Where are all the bush-going D3s?

Over the weekend our D3 took us along the Ashburton Downs - Meekathara Rd. Around 500km worth of dirt road there, and then up the rio tinto access rd from Tom Price to Karratha. Didn't see any other discos or LR's out there at all. Although I did stop to help an 80 series land cruiser driver who had a flat tyre and his jack decided to crap itself

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Originally Posted by shanegtr

Over the weekend our D3 took us along the Ashburton Downs - Meekathara Rd. Around 500km worth of dirt road there, and then up the rio tinto access rd from Tom Price to Karratha. Didn't see any other discos or LR's out there at all. Although I did stop to help an 80 series land cruiser driver who had a flat tyre and his jack decided to crap itself

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Last time I went up the RTIO access road from Tom Price to Karratha, I very nearly drowned a 100 Series Landcruiser. Some of those creek crossings can be a lot deeper than they appear. :eek:

Great drive though, especially down through the gorge alongside the rail line. :D

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Originally Posted by BMKal

Last time I went up the RTIO access road from Tom Price to Karratha, I very nearly drowned a 100 Series Landcruiser. Some of those creek crossings can be a lot deeper than they appear. :eek:

Great drive though, especially down through the gorge alongside the rail line. :D

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I've worked for Rio for the better part of a decade and driven the access roads in all season's. Amazing to see it change between dry and wet.

It's one of my biggest frustrations having spent a lot of time up there is never getting to Karijini. That'll finally change in April when we head north in the D4 on the lap, hopefully most of the water will have subsided by the time we come through in May.

i had noticed. there seems to be a less D3's out in the bush, compared to D2's and D4's. did the D3 sell less in general?

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Originally Posted by BMKal

Last time I went up the RTIO access road from Tom Price to Karratha, I very nearly drowned a 100 Series Landcruiser. Some of those creek crossings can be a lot deeper than they appear. :eek:

Great drive though, especially down through the gorge alongside the rail line. :D

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I very nearly washed my first 80 series land cruiser off one of the creek crossings years ago. Started raining on our way back to Tom Price after a weekend in Karratha. 6 crossings in total with the last one around bonnet height and flowing fast. Lucky it was fairly short. Started of on the right side of the road pointing towards the left, ended up back on the right side with not much road left before we where off it. And then about 1km after that the road dried up completely.

Would love to get on to the Oodnadatta Teack again - this time in my recently acquired D3. Last time was in 2009 towing a Jayco Expander with my Ford Territory. Not an off roader but it performed quite well on the corrugations! I still remember seeing the International Space Station flying across the star studded night sky one night in Coward Springs - one of my most favourite camp sites. Missed getting away these school hols but have plans for Qld this summer once I finish kitting it out and the high country next Easter.

Love Coward Springs and the surrounding area. My last visit was a night's stop over before heading to the Simpson. The flies were the worst I had ever encounted, could not prepare food, would have been protein overload.

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Originally Posted by Eevo

i had noticed. there seems to be a less D3's out in the bush, compared to D2's and D4's. did the D3 sell less in general?

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That would be my assessment too.

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Originally Posted by Eevo

i had noticed. there seems to be a less D3's out in the bush, compared to D2's and D4's. did the D3 sell less in general?

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Some D3's are not used as 4x4 shopping trolleys.

I get the lots of strange looks when I take mine into the rough stuff.

I absolutely love the laughs & jeers I get when approaching the challenge and the looks when she crawls up obstacles (they failed at) with no problems (love that traction control)

Had one smart arse chirp "country club's the other way" before the climb and had nothing to say after I finished it!

Love the rough & mud and got the scratches & dents (and repair bills) that goes with them.

I see messages that some have driven Meekatharra "bush" roads and then Tom Price to Karratha in Pilbara, and didn't see any D3's (even D4's).
Having moved to Karratha, I would estimate that there are possibly more per capita D3/D4's in Karratha than Toorak or Dalkeith...........but the nearest service options are over 1650 K's away,....... so of course we don't drive them far from town.