Thread: New 4WD and electrics

Originally posted by Greylandy
The fact is .. doesn't matter where you go on this big brown land .. you will still be in a first world country .. no dangerous animals (unless you get stuck in a creek up North :wink: ) .. no dangerous locals. Armed with a sat phone, gps, enough food and drink .. I'll take any modern 4wd to the most remote parts of AU. If the sh*t hits the fan .. at worst you'll be stuck for a week or two ... or pay a premium for a very long trip on the back of a truck.

What are the odds of a modern fourbie breaking down in the middel of nowhere .. most unlikely I would say. If somebody like PCH employed that thinking .. he would not be out enjoying his D3 ... not even a DII TD5 ... he'd be driving a late model 300tdi .. good as it may be .. it ain't no TD5 or D3.

...however ...

If I was travelling through Africa ... I'd think long and hard about the vehicle I was taking .. most likely leave the TD5 at home and take the 300tdi.

My 5 cents worth ...

Pretty much what i reckon. There is a couple travelling through south africa in LROI at the moment, their trip has been plagued with mechanical problems, they are driving a Series I Disco. The engine hasnt been the problem, the gear box has, they have had some problems with the rear door and a few other problems, but there are plenty of mechanics over there who know them inside and out because there are plenty over there. The gear box problem wasnt helped by poor work manship but once they found a reputable mechanic the vehicle was as good as new. As Henry said i would think twice about taking a D3 through Africa, unlike the G4 challenge you dont have the tech support, but i wouldnt take the D3 through africa because of the electronics i wouldnt take one because of the lack of support, if something does go wrong the mechanics over there wouldnt have seen anything like it as they are still having the 300TDi made for them, commonality and reasurance that the mechanics know the insides and out of your vehicle win there.

In australia is a different thing, i pretty much second everything Henry said. Matt

My thoughts on this subject are already posted elsewhere and I think all the mechanical monitoring and additional safety features the new electronics bring to especially the new 4bys is well and truly an advantage.
Cheers