Member Since: 19 Jan 2006
Location: Perth
Posts: 409
Well, just got back from a 6500 km trip ( about 1000 km of dirt/sand) in 2 weeks through the North-West of Western Australia. Started from Perth, through Meekatharra, up the old Charles Kingsford-Smith mail route track to Mt Augustus (largest rock in the world, apparently), through the station tracks to Parabadoo, cut across to Sandfire Flats, up to Broome, then Cape Leveque/Chile Creek and finally back via the coast road through 80 Mile Beach, Karratha, Carnarvon and Perth (you can check Google Maps if some of the stops are unfamiliar).
Fully loaded and towing a 1.5 ton camper, the car went flawlessly, cruising at 110 ~ 120 kph all day on the bitumen, 80 ~ 100 kph on the dirt, 40 ~ 50 kph in sand. I got around 550 km per tank, which I didn't think was too bad considering the load. The D3 is certainly the ideal remote-area tourer!!
Photos as soon as I upload them.
Cheers,
Gordonex - 2006 D3 TDV6 SE, silver, with lots of stuff - R.I.P.
ex - 2009 D3 TDV6 SE, silver, had lots of stuff too!
Now - 2010 RRS 3.0 TDV6, rimini red, 18" rims + Cooper LTZ, rear eLocker, Spider tuning box, GOE protection plates and rock sliders, GOE 3way shortened rods.
Prepared the D£ for holiday - converted it into a Tin Tent
Custom made some window blinds after getting the idea from a commercial web site (fortunately, as they dont provide these for the D3 yet I was forced to make my own) and probably saved a pretty penny in the process.
See my gallery for some pics.
Life is what you make it.
21st Jul 2007 8:10 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73000
Drove 640 miles today from Grantown on Spey to Usk via Oxford. Had to do 100+ mile detour as the M5 was a swimming pool for much of its length and closed, along with the M50. Do I seem to remember "they" were forcasting the hottest summer ever this year? Global warming, chance would be a fine thing!
Fitted my RAI and front number plate plinth today.
Starting to look like a proper car.... Although it would benefit from a winch and perhaps 4 Lightforce 140s on the roof.... I know it's not considered "kind" to say no these days, but no. Just no, ok? And if it's not ok, still no.
D3 11y, 425k km - sold, miss it though (MAR, DNK, NOR, SWE, SCO, WAL, MUD ...)
22nd Jul 2007 9:21 pm
SN
Member Since: 03 Jan 2006
Location: Romiley
Posts: 13710
I sneakily did the green lane 'tween New Mills and Rowarth'ish with SWMBO in the car without letting her know we were going to do it (tarmac just runs out past New Mills Golf Course)
"See..." I told her "That wasn't too bad was it? We don't do any worse than that on our trips..." Steve N | 21MY Defender | 08MY Discovery 3 (history) | 06MY Discovery 3 (ancient history)
22nd Jul 2007 9:34 pm
Nigel Tracey
Member Since: 04 Nov 2006
Location: Lausanne
Posts: 395
Nice one Steve,
Looked out for you and Gareth last week when back in S.Port. The new D3 was the dogs, It's first run and we made over 2,000 miles.
Didn't spot any Disco3 stickers although did notice that half of S.Port seems to drive D3's these days ! Couldn't believe how many we saw. Must have been 10-15 each day.Mrs Jones ? We've come for your Liver
made myself some new mudflaps out of a simple sheet of rubber ... no worries if I tear them apart D4
Disco4.com sticker
D3 11y, 425k km - sold, miss it though (MAR, DNK, NOR, SWE, SCO, WAL, MUD ...)
2nd Aug 2007 11:27 am
Alex08
Member Since: 09 Nov 2006
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 1600
Drove the euro route E576/E58 from Gura Humorlului to Cluj Napoca in Romania. Well, would have driven the route, but they have dug it up - the WHOLE road! No idea of progressive roadworks. They replace the entire length of the road at the same time. Some bits were concrete (old road) some bits were subsurface tarmac (new road not yet finished) some bits were stones, bits were mud, some were all of the above. Some bits there were 3 lanes, some 2 lanes, some one lane and others you just made up as you went along! Traffic management was occasional men with a green or red stick, cvery occasionally traffic lights, but most often, you and the opposing driver just came to an arrangement about who went where! he bigger vehicle generally won! As they say in the ad, "there are times when you are glad you are in a Land Rover"! If we had taken the SLK it would have bottomed out so often we would have turned back!
We did try one short cut from our map - followed this minor road that was supposed to go from Fraisin to Cojoci via Gemenea. It was a bit 'off road' at the beginning and then excellent tarmac.......until it stopped abruptly. Asking a passing local about this he laughed and said it had only every been a walking track! So much for the 2004 map! We bought a newer one after that, and went back to the roadworks.
When this road is finished (E576) it will be spectacular - over the carpathian mountains, 1300m above sea level. Stunning views and I would recommend Hotel Dracula (yes really) as a place to stay at the top of the pass. Very nice hotel and stunning views. Also it is an impressive drive along the Bistritsa valley from Vatra Dornei.
Romanian drivers are spectacular when it comes to overtaking - suprisingly the only thing which has hit the D3 so far has been a horse and cart which took a chunk out of the bonnet paintwork whilst we were stationary parked off the road outside the local chief of police's house! He was not impressed!
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a pitty they don't have roads like that over here, I'd be eager to "drive" them 
