Vehicle Prep - Selecting a Mechanic:
Selecting a well qualified overland mechanic is important, particularly for us since we are coordinating vehicle setup remotely (from the US) and have limited knowledge on prepping an expedition vehicle. While many outfitters like Foley and Brownchurch specialize in Land Rovers, we found several good Toyota specialists available ranging from independent Land Cruiser enthusiasts offering mechanical services and overland advice to full service expedition outfitters like Frog's Island and Footloose 4x4.

With so many options available, we evaluated each based on such criteria as vehicle specific mechanical knowledge, overland experience, cost, trustworthiness and positive references from other satisfied clients. Eddie Priscott at Frog's Island and Julian Voelcker, an independent TLC enthusiast and mechanic, both provided excellent information and advice and would have been sound choices. Ultimately, we selected Matt Savage [www.mattsavage.com] (yes that's right, a Land Rover specialist who incidentally drives an 80 series). Matt offers a nice blend of all of the criteria listed above – reasonably priced, trustworthy, very knowledgeable, and highly recommended by others. Moreover, in our personal experience, we found that he provides straightforward advice and favors mechanical reliability over expensive overland modifications. Very helpful for newbies like us.