What would you choose for long distance adventures?

[speedychrissie]

Afternoon all.

Maybe it is the upcoming new year and all the resolutions being thrown around or maybe it is the fact that I have just finished reading Ran Fiennes book "to the ends of the earth", but I am seriously considering a major adventure overland in the near future.

I really liked the "long way round/down" adventures as did my brother and sister and we all said that we would love to do something similar, but seeing as none of us are very handy on motorbikes and I have recently developed a love of Landies I thought that a Landy would be the sensible choice. The only problem I have is which model to choose and what options/accessories would be sensible.

The kind of adventure I am considering would range from recreating the "long way down" route through europe into northern africa to the pyramids, upto going east through russia with lake baikal north of mongolia as the destination. going further than either of these destinations would probably pose problems with administration and time (driving to lake baikal would probably take about 4 weeks and coming back on the transiberian railway would hopefully be an option)

so what steed would you choose for such an adventure?
obviously reliability and capability on various terrains are of utmost importance, but reasonable economy would be very handy as well as the ability to take three passengers and 5 weeks worth of supplies.
would something more modern be better than something older. or would you suggest a well looked after older car would be as capable as something newer but more expensive?

thanks in advance.

[cptsideways]

One that is comfortable, powerful enough for sand duities & does'nt break!!


One of the bedhouin guides on the past Sahara trip I did explained how groups of Landie owners with overladen roofracks would thrive on fixing their cars on a regular basis, it was THE adventure for them fixing stuff out in the desert. However groups of dare I say it Toyota owners would get on with their adventures into much deeper torritory to go see the far away places without such technical hitches.

Plus there are "shops" in the deepest parts of the Sahara that sell Toyota parts I kid you not!! I use the term shops loosely as it was really a man with a tent, some goats & a very good selection of service items.

Anyway if it has to be a LR product then it'd be a 110 lwb van for security, without an overladen roofrack, some comfy seats & an engine with more than 100bhp. Keep it lightweight & simple.

Edited by cptsideways on Wednesday 31st December 14:17

[speedychrissie]

cptsideways said:

However groups of dare I say it Toyota owners would get on with their adventures into much deeper torritory to go see the far away places without such technical hitches.

I did have a niggling doubt that maybe a toyota would be a better starter machine, but I was hoping that there might be some people on here who could oppose that argument.

[AJWB]

Personally I'd want a Landy over a Toyota, mainly because if it does go wrong it's easier to fix. Which Landy is the question. I'd be tempted to go with a 110, mainly because it's simple, and it really is the Landy to have. Having said that, Discoverys are just as good when the going gets tough, and they're more comfortable.

[Psimpson7]

Id go for a 300tdi Defender 110 or Discovery 1. Both will be very reliable, good on fuel. Disco will be cheaper and more comfortable, Defender will be able to carry more, and simpler.

if you have the budget, a nice newer td5 110 may be even better.

We took my td5 90 from the Gold Coast in Australia to Cape York back in June 08.

Report here if you fancy some nice pictures and a bit more inspiration!!

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/queensland-reports/59025...

Rgds
Pete

[Mars]

I'd buy a Disco-3 with some good documented history. They're not all unreliable dogs. Get it serviced by someone recommended by the owners club and I reckon it'd be the most comfy, most capable vehicle you could imagine.

[speedychrissie]

Psimpson7 said:

Report here if you fancy some nice pictures and a bit more inspiration!!

that is an awesome report, and just the kind of thing i was looking for.

[ruaricoles]

Mars said:

I'd buy a Disco-3 with some good documented history. They're not all unreliable dogs. Get it serviced by someone recommended by the owners club and I reckon it'd be the most comfy, most capable vehicle you could imagine.

I'd second that - there are plenty used for big trips without issue, they're amazingly capable and infinitely more comfortable than a 110 as much as I love Defenders. Could you buy one that's already prepared for such adventures, or an ex-G4 one which may at least have a winch, some underbody protection etc?

Ruari

[Mars]

A conversation I had with a D3-owning friend left me with an impression that some level of underbody protection exists on these from new. I can't recall the details of the conversation but that impression is what I've been left with.

I can ask him if interested.

[zippy144]

Hi

I am off to Morrocco and the Sahara Desert in September so i am right in the middle of building my vehicle.

We chose a 110 Station Wagon with a 200TDI, the main reason being i am a bit of a Land Rover man....

We chose a 110 for the storage capacity, we have removed all the seats and built a custom install to our own requirments. The station Wagon was chosen because having the back doors makes it alot easier to get to theings in the back without climbing right over everything. We have taken to truly uncomftable Front Land Rover seats out and Repaced them with Recaro seats from a MK3 Escort. They are very soft and they are bucket'd so they hold in on the rough stuff. The only items we will have on our roof rack is 2 Roof tents, as i quite agree about keeping all the wieght down low.

We did debate over Toyota's and Discovery's, Disco's have no storage space but are comfy to travel in, but i quite agree if you don't really have a budget go and buy a Toyota it will be the best motor for sure...

BUT

They are expensive to buy, and the Diesel engine maybe huge and have lots of power but the fuel consumption would be unreal when fully loaded.

For me half the Fun is fixing the Landy when it breaks to get yourself out of trouble, and it may be slow and very uncomftable, but it is a Land Rover...

Regards

Tom aka Zippy

[cptsideways]

zippy144 said:

For me half the Fun is fixing the Landy when it breaks to get yourself out of trouble, and it may be slow and very uncomftable, but it is a Land Rover...

Regards

Tom aka Zippy

See I told you so Any way sounds like a great adventure, where you planning on heading? It'll be damn hot that time of year like 40 plus degrees Even in Jan it gets to 30 odd & thats hot enough.

[speedychrissie]

thanks for all the input everyone.

tom, have you done any overland adventures before? make sure you report back on how it all goes for all of us. good luck with it all.

[zippy144]

Hi

No this is the 1st..... We are going with Trailmasters for the 1st trip just to give us an idea of what it is all about....

Regards

Tom aka Zippy