Logsplitter’s travels in his Grenadier.

[stickshifter]

Hi @Logsplitter,

Great seeing your photos and reading your travel log!

What is your assessment of the Grenadier as an overlander so far? Do you feel like it is holding up (a) better, (b) as well, or (c) worse than other vehicles you have used in a similar way?

Sorry if it is a tough question, but some of us are trying to figure out if expectations of reliability are warranted. I think that expectations of reliability are based in part on (1) design elements (like the heavy frame, sturdy axles and suspension components, sturdy body panels), but also in part on (2) how the vehicle has been marketed.

Obviously, marketing has nothing to do with actual reliability - just people's perceptions or expectations.

But - more problematically - a stout frame, sturdy axles, and some other very well-made and well-put-together components may also not - ultimately - be enough to ensure overall reliability of a vehicle. I think people who have the vehicle in hand are developing a clearer sense of what to expect, but some of us who are still waiting are still wondering.

 

[bakepl]

Hi forum members. Time to fill you all in with my latest exploits around Southern Africa in Liberty the Grenadier.
During the Christmas and New Year break we left our Grenadier in Maun , Botswana with Ineos Kavango where the team serviced and checked over the vehicle ready for the next stage of the journey. So at around 14k KM I’ve had the engine oil and filter changed, air filter changed, diff oil changed and general check over of the vehicle. A great team who did a great job. View attachment 7841455
On our arrival back in Maun I did a few jobs I’ve wanted to do for a while so bought the appropriate bits back with me. I’ve fitted extra usb/12v sockets in the cabin plus a nextbase dashcam in the front windscreen just behind the rear view mirror. It’s great quality imagery is fantastic for travelogues.

The first part of the journey involved going up the western side of the Okovango Delta staying in a couple of camps en route to the Tsodilo Hills where we camped up and did some hiking around the hills visiting the ancient cave paintings. What a lovely peaceful place but a very corrugated flooded road to get in as the seasonal rainy season had started.

Grenadier as ever going well and a pleasure to drive. But at the first camp after Maun before any real bad roads, I checked over the vehicle as usual especially after the corrugated road to the camp, to find the left hand side auxiliary radiator had come out of its fixings again , luckily I had picked up more rubber grommet/mounts for an extortionate amount from the Ineos dealer in the U.K. (£18.65ea + vat for a piece of rubber). Having had this issue before I knew how to get to and fix the problem by removing front light surround and front plastic part of wing/fender and the inner wheel arch to gain access to the fixings. I glued the grommets to the rad with gorilla glue so I didn’t lose them if it happened again. A suitable fix I thought.
More to follow as I get internet View attachment 7841453View attachment 7841451View attachment 7841450View attachment 7841449View attachment 7841448View attachment 7841460

Another great post thank you. Can I ask if Ineos under warranty intend to repair the radiator/mount and stop it from falling out - and reimburse you for the rubber mounts you've installed?

 

[Logsplitter]

In answer to the above questions it’s undoubtedly a tough competent and comfortable vehicle. We have had some niggling problems, non of which have stopped us moving because of my own diligence in checking over and identifying any potential problems at the end of each day especially after corrugated, potholed or rough off road conditions , and then effecting a temporary fix to keep me going. Now at over 17k km in and some fixes have held for 2k km plus. Ineos are aware of the problems and have been in regular contact and quite supportive. Aiming to get the issues rectified and better fixes actioned when I reach Windhoek.
After all this the petrol engine, transmission, suspension etc are good . Plenty of power, effortless through deep sand, bog holes , on long corrugated gravel roads and good tar roads. I will elaborate more later on our travels and niggling issues
Ineos will definitely fix it and have been good so far. I feel we are testing the vehicle for them! With the little issues sorted I’m confident in the vehicle enough to travel a lot farther and have big plans ahead. Compared to other vehicles I have overlanded with then this is way more comfortable, powerful and easier to drive, that’s compared to a Defender 2.2 tdci and a 1999 hilux 2.4td. Both of which had minor issue and had to be held together with cables ties and silicone. We don’t travel light , we also don’t travel fast. I average 80kph on gravel and 90/100kph on good tar. We have a fair bit of kit on the roof so fuel use goes up as speed increases but off-road it still feels very stable.
An important question though. An Ineos Grenadier or a Mahindra “coolie cruiser” as a game viewer

