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As an Aussie, I never thought I'd buy a Jeep, but I did buy a cheap old Wrangler for taking the dog to the beach. I treated that thing so badly but couldn't kill it no matter how hard I tried. I had more fun in that car than any other landcruiser, prado or hilux, and my dog loved it. Would definitely get another Jeep
Ive always been curious, why arent Jeeps more popular down-under? Your comment of “I never thought I’d buy a Jeep” seems to be the preconceived consensus, why is that? Seems like Australia is tailor made for Jeeps. A curious northern friend.
@@dadventuretv2538 its not just Jeeps. American cars in general have had a poor rep for quality compared to Japanese cars and that rep probably stems from the 1980's . But you're right, my recent experience and Dans definitely support the idea that Jeeps are well suited to Australia. In the last few years, Toyota are slowly destroying their reputation and in response the big US pick up trucks are becoming much more popular Oz
@@svleoc1201 interesting. Very similar to the feelings in the US too by a lot of folks in the 90s and 00s, but there is a lot of change in opinion happening here too. Of course since US cars are made here they’ve always had a large core following that never left and recently many have become cheaper than the Japanese cars. Toyota seems to be going less offroady and more street with the window dressing of offroad, and many American autos have definitely become on par with their Japanese rivals. I currently have a Gladiator with about 39K miles in 17 months of ownership with a good number of offroad miles and not one issue. Interesting to see if Jeep makes inroads down there with you guys in the next decade. I think one thing about them is that even if maybe reliability is still a little behind Toyota, which itself is questionable these days, I think Jeeps are actually more durable on the trail and Jeeps are so much easier to mod. And man are they fun. Cheers 🇦🇺🇺🇸
This is bittersweet, Dan. Congratulations on completing your journey around Australia. I'm sad to see this chapter end, but am looking forward to your next build and adventure.
Loved every minute of the series Dan and Katie. An outstanding body of work. You blaze the trail for the rest of us to follow. Can’t wait for more of your adventures. David from Honeymoon Bay - Freycinet Peninsula
I thought you were spot on in your thought on Jeep vs Toyota. I’ve owned a JK Wrangler for 7 years with no trouble. It took me many places and does the job so well. I now have a 200 Landcruiser and you got me thinking about the alternator. Thank you so much.
I can't wait to see your next build!(those are my favorite videos from you!) You bring such a logical and experienced approach to building your vehicles. And I really appreciate that. If you watch other overlanding channels,all they want to do is bolt on the latest and greatest expensive part and not to mention, the truck won't even see dirt when it's done. Anyway,thank you for everything you do!
Fitting end to a great series. Crazy to think I started watching your Africa adventure when I was still in high school and now I teach in high school and am starting my own overland trips! I look forward to seeing sandy again and am curious what your next adventure is going to be. If you ship to Europe again I'll tell you all the good spots in the Netherlands!
Maybe try a 4x4 van next time? Not so much like a Sprinter, but like a somewhat larger delivery van. Or maybe even something like a 4x4 ambulance. Even if it's raining (or snowing) you can just walk from the front seat back to the living area without even having to get out of the vehicle!
As an Aussie Landcruiser driver with two spares and no spare alternator, I agree with most things you've said. And I even like Jeeps, I think they're great. I've done most big tracks in Oz in my LC and I've never had a tyre problem, and I've never had an Alt problem either. But just for clarification, the Alts don't burn out, all it is, is the mud and grit hold the brushes out and they don't make contact with the spinny bit. A quick wash and you're away again, totally agree this is not ideal. I carry two spares all the time!! There are two reasons behind this decision, 1, it makes me feel better, more confident and able to get us out of a situation better if it were to arise. 2, when I was a little kid, I had the mental image of a 4wd I wanted to own when I grew up, having twin spares on the back of the wagon is part of this aesthetic that I don't mind admitting to. And the reason I bought the LC76 series is in 2007 I was in Mt Isa, I saw one for the very first time, it was actually a Cop car, and I fell in love with it, that childhood image of my perfect 4wd came to light. And now that's what I drive. Has nothing to do with make, model or alternator placement. I bought it brand new in 2012, and has only 170,000ks on it as it's not my daily. It only goes out for fun stuff.
