A beginner is looking for help

[syccyl]

Hi guys,

as I wrote I´m looking for your help. I´m a student from Germany and for a long time now it has been my dream to go on a overland adventure. Last but not least I decided that in august 2018 it is time to fulfill this dream. Only (of many dificulties haha) is that as a absolut beginner to overlanding my experience and knowladge in overlanding cars (or rigs as u call it here?) is well very limited. I expect that the question for "which car to choose" is frequently asked and u may be annoyed by the amount but I searched a lot in the forums here and didnt found what i was looking for (if I´m wrong u might just link me to where I´m correct:))

So what I´m looking for is most of all a reliable offroad car that allows me to go place where not the whole turi-crowd and the nature the most beautiful is (oh and I forgot I LOVE offroad even if I´m more or less a noob in it). As for I´m a student and will just finish my bachelors-degree next summer my budget is limited to 3000€-5000€. It would be nice if the car is big enough to be reconstructed to sleep in it but that is optional. Also optional but desirabel is that the car is fueled by petrol and not diesel as for in large areas in Germany diesel-engines are more and more banned. I thought about a Mitsubishi Pajero but then again i heard a lot of negativ stuff about that car...well as you can imagine it is tough to differntiate between all the pros and cons.

Well I hope some of you can help me.:) If I posted this wrong or did any else mistake please just correct me as I didn´t do it on purpose.:) Oh and sorry for several language mistakes as english is not my native language.

all the best

P.S.: Does anyoney has experience with overlanding in skandinavia?

 

[vegasjeepguy]

Your questions are very specific to where you are. Since a lot of us here are “dumb Americans”, you might want to check out local off-roading or 4WD groups that can better answer those questions since it sounds like you want to get off the beaten path. That said, your questions are good ones and show thought and planning.

 

[Joey83]

@syccyl what about a Toyota Hilux or a VW T4 van?

I'm a total noob myself when it comes to overlanding, and know that you don't need the newest and most high-end equipment to have fun, a wise man once said "it dosen't matter what you drive" and I agree with that.

As for overlanding in Scandinavia.. I can't help you there, I'm sorry.

If you are visiting the southwest part of Norway, let me know and we could meet.

 

[Rob K]

Being from America, I'm not too sure how much I can help specifically on truck/'rig' selection, but if there was anything specific that I would be looking for in a Rig, it would be something reliable and preferably common in your area. This makes finding replacement parts a little easier and cheaper so look around. Other then that if it has 4-wheel-drive and a 2-speed transfer case, that's all I would need to start.

I run into this problem myself a lot when it comes to upgrades on my Rig because of how much exposure you can get to ideas and opinions on the internet. But I would try to let your experiences and preference try to decide what works best for you in a Rig. Just because something works for somebody else doesn't mean it will work for you!

As for where to go in your area, maybe try forwarding this post into the Europe by Region section of the forum. If there was anyone near you that could help, hopefully it'll be found easier there.

 

[FrankRoams]

Some really good points have already been made, but first is decide what types of locations you want to visit, terrain wise and distance from say a petrol station. These two factors will help determine your vehicle. not all remote locations require high clearance or 4x4. You may be very happy with something like a Subaru Outback that you can sleep in, gets great mileage and is a great performer on dirt roads and some here even outfit for offroad.

I think if you can define your need, you can narrow down your search for a rig. I have no need to sleep in my rig for example but short wheelbase and 4x4 are good for my region, so I went with an FJ cruiser because the alternative was a jeep and I didn't want a jeep. Once I decided that a short wheelbase was my most important, then the rest fell into place. Everything is a trade-off. Some guys travel huge distances and choose full-size trucks because they can hold 36gallons of fuel and that means less external fuel to carry. You get my point. Budget will also further narrow your options and I think maybe you can land on 1-3 to choose from.

