Every night I pull up in a new camp spot & when I get home from a trip I give my Patrol GU a little pat on the dash in thanks for the adventure. There will always be a 'better' vehicle, & one day I'm sure I'll upgrade to whatever I feel that may be, but for now I own this one & despite the imperfections I'm very well aware of, it's currently the best vehicle for me & my adventures & I think it's awesome. Good follow up Andrew, & if anyone gives a 'thumbs down' they've missed the point completely.
I pat my land rover discovery dash every 5km.. 'please just let me get there and back'... Only failed 2 out of 3 times so far.. Had to rewire a burnt loom between charleville and roma. Blew the desiel hose and blew the headgasket out past chillagoe.. But you know what, I love it.. I am currently rebuilding and wiring the electrics to fix the gremlins.. Aim to make it at least 60% unreliable instead of the 75%. ha ha..
This is some of the best content on youtube. I couldn't imagine watching any other youtuber talk into a camera for 36 minutes straight and still be genuinely interested/disappointed that it's over.
Not everyone can afford a dedicated car for overlanding especially if you are starting with this lifestyle. For me in Southern Africa and with a small family a bakkie/pick up is the best option. Reliability and availability of spares throughout the continent is very high on the list. Nothing beats a Toyota in my part of Africa. The Hilux is reasonable comfortable for 4 people and can be used as a daily driver. With a good canopy you can convert it to be an excellent overland vehicle for weekenders. My Hilux is not set up for rock crawling but for long distance driving to remote areas where a 4x4 is required. It has not failed me yet.
I really love the sentiment at the end of the video. I've spent quite some time riding bikes around the globe, and whenever people would ask what bike they should take to ride to Argentina/Africa/Mongolia etc. the answer was your current one. People seem to get so caught up in what vehicle they have, and this vehicle being better than that, and getting this piece of gear etc. At the end of the day, you are going to work out what you need to travel, and what you don't... and what type of vehicle you want to do it in. Reliability can be important, but some of the people I've seen having the most fun on bikes were some drunk Norwegians riding 1930's Nimbus bikes through the deserts of South America. Every village they went to they had to find the local welder and machinist to custom make parts to get their bikes to the next village - perhaps not everyones idea of a perfect holiday, but for them it was. Yours will no doubt be different, but you first need to discover how different you would like it to be.
I‘m happy that the Nissan X-Trail was part of the video. I‘m planning to get one of the 2nd gen. Cheapest „reliable“ and logic decision to get started in Germany. Light offroad, snow, towing, canoe on the roof and camping (sleeping in the car) are my goals/needs.
Great review! To add, we have two cars in the family, 1) Land Rover Discovery 2, V8 2001 and 2) Nissan Trail, 2007, 2.5 Petrol. Both cars just done over 100,000km's. Both cars regularly serviced. Both cars have been in the family 9 years. Here is what we have experienced down here in Australia. 1) Land Rover - Never broken down or left me stranded. Lot's of 'preventative' maintenance. When i bough the car it required quite a few new engine gaskets to make it dry underneath. Air Suspension - Compressor and Air Bags replaced - Tired and leaking in 2012. No faults since. Apparently quite normal for them to just last 8-10 years. Top Hose, Bottom Hose ,Thermostat, and Radiator Flush, after coolant leaks. 2009 Valley Gasket and Rocker Cover gaskets replaced 2009 - Timing Cover Gasket and Front Crank Oil seal replaced. Had to replace Sump Gasket as part of this. 2009 Put on a new Water-pump when then the Timing Cover was off, again prevention due to age. Brake Fluid Reservoir and Cylinder replaced due to leaking o-ring. 2012 Washer Jet nozzle snapped as it was brittle. New Key Fob as the buttons worn through. Front indicator lens unit, old one the rubber seal dried up and filled with water. Front prop-shaft swapped out for a serviceable cardon joint. Old shaft was OK but I wanted to avoid this joint going due to it's age etc. I've heard that they go and take the transfer case with it. Heard to many stories of them going at 10 years! or over 100k, so panic and replaced... Headlining replacement - Very normal Usual consumables, brakes, tyres, battery as and when required. After the initial issues above, not one thing has gone wrong with the car in the past 5 years. It's used everyday and drives like a dream. It's very very capable off-road and completed some tough tracks. Excellent 7 seater to ferry everyone around. The build quality is good and feels solid. Age is against her as the rubbers and plastics are getting quite brittle at they are now 17 years old and spend a lot of time in Aussie sunshine. Zero rust on the car. No electrical issues, everything works. Most of the parts were imported from the UK Genuine and Aftermarket, so what has been replaced has been cheap. Some DIY some at garage. Overall love the car and want to keep it going as long as possible. 2) Nissan X-Trail, 2007 Extreme ST. 2.5 petrol. Air Conditioning interior fan motor replaced under Warranty 2009 2 Window switches replaced Rear tailgate motor/lock assembly replaced Developed a coolant leak very hard to trace, uses 500mm every 8-10 months. New exhaust (rusty due to beach driving) Number '2' setting on the interior fan stopped working. Living with it but will replace. CV Boot replaced Rear wheel bearing replaced Interior seats replaced. Drivers seat foam collapsed and we're not big people. Cloth interior did not wear well, so we found a donor car at a wreckers and swapped out for a leather set of seats. Much better build. Usual consumables, brakes, tyres, battery as and when required. Overall this car so far has been brilliant, the interior does feel quite cheap with the plastics and seats not built to last. Not as solid as the Land Rover when it comes to interior and fittings. Off-road its very light and capable. However, on rough tracks is squeaks and rattles terrible compare to the Land Rover. Drives more like a car and economical and rear seating is far more comfortable than the Disco, which has very upright seating and like a defender you have to lean forward to see out the window. On long trips we prefer to take the X-Trail - Fuel, Comfort and less chance of any mechanical issues. Disco is quite old now so would not really chance it somewhere to remote. If we did start to overland and drive more remote down here, i'd be tempted to a Nissan Patrol. I've driven them as well as Toyota Land Cruisers and the Patrol in my experience on and off-road would be my choice of vehicle.
I drive a 141 Skoda Yeti 4x4 and I love it. It has gone everywhere I have asked it to go. And yes I admire it, I even photograph it. It's my Betty the Yeti.
I m very upset by seeing thumbs down sign on video's. No man can better tell you the truth than this. Always respect his life time experience and finest advice. I m a mechanical engineer and know he tells you truth.
Hi ANDREW, I really enjoyed your comments. I condemn LRs whether old or modern. Living in Ethiopia 74 - 76, I had a Russian jeep GAZ 90 - utterly reliable + many clever features, (e.g. believe it or not, a very useful crank handle starter) too many to put here. The LRs in e.g. the Danakil Desert used to break leaf springs and half axles + loads of other problems. I had a half-page article published in the Motoring Guardian comparing my GAZ to the Defenders. British Leyland were upset, but a Brit. army officer who'd tried one of the 1st LRS had made exactly the same complaints 20 years earlier !!! My GAZ ended up in the hands of Eritrean guerrillas, as I was taken hostage for 5 "long" months. Now I'm in Rio. had an X-Trail (great apart from breakdowns due to annoying sensors) till recently, and now have a Toyota Hilux SW4, my dream vehicle !
Hi Andrew In the US I have driven a Ford F250 4x4 for work I do a lot of off road driving. The truck is quit heavy with the tools and equipment that I must carry. Over the last 20 years I have had good luck with them. I do keep my truck serviced because it can be miles across thd Arizona desert to get help. Not quit like Canning Stock. For a personal vehicle I love to be able to get a 79 turbo diesel. I like those trucks. Looking forward to seeing you and Kate again next year at Expo West.
I don't think I have ever... EVER!... before watched a video on TH-cam (or anywhere else) where it was purely conversation from a single individual (give or take a photo or two) and "hung on every word"! Brilliant comments; absolutely believeable, credible, and understandable. I couldn't help but think of the great Sir Anthony Hopkins; except that this guy was discussing my favorite subject with passion and professionalism. (I have noticed before that it's difficult to get both in the same presentation.) I shall follow onward, Overland. To be continued...
I own a defender that did not leak oil, I ended up drilling a small hole in the sump, just so I could say it leaks oil....Andrew is right about Land Rovers.....Luckily I can work on mine as I am mechanic....love hate relationship.....It was still cheaper than a Toyota at the time when they Defenders were still in production, around $30K.
Hi Andrew, love your presentations. Have quite a history in 4WD and Land Rovers (first car I drove, 88 inch Series IIA). On your air suspension gripes, you have a big friend, I have converted a 94 RR Classic to coils (had to do in Colorado, 2,000 km from home!) and I just converted a my 2008 Discovery 3 (LR3 in the US) to coils....using the Atlantic British Ltd., HD OME kit.... On durability, my 87 RRC drove many 5,000 kms round trips to the Rocky Mountains, loaded with autosamplers, fluorometers, climbing gear (obviously) etc etc. gear, working (am a geologist) up to 13,000 ft on very rough mining roads hammering me and the car. It came home no problems every time. (The 94 RRC Air Suspension fiasco happened on flat ground in a great little town called Creede). I also have a '95 Discovery 1 with a manual gearbox....
Nice video! I watched all of it. My body says = Land Rover (comfort) My brain says = Toyota (budget) My soul says = Jeep (history) I’m a US military guy with extensive experience driving Hummers in the Middle East, Africa and Northern Canada. I currently inherited a family owned Land Rover Discovery 2, and I can honestly say that you are absolutely right. It has turned me into a mechanic. Because of its reliability issues and parts constantly breaking down, mostly because of age, I have gotten to know my Land Rover inside and out. This will prove mostly beneficial out on the trail, for the purpose of self recovery, although it’s time consuming. But I do find that parts are, as you say, easy and plentiful to come by. And I do save money by doing most of the work myself. So in that sense, it has become sort of fun and educational. Going on to Jeep. I find that Chrysler’s partnership with Fiat has hurt Jeep in quality and reliability. In fact, many Chrysler/Fiat products are made in Mexico, which is notorious for poor quality control. About Toyota. They are reliable. And that’s part of the problem for me. They just seem to lack character. At least for me that is. Out here in California, I see Toyota’s everywhere. And I do mean everywhere. From the infamous Toyota Prius, to the indestructible Toyota Corolla and Camry, to their dime a dozen pickup trucks. They are everywhere. I guess I just want something unique. Something not everyone else has. I’d hate to think of a monolithic world where everything looked the same, food tastes the same and environment was free of challenges. Anyway. That’s my opinion. And thank you for another great video. Joe
You cant hurt Chrysler's reliability. It was always low, not Mexicans fault. And they (Chrysler) made cars in Mexico before FIAT, just like GM, Volkswagen, PSG, Mercedes Benz, Nissan, Renault and others, except for Jeep. Those are made in the USA
I grew up obsessed by Land Rover. Nothing would change my mind. Not even my cousin who grew up in Africa and was obsessed by LandCruiser. Then I saw his LandCruiser, super high mileage with a 1HZ engine that sounded brand new. I looked over how all the bits were screwed together, how they put a little hand pump on top of the diesel filter so you don't flatten you battery after you have run out of fuel and added some more. I now own a 76 LandCruiser and love it. We choose our friends carefully, trust plays a huge part in that. Trust plays a huge part about how we feel about a vehicle. The old Land Rovers we trusted but then the marketing people took over at Land Rover. Now they don't even make a Defender? The vehicle that started it all, the vehicle the brand was built on. Yes, yes the replacement is coming in a couple of years. I have heard that statement since about 2002, the new Defender will be arriving in 2004. No trust left. I think the final straw was when Ford owned them and put the engine from the Transit van in it. 1HZ or transit van engine, I am going to drive into the bush, which one should I choose? What will be interesting will be the Americans supplying the Afghan Army and security forces with Ford 4x4. I wonder how many will be left in five years time. Enjoy the channel
For land Rover not having a Defender is absolutely unforgivable - I just cannot fathom their reasoning! I am not a fan but I have huge respect for Defenders and (most of) their owners; the 110 still THE overlanding vehicle of choice, provided you are prepared to work on it yourself.
