Advocate II
Member Rides
- Thread starter Iubootgater
- Start date
Pathfinder I
Nice LR...I have a Discovery 1. I did get to drive an LR3 at a Land Rover sponsored event...they are very nice! Many experts and off road driving instructors I know consider the LR3 to be the best Discovery ever built for offroad. I have to say...I agree! Again, nice ride...Hello Iubootgater,
It's great to meet you! As Michael states, this is a very Land Cruiser centric site, but there are a few of us with other rigs. In fact, Michael and his amazing Overland Bound rig is an honorary member of the Northern CA Land Rover club. :-)
With that said, I have a 2013 Land Rover LR4 (also known as a Discovery 4). I actually went back and forth between a 2013 Land Rover and a 2013 Land Cruiser, but ultimately chose the Land Rover. Don't get me wrong, I love Land Cruisers, but there is just something not-so-special about the newer models. I love the FJ80s and earlier models, but really was not happy with the 2013 model. I do appreciate the heritage and reliability, but I found the interior a bit cheap and overall drive pretty boring for vehicle that sells for just over $80,000. I also wanted a vehicle for off light to moderate off roading and overland travel. In test driving the 2013 Land Cruiser I found it very difficult and complicated to switch to low range and utilize the terrain response modes. Everything is so darn computerized and there are so many computer screens and gadgets.
That left me with the Land Rover, and I had one in 2000 that was a pretty big piece of crap. I was not interested in the LR3 (Discovery 3) models, but once the LR4 came out in late 2009 I took another look. I was a bit at odds when Tata Motors took over Land Rover/Jaguar, but I think ultimately it has been hugely beneficial to the brand in regards to reliability, quality of engineering, and bringing them more into the mainstream market (the latter is a bit annoying to me). I am a purist when it comes to Land Cruisers, Jeeps, Land Rovers, etc., so for me I want something that is functional and not as blingy. Don't get me wrong, my LR4 has a lovely interior, very comfortable, some nice luxury features, but it's still pretty simple overall. Still, the electrical stuff and air-ride suspension scare me at times! ;-)
There are a few newer model Land Rovers in our club and a few older model - also a few awesome Defenders, which are incredible. I would say that the newer Land Rovers are overall more reliable than the older models, especially post 2010. I've actually had two LR4s and both have been rock solid, awesome off road, and just great vehicles. If you do look at older Land Rover models, it helps a LOT to be a bit mechanically inclined. Most of the guys in our Land Rover club with older rovers tend to be very good at tinkering and fixing them on their own.
I currently have almost 13,000 miles on my 2013 LR4. I actually ordered it because I wanted the heavy duty package (has the locking differentials). A lot of my miles is from trips, as I tend to ride my bike to work. I will say that the LR4 is a tougher build because there are just not a lot of options out there and most come from places like Australia. With that said, I have a long list of modifications and updates. These are highly capable vehicles, but they are pretty expensive, and still may have some reliability issues, though things are a lot better.
I can definitely answer other questions or anything about rovers, as I know they sometimes get a bad reputation and known as mostly mall crawlers, but they do have some brilliant engineering and capability. Then again, the newer Land Cruisers are also basically mall crawler soccer mom trucks and just as expensive.
Here are a few recent photos - working on the rear tire swing away in the new year.....
Member III
Thanks man. Yeah I have heavies in the rear now, might need the extra heavies. We carry way too much stuff on our trips, ha!
Influencer II
Finally got a decent snow fall so I could get out for some poser pics. Went to Wildcat Den with the wife and daughter to do some hiking. Figured I might as well get some winter poser pics with the rig.
07' Wrangler
OB emblem on the rear next to the left tail light.
07' Wrangler
OB emblem on the rear next to the left tail light.