I agree with all points here. And as a Land Cruiser fan, I also agree the statements on reliability can be outrageous, and do not help overall. The result is prices being raised, and people paying for believing all the hype.
Dan. I could see you driving another jeep JL Rubicon on your next trip. There is an aftermarket extended version of the pop up roof available. I think the channel epic family road trip has two of them. One on each Jeep. Just like your Africa Jeep setup. But about a foot longer for more living space in the back. The inoes grandier would be good for you. But I feel too new. Will still be very expensive. And little aftermarket support at first. Like a pop up roof for example. Defender 110 van. Ticks the boxes for space annd solid axles and pass through ability. But reliability? Err. Well I think there’s plenty on the web about that… Happy to see you back home in Canada. Cheers from Calgary. Your channel has completed changed my build setup on my Jeep. Every time I modify it. Or build something for it. I think. What would Dan do!
It’s great to hear some respect for Jeeps. I have owned several and have had great experiences with them. Your questioning some of the assumptions many Australian off-road influencers insist upon is a breath of fresh air. Everyone has a right to their opinion but insisting one is an absolute authority seems to get a little out of hand sometimes. The Ursa Minor thing a hindered by the independent flex of the cab and bed.
I've been subbed and been watching your vids for quite some time and have found that it's just about impossible to fault your logic and all your opinions. Such a great wealth of info and so entertaining as well👍So Thanks for sharing as always! I will say I've been waiting for you to discuss the possible bias to in vehicle living vs out of vehicle living since you've done both. It will be interesting to see what you chose next.
Thanks Sean - I work really hard on not just talking about what I think is great, or what works for me, but to dig deeper and go into the why of everything. I hope people can use that to form their own why and then build up to their own what.
Coincidences are a funny thing. I just finished “demodifying” my Prado after building it at the same time as your gladiator. I’m doing the same sort of videos where I’m selling my Prado and building a new vehicle but I’m finding out after every build, that less is more. Love your work. Very underrated 👍
Dan, spot with 2 parts of the jeep. Since I've owned my Gladiator, I've always thought it would be badass to modify it to make it a single pass through vehicle. Think jeep "van" or Jeep "defender 110", or Jeep "78 series". Then throw an Alu-Cab or ursa minor on the top and you'd be set. It would be the ultimate vehicle!
This is the vehicle for me and my style can't wait to get one. Nice video and good point about Toyota's having a bulletoroof reputation while people just accept that a spare alternator is a must have.
You nailed it, even my 1940 designed Thar(Jeep) alternator is at the top. True, the Wrangler has a true undivided feeling to it indeed. Thanks Dan, was great watching the last year.
Nice the new owner is very lucky yo have it from you! Thanks for the Nice time you have given us around Aus! Cant whait for your next action and adventure. Kind regards Erik
The alternator in the 70 series is definitely a design flaw. Good to see Jeep have thought about this. Although the LandCruiser reputation isn't because you never have to replace anything. It's because you can easily get half a million km out of the engine. How many Jeeps are getting about with that many km on them? Probably not too many.
The 3.6 engines in the newer Jeeps probably haven’t racked up that many miles/kms to tell yet, but the prior 3.8L V6 engines as well as the 4.0L I-6 engines are known to go 300,000+ miles (500,000 kms) quite regularly with virtually no mechanical issues. Both are regarded as bulletproof engines. Old-school pushrod engines just last longer than most OHC engines.
Dan, I'm glad to hear the Gladiator was an excellent platform for you. Congratulations on another adventure in the books. Do you suspect that rigs in Australia have tire issues because they're so heavy? Many AUS channels I watch have massive trucks with metal bed trays and are often towing heavy campers. I wonder if by staying light you avoid the same troubles they have.
