- You are currently viewing DISCO3.CO.UK as a guest - Register to take part or Log In
Jamo
Member Since: 18 Jan 2006
Location: Esperance, Western Australia
Posts: 1170
|
Around here, there's a few!. Not many, but more than average. The soccer mums in Esperance like to drive Landcruisers and Prados.
We're 700km from the state capital and 400km from the nearest centre with a population over 20,000.
In the big cities like Sydney, you probably wouldn't see too many though!
But if you really want to get out an explore, you either fit a bigger tank or carry lots of jerrys Have a nice day!
2010 Cayenne Diesel with PASM & Off Road Pkg
2005 HSE D3 (Sold)
|
 16th May 2006 3:39 am |
|
|
Glymmer_Man
Member Since: 08 Mar 2006
Location: Sunny Downtown Sydney. I wish it were raining.
Posts: 319
 
|
He he he!
What are you saying Jamo, us city folk just buy offroaders to be bigger than the next guy? 
Personally, I'd like to find some tracks (only day or weekenders) where the gates aren't all locked. 
P.S. Our's over here all drive Prado's, LandCruisers, Pajero's and X5/3s.
|
| 16th May 2006 3:55 am |
|
|
Jamo
Member Since: 18 Jan 2006
Location: Esperance, Western Australia
Posts: 1170
|
Glymmer_Man wrote:He he he!
What are you saying Jamo, us city folk just buy offroaders to be bigger than the next guy
Ha, Ha...don't worry, there's a few around here like that. Why else would you by an F-truck?? Have a nice day!
2010 Cayenne Diesel with PASM & Off Road Pkg
2005 HSE D3 (Sold)
|
| 16th May 2006 4:20 am |
|
|
Tony
Member Since: 20 Apr 2006
Location: Adelaide Hills
Posts: 183
|
G'day Dick,
Henley Beach has been overshadowed by Glenelg (next suburb South), where all the beautiful people have their high-rise apartments, with off street parking for the BMW & Merc 4x4's.  Still a nice area though - hope you can get back to enjoy it sometime.
Now for a bit of a rant! I realise that the D3 will not do the job that my Defender did, but I do think it could have been designed with a little more thought for use in rough conditions. As others have pointed out, having to unpack the gear in the back, then wrestle a dirty spare out from under is far from optimum, regardless of weather and your distance from civilization. And the best that can be said of the fuel tank is that it is marginal in capacity.
It seems that the D3 has been aimed at the suburban buyer, who may do an "Advanced 4WD Course" and climb mighty mountains, descend steep cliffs and ford raging rivers during the afternoon, then run the car through the car wash and go home, so mum can do the school run next day. In short, the same market profile as Benz, BMW et al aim at. The proliferation of technological wizardry on the beast is handy for a bit of a boast in the pub for the majority of buyers, but will likely never be used in anger. One has only to look at the covers for trailer plugs and front recovery points to appreciate that the 'dirty bits' were considered not fit for public display.
So, having fired off that lot, why did I buy one, and not invest my hard-earned cash in a Prado, with it's BIG fuel capacity and spare mounted on the rear door, and trailer hitch proudly displayed at the proper level? Well, like most of us, I like Landies and put up with their oddities in order to enjoy their better qualities. But I can still see some areas where the job could be done better.
And while I don't know of any 4x4 with two spare tyres as standard, I do know that BMW X5 (95l), Pajero (90l), Mercedes ML (95l), Nissan Patrol (131l), Porsche Cayenne (100l), Toyota Prado (180l) and Landcruiser (141l) all manage the fuel issue better.
Cheers,
Tony.
0 Ex Defender 110 200Tdi owner.
|
| 16th May 2006 5:02 am |
|
|
Baben
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
 
|
It must be a huge challenge to spec a vehicle for all eventualities, but I empathise with the frustrations you are experiencing. We are preparing for our first "huge" trip in June, which is about 7000km thru Botswana and Namibia. Its too rough for the trailer, and we need to have space for the 2 kids, so we practically have to strap everything we need to the roofrack, which is 80l fuel, 2nd spare tyre, roof tent, 40l water etc. very trying, but it's gonna be FUN! I reckon the aftermarket 4x4 equipment suppliers are doing very well in our region.
By the way, any South African's out there who managed to get real (Nitto, MTR's, Cooper) tyres locally?
|
| 27th May 2006 5:19 am |
|
|
Gurvan
Member Since: 02 Jan 2005
Location: Germany... Not far from both the US and Hard German rock...
Posts: 1089
 
|
I am not THAT sure but it seems to me that, with the load you are describing, you might be way overloading the roof...
The weight limit which figures in the various L.R Publications are there for dynamic reasons and not simply because of the weight limit of the roof rack...
But hey, that is YOUR décision... Georgia On My Mind...
|
| 27th May 2006 9:23 am |
|
|
Baben
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
|
Yep, you are right. Off road limit of the Land Rover rack is 50kg, on road 75kg, not because of the roof strength, but because of the dynamics of the vehicle. While you are standing still, you can have a party on the roof if you like.  There are some other posts about this subject elsewhere. I have given up on the Land Rover "expedition" roof rack, cos it's too light-duty for this purpose, (anyone around JHB want a slightly used genuine LR rack?) but we still have to bear in mind the dynamics of the vehicle and the effects of so much weight up high. We only need the extra fuel for one stretch in the middle of the trip, where we will be going v..e..r..y slow thru the bush. 80l diesel is over 100kg including the weight of the jerrycans & brackets, but you must stop at every opportunity to fill the vehicle tank from the jerrycans. Water will be carried in cans secured inside the vehicle. Down a particularly difficult stretch, some weight will be removed from the roof and secured wherever possible inside the vehicle.
All of which brings us back to the point - it would be so much easier if we had fuel tanks available installed under the vehicle.
Any response on the tyre issue? Am I the only Safrican on this forum?
|
| 27th May 2006 1:23 pm |
|
|
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
|
Me personally if I'm in a suit and need to change a tyre I'd phone LRA  I'd agree with our Aussie cousins that underneath is a pain in the butt, especially if you have dog cages or drawers in the boot. However I thought the spare tyre formed part of the rear crash protection, very relevant in busy Blighty, but maybe of no importance in Australia. I agree too that the faffy system that hides the recovery points is appallingly designed. They have so nearly got it right with D3, yet you do see that different environments cause different problems. Do you Aussies know how tough Tescos carpark is for instance DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
|
| 27th May 2006 5:01 pm |
|
|
|
Posting Rules
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
|
DISCO3.CO.UK Copyright © 2004-2024 Futuranet Ltd & Martin Lewis
|
|