 

[stickshifter]

In answer to the above questions it’s undoubtedly a tough competent and comfortable vehicle. We have had some niggling problems, non of which have stopped us moving because of my own diligence in checking over and identifying any potential problems at the end of each day especially after corrugated, potholed or rough off road conditions , and then effecting a temporary fix to keep me going. Now at over 17k km in and some fixes have held for 2k km plus. Ineos are aware of the problems and have been in regular contact and quite supportive. Aiming to get the issues rectified and better fixes actioned when I reach Windhoek.
After all this the petrol engine, transmission, suspension etc are good . Plenty of power, effortless through deep sand, bog holes , on long corrugated gravel roads and good tar roads. I will elaborate more later on our travels and niggling issues
Ineos will definitely fix it and have been good so far. I feel we are testing the vehicle for them! With the little issues sorted I’m confident in the vehicle enough to travel a lot farther and have big plans ahead. Compared to other vehicles I have overlanded with then this is way more comfortable, powerful and easier to drive, that’s compared to a Defender 2.2 tdci and a 1999 hilux 2.4td. Both of which had minor issue and had to be held together with cables ties and silicone. We don’t travel light , we also don’t travel fast. I average 80kph on gravel and 90/100kph on good tar. We have a fair bit of kit on the roof so fuel use goes up as speed increases but off-road it still feels very stable.
An important question though. An Ineos Grenadier or a Mahindra “coolie cruiser” as a game viewer

Thanks @Logsplitter - Safe travels!

 

[IGL]

An important question though. An Ineos Grenadier or a Mahindra “coolie cruiser” as a game viewer

I'd prefer the Kavango (Ineos) Grenadier, it has an additional front seat.

 

[Logsplitter]

Tsodilo hills in Botswana . Remote and not many visitors but well worth it. Very interesting and benefits the local community including from the community run campsite. Once off of the tar it’s a rough undulating dirt road to get there and flooded sections during the rains , just what the Grenadier is made for.
The third picture is what you think it is. Young boys with erections. In the past the site was used as an initiation ceremony site where young boys would learn how to be a man and would be taught how to get girls pregnant apparently
The last picture depicts penguins and whales indicating that these people or their associates would range over huge distances to the Namibian coast where these creatures could be found.

 

[Logsplitter]

After leaving the beautiful Tsodilo hills area we took a couple of hours drive to a camp on the Kavango river through flooded roads after heavy overnight rains. We checked into a camp called Drotskys cabins just south from the border with Namibia. Everything is very green and lush this time of year and the wildlife disperses due to the abundant water. A constant vigil for wildlife and especially elephants is needed so as to avoid a catastrophic accident.
After reaching the camp site and setting up camp I checked over the vehicle as normal. Rather annoyingly the right hand side auxiliary radiator had come out of its fixings and two of the rubber mountings were missing. Luckily I had two more left and set about glueing the rubber mounts in place and using large cable ties to try and clamp the upper and lower mounting brackets together. It was a case of dodging the heavy rain showers to do this before any continuation of our journey. Not a hard job but getting a bit repetitive and not really rough roads. Contact was made with Ineos HQ and plans were afoot to get the vehicle checked over in Windhoek as long as I was confident I could keep it together till then.

 

[Tom109]

@Logsplitter What are your thoughts on popping the cooler mount rubbers? Mounts too flexible?

 

[[ Adam ]]

Know we all appreciate your work - and I'm glad to hear IG is taking an active role in the resolution.

