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honestly in these times the number 1 benefit its how easy is to diagnostic and repair a given fault: everything can and will brake eventually in any brand, parts availability its a moot point too; you can order online anything and ship it around the world from your cell phone
Good to see you again Dan. sounds like you are talking your self into MB Sprinter 4x4. 6000 pounds load . But that is 2.77m high, Forcing you to use HC container. Will be interesting to see!
Thanks for the ideas. For me, No1 priority is reliability, don't want to be stranded in no man's land. No. 2, capability, it can go where you want to go.
Dan, Great job describing criteria for an overland vehicle. From a long-distance hiker with more than 5,000 miles on foot, a bike packer, and an overlander, might I suggest critically evaluating the weight of every component and material on your new build. People always say “oh this or that doesn’t weigh that much,” but when everything is tallied up, shaving weight wherever it’s realistic, really makes a difference. Of course you cannot compromise on the functionality that you need, but I think one would be surprised at how much weight can be saved through material/component selection, and also through minimizing how much stuff we carry with us. This all equals better fuel economy and less clutter and stress overall.
I agree 100% Tim - I actually come from a backpacking background, and I'm well aware that a heavy pack is made up of a TON of things that "don't weigh much". !
Glad to see you back Dan! Your analytical thought process speaks to your engineering background. Whenever someone just arbitrarily says “you should get this or that”, I just remember “ Free advice is worth what you pay for it!” Reliability would be top priority for me.
I would add the terrain that you plan on driving on. if it is not too aggressive, a printer type van, properly fitted could take you to many remote locations and still have room for yoga! ;-) Love the channel. Thank you for the content.
Yeah, he didn't really talk about off road capabilities. Something like the Ford Transit Trail might work. It would certainly be an improvement on interior space!
I think you should keep your Jeep JK and replace any old worn parts to new, JK 3.8 engine rebuild or engine swap to 3.6 Pentastar for improving MPG, upgrade AEV high capacity coil springs for higher payload (regearing are recommended for handling heavy loads) As for increasing interior living space for your JK, check out the "American Safari JXL" extended Jeep camper conversion
A great video Dan. I adopted a similar approach to buying and building up a new vehicle for remote area travel in Australia but still capable for local trips on the challenging local terrain of the Victorian High Country. Based on decades of 4x4 ownership I did my research carefully, took my time, drove all the contenders and ignored external pressure. My final choice surprised me! But has worked out perfectly. It’s important to be honest with yourself when going through the check list.
@@TheRoadChoseMe The only vehicle that filled my specific requirements was the 200 series Land Cruiser. Living space in the vehicle was not important. With a GVM upgrade and other improvements it has been faultless and a comfortable and capable friend on our adventures.
In Australia, the 200 series with the Turbo Diesel is a very ,very hard all around vehicle to beat. The aftermarket is huge, towing capacity and payload are huge, parts support immense. It's a smart choice.
Had a truck and planned to travel with a campercabin but always ha concers about weight. When i stumbled into your alaska videos the Ursaminor flashed me. Sold the truck, got a JL and a UM and some other parts and am ready to take off north this summer. Perfect solution for me. Thank you for so many ideas and input.
You should include overall driver & passenger comfort as one of your categories. That way you don't feel fatigue after a long day's drive. For instance, the old school Defender you showed as an example are very agricultural. Loud, noisy and rough. Even with a complete sound deadening upgrade, the vehicle is still noisy inside. Easily adding to the tiredness of passengers. And I'd be curious how they'd make a pop-up conversion for the Grenadier. Since it has a roof console full of electronic switches.
I like the Jeep JXL similar to your own vehicle. I’m In Central America in a van which is our home and I love the living space for a couple especially as my wife is happy. Four wheel drive doesn’t matter to me. Living space does. Having a jeep engine in my van works for me.
Dan, good on you guys in your plans. I can’t imagine what vehicle you have chosen or where you are going, but rest assured i know you have tremendous experience in the process, you have time and good health on your side… so your only limitation may be money. But you seem to be a highly resourceful person. Good luck and happy trails.
F-150 Tremor for payload, within 20ft, larger cab than the Gladiator, and mileage right around 19. Also, depending on how difficult the terrain you will be covering a Sprinter van is a good option.
I'm a fan of the GrizzlyNBear setup. Spacious, versatile and it goes in a container. I also like the German-build Matzker Camper based on a Defender. The more choice there is, the more it's difficult to choose... Happy research! Best Regards from Belgium, David
I'm considering a Mitsubishi Montero 2003-2006 for the USA. Massive room, comfortable on road capable off road acceptable gas mileage. Wish they kept selling them here the last models look amazing.
Added criteria: probability that it will continue to run and drive with problems. Ford Excursion has been my rig since 2005. With its share of problems, it continues to slog down the road even when not at its best.
My over land is a 06 jeep tj rubicon(2 door) Took the rear and passenger seat out. Insulated well, welled ways to make structure like a bed. In that, I have plenty of water, a tiny kitchen, bed, shower 🚿 , bathroom, everything , you have have to be very organized and single lol
Tough criteria to meet! I would add to adapt the type of vehicle to the region of travel. This will help with parts, the knowledge the locals have on the car to fix it etc. Sounds like you are leaning towards a 4x4 van or single cab pickup with a poptop camper.
Oh wait I didn't realize it was supposed to be a mystery guessing game type thing. Here's my guess. Toyota Tundra double cab with 8 foot bed and some kind of pop top camper. Fits all your needs. 4x4 Bugget Friendly Reliable 22+ mpg Large interior space with pop top Fits in a shipping container
Hi Dan, agility, practical usability, durability, reasonable costs and 'smiles per miles' are the most important factors to me. A boring and very economical van might carry me to the same destinations, but if driving / feeling / handling the car is no fun ..... hmmm :-/
Given the last few vehicles, I can see where this is headed...but let's watch to see the outcome. Look forward to seeing your next adventures , mate (and meeting your GF, if she wants to be on camera)
Katie was on camera a lot during out Australian expedition, but she's not so excited to talk about vehicle choices as I am :) She'll make a return when we're on the road again I'm sure!
I'm working on a mercedes g wagon 300 GD W460. - will run on clean diesel and SWO - yes slow but cool and reliable Plan is to drive from UK to Pakistan next August!
I'm not sure its important enough for you to have it on your list of musts, but for me I want to be able to go from the driving position to the sleeping/living area without exiting the vehicle, both for security and especially poor weather/tracking muddy boots inside etc. I'm really interested to see what you have bought, as I have pretty much the same criteria as you, but struggle to find anything here in Canada that fits the bill. As much as I agree with not importing an odd vehicle, I'm thinking of bringing in a left drive Landcruiser troopy from central america, but I'm hoping your new vehicle shows me an option I have overlooked!
With a Landcruiser Troopy 75, 76 or 78you have the best choice for going on long range tours. 75 is old one, 76 is smaller, 78 is the best for that. I know this because I am driving the 78 series since 32 years in heavy terrains. Sahara desert and so on. Kind regards from a78 LC from Germany.
I think basically a 4Runner would get me where I want to be. Something I can sleep inside and get to the driver's seat in an emergency. Something that is popular so I can find one to buy, and a marketplace to sell into if I change my mind. Something I can buy used with 150K miles and still put on a lot more miles. Something with a lot of after-market parts that let me do interesting things to it but is also good as-is in a stock configuration. I can find someone to work on it. Reliable. It could double as a daily driver if I needed it to. Looks good. Iconic. Affordable. And all the things you said are spot on too.
@@TheRoadChoseMe Don't get me wrong ... I'd love to have what you're building now. But that's unobtanium. I can snag a good 4Runner any day of the week and be off on some trips. My trips are much less extreme than yours. Two-to-three-week trips to do some photography at national parks and such. Eventually a road trip to Alaska. Then if all goes well possibly Central America. The ultimate dream would be South America but I have a lot of trials to do before that. I just need to get around the Darien Gap to do it. I don't think it would actually need to go into a shipping container to do it. I think there are some drive on / drive off ferries or possibly some other options to do it. Eva Zu Beck got her Land Rover here somehow, so I'm pretty sure I could figure out a way to get a 4Runner to South America.
@@TheRoadChoseMe Thanks again. It's a good point about vehicles that fit in containers. I wonder if a 4Runner does in fact fit into a container. It probably does, right? I should think about that. But, for me, this is a maybe far off into the distant future a few years from now at best. I think you're right about the ferry not operating any more. But I've also read some things on the Internet that they were trying to get it going again. Who knows, maybe by the time I need it, it will be going again. It's like the joke of the beetle crawling down the tree, passing a snail going up the tree, and the beetle says "Don't bother. There aren't any more leaves up there." and the snail says "There will be by the time I get there." So you're saying the only way to ship something over the water is for it to go into a container. Huh, that's interesting. I did think there were other options, bigger ships that carry the cars uncontainerized, etc. I don't know. You know much more about it than I do. If my 4Runner doesn't fit into a container, then I guess I'll have to figure something else out. Build my own raft maybe??????
