 | Home > Expedition & Overland > Suitability of Defender for European overlanding? |
 
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| NickEJ Member Since: 24 Nov 2012 Location: Ljubljana Posts: 152   
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You've got a roof top tent yet sleep behind the front wheel?
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13th Feb 2014 12:28am |
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| JSG Member Since: 12 Jul 2007 Location: Berkshire Posts: 2412  
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Yes, a Defender will be fine in standard trim for what you want - however so would any Land Rover product, or indeed any 4WD Estate / SUV.
Take away the off tarmac tracks and any car will do it. The difference is that the Defender will make it seem more of an adventure. The only downside (apart from dearer fuel costs) that I've found using the 110 in Europe for travelling is the height which restricts the use of car parks in many towns. John http://www.hampshire4x4response.co.uk 2011 Tdci 110 CSW XS |
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13th Feb 2014 9:39am |
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. Guess there’s no one ideal set up that will navigate the villages and cities and then do the countryside and the rugged interiors whilst giving everyone a comfortable ride and a good night sleep (without too much hassle setting up camp)… Defender with a rooftop tent or trailer might come close though.
| Limey Member Since: 18 Oct 2013 Location: Northern Italy Posts: 193 
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Hi. I just drove my 110 csw from the Midlands in England, down to Milan, Italy where we're currently based and we really loved the trip. It averaged about 28mpg on diesel, costing about 225 in diesel to do the journey, which I don't think is too bad at all. As we did the run in the Winter time, we hit a blizzard in the Alps, and suddenly as all the hatchbacks started slipping and sliding in the fresh snow ruts, we became the fastest vehicle on the road!
Since we've been back, we've done a bunch of weekend adventures and I reckon that the Defender does have its benefits. Because when we're making a plan for our next trip, we find that we don't hold ourselves back. An example; we're staying in an igloo in Austria in a couple of weeks time, and if we were planning that trip in a normal car, or camper, we might have second guessed if it were wise, using the snowy mountain roads in February to get up there. But knowing we're using the 110, we don't give it a second thought. And I think that in itself counts for a lot. In the Summer time I anticipate a similar situation, we'll be studying maps when planning our routes, and will always pick remote, less easily accessible locations, so that we can end up somewhere quiet and unspoilt. I reckon it will open up your possibilities more than any other vehicle, so I'd say go for it. |
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14th Feb 2014 11:15am |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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A Discovery would be perfectly adequate.
They're not a common thing, but they do exist. A few years ago I owned this Desert Wolf trailer, which was used to tour Norway and a good portion of central Europe:  Click image to enlarge The big advantages were the comforts that could be accomodated, the lack of clutter in the tow vehicle and the ability to make camp and then go exploring without the need to pack it all away again. The big disadvantage of course, was that you're towing a trailer. The only time it was a real issue though was when we found ourselves in a multi-storey car park whilst looking for a glacier in Austria, which came as a bit of surprise. Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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14th Feb 2014 11:34am |
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| Samblers Member Since: 29 Jan 2014 Location: Perth, innit Posts: 63  
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The rental trailer we've used over here in WA
Click image to enlarge ... i guess we weren't the only ones with this idea on this day 
Anyway, doubt its suitability for navigating underground car parks! Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated  |
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22nd Feb 2014 11:52pm |
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| db950 Member Since: 01 Feb 2012 Location: Lincoln Posts: 560 
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Sorry to jump on your thread but while there is people on here who have travelled in Europe I have a question to ask.
I'm in the very early stages of planning a road trip for next year, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Bavaria, dumb question alert!!! How big an issue is driving a RHD vehicle through EU, I never gave it a thought but a work colleague mentioned it today and said I would be better hiring a LHD to do the trip. ( obviously doesn't get the idea about doing it in my defender!) Any thoughts, is it awkward, stressful? Or no problem. Thanks 1997 Ex-MOD 110, Pop Top Camper, build thread https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic72352.html 2014 Discovery 4 SE Tech Instagram @the110camper |
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24th Mar 2014 11:35pm |
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| NickEJ Member Since: 24 Nov 2012 Location: Ljubljana Posts: 152
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We did two weeks in Germany and France last and not a problem in a RHD car. Of course it helps being that much higher up. Only thing to watch out for are car park barriers which seem a little too low for Defenders. I had to park with the coaches in Heidelberg!
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24th Mar 2014 11:43pm |
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| db950 Member Since: 01 Feb 2012 Location: Lincoln Posts: 560
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Thanks, I didn't think it would be too much of an issue but good to hear from someone who's done it. 1997 Ex-MOD 110, Pop Top Camper, build thread https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic72352.html
2014 Discovery 4 SE Tech Instagram @the110camper |
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24th Mar 2014 11:54pm |
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| NickEJ Member Since: 24 Nov 2012 Location: Ljubljana Posts: 152
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Actually, now I remember it, my proudest moment of Defender ownership was at a campsite in Aachen. The camp site host/manager (fuehrer?), who had previously been a somewhat taciturn individual, stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the Land Rover and exclaimed in a very loud voice, "Zat is ze best car in ze world! You can go across ze Sahara Desert in zat car!" With that he wondered off and I never saw him again, but he'd made my day.
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25th Mar 2014 12:02am |
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| Limey Member Since: 18 Oct 2013 Location: Northern Italy Posts: 193
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Hiya, I live in Italy most of the year and have a RHD Defender, and from my experience, I'd say not to worry about it. Driving around normally really isn't a problem, you just watch the gap between your own side and the parked cars (or hedge etc) and let the other side sort itself out. The only interesting thing is the motorway tolls, if you have a passenger, then they grab the ticket or make the payment for you. If you're on your own, you either slide over and pay through the passenger window. Or you jump out and walk around to pay. Personally, I stick my hazards on, to let people know that my toll lane may be slower and then slide across the seat, I kill the engine first so that I don't accidentally push the lever into first as I slide past it! But really, in general, it's all no problem. |
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25th Mar 2014 7:55am |
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| db950 Member Since: 01 Feb 2012 Location: Lincoln Posts: 560
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Thanks for the replies and putting my mind at rest. Back to planning the trip now!!
No doubt I'll be back with more questions! Actually better make my own thread. 1997 Ex-MOD 110, Pop Top Camper, build thread https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic72352.html 2014 Discovery 4 SE Tech Instagram @the110camper |
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25th Mar 2014 11:30am |
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| Cupboard Member Since: 21 Mar 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 2971 
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I drove across Europe over the summer and out the other side and it really didn't make much difference.
Having a passenger was useful, sometimes the police got confused and got the passenger out to check his documents and once out the other side of Europe on then it was all a bit random anyway and there were vehicles all over the road/"road". |
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25th Mar 2014 1:14pm |
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| leealanr Member Since: 18 Mar 2014 Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Posts: 33 
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I have a new LHD 110 CSW. However, if I was living back in Europe, we would have a Disco 4. It can do 99% of what a Defender does, but is better on road.
family love the 110 but having travelled extensively in Europe by car, the additional luxury of the 4 does come into its own. that being said, when we finish in Ethiopia in 2016, I will drive my Defender home and am looking forwards to that. alan l. |
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30th Mar 2014 1:14pm |
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| Samblers Member Since: 29 Jan 2014 Location: Perth, innit Posts: 63
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Would still love to see pics of peoples camping/touring setups that cater for 2 adults + 2 kids!
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24th Apr 2014 8:31am |
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