My favourite quote relating to this subject is by James May. He said something like: If you want to drive into the backcountry you drive a Land Rover; if you want to drive out of the backcountry you drive a Land cruiser.
Again though, thank you for taking the time to talk specifics with your trademark honesty. Notes: Air suspension - yeah, I just replaced the rear air springs on my gx470 and while they are great for my needs, I certainly would have done a coil conversion if I was planning on using it like my 80. Its one of those things that works good in a 95/5 environment, 95 city 5 percent not. 200 series - sadly no one is buying 200 here in the US for overland duty on account of their fully loaded status only, here they are stealth wealth machines that, as is typical of many overland vehicles in the US, have their 2nd and 3rd owners that are using them as intended. They can still dance though, the #8155 canguro racing 200 just finished the baja 1000 and in great time too in the stock full class. Tacoma - yes they are more tuned for a lighter duty loading, their payloads as an example are much lower than a hilux, but they generally are considered extremely durable even used off road. 200,000 miles is expected. Navara D40 (Frontier) - Frankly has been a surprise for me, they aren't as good off road as others but man what a bargain, and its been a durable and reliable vehicle for our traveling group. It may not work for long duration travel or less developed country but in the US Its been a very good bargain here that works shockingly well. Jeep - oh man Jeep. There is no better off-roader in the US (or anywhere) for the money but people don't realize how cheaply made Jeeps are. Its not a shock though, right? I mean a V6 dual solid axle 4x4 starting at $24,000 US? Jeep buyers...what do you expect for your money? Crazy resale for some reason too, its not like they are rare or anything. Raptor - have you heard something about a 3.0 diesel Raptor? Because this is literally the first time I've even heard that rumored. Interesting if true. Yes to the F150, but I hadn't heard about the raptor. As for the F150 being too big? it is. It really is too big for many trails in the US, its too wide. As for brand loyalty? Totally agree. Anyone thats being doing this for a while knows that brand loyalties are garbage.
I’d personal go with the Ford F-250 mate if it’s a possibility. I have one completely set up here in Australia for overland and it’s a beautiful heavy duty truck. It’s build quality is just an over sized land cruiser. Really worth a look I think for your American trip and there size shrinks around you after a short period of owning one. I could never go back to a small mid size truck now, I love the F250. Cheers
Brilliant discussion .... you had me glued to my screen the whole time. So much truth in what you say. I've also owned and driven a several 4wd vehicles and can relate to the issues discussed, particularly with owning a fringe vehicle. Popular vehicles are just so much easier to get sorted for getting off the beaten track. Keep up the great work. I really enjoy watching your videos.
I have a 2007 Nissan Frontier in the U.S. with over 200,000 miles on it. I've found it to be the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned in the last 45 years and I've owned many brands. I liked is so much I just purchased a 2013 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X with 36,000 miles on it. I plan to begin my light overlanding adventures with this vehicle soon. Hopefully, I will experience the same low maintenance and longevity with the Xterra as I did with my Frontier.
This was a nice Sunday morning listen. So Andrew, you moved to Australia. I moved from Australia to Africa ! Mind you i did this 20 years ago. I have about 900,000 Klms driving in Africa in all conditions, about 450,000 Klms with a 6m trailer behind me. Much of what you say here is so so true !
Im Indonesian. I'll buy 2002 Toyota Landcruiser VX100 With Std type. There is coil spring (cheap maintenance), Strong Engine, Coolbox, Sunroof, Difflock, etc.. The most important is, Fun n Save to drive.
For the most part I agree with your comments about vehicles being suitable for 4x4 touring and get where you're coming from. But, I also think everyone who criticises a vehicle has to realise that most 'new' 4wd's were never built with the idea of long 4wd touring trips because put simply the market is 'tiny' and there's no profit to be had in building those kinds of vehicles anymore. It's probably why Land Rover left the market completely and the same with Nissan. So the idea of having a brand new 4wd (like a 70 series) with solid axles, uncomplicated engines (mostly), electronics and the rest available is dying out and is probably only available because said car company doesn't want to invest the money in updating and modernising their cars. Toyota is the last manufacturer hanging in, but you can see their cost cutting everywhere in the 70 series everywhere such as being too 'cheap' to widen the rear track (completely inexcusable and shoddy engineering if you ask me). No point really to be made or question but I give it 10-15 years before the idea of buying a perfect 4wd touring platform is gone.
Toyota don't make the 70 series for overland tourers- Their main market are miners and agribusiness. These things are made to run and operate in enviroments for years which kill other cars in weeks and months. If you go to any remote place in Australia Toyota is the only brand you'll see getting around (and the odd Patrol- Pre ZD30 usually).
If I was building an overland rig in the USA .. I would probably use a Jeep chassis, because the aftermarket for Jeep is HUGE !! In Australia I would probably go for a Landcruiser, because even the small backwater repair shops, know how to work on them. In Japan I would probably spring for a Suzuki Jiminy, because it small and nimble, and can even park in the congested cities! Get the car that is most popular in the area you want to go overlanding in, and you will most likely come across someone who knows how to fix your problem.
Didn't even mentioned the Jimny... That's cold Andrew... I feel sad now. hahaha Awesome video ! So much truth and sincerity... Mentioning brands and models BY NAME, and not "Oh that brand, you guys know". Awesome. Thanks Andrew ! Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
very well said , very wise... there is nothing in life like an old man, who has a life time of experience in a specific field ... who is wise, open-minded and also has a good sense of humor! Pure gold !!! thank you for all the videos, the advice and the wisdom.
Andrew would be interested to see your thoughts on weight after a build. I see too many Patrols, Cruisers and Hiluxs in Oz loaded with every accessory in the ARB catalogue and can't help to think about the loss of braking, economy, performance and even off-road ability from stock.
Hi Andrew, I am a small business owner in the mining industry and we have always run Hilux utes for our team of mechanics. We run 6 utes in total including me. All were Twin cab SR5,s. In general we maintain our vehicles as per the manufactures service guidelines with the only exception being that we change engine oil every 5,000 km’s. We replace our Toyota’s at 500,000 kms and for the most part we have only ever done normal wear an tear repairs that you would expect form vehicles that are loaded with tools and parts and spend a major part of their life of road. In 2014 when my Ute was up for replacement I was sweet talk into buying a new ford wildtrac, which on the surface ticked all the boxes and in some instances more than the Hilux. At 180,000 kms I had to replace the after cooler, at 210,000 km,s the engine had to be rebuilt and the final straw was when at 215,000 kms the transmission failed. STICK WITH TOYOTA LOOK AT COST OF LIFE AND RELIABILITY. Thanks for your vids and info 👍
I agree whole heartedly with your opinion of the Toyotas being built for their environment vs the light duty Fords. I was a light vehicle mechanic for years on a Iron Ore mine site in WA, and we ran a fleet of Ford Rangers and Toyota 70 series. The Fords weren't suited for the environment. Constant failures in nearly every major component in the driveline and suspension. I have a pic on my phone of a pallet load of dead Ranger engines, and right next to it, a pallet of dead auto transmissions. Toyotas on the other hand, needed regular maintenance, yet no constant failures. Far better suited for the harsh environment. Hence the reason all the mechanics in the shop owned Toyotas.
I note no mention of the Mazda B2500 turbo 5 speed 2003 dual cab. I bought as a 10year old... Glycol coolant, regular filter & oil changes etc and timing belt every 100000km, has performed very robustly - previous owner had big fat tyres which wear very well, it also seems to have been "raised some", slides readily on wet leaves/spilled diesel on bitumen but is magic on dust & gravel. A little thirsty when pushed, but less than 2800~3000rpm in 5th gear (overdrive?) is quite frugal at 10litres/100km on unsealed roads. I agree with you on the old FJ? landcruisers, unstoppable and reliable.
We all need to get Andrew more subs. He has some of the best knowledge and delivers it in an entertaining way, with charisma, humour and passion ! I have learned so much these past few weeks looking at his past catalogue, so much so, it was worth the Patreon pledge. Keep up the great work Andrew.
Andrew, Your point of view for the most part parallels mine. My very first "Real" off road truck was a 1977 Toyota FJ40. I found it on a dealer lot in Lincoln Nebraska in 1979. This vehicle truly changed my life. I had absolutly no idea of what this machine was capable of. It looked kinda like a Jeep, but different in so many ways. Since that 1st Toyota, I have owned so many different makes and models. And my experiences over 40 years with all these different manufacturers, driving thousands of off pavement miles do give me insight on what works and what doesn't. 4 Toyotas, 2 Land Cruisers, FJ Cruiser, 4Runner 6 Land Rovers, 2 Defenders, Discovery, LR3, Range Rover, Series IIa 2 Jeeps, TJ Unlimited Rubicon , JK Rubicon Isuzu, Trooper Numerous Pickup trucks, Dodges and Fords I think your thoughts on what makes a good backcountry truck are spot on. All my vehicles were kitted for self reliance in the back country, and living in the South West US we have thousands of miles of great track to explore. I found your closing thoughts poignant, Yes sir,, I really loved my Land Rovers for so many reasons. The places they took me. The memories I made with them. But you hit the nail on the head when mentioning the unreliability of air suspension. As fantastic as Land Rovers are, I've seen this failure many times on several different models. My coil sprung Rovers were some of the best handling trucks when rough ground needed to be traversed quickly. I also remember the pure elation of driving home that very first Toyota Land Cruiser that changed my life. It started a passion that soon became a way of life. Every truck I've built has made me smile, and all of them have provided wonderful experiences to destinations not accessible to standard 2 wheel drive vehicles. And I hope soon to acquire a late model Land Cruiser 200. And yet another build project begins........ Keep up the good work Andrew. Your Videos are a hoot to view. Cheers
Finally I found a professional honest channel!!! Not these crazy pimping show off people. Thanks a lot for your work and I agree with all the others, you should have 10 times more subscribers. Cheers.
The Toyota off roads so good, when I bought an old Jeep Cherokee, and kept getting stuck. I found your channel to learn how to drive the piece of junk. Sold it and was happy to keep my 4runner. Thank you for teaching me to off road better!
Your final comment exactly sums up my Nissan Patrol - never let me down through the Simpson, Telegraph track and Fraser Island (6 times) over 11 years of hard driving. Have pulled Cruisers and Land Rovers out and seen brand new 200 series Cruisers with blown up turbos and g/boxes. Theres good and bad in all. Sometimes just have to be lucky (or careful). Hamba gahle - love your videos.
In response to the "Nissan Navara Comment" I drive the D40 Nissan Navara. I can't speak for a person who does constant over landing (i.e. Surveyor or Andrew White) as it may not be the best vehicle for that purpose, but being a weekend warrior 4-5 weekend trips with 1 big trip per year - it is an awesome vehicle. Mine is practically stock with all terrain tires, radio, recovery points, battery and fridge - it has held up very well. At the time I purchased it for $36k in comparison to the equivalent Hilux at $50k and 170,000km later, it is running as beautiful as ever - 'touch wood'. I've gone through all the main touristy tracks in the Victorian High Country (Zeka Spur, Blue Rag, Billy Goats, Crooked River), had no issues at Fraser or Moreton and no problems with local tracks either - lets say it will tackle any track a stock Hilux can and in one circumstance a stock 200 series. Yes it has some short comings and is probably not as engineered, comfortable or reputable as a Hilux but being on a budget and not wanting to purchase a Lada, Greatwall or Ssangyong, I will probably never consider a Hilux even if I had the money next time. If I went on to become a full time over lander or a surveyor maybe I would, but not as a hobbyist. That is $15k I can save or spend on more modifications.
Up on the east coast, to Cape York etc, it isn't Toyota's so much, but Nissan Patrols, the older models. You see more of them than any other SUVs (Ute's not included).
