The D4 is maturing like a fine red wine....

[CSBrisie]

OK, perhaps I've imbibed in one too many Penfolds (!) but gee, this is a great car. Owned it now since Oct 2010. Have done a number of off road trips and long touring trips. Today, I'm sitting in the Big 4 CP Swan Hill half way through the Christmas Trip, with wife and tinlids. Left Brisbane in the D4HSE towing Comomal F400 pop top (hired in Brissie) and headed to visit family in Adelaide via Dubbo, Broken Hill etc. Had 45 degrees C on the outside temp gauge between Cobar and Broken Hill and yet we cruised at 110km/hr effortlessly for 9 hours. Have done 3000 kilos so far at 13.9/100, towing and a rhino roof basket and regularly sat for hours on 110km/hr. I cant believe how easily the car "drifts" (!!!!) up to 120 as you "torque" out of small towns, accelerating from 60 to 80 to....oops. Unlike the D3 (which was flat out towing at 140) this overtakes B doubles with a van on the back and is still going at 140...amazing. God knows what the V8 must be like! (and the new RR Vogue 4.4TDV8 must be something else all together!)



Onto Canberra tomorrow, Sydney and home via the Coast. If its all as easy as it has been so far - it'll be the perfect family holiday.

[NTB]

Hello Stornoway SE

May I ask where you hired the caravan from in Brisbane.
Have been looking at upgrading our Goldstream Campervan or not.
This would be another option.

NTB

[Epic]

I recon I got mine at a similar time. Mid October I think. I find myself being continually impressed by the engine and the handling. I smile every time I walk out the front door and see it and always a knowing grin when I see another one the road.

[baldivistribe]

Great to read a happy positive story. Glad you are having a great time with the D4.
cheers
Steve

[CSBrisie]

The Camper is from About Oz - Caravan hire Brisbane, camper trailer hire Brisbane, Coromal caravans for hire, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Queensland. (http://aboutoz.com.au/) :D

[MC D4]

Totally agree Stornoway. Had our D4 since Dec 2010 travelled almost 60k so far. We have just been down to Denmark on a 1000 km round trip and the car ticked all the boxes:

1. Tows our 2.5 tonne Jayco effortlessly even though we have the 2.7ltr power plant (which is just brilliant and I could only imagine that the 3.0ltr would be crazy good). Blows by the Patrol and Cruisers towing vans up the hills/overtaking lanes and we still get better that 16km/ltr :confused:

2. Converts into an awesome off road weapon giving us the ability to get to rugged spots with minimum fuss even in the soft sand. Added another Nissan to the "you have just been towed by a LR4" tally :D

3. Transforms into a luxury 7 seat tourer which is able to ferry our freinds to the wineries (the LR knockers are beginning to see the light).

4. Makes driving a 400km journey just a breeze (my neighbors cannot understand how we can get back from a 5 hour drive and still feel fresh enough to get the hose out and wash the car and caravan :eek:

Looking forward to the next trip!

[Tombie]

I enjoy driving mine so much I often bring it up to the mine site...

Even have magnetic Hi-Vis strips and Beacon, plus "plug in" reversing sounder so that I can use it on site :p

Makes the DIDO a much better proposition... :D

[OzAd4x4]

Agree totally!

Have considered a change as I tend to change vehicles very 2 - 3 years but honestly there is nothing out there to better it!

Maybe when the new Defender arrives????

[Family Traveller]

This eases the mind when I hear posts like this, thanks for sharing.

[CSBrisie]

Home safely. Not a single drama. Just too easy really. Even over 5000kms;

What a relief to be home in Brisbane without a single worry and a great family holiday - especially given some of the dramas (bush fires) happening as I type this!

For those interested, the final "numbers" were:

Distance: 5194km's
Fuel consumption: 13.4l/100 (towing and with a full roof basket etc)
Avge speed: 70km/hr

Brisbane-Dubbo (Big 4, great!) - Broken Hill (included a long stretch in 45 degree heat at 110km/hr and yes we did opt for the air cond. cabin in the caravan park) - Adelaide (Big 4 Marion - awesome) - Swan Hill (Big 4 a bit crowded!) - Canberra (great Canberra Tourist Park) - Sydney (Lane Cove Park - excellent)- Coffs - Yamba (wow!) - Brisbane.

The Coromal F400 series hire pop top was brilliant; I also was pleased to see the (Brisbane dealer fitted) electric brake controller (redarc remote head) worked perfectly (yes, the van was fiited with electric brakes!) as did the lights (including the dash flashing green trailer icon).

Dual battery kit (Traxide) and ARB fridge - all perfect, despite 45 degree heat at times!

GG tyres (19's) puncture free.

Whole family looking forward to next trip at Easter - up to Airlie Beach via Yeppoon. This time with an Air conditioned!! 21 foot Jayco Sterling (triple bunk) Hire Van (expandyahorizons in Brissie).

