I trust you implicitly. Your channel and content is fantastic. I've found you inspiring. I'm sorry to watch and see the toll the trolls are taking on you. We have all learned a lot from your documented experiences. Thank you.
I don't understand the haters. I'm sitting here with a rum and coke, watching some content that I find very interesting for free. I like some of your builds better than others but I appreciate the fact that you're always trying to find new ways to do things and new variations. It's like I get to test different ideas without spending any money. But of course, nothing beats your first Canning Stock trip. That was majestic.
Hi Andrew. I am a South African and I absolutely love your work. You are on the nail calling some South Africans arrogant and I would even call there assumptions ignorant. Thank you for your positive and informative and educational work.
Sorry but you are.... One of THE BEST. MOST experienced 4x4,r in the World.... I have learned so much from you. That oneday when im able to build and go on my own adventures I will be better prepared than wat I ever would have been. Thank you. A.S.P.W
@@pavelsimeonov4388 John Rooth, look him up, used to be the main presenter for 4wd24/7 (back then called 4wd Monthly and then 4wd Action) he's got a UA-cam channel too where he's uploaded some of the old stuff. He's why I got hooked up on 4wds... Andrew is why I got hooked up on troopies
Bula Andrew, please don’t stop covering the tough bits and failures, many just show the flawless trips and sunsets, seeing the challenging times are equally, if not more valuable than the shiny bits.
Your problem Andrew is that you don’t know how much some people (like me) appreciate your experience and love seeing you get stuck and seeing how you use your experience to get out. Some people have low range in their cars but would not know when to use it. The know it alls who watch your videos must make their own videos. They must make a “know it all” channel. Been driving my Discovery for 2 years and have never gotten stuck because I have been watching your videos (and know what not to do). 2 weekends ago I was driving behind 3 Jeep Wranglers. They got stuck and I didn’t. The only difference between me and them is that I would ask, “what Would Andrew Do?” 😂
Andrew, I have a Dymo label on my work laptop that says, 'Only one fool gives another fool the time of day.' It works for me at least twice a week. I watched that video and didn’t think anything at all when you get stuck things like that happen, you handled it and had all the gear.. keep up the great videos mate.
Cheer up mate! Being so passionate it is normal to miss the obvious: as of today (2 weeks later) 23.000 people viewed the episode with the recovery from Namibia, 1.200 applauded and 161 felt the urge to comment, most of them in a positive way. That's 7/1.000 people, less than 1%, that left a comment and for sure much less than 2/1.000 had the urge to say something negative and stupid. The rest of us just enjoyed it quietly, 993/1.000 people it is, that had the luck to stay at home and live the adventure we don't get to have but we dream of it, quietly and respectfully, some of us (more than 52/1.000) just clapping at the end. And that is a massive positive result!
@xoverland I am a first-generation Overlander from South Africa and from watching your videos gave me the confidence to tackle some of the most challenging roads because I learned so much from you. You will rob us so much when you stop filming some of your challenges and how you tackle them.
Hi Andrew, my partner and i are in the early stages of a 4x4 hiace after touring in a 2017 hiace for a few years now. We have had times that the vehicle limited our journeys. We have decided to bite the bullet and spend the money on a vehicle that both suits our needs and works for us. Its so easy to travel in and set up. I have come across these haters that say its not a 4wd and your wasting your money, my response is i am a pioneer and you will thank me when you try and buy one. Chin up keep moving forward.
People get mixed up between touring with light offroading and beach. And think they need a vehicle that will go where a twin locked patrol will go. I love hard offroading, but would love a 4x4 van to do trips in. It will do all the islands on the east coast and most of Vic high country as it has low range. So jealous lol
Hi Andrew,you most probably have the most 4x4 experience in the world not only driving, camping, filming, building and photography,you are also one of the best editors and story telling and very professional in what you do, if there is one single South African that can do all of that I would gladly subscribe to his channel.i am also South African. Thank you and please keep doing what you do as long as possible
Please don't stop filming the tough bits. It's a learning experience for you and us. To hell with the haters! Thanks Andrew from the US. There are a lot of us, myself included, who don't go out to find the tough shit to drive over. I Just don't enjoy it. Thanks again.
Andrew thankyou for your content. After travelling and living in my Hiace Commuter around Australia for several years and for a lot of those it was an ongoing build, I decided to go down the 4WD track. I have built and now travel in a 4WD built to suit my needs, like you it is a tool to get me where i want to go. It doesn't have the living comforts of the Hiace in all weathers, but it gets me to places in greater driving comfort and where i could never go before. Over the years i have fantasied about my ultimate vehicle, from an Iveco to a ute with a slide on and everything in between. So I'm following your build with baited breath
Thank you for sharing your experiences. It’s a great help seeing how you recover from being bogged down in sand and explaining what went wrong and how you recovered. Really enjoy watching your build series and looking forward to see how the van build evolves
Please continue showing the mishaps and problems too. There is always something to learn for us inexperienced guys. I really appreciate watching and learning how to solve these situations.
Mongolia ?! Fantastic destination.. Made in 10 years 25 trips to Mongolia and never been disappointed Found Friends for life.. Will go again with own vehicle in future for a summer trip. BTW, brilliant video content…❤ Cheers from Germany
Hi Andrew, Great series of videos. I worked for a geological/research company for a short time driving a 79 series landcruiser and only used low range. Low range got me where i needed to go. Lucky the machinery on the back was so heavy, traction wasn't a problem. Those V8 models are slow, cramped and old school but an experienced driver can get them anywhere within reason. Most 4wd "Beachies" only know rev the gutz out of a vehicle across sand.
They are good. All they need in my experience is the rear hangers flipped on top so they don't catch on everything. No need for 30k coil swap when you could just do that
Hey Andrew, don’t worry about the extreme off-roaders. There are sooo many of us that are over landers that follow you that the others don’t matter. Do what you do best, we love it.
I love your channel. Please don't be discouraged by haters. Being real is most important. You are quirky and so entertaining and you have years and years of experience. ❤
Don't change love your channel. Ignore negative comments Internet is full of wannabes. Just so many videos have helped me when I get stuck yes been 4 wheeling for 30 years and still get stuck sometimes. You are a legend and thank you
All I know is this rig that you are building is going to be epic. I cannot wait to see where you take this. All of your builds are top-notch anyway. But this one is special. Lots of first being done on it. Great work, Andrew.