I wish they had patrols state-side. I've got an Xterra it's the best we can get here- locking rear solid axle, and such. The one nice thing about the Xterra is that you can long-travel the front end with stock Titan parts, making it an overland-friendly long-travel suspension (you can find the parts readily at auto parts stores, unlike a toyota long-travel suspension which you need to special order parts from the long-travel manufacturer). It's the only overland friendly long-travel suspension I know about.
cjeam he doesn’t really like Nissan’s, in my opinion I think he hasn’t spent enough time in them, I remember him bashing on the navara, yeah there’s been owners that have had shit ones because they don’t take care of them or know how to fix them but mate I’ve taken my nav to so many places, twin locked 3 inch lift on 33’s manual and it’s never let me down, it’s kept up with cruisers and patrols and it has the “shit yd25” engine too haha I’ve over loaded the absolute shit out of it, had 550 bricks in the back was waiting for the chassis to snap took it over bumps and everything and still didn’t budge lol. People just talk so much shit about different brands because they’ve heard another person from another person from another person has said theyre shit lol.
He says the navara is the worst built vehicle, but he hasn’t spent time in one... wtf!? He says they snap and break, DUDE ANY DUAL CAB CHASSIS CAN SNAP IF YOU OVER LOAD OR TOW THEM LOL search up Triton dual cab snapped, Hilux dual cab snapped, google will show you every photo of every dual cab snapped. I like ASPW and am a big fan of his but I highly disagree that he has a valid opinion when it comes to the navara since he hasn’t spent time in one. I’ve spent 8 years in one, never let me down, tow a 3 tonne bricklayers trailer every day only thing that’s gone on me is the clutch and that’s from my own driving, the utes never broken on me so I don’t know what he’s on about
Thank you for an excellent talk,we have had Patrol GQ/Y60s in our family since 2000,now they span 3 generations,never had a failure due to poor build quality,only due to prior owners lack of maintenance, [another story]
I own a 89 land cruiser and drive it everywhere yes it's loud on the freeway the AC sometimes acts up but it's never ever left me behind and everything that needs fixing I could do it myself I ❤️ it
From a Nissan Patrol and Hilux owner: Nissan Patrol went down the gurgler when the dropped the TD42 and went to the 3 ltr diesel. What do you think of our Govt buying G wagons for Defence parks/ DELP CFA etc and dropping Landrover 110 and Toyota landcruisers. The only choice new now is a V8 cruiser.
I've pretty much settled on getting a lightly used 4Runner Trail since they're often overlooked between the SR5 and the TRD. I'd say some K02s, an OME kit or a stage 2 from Icon and a roof rack tent would do me for a while. I don't plan on doing anything worse than a shallow stream and some rough rocky trailheads or mountain passes.
I adore Land Rover and love the heritage of the marque. I have a soft spot for them although I have never owned one. The Brigadier from Dr Who drove a LR as did Les Hiddins and the Leyland Brothers. Ray Mears drives a LR too. LR has great history. LR's are cool and have a pedigree which is second to none. Her Majesty drives a LR so that's the ultimate endorsement of the brand. And for that matter so does the British Army also drive LR's. I appreciate and respect Lada and their Niva because they are great off road and always start in minus 30c. They are tough and that counts. Wheel travel like an old range rover, brilliant. So ugly it's cool. Then there's UAZ - Made in Russia. People are proud to own them and I see the value in that. It's respectable. They are made in the same town that Lenin was born in. I forget the name. MB G wagons are great off road too. I used to drive one in the arctic. Reliable and strong. You feel invincible driving a G wagon. And the Isuzu D Max and Mux are super reliable, strong and capable. After 40 years of LC ownership my father prefers the Mux. That's saying something..... They must be doing something right.... And we own a 1974 Nissan Patrol LWB cab chassis with 50000km on the clock from new - tough as old nails. Great farm truck. Nissan patrol was first to cross the SImpson desert. They deserve respect as does the first gear with no synchro. Oh, and I have been fortunate to drive real HMMWV's from insane desert sands to bottomless boggy tropical jungles and this is also a platform worthy of praise although they are so unreliable and are only good at following tank tracks. I've never driven a more capable off road vehicle than a HMMWV. There's lots of fun and love out there for other makes and models. Each to their own and no butts. I'm not one eyed.
Ade Larsen Strangely until recently the Queens favourite vehicle was apparently a Jaguar X Type Estate, AWD version. And of course her Defender that Her Majesty has owned and driven for many years.
@@ding174 a pedigree second to none???,.....lol!!!!,....jeep might not agree with that especially since the 1st landrover was a direct copy of the willys jeep which they took apart, studied, and then reproduced using alloy body panels as steel was in short supply in 1948, and strangely for the best part people love landrovers, i've had a series 3, a defender, 2 disco's, a range rover, and a free lander,......and i have to agree with andrew,...man, they spent so much time in the workshop being repaired it so was'nt funny!!!,...lol!!!
Stephen Campbell the models made by British Leland I think, were superior vehicles and used in the African bush a lot. Daktari! (Search for the tv series)
22 year old Td5 defender owned since new had to replace resr gearbox oil seal last year. Do my own servicing to avoid idiot factor. Totally reliable. I have had work HJ 75 with transmission failure at 47k .
The inherent problem with the recent Raptor is the payload , at least for the gas engine one . Make your calculations , you will be surprised how little it can carry . That is why i got a AEV Prospector XL based on a Ram 3500 , no payload issues with that .
Alain, you bring up a good point and that is my main gripe with the 4x4 culture in North America. There is a huge consumer demand for fast, powerful, 4x4's that can go off jumps. But such vehicles aren't well suited for what a lot of other 4x4 enthusiasts want to do. As you point out, the Raptor's payload is sorely lacking, it is actually wider than most 3/4 ton pickup's and it's fuel economy is subpar at best, making it less than ideal for certain types of offroading. That said, with the recent revival of diesel engines in North American trucks and with aftermarket companies putting out dedicated overland builds (AEV's Prospector being a prime example), I do have hope that the market will start to cater to people who want more utilitarian offroad vehicles.
has your XL delivered yet? If so, how do you like it thus far? Im considering the regular prospector model... maybe the XL but more than likely the regular model.... AEV's work looks terrific.
You cant beat this truck , it pull like a bull , ride like on wings and is pretty thirsty for it's size , I have an extra 30 gallons of fuel in the back , totaling 85 gallons , have installed a 40 gallons water tank , ARE heavy duty canopy and all the goodies necessary for overlanding . You barely slow down in 20 inches hole. Cannot be any better . Im still left with about 2000 pounds of free payload .
great to hear. what region of the states (im assuming USA) are you in? I spend most of my trips in the western US so there is plenty of room for a full size. Curious how it would fair in other regions of the states. glad you hear you enjoy it.
What a brilliant video. I have driven Landys from a child and for 22 years in a previous outdoor career. I have owned 2 130 Defender with TD5 engines. Lots of issues with injectors and oil seeping into the ECU etc but they were the workhorses of my business for 12 years (tree surgery) and I respected them. I also had an old 2006 Nissan Navara king cab for 3 years and it was bomb proof! In 3 years I only replaced a headlight bulb, a rubber bump stop and a wiper arm. What a great cheap truck but I wouldn't touch a new Navara with a chassis made of monkey metal. But, and it was a tough decision, I have just bought a Defender 110 hardtop with the 2.2litre engine (2 year warranty on engine so perhaps I will chuck some sand in it at 23 months!) . I considered lots of factors before I bought it and resale value was a big plus. Even knackered old Landys are holding there second hand value. A friend spent a lot of money on a D Max and, when its fully loaded it gets stuck on a bit of damp grass. Standard Landys are noisy, uncomfortable and unsophisticated but...........and its a big but, but they are still fabulous. Lots of bolt on after market bits available to customise it to your personal requirements. Your analogy of Landys being like a beautiful temperamental model is spot on! Here in the UK they are exceptionally popular. Would I drive one across Africa? No. Too uncomfortable.
Same here. I love my 1.5 gen xterra. There are only two issues that it has. First, It's a bit under-powered with the 3.3L engine BUT the engine design is rock solid. (Just keep up with replacing the timing belt every 100k miles). Second, the steering components (centrelink, idler arm) should be upgraded. Other than that, it's a very solid overlanding platform.
David Ryde I have a xterra, already made a lot of expeditions with mine xterra , it's so strong 💪....I'm talking about 2004 model , I don't know the performance of the 2005 model ....the frontier models +2005 has a soft suspension that when hit the car floor usually crack the radiator
Doug Mathias I have been over mine, replacing most of the common break parts. I just installed new springs and a 2" suspension lift. 31s go on tomorrow.
I've had both an R50 Pathfinder and now a 1.5 gen X. I've done 10k journeys in both. best thing I can say about them is that they are reliable and the weakness are known. Very easy to work on. though some times under and sometimes over engineered. there are lots of forums for info on mods and fixes. you can find parts in any junkyard. the 3.3 engine just runs if you look after it. Off road both have gone places they shouldn't have. where I live rust is the killer of both. I'd buy either again in a heart beat.
I think we are quite lucky in the Middle East as we still have the Y61 Patrol. Manual or automatic, short or long wheelbase, pick up, basic or luxury. Great for dunes or overlanding, highly customisable, etc.
I love my battered old 93 Nissan pathfinder. 250,000 miles and still solid and running strong. IF I took it to Africa though, I doubt I would love it as much.. This channel is what started my conversion on the truck 2 years ago but budget and life have yet to se it completed. Thank you Andrew for all you do. Your advice is top notch. Cheers from N.Y.
Andrew, I just posted a comment on your article about Pajero which I totally agree. The you talked about a Land Rover and again what you said is spot on. While working in the middle East 17 years ago, I bought - what I thought was a bargain - a 2 year old Land rover discovery series 1 from an expat who serviced the car at the dealer which at that time only had 28,000 km. 6 months after that every time I reversed I could hear a clunk. It misfired after 33,000 km and a service at the dealer cost me $250. Then one day the AC stopped blowing cold air. One winter morning I drove it from Dubai to Oman (abut 450 km) at a steady speed of 110 km/h with a/c off. The best I could manage was 4.8 km/l. Likewise returning to Dubai I checked the consumption and i was almost identical. I sold it and bought a Durango, 5.9 lt. What a difference. Screw Land Rover.
As a Jeep owner (although of an old TJ model, not a JK) I admit you are right. Jeeps aren't great for overlanding (at least by your definition). I love my jeep, and would never sell it, but they just don't have enough space, and if you strap on a bunch of stuff you end up overloading it. I've seen some great setups with a trailer so that avoids overweight issues though. To me however, jeeps are great 3 day/weekend vehicle, but carrying supplies for more than that will get you in trouble.
agreed - and for probably 90% of the offroading population 3 or 4 days is what we get, maybe a week over the holidays, then the rest of the time its a 5 hour trail on a weekend. This is where the Jeep is great. Horses for courses.
My son's 2008 Hilux 2.8 turbo diesel is a geo wireline exploration vehicle carrying 1.1 ton every day on corrugated roads, through large rocky properties, open cut mine basins and thousands of kilometers on highway over the last 2 years. It had 350k on the clock when I started building it up. We lifted it 2in to a rating to carry 1600kg. The old 450k gearbox , 450k rear axle bearings and the old ? injectors are the only things that have needed to be replaced in the 2 years. We plan to replace the rear bearings every 2 years.
Disappointed there was no discussion of the MB W460/461 (forget the W463). Given that they are now the vehicle of choice of the Australian Defence Force and the W461 is being sold in Australia, I was looking forward to hearing your views on this genuine old school 4x4 (W461 spec - virtually no electronics, solid axles front and rear, lockers all round, great GVM, well engineered).
you dont have to spend a bomb can be done with rim's, I am surprised no one has come up with a new set of axle tubes to sweet into the housing and axle's for them but
N Noddy A agree with you there, the G Wagen is all mechanical, and very solid vehicles, but you do have to pay for it! in my country, Norway, they are HUGELY EXPENSIVE!!!! from back of my head....., around 3 x the price of a Landcruiser 150!!!
given that a G350 D is about 90 grand USD and a v8 powered 78 GXL is about 50 grand USD...I think the TruTracker conversion price looses its sting a little.
