Van vs. 4WD: Which Is Better for the Big Lap?
Before exploring these two options further, we would like to list the other types of vehicles we have encountered on the road. For the sake of completeness, we should mention that you could undertake this trip aboard a bus, a heavy-duty truck, an RV, or by towing a caravan or camper trailer. While all these options may provide greater comfort than a van or a 4WD, they are also significantly more expensive and may limit your access to certain locations.
These vehicles are popular among older cohorts of grey nomads and families. However, we aim to focus this website on a younger audience with limited funds, whether travelling solo or as a couple.
With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s dive in.
The Pros of a Van
- Stealth Camping: If you can block out your windows, you can sleep in your van without anyone noticing. This allows you to save money in urban areas where campgrounds can be quite expensive.
- Living Space: You can design your van in such a way that you can comfortably live inside. This is particularly helpful on rainy days when sheltering from the rain is a priority.
- Lower Fuel Consumption: On average, vans consume less fuel than 4WDs. Considering that petrol will be one of the highest expenses during a lap, these savings should be taken into account.
The Advantages of a 4WD
- Access to Remote Places: Outside of the main towns in the country, some popular landmarks and attractions can only be accessed via unsealed roads. A four-wheel drive is perfect for overland adventures and will unlock access to these hard-to-reach locations
- Beach Driving: Parking your vehicle on the sand and having access to all your belongings while spending the day at the beach is a luxury that only a 4WD offers. Fortunately, many beautiful beaches allow car access.
- Comfortable Ride: The heavy-duty suspensions that most four-wheel drives have really shine on corrugated roads, making for a smoother ride on bumpy tracks.
- Built to Last: 4WDs are built tough. These vehicles are commonly used in mines and on farms where conditions are harsh. The constant bumps on corrugated roads may take a toll on a regular vehicle, while a 4WD remains unscathed.
If you only plan on doing half a lap, from Adelaide to Brisbane or Cairns, then a van might be the best choice. The eastern half of the country is blessed with well-maintained roads, and you will truly enjoy the comfort a van offers. However, everything west of these cities can be quite remote, and unsealed roads are still used to link major towns. While a van may navigate these roads without issue in dry weather, the quality of the roads can quickly deteriorate on a rainy day, making a 4WD your only option to continue forward. A four-by-four will also allow you to take the road less travelled and explore the wildest parts of the country.
As we prepared for our Big Lap, we decided to invest in a four-wheel drive to ensure we could tackle the diverse terrains of Australia. Whether you choose a van or a 4WD, the key is to select a vehicle that suits your touring style and adventure needs.
What 4WD to choose for overlanding?
Four-wheel drives are popular in Australia. From backpackers touring the country to families living in rural areas, more than a third of the cars we saw on the road were 4x4s. Japanese manufacturers are well-known and respected for the quality and affordability of their vehicles. Thanks to Australia’s close proximity to this market, we have access to many of them.
When considering a vehicle for our big lap, we explored various options and classified these vehicles into three broad categories:
The Mighty Troopy
The Toyota Land Cruiser Troop Carrier (or Troopy) is hands down the best touring vehicle available. It is reliable, with some models said to have clocked over a million kilometres, and boasts good off-road capabilities. It is also spacious inside, and once converted for touring, it can offer as much space as a smaller van. Due to its popularity, many accessories have been specifically designed for this vehicle. If you want to see amazing conversions of these vehicles, we recommend watching Andrew St Pierre White on YouTube.
For all these qualities, Troopies are highly sought after, which means they are on the more expensive end of the spectrum.
The Sturdy Utes
The coupé utility, shortened to "ute," is the Australian version of a pick-up. Tradies and farmers all over the country use them for their work. These heavy-duty vehicles come in single or dual cab configurations, and the tray can be upgraded with a canopy to keep your gear dry. Utes are tough, capable off-road, and offer a large amount of space for storage in their tray. However, purchasing and converting a canopy for touring will be more expensive than for a wagon.
There are a number of good utes on the market, and we believe the Toyota HiLux, Toyota 76 Series, Mitsubishi Triton, and Nissan Navara are the best options. For inspiration, we recommend checking out Ronny Dahl’s channel on YouTube, where he has converted a number of utes in his career.
The Humble Soccer-Mom Wagon
Finally, on the cheapest end of the spectrum are the unassuming wagons. They are popular throughout the country. In the cities, they are used as daily commuters and may never see a dirt track in their lives. Backpackers have been driving them for ages, and you can find a second-hand car with all the equipment you need for under $10,000. Despite their widespread usage, they are still four-wheel drives and, as such, are capable of tackling challenging terrain. Among the most popular vehicles are the Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota Prado, Nissan Patrol, and Mitsubishi Pajero. Fire To Fork on YouTube has recently converted a 150-series Prado, and we recommend having a look at what he did.
As money was one of our main considerations for this trip, we decided to purchase a Toyota Prado 120 Series. The car was almost 20 years old, with over 200,000 km on the clock, but many mechanics told us it had plenty of life left. We were fortunate to find one for just over $11,000.
What Do I Need to Pimp My Ride for the Big Lap?
If you’ve ever found yourself going down the rabbit hole of watching 4WD videos on YouTube, you might have felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of modifications and accessories available for these vehicles. Four-wheel driving is a popular hobby in Australia, and the market is flooded with expensive products and gadgets. It can be challenging to decide what you really need.
Below, we’ve narrowed it down to a few items we considered for our car, explaining why we chose them and what we ultimately installed. All costs provided are in Australial Dollar and should be used as an indication.
Snorkel and diff-breather kit
Must have
Cost: $1,200
A snorkel is designed to raise the air intake for the engine. While it is particularly useful for crossing deeper waters, it primarily helps when driving on dirt roads. Typically, the air intake is located under the front wheel arches or around the bonnet, where it collects dust and dirt particles that can damage the engine over time. By raising the air intake higher, it reduces the amount of debris entering your engine, thereby increasing its longevity. More than a quarter of our journey, approximately 10,000 km, was spent on dirt roads, and we believe the snorkel is an essential purchase for this trip.
Coupled with the snorkel, the diff breather kit reduces the risk of water damaging your vehicle. It works by sealing the valves that release air as pressure builds up in the differential. These valves are usually located on the chassis, and by raising the air intake to the engine bay, it minimises the chances of water entering the differential. If your journey involves off-road driving and water crossings, this upgrade should be at the top of your list.
Bull bar
Must have
Cost: Our car came with a bull bar already installed, but we found some second-hand under $1,000
Wildlife is ever-present in this country. Kangaroos, wallabies, goats, and wombats often cross the road at dusk or dawn. Hitting one of them at 100 km/h can cause serious damage to your car—damage significant enough to halt your trip. A bull bar provides an additional layer of protection should you collide with one of these heavy animals and safeguards the engine of your vehicle. Most bull bars also come with anchor points that will be helpful if you need assistance recovering your vehicle from a tricky situation.
Suspensions upgrade
Should have
Cost: $1,800
We started our trip with the stock suspensions. Sure, when the car was fully loaded, it sagged heavily at the back, but we hoped to save some money by not purchasing new ones. It turned out to be a mistake. After our first service at 10,000 km, we realised both rear shock absorbers were broken and had to replace them. We decided it was time to invest in new suspensions specifically designed for the added weight in the car. We were fortunate to be in an urban area where we could easily access these spare parts.
You can manage without an upgrade if you plan on travelling light. However, chances are you will carry a lot of gear if you intend to be on the road for an extended period. We recommend upgrading your suspension before starting your trip. This should be done last, after your car is fully equipped and loaded, so you have a clear idea of the weight upgrade you need.
Long-range tank
Nice to have
Cost: Our car came equiped with it but you can find one for around $1,200
If you venture off the beaten track, you might find yourself a long way from a petrol station. On the Canning Stock Route in WA, you will need to drive 1,040 km before refuelling. Careful planning of your itinerary is essential to ensure you won’t run out of fuel in the middle of nowhere. A long-range tank will help in these extreme situations, doubling your capacity to carry fuel and providing peace of mind for remote journeys. With ours, we were able to stretch to 1,200km of autonomy. However, it is far from necessary if you stick to the main roads. You can also manage with jerry cans.
Winch
Nice to have
Cost: $1,500
A winch can help you out of tricky situations, provided there are trees or solid points around to anchor it. It serves as a secondary insurance when going off-road. However, its price and weight were significant drawbacks for us, and we ultimately decided against getting one. We didn’t miss it, as we never ventured onto extreme tracks. The only time we regretted not having one was in Cape York, where we skipped the Old Telegraph Track for fear of getting stuck in the water without a means to recover the car.
Tyres
Nice to have
Cost: $1,500
Bigger tyres not only look good but also enable you to tackle more challenging tracks. However, they are far from mandatory and can increase your fuel consumption. We managed to complete the big lap with the all-terrain tyres that came with the car. If you really want to push your vehicle to its limits, upgrading your tyres will be necessary. Otherwise, it might be wiser to save your money and treat yourself to something else instead.
This concludes our overview of the considerations that went into choosing our car and equipping it. We hope it will help you plan your journey!