Better Than the SPRINTER! Find out why the IVECO DAILY is the ULTIMATE 4x4 VAN for OVERLANDING - V#7

The Iveco TurboDaily 4x4 is a body-on-frame structure that features front and rear diff-locks, low range gear box and high ground clearance.
This Iveco Daily 4x4 camper conversion is almost perfect to travel around the World through any terrain.
It has been designed for tough offroad use, like traditional offroad vehicles like the Land Rover Defender, a Toyota Land Cruiser or a Jeep Wrangler.
In this review I am going through every single detail on how this van can be a home on wheels while driving through the whole length of the Pan American Highway.
I’m using the Mercedes Sprinter 4x4 as a reference point in my comparison due to the fact that today the Sprinter 4x4 is the most popular base for vanlife conversions or overlanding.
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Mentioned in the video:
www.overlandsite.com/camping-...
• Toyota Land Cruiser Pr...
Fuel consumption in MPG: about 17-18 MPG
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Instagram: / overlandsite
Website: www.overlandsite.com/
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Supported, in part, by:
ARB Europe - arbeurope.com/
Euro4x4Parts - www.euro4x4parts.com/en
Ultra Vision Australia - ultra-vision.com.au/
EZ Pack - www.ezpack-usa.com/
Hi-Lift - hi-lift.com/
Kupilka - kupilka.fi/
Asfir - www.asfir.com/
Evershower - www.evershower.eu/
Scrubba - thescrubba.com/
Walkstool - www.walkstool.com/

[@markmitchell8413]

Definitely the best little Van/Truck 👍

[@OverlandSite]

I definitely think so!

[@Seqhael]

I think for all the down sides of this vehicle is the exact reason I would take a 4x4 T1N Sprinter with low range and rear/centre difflock. Overlanding isn't majority rock crawling and so the benefits of a vehicle that isn't a snail, but can go 95% of the places a Daily can go outweigh the benefits of the Daily. But its personal preference, as long as you're getting out there and not just driving to Starbucks is always a win 👌

[@OverlandSite]

I think you are right. I could not agree more with what you said about rock crawling and overlanding. So many people confuse the two. The only thing with the sprinter is that finding one with low range and manual gearbox is like looking for a unicorn. If you go and order one brand new then it will have too much electronics and it won’t be able to handle Africa or South America. A few years old one will still be much more expensive than a daily. Having said that, a new(ish) Daily is also pricey. There are a lot of factors to consider. You may not need to do rock crawling but a proper overlanding trip through several countries requires a vehicle to be tough, and so having a proper body-on-frame structure helps a lot. We’ve been travelling together with other travellers who drive Sprinters and so far there was no trail or campspot where we could go and they could not. Although some times it was easier with the Iveco due to the low range. Speed is definitely a great advantage of the Sprinter. So many things to consider. 🙂

[@NoMoreMrNiceGuy223]

Basically, the Italian Government asked Fiat/Iveco to build a van for the military. This is what they came up with. The 2020+ models are insane. You should look for the Overland series. It was a televised overland/expedition documentary of a convoy of orange Iveco trucks and vans traveling all over the world. The name overlanding comes from that expedition

[@OverlandSite]

Thanks for your comment. I will look up that expedition. The name overlanding has nothing to do with Iveco though :) It comes from Australia, the term existed way before Iveco even made their first vehicle.

[@janackermann2080]

Perfect Video! Full of information and useful content. Thank you very much!

[@OverlandSite]

I'm really glad you liked it!

[@robertochiaratti1380]

Great evaluation ,make sense👌👌👌

[@OverlandSite]

Thank you! Although i have to say recently we had some issues. Everything still stands in this video,but reliability may not be the strong point of the Daily

[@Offroader-gr]

Nice setup for a capable off road rig. We wish you happy travels.

[@OverlandSite]

Thanks very much!

[@Straitjacket808]

Great machine

[@OverlandSite]

Thank you

[@lulumelodi457]

Thanks for this very interesting van tour 😉 ! It is a good vehicule for an off road van but as you say parts begin to be hard to find as of today. The low range box (Borg Warner 1356) is indeed the same as Ford F-150 of the beginning of the nineties (hard to find in europe but easy to find a used one in north america). The vehicule is loud but it is easy to remove all the stuff in the cabin and rebuild a good soundproffing (projected cork etc). You can add an intercooler to gain a few horse powser and torque. There is no central differential lock so 4x4 mode is only when you really need it. This vehicule was quite common for firefighter teams in europe at its time. In Italy (and europe) there was also the BREMACH brand that built as good light 4x4 vans as this one for tracks etc. Have a good day !

[@OverlandSite]

So far we could find parts for any issues we had (in Europe) but it will only get harder with time

[@foyou5311]

@@OverlandSite China's iveco is still producing the same model, but I don't know whether the parts can be universal. I think it should be

[@OverlandSite]

@@foyou5311 for most parts, they are the same. I recently ordered a number of vital parts and so far they have been great

[@foyou5311]

@@OverlandSite I thought there should be some differences between Chinese and European cars, because Nanjing iveco has made many improvements to this car, such as a modern dashboard with a large screen, and even they want to install an at gearbox

[@OverlandSite]

@@foyou5311 so far there wasn't a single part number that I could not find in the catalogue: www.suonama.com.cn/ Having said that, I agree, there must be differences over time, but they are probably manufacturing the old parts as well

[@tybal69]

Loved your video, and vehicle. I personally have a 99 Ford E350 with a high top, & extended & a 4x4. It doesn’t have the range that yours has, but it’s definitely tough, and enjoyable to live&travel in!

[@OverlandSite]

I’ve seen a lot of great E350s recently! Some Sportsmobile conversions. Nice rigs. Is it expensive to run though? We’re doing 18mpg and I think that’s not too bad. The cost is though the lack of speed

[@our_roadtrip]

I bought a Mercedes 816d Vario 4x4 van for very similar reasons. 😊

[@OverlandSite]

Great choice!

[@our_roadtrip]

@@OverlandSite I mean... It's a Mercedes. So spare parts are no problem, but rust is. And there is a lot of it... 😅 But there are so many other nice Vans around. I considered the Daily 4x4, the VW LT 4x4, the UAZ Buchanka, the VW T3 16" Syncro, the Puch Pinzgauer, the Volvo C303, the Toyota Troop Carrier, the Mitsubishi L300/Delica 4x4... So many fantastic Vans, so little time... 🥰

[@MrYuppel]

This Van is Build like a Tank ! The Ford Econoline AWD With solid front axle is the only one i would even prefer ! As u might know i had bought one for my time in Northamerica in 2018/2019 Really enjoyed it ! Nice that you make videos now, that's so nice ! Greetings !

[@OverlandSite]

What did you with it after the trip? Were you able to sell it?

[@claudiamaeder7203]

CNH (farming/construction machines, based in the US, some of those machines have the same motor as the new Daily) belongs to the same holding company (FIAT, Iveco). But it is best to have a good connection to a European Iveco dealer for spare parts.

[@OverlandSite]

I know the Promaster van also has a lot of parts in common with the Daily

[@AstroVanTribe]

Neat to see this - I drive a 4x4 Astro van which originally came as an AWD but I converted it to 4x4 with an s10 transfer case - It has a front subframe but the rear is all unibody, however all the parts are truck parts, it's a very HD truck. I've been overlanding it with tires just under 30" tall and am upgrading it as I can but so far I haven't experienced anything I couldn't handle. It's gas fueled and far more powerful than your TurboDaily - What I enjoyed about this video is the high-top with the custom rack system built around it - I did a video a few months ago sketching out ideas including this - Both your van and mine look to be about the same size so seeing this is motivating me in that direction as being able to stand would be nice.... Good stuff, man...!

