Thread: Expedition Ready Landrover Discovery 4

phl
There actually isn't any production vehicles in the Dakar

There is a T2 Cross Country Series Production Vehicles class, you just don't usually see any of them in the footage on TV, they are in the background in some shots or the poor buggers still struggling into the wee hours to get to the checkpoint or just stop through exhaustion/breakdown/rollover.
I could print out the Regs in the class but it is long.
If it is available as optional extra from the factory you can use it and can use aftermarket LR tanks and protection bars/tyre carriers.
Can also change brake pads, tyres, rims,remove air con etc and obviously it must comply with safety so roll bars and bracing is mandatory. Can modify exhaust, shockies bla bla but basically it is taken off the floor (figuratively speaking) trim removed, new seats and a heap of cash thrown at it and away you go.
Even the Chinese makers, enter.
It is NOT a skinned space frame race car. Cannot rip out the wiring loom and the OME ECU must be used. Production engine to be used.
I know some here hate ANY criticism of LR but they certainly can improve reliability and shoving some software writers and engineers in them and told to keep crossing deserts would help us all. One years work-done.

Originally Posted by d3viate

I know some here hate ANY criticism of LR but they certainly can improve reliability and shoving some software writers and engineers in them and told to keep crossing deserts would help us all. One years work-done.

We should all acknowledge the reality that 99% of these vehicles will never see the desert or outback. The most difficult terrain the vast majority might encounter is a trip the snow of a drive down a gravel road to a farm.

Their is little or no pay off for LR to spend the time and effort making them more reliable as outback expedition vehicle. They are selling faster than they can make them and such a small % of their user base really cares about outback reliability and performance that there is no real reason to focus any more on them when they have won and continue to win pretty much every major award there is for the vehicle.

That is the reality of business, would you spend valuable time in your own business tooling up for a fraction of your market when you are making money doing exactly what you want and when most of your customers are already very happy.

Unlikely.

Like others if I needed a serious expedition vehicle the D4 would not be my choice. But for a luxury 4wd that is exceptional on road and off there is nothing else I would consider.

No one vehicle can do everything well !!!

Regards,

George

The biggest benefit to landrover producing an "expedition" vehicle is the prestige and marketing that comes with it. It's a perception they like to maintain over all other brands.

How many D3/D4's have landrover produced so far?

There have been dozens of D3's and D4's "prepared" for expeditions. There was the recent Paris-Peking, before that Cape Town to London, the (once) annual Morocco adventure, the Malaysian Rainforest etc etc. They were all fully-specc'd models, not some cheap cobbled together sales model. Some basic knowledge of how to fault-find and a cheap diagnostic box are the only additional things required.

Is there a (misguided) impression that something with the word "Expedition" in it's name doesn't break down?

Cheers,

Gordon

Originally Posted by d3viate

They have stripped out everything that we as owners (well I have and I'm not the Lone Ranger) have a problem with out the desert, days from any help in extreme temperatures.
How about sticking some engineers and software writers in some "off the floor" cars for a trip out the desert and improve what they are selling to us.
That's why there is never any production Discovery's or Rangie's in the Dakar.

Not quite Dakar, but......

All sounds good for the few diehards around the country that might think of buying one of these spec vehicles if they are cheap enough but where is the sound business case for importing and selling in commercial numbers a base model, manual, 2" raised conventional spring suspension, steel rimmed, five seater, rubber mat covered floor and twin locked Disco in Australia?

How many Puma's do LR sell in Aus each year and now many D4's ever get ordered even with e-diff in them? The answer is bugger all.

Originally Posted by TerryO

now many D4's ever get ordered even with e-diff in them? The answer is bugger all.

Mine was, and I know several from the same dealer was ordered with e-diff at about the same time.

The e diff is the one thing I could not seem to get unless I did a factory order... Was very annoying