gxv vs earthroamer

The idea of people being more offended or impressed or whatever by a U500 versus an F550 based vehicle seems a bit strange to me. Most people don't notice and don't care. People interested in 4x4 smile and enjoy seeing an unusual vehicle. No big deal.

I agree.
I made a comment about a year ago that whether it's a $10K Landcruiser, a $200K ER or a $400K Unicat, all are overwhelming to "the kid playing in the dump in the 3rd World country"

Charlie
 

Kardec

New member
Height

While I didn't compare the two ... the first ER build was still in the future ... the "bed rail" height of the U500 seemed very high. I believe it is higher than the F550 though it doesn't matter to me, I have no Unimog vs F550 feelings whatsoever. The higher bed rail means a higher camper box, thus a higher everything. Certainly a pop up can work. I didn't really want one in that sort of a vehicle though I'd recommend a pop up slide-in as a serious way to go for many people and might have done just that if I hadn't known Bill and started discussing what eventually became the Earthroamer with him.

I have long considered getting a pole saw and occasionally day dreamed about a back up camera on top ... looking forward! If real, hard core 4x4 back country work was my main thing I'd probably just have an old LC 60 and live in a tent, I had one in the 1980s and loved it.

I don't know about the space efficiency aspects. Theoretically, I like the cab-over design of the U500 or a Fuso but try to put an over head bunk on a U500 and you end up with a small office building. That big bunk is one of the great things about the ER ... it's REALLY big and it's out of the way. Old long haul truckers never seemed to like the ride of cab-overs, possibly that is why they have been disappearing. They must be great off road though, incredible view! We used a lot of Fusos when I worked in Australia. I didn't find them very comfortable because of my long legs. They have some really small cab-over style trucks down there. The size of the smaller Toyota or Nissan pick ups. I forget who made them but they might have been older too. For a country with not a lot of different car models and virtually NO older cars on the road, there were a lot of interesting things to see down under, vehicle-wise.

I find the U500 seriously more exotic than the ER but that may just be me. Many people are really happy to see my vehicle and I always try to tell them as much about it as they want to know. Possibly I ran into the very few who would be offended by my ER but absolutely EVERYONE I run into asks how much it cost ... a question I certainly wouldn't ask of anyone under similar circumstances. So far, all the offended ones seem to already know how much it costs ... one of them pulled up with his family of five in a very tricked out F350 pulling a trailer with a boat and also two jet skis in an overhead rack. He was very aggressive and strange but to me it looked like HE had an expensive lifestyle! HUMANS! They're all crazy. Obviously, thousands of people drive past me every year without noticing or caring what I drive but it's the ones who start getting scary that I remember.

Other ER drivers have all been amazing. When we accidentally run into one and other on the road, there's an instant camaraderie. I followed an ER off I40 into a rest stop last year and the guy jumped out of his cab and I jumped out of mine and we embraced each other like long lost brothers even before we knew each other's names. His wife was into how I packed my fridge and I learned a bit about tuning chips. We only talked for 10 minutes before we were back on the road and soon headed in opposite directions. I'm sure people who own those old Vixen motorhomes are the same way.
 

dzzz

............. Many people are really happy to see my vehicle and I always try to tell them as much about it as they want to know. Possibly I ran into the very few who would be offended by my ER but absolutely EVERYONE I run into asks how much it cost ... a question I certainly wouldn't ask of anyone under similar circumstances. So far, all the offended ones seem to already know how much it costs ... one of them pulled up with his family of five in a very tricked out F350 pulling a trailer with a boat and also two jet skis in an overhead rack. He was very aggressive and strange but to me it looked like HE had an expensive lifestyle! HUMANS! They're all crazy. Obviously, thousands of people drive past me every year without noticing or caring what I drive but it's the ones who start getting scary that I remember.
.............

I wonder if the big ER graphics on some of their vehicles makes a difference in how (crazy) people respond. With my strange U500 camper people just generally seem confused about what they're looking at. And Unicats occasionally get confused with refuse trucks. While perhaps a bit humiliating, not necessarily a bad thing :)
 

michaelvanpelt

Observer
It's the shipping

In my experience....and for what its worth...(it's free), the Mercedes trucks including Unimog's are used in most, if not all ground based military units in the world. As a result the parts are already in most parts of the world. The problem is that electronic parts can't normally clear customs. Sometime its the oddest things that give a problem to customs and automotive parts are one of them for whatever reason. If the part is an electronic part FORGET it. If its a part that's already been approved and cleared it's a snap, any dealer can get the part in but if it's not a part used and previously cleared into the country it can get tough. That’s part of the value of the Mercedes brand in my thinking.


As far as the Ford versus Mercedes my thoughts go back to the earlier comment about how high the vehicle is. Equipped with the MPT 81 tires the Ford is pushing 11 feet. GXV Unimog based bodies are normally just over 12 feet with a six-foot seven interior height. I think most Unicat's are about the same. For my money, a foot difference in overall height is not even a consideration. The Unimog can take a side hill or an approach that a Ford could not even consider.

