Sprinter vs Ducato vs Pickup Camper - Crossing Asia

[Rafiki]

My wife and I have the plan to self drive across Asia - something like Balkans - Turkey - Caucasus - Iran - Turkmenistan - Uzbekistan - Tajikistan - Kyrgyztan - Kazakhstan - Russia - Mongolia. We want to sleep and cook in our van and we want some liveable space inside. We are trying to choose the best transport to do it and I was hoping you could give me some considerations on our dilemma. Feel free to question or correct any assumption I made.

a) Converted van - Fiat Ducato (or similar Citroen/Peugeot) - not more than 3 years old
- Good liveable space inside, "cheap" to buy with low mileage. A lot of people use these ones in Europe/America, etc. as motorhome
- Presumably there's a lack of mechanical support for these brands in Asia, so it could prove difficult in case something breaks
- Not 4x4

b) Converted van - Mercedes Sprinter - not more than 3 years old
- Smaller space inside when compared with a Ducato
- Allegedly, Mercedes has a reputation of being sturdy and resistant
- Possibly more mechanical support in Asia
- 4x4 version exists but it doesn't fit my budget

c) Pickup with camper - Toyota Hilux or similar with a demountable camper module in the back - http://geocamper.ru/en/
- Possibly higher cost to have a similar level of liveable amenities like the ones above
- Toyota or other Asian brands are common in the countries we are travelling to and mechanical support shouldn't be so difficult
- 4x4 could prove helpful, especially if we want to venture a little bit off the beaten track.

If none of the above works, we can consider getting a 4x4 or a smaller van like a Toyota Hiace and split between sleeping and eating locally with some camping (or sleeping inside the vehicle) some nights.

Please let me know your thoughts.

[bwv812]

I wouldn't think you would find much support for either van. Neither are big brands for new vehicles in the region, and I doubt you would find anyone who could properly work on a Mercedes outside of a dealer.

[AreWeThereYet?]

The Ducato is in use by several Russian police forces, at least in its earlier versions, so there might be some knowledge of it, from a mechanical point of view, at least in Russia.

Mercedes is everyone's wet dream over in Central Asia and I've seen Sprinter vans being used as marshrutkas in Kyrgyzstan. However, they were old-ish versions.

My money would be on a Toyota Hi-Lux. Rich and high-middle-class Kazakhs drive Land Cruisers, smugglers in Tajikistan have Land Cruisers and, based on a small sample of those who gave me a ride around the Pamir Highway, many had them. I've driven a Hi-lux in Chile, on and off-road, and it's a great beast. And I guess it'd be nice to be able to drive the Pamirs without having to worry about every single bump.

Now, the big question for me would be whether to go diesel or petrol. It wasn't something I checked thoroughly but I had the distinct impression that most cars I saw were driving on petrol, big 4x4s included, and somebody told me in Sary Tash that diesel is usually harder to find.

[Lovetheworld]

Please note that all of these suggestions are Euro 5 or even newer diesels. This can cause significant problems in Uzbekistan and some other parts. In most parts will be okay, but bad diesel can get the engine in some error mode or worse. At least take precautions that you are able to reset the engine computer (ECU), either by tools or reset procedure.
If you choose for petrol, it will be much easier to find decent fuel, extra easy when it can also run at 92 Octane. Locals always have some Hyundai or would ever, and need a gas station every 300km or so, even in Mongolia.

The Ducato and Sprinter will be okay in Russia. But not so much in the other countries. Would not bother with 4x4 versions, as you have a long wheelbase usually.

[Rafiki]

Thanks for the feedback.

I think it will be quite difficult to find either a van or a pickup with a petrol engine in the UK, where I live. On top of that, I also read that RHD vehicles cannot go into Uzbekistan, so I may have to find it in mainland Europe.

I like the challenge of converting my own van into a motorhome, but the pickup camper as mentioned before is quite mobile. Also, I don't want to buy an old, old vehicle which will likely break, but the bad diesel in euro 5/6 engines situation is a worry.

A lot of decisions. What do people normally use to overland?

[AreWeThereYet?]

