Picked up a 2004 AWD Astro for Central and South America

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Picked up a 2004 AWD Astro for Central and South America

Post by Wiley »

Hey, I have been on here for a bit researching the enormous amount of information you guys have made available....but figured now that I picked up one I needed to make it official. Thanks for all the help. My friend and I are planning on taking the astro through Central and South America, trip kicks off this March (yup this will be rushed!) Trying to keep it simple, but nothing is. Plan on a 2 inch lift, upgrading suspension, and throwing a fairly simple bed platform in the back, as well as standard equipment for this kind of trip like a fridge, dual batteries, etc.

Will post up a build thread once I have time, though due to my lack of skills I wouldn't expect too much haha. Anyway, thanks again.

Hopefully this pic is sized correctly, I resized it before posting it over on expo, but it still came up huge.
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Re: Picked up a 2004 AWD Astro for Central and South America

Post by MountainManJoe »

I've also been thinkingt about driving to S America. Good luck, and I look forward to reading all about it when you get back!

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Re: Picked up a 2004 AWD Astro for Central and South America

Post by LiftedAWDAstro »

Nice clean van! Good luck on the build.
Current rides:
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition

Mileage spreadsheet

Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
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Re: Picked up a 2004 AWD Astro for Central and South America

Post by crash »

can't wait for the build pics. congrats on the new ride. (like your avatar too!)
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97 Astro AWD (selling by summer .. i think) SOLD
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Re: Picked up a 2004 AWD Astro for Central and South America

Post by astrozam »

Welcome to the site, what are your plans in dealing with the Darien Gap?
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Re: Picked up a 2004 AWD Astro for Central and South America

Post by Wiley »

Thanks guys. We were originally going with a Tacoma, but the Astro just made too much sense once real thought was given, this is why we will be short on time, I kept delaying the purchase till I could find the right vehicle (Half the battle). We will be shipping the vehicle from Panama to Columbia in a shipping container. There is a lot of paper work involved, and no two experiences with this seem to be identical, but at the same time there is info out there on how to do it. Should cost under a grand assuming we split a container with someone else, which shouldn't be a problem since we will be on a very loose schedule. You can also do what is considered a roll on, roll off (think thats what its called). This requires you to hand over your keys and trust your stuff with someone else, they drive your vehicle onto a boat (think its somewhere between 400-700$). Cheaper, but almost every story results in something going missing. With the shipping container you put it in there and lock it, so you know your stuff is secure.

We will have a blog up before we go for people to follow along, as well as to provide others with information on what to expect, so stay tuned...I will add it to my sig once it is ready. :guitar:
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Re: Picked up a 2004 AWD Astro for Central and South America

Post by MountainManJoe »

are you worried about the gang wars at all?
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Re: Picked up a 2004 AWD Astro for Central and South America

Post by Wiley »

Not at all, though certainly not a question to underestimate. Most of the people involved with those problems are related to the cartels....it is very rare that tourists are involved, and if they are they usually where not being smart to begin with. Also, in general most of the problems are near the border towns, though there are other areas in mexico that are having problems. You should certainly realize and accept that something could go wrong before embarking on a trip like this, but I have a better chance of being hurt in a car accident, here in the US or any country south of here...than to be a target of anything other than theft. There are many people doing the same trip and they do not run into anything other than corrupt cops. Just keep a good head on your shoulders, don't go running around with fancy expensive looking things that will make you look like a target, and the percentages show you "should" be fine.

That being said, yes trouble can happen. I did read "Two Wheels Through Terror" by Glen Heggstad, some of you may have seen his story on locked up abroad. He was on a motorcycle adventure when he was taken hostage for 5 months in columbia by FARC rebels. This was back before the new president when columbia was considered the "kidnapping capital of the world". Columbia is much better now, but it still shows that life is unpredictable. You should also note he continued on with his adventure after his release, and is still riding around central and south america today :)

I will admit I am a skinny little white guy, and I lost 10 lbs from a stomach bug 2 months ago. I would feel a bit better if I had bulked up a bit before we leave haha. I have seen a few brave women doing this trip solo, as well as couples, and they seem to do alright, so it is not a major concern. My biggest fear is if something did happen, more likely we drive off a cliff or something, the guilt I would have caused friends and family...my mom would certainly blame herself for not stopping me lol from going, but that is what mothers do.

Most people report about how wonderful the people are. They go out of their way to help you. They are very prideful and love that you would travel to see their home. Feel free to ask any question you may have on this topic...im no expert yet, but love talking about it.
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Re: Picked up a 2004 AWD Astro for Central and South America

Post by MountainManJoe »

I was thinking along the same lines.

So where are you starting from? I assume you're shipping your van because it's convenient and economical?
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Re: Picked up a 2004 AWD Astro for Central and South America

Post by Wiley »

timelessbeing wrote:I was thinking along the same lines.

