Thread: Around Australia vehicle choice

I think you missed the point exceptionally well
ANY vehicle has weaknesses and I am not here to defend a TD5s
I have driven hundreds of thousands of Ks in different brands they all have their issues.
The point was you need to be smarter when traveling in isolated areas than you do in the city.

Originally Posted by Eevo

or just take a reliable car?
(and im not having a dig at TD5's for once)

I'm with djam1, even though I have an Isuzu County...
I still carry a radiator hose, wheel bearings, a couple of different seals, fan belt, four varieties of oil, a uni joint, fuses and a few other miscellaneous bits and pieces. Then there are things like rescue tape, fencing wire and epoxy putty that come in handy.
Just because you have Michelin/BFG/insert-fav-tyre-brand doesn't mean you shouldn't carry a spare tyre, right?
Prior prep for preventing **** poor performance includes carrying spares for things that will stop you!

If it was me I'd sell both the older vehicles and spend a bit of the money thoroughly preparing the D2. Its a family trip so it has to be comfortable for the whole family. A lot of your gear will be in the camper so the D2 should have enough room if you fit a well-thought out set of drawers and shelves to the rear. The Td5 is relatively economical and should have no worries towing a camper around the country. It doesn't have to be an off-road weapon to tour the country, it just needs sensible suspension, tyres and other bits. Build it up and then take it to a reputable LR expert and get them to go over it from front to rear bumper. Preparation is the key. I'd happily take my D1 anywhere around the country with suitable preparation.

Get the disco serviced, good tyres and take that.

• What you cant carry you probably don't need,
• The kids will be more comfortable. (Get them portable DVD players- unless you have a HSE??)
• The Disco will take you where you need to go
• Get yourself the top of the range roadside recovery if the worst happens.
• Td5 will be relatively economical at highways speeds - which is where most of your kms will be.

Sorted ....next.

Originally Posted by Sleepy

Get the disco serviced, good tyres and take that.

• What you cant carry you probably don't need,
• The kids will be more comfortable. (Get them portable DVD players- unless you have a HSE??)
• The Disco will take you where you need to go
• Get yourself the top of the range roadside recovery if the worst happens.
• Td5 will be relatively economical at highways speeds - which is where most of your kms will be.

Sorted ....next.

Agree, just pondering long term touring and have no hesitation taking our d2 with 290kkm on the clock.

Originally Posted by MLD

After 2 breakdowns on the trip and having spent 5 days in Townsville waiting on a radiator hose to be sent from Melb (not an on the shelf item and Townsville is deemed regional so no courier company with AP worst of all appreciates the urgency) I lament the lack of LR support outside the city.

my 2 bob as I sit in a hotel room watching the parcel tracker number. MLD

Which hose, the top one with the bleed screw? Have 2 spares here but that is a bugger having to wait.

The disco was our first thought but it is starting to become unreliable. Three amigos, blowing fuses ,intermittent electrical problems.
On the reliable side I have 8 flipped disco steel rims, laminated front axle housing with rotated swivels, heavy duty steering linkages ,county cv's and rr cv's maxi locker with axles, rear laminated housing, maxi locker 2 sets of axles,1 spare centre with locker. 2 sets bilsteins, cranked arms.
If these could be swapped over it would be better.
Just getting steel rims for d2 is hard.

I'll say it again, buy a stock good county (diesel), put all your goodies in it, some comfier seats if you have to and your done. Plenty of room, doesn't matter if it gets a scratch, easy to fix, looks cooler (important), blah blah blah