I've been toying with a number of vehicle choices. My conclusions are:
Land Rover Defender. An exciting thought, but my budget doesn't reach to a new one. And used Defenders hold there value quite well. And as my main use for the vehicle is overland expeditions, I'm not convinced the Defender is the best option. If I was going pure off-roading, then it would be at or near the top of the list. And rust is a problem. Land Rover owners who reckon that they don't rust need to come to England. The body may survive a little longer but the chassis, floor pan and firewall are prone to rust in a big way. I looked over a five year old Defender last week and was shocked.
Toyota Land Cruiser-80. They are all old, and to find a good one, with mileage under 100K, is a real challenge. And rust is a huge issue. Unless the owner has had a love affair with the vehicle and maintained it exceptionally well, it will likely have serious rust. And if I miss rust in a vital place, it being covered up by the seller, I could easily have myself a very bad purchase, only good for scrap. But if I get a good one - they are cheap.
Toyota Land Cruiser-100. The Td 4,2 VX, called the Amazon, are here in large numbers and prices are very keen. The most expensive would be a 2007 model (the last year they made them), with all the luxury stuff, with 60 000 miles (100 000 kms) would sell for around R370 000, about R100 000 less than in SA. The trouble is, they are heavy, not particularly good off road, although not bad by any standards, and are tricky to modify for overland use. The air suspension has to be removed, and replaced with coils. This is expensive, and the lift cannot be more that about 40mm without risking CV joint damage. But I have travelled with these on expeditions and they have always been absolutely trouble free. And of all on my list, they are by far the most luxurious, and better in so many ways than the 200 series. But England is crowded and such a large vehicle as my everyday transport is not idea.
The Nissan Patrol is another thought. As an overlander, it is brilliant in so many ways. But the standard ride is horrible, the petrol engines are too thirsty and the diesel engines too sluggish. I've never been a big fan of Nissans, and so I have not taken this option too seriously.
Mercedes G-wagen. There are quite a few available here, and they hold their value exceptionally well. There are a few G500s, about ten years old, and the price is in the ballpark, but a G500 would be useless for expedition use. Most others are too old, and while the G is one of the most rust-resistant vehicles on the planet, they do rust. So while I can buy older than a Defender or Land Cruiser, they are expensive, and anything pre-2000 or with a manual gearbox, I would not consider it.
But the good news is, I've found what I would like to buy! I'm not saying what it is right now, because I may not get it as I must sell the cruiser to pay for it. All I am saying is, it's ten years old, only has 25 000 miles on the odo, is in exceptional condition and it's dark grey. So forgive me if I ask you to share this link: http://www.4xforum.com/category/autograph/
My best as always
Andrew
Living in the UK, you would be mad to own any 4WD but a Defender. They demand a slight premium over some other 4WDs, but once you own one you have more accessories and upgrades available (often at very good prices) than for any other 4WD on the market, There is also the fact that though it may cost more in the first instance, it requires less upgrades for serious off-roading (for example, no lift-kit needed). Go for a Defender! Your second best option would be a Discovery. They offer good ability and comfort and there are heaps of accessories for them as well.
ReplyDeleteYe-e-e-s...But..
ReplyDeleteThe reality is that you're likely to be spending a lot of time on crowded roads in an urban or semi-urban environment. Defender is a pain in these environments. Also, despite improvements, the ventilation system still doesn't cut it with cold, damp, dark British autumn nights IMO.
I'd go Discovery 3 or 4. It's a vehicle you know well, has great off-road capability, superb around town, in spite of its size. Increasing amounts of kit available for it (though nothing compared to Disco 1 or 2, or Defender).
I'm on my fifth Disco, having switched to a Defender between nos. 4 & 5. I was very glad to get back into it. Just had it shod with Toyo Open Country ATs and it'll go pretty much anywhere. looking forward to the snow!
Greetings from Northern Scotland.
Do you subscribe to any other websites about this? I'm struggling to find other reputable sources like yourself
ReplyDeleteAmela
Off Roading Leicester
Dear Andrew,
ReplyDeleteI very much enjoy your channel. Can I please ask that you try and sequence the naming of the videos. I find it difficult to follow the videos on YouTube as the names of the videos do not always relate to a current continuous project.
Kind regard
Joshua
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