 

[Logsplitter]

Yes

@Logsplitter What are your thoughts on popping the cooler mount rubbers? Mounts too flexible?

too much flex as seems to be on corrugated or pot holed roads this happens. Newer vehicles have an extra support bracket to help support the auxiliary radiators

 

[Logsplitter]

Know we all appreciate your work - and I'm glad to hear IG is taking an active role in the resolution.

I’m sure Ineos are learning a few things from people who are using the vehicle for some of the purposes that they designed it for. Hopefully Ineos reps read these posts. But i know my correspondence with the customer relations rep at head office get passed on

 

[Logsplitter]

I am going to bore you all now have good internet and trying to catch up
The next days journey was a short one but we planned it that way as it involved a border crossing. Mohembo border crossing between Botswana and Namibia turned out to be one of the easiest border crossings I’ve ever done. Half an hour to get through both sides of the border leaving plenty of time to stock up on food supplies and fuel before heading east the next day. Most of the time at that border crossing was spent with the border officials,police and army admiring the Grenadier and taking turns to sit in it
That night we checked into a great camp called Ngepi Check the sign on the swimming cage

camp where we stayed in a tree house as didn’t want to set up camp in the heavy rain. Leaving more time for beer

 

[[ Adam ]]

View attachment 7841748

So, how was the coffee??

 

[IGL]

Check the sign on the swimming cage

well, as the sign in the shop indicates: Note, all water is pumped straight from the river...

 

[Logsplitter]

So, how was the coffee??

Salty

 

[Mountain4x4]

Fantastic Adventure!

 

[Logsplitter]

FLOODED DIRT ROADS AND TRANSFER BOX ISSUES.
From Ngepi to Livingstones camp via the Caprivi.
After leaving Ngepi camp we traveled along the Caprivi strip east towards Katima Mulilo and to Livongstones camp just outside the Nkasa Rupara National Park
Driving the two hundred odd km along the Caprivi we stuck at 80kph as donkeys and cattle randomly wander across the roads outside the core area of Bwabwata NP and once inside then buffaloes and elephants wander across the road. A lovely smooth tar road all the same and effortless driving in the Grenadier with cruise control set at 80kph. At Kongola we turned south towards Nkasa Rupara NP and the Linyanti swamps. From there on th road quality gets worse and the wildlife sightings increase. Finally we turn off on dirt roads towards Livingstones camp and here the roads get a lot worse with some flooded and boggy sections. No problem for the Grenadier of course and good fun.
Upon reaching camp the heavens opened and the rain poured for hours. When the rain stopped we set up camp and cooked food. Checking the vehicle over could wait until tomorrow.
Before going out on a game drive the next day into the Nkasa Rupara NP and the Linyanti swamps I decided to check the vehicle over. On the drive into camp the day before I noticed the transfer box shifter had become stiff shifting between low and high range and using the centre diff lock. Sure enough the transfer box cables had come out of their push fit fittings and the cables had been rubbing in the prop shaft . For those of you that have followed this thread you’ll know I had transfer box cable issues back in October and had to have the transfer box Bowden cables changed. This time luckily I noticed the problem before it got too bad and the outer casing had worn through but not siezed the cables. After fixing up out of the way with cable ties and wire I could shift easier as cables not got hot with friction from prop shaft. Not ideal but not a disaster as I had recognised the issue before it got too bad.
Ineos were informed of the issue and someone from HQ made contact and we made a rough plan to get fixed in Windhoek. Shifter working ok after my fix and not getting hot. So later that day and the day after we travelled into the NP with great driving through flooded sections and very peaty boggy river crossings. Not amazing wildlife sightings as the recent rains and lush vegetation means all the big herds disperse over vast distances as not so dependent on permanent water sources. Plenty of buffalo though.

More to come. Photos as and when internet permits.

 

[Logsplitter]

 

[Logsplitter]

 

[Logsplitter]