Disco to Timbuktu!?

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J

jturner88

New Member
Posts
5
Hi all,

Newbie here, looking for a bit of advice if possible - would really appreciate any help.

A friend and I are planinng an expedition to Timbuktu, from London, in the Summer.

We're looking for cars at are thinking a Disco looks like the best bet. Being students, our budget is only £1000 - do you think it's possible to get a Disco (or any other Landy) that can do this trip for this money?

If so, what are the main things I need to look out for when buying the car? Clearly my main worries are chassy and radiator considering the terrain/ heat.. however I'm sure you guys know alot of other key things to look out for?

We can do a bit of work to it before we go and clearly will have to know the mechanics inside out. Are they easy to fix if standard things go wrong?

Any help would be much appreciated on what, how, where to buy etc.

Thanks

Joe

p.s. I've also posted this in the expedition section.. thought it was relevant in both areas, apologies if double posting is poor form.
 
I know the top gear team regularly do expeditions in old cars, but then they have a full back up team and reserve vehicles and a budget to upgrade the dropping off bits as they go along....
You are highly unlikely to get a disco for £1k in a condition where you can expedition with it. People who buy Disco's for everyday use usually also have a budget of £1k to deal with necessary servicing, repairs etc.

However... to have any chance you need to choose your vehicle extremely carefully and take someone with you who knows disco's (not just land rovers) inside out.

Good luck and dont forget to report back!
 
If you were my son I would be very very worried about taking a trip like that without back up and access to loads of cash to get me home when it all goes wrong because I sure reckon it would go wrong on a vehicle with that budget.My advice dont do it !!!
 
blackvulcan100 said:
If you were my son I would be very very worried about taking a trip like that without back up and access to loads of cash to get me home when it all goes wrong because I sure reckon it would go wrong on a vehicle with that budget.My advice dont do it !!!
Click to expand...


If you have a son I'm worried for him.

If there's a sure fire way to make a kid do sumthin........
It's tell em not to do it ;)

If ever there's a good time to go off on an adventure it's before yr too old and or got comitments, as I said in t'other thread do it next year and give yrselves plenty of time to prepare/learn. ;)

At least coming on here and asking folks shows you've got some common sense. :)
 
jturner88 said:
Hi all,

Newbie here, looking for a bit of advice if possible - would really appreciate any help.

A friend and I are planinng an expedition to Timbuktu, from London, in the Summer.

We're looking for cars at are thinking a Disco looks like the best bet. Being students, our budget is only £1000 - do you think it's possible to get a Disco (or any other Landy) that can do this trip for this money?

If so, what are the main things I need to look out for when buying the car? Clearly my main worries are chassy and radiator considering the terrain/ heat.. however I'm sure you guys know alot of other key things to look out for?

We can do a bit of work to it before we go and clearly will have to know the mechanics inside out. Are they easy to fix if standard things go wrong?

Any help would be much appreciated on what, how, where to buy etc.

Thanks

Joe

p.s. I've also posted this in the expedition section.. thought it was relevant in both areas, apologies if double posting is poor form.
Click to expand...

The three points highlighted in red show that you don't have a clue about the mechanics of the vehicle, the likely faults, running costs and what would be required to keep it on the road. With the knowledge you are displaying I think it would be bad enough attempting it when in a convoy with other vehicles. To go alone as you are and on your budget is suicide.
 
what a bunch of old women !!! buy a car and do the trip, have yerselves an adventure..
 
my mate completed that 10 day offroad event in russia in a £500 discovery....admittedly he's an ace mechanic, but he financed the trip weighing in scrap metal and drove to russia and back no probs, i can send you his number if you require it. Got another mate who's just got back from africa in a landcruiser that cost peanuts...come on you've got more chance being killed on uk roads if your under 25 than travelling, look it up, fact!
 
2400 miles as crow flys.

Never driven a landy before.

Budget for vehicle £1000

No knowledge of mechanics of vehicle.

Unknown map reading skills.

Planning to travel in 4 months time with no prep work.

FAIL.
 
you can pick up a disco 200 or 300tdi for less than 1k..... look out for rust in the sills, rear floor and wheel arches.... give it a oils and filters service... change the cam belt and go from there.... electrics are simples... main worries are wheel bearings, cv joints, alternator and starter motor.... get the vehicle well before you intend going so you can use it and find its foibles... drive it gently and it should survive.... a good driver will nurse an old vehicle a bad one will wreck it sooner rather than later.
 
ricc said:
you can pick up a disco 200 or 300tdi for less than 1k..... look out for rust in the sills, rear floor and wheel arches.... give it a oils and filters service... change the cam belt and go from there.... electrics are simples... main worries are wheel bearings, cv joints, alternator and starter motor.... get the vehicle well before you intend going so you can use it and find its foibles... drive it gently and it should survive.... a good driver will nurse an old vehicle a bad one will wreck it sooner rather than later.
Click to expand...
Pretty good advice there and to be honest good advice to anyone looking to get a Disco on a budget.
 
buy an old 3dr 200 with no electrics, drive the **** out of it for a month or two to bring to light any problems give it a good service and your away to go, i drove from swansea to spain in an old freight rove sherpa which cost me 300 quid, spent 200 on servicing it and it did 4000 miles no problem in mid 30 degree heat. read up as much as you can before you go and enjoy. keep a few hundred for bribes and parking fines and for security take out a credit card before you leave and cancel it when you ge back. good on you and good luck. one life live it!!
 
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