hamish247 · Jun 15, 2012

Hey all,

So I recently acquired my first Landy. A stereotypical slightly rusty and slightly neglected 1996 300tdi Discovery 1.

So my summer break from university is currently lacking adventure and having serviced her myself, and booked her in for a cambelt change i feel ready for a wee adventure. After all thats what these cars were designed for?

I'm looking into driving her down to Spain with the gf for a trip to her parents place on the coast so my question is:

Would you do it? Am I doomed for failure at the roadside of some French service station?

Who's done it before?

Hoping for inspiration and not cynicism. . .

Thoughts on a postcard, Westy

suew · Jun 15, 2012

Sorry, wouldn't do it

I hate flying and have done that drive many times. Happily did it in a Micra one year. Might even have risked my Defender, but my Disco (more or less the same age as yours) never in a million years.

From what I remember from when I wanted to take the Defender and a Caravan to Spa for the Grand Prix one year, you cant get comprehesive breakdown cover for a vehicle of that age. Even if they do, not sure how riding in a tow truck counts as an adventure.

Drive it to Calais, rent a car for the trip, with a bit of luck someone will have stolen it when you get back

scrappyloz · Jun 15, 2012

Id do it in my disco no problems at all.

I did Africa in a series 3 so Spain in a disco no problem. As long its in good running order you should have no problems

dannythedog · Jun 15, 2012

If you are confident that it's been serviced properly and checked all the oils and are happy I don't see why not. I didn't go to Spain but in a day I drove from Portsmouth to Whitby bay in the north east and back in the same day. It was 700 mile in my brothers 96 disco and it was perfect take it easy and you should be fine.

Paulmitchell1984 · Jun 16, 2012

as said, so long as its serviced and your confident it is all ok then go for it, i would in mine, just take some spares with you as a back up.

hamish247 · Jun 16, 2012

Well thats 3 to 1 so slightly more encouraging than I'd have thought.

What would be on your list for spares Paul?

Suffolkandgood · Jun 16, 2012

Would I take mine to Spain? Hell no! I know its beel looked after but it drives like a pig on tarmac with 285 mud terrains on...be constantly waiting for something to break. The next town is about the limit for mine lol

Funkykipper · Jun 16, 2012

I've been planning the same trip to Alicante. 1348 miles, 20 hours and 43 minutes in a 1995 Discovery 300tdi.

Yeah go for it.

Or ferry to northern Spain and drive the rest.

Sirus · Jun 16, 2012

I do West Mids to Algarve Portugal every Xmas in an F reg 110. Doing it again this year. Just get AA Eurocover and all happy.

andrew j · Jun 16, 2012

where in spain you going ?, would be cheaper to fly out and rent a car, by the time you drive in france with toll roads and the fuel costs even the possibility of break down is it worth it ?, ok i drove down to marbella dragging a 28 foot caravan last christmas ( 3 weeks, weather was great, blah blah blah) any way all the usual things come to mind is it of sound body and mind ( r u ? ) do you trust it etc

andrew j · Jun 16, 2012

Funkykipper said:
I've been planning the same trip to Alicante. 1348 miles, 20 hours and 43 minutes in a 1995 Discovery 300tdi.

Yeah go for it.

Or ferry to northern Spain and drive the rest.

cheeky question, you pulling a caravan or not ?, it took me from 11 am calais time sunday , till 12 midday tues pulling a wobbly box ( 1337 miles )

suew · Jun 17, 2012

hamish247 said:
Well thats 3 to 1 so slightly more encouraging than I'd have thought.

What would be on your list for spares Paul?

Why bother, just put a nice Defender on a trailer, when you break down it can take over

But seriously, what could go wrong. Well mine was only used on journeys of up to about 200 miles but it got to know Green Flag very very well. It also picked its times really well. The sun roofs and window electrics packed up just before a hail storm. The alternator packed up on the A1M in a blizzard (thank god I was in Green Flag, the others were not working) The only time I used it for work it "dropped a valve" )thats what the garage said) on the way to a very important meeting. The ABS was dodgy even when everything had been repaired. The engine management computer was unreliable, you didn't know if it really had a fault or not. The power steering was a joke. The seat adjusters were just ridiculous. The central locking, imobiliser was unreliable although Green Flag were very good at resetting it. I could go on and on. I will accept that the cigarette lighter was reliable, really useful when you are broken down

I've bought a nice defender again without all the electonic crap and computers

And worst of all for that drive and Spain in summer, the air con and cruise control rarely worked

V8jon · Jun 17, 2012

I did the south of france in my disco,3000mile round trip in two weeks full to the top with camping gear and kids,never missed a beat.

Just make sure you've changed the timing belt and checked and greased all the wheel bearings cos if any of those fail your screwed.................and get breakdown cover just in case

sprogthedog · Jun 17, 2012

Been to Spain a load of times when I was a truck driver.

Would I drive my Landy down there? Yes!

As has been said, make sure it's well serviced and any jobs have been done well. Also make sure your cooling system is up to scratch, as the mountains in the summer claim many victims...

chezvegas · Jun 17, 2012

Do it! I took my 300 tri defender to the French alps last year with 6 adults and a child in it. Didn't miss a beat . I had AA euro breakdown cover cost £160 and that included repatriation of the vehicle if the breakdown was non fixable

Jason2 · Jun 17, 2012

Go for it ! Done it loads of times!! Like sombod else said, check that all your wheel bearings are well greased especialy the rear ones nearest hub or better still just change them (get Tinkens)

Free duel carriageway from Bordeaux to Spain, then again depending on where you are going from Burgos all the way down via Madrid to Granada and onwards -Fantastic Road !

Bon Route !

Jongould · Jun 17, 2012

Definitely go for it, I done it a few years back (not in a landy, in an E30) and it was a great drive, the roads are massive, smooth and empty, the tolls aren't that expensive, the scenery is beautiful and its just an excellent drive...

If your after cheap overnight stops look for the F1 hotels, they are as basic as you can get but very cheap (£10 a night for up to 3 people). Take your time, arrange a few stops as you go and enjoy it all....

CJ2a · Jun 17, 2012

go for it, i drove to poland in a 1969 series 2a 1400 miles she did not miss a beat but the old tit who asked to drive a litle bit in germany snapped my speedo cable but that was the only drama

landrover109uk · Jun 17, 2012

i do a non stop drive to south of france 20 mins from spain every year for holiday i got a s3 saf
mrs dont trust it
so got a 300 tdi
i dont trust it
so i worked it out
im getting the bomb proof old transit 9 seater of ebay
due to having 5 kids
we have always had probs with break down cover
aa done it first year then told us car was to old 2nd year and sent us money back
good job didnt break down as we where in france when they stopped it
if you break down on french roads they well chare you a lot of euros
dont forget the breath test kit is now law you need 2 i think
sat nav cant have speedcams on it my tomtom always takes us in to paris but i need to find a way rounddue to i HATE this bit of trip even as its night time early morning is still dose my head in
cant wait roll on sept 3 weeks come on

Funkykipper · Jun 17, 2012

andrew j said:
cheeky question, you pulling a caravan or not ?, it took me from 11 am calais time sunday , till 12 midday tues pulling a wobbly box ( 1337 miles )

No caravan, I go to a place in Moraira and always fly there. But one time I'm going to drive and do some off road tracks locally.

I am trying to find a club in that part of the world if anyone knows of one.

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