@@TheRoadChoseMe I did a little more research. So first, you are right that there's no current ferry service for the Darien Gap. Second, I would agree that if the goal is to be able to move a vehicle from any arbitrary point on Earth, to any other arbitrary point, then your point is very well taken that you need to plan on using a shipping container. However, I would just add that if you have a specific origin and destination in mind, there *might* be other options. One popular option is called "roll on / roll off". This option sits in between a ferry service and a shipping container. The vehicle still goes onto a large ocean crossing ship, but it gets driven on board into a special deck area designated for vehicles. With this option, size is less critical since the vehicle is not enclosed in a metal box. And depending on where you leave from, there are roll on / roll off options that will get a vehicle to Columbia and around the Darien Gap. I was able to get quotes for leaving from both Manzanillo, Panama and Veracruz, Mexico. I hope that helps anyone who is thinking of driving the length of the Pan American Highway. Love your channel! Very inspiring. Can't wait to see you embark on some new trips.
Low roof, short wheelbase Ford Transit T250. We have a 9,000lb GVWR. That is about 4,000 pounds of payload. We have about 1,200 pounds of available payload after we are full of fuel, water, gear, people, a pop-up roof and a 4x4 conversion (Quad van). It will fit in a standard shipping container (container wheels). While it is not as capable as a Jeep off road we have had it in some difficult terrain without damage to the vehicle or getting stuck. It works great for the two of us and our plans. We have incorporated lots of your previous ideas based on your videos and really appreciate your down to earth, common sense approach! I do wish the Transit was sold in more countries for parts availability and mechanic familiarity but we just don't have that many great options in the USA for world supported vehicles.
The Ford Transit does not come from the factory with real 4x4. There are two companies in the U.S. that do the conversion and maintain the Ford Warranty. Quad Van in Portland, Oregon and Quigley in Pennsylvania. They use mostly parts from the Ford trucks to complete the conversion along with a couple of custom parts. We used QuadVan and you can get just the 4x4 conversion for about $13,000. We used Field Van in Fresno California for the pop top and it was about $12,000. We did everything else ourselves. We bought the van used. It was a U-Haul van with 17,000 miles on it when we got it. I would say for everything we are at about $100,000 which is not cheap but still much less than buying a completed van with similar build out and specs.
@@TheRoadChoseMeI hear you!! We looked long and hard at a Jeep Wrangler with an Ursa Minor top and, for us, it is just too small for two people. I think it was a close call when my wife was deciding whether or not to dump me in favor of the Jeep!
Ok, I know you asked for criteria and not vehicle guesses. I can’t help it though! Based on your criteria I’m guessing a low top Chevy Express with a 2.8 diesel and a quigley or similar 4wd conversion. That would check your interior space, payload, MPG, off-road capability, container-able and normal budget boxes. If you’re worried about new diesels and questionable fuel, then I’ll guess an OBS ford diesel truck or similar with a minimalist camper
Aa a diesel mechanic, if it's a diesel vehicle you are planning, be wary of newer diesel engines such as the ford transit, f150, they have complex DPF, SCR, EGR coolers, NOX sensors, etc that I make a living fixing when they come towed in derated and forced idle. I'd be hesitant having that in a very remote location for sure, just something to consider, lots of complexity.
Not knowing where it is you are planning to go in the next trip and what kind of roads or routes you are planning it’s a little tough to formulate a suggestion. Is there availability of low sulphur diesel? Are you wanting a brand new vehicle or slightly used? If so I have a somewhat interesting suggestion… they stopped offering the 2.8 Duramax in it this year but the Chevy Express van had it as an option untill ‘22. Since you don’t need to tow, a 1 ton spec’ed Express van with a Quigley conversion and the baby Duramax woukd give you economy, range, payload, and vast interior space, especially if you did a Sportsmobile pop top conversion. There are other 4wd conversions available but they are pretty tall and the Quigley offers and IFS front end using the GM truck components keeping it a bit lower and easier to source parts for. I was thinking this setup would be a great upgrade for our family of 5 as we all cram into a regular body E350 Sportsmobile with the RB50 layout inside and penthouse pop top. We make do but for two people it would be a dream. Ours is a 2001 with a 7.3 Powerstroke and 4wd, i friggen love the thing but just on 33’s it is right at the max height for a container. I think the GM van could get you a bit more breathing room for shipping. If the diesel option doesn’t work wjere you are going they now come with a 6.6 gas and that’s going to bomb your economy needs. If we upgraded I would go 6.6, Sportsmobile interior conversion, and pop top with a Quigley 4wd. That’s a great adventure rig if you want a liveable interior… amd want to tow. I fell like you are gravitating towards possibly a Ram 3500 with a flat bed tray/box camper for the back, though even with diesel you aren’t going to be hitting your fuel economy needs… Curious to see what you go with… Thinking either some sort of truck with camper or van….. Last gen Colorado with small camper? Decent payload but not better than the gladiator, great economy… our ‘22 z71 Colorado Duramax sees 30+mpg daily unloaded with a small lift. Again though, modern North American spec diesel probably isn’t going to work friending in where you are taking this… sorry, kind or thinking out loud. 😆
I dont know if this should be one of your criteria, it is #1 with me. Visibility! I am 6'4" with, shall I say, lots of padding on the bottom side... I love my Wrangler, but I have very, very poor visibility out of it. The top reason I purchased it was not for offroading, or exploring the backcountry, but because it is the only convertible I fit in. All the smaller ones my eyes are right above the windshield but below open air. No so with the Wrangler. We have the Bestop Sunrider on ours so we can be in convertible mode in seconds and be covered back up equally fast. When open I can actually see what is around me and it is WONDERFUL! I have been out exploring in 20-degree weather with the top open and the heat on full blast, I LOVE it. Any vehicle I have must have the option to fully open the top over the driver and passenger. So I am limited to the Wrangler, Gladiator, or Bronco. But that is just me. I love the open air and refuse to give it up :)
#1 mine is wheel base , gladiator wheel base is to long 138",need 6.5' cargo box,pop up camper on a Tahoe ideal,diesel solid rear axle,single cab 8' box 4x4 3/4 diesel every thing one would want in a overland expedition rig ,same size as suburban or gm express van, if there was a good mid size wagon 119" wb 200" overall 6.5'cargo bay, no indpt, rear axel ,no 3rd row ,no luxury car bits ,cant think of any thing I'm like dan ? what to buy ??
You'd probably fit in the new Bronco as well. As a long-torsoed person I had plenty of headroom. Forward visibility isn't the best though and will lead to ducking to see traffic lights as usual.
For great durability, longevity and payload, I would look at a 3/4 ton Chevrolet suburban with rear barn doors. Mine has a 42 gallon tank. I feel they are overlooked because they are so common. it is the longest-used automobile nameplate in the world, being made since 1935. Mine has performed very well off road. Isn’t it wonderful to have so many great choices?
Chevy Colorado is good option, I have had two Tacomas but after a lot of research the Colorado Z71 is the best mid size truck. Payload is great, fuel economy is better than any Tacoma or Jeep, towing capacity is really good as well.
Ford Ranger or Chevrolet Colorado with some type of light weight camper that extends up so you can stand inside. Something like the base 4 wheel camper. A Alu-cab or domestic equivalent would be nice but they are expensive with long build times. I couldn't think of anything that would give you 25mpg other than a diesel. In the past you have stated you are against traveling in developing countries with modern diesel engines due to low Sulphur requirements. I just watched a video on the new Ford Ranger and prior ranger owners chimed in saying they get 25+mpg. The Ranger has been one of the top performers in off road vehicles in Australia, that's when the light bulb went off. It would be interesting to see how a smaller turbo engine performs long term overlanding.
For two people, increased payload and livability I'm going to guess a pickup with a pop up camper (4wheel camper or similar). Some of the new gas such as Tundra and for sure the diesel offerings (including Gladiator) should get the required fuel milage. Not sure if vans are going to fit in container or not but I would think they might also be slightly limiting in terms of off road clearance etc. BTW, not sure why you say Wrangler can't tow, as I see them towing small campers all the time. I agree, though if that's not your preference but that can also increase your "payload" in the sense of storing more supplies off of the tow vehicle.P.S. I will miss the Jeep content and I hope in the future you can find ways to include some in your offerings. I always enjoyed seeing you prove the naysayers wrong regarding Jeep, as it seems to be rare and generally looked down upon by the overland crowd.
I'm betting one of the diesel full sized 1/2 ton trucks, likely the GMC AT4 with the diesel. Scott Brady over at Overland Journal has raved about that vehicles performance
Reliability, simple and proven durable mechanics, as little electronics as possible, global availability of spare parts, can be repaired in basic workshops or in the field. Everything else depends on the number of persons, individual expectations for space and comfort.
