Top five priorities in your vehicle

[TimberwolfII]

I'm just about staring at the blank canvas of a new build. I have my top five priorities for an overland vehicle what are yours ..... AND WHY?

#1 Useability - can the vehicle be used at the drop of a hat. I'm working up to "proper" overlanding; I'm going to be using it as a camper truck initially, for multi day/week trips quite locally (we live in the lake district for heavens sake, why wouldn't you? ) So something that is chuck and go is very necessary. That also goes for the day to day business of long haul overlanding. If the vehicle needs a major re pack each time I strike camp then the experience may pale.

This then crosses over to such things as reliability, fuel efficiency, comfort, storage, repareability etc etc all of which impact on the #1

#2 Value for money. I'm not rich so I need the vehicle to do as much as possible for as little ££ as possible. If i'm getting something good I need to leverage my spend as much as possible, ie buy basic and add value. Also the dynamics of good:quick:cheap come in here to my mind; you can have two but not all three.

#3 Comfort. Very very subjective this one. And why all the £250k+ gin palaces exist maybe? I'm going for the basics - dry, warm, comfortable beds, comfortable seats, light. This also ties into what I think of as a 'Thereau mentality' - as in Henry David Thereau - Walden. Part of the draw of overlanding is to get away from all the complexity of modern life. (camper truck, running from modern life......midlife crisis anyone???!! ) Therefore a simple vehicle, not necessarily sparten. Hope fully the K.I.S.S mentality will also give support to the other #'s in this list.

#4 Storage. I don't want much in this vehicle, I do want it in the spirit of Thereau. And I do want a monastic like minimalism to the vehicle. Therefore storage will need to be simple and well thought out. Sophisticated maybe.

#5 Aesthetics. Cos ego does intrude into peoples lives and the desire to construct an image of ones self, impress, identify with etc etc are all wrapped up in this one. As is the desire not to be continually inconvenienced by the desire to hurl every time one catches site of ones ride!!



So, come on, whatcha got?

Critque of this list included.

 

[mtnbike28]

That is a wonderful area in England, I spent a summer in St. Bees, hiked the coast to coast, etc. Great memories.
Your list is good, funny, before I read your 5, I thought "Looks" would be one of mine too.
I like #1 - always ready. Even now, my truck is always packed for a weekend, sans bedding.
#2 - I would look harder at reliability - lots of worn out good deals, but you spend all your free time fixing rather than traveling.
#3-4 - Good driver position if you are spending hours behind the wheel. But a well planned storage area so you are not unpacking the whole truck each stop or to make lunch.
#5 - I love the look of my truck, and it makes me happy!

I would love a classic 110 with reliable motor, or a Syncro VW, but that is not in my future!

 

[DiploStrat]

I'll play, as we spent a lot of time on this. You can read our priorities here: http://diplostrat.org/about/

After two years, I would say that we have done very well.

 

[TimberwolfII]

Hiya mtnbike28, yes beautiful area, getting busier though. Did the coast to coast too, only 25% finish it supposedly! St Bees school just closed, one of the oldest schools in Cumbria! shame. Finances.

Similar ideals then maybe, and yes in the #3 I need to extend that idea beyond the habitation unit and into the cab, my preferred vehicle (which I'm going to reveal later .....tease) is really not known for this aspect. I've driven lots of different kit over the years and yes quiet, cool or warm as necessary is taken for granted now. Achieving those reliably isn't rocket science but will be a retro fit for me.

I've a Toyota hilux crew cab as my daily driver, fullfils my list well as a non exploration rig. Doesn't fulfil the comfort one for a family of five any more in exploration mode. Can't say my option necessarily will either compromise...

Your truck fulfills the #5 good looking machine! It would make me happy just looking at it too. Something not to be underestimated, thats why it got into my top 5.




he he DiploStrat, like your link!!

and quote : WARNING: Extreme camper geekdom follows.

That's what we're all here for ain't it? We wouldn 't be sat in front of our screen otherwise!? excellent site, thanks.

I've looked around the silk route site a good bit and taken on board the "That means, at a minimum, a queen size bed, a shower, a toilet, cooking facilities, water supply, heat, and air conditioning and over six feet of headroom." ideas. Problem is for me, the realisation of these in the silk route way isn't in the Thereau philosophy. The realisation is high tech and complex, great for the geekdom, but against my desires. There are arguments for and against pumped water,for example, as there are for a can with a tap gravity fed. I suppose its the difference between a camper truck and a motor home. I'm looking for release from the burdens of modern homes to the perceived freedom of camping. Connecting with the inner caveman maybe! Like I said midlife crisis...

keep em coming!!

 

[DiploStrat]

Context is everything!

...

I suppose its the difference between a camper truck and a motor home. I'm looking for release from the burdens of modern homes to the perceived freedom of camping. Connecting with the inner caveman maybe! Like I said midlife crisis...