I work in the Australian defence force mate, short and simple; the motor pool mechanics can't even keep the G's on the road. Our 40 year old Isuzu powered rovers run rings around them
Hi Andrew, my first 4x4 was a Discovery 1 V8 at age 23, It was a very good 4x4 but very high maintenance , had that for 3 years, switched to a Jeep GC 4.7 V8 which was in my opinion a bit better then the Discovery in power but off road the same but diffrent driving styles. I changed the Jeep after 2 years for a 3.5 V6 Triton 4x4, which was as ugly as a long drop toilet in the bush but a amazing bakkie. I now have a Toyota Fortuner V6 2x4 manual which I am so proud of, have it now for almost 4 years and never even thought of tradeing it. But I will say this, my next 4x4 will be a Toyota, Probably a Cruiser.
I have subscribed and have watched a lot of your video's now and have to say you know your stuff, I have Owned a LOT of 4x4s , of all makes, 5 Nissan Patrols, 1 80 series 1 FJ40 , 2 Discos 1 Rangie , 1 Pajero (hated it) and 3 Jeep Cherokees (Loved them) All of them saw everything from Hard Core Comps to easy cruising, extreme Mods to no Mods. I'm now looking to build an Overland vehicle and have been leaning toward a Big Overland Truck. Watching your Video's has opened my mind to smaller vehicles so thanks very much for the insight you have and I will have to see where I go from here. Keep doing this it is so helpful to all. Cheers Leon. (NZ)
In the bush, the Isuzu dmax is used as an alternative to the Toyota, yes should have been mentioned if we're talking about reliability. These vehicles get over 500k if they're looked after.
I live in the States and happily have to be happy with my 4Runner. It’s a supremely reliable little car and I’m considering keeping it for a long time. It currently has 185,000 km on the clock but those are almost totally US highway kms. When the engine begins to use oil, I may simply have D4D 2.8L (with of course a new transmission) installed and keep driving it. It’s garage kept and pretty pristine. I’ve considered diesel trucks but cannot justify the expense for my use. Since I’m a widower, what ever I have is my daily driver. I cannot justify two vehicles. Thus Toyota is my pick. Not fanboy but realistic.
Too bad the Jeep Wrangler JL Diesel engine isn't going to arrive in the USA until 2019, the Raptor is still amazing. I'd love to see you build a Jeep in North America, I'm still building out my Wrangler after learning so much from you. Maybe I can invite you to go on an expedition to Yukon or North West Territories one day.
My friend you are not loosing anything. The wrangler diesel will be a bi-turbo fiat diesel 2.0 liters. If you know Jeep probably are aware they can’t do a good diesel and this new sounds just as problems and disappointment. Keep your gas engine and enjoy. Anyway need to clear I prefer a Fj 40 or 70 series over any Jeep but highly respect the others preferences. Keep working in your passion!!
Totally agree with your statements sir. For me my 4x4 of choice is a Toyota Tacoma. I did have one Tundra but its fuel consumption was not that good. I've put a mix of ARB springs and Bilstein shocks on my Tacoma to lift it about 2.5" and tall skinny tires 255 85 R16. That combination is extremely nimble, plenty of ground clearance and had little affect on my fuel mileage. I really dont like how manny USA vehicles use electronic controls for our gear boxes, I really am debating on retrofitting a FJ Cruiser transfer case in my tacoma so I can have twin sticks. Anyway...I've traveled to Europe, Africa, South America...and the old run down vehicles I see being used day in and out are what? Toyotas.
Very well said. My heart says Land Rover (currently a Disco 3) , my brain say Toyota, something inside says G _ Wagen & fantasy says Ford Raptor. My name is Nick & I am a Land Rover aholic.
Excellent opinion video. I own a second hand 99 Patrol, 10 years of ownership, lots of broken things, overheats from time to time and the crank pulley bolt came loose twice, but it takes me everywhere :D :D
Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9l V8 ? Bang for your buck (second hand) and that Hemi V8 is classic motor. Has any one converted that for over landing. Would have to replace rear axles with Dana 44 if going hard core but I think could be a great vehicle.
My first 4wd experience was in a kia sportage , it was pretty bad. Did some research and found a 2001 pajero exceed petrol that played very well. Didnt have to be fast or beefy, just persistent and stable. With the right advice and experience, its alot of fun.
Interesting to me that in the U.S. The manual transmission is becoming nearly non-existent. Toyota Tacoma it's available, but it's cousin the 4Runner it hasn't been since 2003. It really is disappointing. I have always preferred the manual. Many of the people I work with don't even know how to drive one. I jokingly tell the story about teaching my wife to drive an automatic as she had only driven a manual. (A humorous story). Now we only own auto gearboxes simply due to availability here in the U.S. We just feel neutered. - thanks for all your videos!
It seems to be an effort to chase the ever stricter fuel economy requirements. Auto boxes are becoming more efficient with the 7-10 speed versions. It's humorous (in a bad way really) to hear them hunt for the proper gear with all those options! Don't even get me started about the CVT auto boxes! Progress, I suppose :/
My son and daughter learned to drive a manual in my 1981 4WD Toyota truck. It had the R22 petrol motor. I miss that truck, it would go anywhere. The later model JK auto transmissions all have the manual option when you need more control. The possibility of damage and heat are the downsides. Jeep has started putting oil coolers on the later models.
That’s because here in the US, people still want to be able to text, drive and drink their latte at the same time. I drove a six speed manual in Europe, for many years while stationed there. And have ridden motorcycles since I was 9. So I don’t have a dog in this fight.
After having driven a Feroza for 30000km to and back Mongolia I was very impressed by how much this little thing could take and do. It never suffered major break downs and was even able to tackle 3000km of corrugated roads and tracks with destroyed engine mounts. It tackled every obstacle we threw at it and survived so much compared to over vehicles we drove with (Defender, Forester...) Since that thing costed 900eur I am still admiring Daihatsu for this design.
👍👍👍, need I say more - Andrew this is what it's about no matter the vehicle or the upgrades / Standard it's about getting out there to enjoy mother nature at its best, No matter which part of the world you're from or where you plan to travel it's all about life. As I once heard - Life is a journey, not the destination. Enjoy the ride.
Regarding jeep JKs, if it is going to used for over-landing, the entire front axel assembly is too light, not just the unit bearings. If the stock Dana 44 is going to be used it should be gusseted and sleeved. That still leaves the axels, ball joints and bearings all undersized. A set of Dana 60s is better a solution for for a heavyweight over-landing JK.
it really is shocking how light weight even the uprated axles are on the JK, especially for what people throw at them for tires and suspension, etc. No floater on the rear? What year is this? Sadly it doesn't look like the JL is going to be much different. The cost of low cost I suppose.
@Patrick O'Day - Interesting. I'm not really familiar with what needs to be upgraded on a new Jeep to make it off road worthy, so this is interesting to hear. thx sir!
20 years ago the cheapest 6 cylinder wrangler you could buy was $25,500 in inflation adjusted dollars and it was a lot less vehicle than the one you can buy for $23,999 today. Rose colored glasses.
Hi Andrew, thanks for the video, truly appreciated. Throughout my life I've had the pleasure of owning a Land Rover Series 3 (had it for 12 years and love it, even though it could never hold 3rd gear under compression), a Suzuki Samurai (stock, incredible off roader, but terrible on your kidneys), a Jeep Cherokee (lovely ride, when it was running), and now have a Toyota (may not be the best in any one category, it does well in all, but most importantly it never, ever breaks down :) and that is my two cents
I don't really get your beef with the Pajero(Montero). I've owned an FJ60, Range Rover Classic, Discovery 1 and handled quite a few other trucks and I'd take my 2005 Montero over them all.
I sure am glad I found you. I think your critique is tough but fair. I used to work for Land Rover/Jaguar in Texas and I found out that the Disco was the biggest piece of junk I’ve ever seen! A brand new vehicle should not come off the truck with oil leaks or electrical issues at 30k. I moved to Ecuador last year and bought a 2005 90 Series Prado. What an awesome vehicle, unfortunately the previous owner didn’t take care of it. I ended up getting the issues fixed but at great cost since parts are expensive here. I’ve been in the car industry for 18 years and have seen it all. In the end your right, it comes down to preference. I prefer Toyota because of its reliability. I probably won’t buy anything else. And I’ve owned a variety of vehicles. Thank you for gettin me into Overlanding. Ive been converted from fast cars to 4wd and again probably won’t change into anything else.
My first was a Landy, ||A, 1967. Go away one weekend, fix it the next. Still had fun. Then I got my first Cruiser. I like Tojos for their reliability. Owned 4WD and station wagon cars. Neighbour is a panelbeater, same age as me, 64, he would agree with you assessments regarding the makes you mention. He sees them all up close.
This bloke needs more bloody subscribers. All his content is fantastic.
Yeah, baby!!
How true
i'm in!
ubernoob103 agreed
ubernoob103 most definitely! Very knowledgeable and a wealth of experience in the 4wd game.
The "Sir David Attenborough" of overlanding. The Ray Mears of 4x4s. Great job as always
There's a slight resemblance to Sir David...
Every night I pull up in a new camp spot & when I get home from a trip I give my Patrol GU a little pat on the dash in thanks for the adventure. There will always be a 'better' vehicle, & one day I'm sure I'll upgrade to whatever I feel that may be, but for now I own this one & despite the imperfections I'm very well aware of, it's currently the best vehicle for me & my adventures & I think it's awesome.
Good follow up Andrew, & if anyone gives a 'thumbs down' they've missed the point completely.
x2
Owned a 1999 Patrol. Almost got choked up trying to explain to a salesman what a Patrol is when looking at new U.S. Armada last year in the States.
Very happy with 4.2 TD
I pat my land rover discovery dash every 5km.. 'please just let me get there and back'... Only failed 2 out of 3 times so far.. Had to rewire a burnt loom between charleville and roma. Blew the desiel hose and blew the headgasket out past chillagoe.. But you know what, I love it.. I am currently rebuilding and wiring the electrics to fix the gremlins.. Aim to make it at least 60% unreliable instead of the 75%. ha ha..
GAJ well said.
This is some of the best content on youtube. I couldn't imagine watching any other youtuber talk into a camera for 36 minutes straight and still be genuinely interested/disappointed that it's over.
"Just get one and get out there!" The best advice!
Not everyone can afford a dedicated car for overlanding especially if you are starting with this lifestyle. For me in Southern Africa and with a small family a bakkie/pick up is the best option. Reliability and availability of spares throughout the continent is very high on the list. Nothing beats a Toyota in my part of Africa. The Hilux is reasonable comfortable for 4 people and can be used as a daily driver. With a good canopy you can convert it to be an excellent overland vehicle for weekenders. My Hilux is not set up for rock crawling but for long distance driving to remote areas where a 4x4 is required. It has not failed me yet.
Golden words, and some. You are an absolute treasure to the 4x4 and overland community and thank you for all your advice.
you are a wealth of knowledge and i'm glad you share it with everyone. thank you, sir.
I really love the sentiment at the end of the video. I've spent quite some time riding bikes around the globe, and whenever people would ask what bike they should take to ride to Argentina/Africa/Mongolia etc. the answer was your current one. People seem to get so caught up in what vehicle they have, and this vehicle being better than that, and getting this piece of gear etc. At the end of the day, you are going to work out what you need to travel, and what you don't... and what type of vehicle you want to do it in.
Reliability can be important, but some of the people I've seen having the most fun on bikes were some drunk Norwegians riding 1930's Nimbus bikes through the deserts of South America. Every village they went to they had to find the local welder and machinist to custom make parts to get their bikes to the next village - perhaps not everyones idea of a perfect holiday, but for them it was. Yours will no doubt be different, but you first need to discover how different you would like it to be.
