Best domestic overlanders?

[WJinTRSC]

Mine is the one to the left at the bottom of the page...

Flexing on a local trail.

[Lynn]

Chris,

In reading your original post, I am guessing you are partial to diesels. If that is the case you should know that the US is woefully short on small diesels. We have import cars with diesels (VW, MB, etc), and big heavy diesels in trucks, but nothing really in-between, and nothing off-the-shelf in a LR/LC-sized 4x4.

[haven]

Chris,

Tell us more about the type of travel you anticipate.

Are you traveling with more than one companion? More than one vehicle?

Do you want to be self-contained (food, water and fuel, at least) for more than a week?

Will you be camping regularly, or only occasionally, when local accomodations are not available?

How often will you transport the vehicle by boat? This has an impact on how tall and wide the truck and camper should be.

Do you plan to travel along roads regularly used by other vehicles, or do you plan to go out of your way to attempt challenging routes?

Chip Haven

[chet]

For fullsizes I would go with a '94-'97 dodge cummins although the front ends can have some issues.

or a Ford superduty with the 7.3PS leaf spring all around and a great truck.

[grahamfitter]

Over here for example the selection is no less small but the choice is almost exclusively Land Rover Defender (in particular Tdi300s) and just about any diesel Tojo LC. I wonder if the optimal range is as narrow in North America?

thanks for your input.

Chris S
(UK)

If I had the narrow choice of a diesel Land Cruiser or Land Rover I would be pretty happy!

Can you still get diesel Jeeps (Wrangler/Cherokee) in Britain? If so that might be more attractive than a gasoline one available here.

Cheers,
Graham
(Ex UK)

[jayshapiro]

I know this is not strictly within the bounds of your question but....

If I were setting out from the UK, then I'd say you have one of THE best vehicles available there already. The Thai built Toyoto HiLux / Vigo with the 3.0 Diesel - in a dualcab (crewcab) and 4x4.

I had an old one and loved it!! Impossible to kill... (as proven on TopGear)

I've got a USA built Tacoma crewcab (petrol) in California, and it's a very nice truck, but doesn't compare to the Hilux, which I think is an even better option than a modern Defender.

As for "USA Trucks" if I had to choose, I'd go with a Cummins Dodge, just because of the global serviceability of the engine. You'll have a hard time finding GM Duramax or Ford Powerstroke parts outside of North America.

Cheers,
Jay.

[Scott Brady]

I believe Chris' question was framed around what domestic made (NA) made vehicles are appropriate for overland travel. He is likely just researching the topic editorially.

For those who have not matched the screen name, this is Chris Scott of Sahara Overland (and Overland Journal) fame...

The new JK Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon would also be high on my list.

[Chris S]

Thanks Scott and to all others who replied. Looks like my spam filters were zapping your reply notifications. I'm not planning to buy one but am writing a book on vehicle overlanding (see my profile) having written similar books on motorcycling and edited one for pushbikes. Right now I am researching domestic NA options for the 'which vehicle' section.

.... the Thai built Toyoto HiLux / Vigo with the 3.0 Diesel - in a dualcab (crewcab) and 4x4...

Funnily enough that is the workhorse (in 2.4) that I'm eyeing up for my next couple of desert trips. I'm surprised to hear the locally-built Tacoma does not compare. My last Hilux trip did not end so well as you can read later in OJ.

It looks like Cummins + Dodge is a favourite so I'll look into that.

...Can you still get diesel Jeeps (Wrangler/Cherokee) in Britain?
Yes - plenty. They've just introduced a Patriot with a CRD engine that claims 50mpg (UK). Dont know if you're aware but diesel in the UK is among the most expensive in the world at $2/litre. Luckily veg oil at half the price has lately become tax exempt (being 'food') and works fine mixed 1:1.

Chip, I'll answer your questions for what I imagine will be most of the prospective readers.

... more than one companion?
No but big groups/families are being addressed - as well as less obvious vehicles. Check this lot out:
http://www.welcometotheworld.org.uk/

More than one vehicle?
Usually or initially no

...self-contained for more than a week?
It's at the extreme end but at times yes

... camping regularly
Yes

... transport by boat?
Most probably yes

.. challenging routes?
Yes - at times (especially in Africa) there is no choice

... I am guessing you are partial to diesels.
I think we all are for the long drive Lynn. A solid, pre-electronic diesel simplifies life greatly although I'm aware mid-sized diesels are rare in the US - if not Canada.
Thanks for the links; I spent a day on expeditioncampers.com and will no doubt be going back - and Turtle Expeditions have sent in some material for the book.

...My Ranger was a pile of junk...
There are a lot of ex-Landrover owners around who feel the same way - but LRs are as popular as ever. I tried the new Defender out the other day on a course - amazing agility with TC but that's only part of the story to life on the road.
Sometimes I read the same complaints about Jeep [ie: 'junk'] but wonder if that was from the AMC era? Brit cars have certainly had a few eras of their own and it seems many new vehucles are more fragile than what I consider 'golden era' around late 80s to mid-90s when mechanical tech peaked just before electronics started getting cheaper.

I get the feeling we're better off in Europe with our choice of suitable overlanders and know-how; from normal 4WDs right up to inexpensive ex-military MANs and MBs. A lot of Brits like to dress their LRs for 'expeditions' but the Germans are somethimg else.
We went here a couple of weeks ago - an annual event
http://www.abenteuer-allrad.de/
and the campsite/car park was an overlanding show in itself.

There is a bit of a gap in between filled by Mog$$$$, less common Ivecos and the like. Check this page out; they're all for sale:
http://bernard.debucquoi.com/annonces.php

A mate is eyeing up a Renault B90, but look around and you'll find a picture of one blown over in Iran which on that suspension does not surprise me

Thanks again - any more ideas keep them coming.
Here's a little cadeau from Egypt, 2004
http://www.sahara-overland.com/Sfile...rBeethoven.mov

Ch

[pskhaat]

http://www.sahara-overland.com/Sfile...rBeethoven.mov

Nice. Too top-heavy or not enough throttle? Great recovery.

[Chris S]

Too top-heavy or not enough throttle?

No more top heavy than anything else on that trip (2000km/18-day autonomy required) but he went off line to the left just a touch (to be different?) and paid the price.
To be honest we were expecting it. Many times he had that thing on two wheels although we decided the way-oversprung parabolic front end, minimal damping and air-bag helpers on the back did not help.

Ch

You can read the full story here:
http://www.sahara-overland.com/Sfiles/gilf.htm