NPS is not a bad choice, there are a couple around here. But you are going to have to watch your weight on that one.
But at least with the Crew Cab you will be able to carry passengers legally. And you may even be able to order one of these as a Single Wheel Application (SWA), I am not sure?
Not sure who these 5x heavy's are that you want to take along on your trips together with the missus but if you are going to be full numbers in the cab then weight becomes even more of an issue. They are getting pretty strict at the weighbridges around SA and border posts now.
You will have to check the allowable overhang for this little truck, you want to stay well within it. Which of course means you are going to have to build a very compact body, probably too small for 7x people if that is what you are aiming for above.
The Euro 2 suits use in South Africa better at as we do not have the cleanest diesel around, and also for adventures further north up the continent. So no worries there.
The crew cab however is R700k I believe. Do you really need the 4x4 capability? Reason I ask is if you are going to have to cater for so many then there are bigger/longer chassis trucks that would offer you more space and more carrying capacity.
In my opinion it would make no sense to buy a vehicle in Aus as the build cost, shipping + import tax will far outway local costs. Although you'd probably get a better job done over there!
Exciting times for you.
Hi FF 4x4,
The 5 heavy's are my workers. We are taking a cook as we will be out all day in the field and the wife does not want to come back to camp in the evening to then cook, I need a security guard at the camp, I need to take a few guys to help me carry camera equipment, so they will come with me out in the field during the day. I need a security guard for the quads for when we get out in the field and get as close as we can to our area of interest by quad then have to leave the quads behind and do the final approach on foot. Its not easy North of the Limpopo! In Africa as long as you have a man sitting watching your possessions all is well.
Our needs our to get out into the field for extended periods of time on photographic missions. We want to be able to move from Uganda in East Africa to Namibia via Moz/Zambia/Bots. We envisage doing this back and forths for a number of years. Getting older so we want some comfort now and to do it all better then a small tent on the ground.
We looked at a camper tralier and was interested in the Conqueror Commander and thought of towing that behind our LC 79. Problem is we cant carry enough and carrying the guys in the trailer as we move is questionable - I think we could get away with it up here but I worry about safety of the guys, so we ruled this approach out.
So that means we have to go to something bigger. We dont want to be any bigger then we have to be.
The 6 Ton trucks look to be ideal for the job.
So a camper back on the truck and tow a trailer with the quads and a bike (or two). Need a small genset as well and we would like to be able to deploy solar panels at our camps (probably 3-5 days at any given camp we make), so some solar panels to carry. We will be carrying tents for the guys (import from Australia as I like the 30 second tent) So lots to carry. Then we need staff to help setup camp/house keeping/security/carrying gear in the field. So lots of people to move.
This leads me to looking for the biggest under 6.5 ton truck I can find. Would like to stay under 6.5 T if possible because over that means going over weigh bridges and we would like to avoid that if possible.
So the Isuzu has the biggest engine and torque rating for the limited range of small trucks we have to chose from in Southern Africa. Plus I already have an Isuzu twin cab 4x4 and pretty happy with it, so know what to expect from an Isuzu. So thats how I arrived at the NPS 300 4x4 SWA model.
Having been in Africa for 20 years this year, i've had a lot of experience at trying to maintain cars locally. That why I was considering importing from Australia - the work would be done to a high standard - something I cant find here. I wont say anymore because what I have to say about local standards would not be pleasant.
However thinking it through I think Ski Freak is right - better to import the parts and try to find a good mech done South. Getting harder and harder since so many Afrikaners have left but not impossible. Better to buy the truck itself locally because only Euro 2 emissions, so that is def the way to go.
Yes around R700K inc VAT. I dont use 4x4 often but when you need it, you really need it! I have only used 4x4 on my LC79 5 or 6 times but each time I would have been seriously stuck miles and miles from anywhere if I had not had 4x4. So yes need the 4x4.
What trucks do you think would be more suitable then the NPS 300?
So with all of the above taken into account, I still wonder if its not better to just buy a Merc 4x4 overlander that do come up in the Junk Mail from time to time. They are usually 1.3 to 1.5 Million Rand but when its all said and done the NPS 300 is not going to be any less. My worry is being a used truck in Africa and a 4x4 at that, is how it was driven and what problems am I buying Vs buying new and going through the setup process myself to arrive at where I think I need to be.
We live in Lusaka and have a place on Lake Tanganyika that we go up and down to so we are pretty well versed in local travel/camping conditions. I cant see doing what we want to do with anything less then a truck and a trailer and i cant imagine being out in the bush camping without enough guys to help setup camp and keep security given the size of what it is we are trying to do. And to think when I first started out here 20 years ago I was on an XT350 with a backpack and 2 man tent!