Saw a few nice D4's on the way - including a nice white one with bull bar etc here in Brisbane as I dropped the van back on Monday, but mainly Prado's and Lc200....I bet they weren't as comfortable as we were!

cheers from a very, very happy D4 owner!!!! (and can I say again, 600nm of torque is a VERY good thing!!!!!!) ;)

[robbotd5]

Stornoway SA.
Sounds to me like you have caught the caravanning bug!. I know money does not grow on trees but do your family and your self a favour and get your own van. We did and it's the best investment we have made not only monetary but family memories. Our kids are 10 and 6 and they love getting away in the van. Now we can't think of a better holiday. Sorry for the thread hyjack!!!
Regards
Robbo

[discovery4]

Home safely. Not a single drama. Just too easy really. Even over 5000kms;

What a relief to be home in Brisbane without a single worry and a great family holiday - especially given some of the dramas (bush fires) happening as I type this!

For those interested, the final "numbers" were:

Distance: 5194km's
Fuel consumption: 13.4l/100 (towing and with a full roof basket etc)
Avge speed: 70km/hr

Brisbane-Dubbo (Big 4, great!) - Broken Hill (included a long stretch in 45 degree heat at 110km/hr and yes we did opt for the air cond. cabin in the caravan park) - Adelaide (Big 4 Marion - awesome) - Swan Hill (Big 4 a bit crowded!) - Canberra (great Canberra Tourist Park) - Sydney (Lane Cove Park - excellent)- Coffs - Yamba (wow!) - Brisbane.

The Coromal F400 series hire pop top was brilliant; I also was pleased to see the (Brisbane dealer fitted) electric brake controller (redarc remote head) worked perfectly (yes, the van was fiited with electric brakes!) as did the lights (including the dash flashing green trailer icon).

Dual battery kit (Traxide) and ARB fridge - all perfect, despite 45 degree heat at times!

GG tyres (19's) puncture free.

Whole family looking forward to next trip at Easter - up to Airlie Beach via Yeppoon. This time with an Air conditioned!! 21 foot Jayco Sterling (triple bunk) Hire Van (expandyahorizons in Brissie).

Saw a few nice D4's on the way - including a nice white one with bull bar etc here in Brisbane as I dropped the van back on Monday, but mainly Prado's and Lc200....I bet they weren't as comfortable as we were!

cheers from a very, very happy D4 owner!!!! (and can I say again, 600nm of torque is a VERY good thing!!!!!!) ;)

Hi Stornoway,

I will be installing a few mods on D4. Did you mount the ARB fridge on sliders or tie down? If on sliders where did you bolt to? Any photos would be great.

Thanks

[CSBrisie]

Ah yes, the fridge dilemma. I own an ORE full drawer system with ORE fridge slide which we would normally use - so solves the problem. This time we didnt want the drawers in (as we wanted to use the 6th seat occasionally while away) so we simply tied the fridge to the two lhs tie down points and given the cargo barrier was in place we thought that was pretty good - albeit we had to "lean in" to extract stuff. The wife reminded me that she spent years travelling around the outback in her Dad's 60 series LC in the 1980's with the Engel on the back seat and no cargo barrier :o - so we have vastly improved safetly levels! :p

I want to build a floor that allows one seat to be up and the fridge permanently in place on a slide.....but I havent got there yet!

[discovery4]

Ah yes, the fridge dilemma. I own an ORE full drawer system with ORE fridge slide which we would normally use - so solves the problem. This time we didnt want the drawers in (as we wanted to use the 6th seat occasionally while away) so we simply tied the fridge to the two lhs tie down points and given the cargo barrier was in place we thought that was pretty good - albeit we had to "lean in" to extract stuff. The wife reminded me that she spent years travelling around the outback in her Dad's 60 series LC in the 1980's with the Engel on the back seat and no cargo barrier :o - so we have vastly improved safetly levels! :p

I want to build a floor that allows one seat to be up and the fridge permanently in place on a slide.....but I havent got there yet!


Thanks for the fast response. I was looking at trying to shoehorn the ARB behind the third row seating or attaching a slide to the floor with one seat down (maybe with the ability to remove the slide easily if the 7th seat was needed). Having a fridge in the vehicle all the time is very handy. Thanks again.

[Graeme]

My Waeco is almost always in the vehicle strapped to the 2 left tie-downs. Never having had a slide perhaps I don't know what I'm missing but access over the lower tailgate is the norm with occasionally having to lower the tailgate and climb up to have a deeper look. The fridge would be higher on a slide and therefore harder to see into which could mean that the tailgate must be opened more often. Anyway that's my excuse for not spending the money on a slide then having to remove it on those occasions when I need all the space.

[CSBrisie]

Robbotd5, u r correct :) - should have hung onto the old D3 and could have afforded a van now...sigh....will keep saving (and will promise to stop looking at Bushtrackers, Kedrons and Track Masters.....oooo they look nicceeee ) and will stick with looking at something within budget :D

[OzAd4x4]

I have a Bushmans on an ORS slide mounted to a customer floor plate - bolts into the tie points and works a treat!

