Howdy
Not sure where this post fitted so mods please move if not correct)
I am planning on a soft RTW trip in five years time with my SO and plan to self build / modify the vehicle to suit. I live in Australia and plan to ship to Vlad then over to Japan for a year before heading back to Vlad to do Russia / Mongolia /the Stans and then the Slavic states (is it still okay to call them the Slavic States?). Later over to the USA / Canada.
We plan to stick to formed roads so a hard core 4wd is not required but some additional traction for muddy slippery icy conditions would be great. For the intervening years two of our children will still come travelling in Oz for at least while here we need four seats.
I have come up with two options that may suit but seriously cant decide between them.
Option One;
Toyota Hiace SLWB which is also called the Commuter Bus here. In Oz they come in RWD only however a locking rear differential and Mud & Snow tyres is an okay traction compromise. These are compact though have an inside footprint of around 3.2m long and can now get them with swivel seats for the front. I have hired these in Japan and were quite capable. Toyota reliability a plus - often used as taxis with over 800'000 kms not uncommon. I can do the inside fit out to suit.
Option Two;
Slide on Camper (Pop up Truck in the USA?) on a dual cab VW Transporter 4motion (or similar).
Some Transporters have 2400mm x 1900mm trays (8' x 6'2" ?) so they will take a decent sized slide on. AWD for traction and the dual cab is pretty upright like a van so I can add some swivel front seats so the cab can be used for lunches and breaks without having to open the camper. This also has the advantage that the camper is separate to the vehicle so the vehicle can be swapped out / updated if required.
So I'm at a loss as to which way to go. I have used vans but not the slide on camper style and get the feeling the slide on camper is more confined than the van.
Thoughts?
Cheers
D
These are the types I am thinking of. (sorry the poptop is not on a transporter
)
Not sure where this post fitted so mods please move if not correct)
I am planning on a soft RTW trip in five years time with my SO and plan to self build / modify the vehicle to suit. I live in Australia and plan to ship to Vlad then over to Japan for a year before heading back to Vlad to do Russia / Mongolia /the Stans and then the Slavic states (is it still okay to call them the Slavic States?). Later over to the USA / Canada.
We plan to stick to formed roads so a hard core 4wd is not required but some additional traction for muddy slippery icy conditions would be great. For the intervening years two of our children will still come travelling in Oz for at least while here we need four seats.
I have come up with two options that may suit but seriously cant decide between them.
Option One;
Toyota Hiace SLWB which is also called the Commuter Bus here. In Oz they come in RWD only however a locking rear differential and Mud & Snow tyres is an okay traction compromise. These are compact though have an inside footprint of around 3.2m long and can now get them with swivel seats for the front. I have hired these in Japan and were quite capable. Toyota reliability a plus - often used as taxis with over 800'000 kms not uncommon. I can do the inside fit out to suit.
Option Two;
Slide on Camper (Pop up Truck in the USA?) on a dual cab VW Transporter 4motion (or similar).
Some Transporters have 2400mm x 1900mm trays (8' x 6'2" ?) so they will take a decent sized slide on. AWD for traction and the dual cab is pretty upright like a van so I can add some swivel front seats so the cab can be used for lunches and breaks without having to open the camper. This also has the advantage that the camper is separate to the vehicle so the vehicle can be swapped out / updated if required.
So I'm at a loss as to which way to go. I have used vans but not the slide on camper style and get the feeling the slide on camper is more confined than the van.
Thoughts?
Cheers
D
These are the types I am thinking of. (sorry the poptop is not on a transporter
)
