Member Since: 31 Dec 2016
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 22
Preparing for Africa trip
Looking for some advice please. I am taking my D4 to Africa next year and will be driving it from Cape Town to Zanzibar (approx 5000 miles) over three weeks before shipping it home. I would like to minimise the chances of breakdown en-route for obvious reasons!
The car is a 2012 SDV6 with 104,000 miles. It is in really good condition with FLRSH and a recent new timing belt and control arms. It has never let me down before. My question is: Is there any preventative maintenance that you would recommend before such a trip to reduce the chance of failures? Also what spares and tools would you suggest bringing along?
I've no experience of this but I reckon alternator and battery would be good to take.
anything that can clog up, so
fuel filters
cabin filters
air filters.
Dean
====================================
2011 D4 XS - OBD port protection, RLD spare wheel protector, All LED interiors lights, Timed Climate enabled, iiD tool paired.
2011 D4 Landmark - Stolen from same dealer before I paid for it
2011 D4 GS - Stolen whilst at dealer ... All LED interiors lights, DRLs, Spare Wheel protector.
1996 300Tdi - Eaten by tin worms
3rd Oct 2019 2:35 pm
Charliecloud
Member Since: 31 Jul 2014
Location: Tonbridge
Posts: 980
Member Since: 12 Jan 2016
Location: Surrey / SW London
Posts: 2136
Probably an alternator as a spare if it hasn't been recently replaced.
Current: D4 HSE
Previous: BMW Z4M Coupe
Previous: Land Rover Defender 90 CSW Td5
Previous: Land Rover Discovery Td5 ES
3rd Oct 2019 3:27 pm
Littlewill
Member Since: 14 Sep 2015
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 484
I'd love to do something like this!
But... isn't it ridiculous that when taking a D4 (or D3) anywhere remote you also need to ship most of the parts to fix it half way around the world with it for if/when it breaks! Land Rover the go anywhere do anything 4x4 that you need to have a fully stocked boot with all the parts and things that would never let you down if you went in something like a Jimny or a Skoda Yeti!
This is very cool. I have been reading lots of books about this sort of thing in Austin sevens. So I have a great idea what spares to take for them. Not so much for a LR. If you have a Snorkel. I’d take a spare top as losing that could be a pain. Spare filters air and oil (as already suggested) spare fuel tanks. Hard to say what could go in a 5000 mile trip. I’m not sure on the road conditions.. have you looked into that? Then you’d be thinking about spare suspension parts possibly. Good luck!
3rd Oct 2019 4:03 pm
CongoBoy
Member Since: 05 Mar 2019
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 525
The only LR dealers outside of South Africa/Namibia/Botswana in that part of Africa are in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania/Kenya, all based in their respective Capital Cities.
Mine's currently in JLR Lusaka.
They are hellish expensive and do not do recovery, although it can sometimes be arranged through them with a third party (I speak from first hand experience!! )
In South Africa you can buy insurance that will cover you for recovery back to SA from other African countries and would maybe worth a look. Most South African overlanders do this going up into Africa.
South Africa Rand to GBP would mean that it could be worth your while to do an service with a JLR dealer in RSA before heading up into Africa and buy any filters, oil, etc that would be needed. All that stuff is readily available in SA.
As stated, a GAP iid tool would be a must, amongst other things.2008 D3 HSE Stornoway Grey (UK)
2008 D3 HSE Izmir Blue- South African Spec. (Zimbabwe)
2005 FFRR SC V8- Java Black
1995 D1 300 Tdi Blue - (Sourced from the UK, shipped to Namibia, driven by me to RD Congo, then Zambia, now retired in Zimbabwe)
3rd Oct 2019 4:34 pm
Stumog
Member Since: 24 Mar 2018
Location: Bristol
Posts: 171
I would be wary of do this in a electronic vehicle like the D4. Lots of modern vehicles dont take all the water crossings and dust to well. This is why lots of people drive landcruisers I am biased. Also the locals know simple cars if you have a problem.
The recovery companies are round but if you dont get the insurance first will charge you a packet.
This will be a life time trip but please go in with you eyes open.
Happy to discuss of you want. We spend a bit of time down that way
NJSSAm I Gammon or Woke ? - I neither know nor care.
2016 Discovery 4 Landmark
2011 Mercedes Benz SL350 (R230)
1973 MG B GT V8 - 3.9L John Eales engine, 5 speed R380 gearbox, since 1975.
1959 MGA roadster - 1.9L Peter Burgess Engine - 5 speed gearbox
Past LRs - Multiple FFRs, Discos & a Series I - some petrol, some diesel,
none Electric or H2 fuel cell - yet.
There are 10 types of people in this world: Those who understand binary, and those who don’t.
3rd Oct 2019 4:53 pm
anomaly
Member Since: 31 Dec 2016
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 22
Thanks all for the advice and suggestions. From what I gather it will be a lot of driving on gravel tracks and the intention is not for hard off-roading. I will certainly look into insurance for recovery.
Why? I know that it would be easier to hire a vehicle but I really like my D4, we have had lots of adventures together. The idea of doing it in my own car appeals much more to me. I can also load it into a container with our own camping stuff etc. Also, isn't this the sort of trip that a Discovery was built for!?
4th Oct 2019 6:35 am
Stumog
Member Since: 24 Mar 2018
Location: Bristol
Posts: 171
Your right this is what they were meant to be for. In the 40k miles I have done in mine only once has the hand brake stopped play.
Now the question is do I trust it?
Sorry no
With all the stories you read i always have that nag going on.
My cruiser will jump in that with no prep and drive to SA no question.
I do totally get why you want to take your own car though. It's a hard choice
4th Oct 2019 7:23 am
Charliecloud
Member Since: 31 Jul 2014
Location: Tonbridge
Posts: 980
anomaly wrote:
Thanks all for the advice and suggestions. From what I gather it will be a lot of driving on gravel tracks and the intention is not for hard off-roading. I will certainly look into insurance for recovery.
Why? I know that it would be easier to hire a vehicle but I really like my D4, we have had lots of adventures together. The idea of doing it in my own car appeals much more to me. I can also load it into a container with our own camping stuff etc. Also, isn't this the sort of trip that a Discovery was built for!?
As it sounds like your not risk adverse, then make your preparations and go for it, if you really think that you will need half the parts stuff advised for a 5k trip on gravel roads, then I would drive something else. Have fun and come back on here with a nice write up and loads of pictures, so we can all enjoy the trip from the comfort of our armchairs
4th Oct 2019 8:26 am
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
+1 DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
4th Oct 2019 8:32 am
M3bobby
Member Since: 21 May 2018
Location: Sleaford, LINCS.
Posts: 857
Lots of people appear to have issues with a snapped crank shortly after having the belts replaced. At least you are going next year with any issues materialising before you go (fingers crossed there won’t be any).
4th Oct 2019 8:49 am
Waldorf
Member Since: 09 Jan 2014
Location: Aalter
Posts: 71
Have it serviced properly, check everything is in proper working order and go. It's not as if nobody has ever driven a D4 for 5000 miles without a problem. In 2015 I had the luck to be in the LR Experience Tour, where we drove Discovery Sports from Darwin, Australia to Uluru, so a similar distance in similar circumstances. Dust, corrugated roads, and extreme heat on top of that. The organisation was in D4's. We had no mechanical problems, neither with the DS nor the D4. An extra spare tyre may be a good idea.
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... All LED interiors lights, DRLs, Spare Wheel protector.
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