[@OverlandSite]

Thanks very much for your comment! I wish i had a powerful gas/petrol engine in the Iveco. It’s really struggling uphill and in city traffic. But then i wouldn’t have almost 1000 miles range… it’s always a compromise. I will check your video out once i’m not in remote Yukon but closer to civilisation and good internet

[@offgridfoldi]

Also look at the german aloy rims for bigger wheels from delta felgen germany the only one that fits the daily 4x4 You can also swap the engine by a cummins with more power

[@OverlandSite]

Thanks for the advice, i’ll look into it

[@TerryManitoba]

The Toyota Troopy - which for all intents & purpose - it is a Van & is stronger & parts are available worldwide. Add an Alu-Cab pop-up and you have the best world traveler.

[@OverlandSite]

I totally agree. The Troopy is the best overlander vehicle money can buy. But it’s actually more expensive in Europe (once it’s kitted out) than the Iveco. Also, it has a much smaller interior than the Iveco. We can seat 4 people at our table (rarely needed, but nice to do it sometimes) inside the Iveco, we can set up a shower curtain, we can easily stand up and “live” inside when the weather is bad. The Troopy is just a tad too small for that.

[@TerryManitoba]

@@OverlandSite As I indicated - With the Alu Cab Pop Up two people can stand up inside and hang out inside when the weather is not favourable. Plenty of YT videos would demonstrate that to you.

[@ThePriceyShow]

I agree with the part availability but the Alu cab pop up vs iveco living space is not even comparable. Also pop up limits roof rack storage. An Iveco with an Alu cab pop up tent on a deck roof rack would be amazing.

[@iheartlazers2]

Vanagon Syncro can have rear and front diff locks stock and potentially easier to find parts for. Biggest downside is the living space size would be a bit smaller than this van or a Sprinter.

[@OverlandSite]

The Vanagon is approximately half size inside. It’s really not a good comparison. In additon the weight it can carry is much much less, limiting the gear and personal stuff you can have in your van. I’m also not sure about the parts. We have friends who have been stranded for 3 months with their T3 syncro due to parts not being available and have had to ship it from Germany. No low range, weak engine, etc etc. The two vans are not even in the same league

[@iheartlazers2]

@@OverlandSite Like I said in my comment, the biggest downside to the Syncro is the living space, but otherwise I'd say they are pretty comparable in offroading capabilities, in fact I'd say the syncro's smaller size give it a hand up in trails where a larger rig like yours wouldn't get through. Parts availability for most T3 parts is very easy unless it's a syncro specific thing. Engine swaps are very common in vanagons for more power. Syncros have a "granny gear" which is similar to a low range. I'd way rather take a vanagon around the world mainly because they are simpler to work on and better parts availability since they were sold almost all over the world.

[@schoebisontheroad]

Thats a neat looking van. I really like the Setup, pretty simular to ours actually. But i'm guessing our Sprinter would come pretty close to your van's offroad capability. I hope we see us on the road one day to check out each others van. That would be great! Save travels and see you out there...

[@OverlandSite]

Meeting would be great! We’re getting close to the Yukon now. I think finding parts for your Sprinter is definitely easier than our Iveco :) so for sure it’s winning there at least. Quite possibly offroad too. There is only one way to find out :)

[@jackmac2252]

Hi, another great video. As mentioned in another comment I have one of these vans and was wondering what transfer case oil you use (SAE) ?

[@OverlandSite]

Thank you! Before starting the PanAmerican trip, I brought it to the official Iveco garage in Budapest for changing all the oils. So I can assume they used Tutela GI/A in the transfer case. But I can’t be sure as they turned out to be crooks! If you ever drive through Hungary, make sure to avoid Iveco Levantex.