Advocate III
Here's my new to me -2001 Land Cruiser. Mild changes are underway illustrated in my build thread. I love and admire just about anything with wheels, but am partial to Toyotas for the simple fact that I'm hard on them and they've never let me down. This is my 5th Toyota and my 4th truck - I've always dreamed of owning a Land Cruiser and found the perfect one which was very clean. I'm not a huge crawler so the IFS wasn't a huge issue, but soon enough I'll have and fj60 or fj80 in the garage too!
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Overland Sally (Juan)
Rank III
Enthusiast II
I really like that clean cruiser. Just waiting to be modified
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Enthusiast III
amazing rigs in here. I hope to be posted a picture of mine soon but I need to get out first. ;)
2016 Tacoma TRD Sport. King Shocks extended travel, remote reservoir coilovers and rear shocks, Total Chaos UCAs, Icon progressive leaf pack, BFG KO2s 285/70R17, Method Race Wheels, full size spare, CMC, Softopper, Husky floorliners, Pelfrey Built sliders (ordered), Pelfrey Built rear bumper (ordered), lots to come.
Enthusiast III
These are from our Valentine's Day trip, that ended very bad, how bad you ask? 9 hrs, S&R, $300 bad, all because I was unprepared for a 3-4 hr. beautiful scenic drive, [that went horribly wrong] wouldn't end up with both hubs breaking and our front axle taking a hit because of it.
The canyon, Roddy parked, weather and camp fire pics are from the day of humbleness, the driving pics are from the next days recovery. Sufficed it to say, we will not try and have a family high country trip, unless we are loaded for bear, which is our natural state of travel.
The weather for the trip was beautiful until the 4 wheel drive gremlins decided to pay us a visit. it did get better though.
The next day was wonderfully sunny and enjoyable, and after some minor repairs you can see I was able to drive out with minimal help from a contracted recovery vehicle, which turned out to be the biggest thing I have ever seen go off road in a non-commercial use.
After getting home I installed an 1980's NPR delivery oil pan for more cooling 1.5 qt more oil will not be a bad thing, also put in new E-brake cable, center console and front parking lens to replace the items that got damaged in our little adventure, the girls were strong and wonderful, even after walking out of a 60 sq.mi. area OHV park [of which we were roughly 13 miles into] and they wanted to do it again, my wife and I have learned that no matter what, We will pack our gear, and now realize that we lost a little piece of mind that day, knowing we made the one big mistake we had painstakingly avoided for so many years... Being unprepared...
Lessons are learned through the experiences of fear and hardship...
The canyon, Roddy parked, weather and camp fire pics are from the day of humbleness, the driving pics are from the next days recovery. Sufficed it to say, we will not try and have a family high country trip, unless we are loaded for bear, which is our natural state of travel.
The weather for the trip was beautiful until the 4 wheel drive gremlins decided to pay us a visit. it did get better though.
The next day was wonderfully sunny and enjoyable, and after some minor repairs you can see I was able to drive out with minimal help from a contracted recovery vehicle, which turned out to be the biggest thing I have ever seen go off road in a non-commercial use.
After getting home I installed an 1980's NPR delivery oil pan for more cooling 1.5 qt more oil will not be a bad thing, also put in new E-brake cable, center console and front parking lens to replace the items that got damaged in our little adventure, the girls were strong and wonderful, even after walking out of a 60 sq.mi. area OHV park [of which we were roughly 13 miles into] and they wanted to do it again, my wife and I have learned that no matter what, We will pack our gear, and now realize that we lost a little piece of mind that day, knowing we made the one big mistake we had painstakingly avoided for so many years... Being unprepared...
Lessons are learned through the experiences of fear and hardship...
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This is what I'm working with, 1997 Landcruiser!
Just got me a 98 Jeep Cherokee XJ ready to tackle the Alabama Mountains. Or anywhere in the south east I'm loving it. Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk
Influencer II
That's one hell of a stout front bumper. Is it commercially made, or a home brew?
Advocate II
She looks like a very capable machine!
Ha ha yea I think its a home brew never seen it before.
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