I'm sure the weight is a big factor, and I also think many people don't air down, and they purposefully drive as fast as humanly possible - like it's bragging rights to drive at 100km/h on the Gibb rather than slow down and drive at speeds appropriate to the conditions. I do also think there are a lot of people driving on cheap tires. All of those combined, and there are a lot of tire failures.
I totally agree with preferring a wagon to a pick up truck just for having everything in just one space. However cheers to the gladiator, it's been amazing everything it showed us
I was thinking about why so many here in North America love trucks for overlanding and why they aren’t working for you…. Most of those in North America are only going out for the weekend or a week. You are living for years at a time, that is a big difference! When I look at others that do the type of traveling you do, the majority are using a 4x4 suv or van….
Hey Bob, I'm extremely excited to get into an EV for global Overlanding, but I honestly don't think there's anything yet that can work. Many brands have stuff coming in about 2024 that looks interesting, though they all already have big waitlists. I will get into one as soon as I possibly can, though I doubt that is right now. My next vehicle may very well be my last internal combustion engine.
@@TheRoadChoseMe What about a Rivian R1T? They seem fairly easy to kit out for overlanding. They even have a built in camp kitchen! Edit: Or an R1S as you said you would prefer an SUV.
@@migueljardim8177 And the abundance of charging stations in places like the jungles of Africa or in Argentina along the Pan American highway or in the middle of the Australian outback should make it real easy! Hahaha.
@Miguel Jardim I think they're a great start, but they have a monster waiting list, they're super expensive and they don't flex or wheel very hard. I feel like it's "Version 1" of what an off-road EV can be, and I'm waiting until there are plenty of other options that can do better.
@@TheRoadChoseMe You make some valid points. In my opinion the R1 series is the best EV offroader we have currently so we might be waiting a little while before something else comes to beat it. But there are deffo things that could be improved on it I agree.
Great series mate, has been awesome following along. I actually saw you pull in late at Platypus campground on Lake Tinaroo back at the start of August, I was camped in the white 4 door JK. Was going to come say hello in the morning but you left first thing, I was gutted! Safe travels & look forward to watching your next trip :)
As for other N. America options, in the truck space I feel like the industry is moving more and more towards HD trucks. This might be because there are now more options with high load capacity, such as the F-250 Tremor. It remains to be seen whether the Grenadier is a good option. It looks to be an excellent option for overlanders, but it hasn't been independently tested.
Yes the invincible Land cruiser thing is a myth. I've had a Nissan, Landcruiser, Landrover and a Jeep. And yes.. the one with the worst reputation was by far the least problematic, in fact I've owned four Landys and have had pretty good runs out of each lol. The Cruiser was actually the worst and not as capable as the others either.
Dan, when younger back to Canada, buy a Jeep Wrangler rubicon JL and buy the JXL extension cab (similar to your JK), but a bit longer! This will be the best of both worlds! An integrated roof top tent, lots of space, and a little bit longer (35 cm) JL…… greetings from the Netherlands
I use a 19 year old chevy tahoe. Not anywhere near as capable as other jeeps or toyotas or most other big brands. But! The only two things I've broke are one single cv axle and one set of tie rods. I rebuilt the entire undercarriage last year, I have a non electric transfer case waiting to be installed as well. However all of the important engine compartment bits with the exception of the intake inlet pipe sit way high. I do plan on adding a snorkel to address that. However the only low hanging engine part is the ac compressor, which is all but completely sealed to begin with and I'm still on the original compressor despite thousands of miles offroad. I had a Toyota fj cruiser before this truck and it really didn't handle the remote areas very well.
So you took it back to stock. Does that mean you removed the extra fuel tank and the extra battery and solar stuff too? What are your plans for the kitchen, and softop, etc?
If a lived in North America I would get on of those 4x4 Vans. Like Dani and Didi you meet in Africa. Would also give you the possibility to explore some colder regions. Cool conent for your channel ;)
I love my Gladiator and well and glad yours got you where you wanted to go, it's a great vehicle. I've always wondered about the AEV bumper and those lights. Did you ever have any heat issues given how much of your radiator area is blocked by all that? Looking forward to your next vehicle and adventure.