[@vinceisgone7317]

I love your van and you look prepared to every situation! Despite I'm in the other team : the Sprinter Team! ;) Compare to your van, mine is so confortable. 7 automatic speed.. perfect for cruising on the highway, without noise and vibration while i'm listening musique on HiFi system, tuning heat with half degre precision, fridge, freezer, shower, toilets... ( even sauna and bowling alley in the basement, but sssht it's a secret!!) But... when road is over... track is over and every become hell... you realise that my sprinter is made for rich old men who want to go fishing with Paris Hilton. Too heavy for the mud, bad feeling with automatic gear box in off road cession... I have to be very carefull. If I had to do your journey, I choose your Iveco! Love this video!

[@vinceisgone7317]

To be honest... Electronic motricity control is unbelievable. I climbed a rocky track I couldn't stand on with my feet ! Wow!

[@OverlandSite]

Thank you! 😃 Since I posted the video we had problems with our brake line and I am sure it would be easier to get the part in North America for your Sprinter than for my Iveco 😃 The problem is still not resolved but hopefully tomorrow we will find a solution

[@claudiamaeder7203]

Having seen Sprinters 4x4 and Iveco Daly 4x4 side by side on off-road tracks, I am going with the Iveco team. Nevertheless a lot depends on the driver's skills.

[@OverlandSite]

@@claudiamaeder7203 i am in the Iveco team obviously. Having said that, on long overland journeys there is rarely a situation where proper really tough offroad tracks reveal the difference between the two.

[@claudiamaeder7203]

@@OverlandSite Depends largely on wheelbase, rear slope angle and overhang. On steep slopes the Sprinter lights up like a Christmas tree.

[@ChrisIsOutside]

I have a Mitsubishi Delica which is a beast offroad, but..... I'm going to get an Iveco Daily next.... Unfortunately I probably can't afford the 4x4 version

[@OverlandSite]

I also love the Delica!

[@fenby1976]

That's a great van and looks like it's very capable in the rough. I wonder how a 130 Defender ex military ambulance would compare? No locking axle diffs as standard but they are available aftermarket. Very good parts availability and every kind of accessory you could imagine available off the shelf. Live axles front and rear with coil springs so lots of suspension flex possible. More powerful Tdi engine with mechanical fuel pump and very tunable.

[@OverlandSite]

Those are brilliant I think. Not sure if you can stand up inside though. Some of the ambulance versions are pretty low, but I can imagine that there were tall ones too.

[@fenby1976]

@@OverlandSite That all depends on how tall you are! I've read they have a 1.7m ceiling height. What a fantastic trip you're doing.

[@OverlandSite]

@@fenby1976 that's a good point. For a lot of people our Iveco setup wouldn't work either. We are sleeping sideways (parallell with the axles) and I just barely fit myself. But I do, and it's comfortable. But anyone taller than 1.8 would not be able to have the bed set up as we do.

[@davidesabelli1193]

Very nice vehicle. I too am interested in buying an off-road camper, and the Iveco Daily are not bad, too bad they are only diesel. I would like a petrol to use with LPG. In any case, when you have low gears and you don't do trials or climb rocks, the low torque at low revs and LPG are also fine. Tested with a Lada Niva in the 90s. Now, where I live, diesel costs 1.9 € per litre and LPG 0.80... even if LPG consumes a little more per kilometer, you still earn a lot. Furthermore, with the new electronic injection engines, you no longer have that loss of power that you had to bear with the old carburetors. In any case, there is always petrol, if you need maximum power. I prefer it as a system. Also because I don't plan to make very deep fords. 😁

[@OverlandSite]

There aren’t many vans that come with petrol engines in Europe so not really an option

[@davidesabelli1193]

​@@OverlandSite I don't know about those dimensions, but the UAZ 452 and the Mitsubishi Delica (L300 and L400) would be a little smaller. Both are "true" off-roaders (even with redoubts) are fine off-road, if prepared a little (a little taller and with lockable diffs) and both run on petrol. Unfortunately, at the moment, for UAZs it is a bit of a problem, due to the war and since the UAZ has never obtained European approval, it is quite an adventure to be able to register them even used if not previously registered in the same country. That's what I'm "clashing" with now with my Italian bureaucracy. What I didn't understand and why I also find German Mitsubishis (since they are very rare in Italy) without any homologation to the letter "K" of the registration certificate. The Germans are luckier, the TÜF works well without too many problems and they have simpler laws, unfortunately this is not the case in Italy.