I am curious what you did choose. I think the Chevy Silverado Trail Boss with the 3.0L diesel would be one of the few vehicles that might meet your criteria: High Payload, Large Living Space (with bed camper), and decent MPG.
OIther than reliability, I would say the ability to have aftermarket fuel or water carrying tanks that can be installed out of sight, esp under the body.
Man, again I regret not being on patreon, it was the same story the last time :P I did buy your books tho, and I'll buy the next one as well. Let's see... poor weather, "remote but not remote", totally new area. Current world situation... you're coming to Scandinavia! Excellent. What you're looking for is a small four-wheel drive van, like a Mercedes Vito. 7-8l/100km, enough interior space to swing a cat around (hitting every wall in the process, but why else would you be swinging the cat around in there?), and with the proper tires you'll do just fine bumping over rocks and roots. And as a bonus, you'll have all the people who think "overland" means big tires and a winch getting their undies in a twist while simultaneously alienating the vanlife crowd with their everloving sprinters.
It's not too late to join - there are renderings and photos of the new build underway over there right now, and a discussion on the next destination... www.patreon.com/theroadchoseme
When covering the vast distances of North America, one of the more interesting considerations is the ability to stealth camp, if you need to spend a night at a truck stop or, god forbid, a Walmart parking lot. Personally, I think a 4x4 Econoline might make a lot of sense considering your needs.
I recon a Ram 2500 or 3500 , Diesel , with a camper in the box . Cheers Wild Bill Jeep Overlanding the Arctic watershed of Northern Ontario and Northern Quebec . The Trans Taiga road Quebec and trails north of Lake Superior . This year it's off up to Yukon and NWT to Tuktyaktuk and then back down to northern BC.
For interior space and payload, a full size van makes some sense (in a low roof to fit a shipping container). The GM vans are body on frame, and were available with AWD from factory, or 4x4 conversions. Sprinter 4x4/AWD and Transit AWD also exist, but may not be as good off-road since they are unibody. If off-roading is less important, the new hybrid Sienna wins all fuel economy challenges for the size - 6.7L/100km with AWD! Our Promaster rarely uses less than 12, usually 14.
@@alittlebitgone a standard shipping container door is 7'6". Which ones don't fit? A Chevy Express is 7'. Transit 6'10". I don't care to look up the Sprinter because servicing is more difficult.
@@alittlebitgone our 4wd E350 regular body Sportsmobile on 33’s is right at 7’6”. People have put them into containers by just airing them down. They seem massive but they fit within the footprint of a Suburban and offer a lot of living space for the size with the penthouse pop tops.
your criteria seem right for you, and they should with the experience you have and how much thought you have probably given it. We are all at a slight disadvantage as the 1 criteria not mentioned is destination /route as that would influence the choice too. Only real thing you didn't consider was pets, as many do travel with animals. And maybe break interior living down into 3 area's especially if that's important - sleep, cook and live area's it might be not all of those 3 that are important. And you can Ro-Ro something that wont fit in a container, so then the ability to block/lock the driver seat from the living area becomes important for anti-theft. The 1 unique thing for me, is roof space / solar array. I stay in one place a month at a time and everything is /can be electric; but its not a consideration
Fuel and registration are ongoing costs. In Australia there is quite a sizeable difference between a 4 and 8 cylinder vehicle add to this possible better fuel economy from a smaller 4 cylinder engine , the savings can add to 1000s over the life of the vehicle.
If you planning yo travel to Central Asia, and spend lots of time driving around Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Georgia, Turkey and in general that part of the world. I would suggest you look into dual fuel vehicle. Like gasoline which can run on propane-butane. It will seriously save you some money of fuel in that part of the world. If you can gets 11l per 100 gas you will get 13l per 100 on propane butane. But propane-putane cost 1/3rd of the gas in this part of the world. To convert your car to dual fuel will cost you less then 1000$. The conversion is fairly simple, you can still drive your car normally if anything go bad with your dual fuel system, maintenance is very simple. Also propane butane is more common in this countries, even more common then diesel. Sometimes we get shortages of diesel, but no problems with propane butane or gas. Also diesel is more expensive then gas. I would jus give you and example, 1l of gas (petrol) in Kazakhstan cost 205 tenge (60 cents), 1L of diesel cos 295 tenge (85 cents), 1L of propane butane cost 75 tenge. So traveling in this part of the world is seriously cheaper using propane butane then anything else. STAG and Lovato make good reliable dual fuel systems, which are common and parts are available everywhere, also it is easy to find mechanic who can work on it, especially STAG. Cheers, hope it helps
Haha, thanks Matt! Scroll down a bit to see all the renderings and discussions on the new vehicle, and a bit lower again to see the destination we're taking it to! Fire away with any questions you have in comments on Patreon, or a message there.
Reliability and dependability should be right up there on the list. You mentioned Grizzlynbear, well their rear diff just exploded today. This is probably less of a consideration when purchasing new vehicles for each trip.
The great thing about Land Rovers is parts are plentiful and I bet they already have 10 offers of a replacement rear diff. Of course, they always NEED repairing.. but that's another story.
@@TheRoadChoseMe LRs are terrible when it comes to reliability. That guy Leigh is constantly replacing and working on some stuff in that vehicle and whatever you save on fuel will be offset by repairs lol. Leigh seems to be pretty handy as a mechanic so he keeps working on that LR constantly replacing something or the other but I would hate to own one of those. The unofficial slogan for LandRover is “ LandRover. Making mechanics out of owners since 1948”
So, no Wrangler, Bronco, 4Runner, Tacoma, Gladiator, Defender, Land Cruiser, Grenadier... 🤔 what's left for you to use? or are you going to agoing full size (RAM, Tundra, Sequoia)... or a van (Revel, Storieteller), but I don't know how they would fit your "container size" criteria so I'm really curious which is your chosen one
Considering this video and your last vehicle in Australia I'm surprised you didn't choose a diesel ute. The CSR trip in particular plus all over Australia the fuel use is less. Seems the 2.8 or 3.0 Duramax is the American choice for 20 mpg all loaded up.
With all the info you have provided the only vehicles I can think of unless you go a truck of some sort, would be the new Defender 110 or 130 with the rear seats removed. The 130 has a lower payload though I believe. However I live in Australia not Canada/North America so don’t know all the options available to you there.
Sounds like a diesel 3/4 ton truck with an pop-up/wedge camper could be candidate 1) Seems like dimensionally it could fit in a container 2) diesel variants can achieve those fuel ratings 3) easy to buy in north America 4) wedge/pop-up camper in back could maintain dimensions for container and allow for increased living space in back Bonus) huge increase in payload compared to wrangler and gladiator Bonus 2) AEV makes nice gear for RAM 2500 and you already have used and trust AEV products
Ok sounds like you are going to Norway / Scadivavia? Its rainy in norway lets see cant whait! If in Sweden you are welcome to the island of Gotland where i live and let me show you all there is here! Kind regards Erik!
I’m going to take a SWAG (scientific wild ass guess) and say you bought a Maverick? Interior space, better mpg? Don’t know about payload off the top of my head, but I imagine it can’t be worse than a Tacoma because Tacos literally have the worst midsize truck payload. And as a die hard American Toyota enthusiast, it pains me to say that lol.
Driving comfort won’t be a big consideration for me, as that is what you will be doing the most. All the other options you mentioned are valid and need exploring. For reliability, Toyota and they have a huge worldwide support network, although some markets don’t get all engines. I personally have a discovery 3 which is huge inside, the most comfortable vehicle I’ve ever owned. I regularly get 28-34 mpg in the uk, mostly loaded. With a 113 inch wheelbase, it doesn’t pitch on the rough, and is very, very capable off road. The air suspension irons out the bumps, and gives excellent on road manners, and at a flock of s switch, additional height for the rough stuff
Looking forward to your new adventures and wishing you luck. One thing that you forgot is that you can use high cube container, which will give you 2.69m of internal height. It could be useful as height is a dimension that you can benefit a lot, without compromising that much of capability, with pop-up roof for a van for example.
Astro van with the 4wd transfer case from a S10. With a small lift, you'd be high teens mpg. Lots of space, easy to work on, cheap... or you could buy an Astro Tiger and be a total badA**.
Couple of comments/ideas (I know this is "in the past" as well) Defenders (25 yr old) are pretty easy to get parts for in NA, and have the payload AND worldwide parts availability. A tow bar is useful for recovery with a good quality tow point. it's central and usually very strongly mounted otherwise totally agree. For me now interior living space is becoming much more important I'm 90 certain that you bought a RAM but could be totally surprised
What would you do for interior living space Matt? My biggest issue with the Gladiator was the feeling that it was two separate vehicles - the passenger compartment then whatever was in the bed. I never got over that.
@@TheRoadChoseMe to be fair that would still be the case. But with the right camper shell, you would have nearly all the space you need. I don't believe that is the choice you've made. However, if you follow the sort or 2 out of 3 mentality that you mentioned at one point, a full-size truck ticks nearly all of the boxes.
