Top 10 Used Overland Vehicles: Do you agree?
- Thread starter Scott Brady
- Start date
Erik N
Adventurer
+1 on the Mercedes wagon. I have one and have done many an extended fishing trip in it. It is a 2 wheel drive model, but let's face the fact that graded roads go pretty much EVERYWHERE in the US. The back folds down totally flat, and yes you can sleep in it (I'm 6'2")
Plus, it will do 125mph fully loaded. Typically I will arrive at a river in the afternoon, fish till dark, sleep then get up and fish the whole next day, leave the following AM to go eat and get to the store to fill the cooler again, then arrive at the new destination quickly that afternoon in time to repeat.
Alas, it has no lockers, winch, roof tent, off-road lights, or sliders. But it works for me!
Plus, it will do 125mph fully loaded. Typically I will arrive at a river in the afternoon, fish till dark, sleep then get up and fish the whole next day, leave the following AM to go eat and get to the store to fill the cooler again, then arrive at the new destination quickly that afternoon in time to repeat.
Alas, it has no lockers, winch, roof tent, off-road lights, or sliders. But it works for me!
Bip Bip
Observer
I agree with a few of the guys (daretogo and others) that note that this list is a bit limited and, well, truly redundant.
The title of the list reads 'overland vehicle' and that by definition means a vehicle that meets a bunch of criteria - size (or fit in narrow roads vs tipping on the rocks), weight, payload, economy, range between fills, 4WD capacity, internal vs external size, cost, reliability, parts availability, diesel motor, manual transmission, sleeping arrangements, security concerns...to name a few. More importantly, these are vehicles -sorry to the Hummer man - need to carry fuel, water and stuff for MORE than 4 days. We are not off to the Hamptons for a weekend....
So the list needs to consider WHAT it takes for say 4 months or maybe 4 years of on the road travel. Thus this list of N/A SUVs is really missing the mark on overlanding.
So the list goes a long way for navel gazers to jabber about their choices - given a seriously limited North American market. Europe - particularly the Germans - as well as the Australians have some very cool and legitimate contenders that this list, admittedly, skips over.
So considering what I have seen, I might choose a 2WD Toyota Hiace van, the Trooper is rebadged in South America with the Chevy Bowtie and is everywhere, and the Suzuki Vitara is universal. But my vote goes to the 4WD MB Sprinter shortie.
We North-Americans need to get out of our little bubble of space and learn that there is a whole world out there of great ideas.
The title of the list reads 'overland vehicle' and that by definition means a vehicle that meets a bunch of criteria - size (or fit in narrow roads vs tipping on the rocks), weight, payload, economy, range between fills, 4WD capacity, internal vs external size, cost, reliability, parts availability, diesel motor, manual transmission, sleeping arrangements, security concerns...to name a few. More importantly, these are vehicles -sorry to the Hummer man - need to carry fuel, water and stuff for MORE than 4 days. We are not off to the Hamptons for a weekend....
So the list needs to consider WHAT it takes for say 4 months or maybe 4 years of on the road travel. Thus this list of N/A SUVs is really missing the mark on overlanding.
So the list goes a long way for navel gazers to jabber about their choices - given a seriously limited North American market. Europe - particularly the Germans - as well as the Australians have some very cool and legitimate contenders that this list, admittedly, skips over.
So considering what I have seen, I might choose a 2WD Toyota Hiace van, the Trooper is rebadged in South America with the Chevy Bowtie and is everywhere, and the Suzuki Vitara is universal. But my vote goes to the 4WD MB Sprinter shortie.
We North-Americans need to get out of our little bubble of space and learn that there is a whole world out there of great ideas.
grimbo
Explorer
Makes lots of sense, reliable, comfy, found all round the world, spare parts are ready available and overlanding doesn't neccessarily mean 4wding, most is on roads
Scott Brady
Founder
???
There is only one Land Rover on the list. Most are Toyotas.
Of course my list is biased. It is biased by my experience with these vehicles and my experience as a traveler. Anyone's list would have bias and reflect personal taste and experience. It is up to the reader to decide if my argument is logical, or if they are just upset because their Hummer H2 didn't take top honors...
Almost all of the differences in opinion on this board are from different descriptions of what overlanding means. On one end you have persons like bip bop that think it is an extended road trip sleeping under street lights to Scott who knows the best roads are not paved nor marked.
My idea of a good vic to support a mission is not what an urban dwellers, that cannot get away from streetlights, would be. What I fail to understand is why more people do not realize this fact. I can count on one hand the number of posts that reflect this bit of insight. I like to read about other people's experiences however, when they start trying to convince everyone of their methods it gets irritating when the advice is not qualified with the type of travel.
If your mission is to hit every bar from NA to the tip of SA :friday: obviously your vic can differ from an overlander that wants to find that secluded spot off the beaten path. :camping:
My idea of a good vic to support a mission is not what an urban dwellers, that cannot get away from streetlights, would be. What I fail to understand is why more people do not realize this fact. I can count on one hand the number of posts that reflect this bit of insight. I like to read about other people's experiences however, when they start trying to convince everyone of their methods it gets irritating when the advice is not qualified with the type of travel.
If your mission is to hit every bar from NA to the tip of SA :friday: obviously your vic can differ from an overlander that wants to find that secluded spot off the beaten path. :camping:
88Xj
Banned
I disgress..most do tend to use Cherokees & grands as off roaders, but myself I use mine souley as Overlanding..which could be condiered offroading? But I go out in the desert or mountains and explorer, usually places most don't go & not specifically a trail that people usually wheel/offroad on. I use mine to sleep & camp out of and its my dedicated fishing rig.