[@muammaro.s5915]

2014 Ford Econoline E-350 with 6.8 litre v10 with 4x4 , That is the best overall .

[@OverlandSite]

I disagree. It’s much smaller inside and you can go ahead and try to use that V10 for world travel. Even if you don’t consider how much more expensive fuel is in most parts of the world relative to the US, it’s still drinking a HUGE amount so it will be very hard to finance a trip with that. What’s the MPG for that?

[@rberkel1]

Very good video! Which brand dampers (shock absorbers) did you fit?

[@OverlandSite]

Thank you! I will have to find the receipts and will let you know. They were installed by the previous owner so I can’t tell right now. And the problem is it will be a year and a half until i go home to check the invoice and answer you :(

[@tommynikon2283]

The fact that there really ISN'T an already made 4x4 van is pretty amazing. You almost have to go back 25 years+ to Toyota Hi-Ace and Mitsubishi's Dolica series. Then Mercedes comes out w/ a 4x4 model....only to kill it within a few shorts year; wtf? And they thought somehow that AWD was better off-road- in the wild, than 4x4? Huh? ps: and the whole Sprinter crowd....the CO$TS, and how difficult it is finding a damn Sprinter certified mechanic! pps: if I see one more Sprinter w/ the white subway tile backsplash....

[@OverlandSite]

I take you don’t like Sprinters. The thing is, they are quite capable and easy to service. Only in America you need a “Sprinter certified” mechanic. The rest of the world just gets the job done. I agree with you on many of your points. But for overlanding, where the goal is not to climb rock walls, a Sprinter is a pretty good choice, for lack of other options. The Hiace and the Delice are a LOT smaller. I like them both, but in that size i’d rather go for a Troopy.

[@ThePriceyShow]

I am so tempted to buy one of these in Australia but so concerned about parts…

[@OverlandSite]

You can order everything from China. Not sure about the latest models though, but parts for the version I got are available. The Chinese army are still using this model. But there are a number of European parts distributors that also supply parts and ship worldwide

[@Patcha-Mama]

Iveco daily 4x4 H2L2 ils the best choice !

[@OverlandSite]

I agree :)

[@sydgerald]

I really like this Daily model, here in Chile sadly We only got the 4x4 version on long wheel base, and those are way too long for my liking. Is this vehicle reliable? I would love to own one just like yours, with short wheel base. I just found your channel and I've already subscribed, I'm really enjoying your videos. All the best from Chile!

[@OverlandSite]

Thank you very much. We are going to be in Chile in a couple of months :) I can’t wait. I think a lot of people would be happy with the long 4x4 in Europe :) Reliability… it needs a lot of love for sure. You will see in the later videos that we had had a lot of issues, but all of them could be resolved fairly easily. Ours is 25 years old, so no surprise it needs work.(i don’t have time to edit these days so i am very much behind on tbe youtube videos buy they are coming)

[@sydgerald]

@@OverlandSite Thanks for your response, yeah older vehicles are likely to need some care, specially suspension parts and even engine parts failing due to use. Having said that I still prefer older vehicles due to their simplicity when working on them. Yeah the long wheel base ones are cool, but tricky to maneuver in tight spots. We also get a good amount of Mercedes Vario 818D 4x4 but you need special licence since those are 7 ton trucks (but really cool too). Today I saw your short and I saw you guys are in Bogotá, here the traffic is not so chaotic, but as in any part of the world there're exceptions. I hope You have a good trip, stay safe!

[@petarjovicic3311]

Who is the producer of your table that lowers down? ..one hand operation, it is perfect..

[@OverlandSite]

The producer is me :) The actual table is a magnet board from Ikea. I just added a couple of steel wires to the corners and bolts sticking out on the other side. It’s easily slides into the rails that were installed on the door already.

