostensibly it's for Hilux owners.

A cheap landrover is a contradiction in terms! One that is cheap to buy is cheap for a good reason and although parts are cheap and plentiful they can turn into a financial bottomless pit. Better to spend a bit of money in the first place and get one that has been well looked after and not caned off road. TD5s can look a good buy compared to a 300tdi, but that's because they aren't suitable for this kind of thing and, IMHO are a terrible engine. When you handle Toyota parts, you see why they are a lot more expensive than landrover ones!

I know you have modified it now but, looking at your original list:

Upgraded shocks/springs for weight
If you need these travelling alone, your carrying too much weight. Generally, standard is best and more than capable of doing the job. Fit standard new ones. Heavier duty springs and shocks can cause other components to fail such as your chassis! A blown shock is easier to replace than repairing your chassis that's broken in half! Even vastly overloading 2 H60s with donated school books and our own kit/spares etc standard was fine. The general concensus seems to be, if a component is going to fail, it will be a non standard one. Carrying too much weight puts significant additional strain on all components of the vehicle, not just springs and shocks, for example engine and drivetrain. treat the disease, not the symptoms, reduce the weight!!
Roof rack
If your travelling alone you don't need a roofrack. If you do your carrying too much kit!! The only thing I use a roofrack for is fuel. Although that puts the weight up high which isn't ideal it keeps the fumes out of the truck. Halfords came to the rescue with a heavy duty ladder rack for about £100 rather than the £1000+ you'll pay for a proper rack, although keep your eyes open and you may get a second hand bargain. I recently sold a good solid steel expedition rack for 50 quid on ebay!
Roof Tent
Roof tents are expensive, and will muller your fuel consumption. I have always used a ground tent with no problems and it offers greater flexibility. If you are going to be travelling alone you could rig up a sleeping system in the rear of the vehicle for when you need/want a bit more security.
Side awning
not essential, take a tarpaulin if you think you might need something, but I've never needed one. An old tarp is useful anyway though for using as a groundsheet for working on the vehicle etc, you could use an old army poncho or 'basha'
Safari Snorkel
not needed, just tap out your airfilter regularly and carry a spare!
GPS device
I'm only just getting the hang of my tablet, but they are probably more flexible than a GPS, and can be cheaper for the 7 inch versions.
Dual Battery System
Don't bother with a split charge system. Make sure you have a good battery to start with and, if you intend to travel alone, maybe take a solar charger for if you accidentally flatten it. It just means you'll be parked for a day charging the batteries!! even if you are alone, take some jump leads, someone will probably be around!
Rock sliders
not needed, vehicle preservation is the name of the game in expedition driving, it's not a challenge event!!
Front bull bar + Spots t
there is complex legislation around the purchase, fitting and use of bull bars in the uk (I don't know where you are based) and they aren't really necessary, and can increase the damage to your vehicle rather than reduce it. Having said that, I am fitting an ARB winch bar to my truck after hitting a cow in Africa!! (if you fit a winch bar, you have to fit a winch to make it legal BTW but a winch is rarely needed!! Educate yourself in the art of self recovery instead!)
Diff guards
As above, not needed on most 4x4s if you drive carefully, although some areas can be quite rocky so if you have the money and you can get them for your particular vehicle maybe, but I never have
2 x spare wheels
I do carry 2. Also, use steel wheels. You might get away with one spare wheel and an extra tyre. It depends on the vehicle though. If you are taking a standard car I would definitely take 2 spares. You wouldn't believe how many wheels you can break on tarmac African roads!! To that end, don't use low profile tyres either, fit a nice tall tyre (that also gives you better options for airing down). Those 33 inch swampers may look great in Tesco's car park, but will be a lot harder to find out in the boonies than a 7.50x16 if you rip a sidewall!!
Fridge?
A fridge is a (expensive) luxury, not a necessity. If your shooting digital you don't need to keep film cool. Bottles of water wrapped in a wet towel stay surprisingly cool, and I found my el cheapo Halfords coolbox was adequate!!

