After 2 year's motorcycle world travel,
I'm very tired of getting a wind,rain and cold,
also making a tent over and over again.
Now,I'm in Sydney and planning to travel around Australia for 2 years.
My conditions:
As acommodation here is very expensive,I should sleep inside my car everyday.
Especially,I love camping in the national park.
I travel single and carry very small luggage,such as a few clothes,
cooking stuffs,foldable chair,single matress and bicycle.
So I need a car which has
1.big room space
2.good fuel economy
3.reliable engine
4.everywhere parts availability
5.good resell price

Off road ability and big horse power are not important to me.
As I will travel along the paved road only.
When I travel motorcycle,the more gravel road,the more problem I got.
I think Australia has a good road everywhere.
More important is that I really need a reliable car,as I have no mechanic knowledge,
no mechanical failure on the road.

With my limited burget,I have to choice between

1.Toyota Hiace 3 seat van
2001 year. 160,000 Km. 3.0 Diesel engine
Fuel consumption 9 Liter/100Km (website search result)
Price: 17,000 AUD

Pros: Huge room for sleeping. (Even carry small motorcycle inside)
Automatic.(I love it..!)
Cons: No off-road ability. I don't know how strong this car.


2.Landcruiser troop carrier:
1999 year. 120,000 km. 4.2 Diesel engine
Fuel consumption 12 Liter/100Km (website search result)
Price: 23,000 AUD

Pros: Legendary all rounder...
Cons: low fuel economy

Which car I have to choose???
I never have a car before,so its very hard decision for me.
Which used one is more reliable to you??

troop carrier!

1. australia does NOT have good roads, in fact, if you're going 'round', you'll be traveling on quite a bit of gravel - also australian roads demand a lot from your cars suspension, and the hiace could potentially have problems with shocks/springs braking...
2. you will see much more of what is special about oz if you can go off road...
3. the lower mileage on the troopy could potentially mean less problems
4. troopies can be fixed anywhere... a hiace 'almost' anywhere (they're far outnumbered by the troopies but still simple to fix)

weighing up the difference in fuel economy:
3 litres per 100 km more means, say at 20,000km and AU$1.20/litre for diesel an extra AU$765 in diesel, IMHO a small price to pay for go anywhere ability and a vehicle that is alround more robust.

Twenty odd years ago, I went round, down, through, up and across Oz for 18months in an very old Holden HQ Panel Van I picked up for AU$2000 and the only fault it had was the fan falling off the front of the engine, and a broken windscreen.The back was big enough for a double mattress and all my gear and was great to sleep (and other things) in.


I know my old Holden Panel Van lasted for years and years in the hands of mechanically inept backpackers as I kept getting postcards from it, it had my address written in paint marker on the dashboard, and everytime it went past my uncle in Newcastle the current owners would stop in. Eventually my cousin bought it, and restored it to become his own personal sh*ggin-wagon, and it's still got my address on the dash.

Now, I'm fairly confident that they're a bit more expensive now but my point is you don't need to pay out that much money on something to tour Oz. I imagine backpackers hostels in Sydney, Perth, Darwin etc are full of adverts for cheap and cheerful things which will get you round for FAR less money, If it breaks down seriously just stop up, scrap it and buy something else. There's nothing like nursing an old Holden* round Oz to give you a taste of the ocker-lifestyle, and to introduce you to a lively bunch of mechanics in small town Australia who if you're lucky will buy you a .





*You could also look at the Ford Falcon Panel Van too, but you've got to decide Holden or Ford, the two don't mix and once you've decided then you're a Holden or Ford person for life.

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re panel van: this is absolutely true - you can get around in anything, and the big, old, heavy panel vans would be a good choice too, probably a better then a hiace as far as suspension goes!

ps: Alexlebrit: nice panel van!

I fully understand what you mean..
But,I just worry that
if mechanical problem happens,it cost lots of money here in Australia
as labour fee is very expensive.
If I go into South asia or South america which is cheap country
I will not worry about problems..

Also I don't want to have a engine problem when I'm in outback.
Maybe,I'm worry to much because I don't have any knowledge or experience
about car.
My new F650GS didn't have any problem when I ride 85,000km in American continent except broken rear shock siling...

Also,pay much is OK as I can resell it later.
Reliability is most important to me..

Any more advice??

I've just finished reading an article from a guy in his mid 60s who has driven a Mazda T3500 motorhome (2 wheel drive) upto Cape York, last year he drove the Outback Way from Western Australia to Queensland, and a few years earlier did the Gunbarrel Hwy.

His only piece of advice - drive slowly, use 2nd gear in the sand and park up for a few days when it rains.

His article recounts 280ish major bits of 4x4 vehicles, complete vehicles (rolled and burnt) and trailers left on the side of the road upto Cape York.

There are some nice VW 4x4 campers around.

My friend advice me that
Landcruiser maintenance fee is more expensive than Hiace.
Also I cannot handle mechanial problem when I drive alone
in the middle of outback desert..

So I prefer stick to paved road but
I can explore off road with 4x4 ATV if I carry it inside Hiace van.

