Defender in Switzerland

[MaverickV12]

Hi Guys (again),

I'm hoping to take the Defender to Switzerland in a few weeks time, this will mean a 600 odd mile journey there and a 600 mile journey back and about 400 miles there, just over 1500 miles ish.....

Some of you may know I have some 285/75/16 Khumo tyres that are pretty good looking but quite off roadish, and now I'm taking them on a Motorway at pretty much their maximum rated speed.

I've done a lot of road trips before, including Swiss, but never before in a Defender.

Tyres ----- ----- thinking of running more road like tyres for the motorway journey and indeed other possible road trips, what are your views on taking the khumo's these 1500 motorway miles, and if you had a choice, would you run different motorway tyres. I'd still want to run 285/75/16, but a more road like tread pattern.

I'm also well into my snow/winter tyres, so I don't mind buying winter tyres and running those in the summer if it means that its a more long distance friendly tyre.

Lastly..... any other points that someone might like to raise, like will I need a Physio session when I'm there because of the seats etc.....

Thanks, in anticipation ........

[Scoticus]

Hi,
last year we did 2500 miles through France in a 1998 110 with no difficulties.

The only problem we had was when a UJ went. Luckily our local LR specielest made us an emergance kit with all the basics, UJs, few.engine parts etc...

We took some cushions for the rear seats because they are fairly basic, and removed the rear bench seats to make the boot space a lot bigger.

Give the car a good going over before you leave, check everything, if you find anything worn, change it here..

then just take the basics.

Hope you have a good time, and you couldnt do it in a better car

[hexica]

Have you already done this trip?

This is my friend Twisted Defender in Switzerland. He drove it down a year or so ago. Want me to ask him how he faired on the journey?



He totally loves the car over there by the way.

[MaverickV12]

hexica said:

Have you already done this trip?

Hello Hexica, have done the trip now....



Above is Mt Titlis (Engelburg)



Above is the Grimasel Pass (Dammastock Mountain Range)



Above is the FurkaPass, not many places that you can take the car up to 2400metres



Above is the SustenPass after torrential rain, the river was more than, "white water"...



Above is Engelburg Village, attempting one of a million hairpin bends, turning circle is (as everyone knows) is very poor, and Switzerland showed this up a million times .....



Above shows the rear storage, (and my mum getting out) had 8 people to Swiss and 9 people back, covered about 2000 miles in the round trip, needed the extra space for luggage. Car did better than I thought, it was not exactly a motorway cruiser, but would hit 93mph (not 94) its restricted to 93, obvioulsy I was not driving and this was on a private road and not the French highway. But with a legal limit of 81mph, the car did really well.

Overtaking on single carriage ways was press and wait, especially with 8/9 people in it, but long time cruising WAS possible, I did notice the fuel tank was small and at speed the consumption was quite poor, but what was I to expect?

But at my age you're more limited by your bladder size than your fuel tank size

The tyres worked really really well, I was expecting the Khumo's to be terribly noisy and very uncertain. I could not be more wrong, the noise came from the wind resistance in the body work, the tyre noise was drowned easily. The Defender is not the most aerodynamic ...... but I knew that Also tyres are not wearing out at all, 5000 miles now and I can't see any wear ..... I mean any.

Defenders wave to other Defenders in England, but in Swiss, they almost drive off the road trying to get your attension of the English Defender (us English being the home of the Defender).

Not exactly an autobahn cruiser, but could easily keep up with the anything on the road, and would overtake most cars within the limit. Noisy at speed, but I knew that. Held 8/9 people plus luggage, really very well. Only other car that could do that would be a minibus, but then would not have the Iconic looks of a Defender. I think that if I was on my own I would take another car (in the summer), but for 9 people .... bril.

Am looking at other trips in the snow from Nov 2013 onwards, then will defo be looking at the Defender on snow tyres ......

[300bhp/ton]

I can't see the problem tbh. Most people do 8-12k miles a year on such tyres. So doing a road trip shouldn't be any real bother.

More road biased tyres may improve mpg and ride slightly. But that's be true if you were doing 50miles locally too. Overall I wouldn't worry about it.

[100SRV]

We are taking the Bowler to France very soon and also use Kumho muds - I can't fault them as a "single fit suits all roles" tyre. To be honest the cost benefit ratio of having road biased tyres doesn't make sense unless your mud tyres are very agressive. Some great photographs and nice climbs for the Defender to get a work out.

Hopefully we can do some green laning whilst in Normandy

O/T have a look for "2000 miles of nervous nirvana" on Pirate 4x4 - that is an epic trip!

100SRV