Currently Im looking more into cross-overs. I think they fit most of my trips and get better fuel mileage. subaru, kia/hyundai/rav4/mazda even lexues rx.
They can absolutely be great vehicles, and if I was doing a ground tent again I think it's likely I'd go for something like that (maybe even EV).. but this time I really want interior living space for where we're going!
I’m going for an old solid axle hilux. They are pretty bulletproof and there should still be os support as they have been used widely by terrorists. I’m in Aus so I might have to get LHD conversion somewhere like Cambodia.
They're incredible for sure, but I'm not importing an odd vehicle from around the world. For a whole long list of reasons it's not worth it. All of these reasons apply to the defender too th-cam.com/video/7rlLSaICSVU/w-d-xo.html
Yes, exactly. Once your at the point you want to do yoga in your car and have all the comforts of a Living room but in your car. It defeats the purpose of Overlanding, camping and adventure. Best advice it to messure how much uncomfortable-Ness can you tolerate. The higher the better, to go do/ see more. If you can't afford to be uncomfortable, stay home, don't water your money, just buy a flight and be a tourist like a normal person
I’m thinking a single cab 3/4 or 1 ton truck, diesel with an 8’ bed and a camper on the back, or an older sprinter 144” wb with 4x4. It’s a global platform, gets great mpg, has great interior space and can be purchased in North America.
Not yet. They're entirely unproven, and there's basically zero aftermarket support right now. Maybe in five years once they are proven.. but even then, how is it a major improvement over my previous vehicles?
I don’t know what the fuel mileage is but lately I’ve been looking at 4:06 garage in Oregon there an international Harvester shop that saves old IH trucks. An old international travel all or like-minded Chevy suburban the Mexican market four-door Ford bronco thing perhaps some of the older 60s era panel wagons will give you the payload capacity in this volume that you need, But I’m not sure about fuel economy on any of those older engines you’d probably be looking at installing a modern day fuel injected power plant although I have heard of guys with international harvesters getting well into the mid 20s in fuel mileage on scouts and scout 2.
Reliability Reliability Reliability! I don't know where you're going, but I've been toying with the idea of a Ford or Chevy straight axel 4x4 conversion with a nice lift on 35s. But there goes your gas mileage. For more room / interior living space and 22 to 25 mpg it'll have to be something diesel. We'll see.
They can be in America where overlanding can LOOK LIKE extended off roading but is not. Some mistake it for that but big tires can let you through some gate keeping obstacles just like 33's can. I say that as someone with 32's on my pick up and a Miata for overlanding.
@@ReduxGarage Tell that to probably the most famous overlander in Australia. Ronny Dahl. 35s "were" not for overlanding and still may not be in some parts of the world. But they're available more and more.
@Tom A - an interesting observation there is that Ronny's company (and all his vehicle branding) is "4wd Australia", not "Overland Australia". Is Ronny an overlander, or a 4x4er? Very, very blurry line. He's also only tackled one continent... so it's not like he's doing really long distance international overlanding.
I'd suggest some type of van, maybe a diesel Mercedes? I don't know if it'd have the economy you're looking for, I know my gas ford van averages just over 50% of what you want.
Buying a vehicle which is not popular in North America might not inspire your North American followers but could inspire your followers from the rest of the world 😉 Most 4x4s in North America are not found anywhere else (difficult to maintain in Asia) So I think you shouldn't limit yourself to that pool of cars.
I understand complete what you're saying - but remember that I live here in Canada.. so I have to actually be legally allowed to get the vehicle (must be 15 years old to import), have to get spares, maintain it, etc. etc. A foreign import is a pain in the neck that I just don't want to deal with
@@TheRoadChoseMe in that case, I guess it would be a 4x4 campervan. But I don't know if any of them will fit in 2.28m... It would be interesting to follow this next adventure :)
Hey Dan, you also need to consider a very good 4x4 transmission with perhaps a Live front axle.. do you guys have any Troopies or diesel GU Patrols left up there?
In the US they only come with gas engines, and they get abysmal mileage. Like 10mpg or even worse when fully loaded out. That is utterly unworkable for what I do, and therefore I simply can't. Also my number one goal is to stand up and walk around inside for interior living space...
Without knowing the intended destinations it's difficult to know what I'd personally think. For better fuel economy and ride comfort I love my Grand Cherokee Trailhawk. If armored up it handles overlanding trails well, but not the same as a Wrangler or Gladiator. But it definitely offers more storage space than a JT or JL. But the big downside if taking it into foreign lands is what happens if the air suspension fails. And of course it's IFS/IRS not solid axle. If buying a North American vehicle and transporting it, I'm guessing a 4-Runner or Lexus equivalent might be the most reliable choice, however.
Thanks Peter. Remember I'm aiming to improve my interior living space. So standing up and walking around inside is key. Anything that doesn't support that is out.
@@TheRoadChoseMe If that's the case I'm guessing a Sprinter or equivalent? I think they're short enough to fit in a shipping container. But those are "take out a mortgage" vehicles, which would eat into your fuel budget.
Knowing that I drove AK-Argentina in a $5k Jeep, and around Africa in a Jeep that cost me $18k (plus upgrades)... I feel sick when I think of "take out mortgage" vehicles. I don't have the finances, but even more-so, I don't have the stomach for that!
@@TheRoadChoseMe But with that TJ and the JK, there was a different kind of trade-off involved; you were traveling alone and didn't need all that much extra space. And you were also about 10 years younger when you started. As someone who is over 60, trust me, room to move about, and have a few real tangible creature comforts on a long journey cannot be understated. I'm eager to see your new rig.
Absolutely Peter, everything you said is spot on, and you are absolutely right that I'm looking for "more" now than ever before. In a sense though it's a good thing I simply can't afford a stupidly expensive vehicle, so it's just automatically off my list and I don't even need to think about it.
I think it's a terrible idea to put all the weight of the spare, tire carrier, maxtrax, fuel and hi lift further behind the rear axle than it was ever designed for... AND the whole thing just just bolt on. Will that last over tens of thousands of miles of the worst corrugations on the planet? I'm not going to be the guinea pig to find out.
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Dependability and parts availability would be important features for a global overland vehicle.
honestly in these times the number 1 benefit its how easy is to diagnostic and repair a given fault: everything can and will brake eventually in any brand, parts availability its a moot point too; you can order online anything and ship it around the world from your cell phone
@@yepitsme431 personally I would get a Tundra for N. America and Land Cruiser oversea.
Good to see you again Dan. sounds like you are talking your self into MB Sprinter 4x4. 6000 pounds load . But that is 2.77m high, Forcing you to use HC container. Will be interesting to see!
Thanks for the ideas. For me, No1 priority is reliability, don't want to be stranded in no man's land. No. 2, capability, it can go where you want to go.
Dan, Great job describing criteria for an overland vehicle. From a long-distance hiker with more than 5,000 miles on foot, a bike packer, and an overlander, might I suggest critically evaluating the weight of every component and material on your new build. People always say “oh this or that doesn’t weigh that much,” but when everything is tallied up, shaving weight wherever it’s realistic, really makes a difference. Of course you cannot compromise on the functionality that you need, but I think one would be surprised at how much weight can be saved through material/component selection, and also through minimizing how much stuff we carry with us. This all equals better fuel economy and less clutter and stress overall.
I agree 100% Tim - I actually come from a backpacking background, and I'm well aware that a heavy pack is made up of a TON of things that "don't weigh much". !
Glad to see you back Dan!
Your analytical thought process speaks to your engineering background.
Whenever someone just arbitrarily says “you should get this or that”, I just remember “ Free advice is worth what you pay for it!”
Reliability would be top priority for me.
Every repair I make I aim to increase reliability, not increase the whiz-bang effect.
I would add the terrain that you plan on driving on. if it is not too aggressive, a printer type van, properly fitted could take you to many remote locations and still have room for yoga! ;-)
Love the channel. Thank you for the content.
Yeah, he didn't really talk about off road capabilities. Something like the Ford Transit Trail might work. It would certainly be an improvement on interior space!
Fuso Canter 4x4 Is the way to go
I think you should keep your Jeep JK and replace any old worn parts to new, JK 3.8 engine rebuild or engine swap to 3.6 Pentastar for improving MPG, upgrade AEV high capacity coil springs for higher payload (regearing are recommended for handling heavy loads)
As for increasing interior living space for your JK, check out the "American Safari JXL" extended Jeep camper conversion
A great video Dan. I adopted a similar approach to buying and building up a new vehicle for remote area travel in Australia but still capable for local trips on the challenging local terrain of the Victorian High Country. Based on decades of 4x4 ownership I did my research carefully, took my time, drove all the contenders and ignored external pressure. My final choice surprised me! But has worked out perfectly. It’s important to be honest with yourself when going through the check list.
What did you pick?