 

[Kent R]

Hi guys,

as I wrote I´m looking for your help. I´m a student from Germany and for a long time now it has been my dream to go on a overland adventure. Last but not least I decided that in august 2018 it is time to fulfill this dream. Only (of many dificulties haha) is that as a absolut beginner to overlanding my experience and knowladge in overlanding cars (or rigs as u call it here?) is well very limited. I expect that the question for "which car to choose" is frequently asked and u may be annoyed by the amount but I searched a lot in the forums here and didnt found what i was looking for (if I´m wrong u might just link me to where I´m correct:))

So what I´m looking for is most of all a reliable offroad car that allows me to go place where not the whole turi-crowd and the nature the most beautiful is (oh and I forgot I LOVE offroad even if I´m more or less a noob in it). As for I´m a student and will just finish my bachelors-degree next summer my budget is limited to 3000€-5000€. It would be nice if the car is big enough to be reconstructed to sleep in it but that is optional. Also optional but desirabel is that the car is fueled by petrol and not diesel as for in large areas in Germany diesel-engines are more and more banned. I thought about a Mitsubishi Pajero but then again i heard a lot of negativ stuff about that car...well as you can imagine it is tough to differntiate between all the pros and cons.

Well I hope some of you can help me.:) If I posted this wrong or did any else mistake please just correct me as I didn´t do it on purpose.:) Oh and sorry for several language mistakes as english is not my native language.

all the best

P.S.: Does anyoney has experience with overlanding in skandinavia?

You have probably already found this but just in case check this out.

https://www.overlandbound.com/forums/forums/europe.62/

 

[CTDiscovery]

Hi guys,

as I wrote I´m looking for your help. I´m a student from Germany and for a long time now it has been my dream to go on a overland adventure. Last but not least I decided that in august 2018 it is time to fulfill this dream. Only (of many dificulties haha) is that as a absolut beginner to overlanding my experience and knowladge in overlanding cars (or rigs as u call it here?) is well very limited. I expect that the question for "which car to choose" is frequently asked and u may be annoyed by the amount but I searched a lot in the forums here and didnt found what i was looking for (if I´m wrong u might just link me to where I´m correct:))

So what I´m looking for is most of all a reliable offroad car that allows me to go place where not the whole turi-crowd and the nature the most beautiful is (oh and I forgot I LOVE offroad even if I´m more or less a noob in it). As for I´m a student and will just finish my bachelors-degree next summer my budget is limited to 3000€-5000€. It would be nice if the car is big enough to be reconstructed to sleep in it but that is optional. Also optional but desirabel is that the car is fueled by petrol and not diesel as for in large areas in Germany diesel-engines are more and more banned. I thought about a Mitsubishi Pajero but then again i heard a lot of negativ stuff about that car...well as you can imagine it is tough to differntiate between all the pros and cons.

Well I hope some of you can help me.:) If I posted this wrong or did any else mistake please just correct me as I didn´t do it on purpose.:) Oh and sorry for several language mistakes as english is not my native language.

all the best

P.S.: Does anyoney has experience with overlanding in skandinavia?

Hi Mate,

to pitch in, (great questions by the way).

I would suggest something from the Toyota range, Hilux, high mileage Land Cruiser (colarado / Amazon) etc. there is enough pedigree, and hopefully parts to keep things cheap and reliable.

saying that I am unsure of the selection of rigs available in Germany. if you will be doing a bit of off roading, do try get a diesel as they have a bit more grunt in the lower gears, as well as returning a better mpg which cannot hurt when out in the sticks. unsure what fuel prices are like for you as well - that could be a factor if you are on budget.

Am going to Norway, finland etc in July / August this year (2018) with a buddy so any questions give me a shout.

thanks

CT

 

[Mike King]

Hi not sure I know quite what you want to do with this vehicle, if it is the gravel roads of Norway a VW camper synchro would do it and provide accommodation as well in summer time you might be asking too much in January if you are travelling alone. If you want to go messing in the mud and serious Forrest tracks then you will need something more like a Land Rover, Toyota, or perhaps frontera and carry camping kit with you. You have to decide what type of over landing you want to do then you can work out what vehicle you need. One thing is for sure you don't need a jacked up 4x4 fully knitted for rock crawling to go from Hamburg to north cap.

 

[4xFar Adventures]

Well if you're in Germany, see if you can find an old Gelenderwagon (or G-Wagon as we call it here in the states). You may be able to find one that fits your budget, but also keep in mind the cost of repairs and parts. Over here you don't see many off road, but in Germany, they might be all over the place.

Look for local 4WD clubs and see where they go for trips. You might be able to find a club that also has meetups at a local bar or restaurant so you can meet the members in person and get to see their rigs first hand. They, like those of us here on OB, are usually more than willing to show someone interested everything they've modified on their truck.

Before I even took ownership of my Land Rover, I looked up a local club and did what I mentioned above. I signed up as soon as I got home from that meeting. If there are no local clubs, find some online to get opinions.