Don't forget , Andrew , that the Loudest Voices of Criticism are usually ALSO the ones that know the LEAST . Keep it up " Sir David " . Cheers from Australia . I am currently doing a MAJOR resurrection and Resto Mod of a Series3 - 109 , as a Solo Overlander .
Such an amazing channel, please, keep up the work and just ignore all the hater comments. Your content is inspiring for so many people and what a legacy it creates for many generations of overlanders to come.
Thank you Andrew for all your wisdom! Don't let the trolls on the internet think they know better. I, (as you're sure with all of the other comments on this video) have also learnt so much from the times that you've gotten stuck and the ways that you've gotten out
Well you and your FILMS are the best. Not just stories, but the quality of everything you do and show us here on various platforms. You made travelling interesting. I watch one sailing channel, you, overlanding by motorcycle and one homstade chanel. Don't have time to fallow more. I did, but just don't have time anymore. You are the best of the best of The Best. In the world there aren't that many people with your knowledge and experience. And Andrew thank you for all your builds, documentaries, stories and your products & services (all of them)
I love your approach to the Van Build. I love your videos of travels, and these debrief videos are excellent. Please include recoveries and don't let the negative people dictate what is uploaded. They'll find negatives on any video anyway. You're doing a great job Andrew.
I really enjoy all of your videos. And I especially like the fact, that you're not building your trucks to go extreme offroading rather than to have great travels. I'm taking a lot of inspiration from that for my own build. When I got my truck and started planning I was looking way too much into buidling an offroader than a tourer and thanks to your videos that changed. All that offroad tech is more an insurance and peace of mind thing than a necessity especially on most legal roads here in Europe. I got allmost everywhere I wanted to go without even touching the 4x4 or low range button, but it's nice to know, that there is that kind of reserve. So long story short: Keep up the great work. I'm really looking forward to your future builds and trips.
We so enjoy your content. The scenery is always amazing, the videos are excellently edited, and every stuck is a learning experience. I like videos where we see the mistakes and stucks because it's always interesting to see how someone (especially a very experienced person) deals with trouble. Thank you Andrew!
Thank you for your wonderful channel. I'm with you 100% on the low range aspect. I've been involved with 4x4's in Southern Africa in one form or another. Growing up with a Natal Parks Board dad we saw all sorts of things in places like Maputaland and Northern Zululand. I've studied your training material thoroughly and used your strategies and tactics with great success. I trained up to facilitator on the 4x4 basic and advanced unit standards and trained for many years. I cannot believe you wouldn't have done everything in your immense experience to operate your 4x4 responsibly, safelyand with sympathy for environment and machine. Well done for the beautiful productions and great technical content and the ability to tickle the funny bone. I would dearly love to sit around the campfire with you and your lovely family one day, preferably in the Southern African bush. I learnt to drive very young on an FJ45 around the St. Lucia area where dad was Warden In Charge. That HiAce 4x4 van will do immensely well here. I'm sory about my rude compatriots, there also many very good hearted and decent people in my circle of friends. Best wishes for your project and safe travels! Regards, Craig🍻
I was a Landcrusier 80 EFI 3FE 4L straight 6 ownner. I agreed with Andrew, low range gear does matter for any outback adventures. You will never know what you don't know ahead! Your conclusion is simple and accurate.
please keep filming "getting stuck" or any other hard bits of your journeys. Never needs to be a mud battle like other channels do, but like some people commented, there's so much to learn from you. Thank you for your work and passion.
The Africa Series has been very worthwhile and I look forward to many more years of watching you being on trips. Soon I may be able to purchase my own 4WD vehicle or go on a trial 4WD trip with a rented one. I have been following you for 10 years soon and always appreciated your integrity and wisdom.
Andrew I'm not an Overlander as such but I absolutely love watching your videos on your trips to some amazing places and your vehicle builds from an engineering perspective. Just brilliant. Thankyou!!
It's all possible. I'm so glad you're doing a proper van and a Hiace to boot. Always wanted to build a proper rugged Hiace 4x4. I actually bought Super Custom 3.0l 4x4 a long time ago in order to do just that, but ended up going bigger, and got a Volvo C304 6x6.
Andrew, Love your work. Keep going, the internet is full of people able to comment, some of them with a louder digital voice. Keep going, we trust your advice!
I actually enjoyed watching the “stuck” portion as always I learned a lot and got tremendous value from watching the expedition. Again I am inspired by your experiences. Thank you
Good morning! My respect and admiration for your work. For the trust he gives us (overland lovers), for his experience of more than 40 years in activity. I'm looking forward to watching the Mongolia trip series! Hugs from Brazil, who are waiting for you to travel and discover our immense country. It would be a pleasure and an honor for us.
Hey Andrew, I really respect what you do and how you do it. I am so keen on your HiAce build as this is something I'd love to do in the future. Keep up the great work mate.
I love that you're making this for the people! I would LOVE to replicate whatever you come up with. I've been watching your videos for a while now and I love how you prioritise FUNCTIONALITY and ERGONOMICS. I can't wait to see what you're planning!
1. Though I like the trips you do, I am attracted to the creativity you come up with for your builds. 2. Stop paying attention and responding to negative comments. It does not deserve your time or energy.
Hi Andrew. I'm a big fan, and I watch all of your videos! You should look into visiting the Yukon in Canada. In as little words as possible it's and epic over-landing area. It's literally 2 hours to Alaska via Skagway. It has the Dempster highway up to the Arctic Ocean and Whitehorse in the summer is literally a two month over-landing trade show. Everyone pushing to get to the Arctic Circle or Ocean HAS to go through Whitehorse. Motorcycles, Cars, RV's, Trailers, Vans, Unimogs. They all go through Whitehorse and every night is like it's own over-landing show in parking lots around the city. The scenery, the roads, the wildlife, the aurora's The Yukon is an absolute must. (I don't personally have the money to pay your air fair ha!)
Hey Andrew. Only been following you for 8 months give or take. Watched a heap of your stuff as have been a stay at home dad for a yr. Keep doing what you’re doing and ignore the keyboard warriors. You are doing, and have THE MOST AMAZING job/lifestyle that many of us are jealous about. I and many others can see you are experienced. And no need to do the “hard” tracks to prove anything. Most videos i see like that and weekends end with hydro locked engines. Broken cv’s. Destroyed tyres and rims. But those weekend warriors are just that. Weekenders. They are not travelling from one side of Oz to the other. Keep up the great content. Builds snd trips. All fantastic.