I'd love to know what you picked Greg
Interested to know
@@TheRoadChoseMe
The only vehicle that filled my specific requirements was the 200 series Land Cruiser. Living space in the vehicle was not important. With a GVM upgrade and other improvements it has been faultless and a comfortable and capable friend on our adventures.
In Australia, the 200 series with the Turbo Diesel is a very ,very hard all around vehicle to beat. The aftermarket is huge, towing capacity and payload are huge, parts support immense. It's a smart choice.
Love your practical approach grounded in real world experience! Keep the hard truths coming Dan.
Always!
Honestly I think you covered mostly all of it. One thing I would add is that your vehicle should be fun!
Without a doubt it's gotta put a smile on my face!
Would recommend a horse. Easy to park, factory fitted snorkel, power to all 4 corners. But they don't come in left hand drive 🙁
One of the best books I ever read is a guy that rode two horses from Argentina to New York City in like 1915 or something. Insane, and I loved it.
@@TheRoadChoseMe Gato & Mancha? Epic journey
Tschiffely's Ride: Ten Thousand Miles in the Saddle from Southern Cross to Pole Star - www.amazon.com/dp/162087640X&tag=dastrbl-20
Dan, the beard game is getting strong!! Looking forward to the new build!
Winter in the great white north! it has to be done
Had a truck and planned to travel with a campercabin but always ha concers about weight. When i stumbled into your alaska videos the Ursaminor flashed me. Sold the truck, got a JL and a UM and some other parts and am ready to take off north this summer. Perfect solution for me. Thank you for so many ideas and input.
That's great to hear, I hope you have an amazing summer in the North!
Let me know if you want any tips on routes or places not to miss,
You should include overall driver & passenger comfort as one of your categories. That way you don't feel fatigue after a long day's drive. For instance, the old school Defender you showed as an example are very agricultural. Loud, noisy and rough. Even with a complete sound deadening upgrade, the vehicle is still noisy inside. Easily adding to the tiredness of passengers. And I'd be curious how they'd make a pop-up conversion for the Grenadier. Since it has a roof console full of electronic switches.
I like the Jeep JXL similar to your own vehicle. I’m
In Central America in a van which is our home and I love the living space for a couple especially as my wife is happy. Four wheel drive doesn’t matter to me. Living space does. Having a jeep engine in
my van works for me.
Dan, good on you guys in your plans. I can’t imagine what vehicle you have chosen or where you are going, but rest assured i know you have tremendous experience in the process, you have time and good health on your side… so your only limitation may be money. But you seem to be a highly resourceful person. Good luck and happy trails.
Thanks very much Buffalo, I appreciate your kind words and confidence!
F-150 Tremor for payload, within 20ft, larger cab than the Gladiator, and mileage right around 19. Also, depending on how difficult the terrain you will be covering a Sprinter van is a good option.
I'm a fan of the GrizzlyNBear setup. Spacious, versatile and it goes in a container. I also like the German-build Matzker Camper based on a Defender. The more choice there is, the more it's difficult to choose... Happy research! Best Regards from Belgium, David
I agree David, GrizzlyNBear's setup is great, and sitting inside with them is part of the reason we've gone the direction we're going!
I'm considering a Mitsubishi Montero 2003-2006 for the USA.
Massive room, comfortable on road capable off road acceptable gas mileage.
Wish they kept selling them here the last models look amazing.
Added criteria: probability that it will continue to run and drive with problems. Ford Excursion has been my rig since 2005. With its share of problems, it continues to slog down the road even when not at its best.
My #1 overlanding fav channel ❤
Thanks Dex!
My over land is a 06 jeep tj rubicon(2 door)
Took the rear and passenger seat out.
Insulated well, welled ways to make structure like a bed.
In that, I have plenty of water, a tiny kitchen, bed, shower 🚿 , bathroom, everything , you have have to be very organized and single lol
Tough criteria to meet! I would add to adapt the type of vehicle to the region of travel. This will help with parts, the knowledge the locals have on the car to fix it etc. Sounds like you are leaning towards a 4x4 van or single cab pickup with a poptop camper.
Oh wait I didn't realize it was supposed to be a mystery guessing game type thing. Here's my guess.
Toyota Tundra double cab with 8 foot bed and some kind of pop top camper.
Fits all your needs.
4x4
Bugget Friendly
Reliable
22+ mpg
Large interior space with pop top
Fits in a shipping container
Hi Dan, agility, practical usability, durability, reasonable costs and 'smiles per miles' are the most important factors to me. A boring and very economical van might carry me to the same destinations, but if driving / feeling / handling the car is no fun ..... hmmm :-/
Given the last few vehicles, I can see where this is headed...but let's watch to see the outcome. Look forward to seeing your next adventures , mate (and meeting your GF, if she wants to be on camera)
Katie was on camera a lot during out Australian expedition, but she's not so excited to talk about vehicle choices as I am :)
She'll make a return when we're on the road again I'm sure!
I'm working on a mercedes g wagon 300 GD W460. - will run on clean diesel and SWO - yes slow but cool and reliable
Plan is to drive from UK to Pakistan next August!
I'm not sure its important enough for you to have it on your list of musts, but for me I want to be able to go from the driving position to the sleeping/living area without exiting the vehicle, both for security and especially poor weather/tracking muddy boots inside etc.
I'm really interested to see what you have bought, as I have pretty much the same criteria as you, but struggle to find anything here in Canada that fits the bill. As much as I agree with not importing an odd vehicle, I'm thinking of bringing in a left drive Landcruiser troopy from central america, but I'm hoping your new vehicle shows me an option I have overlooked!
With a Landcruiser Troopy 75, 76 or 78you have the best choice for going on long range tours. 75 is old one, 76 is smaller, 78 is the best for that. I know this because I am driving the 78 series since 32 years in heavy terrains. Sahara desert and so on. Kind regards from a78 LC from Germany.
@@gabyherrmann9894 I hope to find an unmodified 78 series LC, and then install an Alu-Cab Hercules on it. Cheers!
I think basically a 4Runner would get me where I want to be. Something I can sleep inside and get to the driver's seat in an emergency. Something that is popular so I can find one to buy, and a marketplace to sell into if I change my mind. Something I can buy used with 150K miles and still put on a lot more miles. Something with a lot of after-market parts that let me do interesting things to it but is also good as-is in a stock configuration. I can find someone to work on it. Reliable. It could double as a daily driver if I needed it to. Looks good. Iconic. Affordable. And all the things you said are spot on too.
If you are happy to sleep inside, and plan on staying in North America, everything you said makes sense.
@@TheRoadChoseMe Don't get me wrong ... I'd love to have what you're building now. But that's unobtanium. I can snag a good 4Runner any day of the week and be off on some trips. My trips are much less extreme than yours. Two-to-three-week trips to do some photography at national parks and such. Eventually a road trip to Alaska. Then if all goes well possibly Central America. The ultimate dream would be South America but I have a lot of trials to do before that. I just need to get around the Darien Gap to do it. I don't think it would actually need to go into a shipping container to do it. I think there are some drive on / drive off ferries or possibly some other options to do it. Eva Zu Beck got her Land Rover here somehow, so I'm pretty sure I could figure out a way to get a 4Runner to South America.
There is no longer a ferry, or anything like it. (there was at one point).
Container is the only way
@@TheRoadChoseMe Thanks again. It's a good point about vehicles that fit in containers. I wonder if a 4Runner does in fact fit into a container. It probably does, right? I should think about that. But, for me, this is a maybe far off into the distant future a few years from now at best. I think you're right about the ferry not operating any more. But I've also read some things on the Internet that they were trying to get it going again. Who knows, maybe by the time I need it, it will be going again. It's like the joke of the beetle crawling down the tree, passing a snail going up the tree, and the beetle says "Don't bother. There aren't any more leaves up there." and the snail says "There will be by the time I get there." So you're saying the only way to ship something over the water is for it to go into a container. Huh, that's interesting. I did think there were other options, bigger ships that carry the cars uncontainerized, etc. I don't know. You know much more about it than I do. If my 4Runner doesn't fit into a container, then I guess I'll have to figure something else out. Build my own raft maybe??????
@@TheRoadChoseMe I did a little more research. So first, you are right that there's no current ferry service for the Darien Gap. Second, I would agree that if the goal is to be able to move a vehicle from any arbitrary point on Earth, to any other arbitrary point, then your point is very well taken that you need to plan on using a shipping container. However, I would just add that if you have a specific origin and destination in mind, there *might* be other options. One popular option is called "roll on / roll off". This option sits in between a ferry service and a shipping container. The vehicle still goes onto a large ocean crossing ship, but it gets driven on board into a special deck area designated for vehicles. With this option, size is less critical since the vehicle is not enclosed in a metal box. And depending on where you leave from, there are roll on / roll off options that will get a vehicle to Columbia and around the Darien Gap. I was able to get quotes for leaving from both Manzanillo, Panama and Veracruz, Mexico. I hope that helps anyone who is thinking of driving the length of the Pan American Highway. Love your channel! Very inspiring. Can't wait to see you embark on some new trips.