I‘m happy that the Nissan X-Trail was part of the video. I‘m planning to get one of the 2nd gen. Cheapest „reliable“ and logic decision to get started in Germany. Light offroad, snow, towing, canoe on the roof and camping (sleeping in the car) are my goals/needs.
The Toyota 80 series is the all time best 4wd you can ever own !! 40th anniversary edition diesel 😘
Obviously!!!
You are not wrong
Great review! To add, we have two cars in the family, 1) Land Rover Discovery 2, V8 2001 and 2) Nissan Trail, 2007, 2.5 Petrol. Both cars just done over 100,000km's. Both cars regularly serviced.
Both cars have been in the family 9 years. Here is what we have experienced down here in Australia.
1) Land Rover - Never broken down or left me stranded. Lot's of 'preventative' maintenance. When i bough the car it required quite a few new engine gaskets to make it dry underneath.
Air Suspension - Compressor and Air Bags replaced - Tired and leaking in 2012. No faults since. Apparently quite normal for them to just last 8-10 years.
Top Hose, Bottom Hose ,Thermostat, and Radiator Flush, after coolant leaks. 2009
Valley Gasket and Rocker Cover gaskets replaced 2009 -
Timing Cover Gasket and Front Crank Oil seal replaced. Had to replace Sump Gasket as part of this. 2009
Put on a new Water-pump when then the Timing Cover was off, again prevention due to age.
Brake Fluid Reservoir and Cylinder replaced due to leaking o-ring. 2012
Washer Jet nozzle snapped as it was brittle.
New Key Fob as the buttons worn through.
Front indicator lens unit, old one the rubber seal dried up and filled with water.
Front prop-shaft swapped out for a serviceable cardon joint. Old shaft was OK but I wanted to avoid this joint going due to it's age etc. I've heard that they go and take the transfer case with it. Heard to many stories of them going at 10 years! or over 100k, so panic and replaced...
Headlining replacement - Very normal
Usual consumables, brakes, tyres, battery as and when required.
After the initial issues above, not one thing has gone wrong with the car in the past 5 years. It's used everyday and drives like a dream. It's very very capable off-road and completed some tough tracks. Excellent 7 seater to ferry everyone around. The build quality is good and feels solid. Age is against her as the rubbers and plastics are getting quite brittle at they are now 17 years old and spend a lot of time in Aussie sunshine. Zero rust on the car. No electrical issues, everything works. Most of the parts were imported from the UK Genuine and Aftermarket, so what has been replaced has been cheap. Some DIY some at garage. Overall love the car and want to keep it going as long as possible.
2) Nissan X-Trail, 2007 Extreme ST. 2.5 petrol.
Air Conditioning interior fan motor replaced under Warranty 2009
2 Window switches replaced
Rear tailgate motor/lock assembly replaced
Developed a coolant leak very hard to trace, uses 500mm every 8-10 months.
New exhaust (rusty due to beach driving)
Number '2' setting on the interior fan stopped working. Living with it but will replace.
CV Boot replaced
Rear wheel bearing replaced
Interior seats replaced. Drivers seat foam collapsed and we're not big people. Cloth interior did not wear well, so we found a donor car at a wreckers and swapped out for a leather set of seats. Much better build.
Usual consumables, brakes, tyres, battery as and when required.
Overall this car so far has been brilliant, the interior does feel quite cheap with the plastics and seats not built to last. Not as solid as the Land Rover when it comes to interior and fittings. Off-road its very light and capable. However, on rough tracks is squeaks and rattles terrible compare to the Land Rover.
Drives more like a car and economical and rear seating is far more comfortable than the Disco, which has very upright seating and like a defender you have to lean forward to see out the window.
On long trips we prefer to take the X-Trail - Fuel, Comfort and less chance of any mechanical issues. Disco is quite old now so would not really chance it somewhere to remote.
If we did start to overland and drive more remote down here, i'd be tempted to a Nissan Patrol. I've driven them as well as Toyota Land Cruisers and the Patrol in my experience on and off-road would be my choice of vehicle.
harry walker sealed were stock for these cars. Only designed to clear the warranty or 100,000k. Typical of the motor industry
ANDREW YOU ARE THE BEST,educate us man,great video,great speech!
You deserve a million thumbs up for the first 60 seconds of the video alone, let alone the whole video! Thank you, Andrew.
I drive a 141 Skoda Yeti 4x4 and I love it. It has gone everywhere I have asked it to go. And yes I admire it, I even photograph it. It's my Betty the Yeti.
I m very upset by seeing thumbs down sign on video's. No man can better tell you the truth than this. Always respect his life time experience and finest advice. I m a mechanical engineer and know he tells you truth.
Andrew St Pierre White, your concluding remarks on this video are so incredibly perfect. Thank you!
Hi ANDREW, I really enjoyed your comments. I condemn LRs whether old or modern. Living in Ethiopia 74 - 76, I had a Russian jeep GAZ 90 - utterly reliable + many clever features, (e.g. believe it or not, a very useful crank handle starter) too many to put here. The LRs in e.g. the Danakil Desert used to break leaf springs and half axles + loads of other problems. I had a half-page article published in the Motoring Guardian comparing my GAZ to the Defenders. British Leyland were upset, but a Brit. army officer who'd tried one of the 1st LRS had made exactly the same complaints 20 years earlier !!! My GAZ ended up in the hands of Eritrean guerrillas, as I was taken hostage for 5 "long" months. Now I'm in Rio. had an X-Trail (great apart from breakdowns due to annoying sensors) till recently, and now have a Toyota Hilux SW4, my dream vehicle !
Sorry, Andrew. It was a Gaz 69, not a 90.
Hi Andrew
In the US I have driven a Ford F250 4x4 for work I do a lot of off road driving. The truck is quit heavy with the tools and equipment that I must carry. Over the last 20 years I have had good luck with them. I do keep my truck serviced because it can be miles across thd Arizona desert to get help. Not quit like Canning Stock.
For a personal vehicle I love to be able to get a 79 turbo diesel. I like those trucks.
Looking forward to seeing you and Kate again next year at Expo West.
I don't think I have ever... EVER!... before watched a video on TH-cam (or anywhere else) where it was purely conversation from a single individual (give or take a photo or two) and "hung on every word"! Brilliant comments; absolutely believeable, credible, and understandable. I couldn't help but think of the great Sir Anthony Hopkins; except that this guy was discussing my favorite subject with passion and professionalism. (I have noticed before that it's difficult to get both in the same presentation.) I shall follow onward, Overland. To be continued...
I own a defender that did not leak oil, I ended up drilling a small hole in the sump, just so I could say it leaks oil....Andrew is right about Land Rovers.....Luckily I can work on mine as I am mechanic....love hate relationship.....It was still cheaper than a Toyota at the time when they Defenders were still in production, around $30K.
Rob Pinter I want one at one point. Hopefully they don’t shit on the defender name by making it into another generic suv.
Hi Andrew, love your presentations. Have quite a history in 4WD and Land Rovers (first car I drove, 88 inch Series IIA). On your air suspension gripes, you have a big friend, I have converted a 94 RR Classic to coils (had to do in Colorado, 2,000 km from home!) and I just converted a my 2008 Discovery 3 (LR3 in the US) to coils....using the Atlantic British Ltd., HD OME kit.... On durability, my 87 RRC drove many 5,000 kms round trips to the Rocky Mountains, loaded with autosamplers, fluorometers, climbing gear (obviously) etc etc. gear, working (am a geologist) up to 13,000 ft on very rough mining roads hammering me and the car. It came home no problems every time. (The 94 RRC Air Suspension fiasco happened on flat ground in a great little town called Creede). I also have a '95 Discovery 1 with a manual gearbox....
Nice video! I watched all of it.
My body says = Land Rover (comfort)
My brain says = Toyota (budget)
My soul says = Jeep (history)
I’m a US military guy with extensive experience driving Hummers in the Middle East, Africa and Northern Canada. I currently inherited a family owned Land Rover Discovery 2, and I can honestly say that you are absolutely right. It has turned me into a mechanic. Because of its reliability issues and parts constantly breaking down, mostly because of age, I have gotten to know my Land Rover inside and out. This will prove mostly beneficial out on the trail, for the purpose of self recovery, although it’s time consuming. But I do find that parts are, as you say, easy and plentiful to come by. And I do save money by doing most of the work myself. So in that sense, it has become sort of fun and educational.
Going on to Jeep. I find that Chrysler’s partnership with Fiat has hurt Jeep in quality and reliability. In fact, many Chrysler/Fiat products are made in Mexico, which is notorious for poor quality control.
About Toyota. They are reliable. And that’s part of the problem for me. They just seem to lack character. At least for me that is. Out here in California, I see Toyota’s everywhere. And I do mean everywhere. From the infamous Toyota Prius, to the indestructible Toyota Corolla and Camry, to their dime a dozen pickup trucks. They are everywhere. I guess I just want something unique. Something not everyone else has. I’d hate to think of a monolithic world where everything looked the same, food tastes the same and environment was free of challenges.
Anyway. That’s my opinion. And thank you for another great video.
Joe
You cant hurt Chrysler's reliability. It was always low, not Mexicans fault. And they (Chrysler) made cars in Mexico before FIAT, just like GM, Volkswagen, PSG, Mercedes Benz, Nissan, Renault and others, except for Jeep. Those are made in the USA
I grew up obsessed by Land Rover. Nothing would change my mind. Not even my cousin who grew up in Africa and was obsessed by LandCruiser. Then I saw his LandCruiser, super high mileage with a 1HZ engine that sounded brand new. I looked over how all the bits were screwed together, how they put a little hand pump on top of the diesel filter so you don't flatten you battery after you have run out of fuel and added some more.
I now own a 76 LandCruiser and love it.
We choose our friends carefully, trust plays a huge part in that. Trust plays a huge part about how we feel about a vehicle. The old Land Rovers we trusted but then the marketing people took over at Land Rover. Now they don't even make a Defender? The vehicle that started it all, the vehicle the brand was built on. Yes, yes the replacement is coming in a couple of years. I have heard that statement since about 2002, the new Defender will be arriving in 2004. No trust left.
I think the final straw was when Ford owned them and put the engine from the Transit van in it. 1HZ or transit van engine, I am going to drive into the bush, which one should I choose?
What will be interesting will be the Americans supplying the Afghan Army and security forces with Ford 4x4. I wonder how many will be left in five years time.
Enjoy the channel
For land Rover not having a Defender is absolutely unforgivable - I just cannot fathom their reasoning! I am not a fan but I have huge respect for Defenders and (most of) their owners; the 110 still THE overlanding vehicle of choice, provided you are prepared to work on it yourself.
"I think Ford sells them the rejects" hahahahahaha
Brutal and I am a Ford guy.
My favourite quote relating to this subject is by James May. He said something like: If you want to drive into the backcountry you drive a Land Rover; if you want to drive out of the backcountry you drive a Land cruiser.
"Get something and get out there" What a great line :)
Again though, thank you for taking the time to talk specifics with your trademark honesty. Notes:
Air suspension - yeah, I just replaced the rear air springs on my gx470 and while they are great for my needs, I certainly would have done a coil conversion if I was planning on using it like my 80. Its one of those things that works good in a 95/5 environment, 95 city 5 percent not.
200 series - sadly no one is buying 200 here in the US for overland duty on account of their fully loaded status only, here they are stealth wealth machines that, as is typical of many overland vehicles in the US, have their 2nd and 3rd owners that are using them as intended. They can still dance though, the #8155 canguro racing 200 just finished the baja 1000 and in great time too in the stock full class.
Tacoma - yes they are more tuned for a lighter duty loading, their payloads as an example are much lower than a hilux, but they generally are considered extremely durable even used off road. 200,000 miles is expected.
Navara D40 (Frontier) - Frankly has been a surprise for me, they aren't as good off road as others but man what a bargain, and its been a durable and reliable vehicle for our traveling group. It may not work for long duration travel or less developed country but in the US Its been a very good bargain here that works shockingly well.
