Which vehicle?
 

Hi,
new member, looking for some advice.

I'm looking for a 4x4, for travel across europe.
A mix of on road use, and some light off road, very occasional heavy off road use.
But the main thing has to be comfort, and refinement on the motorway, as I've had enough of driving trucks, and want something more car like.

I also want a bigger 4x4, with enough space to sleep in the back, stripping out all but the two front seats, and fixed cooking and washing up. So a mini camper really, but without a rising roof.

So, what would you suggest has a big enough back to sit down in, lie out full length, but is reasonably refined to drive?

I have thought of a Discovery 2, TD5 auto, which seems to fit the bill, and is also fairly basic enough to be fixable in most places when it breaks down.

Cheers, and looking forward to any help you can give me. bier

mitsubishi Delicia/L300?
I think a disco is a bit short for sleeping in.
TD5 disco is one of the worst 4x4s I've ever driven

RB44 is fantastic. Beats LRs hands down.

RB 44 has no refinement (or speed) on the highway, I don't like the Td5 engine either, its one of the worst engines LR ever made IMO and as Moggy mentions, even with the rear seats removed out of a D2 the load bed is not that long to sleep in.

Id probably look for a low mileage Toyota Landcruiser VX diesel.

never driven or owned an RB44 but have read little good about them, they don't have a good reputation

Cheers, thanks for the replies.
I have had a look at the mitsubishi, but it seems more truck like, otherwise it's up there.
I haven't seen an RB44, but from google it again seems less refined than I would like.

The Landcruiser was high up the list, but it's a bit low in the back to sit in, the Discovery has a few more inches on it in high.
It does seem the better truck though, apart from that.
Still quite refined, still able to eat miles on the highway.
Anyone got one that can comment of the space in the back?

I do have my reservations about the Td5, but then I have measured it, with the front passenger slightly forward, it's just long enough to stretch out in the back.
The Discovery 1 has a better old tech engine, but the body is slightly shorter.
It's really that extra bit of comfort I'm after when driving, even if I need to sacrifice a bit of living space, as I like being outside anyway, and sleeping inside won't be the norm hopefully.

Thanks again though, any more suggestions gratefully received!

The other one on the list was the older Mitsubishi pajero, before the 2000 model that brought the body lower.
I was a bit concerned they're a bit too truck like as well though.
And a good one is getting harder to find.

It's compromises, right?

Disco is short for sleeping,
LC or or Patrol are longer but lower. You could do a disco with roof tent. It's a compromise, since you're not sleeping in the car, but you have the seating hight in the back and sleeping length on the roof.

Or any 4x4 with a trailer/caravan, so you have the space and comfort most of the time, and leave the bulk somewhere for when you really go off roading.

A synchro VW van would give you comfort and space, but you'll have to give in on hard core off-road ability (which, in Europe is something only relevant when actively searching for it). With the right tyres you might be surprised though.

Dangel is a french company converting Citroen and Peugeot vans to 4x4, they might have something striking the comfort/off road/space balance (DANGEL | Experts en sytèmes 4 roues motrices | DANGEL 4x4)

I still lean towards the Disco, but I'm going to have another look at a 1997 Landcruiser tomorrow.

The mechanic who rebuilt my landcruiser runs his own landrover repair place. He has a TD5 body on a 300tdi chassis and running gear. he reckons it's the best discovery the factory never made. The TD5s have a good rust resistant body but crap engine and chassis. The 300tdi has a well protected chassis, great running gear but the body rots something aweful.

I believe it's a relatively straight swap

If you need his details PM me, he's based on the Norfolk/Suffolk border

A LWB G Wagen?

From your description 461 or 463 series.

A bad one can be a money pit and stupidly over priced in the UK but plenty of choice in Germany at reasonable money.

1990 to 96 IMHO the best years.

If you really want a Discovery 2, Id go for the V8, not very good fuel economy, but if you are not using it as your daily driver, they make a good 2nd vehicle for overlanding.

Thanks for all the feedback.

Just been out to have a look at the Land Cruiser, Colorado, the J90.
Measured throughout, and the size is right, so maybe I may be re thinking my plans.


Any downside to a J90?
What are they like on the highway?

Does it have this engine fitted?
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ow-works-72312

Maybe not then, it is the 3.0 L (2982 cc) 1KZ-TE.

It's not (necessarily) a showstopper.
Just something to be aware of; there was other discussion a while back on this theme, probably in more than one thread - I've just noticed that my thread about the 1KZ engine is not titled as relevant to LCs.
This is because it used to "live" in a section given over to the Toyota product but now it is all together with "light vehicles": so, to find the earlier discussions, you would have to trawl back through various earlier threads in here.

I was doing the same thing a few years ago; I have threads in here about the Isuzu Trooper, the Freelander and the Nissan X Trail ( I have slept in the back of the latter, using a tarpaulin over the open tailgate as an extension of the flat back).
I used to think that a tailgate type of tent would be something worth trying, attached to any of the above, but I never got around to that before I settled on a transit van with a fold-up-bed and a trail bike in the back.

I would suggest that a light 4x4 van as mentioned above would be a better bet as an extended travel vehicle, as they are quite "car" like to drive now.
The defender is about biggest interior , but not as sophisticated as discovery . Even with a roof tent in Europe its still basically camping , with all the faff of wet canvas ,not really something i noticed traveling in Australia I have mine fitted out to do what you want but its very snug , and means having a safari room attached for dressing room etc .

After a bit more research, and a few shows, the mitsubishi delica seems to be a good compromise, so maybe the Disco is in second place.

I drove all over europe From Italy through most of the easten block contrys austria france ect ect with my wife a then 3 kids and 2 dogs in my TD5 discovery towing a sanky trailer with a roof tent on it doing alot of off road tracks really good ones in Bulgaria and Greece I only had 2 problems i 10,000km one front shock went but it was a brit-part (not a fan) and the sensor on the ACE system came lose and took a bit to work out what the problem was apart from that it was great we where in snow and sun rain and wind on and of road and it didn't miss a beat it was a great trip

We've been all over Europe and Morocco in our Td5 Discovery lt eats the miles in comfort we live out the back of it and sleep on the top we do look after it and tend to use genuine parts we've owned it for about 10 years so we know it pretty well.

The van continues to do a job for me.

The light weight motorbike is in and out of the back in a jiffy; the bed can be used for one up sleeping with the bike still in the van, and two up sleeping is very roomy with the bike outside the van.
It's also handy for carrying pedal bikes around - just throw them in and go, or strap them down if you don't want new scratches on them. :innocent: