Hello everyone!

[FernandoBcn]

Glad to have found this group. My name is Fernando and I’m planning a trip to circumnavigate the African continent by road, starting from Tangier and ending in Egypt.
I’m looking for a very reliable vehicle for this adventure and I’m hesitating between a Land Cruiser 79 Series and a Grenadier. I’ve driven the Land Cruiser quite a bit in Africa and I think it’s an amazing vehicle; the only reason I might not choose it is that it’s difficult to buy one in Europe. That’s why I’m seriously considering the Grenadier: as a vehicle I find it fantastic, but I’m concerned that a car in that price range has so much electronics, and about the issues I’ve been reading about, and in the places I’m going I need maximum reliability.
I’m here to learn as much as possible about the Grenadier and to finally make up my mind. Any advice or experience will be very welcome.

 

[Krabby]

Welcome Fernando! You've certainly found the right place for all things Grenadier. Poke around the existing threads and use the search function to track down some specific things.

Several members - including @Logsplitter (Africa) and @Matt P (the globe) have extensive travel use and can offer honest feedback as they've experienced something like this for real. It's a complex question and I'm sure there will be lots of activity in this thread so take everything with a grain of salt.

 

[Zimm]

I'd get a 1986 Mercedes 240d.

 

[CRH]

I'd get a 1986 Mercedes 240d.

You watch too many Top Gear re-runs

 

[Zimm]

You watch too many Top Gear re-runs

sold me...

After 40 years of wheeling, I've found the single biggest limiting factor to using any vehicle anywhere, is the drivers willingness to bend sheet metal. Once you get over that, everything is an overlanding rig.

 

[CRH]

sold me...

After 40 years of wheeling, I've found the single biggest limiting factor to using any vehicle anywhere, is the drivers willingness to bend sheet metal. Once you get over that, everything is an overlanding rig.

View: https://youtu.be/wUbzW9-JcTA?si=4aM-5pJ7RfROCL6q

7.15 and after, proves your point perfectly

 

[OkGo]

Get a 2007 100series 1hd-fte, it has more space inside than the Grenadier, same size outside - more reliable, and unlike the Grenadier it actually has a great Aircon system.

The modern day 79 is a narrow focus utility, imho. It does lend itself to a flip top with a lot of space inside, but ...

Get the 100, baseline it, parts are easy to find anywhere in the world, most places will have mechanics who know it. Drive it, come back and sell it for about the same price you pay for it.