Only you can determine what will work for you. In our case, a little context. We like to say that Ndeke Luka is the vehicle we wish we had had forty years ago. We spent forty years of "camping" in the bush in Africa and South America. (See the photos on our other site: http://www.pbase.com/diplostrat)

We have been rained on, snowed on, frozen, and hotter than hot. (We'll simply avoid discussions of critters in the camp, bathing, and sanitary facilities.) After forty years of this, we emphatically did not/not want a Thoreau experience, minimalist camper, but rather a full on motor home were we could be comfortable for months at a time, in any kind of weather, on any kind of road, in any country on earth. We have had enough of roughing it.

After two years of shakedown, I would say that we are getting pretty close to achieving our goals.

 

[TimberwolfII]

So, Diplostrat could you tie down those years of experience to a top five, in order of preference? Looks like you've got comfort at #1?

 

[DiploStrat]

Comfort?

Hmmm, perhaps sustainability.

A lot of this depends on your age, time, and budget and I don't think I can reduce it to a simple five points in priority order.

When I was younger and working full time, speed was actually a big issue; I needed a truck that would let me toss off a ten hour drive to get back home in time to go to work the next morning. This led me to favor good suspension and good driving lights.

Security. I have always favored sleeping inside (or, once I discovered roof top tents) on top of the vehicle.

Efficiency. When traveling overland, as opposed to traveling to a fixed point to camp for a few days, ease of set up and pack up is critical, as you do it each and every day. I have met a lot of overlanders who were simply miserable and ready to give up because, after a few months on the road, it was simply a chore to take care of a chore. None of this matters for a weekend in the woods.

For the younger overlander on a budget, it is hard to beat a pickup truck/SUV (with the back seats removed or folded) and a sleeping platform/drawer system. Today I would add a roof top tent. Combine this with high tech clothes and you can be comfortable in a wide range of climates. (For various reasons, I never had the clothing/sleeping gear, but that shouldn't be a problem today.)

As Third World travel often requires you to camp in town, at a police station, or in a garage, I place a high premium on a system that does not require tent stakes or any other kind of ground penetration.

But, on the other hand, if your goal is to go 'wheeling', then your focus may be on the meanest, biggest tires you can find, coupled with a mummy bag. Just depends on what you want to do.

 

[TimberwolfII]

Thanks fella

Good words Diplostrat, interesting.

I'm finding it interesting the results of this question, but also that some folks aren't finding it easy to give a hierarchical top 5. I posted this question in the UK and the (very early) results are similar.

Any one else?

 

[Arclight]

1. Reliability and "Has all basic maintenance completed." This should always be where money gets spent first, especially on an older vehicle. I hate being on a trip where someone breaks down due to easy stuff they should have fixed at home.
2. Cost-effectiveness: This is "best bang for buck" on both purchase and operating cost. For me, that means a used Toyota 4x4. Others will have different needs.
3. Ability to keep a wife and kid semi-comfortable. While I don't feel like I need a lot when I'm by myself, having a truck with nice A/C, a quiet interior and the Flippac on the back has kept the family going out a lot more.
4. Off-road ability. I don't rock crawl, but I do need 4WD and some clearance to get in and out of where we often go.
5. Can be driven by other people. I went ahead and got an automatic this time, and went for a Truetrac instead of an air locker. I also made sure all of my switches and such are clearly labelled and simple to use. Why? I want to make sure other folks in my family can drive the truck without special skills or knowledge. Again, this doesn't apply to everyone, but I felt it was important.

Arclight

 

[AFBronco235]

1. Sustainability. I agree that this has to be the first priority on any rig purchase. Whats the point in getting the best rig out there if you can't maintain it, pay for gas, or if it falls apart too fast? Are parts cheap and easy to get? Does it guzzle down gas faster than you can pump it in? Is it always needing towed to a shop for specialized repairs? For example, my Bronco gets decent gas mileage, parts are very easy to come by and are cheap. It hasn't had any major issues with durability.
2. Comfort. You'd think that this would be lower on the list, but if you think about it, if you're not comfortable driving or using your rig, how often are you really going to use it? Whatever comforts you need, go ahead and get them. Try not to go overboard with a gem encrusted toilet seat that fits on your trailer hitch, but don't be afraid to be comfortable either. I can stretch out in the back of my rig and sleep just fine.
3. Safety. How likely is your rig to survive a worst case happening with where you'll be taking it? If you could roll it on a trail, will it crush you in the seat? Will it short out and die while crossing a creak? Does it have safe and strong recovery points to allow it to be safely towed out of a hole? This does greatly depend on how you use your rig, but it is a great concern. I don't push my rig too hard so a roll cage isn't a big priority, but I did make sure to have some very good recovery points added for when I get in too deep.
4. Ease of repair. All rigs, especially expo rigs, break down eventually, no matter how good your maintenance is. You should be able to carry out at least 50% of all critical repairs in the field, at least to the point of limping in to workshop. Critical repairs include tire changes, broken engine mounts, brake failures, body damage and electrical failure. Most repairs I've had take only a few hours tops, and I can usually limp it in without much in the way of field repairs.
5. Fun. Is it fun to drive where you want to drive it, or does it do everything for you and you're just along for the ride? I mean, come on, are you gonna want a rig that you can't have fun driving? I know I love driving my mostly stock bronco where even modded jeeps are nervous to go.