You should film the draw backs more than successes. Personally, I learn more from that than from filtered discussions in an air conditioned room. Don't let any form of negativism kill your spirit. I find you Genuine and realistic, mostly importantly, able to answer the lay drivers questions and concerns!
Thanks for the channel love watching. Very interested in the van build, my dream is a comfy camper that drives and has the off-road ability of my Prado!
Andrew, I appreciate you filming your difficult moments. They are educational. I have done some off roading here in America, but watching you solve your problems has given me ideas about situations I’ve been in. About what equipment could have helped me. I’m no where near as experienced as you, do us novices a favor and continue to film your struggles for us. Fuck the know-it-alls! They don’t actually do anything, they just talk!
I have a challenge Andrew... I want every one of your 4 wheel drive experts, commenting on your channel, to tell me which of them has never, NEVER had something go wrong, that they did not plan for. Mind you those people would be people that actually go bush, not just to the kids soccer games. Good on you mate, and do please film any bogs you get into, as we all learn from how you get out of any given situation. Love your trips mate. You're still AWESOME !! Stay safe, take care.
Hi Andrew, Wouldn’t know where to start with how much I’ve learnt from your videos, travelled the world myself and even followed some of your trails. I would bet there are a lot more positive people in your groups than those who can only find fault and negativity. Please keep the breakdowns in your videos, without learning from our problems and fixing, we would still be living in trees. 🇮🇪
I'm so looking forward to these components being available. The prospect of a comfortable, capable four-seat 4WD van - truly exciting. We don't have Troopys, Transits or Promasters in the (English Speaking) Caribbean. HiAces - Yes. Building an adventure van is going to change the way I explore and I'm excited about the prospect.
First of all keep up the good work on what you do. I find your introductory and knowledge very interesting an easy-to-follow. I know your video is 3 years old. In 2005 I got a 60 series 97 model turned it into a ute then put a 6.5 l Chevy diesel motor powder weight ratio was pretty much unstoppable. On the back I had some tool boxes which I converted to a workshop on one side tools and spare parts on the driver's side I built a full kitchen and it looks funny with me sitting on the floor in Bunnings with plastic containers sorting out how I'd like my kitchen with the drawers. I even got a C channel with flat bar aluminium and made the first awning which had tent poles that went from the rock sliders to the awning to keep it up in place no ropes were needed now Greg Brown from Opposite Lock said why don't you make a vinyl bag for it I said not yet not long after that everybody's taking photos even in the exposed I should have taken patency but I didn't today you see what people have today because Chinese bungalows took photos of my canopy everything. And today when I say what I said and I have proof all they do is bag you down so now I don't worry about the idiots and keyboard warriors. In 2006 I picked up a GU Patrol 2005 model. I told the people what I want they tried to tell me different but the suspension had to be done military style all it wasn't worth it. In the end I took it to a truck place at Archerfield where I got my plates done for the rear upper hangers for the spring so they don't Bend or Flex. Again a lot of people I got backlash from but I was the one still driving while they are stuck in the bush with fuel problems. You keep up the good work Sir because I do follow you when I get the chance.
Andrew, I think there are so many people that need to see the ways you get yourself out of a stuck situation. Forget the "Know it alls" comments. I've been doing the off road thing since 1983 and I travel landscapes for the scenic beauty, not the Hard Banger 4WDing. You present great content and your channel is superb.
Watching this on Starlink camping on a hill in rural Argentina. I’d definitely recommend coming here. Or colombia… we loved it there. So much that we spent almost 9 months out of our trip in the country.
Andrew, I love your channel! Been following your builds and adventures for almost 10 years now. I think most folks who watch for any real length of time is going to know you're incredibly knowledgeable. The overwhelming majority of us are here because we are fans. Toxic know-it-all buttholes are not a 4x4 Overland community problem, but a fairly universal one. Youll find jerks like that EVERYWHERE. Just block them when they pop up. For me, I hope you continue to film the parts of your adventures that go wrong, like getting bogged, because that stuff is important. I want to see how youre able to use your experience and ingenuity to get yourself out and fix whatever went wrong.
Well ranted! I agree 100% with everything you said. Please note, anything I may have said in the past (ie. Rails on doors of Ineos Granadier are for hanging jerry cans) are purely sarcasm. I love your lifelong devotion and please continue doing what you do. Your humility shows that even the best of us make mistakes and importantly overlanding should be about reaching the destination safely and not about the destructive testing of your equipment. Looking forward to the Hiace build with enthusiasm.
Mongolia is fantastic. We took an overland expedition - of sorts - in 2022. Eight days on Mongolian horses through the Gorkhi Terelj National Park. Ulaanbaatar was a bit of a Toyota town, although not as we expected. Hybrid cars are basically zero-rated on tax, so Mongolians import tens of thousands of second-hand Toyota Priuses from Japan, even though they’re RHD and Mongolia is LHD.
Andrew, You not showing challenges in off-roading defeats the purpose of the channel. I have been watching you and following you for years. I have learned a lot from your adventures. I watch the Canning Stock route series 2-3 times a year. I wish I could tell you to shake off the criticism from the keyboard warriors, but I doubt that would work. I watch your videos for inspiration and escape. You do an amazing job of capturing the wilds of Africa and Australia. Focus your attention and talents on the positives. As an expert you worrying about negative comments make you seem weak and insecure. You have nothing to prove! You are showing real world issues managing builds on multiple continents. Give yourself a break. Know that the people that are watching your content to learn and to be entertained should be the focus of your time, energy, and effort. Sorry for the rambling note, I just really appreciate all your content, good, bad, and ugly.
The comments "you shold have done this x" and "Why didn't you do x" in my opinion are not negativity, rather, it is stupidity. "Do not attribute malice to that which can be explained by stupidity" I really hope you don't get yourself into the well known UA-cam comment downward spiral. Do and film what you love, those who don't share your interest will be filtered out soon enough. Cheers.
