Camper Builder Comparison (UNICAT vs. GXV etc.,)

[Will58]

Hi everyone,

Before I begin, I want to thank everyone for this amazing forum. Everything has been tremendously helpful, and after lot of reading & lurking around posting for the first time. A big thank you to all the contributions. Onto my question..........

Me and my wife are finally in a position where we can plan for our retirement and travel. We have been lifelong travelers and campers starting out with VW buses in our twenties to truck campers and full-size RVs. Fortunately, with little work and lot of luck we are financially in a position to own a properly thought out expedition vehicle. However, after doing a supposedly lot of research on different makers like GXV, UNICAT, ActionMobil, SLRV, Earthcruiser & Earthroamers I am more confused than ever.
I am a person who values reliability and dependability all my life, more so when we doing, say the Pony Express trail or an African safari near Van Zyl's pass. I have a fairly significant budget for this build so I want to get the best possible experience out there.

I would really love to get this forum's opinion in terms of quality, anything, I mean anything related to these different builders. Who is the best? Different approaches to build? Chassis choice? Unique engineering solutions? Dependability? Build quality? Future proofing? Upgradability? After sales support?

If the company owners are out here, Thomas Ritter or Mike Van Pelt any input would be greatly appreciated? I can also list my requirements if the need be. Any insight is really appreciated!

I am in the US, and not trying to pitch one maker against each other, just trying to figure out the best way to make a very important decision. Thank you very much!

 

[AMBOT]

Starting with “ reliability and dependability ” I would say you want a chassis under warranty and serviceable virtually anywhere. I think all box manufacturers can execute a quality box and subsystems.

Overseas vendors may require you to send them your chassis. Shipping, importing, VAT etc really add up.

With The US manufacturers once you are in the family I believe they will take good care of you.

I myself value the same things and went with an Acela truck with an empty box from BoxManufaktur and am totally happy with both (2 months in).

 

[Will58]

Starting with “ reliability and dependability ” I would say you want a chassis under warranty and serviceable virtually anywhere. I think all box manufacturers can execute a quality box and subsystems.

Overseas vendors may require you to send them your chassis. Shipping, importing, VAT etc really add up.

With The US manufacturers once you are in the family I believe they will take good care of you.

I myself value the same things and went with an Acela truck with an empty box from BoxManufaktur and am totally happy with both (2 months in).

Thank you so much! I have access to an amazing chassis, at least in my opinion however I am afraid of laughed out of here if I mention it. You are correct that UNICAT requires you to ship the chassis; however, I have read somewhere in this forum is that even though US manufacturers are awesome, no one comes close to UNICAT build quality. Just can't decide if it is worth hassle and extra taxation.
I have looked in the Acela trucks, and they are amazing. However, I feel they will be a little underpowered with my requirements which can make the rig heavier than usual.
I appreciate you posting, good luck on your travels!

 

[gregmchugh]

Thank you so much! I have access to an amazing chassis, at least in my opinion however I am afraid of laughed out of here if I mention it. You are correct that UNICAT requires you to ship the chassis; however, I have read somewhere in this forum is that even though US manufacturers are awesome, no one comes close to UNICAT build quality. Just can't decide if it is worth hassle and extra taxation.
I have looked in the Acela trucks, and they are amazing. However, I feel they will be a little underpowered with my requirements which can make the rig heavier than usual.
I appreciate you posting, good luck on your travels!

If anyone laughs at your amazing chassis that says more about them than you, please let us know what it is...

I think there would be general agreement that some of the European builders set the bar for quality builds for larger expedition vehicles. Sounds like you are looking for something larger than an EarthCruiser but I would put them in the list of high quality builders. Too many European builders to list them all but UNICAT, BiMobil, BlissMobil, BoxManufaktur, seem to get good reviews from owners in terms of the quality of their builds, but there are others too.

 

[Victorian]

If you can swing it, go with Unicat. I have worked for them for several years before moving to Canada and starting my own camper body business. Therefore I can tell you first hand, that nobody comes close to Unicat. The amount of innovation, expertise and highly skilled workers is mind-blowing. I can't even tell you how often we build things 3,4,5 times till it was perfect. The bar was VERY high. As with any high quality products, it costs a good amount of money. Those materials and skilled workers come at a price.
Aside from that, when it comes to any custom build, you are dealing with a lot of new territory. Things can go wrong, break or need adjustment after you took possession of your truck. That's just part of the deal. I know that Unicat has send teams to all parts of the world to help customers. Ask other manufacturers how they handle these situations.

In any case, I have seen EVERY manufacturer having issues at some point. I think it comes down how these issues are dealt with. Ask around, see what actual owners say and then make your choice.