Extra Fuel & Water would be in jerrycans or similar rather than a dedicated extra tank (again to save £)
DIY storage/draw system (could be built in by my dad)
Storage is one thing I would like to do better. I inend to go for a wood rack with plastic boxes mounted on it. Drawer systems are horrifically expensive and difficult to do well for a decent price if you DiY. bottled water is widely available. I just carry 20ltrs spare in an ex army black water jerrycan for emergencies


Spend the money on a good base vehicle, then get it thoroughly checked over and serviced by yourself if you can (which will help you get to know the vehicle) or by someone you trust and get good wheels/tyres. get some waffle boards, a good shovel and some decent recovery ropes/straps. If the vehicle can use a hilift then get one, an airbag jack can be handy.

Good preparation isn't about buying lot's of goodies, it's about making sure your vehicle is in the best possible condition for the trip ahead.

Read.
Chris Scotts Overland Handbook is a mine of information and is particularly good on budget vehicle choice and preparation. Me Dad and the Plymouth Dakar is a good read on antipreperation! (but it's my book so I'm biased!). Roaming Yak has also done some good stuff travelling extensively in a beat up old landy.

Read the tales of people who have done a similar thing, avoid the ones by people who have sold up or rented out their house, quit their job in the city and spent a fortune because it will just make you believe you need all that rubbish as well!!

finally, don't lose sight of the end goal when prepping for the trip. Youthfull enthusiasm will overcome any adversity or obstacles! Some people become so involved in the prep that it becomes the goal and they end up never actually going on a trip!

Thanks for all the incredible detail and information! I really appreciate the time you have spent going into it for me! Can I just ask you a couple of points:

1) How much extra fuel/water is necessary for a stock trip?

2) Without a dual battery set-up what would be the best way to charge all my gear such as my laptop?

3) If I was to travel with a roof rack, what would be the best way to carry a 6th wheel?

Thanks in advance

Jake


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Some good advice from Moggy :0

I normally carry 40l spare fuel which is about half a tank. This gives me a range of easily 600KM before fuel gets to the point where I think I need to find some more. In reality I'll get over 700km range. I also carry 20l of emergency water supplies which is only for emergency situation. Day to Day water is separate.

IMHO twin batteries would be the best way forward, whether it's with a fancy split charge system or not. This would allow you to disconnect one battery when camped so you can always start the truck and then use the 2nd to charge your laptops etc.

2 spare wheels, a lot of different opinions on this, but if you carry a 2nd spare on the roof think about how you will get this on and off the roof rack safely on your own they, are very heavy. Maybe take a 2nd spare tyre rather than a full 2nd wheel and tyre combo

Thanks mate, I was thinking 40-60L should take me a pretty long way without refilling so that's good to hear I was on the right track.

I will definitely be doing a multiple battery set-up, just trying to find out the best solution which would allow me to work remotely for a couple of days at a time :thumbup1:

I'm also thinking a 6th tyre rather than a 6th wheel might be the best idea, I just may end up with a tyre change in the middle of the day in a worst case scenario (which won't be fun but hopefully not too regular) :thumbdown:

Start with new good tyres and carry just one spare. Take a tyre repairkit and a small aircompressor instead of a complete 6st tyre.. To saving weight looks like the most important point!

Steel rim or aluminum rims - dont care about. Take that what the car comes with.

You go travelling, not abusing your car. For shure they have to be legal for your car and rated for your travel weight. I had also aluminum rims in africa.

Also look at this topic: The top 7 overland equipement

http://english.4x4tripping.com/2014/...-4x4.html#more

These lists are very individual, but helpful. Many blogging travellers have their own list online. I strongly suggest to do a little research :-) Mostly the people write too why they was important, what will help you to decide if it is too that important for you.

I had no camping experience in the last 20years as i start my buildup and bought my equipement in 2011 for crossing africa.

I did mostly just learn from the blog of other travellers, what they did like or not like on their eqipment. I spent much time for - but at the end our setup just works well for your plans.

Surfy

Thanks Surfy, appreciate the advice mate and will check out the link now


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lap tops don't pull a lot of power so not too much of a problem parked up for the evening. How about one of those rechargeable power pack things? charge it up in the daytime and use it for your night time supply? Your unlikely to discharge your main vehicle battery using your laptop in the evening but power useage is easy enough to calculate. You can also get a solar charger for laptops, phones etc. If you want to power a laptop off the car a suitable DC lead or inverter will be needed.

