New Member needs help choosing an expedition vehicle!

[Jolly Roger]

Hi Folks

I'm brand new to this site and this is my first posting so excuse me if I've inadvertently posted this in the wrong section!

My wife and I have recently decided to undertake a multi-year round-the-world trip and have just started on our planning and research. We currently reside in British Columbia, Canada, but are planning to travel through the Americas (north, central, south) as well as Europe, Africa, Asia, etc. Our plan is to be on the road somewhere between 5 - 10 years. Our biggest challenge will be deciding on the most suitable vehicle for our trip. There appears to be a plethora of different options out there and its all a little overwhelming for newbies like us. Consequently, we’re hoping the good folks on this site may be able to provide us with some insight, advice and recommendations on the most suitable vehicle for our requirements.

Ideally, we'd be looking for a vehicle with these features and characteristics:

SMALL or MEDIUM SIZE
As there will be just the two of us (and possibly our 2 small dogs) we do not need a huge vehicle. Something that is relatively comfortable with enough space for two people to relax without sitting on top of each other would be nice. We are more likely to visit smaller towns and villages rather than large cities, so will need a vehicle compact enough to traverse small, narrow streets. Having a vehicle small enough to fit inside a standard shipping container would be nice but is not essential.

OFF-ROAD CAPABLE
We plan on avoiding as many of the tourist traps as we can and spending more time in remote "off-the-beaten-track" locations. Consequently, a decent level of off-road / 4x4 capability is a must.

SELF-CONTAINED
We hope to be as self-contained as possible. We would therefore like our vehicle to have berths for sleeping, kitchen area for preparing meals (stove, fridge, freezer, sink, range, etc.), bathroom with toilet, sink and shower, heater, air-conditioning, etc. If possible, we’d like to avoid any appliances or systems that depend on LPG and stick to either diesel or electrically powered systems. Some kind of solar system for generating additional electricity would be nice but is not essential.

CLIMATE
We will undoubtedly experience a wide range of temperatures, weather conditions and climates on our trip. Consequently, we’ll need a vehicle that is capable of operating in both very hot and very cold climates.

DEPENDIBILITY / EASE OF MAINTENANCE, SERVICE & REPAIR
Ideally, we’d like a vehicle that is relatively easy to maintain, service and repair. We’d probably like to avoid any of the domestic vehicles (Ford, GMC, Dodge, etc.), as there is probably not a very extensive service network outside of North America. We’d prefer a vehicle with a worldwide dealer and service network such as Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Mercedes, etc. We’re currently debating whether to purchase a new vehicle with up-to-date technology, warranty, etc., or an older vehicle with proven reliability, more accessible parts, simpler design (no complex electric / computer systems), etc.

POSSIBLE VEHICLE CHOICES
Through our initial research, we have discovered a few different vehicles that may be a good fit for what we are looking for. Our current considerations include:

Unicat TerraCross 38 Pico Plus
http://www.unicat.net/en/index2-TerraCross.html

EarthCruiser
http://www.earthcruiser.com.au/

All Terrain Warrior Scout
http://www.allterrainwarriors.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=25

Bocklet Dakar 630
http://www.bocklet.eu/pages_de_model.php?ID=52

Actionmibil Arakaou XS
http://www.actionmobil.com/page8/page8_files/page6-1001-full.html

In addition to these vehicles, we’re also considering older Unimogs (there are a few 1300Ls available locally) which could be converted into expedition vehicles.

Anyway, we’d be VERY grateful for any advice, recommendations, tips or experience you may have regarding any of these vehicles. Conversely, if you think there is another platform that would be better suited to our needs, please don’t hesitate to share that with us.

Thank you all very much in advance for your help and assistance and sorry my initial posting is such a long one!

Cheers

 

[jcbrandon]

Welcome to the Expedition Portal. I'm pretty sure you'll find good advice and nice people here. We look forward to learning more about your plans.

 

[Victorian]

Welcome the forum!

You already have a pretty good idea what you want. Great!

Also the vehicles you showed in those links is also what I would call smart choices. Not too big not too small.

Having worked for Unicat, I have seen many different sizes of Expedition trucks. I was always wondering how often people with those huge trucks get stuck on narrow streets. After talking to quite a few owner (at big traveler meetings, in africa and at work) I was very impressed in how far those trucks can go! Even up some huge sand dunes in africa:Wow1:

Anyhow, the Pico from Unicat http://www.unicat.net/en/info/TC38picoplus.html would be my choice. Having owned a westfalia van I don't like the idea of pop up fabric roofs. They are alright in dry climates but as soon as it's getting damp and cold you are not so happy anymore...
If a pop up roof is what you want, than get one with solid walls!

Another thing, I put in consideration when I outfitted our camper van was "stealth"! Make your camper look as unattractive as possible. That will less likely attract thieves and corrupt customs and police officers. Of course our van would not be anything I would want to take around the world, but have a look and maybe you get some inspiration: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40153&highlight=Eurovan

BTW, if you are ever in Victoria, give me a shout and we can meet.

Cheers,
Andreas

 

[Jolly Roger]

Welcome to the Expedition Portal. I'm pretty sure you'll find good advice and nice people here. We look forward to learning more about your plans.

Thank you for the welcome. I'm looking forward to gleaning as much information as possible from people who've been down this road before me and have found their own successful solutions.

 

[Jolly Roger]

Anyhow, the Pico from Unicat http://www.unicat.net/en/info/TC38picoplus.html would be my choice. Having owned a westfalia van I don't like the idea of pop up fabric roofs. They are alright in dry climates but as soon as it's getting damp and cold you are not so happy anymore... If a pop up roof is what you want, than get one with solid walls! Cheers,
Andreas

Hi Andreas

Thank you for your reply and for your insight. I must admit, I'm slightly apprehensive about the ability of the fabric pop-ups to withstand the fluctuating climatic conditions that we may be facing on our trip. However, the folks who design these vehicles are a lot more knowledgeable than I am, and have obviously put a lot of time, effort, research and testing into the design of their rigs. Consequently, I'm willing to give them the benefit on the doubt about the ability of their vehicles to perform in adverse weather conditions. I would be very interested to hear from anyone who's used one of these fabric pop-ups in cold and / or inclement weather. I like the fact that these vehicles are small, light and can travel virtually anywhere. However, if I'm going to get wet or cold in the process I wouldn't be too impressed. I get over to Victoria a couple of times a year so will look you up the next time I'm over.

Many thanks

 

[Victorian]

Hey,

One thing you will get for sure while traveling in colder/wet climates with a soft top is: Condensation!

I know first hand that, for example Unicat, is putting a lot of effort into keeping the boxes very well insulated! Nothing worse that having a steel bar running inside a composite panel that will then transfer the cold outside temperatures inside and therefore create condensation on that specific spot. In German we call that Kaeltebruecke, no idea what the english name for that is.

At the end, every construction method/manufacturer has their benefits and down sides and it will be up to you to know what you want.

Cheers,
Andreas

 

[oonimog]

It's the same as in German: cold bridge