Good luck.

 

[Will58]

I really appreciate the insight from this community. Victorian, from Total Composites, thank you so much for your comment. Given the encouragement from here, I am revealing my chassis. Bear in mind that this is company vehicle with defense contracts so unfortunately I won't be able to post pictures anytime soon; however, it is being removed from the fleet so eventually yes, there will be pictures! Now onto my chassis,

Details:
2003 Oshkosh Corporation M978 HEMTT Fuel Tanker, DD 8V92TA Diesel Engine with 450 HP and around 1300 lb-ft of torque.
Allison HT 740D transmission with an Oshkosh 55,000 lb 2-Speed transfer case in 8x8 configuration. GVWR of 66,000 lbs.

My firm acquired this is late 2011, and it has been modified quite a bit.

Modifications:
Rebuilt Cat C18 ACERT Tier 3 emissions with 810 HP and around 2800 lb-ft of torque. Complete rebuilt and re-gearing of transmission & transfer case to increase highway speeds upto 76 mph at 1300 RPM.
Dual 397 Amps alternator giving a peak current output of around 800 Amps and a continuous output of around 600 Amps.
Complete removal of the tanker configuration up to the frame, and full on rust prevention treatment. A frame extension of 7 ft after the rear axles was completed using the recommended steel and tested for 760 MPa of yield strength and torsional rigidity. Water fording capabilities have been upgraded to 60 inches for 5 minutes.
Cab has been brought up to modern civilian standards and provisions are there to have navigation, camera systems and digital dash etc., if need be.

Pros:
Massively capable off-road even in fully loaded configurations. The GVWR allows a lot of options in terms of expedition vehicle capabilities. I have driven and worked on this vehicle systems, so trouble shooting is easy for me. Reliability is a big plus even with the modifications. The DD motor served with no problem at all, and the conversion to Cat C18 was smooth with 600 hours of problem free operation.

Cons:
Size, too big according to people familiar with overlanding. I handle her pretty well, but yes this is a big truck. Huge turning radius of 105 ft, and no rear steering axle. Gas guzzler with a range of 300 to 350 miles. Most importantly, proprietary components which makes servicing difficult especially transfer case, axles and gearing. Cab-to-body pass-through not possible due to engine location. Tire availability is difficult.

Members, please comment on the chassis. I want truthful opinions as to if this is absurd to convert to an expedition vehicle. If it is so, then I have no problem reassigning to the fleet duty. My thoughts on this are that the range issue can be taken care of; however other aspects like turning radius is fixed. More so, the intimidating aspect of this truck can potentially inhibit export for building the body, and cause unnecessary trouble with customs.
Secondly, does anyone think that such a niche vehicle can cause problems with our travel plans of Africa, Central Asia etc.,

Thank you and if I am crazy please let me know!

 

[Victorian]

WAY too big. Yes they are capable off road... But think about taking this on a trip, fitting into a gas stations, campgrounds, supermarket parking lots outside of North America. Also, roads and bridges are much more narrow with less weight rating than in North America. I think taking a vehicle that size will limit your capabilities more than you think.
There are many "Overlanders" that started out with a 6x6 MAN that after the first trip down sized to something similar.

IF you are planing of staying just in the USA with lots of open space, then go for it! But forget about exploring the Pacific North West , our forest service roads and places to visit are way too tight.

 

[waveslider]

The best chassis is the one you have....

 

[Joe917]

What do you want to do with it?
The size and weight is far too restrictive for anything beyond open desert type places. That turning circle is going to be a nightmare. The eight by eight will not get you anywhere on trails a four by four won't, I agree with Victorian that even six by six is often too large, (especially if it is an engine forward design).
Our truck is a 9400kg 4x4 so I do have some idea of larger campers, I would not want to go larger, especially if you want do South America.
If it is just for hanging out around Anza Borrego then go for it.

 

[charlieaarons]

I have owned a U500 Unicat camper since new in 2006. Including rear mounted spares and front winch it’s ~27’ long. I have OCD as far as tools and spare parts and recovery gear so totally loaded with all fluids etc it’s too heavy at ~12300 kg. It has ~100k miles.
If someone offered me a NEW 6x6 especially with the versions available in US with a big hood sticking out, in trade, I would turn them down.
Even more so an 8x8 designed for launching Pershing missiles, with double my turning circle.
A HEMTT based camper would be fine in Mongolia, there’s few trees, only 1 big city and not many bridges. But it took me 6 hours average to get through Russian borders, each time. I can imagine the “issues” crossing into Russia for example with a HEMTT chassis. Although I do know of someone from Germany that spent time on the Kola Peninsula with his MAN-KAT 6x6 camper.