Now don't get me wrong the new Fords are much better than last year's however, there is a reason that new Unimog chassis can cost almost 4 times what a new Ford F550 will cost. From the 33,000 GVW to the 22" in ground clearance not to mention the worldwide serviceability and 1,000,000 mile possibility plus everything else I can think of....there is really just no comparison. If I was only staying domestic, the Ford is fine and makes a good camper. However if crossing the border's are in your sights then I go back to "there is no comparison". A Mercedes-Benz, MAN, DAF, or any number of globally used chassis made a far better choice in a true Expedition Vehicle.

I'm sure there are people out there that have a different opinion, and this is only my opinion. However if I was going to make an investment based on opinions then I would want to see the passports of the people making the opinions.
 

adam88

Explorer
Assuming a proper structure the probability of significant problems is really in the cab/chassis anyways. If either company disappeared a year or two after purchase it wouldn't be a disaster for the buyer. The base truck is warrantied and the camper parts are fixable by many other sources.
From what we've seen so far the initial large depreciation is the "risk"; The buyer had better be sure he will use the vehicle or faces a huge financial penalty for changing his mind.
My perception is ER is a more refined, focused product, with GVX doing more variety and customization. I expect most buyers don't have too much trouble deciding between companies. Hopefully there's enough business for two healthy companies.
Neither company has a proper "world truck" to build on. Fortunently North America is a big place.

I think it has to do less with warranty, and more with resale value. If a manufacturer disappears, your resale value goes way down, because information/recognition of that brand quickly goes down the toilet. If earthroamer had not come back from bankruptcy, the brand would barely be known and old earthroamer units would be worth less (no "Certified by Earthroamer" programs, and no "Upgraded MPT81 suspension kits", etc.). No one wants an obsolete platform, people want to be part of a community, they want a place where they can get upgrades, maintenance, new ideas and network with future users. Here's a great example... Hummer H1 was discontinued in 2006. Since then, the hummer network has significantly dropped, just from 5 years of no new hummers. No one talks about hummers anymore, and there's less of them on the road.
 

dzzz

I think it has to do less with warranty, and more with resale value. .............

It's hard to guess at resale a couple years in the future. Both the ER and GXV seem solid, but if we're being very conservative we would buy a Unicat I guess.

I don't know anything about International. I'm curious how that stacks up as a "world truck". Are the campers built by GXV on International headed outside the U.S.? That seems to be a great rig even if it just stays in North America, but I'm curious where the owners intend to travel.
 
Maybe if/when Freightliner replaces its' lines with the Atego, Axor and Actros we'll have real "world trucks". Of course thoroughly electronic. And we'll be lucky to get all the options like 4X4/6X6.

Charlie
 

Bill Beers

Explorer
Maybe if/when Freightliner replaces its' lines with the Atego, Axor and Actros we'll have real "world trucks". Of course thoroughly electronic. And we'll be lucky to get all the options like 4X4/6X6.

Charlie

I don't see that happening ever. The have some common engines now, and more later, but the US is a conventional cab market, and the rest of the world is cabover. I think they'll stick to what sells in the US.
 
I don't see that happening ever. The have some common engines now, and more later, but the US is a conventional cab market, and the rest of the world is cabover. I think they'll stick to what sells in the US.

I heard what could only be qualified as a well sourced rumor to that effect from a Freightliner representative relatively high up who shall remain un-named. About a year ago.

Charlie
 

cwsqbm

Explorer
I don't see that happening ever. The have some common engines now, and more later, but the US is a conventional cab market, and the rest of the world is cabover. I think they'll stick to what sells in the US.

We don't have the same length restrictions on trucks, so for tractor-trailers there's little need for a short tractor when hauling a 53' trailer.

I could see the straight trucks coming here, since there is a length limit on them, both legally and practically. The other US truck manufacturers sell cabover straight trucks, so its a hole in Freightliner's product line. Those are what interest us here anyways - I'd love a Atego, with its 13,500 kg GVW and factory optional single rear tires in 365/80-20 size.
 

Bill Beers

Explorer
...The other US truck manufacturers sell cabover straight trucks, so its a hole in Freightliner's product line. Those are what interest us here anyways - I'd love a Atego, with its 13,500 kg GVW and factory optional single rear tires in 365/80-20 size...

Noted. Which US truck makers have cabovers right now? Freightliner sells the Argosy, but it's export only, unless you're ordering a glider. Peterbilt has the 210/220/320, and Mack has the Terrapro. I couldn't find any for Navistar, Volvo, Ford, GM, or Kenworth. I'd say there are not may out there.


Hino has the 155/195, Isuzu's N-series, and the Fuso Canter are all available here. Having Fuso under the Daimler umbrella is probably one reason Freightliner doesn't have a small cabover. You're right though, Freightliner/Daimler doesn't seem to have a medium-duty cabover in its stable.
 

RRTWoffroad

New member
Between Earthroamer and Global Expedition Vehicles, assuming a Ford F-550 chassis, is there any reason one product or the other should be easier to register with DMV in California?
 

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