Jeep - oh man Jeep. There is no better off-roader in the US (or anywhere) for the money but people don't realize how cheaply made Jeeps are. Its not a shock though, right? I mean a V6 dual solid axle 4x4 starting at $24,000 US? Jeep buyers...what do you expect for your money? Crazy resale for some reason too, its not like they are rare or anything.
Raptor - have you heard something about a 3.0 diesel Raptor? Because this is literally the first time I've even heard that rumored. Interesting if true. Yes to the F150, but I hadn't heard about the raptor. As for the F150 being too big? it is. It really is too big for many trails in the US, its too wide.
As for brand loyalty? Totally agree. Anyone thats being doing this for a while knows that brand loyalties are garbage.
Love and respect from all the 4x4 lovers from Pakistan
thank you!
5 years later and this knowledge is still useful to me. Thanks so much
I’d personal go with the Ford F-250 mate if it’s a possibility.
I have one completely set up here in Australia for overland and it’s a beautiful heavy duty truck. It’s build quality is just an over sized land cruiser.
Really worth a look I think for your American trip and there size shrinks around you after a short period of owning one.
I could never go back to a small mid size truck now, I love the F250.
Cheers
Agreed the f250 and f150 are completely different animals, solid front axel, massive transfer case and frame, and just a super solid feeling.
Brilliant discussion .... you had me glued to my screen the whole time. So much truth in what you say.
I've also owned and driven a several 4wd vehicles and can relate to the issues discussed, particularly with owning a fringe vehicle. Popular vehicles are just so much easier to get sorted for getting off the beaten track.
Keep up the great work. I really enjoy watching your videos.
I have a 2007 Nissan Frontier in the U.S. with over 200,000 miles on it. I've found it to be the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned in the last 45 years and I've owned many brands. I liked is so much I just purchased a 2013 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X with 36,000 miles on it. I plan to begin my light overlanding adventures with this vehicle soon. Hopefully, I will experience the same low maintenance and longevity with the Xterra as I did with my Frontier.
Koka Doka not with a 2013 you’re not. That’s a Renault suv you got there lol
This was a nice Sunday morning listen. So Andrew, you moved to Australia. I moved from Australia to Africa ! Mind you i did this 20 years ago. I have about 900,000 Klms driving in Africa in all conditions, about 450,000 Klms with a 6m trailer behind me. Much of what you say here is so so true !
Im Indonesian.
I'll buy 2002 Toyota Landcruiser VX100 With Std type.
There is coil spring (cheap maintenance),
Strong Engine, Coolbox, Sunroof, Difflock, etc..
The most important is, Fun n Save to drive.
Im fairly sure the fact that you have 2.2k likes and only 60 dislikes proves the fact that your spot on with you advice and knowledge
For the most part I agree with your comments about vehicles being suitable for 4x4 touring and get where you're coming from. But, I also think everyone who criticises a vehicle has to realise that most 'new' 4wd's were never built with the idea of long 4wd touring trips because put simply the market is 'tiny' and there's no profit to be had in building those kinds of vehicles anymore. It's probably why Land Rover left the market completely and the same with Nissan.
So the idea of having a brand new 4wd (like a 70 series) with solid axles, uncomplicated engines (mostly), electronics and the rest available is dying out and is probably only available because said car company doesn't want to invest the money in updating and modernising their cars.
Toyota is the last manufacturer hanging in, but you can see their cost cutting everywhere in the 70 series everywhere such as being too 'cheap' to widen the rear track (completely inexcusable and shoddy engineering if you ask me).
No point really to be made or question but I give it 10-15 years before the idea of buying a perfect 4wd touring platform is gone.
The fact that you have to replace the entire rear axle shows it's already gone.
Toyota don't make the 70 series for overland tourers- Their main market are miners and agribusiness. These things are made to run and operate in enviroments for years which kill other cars in weeks and months. If you go to any remote place in Australia Toyota is the only brand you'll see getting around (and the odd Patrol- Pre ZD30 usually).
If I was building an overland rig in the USA .. I would probably use a Jeep chassis, because the aftermarket for Jeep is HUGE !!
In Australia I would probably go for a Landcruiser, because even the small backwater repair shops, know how to work on them.
In Japan I would probably spring for a Suzuki Jiminy, because it small and nimble, and can even park in the congested cities!
Get the car that is most popular in the area you want to go overlanding in, and you will most likely come across someone who knows how to fix your problem.
Didn't even mentioned the Jimny... That's cold Andrew... I feel sad now. hahaha
Awesome video ! So much truth and sincerity... Mentioning brands and models BY NAME, and not "Oh that brand, you guys know". Awesome. Thanks Andrew !
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
very well said , very wise... there is nothing in life like an old man, who has a life time of experience in a specific field ... who is wise, open-minded and also has a good sense of humor! Pure gold !!! thank you for all the videos, the advice and the wisdom.
Andrew would be interested to see your thoughts on weight after a build. I see too many Patrols, Cruisers and Hiluxs in Oz loaded with every accessory in the ARB catalogue and can't help to think about the loss of braking, economy, performance and even off-road ability from stock.
Hi Andrew, I am a small business owner in the mining industry and we have always run Hilux utes for our team of mechanics. We run 6 utes in total including me. All were Twin cab SR5,s. In general we maintain our vehicles as per the manufactures service guidelines with the only exception being that we change engine oil every 5,000 km’s. We replace our Toyota’s at 500,000 kms and for the most part we have only ever done normal wear an tear repairs that you would expect form vehicles that are loaded with tools and parts and spend a major part of their life of road. In 2014 when my Ute was up for replacement I was sweet talk into buying a new ford wildtrac, which on the surface ticked all the boxes and in some instances more than the Hilux. At 180,000 kms I had to replace the after cooler, at 210,000 km,s the engine had to be rebuilt and the final straw was when at 215,000 kms the transmission failed. STICK WITH TOYOTA LOOK AT COST OF LIFE AND RELIABILITY. Thanks for your vids and info 👍
I agree whole heartedly with your opinion of the Toyotas being built for their environment vs the light duty Fords. I was a light vehicle mechanic for years on a Iron Ore mine site in WA, and we ran a fleet of Ford Rangers and Toyota 70 series. The Fords weren't suited for the environment. Constant failures in nearly every major component in the driveline and suspension. I have a pic on my phone of a pallet load of dead Ranger engines, and right next to it, a pallet of dead auto transmissions. Toyotas on the other hand, needed regular maintenance, yet no constant failures. Far better suited for the harsh environment. Hence the reason all the mechanics in the shop owned Toyotas.
WORD !
I note no mention of the Mazda B2500 turbo 5 speed 2003 dual cab. I bought as a 10year old... Glycol coolant, regular filter & oil changes etc and timing belt every 100000km, has performed very robustly - previous owner had big fat tyres which wear very well, it also seems to have been "raised some", slides readily on wet leaves/spilled diesel on bitumen but is magic on dust & gravel. A little thirsty when pushed, but less than 2800~3000rpm in 5th gear (overdrive?) is quite frugal at 10litres/100km on unsealed roads. I agree with you on the old FJ? landcruisers, unstoppable and reliable.
As an owner of a leaky Land Rover D2 I
Tinker is the D2 TD5 better than D1 4cyl?
We all need to get Andrew more subs. He has some of the best knowledge and delivers it in an entertaining way, with charisma, humour and passion ! I have learned so much these past few weeks looking at his past catalogue, so much so, it was worth the Patreon pledge. Keep up the great work Andrew.
Love my Nissan Patrol GR 2.8
Andrew,
Your point of view for the most part parallels mine.
My very first "Real" off road truck was a 1977 Toyota FJ40. I found it on a dealer lot in Lincoln Nebraska in 1979. This vehicle truly changed my life.
I had absolutly no idea of what this machine was capable of. It looked kinda like a Jeep, but different in so many ways.
Since that 1st Toyota, I have owned so many different makes and models. And my experiences over 40 years with all these different manufacturers, driving thousands of off pavement miles do give me insight on what works and what doesn't.
4 Toyotas, 2 Land Cruisers, FJ Cruiser, 4Runner
6 Land Rovers, 2 Defenders, Discovery, LR3, Range Rover, Series IIa
2 Jeeps, TJ Unlimited Rubicon , JK Rubicon
Isuzu, Trooper
Numerous Pickup trucks, Dodges and Fords
I think your thoughts on what makes a good backcountry truck are spot on.
All my vehicles were kitted for self reliance in the back country, and living in the South West US we have thousands of miles of great track to explore.
I found your closing thoughts poignant, Yes sir,, I really loved my Land Rovers for so many reasons. The places they took me. The memories I made with them. But you hit the nail on the head when mentioning the unreliability of air suspension. As fantastic as Land Rovers are, I've seen this failure many times on several different models. My coil sprung Rovers were some of the best handling trucks when rough ground needed to be traversed quickly.
I also remember the pure elation of driving home that very first Toyota Land Cruiser that changed my life. It started a passion that soon became a way of life.
Every truck I've built has made me smile, and all of them have provided wonderful experiences to destinations not accessible to standard 2 wheel drive vehicles.
And I hope soon to acquire a late model Land Cruiser 200. And yet another build project begins........
Keep up the good work Andrew. Your Videos are a hoot to view.
Cheers
Finally I found a professional honest channel!!!
Not these crazy pimping show off people.
Thanks a lot for your work and I agree with all the others, you should have 10 times more subscribers. Cheers.
The Toyota off roads so good, when I bought an old Jeep Cherokee, and kept getting stuck. I found your channel to learn how to drive the piece of junk. Sold it and was happy to keep my 4runner. Thank you for teaching me to off road better!
Your final comment exactly sums up my Nissan Patrol - never let me down through the Simpson, Telegraph track and Fraser Island (6 times) over 11 years of hard driving. Have pulled Cruisers and Land Rovers out and seen brand new 200 series Cruisers with blown up turbos and g/boxes. Theres good and bad in all. Sometimes just have to be lucky (or careful). Hamba gahle - love your videos.
In response to the "Nissan Navara Comment" I drive the D40 Nissan Navara. I can't speak for a person who does constant over landing (i.e. Surveyor or Andrew White) as it may not be the best vehicle for that purpose, but being a weekend warrior 4-5 weekend trips with 1 big trip per year - it is an awesome vehicle. Mine is practically stock with all terrain tires, radio, recovery points, battery and fridge - it has held up very well. At the time I purchased it for $36k in comparison to the equivalent Hilux at $50k and 170,000km later, it is running as beautiful as ever - 'touch wood'. I've gone through all the main touristy tracks in the Victorian High Country (Zeka Spur, Blue Rag, Billy Goats, Crooked River), had no issues at Fraser or Moreton and no problems with local tracks either - lets say it will tackle any track a stock Hilux can and in one circumstance a stock 200 series. Yes it has some short comings and is probably not as engineered, comfortable or reputable as a Hilux but being on a budget and not wanting to purchase a Lada, Greatwall or Ssangyong, I will probably never consider a Hilux even if I had the money next time. If I went on to become a full time over lander or a surveyor maybe I would, but not as a hobbyist. That is $15k I can save or spend on more modifications.
Up on the east coast, to Cape York etc, it isn't Toyota's so much, but Nissan Patrols, the older models. You see more of them than any other SUVs (Ute's not included).
I wish they had patrols state-side. I've got an Xterra it's the best we can get here- locking rear solid axle, and such.
The one nice thing about the Xterra is that you can long-travel the front end with stock Titan parts, making it an overland-friendly long-travel suspension (you can find the parts readily at auto parts stores, unlike a toyota long-travel suspension which you need to special order parts from the long-travel manufacturer). It's the only overland friendly long-travel suspension I know about.
This is the video I've been wanting you to make for awhile. Answered a lot of questions I've been thinking about. Thanks Andrew.
