BajaNomad

Mercedes Unimog MAN 4x4 camper

Bob H - 3-11-2012 at 04:44 PM

Wow, this is quite the rig. Would be fun in Baja, but would attract a lot of attendion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgmF8as2mFY

vandy - 3-11-2012 at 04:53 PM

I've seen a couple down here...FOR SALE.

A little bit of overkill for Baja roads, and as far as cross-country travel, there are too many feces. I mean fences.

I remember a gentleman machining an ironwood race for his wheel bearing because he couldn't get parts.

Yup, he got out OK, but has since switched to a diesel Land Rover.

J.P. - 3-11-2012 at 05:13 PM

We have met a couple of those things on the road down here also. My thoughts were if you got one of those things really stuck how would you ever get it out.:lol::lol:

Udo - 3-11-2012 at 05:30 PM

I saw one when we were down south in December, and also saw one at an RV show.
Quite impressive!

BajaRat - 3-11-2012 at 05:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vandy
I've seen a couple down here...FOR SALE.

A little bit of overkill for Baja roads, and as far as cross-country travel, there are too many feces. I mean fences.

I remember a gentleman machining an ironwood race for his wheel bearing because he couldn't get parts.

Yup, he got out OK, but has since switched to a diesel Land Rover.


I've had both and out of fear of break down I always brought hundreds of pounds in spare parts. Figures I never had a catastrophic failure requiring replacement of those items. The Mogs four x like nothing I've ever drivin with large payloads.
Our new strategic plan is to drive vehicles that are somewhat disposable in an emergency with readily available parts.:cool:

bajalou - 3-11-2012 at 06:09 PM

I've seen them in San Felipe and I saw 2 of them last week here in New Mexico.

Woooosh - 3-11-2012 at 09:19 PM

cool machines.

BajaDanD - 3-11-2012 at 09:29 PM

looks like a garbage truck to me

generubin - 3-11-2012 at 11:06 PM

When I was doing my travels in the Sahara I used to run into Germans with Mann trucks and Unimogs. They were very problematic, complicated, and impossible to find parts for.

I had a friend from Switzerland who drove his Unimog down to Djanet, Algeria, following me in my Mitsubishi L300 4x4 van. He had a Unimog with a camper on it. Trans went out (I am a professional mechanic but it was hopeless), he had to send it back to Switzerland on a flat bed truck, cost him $28,000 to get it home and that was in 1988!

Nope, couldn't pay me to own one of these.

[Edited on 3-12-2012 by generubin]

ddawson - 3-11-2012 at 11:47 PM

I spotted this guy in Tecolote during Christmas of 2010:

Baja12valve - 3-12-2012 at 08:45 AM

If you noticed, the video showed the trucks on open dunes, river crossings, and other open terrain. I wonder how they would go in the very narrow Baja roads that are hardly wide enough for my truck or on some of the roads in Death Valley where I spent the last 5 days?

Bob H - 3-12-2012 at 07:48 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Baja12valve
If you noticed, the video showed the trucks on open dunes, river crossings, and other open terrain. I wonder how they would go in the very narrow Baja roads that are hardly wide enough for my truck or on some of the roads in Death Valley where I spent the last 5 days?


That is a very good point!

bigboy - 3-12-2012 at 09:26 PM

I saw a similar rig in Dana Point today!

RnR - 3-12-2012 at 09:31 PM

There's one parked on the hot springs/palapa beach at the north end of La Ventana tonight.

Mexitron - 3-13-2012 at 06:22 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Baja12valve
If you noticed, the video showed the trucks on open dunes, river crossings, and other open terrain. I wonder how they would go in the very narrow Baja roads that are hardly wide enough for my truck or on some of the roads in Death Valley where I spent the last 5 days?


Wonder how it would do on the road to Mission Santa Maria....

uni

captkw - 3-13-2012 at 07:20 AM

Hola,had a neibor down here with one for many winter's and he changed to a range rover and wished he had done many years before,,not really a al laround baja rigg,,can you say "over kill" K&T :cool:

generubin - 3-13-2012 at 07:29 AM

They weren't appropriate in the Sahara either. These rigs really are not appropriate anywhere. Germans simply love to buy big gear and other Germans love to sell it to them. I have come across many of these in Africa. They are generally bought by non seasoned, first time, travelers who feel a monster truck will keep them safe. The result being that these rigs are such a blatant display of wealth the travelers are never able to relate to the locals on the same level. They would have been better to stay home and watch the National Geographic channel.