Some people just don't seem to understand what kind of channel this evolved to. It's Overlanding, with beautiful cinematography, amazing photography and very interesting story telling. The vehicle builds offer a little view into the technical and planning side of things. If I want to see hardcore off-roading I will go an check out 4wd24/7. If I want to see all about camping, there are channels for that. If I want to see builds that I can realistically do too, and not the "unlimited funds builds" that Andrew does, then there are channels for that. That's the beauty of UA-cam. There is something for everybody and every niche is covered. People seem to forget that Andrew doesn't build vehicles for himself. It's a business, that is funded by the customers of his products, and supported by companies that produce Overlanding gear. Obviously these vehicle are over the top and completely out of touch with the possibilities of an every day Joe. And yes. Of course I miss the old videos a little bit too. Videos where Andrew explained important things about vehicle rescue, and driving in different scenarios. But things change, and it's ok. I still like this channel a lot, and am happy to see more over the top builds and amazing trips.
Thanks for the comment. I also build budget builds. I've done two in the past four years. You must have missed them. Probably because they are not nearly as popular as what you call the unlimited funds builds. PS. If my builds were unlimited, I'd have portal axles and coil springs on my Troopys. But I appreciate your insight.
Yes do Scotland! I went on a two week roundtrip in the Scottish Highlands with my '93 Mercedes 190E in 2018 and it has been incredibly rewarding. No offroading but plenty of wild camping at beaches and lochs. Highly recommended!
Please don't stop showing your recoverys and Don't listen to the haters. Anyone who is worth your time is beyond excited to see the journey of the van build (however long that may take) We learn from eachother and adapt whats right for our style be it carvaning, off roading, hiking and everything in-between. May i make a suggestion.... Have 2 channels one for trips one for builds (its all in the algorithms)
I'm looking forward to seeing that Mongolia trip, I've been fascinated by Mongolia for quite some time. I know how you feel with the Hiace. When I bought my Jimny back in 2015, I couldn't even source a snorkel for it. The raising roof sounds amazing. I think you're going to get massive interest in your vehicles if you do build them. Thanks Andrew.
Andrew love your show and comments. Any internal switch in gear box yes, we were up at Cape York 2019 my nephew revered out of our camp site when to change gears and then the gear box just locked up in neutral, end result we towed the vehicle 20km to Bamaga and had to exchange the gear box. Looking forward to your tours and builds. Cheers
The keyboard is the only place some get to feel superior. I’d wager that most making negative comments rarely hit the trail or are doing anything worth while. You are doing these mental giants a service by letting them feel good about themselves for a few seconds. Keep up the interesting travels and video!
Just a small mistake Andrew : the sprinter 4x4 does have a Low Range (45% reduction) but it is optional. And the clearance is 14 cm better than the normal sprinter. What it only lacks is a diff. Lock. But I agree that your Hi ace is certainly a better off-roader with all this Land Cruiser parts 😍 and keep posting recovery stuff we love it !
@andywt8460 i’am afraid you’re right, they doesn’t seem to have this option with the latest 9 gear auto gearbox that goes with their AWD system on the latest version of the sprinter… too bad 🥹 curious to see if the 9 gears can compete with a low range gearbox. So Andrew you were right 😂
Hi Andrew, I would just like to give a positive view on the fact you show the reality of 4x4 overlanding trips and that getting stuck happens to everyone at some stage. For me one of the reasons I first watched your channel and your videos was precisely because you explained the reality of getting stuck and then how to get out of the situation. Additionally I agree with you, you do need low range for the type of trips you take. I would venture to say more people who watch your channel agree with the above sentiment but that unfortunately there will always be some negative people, please don’t let the negative few impact you and the content you put out there. Keep up the great work👍👍👍
Andrew, i joined your channel recently, i respect you and the content that you share, please continue even with the mishaps, that is the only way we will learn, please ignore the rest…love your show…hope you get to read this post…
Ja - my 300 TDI LR 90 turned out to be a good vehicle after I crashed it a bit for starters. Long story from the other life... Tyre pressures as a lightweight 4X on the C28 from Swakop to WHK were 1.8 front and 1.5 rear. The C28 is a big wide dirt road between Swakopmund and Windhoek - Namibia. When I adjusted the tyre pressure from 2.5 bar to 1.5 bar was able to pin it all the way back home. Defender 90 can be a twitchy beast on a straight gravel line with speed. Tyre pressure adjustment helped. My personal best time from Swakop to WHK on the C28 still remains at 2H 59m ( Edit: time is right now) on a BMW R80 airhead roadbike mongrel. Life is good!
Bought my troopy and started my build with your collaboration with Ronny Dahl way back in 2018-19, sure its a much more of a budget build but there's always good ideas and something to aspire to with yours, thanks Andrew!
I trust you implicitly. Your channel and content is fantastic. I've found you inspiring. I'm sorry to watch and see the toll the trolls are taking on you. We have all learned a lot from your documented experiences. Thank you.
I don't understand the haters. I'm sitting here with a rum and coke, watching some content that I find very interesting for free. I like some of your builds better than others but I appreciate the fact that you're always trying to find new ways to do things and new variations. It's like I get to test different ideas without spending any money.
But of course, nothing beats your first Canning Stock trip. That was majestic.
OMG I love the look on your face when you said "This is NOT a instagram van!!" that made my day!
Ditto!
yes XD
Hi Andrew. I am a South African and I absolutely love your work. You are on the nail calling some South Africans arrogant and I would even call there assumptions ignorant. Thank you for your positive and informative and educational work.
Sorry but you are.... One of THE BEST. MOST experienced 4x4,r in the World.... I have learned so much from you. That oneday when im able to build and go on my own adventures I will be better prepared than wat I ever would have been. Thank you. A.S.P.W
Both Andrew and Roothy are all people ever need in terms of 4wd travel education 👌
@@Hightop_tlc who is Roothy?
@@pavelsimeonov4388 John Rooth, look him up, used to be the main presenter for 4wd24/7 (back then called 4wd Monthly and then 4wd Action) he's got a UA-cam channel too where he's uploaded some of the old stuff. He's why I got hooked up on 4wds... Andrew is why I got hooked up on troopies
@@pavelsimeonov4388He's the Rex Hunt of 4wding lol
Bula Andrew, please don’t stop covering the tough bits and failures, many just show the flawless trips and sunsets, seeing the challenging times are equally, if not more valuable than the shiny bits.
