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Guide to choosing an expedition 4x4 Guide to choosing an expedition 4x4
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  #1  
Old 22 Aug 2008
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Guide to choosing an expedition 4x4
Howdy - I've just posted the first part of a short Expedition Vehicle Guide. It's not overly detailed at this point as I'm hoping a few grizzled RTW veterans will take a look and recommend some topics for the next section...(before I get in over my head). Choosing a 4WD Expedition Vehicle

If you have a couple minutes to spare and are interested, take a look and let me know what you think should be included in the next instalment.

Thanks!
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Old 31 Aug 2008
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Who am I ??
Having considered your topics so far, I would say, before spending vast sums of money on potentially useless kit, ask yourself 'do I know what to do with it all,and can I manage it on my own should a companion go sick/leave/stop talking to you ???
It is very easy to buy magazines,go to shows etc and get sucked in to the KIT TRAP. Sometimes less is better. An experienced overlander warned me of this at one show and then sold me his book. 'Chasing Rainbows' was the only thing I bought that weekend.
As a result, I built up our Disco as I wanted it, with only the facilities that we specifically needed. It may have taken me longer, but we saved a fortune and I knew how it all went together.
We met a couple on our trip, who wont mind me mentioning this, but they had a Landy that was so laden with every conceivable accessory, that it actauuly restricted their travel, and as they had had it built for them, they did not know how half of it worked, and only one of them was physically capable of handling the equiptment.
The morale of this story is, Know your personal limitations.
Good luck with the site.
Please feel free to check out our blog, but ask if you want to use anything. Cheers
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  #3  
Old 31 Aug 2008
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Just following on from that, if I may - you know when you see adverts for an expedition prepared vehicle for sale, it frightens me when I see all the kit listed and all the changes and preparations done.
I know the 7 p's thing, but does any one ever buy a bog standard vehicle and throw some camping kit in the back, maybe with a spare jerry can for water?
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Old 1 Sep 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by onlyMark View Post
I know the 7 p's thing, but does any one ever buy a bog standard vehicle and throw some camping kit in the back, maybe with a spare jerry can for water?
Yes... I ran parallel with a Dutch couple part of our journey. They had a standard 70 Series Landcruiser with 420 000km on the clock and two Thule boxes on the roof. No problems at all!!! We tend to overdo it in the UK, probably a hangover from the LR days where you needed a whole stack of spares....
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Old 1 Sep 2008
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I think there does become a point where what you need bleeds over to what you think you might need to what you think you might need to be comfortable.
I'd also love to see what the differences would be if you asked a male and a female each to set up for an overland, giving them free rein.
I'd bet the male would always find room for the gadget that takes boy scouts out of horses hooves whereas the female would do the same for the extra special hair conditioner.
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Old 2 Sep 2008
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Originally Posted by Graham Smith View Post
We tend to overdo it in the UK, probably a hangover from the LR days where you needed a whole stack of spares....
Er... if you have a LR you *do* need a whole stack of spares! :-)

Agree that most people overdo it, including myself. It's like that quotation about packing - take half as much stuff and twice as much money. Applies just as much to overlanding as a package holiday to Ibeefa.

Mike
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  #7  
Old 2 Sep 2008
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But when I've gone to Ibiza I've never had enough shoes or handbags.
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