I'd prefer diesel myself (do Eberspacher make a petrol powered cabin heater anyway?) but was thinking about petrol because of the Euro 5/6 problems (and the cheap chassis offer!) BUT Surfy has kindly enlightened me!


I was told that the available 2011 chassis has a "190hp engine" but the M272, 3.5 litre V6 engine seems to be the only petrol option from 2006, I think, and that is 250hp. However that's the same as 190kW, so that may be where the confusion comes from. The petrol produces 340ftlb of torque, but the 3 litre diesel V6 OM642 produces 180hp, and a lovely 400ftlb of torque. MUCH more useful. (I'm not an engine anorak - Wikipedia knows the figures, not me!)


Yep, tyres is on my 'list of things to worry about' but not at the top right now, if I'm honest. If I start down the E. Africa trail, in the N Hemisphere summer (August on - ish), do I opt for mud tyres, sand tyres (with 5 diff locks, no burning desire to explore any MORE deserts and 20 years practice I don't believe I need specialist sand tyres in E Africa to be fair. I may well be wrong....) Then it's the old '80+% of my time on tarmac so do I opt for comfort on the road and less traction off road' quandary. 6 wheel drive and 400ftlb will get you a long way off road..... I hope. Definitely still more work to do on the tyre decision front. To be continued...:confused1:


Ah, the cost. You HAD to ask Good thing my wife, who is refusing to join me on the trail, doesn't know about HUBB and won't be reading my posts. At least EUR 140K, probably considerably more. I know, it's one of the many reasons for my wavering over the decision. 22 years in the Gulf has been good to me, but left me hungry for more travel, and I'm tired of Dubai now - it's time to leave the rat race.


Photography is my passion, and I write for local car and lifestyle magazines for a hobby, so hope to earn some money selling photos, some pieces for magazines in the Middle East, and maybe some local stuff as I travel. But that really is 'nice if I earn some but don't bank on it' money. The overland thing ticks every hobby box I have - driving, travel, photography, writing and gadgets, so it's been niggling away at me for years. 2015 is the year of 'get on with it'


I've also been doing some property development in the UK with the specific goal of paying for the truck. The first of project is on schedule and by the end of January I'll HOPEFULLY be in a position to sell it and reinvest, in project 2. But the profit on P1 will pay for most of the truck, at least, that's the plan. We'll see.. Which is why I'm firming up ideas because I'll be ordering soon. In fact today I was driving home, thinking about these posts, wishing I was back in the Masai Mara and thought "Sod it, I'm buying the Oberaigner". So well done to you all - I think I just got tipped over the edge....God help me