4X4 ATV is much more easy to ride around serious dirt and sand road...

Also,I want try to cheap Hiace which cost around 6000AUD with
300,000Km.

This km have no problem??
I expect ride 80,000km-100,000 more for 2 years..

Give a call to Darren McRae at Auto-Craft in Melbourne (see Contact Us). He's been involved in prepping LCs for years and also organises a lot of trips into the outback, etc.

He's a great guy with a wealth of experience who should be able to point you in the right direction.

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Cheers,

Julian Voelcker
Overland Cruisers - Specialising in Land Cruiser preparation and servicing.

Ah if only that had been my panel van, sadly mine was a lot rustier, dirtier, more multi-coloured etc.

It seems reading this thread that you have a fairly big budget to buy, and I do understand that you'll be driving it for a couple of years so you want a bit of reliability and comfort, but I'm sure Australia is still full of 18-19 year olds on their gap years before university, driving cheap, old vehicles ALL over the place, with NO mechanical knowledge at all.

You're coming from a GS so I understand the mindset that says you want a sophisticated vehicle, but I'd still consider something cheap, and something common on the roads, a big old Holden or Ford, for instance, as they're to be found everywhere in Australia, they drive thousands of miles into the outback on gravel and dirt, parts will be cheap and available either new or secondhand and you can always find someone who knows how to work on them.

And breaking down? Well if you have no mechanical knowledge having never owned a car before, then really it doesn't make any difference which car you have, as you won't be able to fix it anyway.

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I fully understand what you are trying to say..but
if I can resell it later with good price,why I have to choose
very cheap old holden or ford which will cause more problem?

When I prepare motorcycle travel before,I have no bike by myself and
never had experince of dirt riding or any kind of long overseas travel.
So I did the same thing,ask Hub "What bike is best for me to do round the world? I never had have bike before.."
Many people recommend F650GS for unexperienced solo rider like me,
so I just buy new one. It was very expensive for me at that time,also
cost lots of money when I travelling as BMW part is not cheap.
I have been camping 6 months everyday in north america to save money,but
I really happy with F650GS.
But many times in South America, I think by myself, "I should buy Honda 250cc..650GS is too heavy for dirt road and parts are very expensive..."
But I think it was a good choice for me..seat is very comfortable,engine is very reliable and fuel economy is very good..
I really curious about BMW motorcycle before,maybe that's why I bought it.

Now,I also very curious about Landcruiser Troop carrier..
Why people called it All arounder? What's so speciall about this car??
I just feel that if I have this one,it can help me to do everything I want.
But used one is not cheap,also fuel economy looks no good..

So,now I'm thinking about Hiace,more cheap to run and big space for everythig..
Living 2 years in the car can save lots of sleeping cost,so
good reliable car is what I need.

But I still don't know
how many dirt road I should ride around Australia.
If it's a lot,I will definitely buy Landcruiser Trooper.

Somebody buy Ferrari or Rolex for nothing..
I don't think I spend too much.. I just need good used car for 2 years travelling. Everyday sleeping inside car. Car will be my home.
Also I can resell it later.
Why I should buy cheap one?
But I really got what you mean.. I just worry about
if I buy cheap one,it maybe cost more to fix it as
labour fee is very expensive here Australia..

I want to buy a good reliable one to save money..

No contest!!!

Troopy any day over the lo-ace!!!! You will not regret it!!!

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www.seeyouwhenwegetthere.com

Wow..
I'm sooooooo envious of couples travelling together..
I saw your troop carrier and also check those upgrades things..
Oh,I really want to try Landcruiser..

It looks like uniform for Taekwondo.
You can do every move with normal clothes,but
if you wear uniform,your matial art looks more perfect.

I have to try drive troop carrier at dealer,and will find
what it feels like..
Also,I will check some website which has already customed used one
for selling..

On this thread,many recommend Troop carrier..
Ok,I will try that.. I respect all your opinions.

thanks for your all advice..

... you're not asking for much. Just get what you can afford.

Jeremy

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pigapitcha

http://www.jljphotography.co.uk

If you've got the cash and you like the Toyota, then go for it..!

It will be more expensive to service and maintain but that's 4x4's for you...

I'm another panel van veteran, but firmly in the Falcon camp. Mine cost me AU$1300 and came with a double mattress and camping gear already in the back.

I went all over in it, including places I'd been told "You can only get there with a 4x4" Very satisfying..! It had great ground clearance and was surprisingly adept at fording rivers. It was mechanically simple and the straight 6 engine reliable as you could get.

As brethouwer said, they are heavy, but this is due to very solid construction, without which, I may not be here today, after a pretty big accident with (oddly enough, a Landcruiser) on the Gibb river road.

I had no problems other than one blown shock, (never replaced, still drove ok) and a leaky radiator. Happy days...


Good luck, whatever you decide...

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Beware the dark, mechanical bird.

What did you decide on?

BTW: I remember you stopping in at my home in Florida a couple of years back.

Upgrade your Touratech Pannier's Mount: Pucks Thread
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Upgrade your Touratech Pannier's Mount: Pucks Thread
Purchase Here