With regards to right-hand drive: I admit not have paid too much attention in Uzbekistan, but I've been on vehicles in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstand and Tajikistan that were originally from Japan. In fact I read it's quite big business, in the whole of the former USSR, to import from Japan. Seen it all over the place... so you'll certainly won't stand out.

Speaking of vehicles used by others I've personally seen:
1) J70 Land Cruiser (at least three on the Pamir Highway)
2) BMW 5 Series E39 SW
3) Fiat Panda! (absolute heroes, they went to Mongolia and were coming back from there... the car was ticking along just fine)
4) VW Transporter

Mostly, though, I've seen motorbikes (including an awesome couple of French retirées driving an Ural sidecar).

If I can offer any words of wisdom, don't overdo it. Central Asia isn't built for camper van holidays, they definitely don't have anywhere for emptying a septic tank (if you're planning on having a camper with a shower), or camping areas with electricity outlets or anything like that. Choose a 10-15 year old car, fit it simply (beds, cooking implements, perhaps a gas/diesel heater and a solar panel), get to know it a little bit so you can do repairs and so on and perhaps choose a Japanese brand so people there can fix it. If it's a Toyota, Nissan, Lexus from 2008 or older every repair shop in Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan will know how to deal with it. That's how I'd do it if I had the chance.

[rkvis]

I understand the wish to drive a newish car and many people don´t like the idea of driving very long distances in a old one being afraid it will brake down. But in my opinion there are two advantages of driving a older cheaper car. If you should want to go to a country where a Carnet de Passage is necessary then it´s much cheaper and therefore easier to obtain. If you are far from home and something bad happens to the car, it gets stolen, it brakes down, you get a accident, then its much easier to scrap it and leave it behind then leaving a new expensive car behind. Sometimes the costs of bringing a old car back home will be more then to write it off and fly home.

[Rafiki]

Very interesting considerations. Thanks.

So, as a summary:
- Petrol is preferable but I don't think I will be able to find something in the UK
- Toyota seems to gather consensus. Or something like Hyundai, etc.
- RHD, is there a big issue to enter Uzbekistan?
- Vans like Sprinter or Ducato could be a bit of a liability due to lack of support
- Older and more mechanical vehicles also preferable

There's a lot of food for thought. Ultimately, the trip itself is more important than the vehicle but I guess with this extra time I have in hands due to coronavirus, I can spend some time looking for something decent.

[mazeno]

tien shan (tosor ashuu)


pamir (not pamir highway)

this car is 26yo and still in use at home (photos taken last autumn)
never thought about leaving or scraping it

i repaired my vehicles (all of them were about 20yo or older) many times in asia
sometimes they were seriously broken
but ALWAYS returned home on wheels


kazarman, changing broken axle-bearing (usually removable only under 30 tons pressure on hot, see axle in fire on the right, there is no such press in kazarman, some years later i have changed it even in murgab)


bartang valley, welding the frame chassis, see the bumper held with loadbelts


alichur, another welding the chassis and bonding the cooler with the epoxy glue (the cooler seen on the left)


shimkent neighbouring, changing broken axle (the broken axle seen in the middle foreground)


bishkek, another changing broken axle-bearing


khorog, broken brake pipe (got no brakes)

conclusion:
OLD CARS ARE REPAIRALBE WITH A "RUSSIAN WRENCH"
(i suppose noone of you don't know the term - it's a hammer and a screwdriver used as a wrench tool)
EVEN WITH A STONE
here, instead of the belt tensioner:



i could be much more arfaid of driving a new one car
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU GOT A MYSTERIOUS "ERROR 534" ON THE DASHBOARD IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE?
call a copter?

and local people often help you willingly
(especially when you speak russian)

BUT
if you see a broken local car on the way ALLWAYS stop and ask if a driver needs help
it comes like an incantation

[cristiano]

tien shan (tosor ashuu)


pamir (not pamir highway)

this car is 26yo and still in use at home (photos taken last autumn)
never thought about leaving or scraping it
[...]

is this your car?
I'm pretty sure I saw it parked in Khiva last august close to Meros..

(will search for pictures)...