Canada to Patagonia, Best pickup for 6 months in S. America?

Hello roadtrippers! I'm a first time poster to this forum and hoping you'll give a newbie your best advice. My fiancee and I are planning a 6 month trip from Vancouver Canada all the way down to Patagonia starting in January 2013. Along the way we're planning to do some interesting things in out of the way places helping off the grid communities power up schools and clinics with renewables.

On our journey we plan to live in a camper towed behind a small diesel pickup. I'm doing my research on what gear we'll want for this trip and hoping that this community with it's experience and millions of miles under the tires can steer us in the right direction.

While looking at potential used pickups my criteria are: fuel economy, reliability, capacity to tow a camper, and get where it needs to go in inclement conditions.

My first thoughts on this subject are guided by my time in Afghanistan with the US Army where I encountered my three first-look pickup trucks.

The first of these trucks is the Diesel Ford ranger sports with the extended cab. We supply the Afghan National Army with the trucks and I was shocked to learn that unlike most of the Ford pickups I'd seen in the states, these guys are damn near bullet proof and get ridiculously good mileage! I even planned to buy one when I got back... until I learned that Ford won't sell them in the states. As it turns out however you can get them in Canada which happens to be where we're planning to start our trip!

The second truck that I'm considering is the Toyota HiLux. This truck is the one most often used by actual Afghans in the mountains and as far as I could tell it takes a licking and keeps on going no questions asked. Another of the really appealing things about this truck is that it looks as though parts are easily found globally and it's not too difficult to wrench on even by non-mechanic types like my self.

The third and last truck I'm considering is the Nissan Hardbody. I've seen these little trucks in Afghanistan and a lot of other places around the world. It seems reliable and I know that it was manufactured in South America for a long time so I assume it wouldn't be too much trouble to get parts for and fix if necessary.

Please share your thoughts on the trucks I'm considering or any others you think I should take a look at as we plan our trip. Hope you're having a great year and wish you all happy trails in the new year!

If all 3 of those are available in Canada, I'd go with the Toyota. NONE of the 3 are available in the US. We haven't had a diesel pickup here smaller than 3/4 ton in many years.

Welcome to RTA!

Wow, you have an ambitious undertaking in planning stages. I'm sure you'll get some folks with off-road experience, or even Pan-Am Hwy experience, that will chime in. Check the Off-the-Beaten Path forum and go back further than the last year, I think there's an old thread about it. There's also some articles in Trailer Life magazine, from a number of years back, about this same highway, as well as the Good Sam Highways magazine.

While I almost NEVER refer someone else to a different website's forum, you may get some help on the RV.NET's "tow vehicles" forum. I know that the RV.Net's forums are full of folks with a ton of tow vehicles experience, and they have a forum that is about going off the beaten path too.

Now, all that said...we still own an older Ford diesel pickup. That one takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'. However, it is too old to take on a long trip any more, until it gets "classic" status here in the states. Also, it's a dually so you've got 6 tires to worry about on the vehicle instead of 4. Our other truck is a bit newer, also a Ford diesel, but not a dually. So I will personally vouch for Ford's. For towing, if you are considering an older one, make sure it's 1995 or newer, because those are Power Stroke. You'll have a lot more power and better fuel mileage as well.

The other thing to consider "down beyond" is the availability of diesel fuel. Once again, somebody here will have that answer.


Donna

If it were me, I'd think about adding a fourth for contention.. Alan Feld still builds some of the best all-terrain, 4-WD conversion fan instead of a pick-up... His ultimate is one I'd consider... And I'd also pick up this month's Overland Journal (Winter, 2011) for gear reviews.

And, of course, it's required reading -- Tim Cahill's "Road Fever"

More soon.

Mark

I think I'd rather drive a conversion van instead of a small pickup AND towing a camper. Yes, it may be a larger vehicle, but you don't have to worry about having a "tail" to keep track of.

As far as full-size Ford diesels go, the only one I'd touch would be a 7.3 Powerstroke. The newer 6.0 and 6.4 are maintenance headaches and the brand new 6.7 hasn't proven itself yet. The newer ones also have very complex emission control systems that hurt mileage and require ultra-low sulfur fuel - which may be difficult to find where you are going. In fact, the 6.7 even has a urea tank that must be kept filled. The last year of the 7.3 in the E-series vans and F-series pickups was 2003.

Just thought of something - what about some kind of Mercedes or Volvo diesel?

Out of curiosity, how much time have you spent looking into the logistical and legal issues that come with the drive to South America.

Obviously, the biggest is the Darien Gap, and when you factor in the need to ship yourself to South America, I'd think the Conversion Van would be a much easier one than having 2 pieces in a truck/trailer.

You also have talked about buying the car in Canada. Have you looked into the logistics of being able to buy a car there and get it licensed as an American and/or what you're looking at in terms of customs/taxes/tariffs to import the car into the US. Also have you figured out what you need in terms of insurance and visas for all the countries you'll visit? And what is your plan for when the trip is over and the truck is in Argentina?

