 | Home > Expedition & Overland > Suitability of Defender for European overlanding? |
 
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| spudfan Member Since: 10 Sep 2007 Location: Co Donegal Posts: 4660  
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1990 we bought a 90 turbo diesel hardtop and drove around Ireland. We slept in the back of it on a board across the wheel boxes. It was basic, haphazard but wonderful. Did it for two summers. Cooked outside it by the side of the road or ditch, depending on where we parked. Drove around visiting ringforts, castles, lakes, souterrains (underground chamber type rooms) standing stones and places mentioned in Irish Mythology. So if we managed in that you should be alright!
After six years and two kids we changed to a 110. Done much the same in that -with three borrowed cousins along with our own kids. No more sleeping in the vehicle as we upgraded to a tent! Trouble with owning a bigger vehicle is that you end up cramming more in for your trips! You could do it in a more economical vehicle fuelwise but you wouldn't carry as much or have as much fun as in a Land Rover.  1982 88" 2.25 diesel
1992 110 200tdi csw -Zikali 2008 110 2.4 tdci csw-Zulu 2011 110 2.4 tdci csw-Masai |
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25th Apr 2014 11:24pm |
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| Samblers Member Since: 29 Jan 2014 Location: Perth, innit Posts: 63  
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great stuff, thanks!
Seems tent is the way to go, and put up with carrying 10t of crap 
Jees a camper trailer is a bit of a pain but its a great place to store all of the camping stuff! |
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1st May 2014 8:37am |
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| wyvern Member Since: 13 Dec 2009 Location: Cornwall Posts: 2108  
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Hi Samblers
we have used our 110 all over Europe for a few trips going over as far a Venice, and up to Norway as far as Lilliehammer each trip taking about 18 days. we have a dormobile conversion so dont need to carry tents etc, which makes life so much easier. the 110 is perfect for Europe where most of the roads have a 50mph speed limit - so its not a race and with the 6 speed box makes it economical as well as low stress driving (....most of the time !) we are off on another trip to Norway again this month - aiming to get to Tromso and cruise all the coast roads taking in the handiwork of Slartibartfast
so go for it! have a great trip and make it up as you go along !  Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Poppy - TDCI (Puma) 110XS 2.2 - Camper conversion - see the build here - https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic56530.html Elgar -TDCI(Puma) 110XS Dormobile - now sold Devon & Cornwall 4x4 Response - DC126 |
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1st May 2014 10:37am |
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| Samblers Member Since: 29 Jan 2014 Location: Perth, innit Posts: 63
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That looks awesome.
I'm not familiar with Dormobile conversions (except for 60's/70's VW Campervans, of which i used to be an owner), presume you sleep inside the car? |
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2nd May 2014 1:09am |
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| knodes85 Member Since: 20 Jan 2012 Location: Brisbane Posts: 4 
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Sam
We're doing the same from January 2015 for 9 months. Just investigating shipping the Defender over at the moment. No kids for us to sort arrangements for, so we're going to put a pop-top on the 110 and set the back up as a camper. We're thinking about leaving from your side of the island coincidentally - we're in Brisbane. Cheers John |
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6th Jun 2014 4:36am |
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| Samblers Member Since: 29 Jan 2014 Location: Perth, innit Posts: 63
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Good plan.
QLD - WA come over the top, rather than round the bottom... its more interesting i think  |
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10th Jun 2014 8:38am |
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| Blacktt600 Member Since: 30 Nov 2013 Location: Leeds Posts: 125  
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Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge
2 adults and 2 kids = RV5 and foxwing awning |
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23rd Jun 2014 3:26pm |
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| wyvern Member Since: 13 Dec 2009 Location: Cornwall Posts: 2108
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Hi Sambles yep thats right - check out my gallery as there are a lot of pics there that show the seats up and in a bed position and yes - the convition is from the same company as that did your VW camper van in the 70's - they are reputed to be the first 'campervan' makers in the UK... (Martin Warn Dormobile) We only have the inside convertion but not the roof as we need the roofrack too much. Poppy - TDCI (Puma) 110XS 2.2 - Camper conversion - see the build here - https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic56530.html Elgar -TDCI(Puma) 110XS Dormobile - now sold Devon & Cornwall 4x4 Response - DC126 |
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23rd Jun 2014 3:36pm |
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| Samblers Member Since: 29 Jan 2014 Location: Perth, innit Posts: 63
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Well, already got me an RV5 so ... |
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26th Jun 2014 5:00am |
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| Samblers Member Since: 29 Jan 2014 Location: Perth, innit Posts: 63
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Checked out the pics - thats a pretty unusual setup you have there, definitely with some shared DNA to the 60's/70's dormobiles. Wouldn't suit our needs but excellent for a couple. Thanks for sharing |
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26th Jun 2014 5:06am |
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| Samblers Member Since: 29 Jan 2014 Location: Perth, innit Posts: 63
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I parked next to an awesome Puma130 in Fremantle last week, converted for touoring, and that got me thinking that a 130 would be a good base for a tourer for 2+2kids.
