Vehicle choice

[85_Ranger4x4]

They aren’t as far apart as they used to be. The gladiator gets 1700 lbs payload, the Colorado/Canyons are at 1550, and the Ranger is at nearly 1800 lbs. For comparison, a Chevy 1500 is about 1900 lbs, an F150 is about 2000 lbs (but as low as 1200 lbs in the Raptor package) and the Dodge Ram is a paltry 1600 lbs for the 2020s.

Gladiator is a beast, I know if you check the 4wd and Supercrew checkboxes the Ranger goes down. No idea on the GM twins, never looked into one. Tiny little 5' beds don't help things for balance either.

My '85 had a "camper package available", a 2wd with that was rated just shy of 1800lbs so it hasn't really improved much if any for the lil guys. 110hp (best in class lol) don't fail me now!

 

[alanymarce]

I honestly wouldn't worry about using the same vehicle for Australia and Africa. I'd worry about that when it actually happens.

We used three different vehicles - the X Trail was perfect for the South America trip but would not have been capable of handling either Africa or Australia (at least not where and how we travelled), we could have used either the Land Cruiser or the Montero for both Africa and Australia, however it made more sense for Africa to buy & sell in Kenya, and more sense for Australia to take our Colombian vehicle

 

[alanymarce]

I wouldn’t hesitate to use one for a run to Argentina

I wouldn't want to do this in a pickup (and we didn't, we used an X Trail i) however if you choose a pick up then either the Ranger or the Hilux could do this with no problems.

 

[ChasingOurTrunks]

Gladiator is a beast, I know if you check the 4wd and Supercrew checkboxes the Ranger goes down. No idea on the GM twins, never looked into one. Tiny little 5' beds don't help things for balance either.

My '85 had a "camper package available", a 2wd with that was rated just shy of 1800lbs so it hasn't really improved much if any for the lil guys. 110hp (best in class lol) don't fail me now!

Agreed on the gladiator being a beast! And good to know about the camper package increasing payload in the older Rangers - I didn’t know that. How did it handle when it was unladen? One of the disadvantages to some of the camper packages I have experience with is that in many examples they drive great with campers but are a lot less pleasant when not loaded; if the rig is an adventure vehicle as well as a DD that might be a consideration for some. Of course this “rough when empty” is true of most high payload vehicles, and often can be at least partly solved by an upgrade to progressive springs. Maybe the air spring rigs are the exception to this generalization but I have limited experience with them.

I think the big takeaway for me on the mid vs full size debate is to “check the door sticker before signing papers and make sure it’ll meet your needs”. There are a ton of options out there that impact payload like you said — start adding crew cabs and long beds and the numbers shift fast. I still prefer my midsize for adventuring, because it’s more nimble and fun and has enough payload for us (for now), but the cabin is much smaller - a definite drawback on a long run. I just remember being shocked at how close together my full size was and my midsize was in terms of numbers, and how much the “cost” is (1,000 lbs heavier vehicle in my case) for very little benefit (300 lbs payload), but that’s not always the case.

 

[billiebob]

the total cost breakdown would be $54382 CAD plus $11,781.48 CAD in import fees & brokerages. Which would put me up to CAD $66163

You will also owe GST and PST if your province has one.

 

[billiebob]

Would you be able to buy in the USA (for example) and keep the vehicle registered in the USA?

You must register in the Province, State you reside in. You might have multiple homes but where the vehicle must be registered in the place it spends most of its time. This is a game car collectors play all the time..... and the fines, sometimes including expropriation quickly kill any benefit. Lots of court cases of guys with a dozen expensive cars. They start an LLC in Montana, tax haven for car collectors, and register the cars there. Then the some government agent on a boring day checks checks and finds them all at an LA address. Enter the horror house for 5 years.

EDIT< CORRECTION< SORRY

Kerry's Yacht Escapes Mass. Taxes

U.S. Senator’s yacht is docked in Newport, Rhode Island; denies it is to avoid Mass. taxes, says “there is nothing illegal here”

www.necn.com

Without a doubt it is easy to break the law and save money until you get caught.
And the internet will give thousands of plausible ways to bend the law in your favour. But the IRS is pretty aggressive at straightening that curve. And while you might be able to shoot someone and get away with it, when it concerns government revenue...... I have never heard of anyone winning, maybe reducing their losses, maybe keeping their cars but they never come ahead financially.