So where are you starting from? I assume you're shipping your van because it's convenient and economical?
Edit: What I wanted to do originally but had to cancel due to circumstances with work was go from San Diego up to Alaska, and then head back down following what you see below., but that trip will have to be when I return. If you have not done that I hope you are considering it, as you are already up in Vancouver, and that would be both a great experience and a great trial run for you. I suppose I am glad I did not though, as I would not have gotten the Astro if I had left a few months ago as planned.


I hope to drive the vehicle round trip. So we will be starting in San Diego as we both live there now, drive down Baja and take the ferry from La Paz to mainland Mexico. then drive around as much of Central America as we can. From panama we will ship the vehicle to Columbia in a shipping container (You can also ship from Panama to Ecuador if you do not wish to visit Columbia) probably spend a 2 weeks to a month in Columbia, and then head south along the west coast of South America. I believe we will drive down to Ushuaia which is just about the southern most city in the world, though this depends on my roomate and what kind of time we have left (We could skip this to save time and miles, though I want to go down there to experience patagonia, glaciers, penguins, experience the nonstop winds, etc but I can do this after hes gone if I really want to see it, will also depend on the time of year, as you can imagine it gets cold down there). From there we will head up to Buenos Aires and probably Brasil, but all of this again will be figured out along the way. Assuming the vehicle is still in good shape, and depending on my financial situation I would like to drive it back alone where it will be entirely my trip, pace, decisions, etc, though I may convince my brother to join me for part of it. If this doesn't pan out there is always the option of selling it down there and flying home.
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Re: Picked up a 2004 AWD Astro for Central and South America

Post by MountainManJoe »

Please pardon my ignorance. Clearly my geography knowledge of the area is lacking. I was very confused that you wanted to ship your van between two neighbouring countries on a road trip. I did a quick search in Google maps and sure enough, there are no roads into Colombia! Is that for real, or just missing information? Impassable mountains or politics? Ferries? Very strange.

Alaska is on my list of places to go, but I find myself more drawn to the South, towards warmer climates. You might be too if you lived here. :)
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Re: Picked up a 2004 AWD Astro for Central and South America

Post by Wiley »

It is in fact impassible (for the most part). This area is known as the Darien gap. There have been plans for years to connect the two areas, but in reality that will probably never happen due to the dangers, terrain, and the speed at which things get done down south. The terrain is incredibly unforgiving with swamplands and jungle, and I think mountains...as well as heavily overrun with drug runners/banditios etc. It is a very dangerous area. I believe that the local law enforcement would not allow you to enter the area due to this, so even if you were crazy enough to try, you would probably be denied. Theoretically you could ship a smaller vehicle (like a vw bug) by small boat, I think the # of people who have accomplished this can be counted on 1, maybe 2 hands. It is not worth the hassle, time it takes to line this up, or dangers associated with this, and I think everyone who has accomplished this feat admits that afterward.

As I said, ask away on your questions...there is a lot of info needed for this. I cannot imagine how difficult a trip like this was for people before the internet...thankfully now I can research what to expect, those guys before were brave! I have gotten to the point where I just don't care about the details anymore, I have become a bit overwhelmed. We have the main stuff down, and will figure out a lot as we go...but I think I can answer most questions with all the stuff I have looked at previously online. Plus like I said, I can talk about this all day...I have stopped talking about it with friends cause for a small time that was all they would ask me about. Now I hope I am not responding to your posts with too much....I feel like I go on and on.

I hear you, I am originally from upstate NY, 45 min from Montreal Canada, that is why I am in SD now, and that is why I am going further south haha.
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Re: Picked up a 2004 AWD Astro for Central and South America

Post by MountainManJoe »

I still can't believe that we live in the 21st century, and we have not connected two major continents by road. That is just dumbfounding! But I'm sure that if the USA was trade partners with S.America for something other than narcotics it would be a different story, but right now there is just no interest.

Please feel free to go on and on. Venturing outside of your comfort zone and into unexplored territory can be daunting, so travel advice and experience is invaluable!

Are you going to purchase firearms or guards once you get down there?
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Re: Picked up a 2004 AWD Astro for Central and South America

Post by MountainManJoe »

I did a bit of light reading about the Darien gap. It's very interesting. Apparently this is a separation of only about 100km. That's only 5 of my morning commutes! Only this is mountains, swamps and jungle.

