My baby  (pics on www.afritracks.com)
I agree with the pretty much all the points raised - I would not have liked to take a new Defender round Africa - people do though, and I saw lots of South Africans in new machines of all kinds, though they didn't tend to travel deep into Africa or get too remote.
The simpler the car is, the more you know you will get home - I like cars I can fix with a stick and some duct tape, because sometimes thats all you've got.
Being able to sleep inside is a really big plus point - there are times you don't want to stand out as a tourist, and it's also nice to have somewhere comfortable to sit and make a cup of tea if you get stuck at a border post/embassy/fuel station and have to wait... Rooftents can really attract a crowd, and some mornings you just dont want to have to climb down the ladder when your audience is seated neatly around the bottom waiting for you to appear : )
Enjoy your planning, and ultimately you'll have a ball whatever car you take
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