what is the opinion, experience, recommendations with regards to serviceability b/w an EC EXP/FX vs the new EC Terranova (or similar vehicle on F350, F550, etc ala Nimbl/GXV/Rossmonster)?
we are not that mechanically inclined and curious more so on routine/factory recommended maintenance type of stuff, i.e. oil changes, EC recommended maintenance, general mechanical upkeep one would use a service shop for, etc.
*note: we re in the infancy stages of researching on a vehicle and are very intrigued w/ EC, especially w/ the announcement of the Terranova, Nimbl Evolution, GXV AT, Rossmonster Baja type of vehicle.
**also, the last few thread on EC have been extremely helpful and informative. many thanks and to those that have contributed as well.
***
@ScottPC @pugslyyy
Pickup truck platforms, especially the crew cab long bed have a very long wheelbase, which has the benefits of smoother highway travel and a larger fuel tank. They suffer in tight turning situations (parking lots, small towns, offroad mountain switchbacks. And their breakover angles are inferior when means off roading ridges can cause you to get high centered. Larger tires / lifted suspension can help to some extent. With Pickups you also have to deal with the massive hood which is a bigger consideration in steeper terrain by loosing the horizon or not being able to see down and around tight turns. If you go with a shorter pickup truck configuration, you're looking at smaller gas tank and slight but not significant improvement in turning circles and breakover angles. These aren't a big deal in open desert camping but are considerations for mountain and forested terrain, or in some traffic scenarios. The EC EXP is going to be better in all of these scenarios except for highway driving and potentially in sandy conditions where it's a much heavier vehicle but also rated for carrying heavier loads. The EXP also has a 60 gallon tank.
For all these considerations, this where Geoff's original posts looks at the Sportsmobile e350 platform as a better alternative. It performs well on the open road than the EC EXP, though not as well as a pickup based platform. It has a short wheel base, similar to the EXP, shorter overall length, similar turning circle, and other angles (breakover, approach and departure), much lighter and with similar living space, though not as plush. Field Van, which was SMB-West, is producing these with the e350 V8 7.3 gasoline engine which delivers more HP and more low end torque. While the e350 is not a cabover, it does have shortened and sloped hood for excellent visibility. The e350 now comes with a 40 gallon gas tank. The Crew Long bed pickups have 48 gallon tank (Ford platform), but if going with a smaller configuration, it will likely be <34 gallons. Whereas the current EXP and e350 are gasoline engines, pickup trucks come with a diesel option. This adds weight and may not be a good international option due to fuel availability and other challenges with emission controls.
When it comes to 4wd, the pickups typically come with very effective factory 4wd that can be shifted on the fly. Some come with factor lockers and strong axles. Both the EXP and e350 are converted to 4wd. In some e350 those conversions are using readily available Ford Parts and in other cases some propriety parts. The EXP uses an array of aftermarket parts, not Fuso. The e350 conversion does allow on the fly shifting, provided the hubs are locked and the speed is below 55 and the e350 can have lockers or a limited slip differential. The EXP does not allow on the fly 4wd shifting and comes with lockers.
Due to the lighter weight, both the e350 and pickup platforms, have a variety of tire options, including those with the mountain snowflake rating. The EXP tire selection is more limited.
Bottomline: The platforms have different strengths and weaknesses. Pickups are going to be better on highway. The EXP is probably better offroad (but would love to see a comprehensive side by side comparison), and the e350 somewhere in the middle. This is all based on the merits of the respective chassis in this travel/camping/overlanding application.
For the actual living quarters, you going to get more insulation, conveniences and luxury with the EC products. With the Field Van or Sportsmobile, you going to get more practical space that's more integrated with indoor / outdoor living (large side and rear doors). With vans the driving areas does double duty when camping. With the EC's you have crawl through style pass throughs for access but you're generally in one space or the other while driving or while camping. With and e350 you're using the seats while camping that don't require crawling.
Hope you find this useful!