Low roof, short wheelbase Ford Transit T250. We have a 9,000lb GVWR. That is about 4,000 pounds of payload. We have about 1,200 pounds of available payload after we are full of fuel, water, gear, people, a pop-up roof and a 4x4 conversion (Quad van). It will fit in a standard shipping container (container wheels). While it is not as capable as a Jeep off road we have had it in some difficult terrain without damage to the vehicle or getting stuck. It works great for the two of us and our plans. We have incorporated lots of your previous ideas based on your videos and really appreciate your down to earth, common sense approach! I do wish the Transit was sold in more countries for parts availability and mechanic familiarity but we just don't have that many great options in the USA for world supported vehicles.
Do they exist in 4x4?
Do you mind if I ask how much it cost for the van + pop-up and the interior build out?
The Ford Transit does not come from the factory with real 4x4. There are two companies in the U.S. that do the conversion and maintain the Ford Warranty. Quad Van in Portland, Oregon and Quigley in Pennsylvania. They use mostly parts from the Ford trucks to complete the conversion along with a couple of custom parts. We used QuadVan and you can get just the 4x4 conversion for about $13,000. We used Field Van in Fresno California for the pop top and it was about $12,000. We did everything else ourselves. We bought the van used. It was a U-Haul van with 17,000 miles on it when we got it. I would say for everything we are at about $100,000 which is not cheap but still much less than buying a completed van with similar build out and specs.
Interesting, thanks very much for the info!
$100k is hard for me to swallow when the Jeep I drove around Africa was a lot less than half that!
@@TheRoadChoseMeI hear you!! We looked long and hard at a Jeep Wrangler with an Ursa Minor top and, for us, it is just too small for two people. I think it was a close call when my wife was deciding whether or not to dump me in favor of the Jeep!
Ok, I know you asked for criteria and not vehicle guesses. I can’t help it though!
Based on your criteria I’m guessing a low top Chevy Express with a 2.8 diesel and a quigley or similar 4wd conversion. That would check your interior space, payload, MPG, off-road capability, container-able and normal budget boxes.
If you’re worried about new diesels and questionable fuel, then I’ll guess an OBS ford diesel truck or similar with a minimalist camper
Aa a diesel mechanic, if it's a diesel vehicle you are planning, be wary of newer diesel engines such as the ford transit, f150, they have complex DPF, SCR, EGR coolers, NOX sensors, etc that I make a living fixing when they come towed in derated and forced idle. I'd be hesitant having that in a very remote location for sure, just something to consider, lots of complexity.
For sure Jake, that is a major concern on those newer diesel engines
Not knowing where it is you are planning to go in the next trip and what kind of roads or routes you are planning it’s a little tough to formulate a suggestion. Is there availability of low sulphur diesel? Are you wanting a brand new vehicle or slightly used? If so I have a somewhat interesting suggestion… they stopped offering the 2.8 Duramax in it this year but the Chevy Express van had it as an option untill ‘22. Since you don’t need to tow, a 1 ton spec’ed Express van with a Quigley conversion and the baby Duramax woukd give you economy, range, payload, and vast interior space, especially if you did a Sportsmobile pop top conversion. There are other 4wd conversions available but they are pretty tall and the Quigley offers and IFS front end using the GM truck components keeping it a bit lower and easier to source parts for. I was thinking this setup would be a great upgrade for our family of 5 as we all cram into a regular body E350 Sportsmobile with the RB50 layout inside and penthouse pop top. We make do but for two people it would be a dream. Ours is a 2001 with a 7.3 Powerstroke and 4wd, i friggen love the thing but just on 33’s it is right at the max height for a container. I think the GM van could get you a bit more breathing room for shipping. If the diesel option doesn’t work wjere you are going they now come with a 6.6 gas and that’s going to bomb your economy needs. If we upgraded I would go 6.6, Sportsmobile interior conversion, and pop top with a Quigley 4wd. That’s a great adventure rig if you want a liveable interior… amd want to tow.
I fell like you are gravitating towards possibly a Ram 3500 with a flat bed tray/box camper for the back, though even with diesel you aren’t going to be hitting your fuel economy needs… Curious to see what you go with… Thinking either some sort of truck with camper or van…..
Last gen Colorado with small camper? Decent payload but not better than the gladiator, great economy… our ‘22 z71 Colorado Duramax sees 30+mpg daily unloaded with a small lift. Again though, modern North American spec diesel probably isn’t going to work friending in where you are taking this… sorry, kind or thinking out loud. 😆
I dont know if this should be one of your criteria, it is #1 with me. Visibility! I am 6'4" with, shall I say, lots of padding on the bottom side... I love my Wrangler, but I have very, very poor visibility out of it. The top reason I purchased it was not for offroading, or exploring the backcountry, but because it is the only convertible I fit in. All the smaller ones my eyes are right above the windshield but below open air. No so with the Wrangler. We have the Bestop Sunrider on ours so we can be in convertible mode in seconds and be covered back up equally fast. When open I can actually see what is around me and it is WONDERFUL! I have been out exploring in 20-degree weather with the top open and the heat on full blast, I LOVE it. Any vehicle I have must have the option to fully open the top over the driver and passenger. So I am limited to the Wrangler, Gladiator, or Bronco. But that is just me. I love the open air and refuse to give it up :)
#1 mine is wheel base , gladiator wheel base is to long 138",need 6.5' cargo box,pop up camper on a Tahoe ideal,diesel solid rear axle,single cab 8' box 4x4 3/4 diesel every thing one would want in a overland expedition rig ,same size as suburban or gm express van, if there was a good mid size wagon 119" wb 200" overall 6.5'cargo bay, no indpt, rear axel ,no 3rd row ,no luxury car bits ,cant think of any thing I'm like dan ? what to buy ??
You'd probably fit in the new Bronco as well. As a long-torsoed person I had plenty of headroom. Forward visibility isn't the best though and will lead to ducking to see traffic lights as usual.
For great durability, longevity and payload, I would look at a 3/4 ton Chevrolet suburban with rear barn doors. Mine has a 42 gallon tank. I feel they are overlooked because they are so common. it is the longest-used automobile nameplate in the world, being made since 1935. Mine has performed very well off road. Isn’t it wonderful to have so many great choices?
Chevy Colorado is good option, I have had two Tacomas but after a lot of research the Colorado Z71 is the best mid size truck. Payload is great, fuel economy is better than any Tacoma or Jeep, towing capacity is really good as well.
Ford Ranger or Chevrolet Colorado with some type of light weight camper that extends up so you can stand inside. Something like the base 4 wheel camper. A Alu-cab or domestic equivalent would be nice but they are expensive with long build times. I couldn't think of anything that would give you 25mpg other than a diesel. In the past you have stated you are against traveling in developing countries with modern diesel engines due to low Sulphur requirements. I just watched a video on the new Ford Ranger and prior ranger owners chimed in saying they get 25+mpg. The Ranger has been one of the top performers in off road vehicles in Australia, that's when the light bulb went off.
It would be interesting to see how a smaller turbo engine performs long term overlanding.
For two people, increased payload and livability I'm going to guess a pickup with a pop up camper (4wheel camper or similar). Some of the new gas such as Tundra and for sure the diesel offerings (including Gladiator) should get the required fuel milage. Not sure if vans are going to fit in container or not but I would think they might also be slightly limiting in terms of off road clearance etc. BTW, not sure why you say Wrangler can't tow, as I see them towing small campers all the time. I agree, though if that's not your preference but that can also increase your "payload" in the sense of storing more supplies off of the tow vehicle.P.S. I will miss the Jeep content and I hope in the future you can find ways to include some in your offerings. I always enjoyed seeing you prove the naysayers wrong regarding Jeep, as it seems to be rare and generally looked down upon by the overland crowd.
I'm betting one of the diesel full sized 1/2 ton trucks, likely the GMC AT4 with the diesel. Scott Brady over at Overland Journal has raved about that vehicles performance
Reliability, simple and proven durable mechanics, as little electronics as possible, global availability of spare parts, can be repaired in basic workshops or in the field.
Everything else depends on the number of persons, individual expectations for space and comfort.
I am curious what you did choose. I think the Chevy Silverado Trail Boss with the 3.0L diesel would be one of the few vehicles that might meet your criteria: High Payload, Large Living Space (with bed camper), and decent MPG.
OIther than reliability, I would say the ability to have aftermarket fuel or water carrying tanks that can be installed out of sight, esp under the body.
Waiting to see what you have chosen and the finished vehicle.