[@petarjovicic3311]

Its cool but i meant the inside table that lowers down to a platform for bed. Do you know who made it?

[@OverlandSite]

Ah got it! I’ll check if there is any sign on it and will get back to you.

[@OverlandSite]

Hi, I checked but unfortunately there is no brand on the table so I don’t know. I would think you will find it on campervan parts producers websites like Fiamma or similar

[@dawnb4197]

The Renault messenger also B110 B120 the same parts

[@OverlandSite]

Thank you for your comment. Which prarts are compatible? It would be good to know

[@va4p.overland]

the best choice for travelling around the world ;P

[@OverlandSite]

For sure :)

[@Peterballa113]

Sokat néztem VM90-eket amik lényegében ugyan ezek, de tartok az olasz minőségtől. Mennyire nevezhetjük ezeket a 2.8-as dízeleket megbízhatónak?

[@OverlandSite]

A rovid valasz az hogy ha karban van tartva akkor nagyon jo es megbizhato motor. Mivel nagyon egyszeru. Ha kovetsz minket instagrammon (ott sokkal frissebbek az infok) akkor esetleg lathattad hogy mostanaban eleg sokszor kellett a motorterbe vagy a kocsi ala bujnom. Sok problemank volt de egyetlen dologra vezethetok vissza: nem volt kicserelve a vezermulanc idoben. Hosszu sztori hogy miert nem, es a youtube videokban benne lesz minden info, de a lenyeg hogy ha a vezermulanc ki lett volna idoben cserelve akkor harmadennyi problemank lett volna. De igy is meg lehetett mindent oldani, akar tengerparton vagy kempingben torteno szerelessel (tehat nem kell hozza mindennel felszerelt muhely). Az alkatreszek sok mas autoval kompatibilisek (pl a terepvalto Ford), es egyebkent is minden mechanikus es egyszeru. Tegnapelott kempingben csereltunk vezermulancot. A VM90 pedig meg konnyebben szerelheto mert felnyilik a teljes eleje, a daily-nel kicsit nehezebben elerhetoek a dolgok.

[@OverlandSite]

Ja es az olasz minoseggel kapcsolatban: sok alkatresz nemet, tehat ezzel nincs gond. Viszont sokszor jut eszembe karbantartaskor vagy szereleskor hogy a tervezok biztos nem kommunilaltal a szerelokkel a tervezesi fazisban 😃

[@Peterballa113]

@@OverlandSite köszi a sok infót, ránézek az instádra

[@OverlandSite]

@@Peterballa113 szuper!

[@offgridfoldi]

Magyrok a vilagon greetings from belgium

[@OverlandSite]

Szia!

[@m.s8803]

👌👌👌👍🏻👍👍👍👍👍

[@OverlandSite]

✌️

[@beastman.330]

The only one comes close is the Mitsubishi dalica 4x4.

[@OverlandSite]

I think the Delica is a great vehicle. It’s probably a lot easier to drive than the Iveco, it’s much quiter and faster. The only thing is that it’s a LOT smaller inside so it would not be as comfortable to live in it full time. It’s always about priorities and compromises

[@bence.481]

Mikor fognak felkerülni a magyar csatornára a videók?

[@OverlandSite]

Egyelore nem tudom megmondani

[@xerra1]

11:15 I will tell you. Iveco 40.10 WM. I'm just kidding. I own one and it's not a van. It's a tank.

[@OverlandSite]

Good point the WM! 😀

[@fipsicola]

but if its to heavy, the problems will start

[@OverlandSite]

The chassis has been designed to hold much heavier loads than what our vehicle’s total weight is.

[@Overlandervanman]

What a coincidence! Also driving an Iveco 2,8 4x4 van and even my youtube site name nearly the same .youtube.com/@Overlandervanman I am from South Africa and find this setup perfect for the conditions here too.

[@OverlandSite]

I saw your review video ages ago! I love your setup. I don’t think your version of the Daily was ever available as a 4x4 in Europe