My boss 15 years ago had a Las Vegas home. Every fall he had his cars driven to Las Vegas, all with Canadian plates. I think he was allowed to keep them there for 6? or 8? months, then they had to come back to Canada. He'd heard the horror stories. I got a few paid Vegas trips to help drive some pretty incredible cars back home. But the paperwork to do it the first time was daunting.

 

[alanymarce]

So if you're on the road for a year or so you won't be resident in Canada that year, nor the USA obviously. In terms of legality, when you have your carnet you can take a vehicle out of its country of registration for up to 12 months (and can often extend for another 12), so you'll have to register the vehicle somewhere. Based on "the vehicle must be registered in the place it spends most of its time" this presumably means most of its time when not out of the country on a carnet . Obviously you need to clarify the rules in the state of purchase (if you buy a vehicle in the USA). Fairly obviously it must be possible to buy (and register) a vehicle in the USA and then leave the country for an overland trip - otherwise it would not be possible to take a USA-registered vehicle overlanding.

So you need to be able to satisfy any check that you're not driving a vehicle registered somewhere you're not resident for more than the temporary period allowed. I've driven a Canadian-registered vehicle in the USA when I was resident in the USA (and vice versa) and recall that you are allowed a period (cannot remember exactly, but it was several weeks I think) during which you can use the vehicle temporarily before it has to be imported/registered. Obviously you need to be able to demonstrate recent arrival in the USA. Assuming that this is the case, you could presumably buy and register the vehicle in the USA, head out on your trip(s) and when you return sell it to someone resident in the USA or import it to Canada at that point. As long as you are again within the temporary period I would think that you'd be OK (although I don't doubt that it's a bit of a "grey area". You couldn't simply keep the vehicle in the USA while resident in Canada.

What some people do is to sell a vehicle on to someone else while out of the country of registration; the buyer can then take out a new carnet and keep on travelling. We've done this and it works. So you can look for a vehicle which is already on an overland trip which the owner wishes to sell (i.e. at the end of su trip) In Africa http://www.africa4x4cafe.com/ is a forum for this. You could also try this forum (expeditionportal) as well as HUBB, etc. When you've finished your trip you can either sell the vehicle on to another traveller, return it to the country of registration, or import it some where else.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Agreed on the gladiator being a beast! And good to know about the camper package increasing payload in the older Rangers - I didn’t know that. How did it handle when it was unladen? One of the disadvantages to some of the camper packages I have experience with is that in many examples they drive great with campers but are a lot less pleasant when not loaded; if the rig is an adventure vehicle as well as a DD that might be a consideration for some. Of course this “rough when empty” is true of most high payload vehicles, and often can be at least partly solved by an upgrade to progressive springs.

It’s... uh... different.

Mine didn’t have the camper package originally. I am currently piecing together the rear sway bar kit to fit my upgraded axle, it also has the rear leaf springs from an Explorer (heavier than anything ever put in a Ranger at the factory).

I don’t think it rides bad at all. Drove it to eastern Ohio last year, hoping to drive it to Western Indiana this year.

But once you get past the body and frame there is nothing factory correct about the truck...

 

[Joe917]

So if you're on the road for a year or so you won't be resident in Canada that year, nor the USA obviously. In terms of legality, when you have your carnet you can take a vehicle out of its country of registration for up to 12 months (and can often extend for another 12), so you'll have to register the vehicle somewhere. Based on "the vehicle must be registered in the place it spends most of its time" this presumably means most of its time when not out of the country on a carnet . Obviously you need to clarify the rules in the state of purchase (if you buy a vehicle in the USA). Fairly obviously it must be possible to buy (and register) a vehicle in the USA and then leave the country for an overland trip - otherwise it would not be possible to take a USA-registered vehicle overlanding.

So you need to be able to satisfy any check that you're not driving a vehicle registered somewhere you're not resident for more than the temporary period allowed. I've driven a Canadian-registered vehicle in the USA when I was resident in the USA (and vice versa) and recall that you are allowed a period (cannot remember exactly, but it was several weeks I think) during which you can use the vehicle temporarily before it has to be imported/registered. Obviously you need to be able to demonstrate recent arrival in the USA. Assuming that this is the case, you could presumably buy and register the vehicle in the USA, head out on your trip(s) and when you return sell it to someone resident in the USA or import it to Canada at that point. As long as you are again within the temporary period I would think that you'd be OK (although I don't doubt that it's a bit of a "grey area". You couldn't simply keep the vehicle in the USA while resident in Canada.