When you return to canada you need a F350 4x4 van. Heaps of space no getting in and out to use the 2 spaces of a pick up. Seems like the ultimate overlander to me.
So you want an earth roamer, but you don't want that big of vehicle. Have you ever watched the Turtle Expedition series? Look at their early turtle III vehicle. Probably still to big for you, but they drove that thing everywhere. Good and pleasant driving. Sorry I said their first vehicle. You don't want that. It was a bit of a mess.
It's an option, though unproven at this point, and only comes with a gas (petrol) engine in North America. Also I imagine the waitlist is huge. I want adventure, not waitlist!
Dan - as you know, depending on your intentions in North America, lots of road driving is likely. North America has good fuel, whereas South Americ has gasoline that may be substandard in some areas. All the same considerations as your Africa trip. If you're interested in something different, you can get a full-size with a in-bed camper. Coming from a Gladiator owner, it's been fun to watch your experience.
I plan to keep exploring the remote parts of the world, not just North America. So I need a vehicle that I can ship, which mostly rules out full size. I also need to watch fuel consumption, and I don't want to be seen in a "US Monster Truck" driving through remote villages!
The Road Chose Me Got it. You could go for a new Jeep with the diesel? Incredible power and really great efficiency. I'm not sure that there are many "new" options for your long distance travels (at least not new to buy in the US).
Tyres are a lottery. I've been out there a lot, you can do 3-4 years and have no trouble, and the next time you can destroy a tyre. I've had 3 flats in a day once. It just has to happen to you once and you get a bit nervous about it when it happens in the middle of nowhere. I agree about the Toyota fan boys.
Oh for sure Mike, flats can and do happen. But with a compressor and good plug kit on board they're just a minor inconvenience and no big deal. I'm talking about a full failure like a sidewall blowout, or tread separating from the carcass - something to make it entirely un-usable. Those are inexcusable.
I see EFRT extended WB ,but covered tracks I've seen. Looks habitable. You might get along with Putin better with a Merc.. The Forces were using a G Wagon to fill a gap waiting for APV. Check surplus ♻️
You can't have something that will incorporate the cab and bed of a pickup. There's way to much flex and bounce between the two. It would destroy the addition in a few miles. Every one likes their own brand. I just passed 60,000 miles on my Tacoma. No, I haven't driven it around a continent, but I've done a serious amount of off-roading in the past 3 years with it. And much like your Jeep, not a single failure. And yes, two spares are ridiculous. 32,000 miles on my K02s over all conditions and not a single failure ethier. Looking forward to your next adventure!
I appreciate your thoughts as always Tom. There certainly are ways to incorporate the cab and the bed, and have them "slip" over each other to allow for the flex. It's coming, for 100% certain.
It's been fun following your travels and I'm curious about the new rig (I don't know what it is). The vechicle you described is something called a Van! 😁. It's going to be hard to find 4x4 Vans but the only real options if you're looking at a new vechicle is probably a 4x4 MB Sprinter. Maybe there are some odd Japanese options available where you are going (no clue where).
@@aasphaltmueller5178 If you are refering to the troopy then it is something(i dont like cause it is top heavy and tipy).All the others are useless for serious offroad.
@@strofimios the VW Version of the Sprinter (Crafter) can go quite a way - completly different system than the Sprinter - but expensive, and the Fiat and PSA Versions by Dangel may also be built on order to some extend, but yes, those are not for extreme 4 WD use, but overlanding is not necessarilly the same. And I meant the Toyota HiAce. The Ford is actually bad roads capable at best.