I have carried spare wheels on the roof and also in the vehicle. Unless your using split rims or something it's not too much of a drama. A lot depends on the size a type of vehicle. Split rims are heavy, car wheels aren't. It's unlikely you'll break a split rim, it's very likely you'll damage a car wheel. Don't underestimate how difficult it is to change a tyre in the field! Don't assume a tyre will be repairable, I suffered irrepairable damage to 2 tyres on the way back from the Gambia. I was glad I had 2 spares and finding a replacement, even in 7.50x16 was difficult in Mauritania. Our second vehicle also managed to bend a steel rim. An alloy wheel would have probably broken, but being steel we were able to hammer it back into shape.

fuel is dependent on the vehicle. where you are going, your range etc etc. I generally aim to carry enough to get me between expected fill ups +50%. Once the tank reaches half full I start thinking about topping up.

Thanks again mate, it seems I have a couple of calculations to do with regards to power usage and fuel consumption to work out what I'm going to need to carry.

The information in this thread has been stellar so far so thanks to everyone who has contributed!


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twin batteries are easy to set up, all you need are a couple of HD cables, and a hella or other cut off switch , the switch is used to separate the batteries when not driving/charging . You wire the aux battery to run anything that you need when parked , that stops your start battery from getting flattened.
It also gives you an instant jump start if your main battery dies or goes flat . In 40+ years Ive never had both discharged at same time . You just need to get a routine that you switch together as soon as started , and separate as soon as stopped . If you want a bit more sophistication , you can fit a relay that joins them via a fused wire for charging when ign live. HTSH

Thanks for the info mate, I just need to tot up the total consumption for all my camera gear and electronics now!
A

so, you have probably realised now, there are as many solutions as travellers out there!!

ultimately, it depends what works for you. read a lot, try and draw out what may be useful and ditch the rest, then...................travel, do some little shake down trips because I guarantee you, what you think will work won't be right first time and it will evolve and change over time.

you'll struggle to repair this in the field!! I had 2 tyres do something like this in Mauritania (this ones actually from my van in the UK, but you get the idea!!), my fault for taking old tyres, but couldn't afford more than 4 new ones. 2 punctured so I fitted the old spares for the road section from Nouadhibou to Nouakchott. Running on tarmac heavily loaded in high temperatures they didn't fare well.

http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums/...psad571d3c.jpg

This is my one man set up!! One of the jerry cans leaked making everything stink of diesel, so now I carry them on the roof.

http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums/...ps96c0449b.jpg

This is a great point and something I've already considered, a few trips will be great beforehand because like you say, until you try it no theoretical setup is likely to be perfect for you

Some excellent advice on here from all concerned. Having carried professional photographers on expedition, I would suggest that having a twin battery split charging system with a good PURE SINE WAVE inverter would be best for charging any audio/visual equipment as this is the only way to avoid interference from the charging circuit finding it's way into your images. Quality is everything if it's to be your living! The split charge relay does not have to be anything flash, just a 60A relay switched by the alternator charge light wire will do. This automatically separates the batteries when the engine's not running. Long term, faffing with manual switches just gets tiresome.
Long term living on the road, it's surprising how expensive bottled water can become! Invest in a sureflo 12v pump attached to a Doulton Ultracarb ceramic water filter and keep 2 jerrycans, one of clean water and one unfiltered, or just use the surflo pump for on demand water.
My last twopenceworth: Good Discovery 300tdis can be found cheap. The tricky part is knowing what a good one looks like! The occasional Merc or Ford transit 4x4 van appears for sale now and then, which would be much nicer to live in long term (cooking, eating and sleeping space out of the wind, rain, dust...) and as has already been said, would aid incognito incursions into local life. Toyota does generally equal reliability (and I'm a LR man!) but there are some dogs out there too. Good luck with your search, sorry if I've muddied the waters,
Simon.