What some people do is to sell a vehicle on to someone else while out of the country of registration; the buyer can then take out a new carnet and keep on travelling. We've done this and it works. So you can look for a vehicle which is already on an overland trip which the owner wishes to sell (i.e. at the end of su trip) In Africa http://www.africa4x4cafe.com/ is a forum for this. You could also try this forum (expeditionportal) as well as HUBB, etc. When you've finished your trip you can either sell the vehicle on to another traveller, return it to the country of registration, or import it some where else.

You do not need a carnet for the Americas.

 

[Buliwyf]

How do you plan on sleeping and showering? That's a serious deal breaker for me.

I want AC, room to store a little gen for the AC, and an indoor and outdoor shower. That's Ford Superduty, Dodge 2500, territory. Bundutec Bunduvry for me, hardside. But maybe a pop up Bundu or FWC is better for your trip. Tough trucks > little trucks.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

How do you plan on sleeping and showering? That's a serious deal breaker for me.

I want AC, room to store a little gen for the AC, and an indoor and outdoor shower. That's Ford Superduty, Dodge 2500, territory. Bundutec Bunduvry for me, hardside. But maybe a pop up Bundu or FWC is better for your trip. Tough trucks > little trucks.

Same here, I don't camp in the summer unless I have A/C. It's a miserable experience with out it and I'm only in Central Florida. I can't imagine being in Central America with no A/C at night.

 

[Thinkofsomethingkwik]

You will also owe GST and PST if your province has one.

How did I forgot that.. 13% of the original cost tacked on. How I ever miss the mid 2000's when our dollar was near par with the Americans

 

[Thinkofsomethingkwik]

To the OP: you're from Canada... Have you given any thought to how you're going to get a good night's sleep in sweltering heat with no A/C?

You make a very good point, several years ago I would have said no way to the sweltering heat. I've spent a few months in the tropics during their summer and although I was sweating like a pig I absolutely loved it. I spent a few weeks hiking /camping in the Costa Rica guanacaste province between the tropical rainforests and the desert forests/beaches in 40°c heat and absolutely loved it.

I love the extreme cold (-30°c + is my favorite) and the Extreme heat (35°c+) is my second favorite.


Hopefully I can withstand the heat of an extended trip

 

[calicamper]

Hey all,

Currently trying to decide on a vehicle to take for a south American excursion down to Argentina. I've traveled across northern Canada to Alaska in my V6 2015 Silverado with a topper/bed in the back and absolutely loved the minimalism of it but also wished for a different platform at the same time. I'm looking for a platform with KISS as the main philosophy. I want a system that doesn't need a suspension rebuild every ten thousand km's


The only modifications I plan to do are: winch, suspension if needed, skid plates, roof top tent/shower, slide out kitchen drawers/fridge and a snorkel.

I'm definitely not a rock crawler and my style of driving would be similar to Dan grec.

Now I'm not well off and personally would prefer to spend my money on what really counts to me (traveling experiences) so I'd be looking at these vehicles in the used market. I'm a Canadian so unfortunately I can't get a land cruiser unless it's a lx570 but those come with air suspension which sucks hard.

Currently favouring the base model Lexus gx460 (non airbag suspension), Nissan frontier, Tacoma (afraid of weight being an issue), Nissan Armada (unsure of its capabilities but for a 2017 for $34k how can you argue) and the jeep gladiator.


Any help is greatly appreciated. After this south america trip I'd most likely be headed to Australia in a year and a halfs time or Africa (now this is my pipedream trip and is more likely to be 3-4yrs away). I'd want to use the same vehicle on those trips as well so reliability is huge to me

Keep it stock and you won’t be rebuilding it every 10k.

 

[alanymarce]

You do not need a carnet for the Americas.

This is always a discussion; FIA recomends one for Argentina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Perú, United States of America, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Now, I'm not disputing that you can probably get into most, if not all, of these without one but the carnet simplifies the process, and avoids the possibility (which is real) of having to provide a deposit for a temporary import. There are local practices which permit some cross-border movement easily (in betwen the USA and Canada for example, or within MERCOSUR). We've used a carnet to enter every country in South America except Brazil (which uses a TIP) and the "Guianas", and recommend getting one, It's a cheap and effective way to avoid what could be a hefty deposit.