Are 130's plentiful in the UK? |
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26th Jun 2014 5:08am |
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| newhue Member Since: 28 Apr 2014 Location: Brisbane Posts: 351
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Samblers, been reading here and it just strikes me, and only from an Aus point of view, but what are the realities of camping night after night in Europe like we do here at home.
I rally like the idea you have, but does Europe have the space or easy options like us. If you haven't experience Est coat Aus then the options for good free camping around the cities or populated areas is not so easy. Ok once you have moved away however. Buying a 130, then build it and make sure it's reliable, could take months to source and do. And keep in mind if travelling with the kids, there is the two biggest limiting factors you'll have. Remote adventure with children on your own in countries that aren't you back yard is still not easy. Knowledge of places to go, language, vehicle and people support or recovery bla bla blah Certainly take the Defender, but it's not going to be the CSA or some African route. Just think as much as one may want to camp with kids around Europe, the realities are somewhat different. Just chucking in another perspective because I'm interested and envious. And sorry if I have made you feel to suck eggs. I could be completely wrong as I have never been to Europe. |
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12th Jul 2014 10:26pm |
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| Tillerman56 Member Since: 22 May 2013 Location: In a Dutch polder, below sea level.... Posts: 41  
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You have to consider that a lot of European countries are becoming more and more 4x4 unfriendly. I live in the Netherlands, where it is nearly impossible to even find the simplest equivalent of a light greenlane. The same goes for Belgium and France. The only way to find and drive some unsealed roads is to rely on local knowledge, So you have to make new friends in those countries.
There are still countries where you can go really off the beaten track. Portugal is very 4x4 friendly. As wildfires are very common during the hot summers, they have a different view on offroad vehicles there: driving all the small paths and roads keeps them free from bushes and undergrowth, so the firemen don't have to chop and cut their way through the bushes and shubbery when there is a wildfire; they can drive straight and quick to the target. So, it is even encouraged to drive the smal roads and paths there! In Spain there is still a limited network of gravel roads, and roads that go through mountain ranges. We've been in the Sierra Nevada in Southern Spain and we've driven some spectacular mountain roads. But, more and more of them are closed due to conservation purposes and only accessible for people who live and work there... Really good greenlaning for vast distances can be done in the Baltic countries. Lots and lots of well maintained gravel roads throughout Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, connecting lovely small villages. And you can drive any road or logging path you see that goes into the forests, though its not advisable to do that on your own, there are some places where it is very swampy so you can get bogged there till the end of times. Not many, but enough campsites. Always one within a day's driving. Especially the eastern part of Lihuania has stolen our hearts. Here's our impression of the Baltic roads: http://vimeo.com/14318610 Poland also is a country where gravel roads make up an important part of the infrastrucure, so you're doing nothing illegal when you see a nice cloud of dust behind your vehicle! Within two weeks we will leave for Albania, Europe's poorest country. For the time being, with many, many kilometers of unsurfaced roads, many of them very rough, espacially in the Dinaric Alps in Northern Albania. Camping sites are very few, and the existing ones are mostly very simple. Cold showers only, no restaurant etc. But camping in the wild is allowed nearly everywhere. Youtube has a lot of footage. Enjoy your trip, in the future! Tillerman. |
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13th Jul 2014 1:50pm |
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| Samblers Member Since: 29 Jan 2014 Location: Perth, innit Posts: 63
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Dont pi55 on my chips
Only kidding  - the devil is in the detail and the last 2 posts really do add to the debate regarding my original question, which is the practicality and necessity (or otherwise) of a Defender for touring Europe.
I have some long-term touring experience, in Aus and in Europe (being from the UK originally) - and know that any vehicle can be made to work in any circumstance (like the old guy we met about to cycle across the Nullabor for the 6th time with his dog in a sidecar), but i'm not into effort for efforts sake. Which is my philosophy on 4WD-ing as well. I will not go endlessly out of my way just so i can stick a tyre on the gravel and get some vanity dirt (here in WA i dont need to)... its more a case of if the place that i want to get to and see happens to be inaccessible by 2WD then i want to have the capability of accessing it. Having driven 26,000km around Australia in a 1975 Kombi only to not be able to access the best/remotest bits of Kakadu NP taught me that you've gotta be properly equipped or you may be wasting your time. Or even worse, once-in-a-lifetime. SO ... if 'the answer' is, no, a Defender is not a hugely practical or particularly essential tool in the business of European overlanding then so be it. I dont want to spend huge time, money and grief equipping myself un-necessarily. Past experience has told me that if things are a struggle then i'll get it in the ear and no-one will enjoy themselves. However this thread has also demonstrated that many do indeed get off the beaten track and get some benefit out of the green oval badge and the transfer box. The Tour de France is on at the moment - those big flashy campervans by the side of the road do not interest me much, but gosh they exist in vast numbers - indicating that many people have arrived at the same answer to the question of convenient transportation and accommodation on the road. They are the path of least resistance for sure. Just like the ubiquitous LandCruiser/ Nissan Patrol on the outback roads over here. The 'right answer'? Heart vs Head? Sorry for rambling!
Sam |
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17th Jul 2014 8:18am |
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