Your problem Andrew is that you don’t know how much some people (like me) appreciate your experience and love seeing you get stuck and seeing how you use your experience to get out. Some people have low range in their cars but would not know when to use it. The know it alls who watch your videos must make their own videos. They must make a “know it all” channel.
Been driving my Discovery for 2 years and have never gotten stuck because I have been watching your videos (and know what not to do). 2 weekends ago I was driving behind 3 Jeep Wranglers. They got stuck and I didn’t. The only difference between me and them is that I would ask, “what Would Andrew Do?” 😂
Andrew, I have a Dymo label on my work laptop that says, 'Only one fool gives another fool the time of day.' It works for me at least twice a week. I watched that video and didn’t think anything at all when you get stuck things like that happen, you handled it and had all the gear.. keep up the great videos mate.
Cheer up mate! Being so passionate it is normal to miss the obvious: as of today (2 weeks later) 23.000 people viewed the episode with the recovery from Namibia, 1.200 applauded and 161 felt the urge to comment, most of them in a positive way. That's 7/1.000 people, less than 1%, that left a comment and for sure much less than 2/1.000 had the urge to say something negative and stupid. The rest of us just enjoyed it quietly, 993/1.000 people it is, that had the luck to stay at home and live the adventure we don't get to have but we dream of it, quietly and respectfully, some of us (more than 52/1.000) just clapping at the end. And that is a massive positive result!
@xoverland I am a first-generation Overlander from South Africa and from watching your videos gave me the confidence to tackle some of the most challenging roads because I learned so much from you. You will rob us so much when you stop filming some of your challenges and how you tackle them.
I've learned so much from you over the years. So thank you for that.
Hi Andrew, my partner and i are in the early stages of a 4x4 hiace after touring in a 2017 hiace for a few years now. We have had times that the vehicle limited our journeys. We have decided to bite the bullet and spend the money on a vehicle that both suits our needs and works for us. Its so easy to travel in and set up. I have come across these haters that say its not a 4wd and your wasting your money, my response is i am a pioneer and you will thank me when you try and buy one. Chin up keep moving forward.
People get mixed up between touring with light offroading and beach. And think they need a vehicle that will go where a twin locked patrol will go.
I love hard offroading, but would love a 4x4 van to do trips in. It will do all the islands on the east coast and most of Vic high country as it has low range. So jealous lol
Hi Andrew,you most probably have the most 4x4 experience in the world not only driving, camping, filming, building and photography,you are also one of the best editors and story telling and very professional in what you do, if there is one single South African that can do all of that I would gladly subscribe to his channel.i am also South African. Thank you and please keep doing what you do as long as possible
Please don't stop filming the tough bits. It's a learning experience for you and us. To hell with the haters! Thanks Andrew from the US. There are a lot of us, myself included, who don't go out to find the tough shit to drive over. I Just don't enjoy it. Thanks again.
Andrew, greetings from outback WA. Appreciate all that you do. Thank you. God bless.
Andrew thankyou for your content.
After travelling and living in my Hiace Commuter around Australia for several years and for a lot of those it was an ongoing build, I decided to go down the 4WD track.
I have built and now travel in a 4WD built to suit my needs, like you it is a tool to get me where i want to go.
It doesn't have the living comforts of the Hiace in all weathers, but it gets me to places in greater driving comfort and where i could never go before.
Over the years i have fantasied about my ultimate vehicle, from an Iveco to a ute with a slide on and everything in between.
So I'm following your build with baited breath
Thank you for sharing your experiences. It’s a great help seeing how you recover from being bogged down in sand and explaining what went wrong and how you recovered. Really enjoy watching your build series and looking forward to see how the van build evolves
Please continue showing the mishaps and problems too. There is always something to learn for us inexperienced guys. I really appreciate watching and learning how to solve these situations.
I love this channel, a true genius and very real person, not faked personality or scripted content
Mongolia ?! Fantastic destination..
Made in 10 years 25 trips to Mongolia and never been disappointed
Found Friends for life..
Will go again with own vehicle in future for a summer trip.
BTW, brilliant video content…❤
Cheers from Germany
Thank you for all your great content. Stay authentic to your own purpose and passion.
Hi Andrew,
Great series of videos.
I worked for a geological/research company for a short time driving a 79 series landcruiser and only used low range. Low range got me where i needed to go. Lucky the machinery on the back was so heavy, traction wasn't a problem. Those V8 models are slow, cramped and old school but an experienced driver can get them anywhere within reason.
Most 4wd "Beachies" only know rev the gutz out of a vehicle across sand.
They are good. All they need in my experience is the rear hangers flipped on top so they don't catch on everything. No need for 30k coil swap when you could just do that
Hey Andrew, don’t worry about the extreme off-roaders. There are sooo many of us that are over landers that follow you that the others don’t matter. Do what you do best, we love it.
Again…. Always fascinated listening to your documentary, your stories and experience.
Can’t wait to see your Mongolian adventure!
I love your channel. Please don't be discouraged by haters. Being real is most important. You are quirky and so entertaining and you have years and years of experience. ❤
Don't change love your channel. Ignore negative comments Internet is full of wannabes. Just so many videos have helped me when I get stuck yes been 4 wheeling for 30 years and still get stuck sometimes. You are a legend and thank you
All I know is this rig that you are building is going to be epic. I cannot wait to see where you take this. All of your builds are top-notch anyway. But this one is special. Lots of first being done on it.
Great work, Andrew.
Don't forget , Andrew , that the Loudest Voices of Criticism are usually ALSO the ones that know the LEAST .
Keep it up " Sir David " . Cheers from Australia .
I am currently doing a MAJOR resurrection and Resto Mod of a Series3 - 109 , as a Solo Overlander .
I tend to agree. Most 4x4ers I run into in the 'road' are great. Helpful, and assumptions free! These naysayers probably don't get out enough.
Don’t let the Bastards get you down! Keep up the excellent work Andrew!
Who hasn't been bogged before. I was a Recovery Mechanic in the Australian Army and believe me I have certainly been bogged.
I'm really looking forward to what you have planned with this build series, Andrew.
Such an amazing channel, please, keep up the work and just ignore all the hater comments. Your content is inspiring for so many people and what a legacy it creates for many generations of overlanders to come.
