Touring 4wd, what would you buy?

I would tackle this question from another angle, then the vehicle choice might become an easy one:

While touring, where do you want to sleep & cook.
1. in a Hotel/Motel & Restaurant
2. in a Caravan/Camper Trailer
3. in a Tent/Roof Top Tent
4. in the vehicle.

Vehicle for Option 1: probably any vehicle of the major companies would do as long as it is very comfortable, dust and waterproof, a good air-con and stereo equipment.

Vehicle for Option 2: vehicle with good towing qualities and excellent fuel economy - which would leave the bigger engines out.

Vehicle for Option 3: vehicle with loading space for the tent and kitchen equipment. In case of a roof top tent you need excellent fuel economy as the additional 40 cm on the roof (excluding roof rack) will make you use more fuel - again would settle for a smaller engine.

Vehicle for Option 4: Now we get down to only a few. Troopie, Defender 110/130 (or the bigger ones like Orka, Unimog, etc.).

For us it is definitely option 4 and I would still go with a Defender and Pop Top setup.
Having travelled extensively in a 110 through all sort of remote areas and terrain and now in a 130 throughout Australia. Just lovin' it. The Td5 engine was/is in both vehicles very reliable.

In regards to vehicle reliability and mechanics along the way.... on our latest trip through Australia we passed three Troopies with broken gearboxes, they all had to way for a mechanic ... . So agree with the comments made earlier on, whatever major happens to your vehicle, most probably you could still need wait for the parts to come to you.

Cannot wait 'till Easter, to get out there again.

good point Mulgo, I would like to add thet we overlooked another 2 categories:
1)people who have mechanical/electronics skills to do the own repairs
2) people that only can change tyres and do only the basic services and depend on mechanical services by a 3rd party because knowledge or health

On the categorie 2 is when I believe that a vehicle with a non electronic management engine have the edge.
There are a lot of farmers and mechanics in a remote area that can make a Perkins or simmilar diesel engine go but do not have the tools or knowledge to fix a electronic problem.

So if we go by your "Vehicle 4" a Defender/County up to 1998 will be a good choice

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Originally Posted by Chucaro

On the categorie 2 is when I believe that a vehicle with a non electronic management engine have the edge.
There are a lot of farmers and mechanics in a remote area that can make a Perkins or simmilar diesel engine go but do not have the tools or knowledge to fix a electronic problem.

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True, but vehicles which are non electric are getting on a bit in 2009 - they would be + 10 years old at least - so I think I'm better off in a new Defender, albeit electronic, but with everything in new/good order. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chucaro

There are a lot of farmers and mechanics in a remote area that can make a Perkins or simmilar diesel engine go but do not have the tools or knowledge to fix a electronic problem.

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I wonder if we are short changing some of the farmers and mechanics out there. They are part of the developments in the world too and they too will be keeping up in some way or another. They have to get modern gear themselves to remain competitive and they too will be becoming familiar with electrics/ electronics.

Willem

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Originally Posted by Scallops

True, but vehicles which are non electric are getting on a bit in 2009 - they would be + 10 years old at least - so I think I'm better off in a new Defender, albeit electronic, but with everything in new/good order. :)

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I have done 110000 km with my old disco Tdi 1998 and only changes the timing belts.
Have a look the problems with the new Puma, some of them with 6000 km or less.
Some owners changes 3 dofferntials so far in less tha 20000 km. Not the ideal vehicle to go bush :(
There are more that 2 new Pumas here in the local dealer with factory trained mechanics that are out of the street because luck of spares.

Point taken, Chucaro. An electronic control unit cannot be fixed without having the necessary equipment.

However, I would like to know how many of those Land Rover ECU's have broken down while touring (I am only talking about the standard LR ones, no upgrades nothing). I think it's fair to say that normally its not the electronic, but the stuff around it which fails.

Then, when you are touring with a vehicle. That vehicle becomes your home away from home. You make sure you service it regularly and at recommended intervals get the electronic checked. This way you ensure that you are not getting stranded out in the bush.
Also, touring is different than hard core 4x4'ing. While touring you probably think: 'Do I really need to drive through that deep waterhole...'

At the end, with all vehicles it comes to that: If you look after it, it looks after you.

Cheers,

Quote:

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Originally Posted by willem

I wonder if we are short changing some of the farmers and mechanics out there. They are part of the developments in the world too and they too will be keeping up in some way or another. They have to get modern gear themselves to remain competitive and they too will be becoming familiar with electrics/ electronics.

Willem

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Of course thare are farmers with the economical resources to purchasing or lease new equipment and special tools but they are not the majority.
I have a lot of respect for them, they are very resourceful people. I know what farmers can do form my overseas experience when I worked for John Deere and here in Oz when I done the Agricultural Mechanization studies at Richmond, NSW

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chucaro

I have done 110000 km with my old disco Tdi 1998 and only changes the timing belts.
Have a look the problems with the new Puma, some of them with 6000 km or less.
Some owners changes 3 dofferntials so far in less tha 20000 km. Not the ideal vehicle to go bush :(
There are more that 2 new Pumas here in the local dealer with factory trained mechanics that are out of the street because luck of spares.

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I'm fully aware of these vehicles and their faults - but there may be many reasons why these issues are occurring, unrelated to the vehicle's actual engineering - I'm not convinced there is anything inherently wrong with the new vehicle - mine's fine.

Many of you have a Valid point and i still dont know what i would have. It would have to be strong, Deisel as LPG in the bush is scarse. Big payload, but not over the top.
Ive had F100 and a F350, Chev C20 and a few LR and Toyo now...
Only LR ive owned that is close the perfect tourer is a TDI Fender....

But back to the slanging match as i have a valid point that most of the Boffins have forgotten about....

Electronics is far better than it used to be... YES.... but the failure is not the Hardware.... is the Software..... Prime example.... who has a PC that fails nowdays as the Vid card or Memory card causes it to lock up??? Not many.... But who has a PC that crashes and locks up, but a software re-install fixes it???? Mmmmmmm i know mine does and i'm running one of the most common OS's on the market....

But if i was to fire up my Unix PC..... it will run for weeks and months with no issues.....

But reliability.... Who has a New Fender that has not been back for a recall or fix???? I know of a couple in sydney that has a very early new generation Fender and its been in the dealer for 1/4 of its life....

I have not made my mind up on a rig, but a 130 is looking more like a platform i could start off with as i wuld be touring as a family of 4... Shame its not 110 long....lol

mine is a 110 long - meaning a 130 station wagon..... travels and sleeps 4 comfortably...