 

[Will58]

This forum is truly godsend! Thank you so much, everybody!

I have my concerns about the weight and size of the proposed rig; however convincing my wife and to a certain extent my brother (he is a widower who will be joining us in this adventure, the three of us get along nicely) is getting difficult. First and foremost, my wife after camping almost 30 years in a minimal setup wants the comforts of home. Specifically, her requirements are around 400 - 500 gallons of freshwater, adequate fridge/freezer storage and reasonable sized bathroom. Proper insulation and redundant heating systems to survive arctic temperatures are a must as well. I was able to negotiate down from a full sized kitchen but that is about it.

On the other hand, my brother is not so concerned with water but with range and energy storage. At 2 mpg, my brother proposed at least 300 - 350 gallons of diesel, 25 gallons of diesel exhaust fluid and 25 - 30 kWh of battery storage with corresponding solar setup. And also, a new chassis is upwards of $100k which is a cause for concern as well. My brother initially suggested a chase truck with extra fuel, converting his 2017 F450 but I think that is overkill. So, honestly I need this forum's help.

Is there any smaller chassis that can fulfill our requirements? Our initial travel plans include US, Canada and Mexico to get used to the systems. And then onto Europe, Russia and Central Asia. We currently do not have plans for Africa or South America! Please any help with chassis suggestion or what is an ideal rig weight or even convincing strategies are welcome.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Joe917]

Try to nail down the basics first.
Chassis requirements:
Cab forward. You cannot afford to waste vehicle length/wheelbase on an engine forward design.
Age, a newer North American available chassis, or 25 year old European. If you go with the older Euro chassis you can get a pre electronic, diesel that does not require def and will burn almost any quality of fuel, Mercedes and MAN would top the list in the 9-18 Tonne ranges .
Layout
Size, 2.4m X 3.7m X 8m is a good starting point to aim at.
Range, dependent on tankage but I would aim at 800 km +


Box :
Composite panel is industry standard for a reason. Strong and super insulated.
Cab to cabin access with locking door.

Build or Buy.
Having your own design built is great, but it will cost more and take longer than finding a used and proven Expo truck.
There are plenty out there, check Mobile.de and Unicat directly.

There is so much more but its mostly systems,

Keep looking and asking questions,

 

[Will58]

Try to nail down the basics first.
Chassis requirements:
Cab forward. You cannot afford to waste vehicle length/wheelbase on an engine forward design.
Age, a newer North American available chassis, or 25 year old European. If you go with the older Euro chassis you can get a pre electronic, diesel that does not require def and will burn almost any quality of fuel, Mercedes and MAN would top the list in the 9-18 Tonne ranges .
Layout
Size, 2.4m X 3.7m X 8m is a good starting point to aim at.
Range, dependent on tankage but I would aim at 800 km +


Box :
Composite panel is industry standard for a reason. Strong and super insulated.
Cab to cabin access with locking door.

Build or Buy.
Having your own design built is great, but it will cost more and take longer than finding a used and proven Expo truck.
There are plenty out there, check Mobile.de and Unicat directly.

There is so much more but its mostly systems,

Keep looking and asking questions,

Thank you.
I agree with your point that having a cab forward design with pass-through is very important. As we are located in the US, and want to have a vehicle registered here other than ACELA trucks we haven't found any to our preferences. Any help in this regard is greatly appreciated! An older engine design will definitely burn any diesel but I am not willing to take a efficiency hit. Also, having warranty would be nice. Moreover, our plans to travel to South America, Africa or say places where ULSD diesel is not available right now is not in the cards, maybe in 10 years and hoping by that time we have completely shifted towards ULSD diesel (at least the environment friendly side of me hopes so).

As for the body, definitely composite! And buy because at this age I do not want to take up a project of this magnitude.

As always, thanks a ton and any cab-forward design suggestions is welcome!

 

[Michelle@EarthCruiser]

To my mind its always a good idea to go see each manufacturer, 'see, touch and feel' what they build and see if you like them as people and a company. Decide what your needs really are and refine from there. I've spent significant time in Siberia, the 'Stan's and Caucuses as well as Africa and I wouldn't want or have anything that big. Hard to maneuver, park and screams that you've arrived. But if you want a fortress then that's probably it.

 

[Joe917]

gregmchugh gave a pretty good list of top Euro builders. A company like Unicat will advise you and help source an appropriate chassis.
Mercedes and MAN
The chassis will have to be 25 years old for import to the US
The issue with warranty is finding a dealer, so a proven truck engine combo well serviced is more important.