If you were going to set off around the world.

[tacr2man]

A good few years back (when I was a yoof) there was a vehicle assessment carried out in a African country to decide who would supply their military , so big contract , 4x4 Manufacturers were required to supply suitable vehicles and maintenance for a 6 month trial , it ended after 2 months as after this time the only vehicle that was capable of even moving under its own power was a landrover .
Sorry a bit short on exact detail , its quite a while ago now

 

[JJ]

If I was setting off to drive around the world I wouldn't start from here...


JJ

 

[EuroTrotters]

A Toyota previa 1990-2000

 

[G-RMPS]

It’s only 24000 miles around the world, and most of that is water. I’d just take a 4x4 Hymer after a shakedown trip around Scotland.

 

[Hilewaychile]

When I was a member of the Merc O.C. a bloke wrote in to ask what to buy for £10k. The best answer was "Any Merc you like for £8k, £2k left for fettling it. Or spend the whole £10k on anything Japanese."

So I go along with the Toyota vote. Or Mitsi

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[Len Amey]

"sat by the road, surrounded by a pool of oil"[/QUOTE]

Personally, I'd rather be sat in a pool surrounded by waiters so first choice: The Queen Elizabeth or Queen Victoria, second choice: The Queen Mary 2 & only because she is too large to transit the Panama Canal.

If you're going to do it, do it in style!

 

[DL42846]

Which base vehicle would you chose.

Its a damp and misty day here in Lancashire and I have been reading "The long and whining road" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17285231-the-long-and-whining-road,

My first thought is, what base vehicle would you chose. V Dubs are ubiquitous in Europe, but what about elsewhere, maybe a Toyota or a Ford.

Anyway if you had to be sat by the road, surrounded by a pool of oil, what vehicle would you want to have that could be fixed easy. And supplemental question, which vehicle would be least likely to leave you "sat by the road, surrounded by a pool of oil"

Depends on what sort of a trip your planning. If your sticking to tarmac roads and looking for comfort I would consider either a Mercedes Base or Fiat. Mercedes for reliability. Fiat are fairly reliable other than gearbox and clutch problems depending on which year your base vehicle is. Both have a good spares network around the world.
If your looking to go off road and roughing it then a Defender or Land Cruiser. I had a Defender 200 tdi for ten years. I did one trip across the Sahara which was trouble free. The previous owner used to go every year for 7 years and spend the winter in Morocco. Trouble with a Defender is a lot of people don't look after them properly. They fit cheap Chinese import parts which don't last. If you look after it properly then reliability is fine. Also a lot of people expect more out of there Defender than they would from a Land Cruiser. As soon as a Defender owner sees a challenging terrain off they go, where as a Land Cruiser own would wait to see it the Defender makes it, then follows. Defenders do break down with minor problems, when a Land Cruiser breaks down they are usually major and expensive, and yes Land Cruisers do break down. And yes 4x4 do get stuck also.

Defenders you can bodge up and keep going with a road side repair. If driven sensibly a Defender will get you there and bring you back.

 

[ChrisL]

I have a Mitsubishi Delica L400, it will go pretty much anywhere a Landy will go but in comfort, all the seats fold flat so you can sleep in the back as well. I've been all over Europe in mine and had several trips off road on Salisbury Plain and the peak district and never had a break down touch wood.

Check out this video to get an idea, you may want to turn the volume down as the musics a bit naff in my opinion.



Or a shorter one here helping out a Range Rover.