Hi Simon, thanks for the contribution I really appreciate all advice, especially the details on the split charge system. Originally I was set for a discovery but I have been told a Toyota may be much easier to fix in sub-saharan africa? How are the Merc or Ford transit 4x4 vans for spares out in Africa?

Thanks

Jake

Transit 4x4 tend to be a bit "fragile" , suffer corrosion , and parts availability isnt that good. discovery V land cruiser , you have to weigh up what you are getting for the money . A well prepped discovery is no less reliable than a well prepped land cruiser.

Unless you are intending to travel "difficult" steep tracks in wet conditions a van is a better bang for the buck . Preferably rear wheel drive with good ground clearance. A set of tyre chains can hugely increase traction in mud as well as their primary use which is snow .

Agreed.
Merc vans seem to be pretty much ubiquitous whereas Fords are easier to get in the UK but I've not seen so many abroad. A 2wd leaf sprung Merc with good commercial heavy duty tyres, a set of chains and maybe some longer spring hangers to give a bit more clearance, and the world's pretty much your oyster I think. Really heavy mud, really steep slopes, or dunes would stop you, but realistically most of us in 4x4s would only drive such terrain for the fun of it rather than because it was the only way to get to where you're going!

Thanks for the advice again guys!

Another car I have been suggested by a friend who is driving in Africa currently is a Hilux, seem to be able to pick up a mid 90s Hilux Surf 3.0td for 1.5-2k in the UK. Any reason to not consider one of those?

certain models are prone to head gasket failure which will be exacerbated by use in high temperatures.

An excellent forum for both hilux and surf is www.hpoc.co.uk

Thanks to the exporters older hiluxes are now going for crazy money, you would get more for your money getting a surf

There have been many words of wisdom from very experienced folk. You cannot prepare for every event and I am always amazed at the amount money and equipment people throw at a vehicle.

5 years ago I took my bog standard 1994 4runner on a 9k mile trip around Morocco with no problems. Saw a lot of the all dressed up and nowhere to go trucks deliberately going off the beaten track to wade through a pond, I guess to justify prepping their vehicles to the n'th degree.

Hopefully it's Magadan this year with replacement alternator, batteries, brakes, shocks, springs and timing belt. Have changed all the oils and will replace my tyres for BFG ATs. Have made my own roof box, 2 diesel jerry cans on the roof will spend most of their time empty. 1 spare on the roof and 1 underneath and we are sleeping inside.

We had a roof tent on the Morocco trip but got fed up with sleepless nights when the wind blew and condensation wetting our sleeping bags.

Anyway I am feeling confident, but of course the proof of the pudding is trying it all out. We will see.

Just thought I would add my thoughts.

Boycie

I was in a similar position to you about 10 years ago and went for a Hilux pickup, which I still have. It was a cheap option at the time, extremely simple and robust and never broke down. I did very little preparation, and travelled for 4.5 years without ever coming back.

Yes, you can go most places in a normal car, but firstly, they are not as tough, and secondly, their low clearance means some roads may be difficult. 4WD is only really useful in fairly difficult situations, but the robustness and ground clearance are always good to have.

Some people love preparing for Armageddon, but at the end of the day mods are often expensive, almost always less robust than the car, add weight and I dare day are often not used. I had a normal tent which I put on the back of the pickup (I had an aluminium cover made), some tools, an extra fuel tank and and extra spare wheel. Even that was more than I really needed.

A 3 litre Surf / 4 Runner or Land Crusier Prado are also good, but make sure you give them a good inspection and service before leaving.

Really it doesn't matter what vehicle you bring, though I'm a fan of Toyotas of all kinds pre 1997.

They are pretty simple machines and easy to work on, they are also easy to get parts for the world over.

I have a HDJ81 landcruiser, but you want to see the abuse I have given and still give the humble diesel carinas I use as daily drivers and tow cars in rural Ireland as a farmer. They have a great ground clearance, can take a serious bang to the sump and will stay driving for ever. I'm driving one at the minute that has been puking oil for the last 20000 miles from the back of the head and I only top it up once the oil light comes on (about every week to 10 days). It has 250k on it and is perfect.

The key thing in your case is to pick something and then get on the net and forums and find out what the weaknesses are and check them out before and after you buy it.