I own an X-Trail, I was not expecting to hear them mentioned in any capacity in this video haha
cjeam he doesn’t really like Nissan’s, in my opinion I think he hasn’t spent enough time in them, I remember him bashing on the navara, yeah there’s been owners that have had shit ones because they don’t take care of them or know how to fix them but mate I’ve taken my nav to so many places, twin locked 3 inch lift on 33’s manual and it’s never let me down, it’s kept up with cruisers and patrols and it has the “shit yd25” engine too haha I’ve over loaded the absolute shit out of it, had 550 bricks in the back was waiting for the chassis to snap took it over bumps and everything and still didn’t budge lol. People just talk so much shit about different brands because they’ve heard another person from another person from another person has said theyre shit lol.
He says the navara is the worst built vehicle, but he hasn’t spent time in one... wtf!? He says they snap and break, DUDE ANY DUAL CAB CHASSIS CAN SNAP IF YOU OVER LOAD OR TOW THEM LOL search up Triton dual cab snapped, Hilux dual cab snapped, google will show you every photo of every dual cab snapped. I like ASPW and am a big fan of his but I highly disagree that he has a valid opinion when it comes to the navara since he hasn’t spent time in one. I’ve spent 8 years in one, never let me down, tow a 3 tonne bricklayers trailer every day only thing that’s gone on me is the clutch and that’s from my own driving, the utes never broken on me so I don’t know what he’s on about
@@r.mhaych5021 wow your personal experience with one car definitely puts the reliability and build quality issues for the whole model to bed. 👍
Thank you for an excellent talk,we have had Patrol GQ/Y60s in our family since 2000,now they span 3 generations,never had a failure due to poor build quality,only due to prior owners lack of maintenance, [another story]
I can remember how impressed you were by the 4x4 system in the WK Jeep grand cherokee when they came out.
I own a 89 land cruiser and drive it everywhere yes it's loud on the freeway the AC sometimes acts up but it's never ever left me behind and everything that needs fixing I could do it myself I ❤️ it
From a Nissan Patrol and Hilux owner: Nissan Patrol went down the gurgler when the dropped the TD42 and went to the 3 ltr diesel. What do you think of our Govt buying G wagons for Defence parks/ DELP CFA etc and dropping Landrover 110 and Toyota landcruisers. The only choice new now is a V8 cruiser.
Glenn Weltner I think Nissan in general went down abit in build quality when they merged with Renault.
I've pretty much settled on getting a lightly used 4Runner Trail since they're often overlooked between the SR5 and the TRD. I'd say some K02s, an OME kit or a stage 2 from Icon and a roof rack tent would do me for a while. I don't plan on doing anything worse than a shallow stream and some rough rocky trailheads or mountain passes.
I adore Land Rover and love the heritage of the marque. I have a soft spot for them although I have never owned one. The Brigadier from Dr Who drove a LR as did Les Hiddins and the Leyland Brothers. Ray Mears drives a LR too.
LR has great history. LR's are cool and have a pedigree which is second to none.
Her Majesty drives a LR so that's the ultimate endorsement of the brand. And for that matter so does the British Army also drive LR's.
I appreciate and respect Lada and their Niva because they are great off road and always start in minus 30c. They are tough and that counts. Wheel travel like an old range rover, brilliant. So ugly it's cool.
Then there's UAZ - Made in Russia. People are proud to own them and I see the value in that. It's respectable. They are made in the same town that Lenin was born in. I forget the name.
MB G wagons are great off road too. I used to drive one in the arctic. Reliable and strong. You feel invincible driving a G wagon.
And the Isuzu D Max and Mux are super reliable, strong and capable. After 40 years of LC ownership my father prefers the Mux. That's saying something..... They must be doing something right....
And we own a 1974 Nissan Patrol LWB cab chassis with 50000km on the clock from new - tough as old nails. Great farm truck. Nissan patrol was first to cross the SImpson desert. They deserve respect as does the first gear with no synchro.
Oh, and I have been fortunate to drive real HMMWV's from insane desert sands to bottomless boggy tropical jungles and this is also a platform worthy of praise although they are so unreliable and are only good at following tank tracks. I've never driven a more capable off road vehicle than a HMMWV.
There's lots of fun and love out there for other makes and models.
Each to their own and no butts. I'm not one eyed.
Ade Larsen Strangely until recently the Queens favourite vehicle was apparently a Jaguar X Type Estate, AWD version. And of course her Defender that Her Majesty has owned and driven for many years.
Ade Larsen when they sold out to ford is when they went downhill
@@ding174 a pedigree second to none???,.....lol!!!!,....jeep might not agree with that especially since the 1st landrover was a direct copy of the willys jeep which they took apart, studied, and then reproduced using alloy body panels as steel was in short supply in 1948, and strangely for the best part people love landrovers, i've had a series 3, a defender, 2 disco's, a range rover, and a free lander,......and i have to agree with andrew,...man, they spent so much time in the workshop being repaired it so was'nt funny!!!,...lol!!!
Stephen Campbell the models made by British Leland I think, were superior vehicles and used in the African bush a lot. Daktari! (Search for the tv series)
The HMMWVs are so bad that US army mechanics have nightmares working on them and can't even recommend them themselves..
22 year old Td5 defender owned since new had to replace resr gearbox oil seal last year. Do my own servicing to avoid idiot factor. Totally reliable. I have had work HJ 75 with transmission failure at 47k .
The inherent problem with the recent Raptor is the payload , at least for the gas engine one . Make your calculations , you will be surprised how little it can carry . That is why i got a AEV Prospector XL based on a Ram 3500 , no payload issues with that .
As is the case with a lot of those desert runners. Fast and loose suspension sure doesn't carry a load. Prospector XL is the biz though, nice choice.
Alain, you bring up a good point and that is my main gripe with the 4x4 culture in North America. There is a huge consumer demand for fast, powerful, 4x4's that can go off jumps. But such vehicles aren't well suited for what a lot of other 4x4 enthusiasts want to do. As you point out, the Raptor's payload is sorely lacking, it is actually wider than most 3/4 ton pickup's and it's fuel economy is subpar at best, making it less than ideal for certain types of offroading.
That said, with the recent revival of diesel engines in North American trucks and with aftermarket companies putting out dedicated overland builds (AEV's Prospector being a prime example), I do have hope that the market will start to cater to people who want more utilitarian offroad vehicles.
has your XL delivered yet? If so, how do you like it thus far? Im considering the regular prospector model... maybe the XL but more than likely the regular model.... AEV's work looks terrific.
You cant beat this truck , it pull like a bull , ride like on wings and is pretty thirsty for it's size , I have an extra 30 gallons of fuel in the back , totaling 85 gallons , have installed a 40 gallons water tank , ARE heavy duty canopy and all the goodies necessary for overlanding . You barely slow down in 20 inches hole. Cannot be any better . Im still left with about 2000 pounds of free payload .
great to hear. what region of the states (im assuming USA) are you in? I spend most of my trips in the western US so there is plenty of room for a full size. Curious how it would fair in other regions of the states. glad you hear you enjoy it.
What a brilliant video. I have driven Landys from a child and for 22 years in a previous outdoor career. I have owned 2 130 Defender with TD5 engines. Lots of issues with injectors and oil seeping into the ECU etc but they were the workhorses of my business for 12 years (tree surgery) and I respected them. I also had an old 2006 Nissan Navara king cab for 3 years and it was bomb proof! In 3 years I only replaced a headlight bulb, a rubber bump stop and a wiper arm. What a great cheap truck but I wouldn't touch a new Navara with a chassis made of monkey metal. But, and it was a tough decision, I have just bought a Defender 110 hardtop with the 2.2litre engine (2 year warranty on engine so perhaps I will chuck some sand in it at 23 months!) . I considered lots of factors before I bought it and resale value was a big plus. Even knackered old Landys are holding there second hand value. A friend spent a lot of money on a D Max and, when its fully loaded it gets stuck on a bit of damp grass. Standard Landys are noisy, uncomfortable and unsophisticated but...........and its a big but, but they are still fabulous. Lots of bolt on after market bits available to customise it to your personal requirements. Your analogy of Landys being like a beautiful temperamental model is spot on! Here in the UK they are exceptionally popular. Would I drive one across Africa? No. Too uncomfortable.
always a good watch Andrew, thanks mate
Drove a Avis Safari, Ford Ranger around Zimbabwe, with roof top tents and it was an awesome vehicle
I have a 2004 Nissan Xterra, and it's shockingly good. Has low range, so can do trails, and overlanding.
Same here. I love my 1.5 gen xterra. There are only two issues that it has. First, It's a bit under-powered with the 3.3L engine BUT the engine design is rock solid. (Just keep up with replacing the timing belt every 100k miles). Second, the steering components (centrelink, idler arm) should be upgraded. Other than that, it's a very solid overlanding platform.
David Ryde I have a xterra, already made a lot of expeditions with mine xterra , it's so strong 💪....I'm talking about 2004 model , I don't know the performance of the 2005 model ....the frontier models +2005 has a soft suspension that when hit the car floor usually crack the radiator
Doug Mathias I have been over mine, replacing most of the common break parts. I just installed new springs and a 2" suspension lift. 31s go on tomorrow.
The only thing that bothers me is the torsion bars in the front.
I've had both an R50 Pathfinder and now a 1.5 gen X. I've done 10k journeys in both. best thing I can say about them is that they are reliable and the weakness are known. Very easy to work on. though some times under and sometimes over engineered. there are lots of forums for info on mods and fixes. you can find parts in any junkyard. the 3.3 engine just runs if you look after it. Off road both have gone places they shouldn't have. where I live rust is the killer of both. I'd buy either again in a heart beat.
I think we are quite lucky in the Middle East as we still have the Y61 Patrol. Manual or automatic, short or long wheelbase, pick up, basic or luxury. Great for dunes or overlanding, highly customisable, etc.
Nissan Patrol 1989 to 1997. Underpowered but extremely strong especially doing hard cross country travelling
They are full of rust.
I love my battered old 93 Nissan pathfinder. 250,000 miles and still solid and running strong. IF I took it to Africa though, I doubt I would love it as much.. This channel is what started my conversion on the truck 2 years ago but budget and life have yet to se it completed. Thank you Andrew for all you do. Your advice is top notch. Cheers from N.Y.
FANTASTIC CONTENT!!!! I LOVE YOUR ROLEX SUBMARINER 1680 BTW
Another excellent video from an intelligent and knowledgeable man whose eloquent videos are always interesting and informative. Thank you.
Big thumbs up from Saudi Arabia. We admire you.
Andrew, I just posted a comment on your article about Pajero which I totally agree. The you talked about a Land Rover and again what you said is spot on. While working in the middle East 17 years ago, I bought - what I thought was a bargain - a 2 year old Land rover discovery series 1 from an expat who serviced the car at the dealer which at that time only had 28,000 km. 6 months after that every time I reversed I could hear a clunk. It misfired after 33,000 km and a service at the dealer cost me $250. Then one day the AC stopped blowing cold air. One winter morning I drove it from Dubai to Oman (abut 450 km) at a steady speed of 110 km/h with a/c off. The best I could manage was 4.8 km/l. Likewise returning to Dubai I checked the consumption and i was almost identical. I sold it and bought a Durango, 5.9 lt. What a difference. Screw Land Rover.
As a Jeep owner (although of an old TJ model, not a JK) I admit you are right. Jeeps aren't great for overlanding (at least by your definition). I love my jeep, and would never sell it, but they just don't have enough space, and if you strap on a bunch of stuff you end up overloading it. I've seen some great setups with a trailer so that avoids overweight issues though. To me however, jeeps are great 3 day/weekend vehicle, but carrying supplies for more than that will get you in trouble.
agreed - and for probably 90% of the offroading population 3 or 4 days is what we get, maybe a week over the holidays, then the rest of the time its a 5 hour trail on a weekend. This is where the Jeep is great. Horses for courses.
Have to agree with everything you have said.
