Don't like the adverts?  Click here to remove them

Petrol or Diesel???

Steve makes a good point. If you are looking for an vehicle to overland with, simply the best deal is to buy on that that's already been built and used for that purpose. But people simply turn them down.
Here's the scenario. Someone is selling a used overlander. They want £10k for it. It doesn't sell. So, they strip all of the kit off it, return it to pretty much stock and advertise it for £7k. Immediately a buyer rocks up and wants it. Then, they spy the pile of kit. Roof rack, bumper, tank, fridge, awning etc etc. Ohh they say, that's just what I am looking for. No problem says the seller, you can have that lot for £3k. Bargain shouts the buyer - SOLD.

Tell me I'm wrong. I dare you :eusa-snooty:
I think you bang on in your assessment, me? if I I could have found a ready done 80 I would have bought it, add up the costs and you can’t buy a car and the add ons for the money. It’s the same same for everything, if you fancy a project, try and find an “ unfinished” one, you can save bundles of ££
 
I think buying a vehicle already setup for off over landing is a two edged sword. There is money to be saved for sure but it could also turn out to be very costly.

Knowing who did the work in the first place and finding out it was done by someone reputable is always a good start, you would at least have some assurance that the car is unlikely to burst into flames the first time you use the winch for example.

If on the other hand it was done by the owner or a friend of a friend this is NOT necessarily a bad thing but you really must look that much closer at the installation and not be overwhelmed by those four huge spotlights....you know the ones blocking airflow to the radiator?

Receipts for the parts is always a good thing to see, but if the receipt shows those high end good brand name shock absorbers were purchased and fitted six or seven years ago then are you going to be shelling out again very soon to replace the present worn out set?

Interior fittings and the way they are fitted is always going to be a personal thing, are there holes drilled in the dashboard padding to hold the mobile phone, or perhaps holes that have been ripped out making it look rough? It may not bother some....but it would me. The interior storage, if it is custom built then it will have been to the owners preference and layout, will it suit you? Does the layout allow you to keep the centre seats for example but have the ability to be able to camp for a weekend for example with the kids or the dogs (take the dogs :) ) if you have them?

Spend plenty of time thinking about what you really need, the nearer the vehicle is to stock the easier it is to make it suit you as opposed to throwing away stuff that worked for someone else but not for you. Remember you can buy the equipment you want that you feel you need for example, there will be someone selling a secondhand ARB bumper somewhere for a quarter of the price of a new one if that is your thing, if it is already on the vehicle then the owner will be trying to factor in the cost of a new one.

And the usual good advice is always take someone who knows what they are talking about, the basic car and if it is already kitted out then someone who knows over landing setups.

regards

Dave
 
I think buying a vehicle already setup for off over landing is a two edged sword. There is money to be saved for sure but it could also turn out to be very costly.
I do agree here - when you're buying and thinking you'll go for it it's easy to think all those extra included accessories are going to be really useful and exactly what you want, but a surprising lot of the time they aren't especially when you get into them.

On mine the accessories I was impressed by and still like are:
- Alloy bullbar and mag wheels
- window tinting

Ones I was impressed by but are so-so and still use
- UHF radio (it's only a 40-channel so useful but not the latest 80 channel system here in Australia)
- AV system - it's fine but it's old and basic just about supports bluetooth. Good quality pioneer unit but just old.

Ones I was interested in but have ripped out or not used
- Dual battery charger - no doco on the one i have plus it's ancient and uses a very weird alternator switching between 2 battery method
- Trailer brake controller was an old timed unit - replaced with progressive one.
- towbar - receiver was rusted in so had to replace it
 
I was fortunate with mine, it was owned by a doctor and has plenty of service history and was absolutely stock so nothing 'fiddled' with.

Anything I have fitted or altered fits in with my usage perfectly. So no money wasted, and I have documented everything I have done as well, whilst I have no plans to sell her the new owner will be handed a pen drive with all the nitty gritty bits that they should know, where the second auxiliary fuse box , and what does what.

That way they are not left in the dark if the CB or USB phone chargers blow a fuse, or where the circuit breakers are for the fridge or shower pump for example.

It just helps the new owner, especially if there are new to the 80 and or over landing.

regards

Dave
 
Thanks for the help guys, I've now found a V8 100 series that was offered to me buy a well know member of this great community.

Will be picking it up on Tuesday if all goes well, can't wait!

Just need to get the BMW sold now so I can replace the money I've borrowed from our home improvement fund lol
 
Back
Top