Oh man, I remember reading your reddit post, and pooh-poohing your idea as stupid and irresponsible.
I reckoned a Jeep was about the worst possible vehicle for the job, that you would break down and be stuck because nobody drives Jeeps in Africa. I still believe a Landcruiser, Land Rover Defender, or a G-Wagen would've been a better choice in terms of parts and repairs, but it seems the Jeep has held up fine.
I'm actually quite happy to have been proven wrong. Congratulations on a safe and fun trip!
> I still believe a Landcruiser, Land Rover Defender, or a G-Wagen would've been a better choice in terms of parts and repairs
Of course the landcruiser would have been. It also would have cost twice as much, and I couldn't get a diesel one in Canada.
Registering and insuring a vehicle in a country you don't live in is near impossible, and then renewing it while on the road is even closer to impossible. It's not something I wanted to deal with.
I find it strange the conventional wisdom is to drive a 25+ year old vehicle with 300,000+ miles instead of a near-near vehicle with <80,000 miles.
My last Jeep didn't have a single mechanical issue in 40k miles from Alaska to Argentina, and of all the overlanders I have ever heard of (a lot) I have never heard of a single landcruiser or defender doing that.
It's all about choice, and variety. If we all did the same thing, life would be pretty boring, wouldn't it!
A new landcruiser would probably cost twice as much, but a 10 to 20 year old won't break the bank. It actually makes sense buying an older vehicle because they're much simpler, mechanically.
Will the old landcruiser break down? Maybe, probably even. But the good thing is that any mechanic in even the remotest African village can fix it. Good luck finding a bush mechanic who can sort out a CANBUS-error in your Jeep...
Having said that, I have to admit I'm just an armchair warrior. I read your story on Reddit and I massively enjoyed your undertakings. Hats off to you for actually persuing your crazy plans!
> A new landcruiser would probably cost twice as much, but a 10 to 20 year old won't break the bank. It actually makes sense buying an older vehicle because they're much simpler, mechanically.
Of course, you are right.
Remember though I can't get a diesel.
> But the good thing is that any mechanic in even the remotest African village can fix it. Good luck finding a bush mechanic who can sort out a CANBUS-error in your Jeep...
Of course it adds to the complications if and when something breaks down, but that's all part of the journey. I have friends in the USA that can send me any part I need, and I'll kick back for a few weeks while it arrives and I install it, or have a mechanic do it for me. That's perfectly fine, I don't have a timeline. Waiting a month somewhere is not in any way a problem, it will just allow me to learn the language better and get involved with the community.
> Having said that, I have to admit I'm just an armchair warrior
It's interesting you acknowledge that.
I spent 2 years driving 40k miles through 16 countries. I created and moderate wikioverland.org, and have attended and presented at Overland Expo. I'm a moderator on multiple overlanding forums and fb groups, and I've personally met hundreds of overlanders, and "met" thousands more online. I've spent years of my life researching and planning and talking to people. I've watched and learned from literally hundreds of people that have made the same journey I'm making. Even one in a Wrangler!
I did do a tiny bit a research here, you don't need to "convince" me of your opinion that a Toyota is "better"
I reckoned a Jeep was about the worst possible vehicle for the job, that you would break down and be stuck because nobody drives Jeeps in Africa. I still believe a Landcruiser, Land Rover Defender, or a G-Wagen would've been a better choice in terms of parts and repairs, but it seems the Jeep has held up fine.
I'm actually quite happy to have been proven wrong. Congratulations on a safe and fun trip!