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Light Overland Vehicle Tech Tech issues, tips and hints, prepping for travel
Under 3500kg vehicles, e.g. Land Cruiser, Land Rover, Subaru etc.
Photo by George Guille, It's going to be a long 300km... Bolivian Amazon

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by George Guille
It's going to be a long 300km...
Bolivian Amazon



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  #16  
Old 11 Dec 2013
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Location: South Manchester, looking out the window at the Peaks, UK
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I know you've found your car but a vote from me for the Citroen dispatch. I had one on hire to go to a couple of enduros and even though it was the size of a car it took my bike and all the gear no problem.

It was also long enought to put a camp bed in and crash out at the end of the day. I think that there is even one with a clever electric pseudo AWD system but that's not the one I had.

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  #17  
Old 27 Nov 2014
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I thought I'd post an update on how my 406 has performed after a year of ownership.

It hasn’t been to Nordkapp, but it’s clocked up around 12000mls in the UK; a mix of local pottering around and longer trips to Scotland and Devon. The odo now reads just under 197000. The car cost less than a set of tyres for a 4x4 and still returns over 50mpg on the motorway, it’s comfortable and quiet inside and there’s heaps of space with the seats down – I’ve had ½ a tonne of scrap metal in it.

I bought this particular car, after a lot of looking, because it was previously owned by a mechanic who serviced it regularly and replaced things as and when needed.

The largest expense was a full set of winter tyres which I cleverly fitted in advance of all the snow we were expecting last year, which then failed to materialise.....

The only biggish problem has been a broken front spring. Bizarrely, it broke when the car was parked overnight... It turns out this is a bit of a known issue with these cars. I had parked it facing downhill with the weight on the front, so I guess that contributed to its demise. Luckily, I had access to most of the tools I needed and a local parts supplier who had one the shelf. I did have the spring fitted to the strut by a garage as I couldn’t compress it enough with the tools I had.

Other than that it’s just been service items and a £7.00 temp sensor from ebay.

So don’t let high miles put you off, if a vehicle has been looked after properly it could work in your favour as it has for me….
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Last edited by Crusty; 28 Nov 2014 at 15:39.
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  #18  
Old 27 Nov 2014
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sounds like a goodun!!

shame merc don't still make vans like that
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  #19  
Old 6 Dec 2014
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Crusty View Post

I bought this particular car, after a lot of looking, because it was previously owned by a mechanic who serviced it regularly and replaced things as and when needed.
I am still learning the importance of this statement.
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  #20  
Old 6 Dec 2014
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Originally Posted by moggy 1968 View Post


sounds like a goodun!!

shame merc don't still make vans like that
Buy a good old Merc.....i was offered a 4wd estate made for the German/ Austrian or Swiss market i think for £400. LHD so great for travelling.
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