Hi Dan Just watched this episode for the 2nd time…..found your insights interesting. Not sure if I missed it in one of the episodes, would be interested to know how you organized the vehicles maintenance whilst traveling. You were so meticulous in setting up the vehicle there is no way you would have travelled 60k around Oz without servicing and maintaining it. Cheers
You're right, I didn't cover that. Because it was under new car warranty I stopped in at Jeep dealers around the country to have the services done every 10,000kms. They basically just changed the oil and looked things over, and it was all good. I did rotate the tires myself every 10,000, and checked things over all the time.
@@TheRoadChoseMe thx for reply Jeep dealerships here in Oz aren’t as plentiful as others, but with a bit of forward planning you obviously made it work. Stay safe and looking forward to your next adventures Cheers
I grew up with Toyota 4wd, I did get sick of how quickly the alternators failed and the CV joints were a joke. Toyotas are reliable on the forest trails or the beach, but mud and rock steps destroy them quickly. I’ve been a happy Jeeper since the KJ, JKU, WK and now the JL Rubicon.
I’m going to miss this rig! Always love your adventures Your ideal rig almost sounds like a cross between a Gladiator and an old Ford Centurion Classic. Basically a dust proof “Ute” but the very back has a fiberglass top that could be replaced by an Ursa Minor thing. The closest modern version of that is the new Chevy Silverado EV with its “midgate”. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!
@@TheRoadChoseMe You're almost describing an LC Troopy with the pop top conversion. Probably better off road than the various "4WD vans" on the market. Not an original idea but it looks like one that works.
Oh for sure, they're a fantastic option, but can't be bought "off the shelf" in North America, so I'm not really interested. I don't want to do my expeditions in "elite" vehicles, like "I can do it, but you can't" - I want to do my expeditions in "everyman" vehicles so I can inspire and show people what is possible. Also they flex like a matchbox car... which would be very hard to tollerate coming from a Jeep!
@@TheRoadChoseMe affordable(ish?), interior living space, Dan hasn’t owned yet, globally/North American available = Ford Maverick Tremor with a GFC? Affordable(ish?), interior living space, Dan hasn’t owned yet, offroad capabille, globally/North American available = Bronco w/ Ursa Minor? I will say, your trips have helped to inspire a little bit of trust for me in the Jeep brand. Now that my kids have outgrown my 300k mile 1st Gen Tacoma, I’m planning to make the jump to a Gladiator as a family hauler/explorer. Hopefully that rig will last 18 years as well!
Sorry Dan , I was thinking that your next expedition will be outside NA. So no worries about what we can get here. As far as flex goes I’m not sure what won’t be a step (or five) down from the Rubicon. Interior living space connected to the driver compartment plus good off road performance plus not enormous…if not some form of van I’d say it’s time to get “sandy” cleaned up.
Man I really like the earthroamer type vehicles, except on a smaller and more budget friendly scale lol. I'd love to get one of those big 4x4 dodge superduty pickups and put a big cab on the back, until then, we can only dream
Obviously it’s time to resto-mod Sandy and take er across the DRC! Kidding of course (or am I) but good job with the trip, was neat experiencing Oz vicariously through you guys. Looking forward to the next book and seeing more Canada adventures during the “off-season.”
stand up in the drivers seat and walk to the back... it's called a van. Old pickup campers could remove the rear window and crawl into the camper from the front bench seat.
I know that's what vans are great for... but I just can't bring myself to give up my super low range transfer case, solid axles, locking differentials and solid 4x4. The parts of my trip I enjoy the most are the final 5% of the journey where you push into the *really* remote stuff... so for me a van would take the icing off the cake.
@@TheRoadChoseMe I think a sportsmobile can cover the aspect of capability(solid axles,atlas transfer,etc.)but it's big,thirsty,expensive and there no spare parts readily available anywhere outside the US.
Depends where you are going next? That will depend on what you need. But I'm hoping to see some experienced overlanders travel in a new Ineos :) And yeah, extra cab rather than dual cab, single cabs are just a bit tight.
I'd love to go in a new Ineos, but it just isn't proven yet, we don't know what global servicing is really going to be like, and I think there is a HUGE wait list to get one. I'm not very good at waiting, I'd rather be on adventure.