Donna, Thanks for the feedback re: Ford trucks and the outside references. I'm going to be doing some serious digging as I flesh out the plan and I plan to lean heavily on the expertise of the folks in this and other forums for sanity checks etc.
Cheers!
Lach

Mark,
I ordered a copy of Road Fever, looks like a good motivator! Also, I scoped out the vans... They look awesome, but they're outside our price range. Unless you think Mr. Feld would be interested in sponsoring our non-profit activites ;)
Cheers,
Lach

Michael, The conversion van would definitely be easier. As I mentioned to Mark the ones he linked me to are a bit outside our budget but I'll be keeping an eye out for deals.
As far as the Darien Gap is concerned, we'll likely arrange either roll on roll off or container shipping from Panama to Cartagena, CO. Cost for shipping looks like it'll be betweek $1k and $2k depending on the size of our rig. The legal considerations I've been looking at have mostly revolved around making sure we have the right visas and the customs issues surrounding buying a used truck in Canada and importing it to the States if we decide to go that route. I don't have all the insurance requirements figured out yet but I'm putting together a spreadsheet and should be able to work that part out in the next month or two. I'd definitely welcome any feedback you have about the things I should be looking for.
Cheers,

Lach

.......do as the Romans do.

Hello lach, and most importantly, thank you for your service. Our family includes 2 Army Ranger junior officers just back from Afghanistan (nephews) and a Navy Seabee with orders there in 2012 (son), so I've got some familiarity with your experiences over there.

My point on "when in Rome" simply means I'd be much inclined to tailor my vehicle purchase to what's very commonly available in South America, particularly in the countries you plan to traverse. I'm not a TV watcher so I spend most of my downtime/evenings reading both regular print and online publications/forums, etc. If there is a more universally-seen vehicle than the Hilux, I'd be very surprised. They seem particularly well-represented in South America and Africa, where vehicle manufacturers are scarce.

Despite the fact that I've gotten great, great service out of my 2002 F350 single rear wheel diesel (turned 221,000 miles Tuesday of this week), I would not want to run a full-size American truck in Central and South America. Too many narrow streets and narrow roads. A diesel truck is, of course, the only really viable option for developing nation RoadTrip travel (again, the 'when in Rome' thing--I doubt more than a handful of Hiluxes in South America are gassers).

"Road Fever" is a classic you're sure to enjoy. I think I've read it 4 times. I imagine much of the content concerning "carnets" and the incredible complexity of shipping and border crossings is still valid today.

Lastly, what you're looking to do is normally called "expedition travel". The proprietors of RTA allow moderators and experienced RoadTrippers to include other websites in their posts, so I will suggest you have a long look-see at www.expeditionportal.com. If there is a more comprehensive site/forum for exactly what you're contemplating, I am not aware of it.

Your trip sounds great. I hope you'll stay in touch during the planning and execution.

Foy

I just did the same trip the last 5 months...from texas to ushuaia argentina in a Lance camper and ford diesel pu. i have the vehicle still in uruguay, if you want to start out there? I also did a couple of travel blogs..send me a personal mess if i can give you more info. norm

the countrys no longer require carnets.

DIESEL FUEL? Someone mentioned "diesel fuel"?

I have just returned from the trekoftheamericas' 4+ month trip from McAllen, Texas to Ushuaia, Argentina. Driving my F-250 Ford 7.3 diesel pickup with a Lance Camper was the best choice for a vehicle. The size was ideal for 2 persons to live enroute, with all the comforts of home - especially traveling through the desert of Peru, and Chile, where tourists facilities are NONE!

DIESEL - by all means choose to have a diesel powered vehicle. It is like it used to be in the USA, that is - DIESEL is cheaper than gasoline!! In Equador, we paid $1.01 per gallon!, and this was last August!! ALSO we found that the new vehicles DO run excellent on the regular diesel, and DO NOT require the new low sulfur fuels as publicized -

After our trip ended up in Uruguay, some shipped back north via ship from Argentina. I choose to leave my truck and camper in Uruguay, where I have a 1 year permit of importation (free of charge). I have the camper for sale which I must sell to a foreigner. Also I plan on flying down and doing some more traveling before the year is up, if I do not sell it.

I guess I still haven't come out of the memories of this super trip, I keep thinking of it almost everyday. This is an annual event and all the pre-trip planning and preparations is done for you by the adventuretrek people. If you have the time, and the "urge"..don't hesitate to see the Pan American Highway. I also traveled from Alaska, thru Canada, and Albuquerque, New Mexico (I didn't make a wrong turn at Albuquerque!!), on the Pan American Highway.

I am working on writing down my experiences..

The 7.3 was built before low sulfur diesel and runs BETTER on the standard stuff. You should not use regular diesel in the new engines built in the past few years to US emissions standards. The 7.3 is the newest Ford diesel I'd run anywhere. The 6.0 was a bad engine unless heavily modified, the 6.4 requires ULSD, and the 6.7 has a urea tank.