What is the simplest and theoretically best car to travel the world?

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Vaestmannaeyjar@reddit

The best car would be able to:

Be fixed on the road
Without the need for super specialised equipment
With parts it can carry itself, ot tow in a parts bin.

From my limited mechanical experience, I'd get an OG fiat 500, or a FIAT 126, provided you can map a route where refueling isn't an issue, because the max distance with the base tank isn't great.

SUPER simple engine
Doesn't require super refined or quality fuel
Replacement parts for the engine can be towed in a small carriage, at that point you can just put a few replacement engines in.
Can deal with dirt roads but not any kind of serious offroading

If you plan to travel on seriously degraded roads, a Peugeot 504 is you best bet*. You can't just lug a few repplacement engines with you like you can do in a fiat 500, but this still is, today, a staple used car in Africa, for good reason.

*Unless you can afford the king of african road runners: a Rolls Royce with p,eumatic suspensions. Budget obviously isn't the same. Source: I talked that exact topic with a director of Elf in the 90es. (the french oil brand, not the pointy eared people)

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wpmason@reddit

Hahaha… Land Rover defender… tried and true… good luck getting 2k miles without an issue.

The answers are the vehicles that terrorists and warlords use… Hilux, Land Cruiser, Patrol, etc.

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ruddy3499@reddit

Suzuki jimny. Go anywhere, very light weight machine

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meesersloth@reddit

2006-2011 Crown Victoria.

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ThirdSunRising@reddit

You could do the Americas from top to bottom in that, no trouble at all, but finding parts for it in Asia or Africa might be a challenge

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deviationblue@reddit

sure, if you wanna look like a cop everywhere you go

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TotalmenteMati@reddit

only in one country in the entire world

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ThirdSunRising@reddit

You want a Toyota for this job. Yes even in Africa. There are few places on earth where you cannot maintain a HiLux or similar. There may be regional better options but there is no better worldwide option.

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herringonthelamb@reddit

Being easily reparable is the defining feature of older Land Rovers. If you go all the way back to the early series cars you could fix most issues w baling wire. One car? A series 3 LR w the 3.9L Isuzu engine on it (factory but rare)

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omac_dj@reddit

vw mk4 golf/jetta tdi

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yeahnahyeahnahyeahye@reddit

70 series UN spec Toyota Troop Carrier with the NA diesel inline 6

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yottyboy@reddit

I would avoid petrol engines due to wildly variable fuel quality. Diesel is diesel and in a pinch you can use almost any light oil.

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1234iamfer@reddit

Dacia Logan or Toyota Aygo, with some spare electronics in the back, like an Ecu, coil, spark plugs, injector, sensors. Increased ride height.

Relatively modern, but simpel pre-downsize technology. And old Beatle needs a complete rebuilt first, since you want the ancient technology, not literally ancient parts.

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Dramatic-Ad-1328@reddit

Biggest problem with the beetle would be space. Ultimately, if you're way off the beaten track and travelling solo, you're not going to be able to get parts for any car.

Therefore, the only way to proceed is to have a selection of spares for things you are most likely to need. In this regard a VW bus like a T2 might be a better shout, as there is no liquid cooling to worry about, and it's large enough (and the engine is small enough) you could carry an entire spare engine and gearbox, along with a whole host of other spares.

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thatoddtetrapod@reddit

I couldn’t imagine ever think a Land Rover would be suitable, they are notoriously unreliable and difficult to repair.

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jckipps@reddit

Realistically, just buy junkers in each continent, and sell them before moving on to the next continent. You'll take a $2k loss each time, but that's still cheaper than one $30k vehicle that you need to ship overseas and keep running with no local parts availability.

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deviationblue@reddit

Toyota Hilux with the machine gun mount, naturally.

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schleepercell@reddit

For regime changes on a budget

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deviationblue@reddit

Need a bunch of 'em here in the States, like, yesterday.

For legal reasons, that's a joke.

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No_Men_Omen@reddit

What does 'legal' even mean?

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TlalocVirgie@reddit

You have the Cyberbeast

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seantaiphoon@reddit

Downvoted for being too on the nose. 🫡🤣 They literally said they would sell them to the army.🤣

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FLOHTX@reddit

How you like El Salvador?

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huayratata@reddit

Safety and capability

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Ambitious-Depth-2416@reddit

A Toyota Camry, a Toyota Corolla, a Toyota Hilux or a Toyota Landcruiser. Believe Me

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tugartheman@reddit

Toyota Corolla (E90) in the CE95 trim. That’s an early-90’s build with a 2.0L diesel, AWD, and manual transmission. That sounds essentially indestructible to me…

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machaus99@reddit

Mercedes W124

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RipVanToot@reddit

80 Series Land Cruiser

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BackwerdsMan@reddit

Did a 3000+ mile on and offroad trip through Canada in my 1HDT 80 series a few years ago. I've never been more satisfied with a vehicle in my life.

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RipVanToot@reddit

That's awesome! Where is that?

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BackwerdsMan@reddit

That was right next to Whiteswan Lake in Southeast BC.

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dmouse188@reddit

Nice Cruiser! I've got a 96 with a 1HD-FT that I'm outfitting.

What places did you go?!