An integrated pop up camper for the Rubricon that starts behind the two front seats would make it the easy choice for overlanding. At present only the troopie and the landie have that possibility of going front to back without having to go out, and both of them are dated platforms.
@@TheRoadChoseMe The Ursa Minor on a JL Rubicon appears to be class leading in relation to 'relatively' light on a more modern platform. For me, I'm happy to put up a tent and save on cost/weight.
I do think the Ursa Minor is currently the best "live-in camper" option for North American SUV vehicles. Similar to the pop-up roofs on Troopies and Defenders in Australia and South Africa. It's a very hard setup to beat.
@@TheRoadChoseMe you can definitely import a 15yr old one, just ask them to fabricate some paperwork, it is possible ;) But thank you for your reply! I am looking forward to your future adventures! You’ve inspired me to look into these adventures!
Catch 22 on what to do🤔 what would a used toyring rig cost me in australia...d max...or 79 series crew cab....i may do the same....buy an aussie truck...then sell it when the party ends....id like to become a citzen....but its next to impossible...thx dan....maybe see you in b.c. or moab someday...tomk
Hi Dan what's a good vehicle for budget overlanding for the Patagonian highway I live in the uk and it has rhd so i will have to import a lhd car. what's good advice you would give me?
Dan, How about a Sportsmobile or a Quigley van conversion. Anyway, glad you brought up about the alternators being low on a Toyota. Let's not forget the tippiness, more narrow rear axle and short rear shaft breakage of the 70s series. The gladiator really demonstrated the stability and control on the hills when put side by side with a Toyota.
A van like that is an option, though I think they're all getting old and rare and really expensive now aren't they? I'm not ready to step into a van that is "soft" 4x4ing, I still want to explore very wild and remote places, so I want the strongest I can get!
@The Road Chose Me not so sure about soft roading. They ran a Quigley conversion in the UA this year. Yes, some of the Sportsmobiles are getting old because they are the last of the full size truck based platform vans. I think they are pretty cool though, and get you that egress from front to back. A realiable 4 wheeler doesn't need to be new, just well maintained. I do love the idea of a gladiator with a cap that comes up over and integrates into the cab. The challenge there is the tub flexes separate from the cab. Some of those pop up tub conversions are cool, but they aren't cheap either.
i've always had Jeeps in australia, the jeep hate originally came from motoring journalists which is a long story but basically jeep didn't treat them like royalty with free stuff and big advertising deals. lately its become more sour grapes from diehard supporters of other brands the more popular jeeps get the louder noises they make. jeeps big downfall that they do deserve in australia is poor dealerships most all of them are primarily tacked onto an existing dealership for other brands and they prioritize those brands before jeep. the kk cherokee that was really a dodge nitro with low range really hurt jeeps reliability reputation too. As for toyota they do a great job of scrubbing their problems from the internet and silencing people with legal action. they've had a very rough trot in the last 15yrs with faulty vehicles and class action lawsuits.
I had the X-AT in 285/70/17, which is actually the identical size I have on the Africa Jeep sitting back in Canada. I'll use them again, no question. Not a single flat tire in 60,000kms of nasty roads around Australia is a tough act to beat.
You are so right about the Toyota's. Both landcruiser and hilux are very over rated vehicles. Alternators & cv joints on those IFS utes. You hit the mark square on. If I was working with a ute platform. I would still ditch the tub in favour of a tray. As u can then make good use of the under tray area & leave the tray top for other uses. But having said that. I think the ideal platform for overlanding, is a wagon platform like your jeep u did the African trip in. Landrovers, Jeeps & Troopies seem to me to be the best platforms to start with, because of the options to replace the roof with an upstairs living space. And giving you and option to hide from extreme weather inside the vehicle in relative comfort.
For where I want to go on the planet, I'm not sold on a full-size American Pickup. I think the cons outweigh the pros for me (size, weight, shipping, fuel mileage, cost, lack of parts around the world)
