3rd party Videos ASPW drives the Grenadier

[DaveB]

I've been looking at a lot of the Sprinter builds because the internal is L track seeing if something is premade.  

Exactly what I am doing at the moment

 

[Spjnr]

Good assessment of the vehicle, albeit from an overland perspective only. For us in Europe, a 90 litre tank is perfectly adequate, and the addition of a couple of gerry cans isn't difficult. I respect Andrews take on vehicles, he generally comes at them with a fresh unbiased approach.... which is great in this age of sponsorships and subversive marketing 

 

[stickshifter]

I wouldn't mind seeing what he had to say about making it into an overlander, however i couldnt find that video at all (I know I will have to pay to watch it)

EDIT:
Found it, and paid for it.

ASPW doesn't think the Payload is high enough, and is quite disappointed, calling the Payload issue its Achilles Heel.

Well I know INEOS wont listen to me on this point, perhaps they listen to Andrew instead.Glad I am not the only one disappointed with the Payload.  I am sure Sir Jim is too.

Did he flip flop his comments between the open access video and the Patreon video? In the open access video I saw he said that payload seems good enough but that lack of range was the vehicle’s Achilles Heel.  If you go to about 9:30 in the video posted above, you can watch what I am referring to.

 

[Davman]

Did he flip flop his comments between the open access video and the Patreon video?In the open access video I saw he said that payload seems good enough but that lack of range was the vehicle’s Achilles Heel. If you go to about 9:30 in the video posted above, you can watch what I am referring to.

Stickshifter.
Yes he posted another video on his Patreon site where he re-visited the payload issue and wasn't overly happy with it on reflection.  He went on to say that he didnt think he would be buying one - as it meant he would have to get rid of his latest Troopy, which he wasn't prepared to do as it was a better overlander vehicle in his opinion.  However, he didnt dismiss the Grenadier.  Perhaps he was just posturing so INEOS will indefinitely "lend" him one - Not sure.

 

[ECrider]

I can't think why he would sell his troopy after all the work/vids he has done - why would you not want to live with it for a few years after all that effort. Would be a bit nuts. Of course he could buy a standard Grenadier and start all over again for sake of making more build vids which may be more popular to some than the trip ones. 

 

[DaveB]

As you said because he makes a living doing up vehicles on YouTube 

 

[stickshifter]

Stickshifter.
Yes he posted another video on his Patreon site where he re-visited the payload issue and wasn't overly happy with it on reflection.  He went on to say that he didnt think he would be buying one - as it meant he would have to get rid of his latest Troopy, which he wasn't prepared to do as it was a better overlander vehicle in his opinion.  However, he didnt dismiss the Grenadier.  Perhaps he was just posturing so INEOS will indefinitely "lend" him one - Not sure.

Hi Davman,
Thanks for your reply. Upon reflection, I'm not surprised that he changed his mind about payload; his 'back of the envelope' calculations really didn't leave that much payload left over for people and personal gear after he calculated weight for water, extra fuel, and a few mods (roo bar, etc.).

The Troopy comes stock with 975 kg of payload, and there are easy options for replacing the rear leaf springs if one wants to increase functional payload. I would have bought a Troopy years ago if we could get them here in the US. My real interest in the Grenadier is in the long wheelbase station wagon, which I am hoping will have a little more payload than the 5-seater. Also, it better meets some of our other needs, though its obviously not as convenient around town.

 

[DaveB]

Yes but he allowed 65 kg for the roo bar and there is no chance it ways that much

 

[emax]

And I think I remember he added the fuel which is in the German brochure already by 90% part of the Grenadiers weight.

Diesel:  91 liters * 0.83 Kg/l * 90 % = 68 Kg.
Petrol:  91 liters * 0.75 Kg/l * 90 % = 61 Kg.

Somebody should tell him ...

 

[Paachi]

And I think I remember he added the fuel which is in the German brochure already by 90% part of the Grenadiers weight.

Diesel:  91 liters * 0.83 Kg/l * 90 % = 68 Kg.
Petrol:  91 liters * 0.75 Kg/l * 90 % = 61 Kg.

Somebody should tell him ...

I think he added fuel as an aux fuel ~90 liters plus the weight of the tank itself 

 

[emax]

May be you're right. I don't remember the exact statement.

But I am sure he will make more videos about it.

