What car to buy for a very long trip

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by xxx000

why not fly to Singapore and just buy and start there?

It'd save you a fortune in shipping costs and trouble

I agree diesel Landcruiser or similar for the trip although as stated you may be overestimating the need for a 4wd so perhaps consider a Peugeot diesel wagon as they're reliable and good comfort wise for long drives

either way though a diesel would be best in terms of reliability and fuel availability

Ive heard Cars are not cheap in Singapore
http://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/

[aussiblue]

4WD would definitely be useful
A troopy/defender is big enough to put a double bed in the back..easy
Diesel-yes
Reliable-already proven
Parts-no problem
Fixability- nothing easier
chrisandsharon is offline Report Post

Note that Troop carriers are considered a rare exotic in Europe; they are really only sold in volume in Australia, Canada and Africa. So some parts not used in other Toyota 4WD's will not be readily available in Europe and it may be harder to sell the vehicle in the UK where they are no longer sold by Toyota. It is really only the mining industry in Australia, Canada and Africa that has kept the model going.

[MercurySilver]

i wouldnt have a clue
but hopefully you do a thread and keep us updated with pics and stuff

cant exactly say id drive thru the middle east myself
ballsy

[chrisandsharon]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

Note that Troop carriers are considered a rare exotic in Europe; they are really only sold in volume in Australia, Canada and Africa. So some parts not used in other Toyota 4WD's will not be readily available in Europe and it may be harder to sell the vehicle in the UK where they are no longer sold by Toyota. It is really only the mining industry in Australia, Canada and Africa that has kept the model going.

Yeah fair enough ...... perhaps the big long wheel base defender would be the way to go then for ease of sale. I'd be happy tractoring along in the big LR. You could still deck the back out with a double bed and all the gear. The long wheel base defenders are huge inside.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=l...%3B3072%3B1829

[chrisandsharon]

Check this beast out.......aussiblue had a picture of one earlier.
This is all you'd need ...... sleeps 4
$28000 6x6
A diehard rover fan would happily snap that up for what you paid for it......gold

Would give you safe passage through all the hot spots too


http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/rainb...6x6/1073814561

[mr_xlr8]

http://www.carsales.com.au/bnc/detai...D-405947/?Cr=0

By far the best vehicle I have ever owned. Other than the GT-P ofcourse!!

[Sox]

Originally Posted by OzJavelin

Did anyone say 1968 XT GT Falcon? I thought it was the blatantly obvious choice for the Ford Forum?

http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au...lcon_xt_gt.php

Yeh baby.

Just don't let the Landsnoozer brigade know there are better alternatives.

[ebxr8240]

Talk to Allan Joyce.. He'll have the transport for you .. Lol
A converted light truck with slide on or converted van ? As in Merc Sprinter..
I assume your going to live in it ? So generator, bed, kitchen, hot water heater, solar panels and storage batteries.. Some fresh water tanks?

[hawke]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Talk to Allan Joyce.. He'll have the transport for you .. Lol
A converted light truck with slide on or converted van ? As in Merc Sprinter..
I assume your going to live in it ? So generator, bed, kitchen, hot water heater, solar panels and storage batteries.. Some fresh water tanks?

I've stumbled on http://earthcruiser.com/ it looks like it could work.

[aussiblue]

I've stumbled on http://earthcruiser.com/ it looks like it could work.

Looks impressive.

[ebxr8240]

Depending on cost ?? Some $$$ can be spent here.. Ohh do I know !!!! Sheesh !

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Originally Posted by hawke

I've stumbled on http://earthcruiser.com/ it looks like it could work.

I like it, I think I will want one of these for the Zombie apocalypse...

[nuthin' fancy]

Originally Posted by hawke

I'm giving some thought on going on a long drive - Sydney to London, and wondering what would the best car to use. I haven't worked out the exact route, but would probably be either Sydney - Perth - Singapore - India - Iran - Turkey - Bulgaria - France - England. Or - Darwin - Hong Kong - China - The Stans - Moscow - St Petersburg - Stockholm - Denmark - Germany - France - England.