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BackwerdsMan@reddit

Our rough route was Seattle, Banff, Jasper, Robson, Wells Gray, Whistler, around basically the entirety of Vancouver Island, and back to Seattle. Plenty of detours and stops along the way but that is the gist of it.

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junkybutt@reddit

Where was your favorite place in BC?

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BackwerdsMan@reddit

Jasper and Tofino were both great towns with lots of cools shit to do outside.

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vantageviewpoint@reddit

Very few vehicles as durable as it, very few vehicles as reliable as it, very few vehicles as capable as it. I can't think of any that match it in all 3, and it's extremely comfortable. It still miss mine.

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chg91@reddit

Comfortable is not how I describe my 80 series!! Lack of armrest is the bane of my existence on long trips.

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vantageviewpoint@reddit

I went from an fzj80 to a wrangler and instantly regretted it.

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RipVanToot@reddit

Yeah, I have one and a 100 Series and while I love them both, the 80 is still my fave.

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Bayoumi@reddit

The one that Top Gear used to reach the north pole. I think it was a Toyota Hilux.

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No_Welcome_6093@reddit

Volvo 240, W124 or W123 Benz are my top three votes. They were sold everywhere.

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ItsRadical@reddit

Theres bunch of guys making documovies travelling around the world in Trabant. That car has barely any electronics and almost everything can be repaired and parts manufactured with some basic tools you gonna find in a shop.

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mikail511@reddit

Fiat Panda

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Atomic_bananaS@reddit

Can be repaired with spit and duct tape, runs with anything that mildly resembles fuel, the 4x4 version can probably clib trees if you try hard enaugh.

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Begemotas7@reddit

Mercedes Benz G class

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Parcours97@reddit

Mercedes Sprinter.

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MithrandirLXV@reddit

Probably an older Toyota Hilux, Land Cruiser, or Peugeot 504 (the old one that can be fixed with a stick and piece of cloth).

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Darthblaker7474@reddit

I can’t remember the exact percentage, but some of the first cars people saw in the then unexplored parts of the world was a Land Rover Defender.

Of course my personal choice would be a Suzuki Jimny.

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Darthblaker7474@reddit

Death wobble?

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the_hucumber@reddit

I would love to travel the world in my Jimny... might take a while because anything above 80kph is terrifying because the steering wheel stops working

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Wolf_in_CheapClothes@reddit

I was looking for a Jimny comment. They've built them forever, and they can be found almost anywhere in the world.

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Far-Fortune-8381@reddit

to travel the world? helicopter

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Fun-Membership-9795@reddit (OP)

All fun and games till you drop out the sky

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Mr_Saxobeat69420@reddit

Mitsubishi Delica

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72OverOfficer@reddit

Mercedes Benz Unimog U5000.

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caliboyfriend@reddit

Dacia Duster

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korky1318@reddit

I challenge you to get any parts in America

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Vladi-Barbados@reddit

Looked it up and most of the car is parts from the Renault-Nissan group and lower end Nissans here will have some compatible parts.

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3am_awake@reddit

Seems Mercedes should be considered just because they are sold all over the world. I’m thinking from a parts standpoint.

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EffectiveRelief9904@reddit

Toyota Hilux. It’s like indestructible

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HighFiveKoala@reddit

I would use a car that's known for reliability and is sold in most countries so parts availability is less of an issue. A Toyota Hilux or Land Cruiser (and related vehicles) would be ideal but since I'm based in the US, I'd be okay with a Toyota Tacoma or Tundra.

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TotalmenteMati@reddit

The tacoma and tundra aren't great options for going round the world because they're only for america, and they have big engines that toyota only sells in the US. so no spare parts anywhere.

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cpufreak101@reddit

The previous gen Tacoma still shared a chassis and power train (in the I4) with the Hilux, you could honestly do worse.

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Chrisf1bcn@reddit

Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution

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DrYaklagg@reddit

That thing is rad, but it's not simple.

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Chrisf1bcn@reddit

In that case a fiat panda 4x4

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cpufreak101@reddit

Good luck getting parts/service in North america

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nopester24@reddit

2004 - 2001 Ford Crown Victoria

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Chemical-Scheme9635@reddit

Maserati Levante

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Mallthus2@reddit

If you’re talking old school, roadside repairable, simplest, you’re well served with an 60 Series Land Cruiser. Simple, sold widely, no fancy electronics.

If you’re trying to go more modern, a Hilux will be repairable by and familiar to mechanics everywhere except North America.

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CossaKl95@reddit

Altima, hard stop. You want to “slide on the opps”, run over a flock of children, and safely commute home from your most recent B&E? well you have a awaiting chariot (bumpers may not be included).

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TotalmenteMati@reddit

Any brand new car can do a trip around the world without issues

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TheOldSkoole@reddit

1988 Lada Niva Cossack. 4 speed manual. (In beige, with matching beige cloth interior)

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wave_action@reddit

Hilux and Land Cruiser can be repaired anywhere in the world.

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NYCBYB@reddit

Oddly- I got stuck with my 100 Series Land Cruiser on Cape Breton Island when the alternator died. I wrongly assumed I could pick one up no problem, but that truck was never sold in Canada. I had to import one and wait four days.

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TotalmenteMati@reddit

if you're taking main roads. a 2012 corolla, if you want to get in offroad situations, a 2012 Hilux.

there's no need to take such an old car, it will give you more trouble than you'd want

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