Man, again I regret not being on patreon, it was the same story the last time :P I did buy your books tho, and I'll buy the next one as well. Let's see... poor weather, "remote but not remote", totally new area. Current world situation... you're coming to Scandinavia! Excellent. What you're looking for is a small four-wheel drive van, like a Mercedes Vito. 7-8l/100km, enough interior space to swing a cat around (hitting every wall in the process, but why else would you be swinging the cat around in there?), and with the proper tires you'll do just fine bumping over rocks and roots. And as a bonus, you'll have all the people who think "overland" means big tires and a winch getting their undies in a twist while simultaneously alienating the vanlife crowd with their everloving sprinters.
It's not too late to join - there are renderings and photos of the new build underway over there right now, and a discussion on the next destination...
www.patreon.com/theroadchoseme
When covering the vast distances of North America, one of the more interesting considerations is the ability to stealth camp, if you need to spend a night at a truck stop or, god forbid, a Walmart parking lot. Personally, I think a 4x4 Econoline might make a lot of sense considering your needs.
I'll be shipping this thing out of North America for the next adventure
I recon a Ram 2500 or 3500 , Diesel , with a camper in the box .
Cheers Wild Bill Jeep Overlanding the Arctic watershed of Northern Ontario and Northern Quebec . The Trans Taiga road Quebec and trails north of Lake Superior . This year it's off up to Yukon and NWT to Tuktyaktuk and then back down to northern BC.
For interior space and payload, a full size van makes some sense (in a low roof to fit a shipping container). The GM vans are body on frame, and were available with AWD from factory, or 4x4 conversions. Sprinter 4x4/AWD and Transit AWD also exist, but may not be as good off-road since they are unibody.
If off-roading is less important, the new hybrid Sienna wins all fuel economy challenges for the size - 6.7L/100km with AWD! Our Promaster rarely uses less than 12, usually 14.
None of these will fit a shipping container.
@@alittlebitgone a standard shipping container door is 7'6". Which ones don't fit? A Chevy Express is 7'. Transit 6'10". I don't care to look up the Sprinter because servicing is more difficult.
@@alittlebitgone our 4wd E350 regular body Sportsmobile on 33’s is right at 7’6”. People have put them into containers by just airing them down. They seem massive but they fit within the footprint of a Suburban and offer a lot of living space for the size with the penthouse pop tops.
But I don’t think fuel economy is going to approach what Dan is wanting.
1968 Kombi?
Can do it all - you know it’s true!
your criteria seem right for you, and they should with the experience you have and how much thought you have probably given it.
We are all at a slight disadvantage as the 1 criteria not mentioned is destination /route as that would influence the choice too. Only real thing you didn't consider was pets, as many do travel with animals. And maybe break interior living down into 3 area's especially if that's important - sleep, cook and live area's it might be not all of those 3 that are important. And you can Ro-Ro something that wont fit in a container, so then the ability to block/lock the driver seat from the living area becomes important for anti-theft.
The 1 unique thing for me, is roof space / solar array. I stay in one place a month at a time and everything is /can be electric; but its not a consideration
So excited to get started on a new trek!!
Fuel and registration are ongoing costs. In Australia there is quite a sizeable difference between a 4 and 8 cylinder vehicle add to this possible better fuel economy from a smaller 4 cylinder engine , the savings can add to 1000s over the life of the vehicle.
If you planning yo travel to Central Asia, and spend lots of time driving around Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Georgia, Turkey and in general that part of the world. I would suggest you look into dual fuel vehicle. Like gasoline which can run on propane-butane. It will seriously save you some money of fuel in that part of the world. If you can gets 11l per 100 gas you will get 13l per 100 on propane butane. But propane-putane cost 1/3rd of the gas in this part of the world. To convert your car to dual fuel will cost you less then 1000$. The conversion is fairly simple, you can still drive your car normally if anything go bad with your dual fuel system, maintenance is very simple. Also propane butane is more common in this countries, even more common then diesel. Sometimes we get shortages of diesel, but no problems with propane butane or gas. Also diesel is more expensive then gas. I would jus give you and example, 1l of gas (petrol) in Kazakhstan cost 205 tenge (60 cents), 1L of diesel cos 295 tenge (85 cents), 1L of propane butane cost 75 tenge. So traveling in this part of the world is seriously cheaper using propane butane then anything else. STAG and Lovato make good reliable dual fuel systems, which are common and parts are available everywhere, also it is easy to find mechanic who can work on it, especially STAG. Cheers, hope it helps
Hey Dan, Reliability is a good criteria you haven't brought up. Cheers!
Well, I guess you got me on Patreon. jJust couldn't wait for the new build.
Haha, thanks Matt! Scroll down a bit to see all the renderings and discussions on the new vehicle, and a bit lower again to see the destination we're taking it to!
Fire away with any questions you have in comments on Patreon, or a message there.
Awesome content 👏 Greetings from south africa 🇿🇦
Lovely Ep
Reliability and dependability should be right up there on the list. You mentioned Grizzlynbear, well their rear diff just exploded today. This is probably less of a consideration when purchasing new vehicles for each trip.
The great thing about Land Rovers is parts are plentiful and I bet they already have 10 offers of a replacement rear diff. Of course, they always NEED repairing.. but that's another story.
@@TheRoadChoseMe LRs are terrible when it comes to reliability. That guy Leigh is constantly replacing and working on some stuff in that vehicle and whatever you save on fuel will be offset by repairs lol. Leigh seems to be pretty handy as a mechanic so he keeps working on that LR constantly replacing something or the other but I would hate to own one of those.
The unofficial slogan for LandRover is “ LandRover. Making mechanics out of owners since 1948”
But, but, but, you completely looked over the Astro van.....! :)
So, no Wrangler, Bronco, 4Runner, Tacoma, Gladiator, Defender, Land Cruiser, Grenadier... 🤔
what's left for you to use?
or are you going to agoing full size (RAM, Tundra, Sequoia)... or a van (Revel, Storieteller), but I don't know how they would fit your "container size" criteria
so I'm really curious which is your chosen one
Considering this video and your last vehicle in Australia I'm surprised you didn't choose a diesel ute. The CSR trip in particular plus all over Australia the fuel use is less. Seems the 2.8 or 3.0 Duramax is the American choice for 20 mpg all loaded up.
With all the info you have provided the only vehicles I can think of unless you go a truck of some sort, would be the new Defender 110 or 130 with the rear seats removed. The 130 has a lower payload though I believe.
However I live in Australia not Canada/North America so don’t know all the options available to you there.
Land Drover Nice this can be somthing!
Sounds like a diesel 3/4 ton truck with an pop-up/wedge camper could be candidate
1) Seems like dimensionally it could fit in a container
2) diesel variants can achieve those fuel ratings
3) easy to buy in north America
4) wedge/pop-up camper in back could maintain dimensions for container and allow for increased living space in back
Bonus) huge increase in payload compared to wrangler and gladiator
Bonus 2) AEV makes nice gear for RAM 2500 and you already have used and trust AEV products
single cab 8' box same wb /size as. suburban or gm express van he could do empty pop up and do what he needs
Sounds like either a 4WD Van or Ambulance is worth serious consideration.
Absolutely, yes!
Ok sounds like you are going to Norway / Scadivavia? Its rainy in norway lets see cant whait! If in Sweden you are welcome to the island of Gotland where i live and let me show you all there is here! Kind regards Erik!
I’m going to take a SWAG (scientific wild ass guess) and say you bought a Maverick? Interior space, better mpg? Don’t know about payload off the top of my head, but I imagine it can’t be worse than a Tacoma because Tacos literally have the worst midsize truck payload. And as a die hard American Toyota enthusiast, it pains me to say that lol.
Driving comfort won’t be a big consideration for me, as that is what you will be doing the most. All the other options you mentioned are valid and need exploring. For reliability, Toyota and they have a huge worldwide support network, although some markets don’t get all engines.
I personally have a discovery 3 which is huge inside, the most comfortable vehicle I’ve ever owned. I regularly get 28-34 mpg in the uk, mostly loaded. With a 113 inch wheelbase, it doesn’t pitch on the rough, and is very, very capable off road. The air suspension irons out the bumps, and gives excellent on road manners, and at a flock of s switch, additional height for the rough stuff
Looking forward to your new adventures and wishing you luck. One thing that you forgot is that you can use high cube container, which will give you 2.69m of internal height. It could be useful as height is a dimension that you can benefit a lot, without compromising that much of capability, with pop-up roof for a van for example.
pop up roof on a tahoe or suburban size older ones no diesel opt on old ones
Astro van with the 4wd transfer case from a S10. With a small lift, you'd be high teens mpg. Lots of space, easy to work on, cheap... or you could buy an Astro Tiger and be a total badA**.
Couple of comments/ideas (I know this is "in the past" as well) Defenders (25 yr old) are pretty easy to get parts for in NA, and have the payload AND worldwide parts availability. A tow bar is useful for recovery with a good quality tow point. it's central and usually very strongly mounted otherwise totally agree. For me now interior living space is becoming much more important I'm 90 certain that you bought a RAM but could be totally surprised
It sounds to me like a full size pick-up will fit a lot of your needs. F150, Silverado, Ram, etc.