I found it fine for space with my wife and I. But if we kids in the future I won’t be enough room I think
Jeep has the misfortune of being made by Chrysler. Their vehicles seem to catastrophically fail shortly after the warranty expires.
I have a 2005 wrangler with 113,000 miles and it's going strong. Lots of other folks have 200k+ milkes on the 4.0L engine.
My son's 2008 Hilux 2.8 turbo diesel is a geo wireline exploration vehicle carrying 1.1 ton every day on corrugated roads, through large rocky properties, open cut mine basins and thousands of kilometers on highway over the last 2 years. It had 350k on the clock when I started building it up. We lifted it 2in to a rating to carry 1600kg. The old 450k gearbox , 450k rear axle bearings and the old ? injectors are the only things that have needed to be replaced in the 2 years. We plan to replace the rear bearings every 2 years.
Disappointed there was no discussion of the MB W460/461 (forget the W463). Given that they are now the vehicle of choice of the Australian Defence Force and the W461 is being sold in Australia, I was looking forward to hearing your views on this genuine old school 4x4 (W461 spec - virtually no electronics, solid axles front and rear, lockers all round, great GVM, well engineered).
where does it improve over a toyota 70 series ? esp now you can get all the lockers, and you can get part's in the middle of no where
you dont have to spend a bomb can be done with rim's, I am surprised no one has come up with a new set of axle tubes to sweet into the housing and axle's for them but
N Noddy A agree with you there, the G Wagen is all mechanical, and very solid vehicles, but you do have to pay for it! in my country, Norway, they are HUGELY EXPENSIVE!!!! from back of my head....., around 3 x the price of a Landcruiser 150!!!
given that a G350 D is about 90 grand USD and a v8 powered 78 GXL is about 50 grand USD...I think the TruTracker conversion price looses its sting a little.
I work in the Australian defence force mate, short and simple; the motor pool mechanics can't even keep the G's on the road. Our 40 year old Isuzu powered rovers run rings around them
Hi Andrew, my first 4x4 was a Discovery 1 V8 at age 23, It was a very good 4x4 but very high maintenance , had that for 3 years, switched to a Jeep GC 4.7 V8 which was in my opinion a bit better then the Discovery in power but off road the same but diffrent driving styles. I changed the Jeep after 2 years for a 3.5 V6 Triton 4x4, which was as ugly as a long drop toilet in the bush but a amazing bakkie. I now have a Toyota Fortuner V6 2x4 manual which I am so proud of, have it now for almost 4 years and never even thought of tradeing it. But I will say this, my next 4x4 will be a Toyota, Probably a Cruiser.
80 series landcruiser - best 4x4 ever
so expensive though
I have subscribed and have watched a lot of your video's now and have to say you know your stuff, I have Owned a LOT of 4x4s , of all makes, 5 Nissan Patrols, 1 80 series 1 FJ40 , 2 Discos 1 Rangie , 1 Pajero (hated it) and 3 Jeep Cherokees (Loved them) All of them saw everything from Hard Core Comps to easy cruising, extreme Mods to no Mods. I'm now looking to build an Overland vehicle and have been leaning toward a Big Overland Truck. Watching your Video's has opened my mind to smaller vehicles so thanks very much for the insight you have and I will have to see where I go from here. Keep doing this it is so helpful to all. Cheers Leon. (NZ)
What do you think of the Isuzu dmax, Andrew.
In the bush, the Isuzu dmax is used as an alternative to the Toyota, yes should have been mentioned if we're talking about reliability. These vehicles get over 500k if they're looked after.
I live in the States and happily have to be happy with my 4Runner. It’s a supremely reliable little car and I’m considering keeping it for a long time. It currently has 185,000 km on the clock but those are almost totally US highway kms. When the engine begins to use oil, I may simply have D4D 2.8L (with of course a new transmission) installed and keep driving it. It’s garage kept and pretty pristine. I’ve considered diesel trucks but cannot justify the expense for my use. Since I’m a widower, what ever I have is my daily driver. I cannot justify two vehicles. Thus Toyota is my pick. Not fanboy but realistic.
Too bad the Jeep Wrangler JL Diesel engine isn't going to arrive in the USA until 2019, the Raptor is still amazing. I'd love to see you build a Jeep in North America, I'm still building out my Wrangler after learning so much from you. Maybe I can invite you to go on an expedition to Yukon or North West Territories one day.
Are you upgrading the Suspension (GVW) to carry more gear?
Yes, as per Andrew's advice I am going to get all the heavy stuff on it first and then tackle suspension last.
Right on. I hope you let us see it on TH-cam when you finish.
My friend you are not loosing anything. The wrangler diesel will be a bi-turbo fiat diesel 2.0 liters. If you know Jeep probably are aware they can’t do a good diesel and this new sounds just as problems and disappointment. Keep your gas engine and enjoy. Anyway need to clear I prefer a Fj 40 or 70 series over any Jeep but highly respect the others preferences. Keep working in your passion!!
Totally agree with your statements sir. For me my 4x4 of choice is a Toyota Tacoma. I did have one Tundra but its fuel consumption was not that good. I've put a mix of ARB springs and Bilstein shocks on my Tacoma to lift it about 2.5" and tall skinny tires 255 85 R16. That combination is extremely nimble, plenty of ground clearance and had little affect on my fuel mileage. I really dont like how manny USA vehicles use electronic controls for our gear boxes, I really am debating on retrofitting a FJ Cruiser transfer case in my tacoma so I can have twin sticks. Anyway...I've traveled to Europe, Africa, South America...and the old run down vehicles I see being used day in and out are what? Toyotas.
Very well said. My heart says Land Rover (currently a Disco 3) , my brain say Toyota, something inside says G _ Wagen & fantasy says Ford Raptor. My name is Nick & I am a Land Rover aholic.
Go to the G!
Nick Jennings My life says Jeep
Nick Jennings with you Nick. All the way.
Same here, except no Ford :)
I own a Nissan, have always loved old Land Rovers, for around the world would buy a Toyota, but I wouldn’t say no to a Raptor or a G65 for fun.
Excellent opinion video. I own a second hand 99 Patrol, 10 years of ownership, lots of broken things, overheats from time to time and the crank pulley bolt came loose twice, but it takes me everywhere :D :D
Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9l V8 ? Bang for your buck (second hand) and that Hemi V8 is classic motor. Has any one converted that for over landing. Would have to replace rear axles with Dana 44 if going hard core but I think could be a great vehicle.
My first 4wd experience was in a kia sportage , it was pretty bad. Did some research and found a 2001 pajero exceed petrol that played very well. Didnt have to be fast or beefy, just persistent and stable. With the right advice and experience, its alot of fun.
Interesting to me that in the U.S. The manual transmission is becoming nearly non-existent. Toyota Tacoma it's available, but it's cousin the 4Runner it hasn't been since 2003. It really is disappointing. I have always preferred the manual. Many of the people I work with don't even know how to drive one. I jokingly tell the story about teaching my wife to drive an automatic as she had only driven a manual. (A humorous story). Now we only own auto gearboxes simply due to availability here in the U.S. We just feel neutered. - thanks for all your videos!
Kate in the Jeep in the US earlier this year, it was the very first time she had driven an auto.
Also the cost of the manual transmissions are higher then the autos now and you have to order them.
It seems to be an effort to chase the ever stricter fuel economy requirements. Auto boxes are becoming more efficient with the 7-10 speed versions. It's humorous (in a bad way really) to hear them hunt for the proper gear with all those options! Don't even get me started about the CVT auto boxes! Progress, I suppose :/
My son and daughter learned to drive a manual in my 1981 4WD Toyota truck. It had the R22 petrol motor. I miss that truck, it would go anywhere. The later model JK auto transmissions all have the manual option when you need more control. The possibility of damage and heat are the downsides. Jeep has started putting oil coolers on the later models.
That’s because here in the US, people still want to be able to text, drive and drink their latte at the same time.
I drove a six speed manual in Europe, for many years while stationed there. And have ridden motorcycles since I was 9. So I don’t have a dog in this fight.
After having driven a Feroza for 30000km to and back Mongolia I was very impressed by how much this little thing could take and do.
It never suffered major break downs and was even able to tackle 3000km of corrugated roads and tracks with destroyed engine mounts.
It tackled every obstacle we threw at it and survived so much compared to over vehicles we drove with (Defender, Forester...)
Since that thing costed 900eur I am still admiring Daihatsu for this design.
your best vid ever,i have an x-trail 05 and luv it
👍👍👍, need I say more - Andrew this is what it's about no matter the vehicle or the upgrades / Standard it's about getting out there to enjoy mother nature at its best, No matter which part of the world you're from or where you plan to travel it's all about life. As I once heard - Life is a journey, not the destination. Enjoy the ride.
Regarding jeep JKs, if it is going to used for over-landing, the entire front axel assembly is too light, not just the unit bearings. If the stock Dana 44 is going to be used it should be gusseted and sleeved. That still leaves the axels, ball joints and bearings all undersized. A set of Dana 60s is better a solution for for a heavyweight over-landing JK.
Yep, if you have the cash.
it really is shocking how light weight even the uprated axles are on the JK, especially for what people throw at them for tires and suspension, etc. No floater on the rear? What year is this? Sadly it doesn't look like the JL is going to be much different. The cost of low cost I suppose.
I'm not sure I would call anything these days low cost. Rather, just how ripped off do you want to be? Trucks in the US today are all ridiculous.
@Patrick O'Day - Interesting. I'm not really familiar with what needs to be upgraded on a new Jeep to make it off road worthy, so this is interesting to hear. thx sir!
20 years ago the cheapest 6 cylinder wrangler you could buy was $25,500 in inflation adjusted dollars and it was a lot less vehicle than the one you can buy for $23,999 today. Rose colored glasses.
Hi Andrew, thanks for the video, truly appreciated. Throughout my life I've had the pleasure of owning a Land Rover Series 3 (had it for 12 years and love it, even though it could never hold 3rd gear under compression), a Suzuki Samurai (stock, incredible off roader, but terrible on your kidneys), a Jeep Cherokee (lovely ride, when it was running), and now have a Toyota (may not be the best in any one category, it does well in all, but most importantly it never, ever breaks down :) and that is my two cents
I don't really get your beef with the Pajero(Montero). I've owned an FJ60, Range Rover Classic, Discovery 1 and handled quite a few other trucks and I'd take my 2005 Montero over them all.
Derrick Martin he only has beef with the 3rd gen pajero and rightly so they are rubbish
Hazardbone 2005 is in the gen he's talking about
Jonathan Spinks yeah thats the 3rd gen
Hazardbone so what this guy is saying is that it isn't rubbish
Jonathan Spinks no
I sure am glad I found you. I think your critique is tough but fair. I used to work for Land Rover/Jaguar in Texas and I found out that the Disco was the biggest piece of junk I’ve ever seen! A brand new vehicle should not come off the truck with oil leaks or electrical issues at 30k. I moved to Ecuador last year and bought a 2005 90 Series Prado. What an awesome vehicle, unfortunately the previous owner didn’t take care of it. I ended up getting the issues fixed but at great cost since parts are expensive here. I’ve been in the car industry for 18 years and have seen it all. In the end your right, it comes down to preference. I prefer Toyota because of its reliability. I probably won’t buy anything else. And I’ve owned a variety of vehicles. Thank you for gettin me into Overlanding. Ive been converted from fast cars to 4wd and again probably won’t change into anything else.
Andrew I’m disappointed, no mention of the humble G wagon
Humble? I’ve seen so many in Beverly Hills, CA, to know better. lol
My first was a Landy, ||A, 1967. Go away one weekend, fix it the next. Still had fun. Then I got my first Cruiser. I like Tojos for their reliability. Owned 4WD and station wagon cars. Neighbour is a panelbeater, same age as me, 64, he would agree with you assessments regarding the makes you mention. He sees them all up close.
Please look into the Nissan Titan XD with the Cummins Turbo Diesel for a US Expedition vehicle. Best of luck and keep up the great work.
The last 3 minutes of this is gold.