Thank you Andrew for all your wisdom! Don't let the trolls on the internet think they know better. I, (as you're sure with all of the other comments on this video) have also learnt so much from the times that you've gotten stuck and the ways that you've gotten out
Well you and your FILMS are the best. Not just stories, but the quality of everything you do and show us here on various platforms.
You made travelling interesting. I watch one sailing channel, you, overlanding by motorcycle and one homstade chanel. Don't have time to fallow more. I did, but just don't have time anymore. You are the best of the best of The Best. In the world there aren't that many people with your knowledge and experience. And Andrew thank you for all your builds, documentaries, stories and your products & services (all of them)
Enjoyed that,Thankyou Andrew...Best wishes from Wales 🏴
I love your approach to the Van Build. I love your videos of travels, and these debrief videos are excellent. Please include recoveries and don't let the negative people dictate what is uploaded. They'll find negatives on any video anyway. You're doing a great job Andrew.
I really enjoy all of your videos. And I especially like the fact, that you're not building your trucks to go extreme offroading rather than to have great travels. I'm taking a lot of inspiration from that for my own build. When I got my truck and started planning I was looking way too much into buidling an offroader than a tourer and thanks to your videos that changed. All that offroad tech is more an insurance and peace of mind thing than a necessity especially on most legal roads here in Europe. I got allmost everywhere I wanted to go without even touching the 4x4 or low range button, but it's nice to know, that there is that kind of reserve.
So long story short: Keep up the great work. I'm really looking forward to your future builds and trips.
We so enjoy your content. The scenery is always amazing, the videos are excellently edited, and every stuck is a learning experience. I like videos where we see the mistakes and stucks because it's always interesting to see how someone (especially a very experienced person) deals with trouble. Thank you Andrew!
Thank you for your wonderful channel. I'm with you 100% on the low range aspect. I've been involved with 4x4's in Southern Africa in one form or another. Growing up with a Natal Parks Board dad we saw all sorts of things in places like Maputaland and Northern Zululand. I've studied your training material thoroughly and used your strategies and tactics with great success. I trained up to facilitator on the 4x4 basic and advanced unit standards and trained for many years. I cannot believe you wouldn't have done everything in your immense experience to operate your 4x4 responsibly, safelyand with sympathy for environment and machine. Well done for the beautiful productions and great technical content and the ability to tickle the funny bone. I would dearly love to sit around the campfire with you and your lovely family one day, preferably in the Southern African bush. I learnt to drive very young on an FJ45 around the St. Lucia area where dad was Warden In Charge. That HiAce 4x4 van will do immensely well here. I'm sory about my rude compatriots, there also many very good hearted and decent people in my circle of friends. Best wishes for your project and safe travels! Regards, Craig🍻
I was a Landcrusier 80 EFI 3FE 4L straight 6 ownner. I agreed with Andrew, low range gear does matter for any outback adventures. You will never know what you don't know ahead! Your conclusion is simple and accurate.
please keep filming "getting stuck" or any other hard bits of your journeys. Never needs to be a mud battle like other channels do, but like some people commented, there's so much to learn from you. Thank you for your work and passion.
The Africa Series has been very worthwhile and I look forward to many more years of watching you being on trips. Soon I may be able to purchase my own 4WD vehicle or go on a trial 4WD trip with a rented one. I have been following you for 10 years soon and always appreciated your integrity and wisdom.
There will never be a time, when people stop criticizing and scrutinizing.
Keep doing your thing
Andrew I'm not an Overlander as such but I absolutely love watching your videos on your trips to some amazing places and your vehicle builds from an engineering perspective. Just brilliant. Thankyou!!
It's all possible.
I'm so glad you're doing a proper van and a Hiace to boot.
Always wanted to build a proper rugged Hiace 4x4. I actually bought Super Custom 3.0l 4x4 a long time ago in order to do just that, but ended up going bigger, and got a Volvo C304 6x6.
Andrew,
Love your work. Keep going, the internet is full of people able to comment, some of them with a louder digital voice. Keep going, we trust your advice!
It surprises me that the builds are viewed more than trips. I love your videography and storytelling.
I actually enjoyed watching the “stuck” portion as always I learned a lot and got tremendous value from watching the expedition. Again I am inspired by your experiences. Thank you
Your years of experience and knowledge will have the outcome of a Fantastic Van for us all. How fortunate is that. 👍🙏
Andrew this Van and the concepts within are the most exciting thing happening in the industry today. I cant wait to see what you both deliver.
Good morning! My respect and admiration for your work. For the trust he gives us (overland lovers), for his experience of more than 40 years in activity. I'm looking forward to watching the Mongolia trip series! Hugs from Brazil, who are waiting for you to travel and discover our immense country. It would be a pleasure and an honor for us.
Hey Andrew, I really respect what you do and how you do it. I am so keen on your HiAce build as this is something I'd love to do in the future. Keep up the great work mate.
4wd Hiace is the dream. I wish you luck and will be following closely. From an arrogant South African
I love that you're making this for the people! I would LOVE to replicate whatever you come up with. I've been watching your videos for a while now and I love how you prioritise FUNCTIONALITY and ERGONOMICS. I can't wait to see what you're planning!
1. Though I like the trips you do, I am attracted to the creativity you come up with for your builds.
2. Stop paying attention and responding to negative comments. It does not deserve your time or energy.
I think you have done the perfect balance btwn builds and trips. i never miss a show. i watch them all!
Hi Andrew. I'm a big fan, and I watch all of your videos! You should look into visiting the Yukon in Canada. In as little words as possible it's and epic over-landing area. It's literally 2 hours to Alaska via Skagway. It has the Dempster highway up to the Arctic Ocean and Whitehorse in the summer is literally a two month over-landing trade show. Everyone pushing to get to the Arctic Circle or Ocean HAS to go through Whitehorse. Motorcycles, Cars, RV's, Trailers, Vans, Unimogs. They all go through Whitehorse and every night is like it's own over-landing show in parking lots around the city. The scenery, the roads, the wildlife, the aurora's The Yukon is an absolute must. (I don't personally have the money to pay your air fair ha!)
I am so looking forward to your Hiace build and your time in Mongolia.
