Vehicle Prep - Vehicle Selection:
Since I was a kid I've always been fascinated by Series Land Rovers. As an adult I've dreamed of owning a Defender 110. No other vehicle conjures up more vivid images of exotic expeditions to far off lands. They are a symbol of remote Africa - type built, go anywhere, utilitarian machines. So it's no surprise that from the moment we decided to launch this expedition I knew it was the ideal vehicle for the job. The only vehicle for the job. In fact, it's as much a part of the experience as Africa itself.

Now, that being said, I tend not to be one to rush a decision, even when my heart is screaming go for it. For this reason, I decided to research all the suitable vehicle options, if only to formally validate selecting a Defender 110. Most vehicles were ruled out immediately for lack of durability, off-road capability, or, as was the case with the Hummer H1, the limited availability of spare parts and mechanical know-how in many parts of Africa. The field was quickly narrowed down to three contenders: 1.) Land Rover Defender 110 2.) Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ 75 or 78 Troop Carrier and 3.) Toyota Land Cruiser HDJ 80 GS or GX. All three are highly competent off-road vehicles that are more than up to the task.

The Defender is mechanically simple, looks the part, has excellent off-road ability, and offers a large, easily modified storage area. Moreover, they are a dime a dozen in the UK and there's an abundance of knowledge and overland modifications available. The downside: RELIABILITY. Build quality is not a Land Rover's strong point and basically stuff breaks! Talk to a Defender owner and your talking to someone who loves to tinker with their truck. It's common knowledge which was reinforced every time I spoke to a Land Rover owner.

The HZJ 75, or it's replacement the HZJ 78, has been described by many as the last great overland vehicle. It's similar to the Defender in that it's a no frills, type-built workhorse. It offers bullet proof reliability and an excellent payload which is also very easy to modify. Troopies, as they are commonly known, are particularly popular with aid organizations like the Red Cross who favor their reliability. In my view, it's what you get when the Japanese take a crack at building a 110. The only two downsides to a Troopie are that it doesn't look as much the part as the Defender and it is extremely hard to come by.

The third choice is the Land Cruiser HDJ 80 GS or GX. This is the workhorse, diesel version of the popular 80 series (VX) found in the US and UK. It offers a powerful 4.2 liter turbo diesel engine, more comfortable ride, excellent reliability, and strong off-road performance which includes center, front, and rear diff locks. All of these attributes make 80's a top choice among sub Saharan tour operators. Perhaps the best all around choice, the primary drawback to an 80 is it’s more limited cargo capacity. And oh yes, one final note, of the three this is the vehicle that I have the most personal experience with. We used a TLC HDJ 80 GX in Ethiopia and were so impressed with it's rugged reliability that we went straight home and purchased an FJ 80 which I still own and love.

After months (literally) of research and many long hours of soul searching I eventually ruled out the 110. To put it simply, at the end of the day it came down to looks versus reliability and I went with reliability. I just don't have the in-depth mechanical knowledge, or more importantly, the interest in fixing stuff to go with a 110. I'd rather spend that time photographing mountain gorillas or diving with great white sharks.

With our initial choice now out of the equation, we settled on a Troopie. Bullet proof reliability, tons of payload, and plenty of off-road capability equal a perfect fit. Because 70's are virtually impossible to find in the UK, we initially chose to import a new 78. Our search took us around the globe as we attempted to import from Japan, Australia, Holland, Belgium, England, Germany, and Jordan. This proved more difficult than we had anticipated and we ran into a number of hurdles, including the fact that Troopies are not road legal in the UK unless they go through a number of modifications that allow them to be reclassified as a camper caravan. We also found that prices varied significantly by importer with some quoting prices as low as $28,000 while others quoted well over $40,000.

In the process of working through all of the logistics, a larger issue emerged that ultimately turned us away entirely. As we discuss under Required Paperwork, a Carnet is required in many countries. A Carnet is like a passport for your vehicle. In brief, this document allows you to temporarily import a vehicle duty-free into countries which normally require a deposit to cover the importation charges. For a Carnet to be issued you are also required to provide a financial guarantee in the form of either a bond or irrevocable letter of credit equal to the maximum duties that could be levied by any of the countries listed on the Carnet. Importation rates may vary from 0-250%, depending on the country. The calculation is taken by multiplying the vehicles value by the highest duty rate (of any country listed in the Carnet):

Example:
Vehicle Value: $40,000
Duty Rate for Highest Country (Syria): 250%
Bond Calculation: $40,000 x 250% = $100,000

That liability becomes a much larger issue when you consider that many countries may still require you to pay import duties in the event the vehicle is stolen and therefore never officially exported. That means that you are not only out the value of the vehicle and gear but also the import duties. Because we were never assured that there's a way around this liability we aborted our plan to purchase a new 78 and turned our attention to a used 75.

Now, at this point you should know that our vehicle search was approaching four months in duration and our patience was running thin. Consequently, our search for a 75 lasted all of two weeks before we finally came to our senses and decided to do what we should have done all along. Purchase an 80 series. Countless people recommended the 80 from the beginning. I have used one in Ethiopia and loved it. I own one and love it. It has more power and is more comfortable than then 75/78. So the decision was made.

Within a week of searching in the UK we found an excellent candidate on AutoTrader's website – a white private party 1995 HDJ 80 GS with 104,000 miles. Our mechanic, Matt Savage, provided a complete inspection, which included twenty-two detailed photos and a full report. It was in excellent condition. We were able to make the final decision and purchase the vehicle site unseen. In order to give us time to arrange insurance, Matt even arranged delivery to his shop in Tansley, Derbyshire via a flatbed truck. Our search was over. We had our truck!