 

[Tazzieman]

Like many seniors , and many middle aged overlanders he travels with too much stuff. Which stuffs his expectations of vehicles and cause him to haemorrhage cash. Good luck to him. The 5 door Grenadier is plenty capable for my wife and I at almost 60 , and no reason why it won't be at 70. ASPW is softening and will be towing a caravan soon. If he wants wife with him.

 

[Spjnr]

Like many seniors , and many middle aged overlanders he travels with too much stuff. Which stuffs his expectations of vehicles and cause him to haemorrhage cash. Good luck to him. The 5 door Grenadier is plenty capable for my wife and I at almost 60 , and no reason why it won't be at 70. ASPW is softening and will be towing a caravan soon. If he wants wife with him.

 

I make you right. His "Dreamtourer" build was the most overblown bloated set-up ive seen. A LC79 with a chassis extension, huge camper, and massively overkill 12v setup. At that point, his Land Cruiser was so useless offroad, he would have been better off with a FUSO Canter or other mini-lorry.

His new troopy build doesn't seem to be leagues simpler.

I think the Grenadiers payload is plenty for most people. My Mrs and I managed to do some touring in my 2 door jeep JK, had to pack light and think about everything we brought, but it was certainly possible. The INEOS will be a huge step up for us

 

[Tazzieman]

Yep you get it. He has fallen into the trap that camping is a gear sport. And when he goes anyway he does nothing. It's simultaneously strange and sad.

 

[Igfan]

I don’t get the issue with payload at all. I think it is most appropriately compared to a LC76 not the bigger 78. Plenty of people overland in the 76 and the payload is really similar. The LC76 workmate has a listed payload of 785kg (don’t think this includes fuel and it’s based of Toyota spec document I found from 2020). The gren 5 seat wagon with comparable diesel engine is 760kg. With the fuel weight removed to compare it with the lc76 it is roughly 760+67.23=826.23kg.The small tank argument I can see a bit more easily as the non-troopy Landcruisers come with 40l more but I think this will be solved by the aftermarket.

In short, I’m not really concerned about either.

 

[DaveB]

Like many seniors , and many middle aged overlanders he travels with too much stuff. Which stuffs his expectations of vehicles and cause him to haemorrhage cash. Good luck to him. The 5 door Grenadier is plenty capable for my wife and I at almost 60 , and no reason why it won't be at 70. ASPW is softening and will be towing a caravan soon. If he wants wife with him.

Yes I agree

 

[Spjnr]

I don’t get the issue with payload at all. I think it is most appropriately compared to a LC76 not the bigger 78. Plenty of people overland in the 76 and the payload is really similar. The LC76 workmate has a listed payload of 785kg (don’t think this includes fuel and it’s based of Toyota spec document I found from 2020). The gren 5 seat wagon with comparable diesel engine is 760kg. With the fuel weight removed to compare it with the lc76 it is roughly 760+67.23=826.23kg.The small tank argument I can see a bit more easily as the non-troopy Landcruisers come with 40l more but I think this will be solved by the aftermarket.

In short, I’m not really concerned about either.

Good ponts IGfan,

I tend to view the Troopy as being in a class of its own now, and thus not really comparable with any other SW 4x4s. The most logical competitors to it in Aus seem to be the LC76, LC300, d300 defender, Y62 patrol... any others?

 

[emax]

In Europe we save the weight of a bullbar as it is simply forbidden. This is a first plus on the weight.

Besides this I don't know a place in Europe where the next fuel station is more then a third of the Grenadiers operating range away, not even in the Scottish Highlands. Nor is water an issue. Not comparable to Australia, I know.

But from a European point of view there are no payload issues at all.

If one however builds the camping interior from 19mm plywood instead of 12 mm, or even better from composite alubond panels, he has simply wasted half of the kilos.

I do however understand the gear addiction of some people. I myself like to play with such stuff, simply because I am a homo ludens. It is, for me, part of the hobby and the fun.

But if you develop a light weight concept from very beginning and consequently use light materials, I don't see any problem or austerities with the payload - even if equipped with all the gear you want to play with.

 

[OG1]

I think you’ll find the Aus spec gets an extra 50kg of payload compared to what ASPW mentioned in his review. The Aus GVM is 3,550kg.

 

[stickshifter]

I think we can all recognize that people do different things, and use vehicles in different ways. How you travel, or what activities you pursue - well that's your own jam. It isn't relevant to what other folk do. The same goes for the vehicle options we want or don't want - its all climate-specific, region-specific, use-specific, or just based on personal preference.