Hey Andrew. Only been following you for 8 months give or take. Watched a heap of your stuff as have been a stay at home dad for a yr. Keep doing what you’re doing and ignore the keyboard warriors. You are doing, and have THE MOST AMAZING job/lifestyle that many of us are jealous about. I and many others can see you are experienced.
And no need to do the “hard” tracks to prove anything. Most videos i see like that and weekends end with hydro locked engines. Broken cv’s. Destroyed tyres and rims. But those weekend warriors are just that. Weekenders. They are not travelling from one side of Oz to the other.
Keep up the great content. Builds snd trips. All fantastic.
You do you Andrew, love the content you bring and I use it for inspiration for my little sailboat. Don't let the know it all's get you down!
Andrew. I used to follow you, but life took over. But now I hear you have haters? The hell with them. You're the real deal.
Love your work and your videos, keep up the amazing work you doing.
You should film the draw backs more than successes. Personally, I learn more from that than from filtered discussions in an air conditioned room. Don't let any form of negativism kill your spirit. I find you Genuine and realistic, mostly importantly, able to answer the lay drivers questions and concerns!
I like so much watching your trips.
Please don't pay attention to the bad coments. Incidents happen all the time. Thanks for the good content.
I cannot tell you how I’m excited for the Hiace build and potential of bringing products to the market for the Hiace. Keep up the great work
Thanks for the channel love watching. Very interested in the van build, my dream is a comfy camper that drives and has the off-road ability of my Prado!
Andrew, I appreciate you filming your difficult moments. They are educational. I have done some off roading here in America, but watching you solve your problems has given me ideas about situations I’ve been in. About what equipment could have helped me. I’m no where near as experienced as you, do us novices a favor and continue to film your struggles for us. Fuck the know-it-alls! They don’t actually do anything, they just talk!
I have a challenge Andrew... I want every one of your 4 wheel drive experts, commenting on your channel, to tell me which of them has never, NEVER had something go wrong, that they did not plan for. Mind you those people would be people that actually go bush, not just to the kids soccer games.
Good on you mate, and do please film any bogs you get into, as we all learn from how you get out of any given situation. Love your trips mate. You're still AWESOME !! Stay safe, take care.
Great video. Can’t wait to see Mongolia!
As some are having a go on you Andrew, the most are really enjoying your content and many are being inspired by it. So, thank you every time.
Great work, real world off roading. Great build / concept in the Hiace.
Hi Andrew,
Wouldn’t know where to start with how much I’ve learnt from your videos, travelled the world myself and even followed some of your trails. I would bet there are a lot more positive people in your groups than those who can only find fault and negativity. Please keep the breakdowns in your videos, without learning from our problems and fixing, we would still be living in trees. 🇮🇪
Awesome and outstanding as always
I'm so looking forward to these components being available. The prospect of a comfortable, capable four-seat 4WD van - truly exciting. We don't have Troopys, Transits or Promasters in the (English Speaking) Caribbean. HiAces - Yes. Building an adventure van is going to change the way I explore and I'm excited about the prospect.
First of all keep up the good work on what you do. I find your introductory and knowledge very interesting an easy-to-follow. I know your video is 3 years old. In 2005 I got a 60 series 97 model turned it into a ute then put a 6.5 l Chevy diesel motor powder weight ratio was pretty much unstoppable. On the back I had some tool boxes which I converted to a workshop on one side tools and spare parts on the driver's side I built a full kitchen and it looks funny with me sitting on the floor in Bunnings with plastic containers sorting out how I'd like my kitchen with the drawers. I even got a C channel with flat bar aluminium and made the first awning which had tent poles that went from the rock sliders to the awning to keep it up in place no ropes were needed now Greg Brown from Opposite Lock said why don't you make a vinyl bag for it I said not yet not long after that everybody's taking photos even in the exposed I should have taken patency but I didn't today you see what people have today because Chinese bungalows took photos of my canopy everything. And today when I say what I said and I have proof all they do is bag you down so now I don't worry about the idiots and keyboard warriors. In 2006 I picked up a GU Patrol 2005 model. I told the people what I want they tried to tell me different but the suspension had to be done military style all it wasn't worth it. In the end I took it to a truck place at Archerfield where I got my plates done for the rear upper hangers for the spring so they don't Bend or Flex. Again a lot of people I got backlash from but I was the one still driving while they are stuck in the bush with fuel problems. You keep up the good work Sir because I do follow you when I get the chance.
We are so excited to see what you do and how you decide on all the modular components in the van. ❤
Andrew, I think there are so many people that need to see the ways you get yourself out of a stuck situation. Forget the "Know it alls" comments.
I've been doing the off road thing since 1983 and I travel landscapes for the scenic beauty, not the Hard Banger 4WDing.
You present great content and your channel is superb.
having just started to watch your channel(yes I've subscribed), I really enjoy your straight frankness. Keep the great work going.
Watching this on Starlink camping on a hill in rural Argentina. I’d definitely recommend coming here. Or colombia… we loved it there. So much that we spent almost 9 months out of our trip in the country.
Great content sir. I have a 2005 Hiace camper. Very reliable. You will do well. Thank you for the content. Excellent.
Andrew, I love your channel! Been following your builds and adventures for almost 10 years now. I think most folks who watch for any real length of time is going to know you're incredibly knowledgeable. The overwhelming majority of us are here because we are fans. Toxic know-it-all buttholes are not a 4x4 Overland community problem, but a fairly universal one. Youll find jerks like that EVERYWHERE. Just block them when they pop up. For me, I hope you continue to film the parts of your adventures that go wrong, like getting bogged, because that stuff is important. I want to see how youre able to use your experience and ingenuity to get yourself out and fix whatever went wrong.
Well ranted! I agree 100% with everything you said. Please note, anything I may have said in the past (ie. Rails on doors of Ineos Granadier are for hanging jerry cans) are purely sarcasm.
I love your lifelong devotion and please continue doing what you do. Your humility shows that even the best of us make mistakes and importantly overlanding should be about reaching the destination safely and not about the destructive testing of your equipment. Looking forward to the Hiace build with enthusiasm.
Mongolia is fantastic. We took an overland expedition - of sorts - in 2022. Eight days on Mongolian horses through the Gorkhi Terelj National Park. Ulaanbaatar was a bit of a Toyota town, although not as we expected. Hybrid cars are basically zero-rated on tax, so Mongolians import tens of thousands of second-hand Toyota Priuses from Japan, even though they’re RHD and Mongolia is LHD.
Andrew,
You not showing challenges in off-roading defeats the purpose of the channel. I have been watching you and following you for years. I have learned a lot from your adventures. I watch the Canning Stock route series 2-3 times a year. I wish I could tell you to shake off the criticism from the keyboard warriors, but I doubt that would work. I watch your videos for inspiration and escape. You do an amazing job of capturing the wilds of Africa and Australia. Focus your attention and talents on the positives. As an expert you worrying about negative comments make you seem weak and insecure. You have nothing to prove! You are showing real world issues managing builds on multiple continents. Give yourself a break. Know that the people that are watching your content to learn and to be entertained should be the focus of your time, energy, and effort. Sorry for the rambling note, I just really appreciate all your content, good, bad, and ugly.
The comments "you shold have done this x" and "Why didn't you do x" in my opinion are not negativity, rather, it is stupidity.
"Do not attribute malice to that which can be explained by stupidity"
I really hope you don't get yourself into the well known UA-cam comment downward spiral. Do and film what you love, those who don't share your interest will be filtered out soon enough.
Cheers.
Thank you for the update!
Andrew, we all get bogged and other challenges. As a new person to the 4x4. I love to see all the challenges and see how you work it out.
Some people just don't seem to understand what kind of channel this evolved to. It's Overlanding, with beautiful cinematography, amazing photography and very interesting story telling. The vehicle builds offer a little view into the technical and planning side of things. If I want to see hardcore off-roading I will go an check out 4wd24/7. If I want to see all about camping, there are channels for that. If I want to see builds that I can realistically do too, and not the "unlimited funds builds" that Andrew does, then there are channels for that. That's the beauty of UA-cam. There is something for everybody and every niche is covered. People seem to forget that Andrew doesn't build vehicles for himself. It's a business, that is funded by the customers of his products, and supported by companies that produce Overlanding gear. Obviously these vehicle are over the top and completely out of touch with the possibilities of an every day Joe. And yes. Of course I miss the old videos a little bit too. Videos where Andrew explained important things about vehicle rescue, and driving in different scenarios. But things change, and it's ok. I still like this channel a lot, and am happy to see more over the top builds and amazing trips.
Thanks for the comment. I also build budget builds. I've done two in the past four years. You must have missed them. Probably because they are not nearly as popular as what you call the unlimited funds builds. PS. If my builds were unlimited, I'd have portal axles and coil springs on my Troopys. But I appreciate your insight.
Yes do Scotland! I went on a two week roundtrip in the Scottish Highlands with my '93 Mercedes 190E in 2018 and it has been incredibly rewarding. No offroading but plenty of wild camping at beaches and lochs. Highly recommended!
Please don't stop showing your recoverys and Don't listen to the haters.
Anyone who is worth your time is beyond excited to see the journey of the van build (however long that may take)
We learn from eachother and adapt whats right for our style be it carvaning, off roading, hiking and everything in-between.
May i make a suggestion.... Have 2 channels one for trips one for builds (its all in the algorithms)
I'm looking forward to seeing that Mongolia trip, I've been fascinated by Mongolia for quite some time.
I know how you feel with the Hiace. When I bought my Jimny back in 2015, I couldn't even source a snorkel for it. The raising roof sounds amazing. I think you're going to get massive interest in your vehicles if you do build them.
Thanks Andrew.
Andrew love your show and comments. Any internal switch in gear box yes, we were up at Cape York 2019 my nephew revered out of our camp site when to change gears and then the gear box just locked up in neutral, end result we towed the vehicle 20km to Bamaga and had to exchange the gear box. Looking forward to your tours and builds. Cheers
The keyboard is the only place some get to feel superior. I’d wager that most making negative comments rarely hit the trail or are doing anything worth while. You are doing these mental giants a service by letting them feel good about themselves for a few seconds. Keep up the interesting travels and video!
Thank you Andrew awesome content. I would never buy a 4x4 without 4x4 .low range .could not agree with you more.i use my low range all the time .
No low range means not capable off-road. Simple, indisputable fact.
Just a small mistake Andrew : the sprinter 4x4 does have a Low Range (45% reduction) but it is optional. And the clearance is 14 cm better than the normal sprinter. What it only lacks is a diff. Lock. But I agree that your Hi ace is certainly a better off-roader with all this Land Cruiser parts 😍 and keep posting recovery stuff we love it !
@andywt8460 i’am afraid you’re right, they doesn’t seem to have this option with the latest 9 gear auto gearbox that goes with their AWD system on the latest version of the sprinter… too bad 🥹 curious to see if the 9 gears can compete with a low range gearbox. So Andrew you were right 😂
Hi Andrew,
I would just like to give a positive view on the fact you show the reality of 4x4 overlanding trips and that getting stuck happens to everyone at some stage.
For me one of the reasons I first watched your channel and your videos was precisely because you explained the reality of getting stuck and then how to get out of the situation.
Additionally I agree with you, you do need low range for the type of trips you take.
I would venture to say more people who watch your channel agree with the above sentiment but that unfortunately there will always be some negative people, please don’t let the negative few impact you and the content you put out there.
Keep up the great work👍👍👍
Andrew, i joined your channel recently, i respect you and the content that you share, please continue even with the mishaps, that is the only way we will learn, please ignore the rest…love your show…hope you get to read this post…
Ja - my 300 TDI LR 90 turned out to be a good vehicle after I crashed it a bit for starters. Long story from the other life... Tyre pressures as a lightweight 4X on the C28 from Swakop to WHK were 1.8 front and 1.5 rear. The C28 is a big wide dirt road between Swakopmund and Windhoek - Namibia. When I adjusted the tyre pressure from 2.5 bar to 1.5 bar was able to pin it all the way back home. Defender 90 can be a twitchy beast on a straight gravel line with speed. Tyre pressure adjustment helped. My personal best time from Swakop to WHK on the C28 still remains at 2H 59m ( Edit: time is right now) on a BMW R80 airhead roadbike mongrel. Life is good!
The Artic Andrew. Love to see you tour that.
Bought my troopy and started my build with your collaboration with Ronny Dahl way back in 2018-19, sure its a much more of a budget build but there's always good ideas and something to aspire to with yours, thanks Andrew!