There have been successful crossings of various kinds. Here are some highlights from Wiki:
  • "1962 saw a failed attempt by General Motors with a team of Chevrolet Corvairs supported by a bulldozer and a fuel truck."
  • "The first all-land auto crossing was in 1985–1987 by Loren Upton and Patty Mercier in a CJ-5 Jeep, taking 741 days to travel 125 miles (201 km), all on land."
  • In the 1990s the Darien Rainforest fell under control of armed groups. Combatants from Colombia entered Panama, occupied some Panamanian jungle villages and kidnapped or killed inhabitants and travelers
  • "In 2000, Tom Hart Dyke and a fellow traveller, Paul, were kidnapped by suspected FARC guerillas in the Darién Gap between Panama and Colombia while hunting for rare orchids, a plant for which he has a particular passion. He and his travel companion were held captive for nine months and threatened with death, before eventually being released unharmed and without a ransom being paid."
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Re: Picked up a 2004 AWD Astro for Central and South America

Post by Wiley »

timelessbeing wrote:I still can't believe that we live in the 21st century, and we have not connected two major continents by road. That is just dumbfounding! But I'm sure that if the USA was trade partners with S.America for something other than narcotics it would be a different story, but right now there is just no interest.
1st: 741 days to cross the gap...that is pure madness...wow is all I can say to that. As to the completion...from the US standpoint, I think they would prefer the gap not be completed, as it makes it more difficult for people to immigrate to the US.
timelessbeing wrote:Venturing outside of your comfort zone and into unexplored territory can be daunting, so travel advice and experience is invaluable!

Are you going to purchase firearms or guards once you get down there?
timelessbeing wrote:Please feel free to go on and on
(you asked for it haha!).

We will not be carrying any firearms, we will bring some pepper spray as a small deterrent, but really I am not even concerned about trouble. If you keep a good head on your shoulders, you should be fine. You can get into much more trouble for having a gun, than not having one. Take Mexico for example. They have very strict gun laws, they just are not good at enforcing them. But knowing you are north American, if they want to either bribe you, or hit you with harsh punishments, they can use that to their benefit. A few say they sneak guns in with them, but I would say 90% of the people do not, and recommend against bringing guns with them. Of course these are all generalizations, many of the police force are good people, and are there to protect you. You will discover this quickly when they stop you to talk to you. They love their country, and do not want to see it in the shape it is in today. The US media doesn't help. With the economy in bad shape, they want us to spend our money here at home, so it is to their advantage to scare us from going abroad where our money will be spent elsewhere. "Staycation"...yeah that is a dumb "word invented to make people feel good about spending money here at home. The Mexican economy is really hurting from the bad press, so most citizens and police officers welcome people who are brave enough to enter, and want to keep them safe so more will follow.

I have never heard of anyone hiring armed escorts for south America, it really shouldn't be necessary. In other places in the world like Africa, Pakistan, etc. that is something that is recommended, and sometimes required. We will be avoiding the North East portion of South America (Venezuela, and smaller countries like Guyana etc) for 2 reasons. The "mud" roads up there can be very difficult to use as they are remote and in rough shape. We will not have a winch, which will limit where we can go. Add to that, that it is an even more poor area there are places that are not as safe. That is not to say people do not travel there and love it, but we will be avoiding it. We will be staying to the western side of Columbia, as the FARC rebels are mainly concentrated in the mountains of East Columbia/Western Venezuela. I have read mixed reviews on how the Venezuelan people are towards Americans...but I believe for the most part they are great people who have no problem with us. But some do dislike Americans, kind of like how some stupid Americans will look down on Mexicans for no real reason. The political tension between our govts. make border crossings rather difficult as well apparently.

A few tidbits to avoid problems with cops. You will need to bring a fire extinguisher, as well as 2 safety triangles. They get a good amount of tourists with the safety triangle law. They will also try and tell you you are breaking rules you did not, speeding, illegal passing, etc....so many people will pretend not to understand what they are saying, even if they speak/understand Spanish, they will only talk to the cops in English. Really it is a game, and if you are patient (20 min-1 hr), you can get out of it without paying a bribe, offer them a water, or coke if anything. The best advice, be friendly, and stay calm. If they see you have all day, and are not going to play their games, or be intimidated, they will let you go and try someone else who is an easier target. You will also find a majority of the times you are pulled over is because they see where your plates are from, and want to hear about it. They love it. It can get old though, imagine trying to drive somewhere and being pulled over 8 times in 1 day to talk about your adventure....slow progress!

You should also carry a dummy wallet with a canceled credit card, and maybe 5 singles. That way when you open it to get your license they don't see how much you really have. Some people try and get away with a copied license, and keep the real one hidden in the vehicle. Sometimes they will try and keep your license, telling you you have to go to the bank to pay the fine, which is closed till Monday. Tell them that is fine, your in no rush...its just more of their games. If they keep the license they keep it, you still have a passport...but usually tourists have somewhere to be, and just pay them. We will not be part of that group. Hide money is a few places in your vehicle...just to be safe. We will also be getting a couple international drivers licenses, they are 15 bucks from AAA, and we don't care if they keep them. Not everyone will accept them though. Some people see nothing wrong with paying 20 bucks to get out of there. That is up to you personally. I will do what I can to not pay them, as it only encourages their actions. I have read of 1 guy who had to pay 1000$ because a corrupt cops help a bag of white powder through his window threatening to plant it...so while uncommon, it is not always avoidable.
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