Then service the life out of it on top of those and your good to go.:funmeteryes:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dAlVIJqwGx...ry+setup-L.jpg


Here you find anything to build a cheap dual battery system by yourself:

4x4tripping: Batterie-Trennsystem günstig selber machen - so geht's

Cheap and the same function than these expensive devices...

Surfy

oi, RTW, hey up!!bier

How is the Bison Grass, Captain? Fancy pouring me 100 grams? jeiger

Spend the majority of your budget buying the correct type of vehicle that will allow you to do the trip you want without causing you undue problems from being the wrong type of vehicle. A 4x4 with good ground clearance.

Spend the rest of your budget making sure it is mechanically as sound as possible and buying common spares parts and tools.

Most mods and extras are about comfort, time saving and reducing risk. A standard Defender (for example) driven really sensibly and not overloaded is fine and allow you the freedom to explore all areas.

Then use the time you have to accumulate 2nd hand/new bargains for:

- sleeping
- cooking/eating
- filtering and storing water
- GPS - Garmin 276 or 278 is good and worth the costs for a 2nd hand one.

And away you go...

^This is pretty much the plan I now have

I'm going to look at picking up a decent priced/well maintained/solid vehicle. I've decided to go with pretty much standard set-up of either a Colorado/Prado, Hilux Surf or Hilux Pick Up. Spend the majority of my budget on getting it running as good as possible and then any money I have left over will go on adding a few small mods like dual battery that I see as essential to keep all my cameras/laptop etc running for my photography work.

I've seen some excellent blogs from people who travelled around the world over 4-5 years in nothing more than a Hilux pickup or a Surf and I've also seen some silly blogs where people have spent so much money on their car and never actually made it any further than the south of Spain. As I would potentially like to head east after finishing in Africa I think a simple solid toyota is my best option for both Africa, Central Asia and onwards.

good, damn good!!

duly poured, cheers!!bier

Defender!!
 

Hi Jacob
I recently purchased a Defender 200tdi and according to the LR enthusiasts this seems to be the best choice of vehicle(talking Landies now!!) for my upcoming Africa/RTW trip. This based on the ease of repairs and simplicity of mechanics without too much electrical.
First thing is to get an auto-electrician to check electrics, whatever vehicle it is, as this can become a huge problem down the line while travelling Africa. Dust, mud etc etc.
A good start is your dual battery system as this will separate all inhouse accessories from your main batt and will also charge it while travelling.

Not knowing anything about mechanics at all I have opted to help the LR mechanic with some repair work that I have researched solely on the internet... as well as religiously reading the HAines manual on a daily basis.
The one thing I would suggest is if you do purchase a second-hand vehicle then spend whatever cash you have a available by repairing, replacing and getting the vehicle expedition ready as this will save you a "packet" particularly if you get stranded in some God-forsaken place without spares.
I have learnt a huge amount just by taking out the half-shafts(which had bent splines by the way), the drive members, wheel bearings, Hub, stub axle, swivel pin assembly, diff etc etc, all of these can make a huge impac on your trip if not checked and repaired/replaced. Still gonna do the Trannie and gearbox.
Try replace bearing, seals etc... anything where oil is leaking.

All of the above started only coz the LR I purchased had a "clonk" and I on researching and talking to mechanics was told that it was the "A" frame ball joint, well, after a lot of pain working to replace this and some awkward lessons learnt I found that it did nor sort the problem out, so, careful what .. or who you listen to.
Make this trip about you and what it is that you want to do...Take time like I am and get the vehicle in excellent condition first, then, and only then worry about the accessories( and there are good second-hands are advertised all over the internet.
Am in the throes now of purchasing roof-rack, spare rims, awning, tent etc...and found all this just by waiting, hey don't know if it was luck, but getting it all this week from one guy... and at a excellent price as well. Patience, as they say is my friend.

There may be some disagreement with all the above..... but, This is how I am doing it.
Best of luck.. bier

Cheers for the info, I have potentially 18-24 months before I could think about leaving so I will be spending a lot of time researching and learning some basic mechanics as well.

all sounds good to me!