D90mitch · Jun 17, 2012

If you want to do it as an advernture, just get a mechanic to check it over before you go to see if anything looks dodgy - take some of the common part failures with you just in case. - we drove to Spain (not in a Land Rover - didnt have it then) last year - its quite a way but a great adventure if you haven't doen it. on the way there - stay the F*CK away from Paris

- trust me - good luck

suew · Jun 17, 2012

D90mitch said:
. on the way there - stay the F*CK away from Paris - trust me - good luck

See I disagree, I plan Paris as part of the trip, park up and get a train in for the day.

The alternative is horrible. Mile upon mile of seemingly deserted roads, flat scenery only broken up by the war graves cemeterys.

I shudder to think of it, spooks me every time. Might be different if we didn't always seem to drive it at dusk.

I suppose it might be OK if there are a few of you, it was always just me and my daughter, YUK.

DiscoPol · Jun 17, 2012

bought a 95 300tdi on saturday in the uk and drove it to warsaw poland the next day, 1300 miles, all i did was check the fluids and take out a 7 day european breakdown cover policy for about 30 quid and off i went. as long as it has been serviced and you have checked all the obvious points, bearings fluids cam belt etc etc then its all good, after all you want an adventure, pack a reasonable tool kit and a few essential spares and crack on, that suew is either full of **** or a paranoid android, have fun mate.

suew · Jun 17, 2012

DiscoPol said:
, that suew is either full of **** or a paranoid android, have fun mate.

Or an ex Discovery owner

Would agree to the paranoid on the French road though, still shuddering now

Guess you will be going for it anyway now, enjoy, I agree its a fantastic drive. The Formula 1 hotels are a bit yucky though, for a couple of quid more you can get a decent one from one of the other chains.

Oh and if you are driving through the night make sure the garages accept your cards. I had a few worrying miles after the 24 hour pay at pump machines wouldn't always take my English cards.

D90mitch · Jun 18, 2012

Well, when we drove around the edge of Paris it was a fookin nightmare. I strongly advise not driving near paris - unless you like having your mind destroyed

suew · Jun 18, 2012

D90mitch said:
Well, when we drove around the edge of Paris it was a fookin nightmare. I strongly advise not driving near paris - unless you like having your mind destroyed

Coward, why go round the edge, straight through the middle is the way

.

Must say the roundabout at the Arc de Triomphe is a flaming nightmare

sprogthedog · Jun 19, 2012

You can either go round/through Paris, as has been said it can be a nightmare. The other route we used to take was through Rouan (I think thats how it's spelt) Theres nothing in it time wise.

Tubes63 · Jun 19, 2012

Go for it. I was hesitant to drive to Le Mans in my old 1993 disco, especially as she'd developed a nasty knocking from the rear end... But she made it. The prospect of a breakdown just made the trip more interesting

But get breakdown cover

Richard Martin · Jun 19, 2012

I used to take my Disco to France..we took out the European breakdown insurance, but it only broke down once we got back to the UK
Someone else mentioned it earlier, you may have trouble getting cover for an older vehicle. I think the RAC charged more when it was over 10 years old and wouldn't cover it all once it got to 15...but I may be remembering wrongly.

With regards to Paris, I have never driven through the centre but I have towed the caravan around the ring road. It can get a bit hairy, but if you keep your wits about you its not too bad

disco147 · Jun 19, 2012

suew said:
Or an ex Discovery owner
.

you clearly just brought a properly crap example going by your previous posts, there's just as many if not more crap defenders out there - considering defenders and discovery's share the same engines upto and including the TD5 (I have little knowledge of later models) then saying the defender is more reliable is a bit of a strange statement to make.

I know what I'd rather drive to Spain... the discovery all day long, decent heaters, comfier to drive and chances are you'll have air con if you want it!

Funkykipper · Jun 19, 2012

disco147 said:
you clearly just brought a properly crap example going by your previous posts, there's just as many if not more crap defenders out there - considering defenders and discovery's share the same engines upto and including the TD5 (I have little knowledge of later models) then saying the defender is more reliable is a bit of a strange statement to make.

I know what I'd rather drive to Spain... the discovery all day long, decent heaters, comfier to drive and chances are you'll have air con if you want it!

also the disco is quieter and faster.

suew · Jun 19, 2012

disco147 said:
you clearly just brought a properly crap example going by your previous posts, there's just as many if not more crap defenders out there - considering defenders and discovery's share the same engines upto and including the TD5 (I have little knowledge of later models) then saying the defender is more reliable is a bit of a strange statement to make.

I know what I'd rather drive to Spain... the discovery all day long, decent heaters, comfier to drive and chances are you'll have air con if you want it!

It probably was a crap example. However a lot of the things that went wrong couldn't go wrong on my Defender. I am sure of this because it doesn't have them. Its not going to lock me out more than once because it has decided to change the frequency (or whatever) of the central locking. It wont fill the vehicle with hail stones because the sun roofs and window electrics decided to die at the same time. It wont cost me a fortune to fix the ABS multiple times, because it doesn't have it. But best of all, because it isn't full of electronic crap it will start even when it has been stood for a while

And I didn't say I would choose to go to Spain in it, just that I might just about risk it, different altogether. I personally prefer picking up a hire car in Calais, its much easier with a left hand drive and breakdowns are someone elses problem.

D90mitch

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suew

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DiscoPol

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suew

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D90mitch

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suew

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sprogthedog

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Tubes63

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Richard Martin

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disco147

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Funkykipper

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suew

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