 

[DiploStrat]

Location is everything

I would expect big differences between replies in UK and replies on this forum, which is highly US focussed. Say "overlanding" in UK and most folk imagine hopping in a Land Rover and heading for the Cape (of Good Hope). Say "overlanding" in the US and most folk imagine that it is a pretentious way of saying "wheeling."

A quick review of a lot of posts should confirm this observation. There are a lot of threads about equipping vehicles for rough road travel. Relatively fewer about international travel.

Coming from an Africa/South America background, my focus has always been:

-- Security and comfort of the living accommodations.

-- Reliability and comfort of the vehicle. As an example, I don't care much about torsion, as in frame twisting from rock crawling, but I am obsessive about shock fade and suspension bottoming on thousands of kilometers of wash board roads. (Good luck finding even one hundred miles of real washboard in the US.) Similarly, I want a vehicle that is comfortable to drive for days on dirt.

-- As most of my next trips will be in the US and Europe, paved road manners are very important. I don't want to be blown on the road by an 18 wheeler. Similarly, I want to be able to pass them with ease while still listening to the stereo.

To repeat the obvious, everyone will have a different spin on this. There is no "best" overlanding vehicle. It is fair, however, to ask someone to be honest about how well their vehicle meets their requirements.

 

[AFBronco235]

(Good luck finding even one hundred miles of real washboard in the US.)

Obviously, you've never driven the highways of Oklahoma.

I agree that the actual vehicle and setup do vary by region, but the priorities tend to stay the same, if not always in the same order.

 

[CJustin7]

All good answers so far.
I'm right along lines with a few of you.....
1. Reliability ..... traveling long distances in lands unknown, I want that piece of mind that that I will be making it back home.
2. Usability ....... What good is a Expo rig that's not usable in the real world situation. This encompasses lift, tires, winch, cargo space etc etc
3. Comfort ........ Have you ever been out on a trip less than an hour.... probably not. If your going to be driving and/or sleeping in your rig for long periods of time, It's very important to enjoy it all and be comfortable. Anyone in the military can tell you how awesome HMMV rides and/or a c-130 rides are for long periods of time. (sarcasm there)
4. Trail fixable ..... This depends on your wrenching skill level allot, but..... there are vehicles out there that would have a much harder time getting replacement parts and/or trail fixing in a pinch. One of the reasons I choose my vehicle is because of this. Very common parts and very easy to work on.
5. Budget.........Like everything in life... You have to pay to play. I always keep this in mind and was one of the major deciding factors in my purchase for an expo rig. Cheap parts are always good. MPG would fall into this category too.

I didn't put "looks" or "aesthetics" up there because this is an expo rig. Who cares what it looks like. If you don't have scratches and dings..... You haven't gone far enough off the pavement yet. It's not a show vehicle or mall crawler..... but a vehicle with purpose.

 

[Iain_U1250]

1. Bed - it has to be comfortable, easy to access, and not just for sleeping We lived in a Land Rover with a roof top tent for months, and it is great whilst the weather is good, and you are far away from other people. Trying to sleep when it's cold, windy, raining or just being in a camp ground with other people and it soon becomes unpleasant. Our set-up time in our Land Rover was about 10 minutes, pack away about 30 minutes. Now, we will be able to stop and just get into bed without even getting out of the truck.

2. Range - we want about 2000km range, Australia is a big place, and we like being far away from people, the further the better. We have to be completely self sufficient for a few weeks.

3. Wading depth/off road ability and in general, being able to get you to where you want to go to. Only thing worse than not be able to go where you want because you know your vehicle is lacking, is finding out that your vehicle is lacking on your way there. We prefer traveling solo rather than with others and that makes a big difference. Being worried about whether you will make it is a stress no one needs. This is our main reason for getting a Unimog.

4. Creature comforts - Living in a truck for months on end is a lot different from a camping holiday or weekend. 'Roughing it' is fine for a while, and can add to the adventure, but can become quite tedious. Having the little "luxuries" is what makes even the worst of times so much better. Bad things are going to happen, and just being able to sit down, relax and have something like a decent cup of coffee or tea, or sit in the shade with an ice cream and things get a little bit better.

5. Gotta have "style" You have to like what you drive, whatever it is.

 

[adventr]

*EDIT

Nevermind, realized this was a thread about truck campers!