Will try and grab a picture and post it up for anyone that is interested.

[CSBrisie]

Ozad4x4, assume you can't use one of the rear seats?

[OzAd4x4]

Correct - 6 seater only when the fridge is in..


Ozad4x4, assume you can't use one of the rear seats?

[gotaflat]

I have a Bushmans on an ORS slide mounted to a customer floor plate - bolts into the tie points and works a treat!

Will try and grab a picture and post it up for anyone that is interested.

Yes please! :)

[Convinceme]

I have a fridge slide that came with the car when I bought it. Attached to a wooden board which bolts in place of one of the seats. I'll take a picture when I can. I'm working on getting a removable Drifta set up.

Steve

[robbotd5]

Robbotd5, u r correct :) - should have hung onto the old D3 and could have afforded a van now...sigh....will keep saving (and will promise to stop looking at Bushtrackers, Kedrons and Track Masters.....oooo they look nicceeee ) and will stick with looking at something within budget :D

Depends on what you want to do with it mate. Have a look at Retreat caravans, we have a Daydream:cool: and it is our home away from home. Good quality and a lot of van for the $$$$. I would love a D4. maybe one day.
Regards
Robbo

[OzAd4x4]

Picture as requested :)

Am about to add a Drifta draw and table combo prior to our Tasmania trip in 4 weeks :)


Yes please! :)

[OzAd4x4]

Picture as requested :)

Am about to add a Drifta draw and table combo prior to our Tasmania trip in 4 weeks :)


Yes please! :)

[CSBrisie]

Brilliant and exactly what I want - I just cant see exactly how the ORE slide (false floor?) is secured to the car...:(

Sorry re read your earlier post - seat is removed! All good:D

[gotaflat]

Thanks for the pics OzAd, Sorry a bit off topic but Great set up. Did you build the custom plate and relatively easy to remove?? Looks exactly what I need!

Stornoway, don't think seat removed but custom plate fitted over folded down seat?

[~Rich~]

Picture as requested :)

Am about to add a Drifta draw and table combo prior to our Tasmania trip in 4 weeks :)

Tip for anyone with the ORS fridge slide - put some stick on Velcro on both the fridge legs and on the slide. Even when my fridge was strapped down tight it would move around, the Velcro fixed it.

[CSBrisie]

Is that right - 7th seat stays in place ?

[OzAd4x4]

Welcome :)

Yes custom base with holes in the exact spots where the tie down points normally would be. Basically made a cardboard template, replace the tie downs with SS bolts, added another piece of timber the exact size of the fridge slide to the base plate (needed an extra 12mm to stop the slide catching on the tailgate with fridge on board) and covered the whole lot in carpet - looks almost factory and takes 2 minutes to remove ;) Then just screwed the ORS into the top board - all made from 12mm ply.


Thanks for the pics OzAd, Sorry a bit off topic but Great set up. Did you build the custom plate and relatively easy to remove?? Looks exactly what I need!

Stornoway, don't think seat removed but custom plate fitted over folded down seat?

[discovery4]

Welcome :)

Yes custom base with holes in the exact spots where the tie down points normally would be. Basically made a cardboard template, replace the tie downs with SS bolts, added another piece of timber the exact size of the fridge slide to the base plate (needed an extra 12mm to stop the slide catching on the tailgate with fridge on board) and covered the whole lot in carpet - looks almost factory and takes 2 minutes to remove ;) Then just screwed the ORS into the top board - all made from 12mm ply.


Sounds a great fix. I would be grateful for a couple of photos of the finished job if possible. Thanks

[OzAd4x4]

Yes, seat remains underneath :)

Have been running this setup now for 2 years and all good - just gonna add a Drifta draw to the top of it now and move the ORS slide and fridge on top...


Is that right - 7th seat stays in place ?

[roamer]

Welcome :)

Yes custom base with holes in the exact spots where the tie down points normally would be. Basically made a cardboard template, replace the tie downs with SS bolts, added another piece of timber the exact size of the fridge slide to the base plate (needed an extra 12mm to stop the slide catching on the tailgate with fridge on board) and covered the whole lot in carpet - looks almost factory and takes 2 minutes to remove ;) Then just screwed the ORS into the top board - all made from 12mm ply.



So the slide and fridge are held down just by screws into 12mmm ply ?

[CSBrisie]

....and to add to roamer's query - just two (RHS in photo) of the 4 factory tie down points are used to hold it all in place?

[OzAd4x4]

Yes just the two tie down points on that side of the car.

In answer to the other question about the ORS fastening....

There is approx 12 screws that go into 24mm of ply as on top of the base board there is another 12mm piece of ply which is a bit bigger than the slide footprint. Therefore the screws go through more than 12mm of ply also :)


....and to add to roamer's query - just two (RHS in photo) of the 4 factory tie down points are used to hold it all in place?