Bob H - 3-13-2012 at 08:03 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by generubin
They weren't appropriate in the Sahara either. These rigs really are not appropriate anywhere. Germans simply love to buy big gear and other Germans love to sell it to them. I have come across many of these in Africa. They are generally bought by non seasoned, first time, travelers who feel a monster truck will keep them safe. The result being that these rigs are such a blatant display of wealth the travelers are never able to relate to the locals on the same level. They would have been better to stay home and watch the National Geographic channel.


Well said! :lol:

4x4abc - 3-16-2012 at 12:05 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by generubin
They weren't appropriate in the Sahara either. These rigs really are not appropriate anywhere. Germans simply love to buy big gear and other Germans love to sell it to them. I have come across many of these in Africa. They are generally bought by non seasoned, first time, travelers who feel a monster truck will keep them safe. The result being that these rigs are such a blatant display of wealth the travelers are never able to relate to the locals on the same level. They would have been better to stay home and watch the National Geographic channel.


you are absolutely right!

gringo opinions about germans

mtgoat666 - 3-16-2012 at 09:11 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by generubin
Germans simply love to buy big gear and other Germans love to sell it to them.


is that any different than gringos?????????????

seems gringos love even more buying even bigger gear!!!!!!! and gringos sure can't be beat in their love of selling crap!!!!!!!
Quote:
Originally posted by generubin
The result being that these rigs are such a blatant display of wealth the travelers are never able to relate to the locals on the same level. They would have been better to stay home and watch the National Geographic channel.


i suppose to truly relate to the locals you should give up all your possessions and wander naked thru mexico like india's holy men, eh???????
seems to me that most people on vacation are just interested in booze and sex and fishing and surfing, and don't visit for "relations."

just saying,...

David K - 3-16-2012 at 09:13 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Mexitron
Quote:
Originally posted by Baja12valve
If you noticed, the video showed the trucks on open dunes, river crossings, and other open terrain. I wonder how they would go in the very narrow Baja roads that are hardly wide enough for my truck or on some of the roads in Death Valley where I spent the last 5 days?


Wonder how it would do on the road to Mission Santa Maria....


You would be surprised at what can get to Santa Maria!






motoged - 3-16-2012 at 09:38 AM

David,
Getting down the Santa Maria Widowmaker is easy....getting back out is the challenge :biggrin::biggrin:

While I covet Unimogs, I appreciate that they are just one of God's ways of saying "You have too much money!":saint:

[Edited on 3-16-2012 by motoged]

generubin - 3-16-2012 at 09:44 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by mtgoat666
Quote:
Originally posted by generubin
Germans simply love to buy big gear and other Germans love to sell it to them.


is that any different than gringos?????????????

seems gringos love even more buying even bigger gear!!!!!!! and gringos sure can't be beat in their love of selling crap!!!!!!!
Quote:
Originally posted by generubin
The result being that these rigs are such a blatant display of wealth the travelers are never able to relate to the locals on the same level. They would have been better to stay home and watch the National Geographic channel.


i suppose to truly relate to the locals you should give up all your possessions and wander naked thru mexico like india's holy men, eh???????
seems to me that most people on vacation are just interested in booze and sex and fishing and surfing, and don't visit for "relations."

just saying,...



Gringos, yes, I stand corrected. Many gringos go overboard with displays of wealth. Most of the people I know actually travel to foreign countries to get a taste of the culture. Most of my opinions above about "displays of wealth" and buying bigger than what is needed are formulated from my travels through Africa. Some travelers were over equipped with Man and Unimogs, many broken and unfixable. Others were woefully under equipt.

David K - 3-16-2012 at 09:45 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by motoged
David,
Getting down the Santa Maria Widowmaker is easy....getting back out is the challenge :biggrin::biggrin:

While I covet Unimogs, I appreciate that they are just one of God's ways of saying "You have too much money!":saint:

[Edited on 3-16-2012 by motoged]


Not only did Art easily drive his beast back up the Widowmaker, but he did it pulling Neal Johns' broken Toyota!:light:

watizname - 3-16-2012 at 01:09 PM

Booze,Sex,Fishing, and Surfing??????? I don't think you left anything out..:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: