Hi Roman,

Thanks for your honosty. I guess I was lucky enough to first learn about 4x4 and overlanding in Australia! Mention the LR there and you are declared "persona non grata" before you can say sorry!

Cheers,

Noel

I was also a member of the NICRAETT Club (Now I can Relax And Enjoy The Trip) (A.K.A. Ex Land Rover Owner who bought a Land Cruiser)

but going back to the topic... get a HJ60 or HJ61 and you can't go wrong both on reliability or sales value after the trip.

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Mario T. - southing

Amid all this Toyota mythologising (!) it's easy to forget that McTravel is driving to the Gambia - not rutting up the lanes in Dorset or dune-popping in the Tibesti!

Bearing in mind that this route is 10,000km of mostly good, straight tarmac, an Hj60 - or any other old 4WD - will be tough work. Lumbering noisily along at 100kph day-after-day, (when you could safely cruise at 150kph plus) rapidly becomes a chore.

A plush 2WD Mercedes/Peugeot saloon is going to be much more enjoyable - or a good van if you need the space - Toyota Hiace ? Just go slow on the rough sections.

2-3k+ euros could get you something relatively quick and luxurious with plenty of twilight life in it.

If you envisage driving a lot of bad roads in the Gambia, maybe raise the clearance a notch or even fit a skid plate. Chris S did something like this with a 190D, still on his website? Looked like fun.

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Pictures, Mauritania 2011

If the target is to get as easy and quickly as possible down to Ghana and stay on the main roads and tracks, then the Merc or Peugeot is the best option. If McT wants to do some exploring and adventurizing, then he should take a 4WD to m.h.o.

cheers,

Noel

My thoughts are that two wheel drive is fine for most things and as others have said if you are mainly on tar and rough roads you will be fine.......this said I have know bought a 4x4 for my next trip just so I can get to good camping spots. Most people in most counties don't have 4x4 but then they don't go camping in inaccessible areas.

Graeme

For what its worth.....

Mitsu have the suspension issue thats already been raised - their front axle lets them down offroad, whatever the age of the vehicle they dont seem to have addressed this issue - BUT good onroad and on rough tracks.

Cruiser - many are too 'electronic' for my tastes (same can be said for most cars) but the 75 Series Troopcarrier is a great truck - limitation is the leaf springs (and U-bolts) which limit their offroad ability in mud and rocks. They are avoided in East African bush (though common on roads) for this reason. Good for deserts and big dunes though, hence common in Sahara. Other versions of Cruiser are fast and comfy on road.

Discovery - Mk1 is a good car but they are getting old now. Mk2 lots of electronics - Mk3 excellent truck but oh, so complicated! I used one in the Sahara last summer and on road tyres it ran rings round everything - Cruisers on desert tyres included. Discos lack interior space but they do make decent overlanders.

Defender - more recent ones are over-complex. Tdi-engined 110 or 130 possibly the best option. I have used three in E and N Africa for almost 10 years. Slow and noisy on road, extremely capable offroad.

Reliability? You will hear horror stories about all types. Ask five overlanders and you will get ten opinions!
I swear by Defenders and have never been let down by them, and that includes solo desert traverses, Great Sand Sea, etc.

Africa is full of spares for Defender and Cruiser. Nissan too and Jeep, but dont touch Jeep unless you like walking.

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'91 LR 110 Def/Disco hybrid "Elsa"
Bring me the horizon....

Best summery yet.
thanks for the advice!