There would be two of us - me and my wife.

I suspect that 4WD would be useful - something big enough to sleep securely inside if needed - diesel probably. Reliability, ease of parts and fix-ability would be important.

I'm not sure that selling the vehicle overseas is that straight forward if it is sourced from Oz.

[Harrison]

If you do it in anything other than a diesel Landcuiser there's a good chance you will wish you had bought one instead.

There's a very good reason they are so popular up north and out back. They usually get you home, kind of important when it's 40+ degrees in the shade.

If you could find a very low k one owner GQ Patrol they do have much stronger diffs and gearbox but finding parts could be difficult.

[XR Martin]

Dont rule out a petrol powered vehicle either. It is just as readily available as diesel, and with regards to a late model CRD engines a bad batch of fuel will quickly leave you stranded. There is a reason why the 4.5 TD in the Landcruiser LC70 is only sold here and not in Africa or the middle east.

[snowcone]

Doesn't sound like much of a holiday to me.
Weeks and weeks and weeks stuck inside a 4WD whilst paying out for fuel and everything else.

If you want to see the world go on a tour because I doubt you will see much if you are driving 12 hours a day (without allowing for breakdown times)

Can you get some form of International car insurance in case you run into a mad Arab's Rolls Royce?
Are you a competent bush mechanic?
Can you handle the stress of not being able to speak the language or know the customs if you are stuck somewhere?
Can you adequately protect your wife in countries where she has no rights and is shown no respect?
To each his own but it doesn't sound real attractive to me, and I am a mechanic, although retired from that game now.
Get airline tickets and fly to Europe. Get a Eurail pass before you go and travel by fast efficient trains across Europe sleeping overnight and visiting a different city each day
Visit Athens and ferry hop over all the Aegean Islands.
The sites are endless over there, but don't see it over the dash of a clapped out landcruiser

[SumoDog68]

Originally Posted by mr_xlr8

http://www.carsales.com.au/bnc/detai...D-405947/?Cr=0

By far the best vehicle I have ever owned. Other than the GT-P ofcourse!!

DSG Transporter vs troopy for intercontinental trip - or even OZ outback trip , that's gold :-) .

[Kieron]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Talk to Allan Joyce.. He'll have the transport for you .. Lol
A converted light truck with slide on or converted van ? As in Merc Sprinter..
I assume your going to live in it ? So generator, bed, kitchen, hot water heater, solar panels and storage batteries.. Some fresh water tanks?

This is the go! Plenty of space in a van to store stuff/sleep, carry spares etc and if you go for a common brand like a Sprinter or Transit, parts along the way will be available.

In 1976, my parents purchased a 1971 V4 Transit that had been driven from the UK to Singapore>Perth by 3 couples, they had a full length roof rack with a box on the front that carried spares such as globes, radiator/coolant hoses, fan belts, extra spare tyre, even a full gasket set and leaf spring (purchase along the way), added a long range fuel tank and carried jerry cans. They crashed it in Turkey, got it fixed with local mechanics (front fender, front leaf spring bent, indicator, headlight) and made it the rest of the way with no issue.

So, being a Ford man and on a Ford site, i'd say go for a few years old diesel Ford Transit bus, rip the seats out, put curtains along the windows, build a platform for a queen size mattress, buy common spares and a basic quality tool kit, jerry cans, another spare wheel etc then get driving!

Transits are available world wide so should you need repairs along the way, you should be allright and once your in Europe, parts will be cheap as chips so you can give her a decent going over if needed.

[Psi-Pop]

A Ford Transit!

I did 16,000km in 6 months around Europe. Bunk beds from Ikea in the back, life was full of luxury! And it lost less than $1000 with tax and a MOT.



Having more money now id get a Defender!

[BradEL]

Another vote for non- turbo diesel Land cruiser, not at all a land cruiser fan boy but the land cruisers are in my opinion the best vehicle to take somewhere where you don't really know where your going. More reliable than the British alternative, simple with no electronic gimmicks, the most likely vehicle to get you where ever you want to go, as long as your not in a hurry.

[ebxr8240]

Turbo or no turbo ..