Bip Bip
Observer
To be clear, I have no intention of defining overlanding to anyone. I do think, however, that we can rationally consider driving the hummer to Holiday Inn is not overlanding. Nor, I think, loading up the pick-up with beer and fishing tackle for a long weekend at the lake is overlanding. There is something more inherent in 'overlanding' that means cutting ties and hitting the road and following it where it leads- and then following where the winds drive you afterwards. This means a level of autonomy and self sufficiency for a longer time period, long enough even to be home-sick.
If your overlanding means you drive in big circles around the USA then, by all means any of these vehicles on the top 10 list will serve you well. Caution: don't try to sleep on Californian beaches, on the streets in Huntington Beach or in parking lots of Paris Tx. You will have not-so-friendly visits from the coppers complete with gun in hand...Boondocking is difficult.
If on the other hand your world opens to a wider horizon then these vehicles will not do. And that is a shame because in fact the list just underlines just how badly we North Americans want to be and think we are competitive in the world marketplace.
I once though that the best idea would be the Ford Expedition with a diesel engine. But then there is the reality - that engine is only good for North America and has no source for parts outside of US and Canada. Besides the motor is rather huge and overdone in a standard North American bigger-is-better approach. If you ever had a problem, well it would make a really great anchor for a boat somewhere. It is not likely, either, that you can match that motor with a standard transmission - not without a home garage transplant, and what about all the fancy electric 4WD controls. So like the Jeep products not really a global vehicle in a larger 'overlanding' sense. This sentiment is also alluded to by whiteachorn.com while driving his Ford and sleeping under streetlights on his PanAmerican trip.
Sad since IVECO which is globally available and has a great 5 cyl, 3 liter diesel engine has Ford connections since 1986. It could be so easy...
Finally - really there is no more thing as 'off the beaten path' - only less beaten. Lets stop waxing sentimental.
If your overlanding means you drive in big circles around the USA then, by all means any of these vehicles on the top 10 list will serve you well. Caution: don't try to sleep on Californian beaches, on the streets in Huntington Beach or in parking lots of Paris Tx. You will have not-so-friendly visits from the coppers complete with gun in hand...Boondocking is difficult.
If on the other hand your world opens to a wider horizon then these vehicles will not do. And that is a shame because in fact the list just underlines just how badly we North Americans want to be and think we are competitive in the world marketplace.
I once though that the best idea would be the Ford Expedition with a diesel engine. But then there is the reality - that engine is only good for North America and has no source for parts outside of US and Canada. Besides the motor is rather huge and overdone in a standard North American bigger-is-better approach. If you ever had a problem, well it would make a really great anchor for a boat somewhere. It is not likely, either, that you can match that motor with a standard transmission - not without a home garage transplant, and what about all the fancy electric 4WD controls. So like the Jeep products not really a global vehicle in a larger 'overlanding' sense. This sentiment is also alluded to by whiteachorn.com while driving his Ford and sleeping under streetlights on his PanAmerican trip.
Sad since IVECO which is globally available and has a great 5 cyl, 3 liter diesel engine has Ford connections since 1986. It could be so easy...
Finally - really there is no more thing as 'off the beaten path' - only less beaten. Lets stop waxing sentimental.
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^^^^^ reserved. 
alas work does get in the way some times
Edit: two days later
I replied in the next post in the thread for continuity sake....You can follow the link in the quote above if desired.
alas work does get in the way some timesEdit: two days later
I replied in the next post in the thread for continuity sake....You can follow the link in the quote above if desired.
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SSF556
SE Expedition Society
My Grand Cherokee CRD seems to do fine at both offroad and overlanding and with the sleeping platform I just installed it makes a great place to sleep in.....it is also cool to have a rig that is outside the "overlanding" cool crowd...Land Cruiser, Land Rover etc there were 2 Grand Cherokees at the NE overland Rally and we did just fine....I do find myself occasionally drawn into that old school world and think it would be cool to have one of those old school rides, but then I wise up and realize I live in America, not Botswana.
I like my Grand Cherokee because it can cruise the vast network of highways in America at 72mph and not beat the **** out of me, wife and dog. Sometimes a reality check is good on this site as I think it can get out of control....but it is not my place to question what someone drives or what they attach to their vehicles, that is my wife's job.
Scott Brady
Founder
I find this comment interesting. In your opinion, why couldn't you take any one of those top 10 vehicles on any route, anywhere in the world?
Having personally been completely around the world once, and nearly around it another time (via the silk road), and having explored every road navigable continent, I can see no reason not to drive the world by NAS Land Cruiser 100 or 80 or Tacoma, etc., all available in the US. Certainly a diesel variant would be better (range), but those vehicles are not available here.
It is first important to clarify that the top 10 list this thread is based on was intended to highlight selections available to American buyers, but thoroughly appropriate to embark on a RTW trip. If we were to create a list of the top 10 overlanders available anywhere in the world, of course it would be a different list. Including the diesel Merc on the list was simply intended to get people thinking outside the box. There are too many people that assume you need a highly specialized vehicle to explore the world, even on very remote and challenging tracks, but it is simply not true.
We are currently traveling around the world via VDJ78 Land Cruisers, but FZJ80s would work just fine. Hell, a well maintained Jeep Cherokee would be super fun to drive around the world.
Sure, the US does not have readily available diesel overland platforms, but there a many legitimate choices for "wider horizons"...