What would you do for interior living space Matt?
My biggest issue with the Gladiator was the feeling that it was two separate vehicles - the passenger compartment then whatever was in the bed. I never got over that.
@@TheRoadChoseMe to be fair that would still be the case. But with the right camper shell, you would have nearly all the space you need. I don't believe that is the choice you've made. However, if you follow the sort or 2 out of 3 mentality that you mentioned at one point, a full-size truck ticks nearly all of the boxes.
Based on your criteria, it sounds like you need a half ton pickup or full sized SUV with a hybrid. Sequoia, tundra, or F150.
Currently Im looking more into cross-overs. I think they fit most of my trips and get better fuel mileage. subaru, kia/hyundai/rav4/mazda even lexues rx.
They can absolutely be great vehicles, and if I was doing a ground tent again I think it's likely I'd go for something like that (maybe even EV).. but this time I really want interior living space for where we're going!
Want to make sure the vehicle you choose has good availability of doors parts and after market mods.
I’m going for an old solid axle hilux. They are pretty bulletproof and there should still be os support as they have been used widely by terrorists. I’m in Aus so I might have to get LHD conversion somewhere like Cambodia.
Hey Dan, got a play-off beard😁Maybe it has to be a van. Used Sprinter, Iveco, Transit or something like that and DIY it
You should really put the Defender back on your list. It is the vehicle of choice for many overlanders and for good reason, it is a proven overlander.
They're incredible for sure, but I'm not importing an odd vehicle from around the world. For a whole long list of reasons it's not worth it.
All of these reasons apply to the defender too th-cam.com/video/7rlLSaICSVU/w-d-xo.html
Sounding like you are going to get a van Dan, Sprinter 4x4 maybe. I think it would a decent choice except adblu is hard to get in central asia
More space and payload means bigger, less fuel means smaller... Good luck with that!
Haha, you are absolutely right!
Yes, exactly. Once your at the point you want to do yoga in your car and have all the comforts of a Living room but in your car. It defeats the purpose of Overlanding, camping and adventure.
Best advice it to messure how much uncomfortable-Ness can you tolerate.
The higher the better, to go do/ see more.
If you can't afford to be uncomfortable, stay home, don't water your money, just buy a flight and be a tourist like a normal person
I’m thinking a single cab 3/4 or 1 ton truck, diesel with an 8’ bed and a camper on the back, or an older sprinter 144” wb with 4x4. It’s a global platform, gets great mpg, has great interior space and can be purchased in North America.
Sounds like a Sportsmobile or other adventure van like vehicle is what your looking for.
He’s going to get a lifted Prius, with a 4 wheel drive conversion and a pop up roof on it 😂
lol. All that means “fk I want a greandier” - me too buddy
Not yet. They're entirely unproven, and there's basically zero aftermarket support right now.
Maybe in five years once they are proven.. but even then, how is it a major improvement over my previous vehicles?
I don’t know what the fuel mileage is but lately I’ve been looking at 4:06 garage in Oregon there an international Harvester shop that saves old IH trucks. An old international travel all or like-minded Chevy suburban the Mexican market four-door Ford bronco thing perhaps some of the older 60s era panel wagons will give you the payload capacity in this volume that you need, But I’m not sure about fuel economy on any of those older engines you’d probably be looking at installing a modern day fuel injected power plant although I have heard of guys with international harvesters getting well into the mid 20s in fuel mileage on scouts and scout 2.
Would be amazing if Ineos gave you a Grenadier to put through it's paces!
If they offered I certainly wouldn't say no!
Reliability Reliability Reliability!
I don't know where you're going, but I've been toying with the idea of a Ford or Chevy straight axel 4x4 conversion with a nice lift on 35s. But there goes your gas mileage.
For more room / interior living space and 22 to 25 mpg it'll have to be something diesel.
We'll see.
35s are not for overlanding.
They can be in America where overlanding can LOOK LIKE extended off roading but is not. Some mistake it for that but big tires can let you through some gate keeping obstacles just like 33's can.
I say that as someone with 32's on my pick up and a Miata for overlanding.
@@ReduxGarage
Tell that to probably the most famous overlander in Australia. Ronny Dahl.
35s "were" not for overlanding and still may not be in some parts of the world. But they're available more and more.
@Tom A - an interesting observation there is that Ronny's company (and all his vehicle branding) is "4wd Australia", not "Overland Australia".
Is Ronny an overlander, or a 4x4er? Very, very blurry line. He's also only tackled one continent... so it's not like he's doing really long distance international overlanding.
The Toyota troop carrier is the greatest 2 person over lander ever made and it’s not even close and ticks all your boxes
But it was never sold in North America, and for a long list of reasons I'm not importing a 15+ year old vehicle as a foreign vehicle. Not worth it.
I'd suggest some type of van, maybe a diesel Mercedes? I don't know if it'd have the economy you're looking for, I know my gas ford van averages just over 50% of what you want.
Awesome Dan! Go get something fun, maybe a 79 series in South America
No importing anything for me Izzy - waaaay to many headaches with parts and support and not being able to even get aftermarket stuff easily.
@@TheRoadChoseMe But I know a guy who knows a guy that heard from a guy's sister's ex-boyfriend's cousin.....
Buying a vehicle which is not popular in North America might not inspire your North American followers but could inspire your followers from the rest of the world 😉
Most 4x4s in North America are not found anywhere else (difficult to maintain in Asia)
So I think you shouldn't limit yourself to that pool of cars.
I understand complete what you're saying - but remember that I live here in Canada.. so I have to actually be legally allowed to get the vehicle (must be 15 years old to import), have to get spares, maintain it, etc. etc.
A foreign import is a pain in the neck that I just don't want to deal with
@@TheRoadChoseMe in that case, I guess it would be a 4x4 campervan. But I don't know if any of them will fit in 2.28m... It would be interesting to follow this next adventure :)
Hey Dan, you also need to consider a very good 4x4 transmission with perhaps a Live front axle.. do you guys have any Troopies or diesel GU Patrols left up there?
Nope, neither of those were ever sold locally.
Get a Subaru Outback. Wilderness if you are feeling particularly adventurous.
I!d love to see a build on a 100-series or 200-series Landcruiser, or even a Prado
In the US they only come with gas engines, and they get abysmal mileage. Like 10mpg or even worse when fully loaded out. That is utterly unworkable for what I do, and therefore I simply can't.
Also my number one goal is to stand up and walk around inside for interior living space...
It’s the better mileage and more space that will be hard together. Diesel gers more mileage but cost a lot more .
Without knowing the intended destinations it's difficult to know what I'd personally think. For better fuel economy and ride comfort I love my Grand Cherokee Trailhawk. If armored up it handles overlanding trails well, but not the same as a Wrangler or Gladiator. But it definitely offers more storage space than a JT or JL. But the big downside if taking it into foreign lands is what happens if the air suspension fails. And of course it's IFS/IRS not solid axle. If buying a North American vehicle and transporting it, I'm guessing a 4-Runner or Lexus equivalent might be the most reliable choice, however.
Thanks Peter. Remember I'm aiming to improve my interior living space. So standing up and walking around inside is key. Anything that doesn't support that is out.
@@TheRoadChoseMe If that's the case I'm guessing a Sprinter or equivalent? I think they're short enough to fit in a shipping container. But those are "take out a mortgage" vehicles, which would eat into your fuel budget.
Knowing that I drove AK-Argentina in a $5k Jeep, and around Africa in a Jeep that cost me $18k (plus upgrades)... I feel sick when I think of "take out mortgage" vehicles. I don't have the finances, but even more-so, I don't have the stomach for that!
@@TheRoadChoseMe But with that TJ and the JK, there was a different kind of trade-off involved; you were traveling alone and didn't need all that much extra space. And you were also about 10 years younger when you started. As someone who is over 60, trust me, room to move about, and have a few real tangible creature comforts on a long journey cannot be understated. I'm eager to see your new rig.
Absolutely Peter, everything you said is spot on, and you are absolutely right that I'm looking for "more" now than ever before.
In a sense though it's a good thing I simply can't afford a stupidly expensive vehicle, so it's just automatically off my list and I don't even need to think about it.
Harder tracks would be easier and parts would be more durable with a solid front axle rig. Simple and strong.
I agree with that logic, and certainly my solid axle vehicles have done well to date.
At 13:00 mins in. Im thinking fullsize 1/2 ton pick up with the new Alu-cabin.
I do like the jeep jxl conversions!
I think it's a terrible idea to put all the weight of the spare, tire carrier, maxtrax, fuel and hi lift further behind the rear axle than it was ever designed for... AND the whole thing just just bolt on.
Will that last over tens of thousands of miles of the worst corrugations on the planet? I'm not going to be the guinea pig to find out.
Sprinter 144 or 170 AWD or 4WD? Also ... take a look at ACELA trucks too ....although fuel consumption might be not good enough.