Overlanding North/South America - need advice on what 4WD

[aboldi]

Hello all,

My girlfriend and I are planning to overland starting in Argentia and then going all through SA/NA, but have no idea what sort of 4WD would best suit our needs. Looking for a little advise on what people think and their preferences

At the moment the 2 which seem to suit our needs are the 2003 Suzuki Grand Vitara or the Jimny. These hit a nice price-functionality point for us, as we don't foresee the need to do any hugely serious 4WDing (i.e. rock hopping), but the trip will definitely include some offroading in swampy/muddy/rugged terrain. At the moment the Jimny seems to be the most popular of the 2, but it's size might not be practical.

Current plans are to get a mid-level 4WD and then put in a variety of aftermarket parts (i.e. lift kits, suspension, diff, tires, etc) to ensure it'll be able to make the cut!

We're looking for a balance of: Price (cheaper the better, but don't want something useless!), not too thirsty (preferably diesel, if possible), durability and a decent size (enough for 2 people to live out for 1-2 years).

Any thoughts would be much appreciated!

 

[Ozrockrat]

I would suggest any 4wd that is already kitted out that you can buy off a traveler already in South America. Something like this one http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/83401-2003-Toyota-Tundra-with-Palomino-Bronco-Camper-for-Sale-Peru-Ecuador-Colombia (No affiliation, don't know the seller).

This way you are already a few grand ahead from not having to ship a vehicle and even though all overland vehicles get a bit beaten up they have had the kinks taken out. When you are finished your trip just sell it on to the next lost soul. Just be mindfull of where you intend to finish your trip. If you are ending up in the USA try to buy a US registered vehicle.

If you want to do your own vehicle (and that is half the fun to me) I would suggest that Suzuki do have fairly good coverage of South America but if you are coming from Oz a Hilux diesel or 22R with a canopy (preferably medal) and a roof top tent. Hilux parts are easy to get in most countries. Unless you are traveling on the Pan Am or major highways speed will not be an issue. But over the Andes any of the vehicles I have suggested will struggle (as will most laden down overland vehicles).

I would suggest either this forum or Horizons Unlimited as the best place to source them.

 

[1leglance]

I will 2nd the idea of spending time at Horizons Unlimited.

Since it is a 2 person trip I would really recommend a Toyota 4wd van...the Hi-Ace gives you plenty of living space and they are easy to build up mildly for off road use. Quality tires and a 2 inch lift will do 99% of what you need if you get an air compressor/tire kit so that you will air down. Add a bit of recovery gear, a few basic tools and the important spares and then use the rest of your time & money to travel.

Please, Please, Please spend some time reading this thread and the travel blogs from the folks who posted in it.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...ou-wish-you-had-left-behind-What-did-you-need
They talk about what works & doesn't, vehicle prep and choice and the trip itself. And some of them are still on the road so you can ask questions and get real time answers.

Good luck and remember the money is always better spent on the trip instead of the build.

 

[aboldi]

Excellent, thanks for the input (both of you)! Will definitely take what you said on board. Our thoughts are to buy one and build it up ourselves, as that's definitely half the fun, but we'll definitely consider a 2nd hand overlander!

I've seen a lot of threads about people overlanding in a Jimny and I must say I'm quite enamoured with that little thing. Is it as capable as a lot of people seem to think? Our only concern is size, so will go to a dealership on the weekend and check it out.

My girlfriend is an obsessive researcher so we'll definitely be doing a large amount of reading on the topic of what to bring, what sort of gear we're likely to need etc.

 

[haven]

The 4x4 is one half of the equation. How you'll camp is another factor. Have you thought about the camper setup you'll use? (sleeping in a tent, even a nicely outfitted tent trailer, will get old after a couple of months, IMO)

 

[aboldi]

At the moment the plan is to have a few sleeping options:

1) Rooftop tent (primary)
2) Ghetto little 2-man tent for foot excursions to places like Cabo
3) Hotels/motels when we feel like pampering ourselves/to break up the camping

The rooftop tent will likely impact our choice of 4x4, as I'd imagine not all of them are ideal for mounting rooftop tents?