Hello from a new member thinking of changing badges!

[Guy OJ]

Hi everyone.

My name's Guy. I'm new to the forum which was recommended to me by Pete from Atlas Overland.

I'm a big Land Rover fan and am currently driving my 4th Landy. I love them, but they certainly have their faults!

I have two young kids and want to introduce them to camping with a view to some adventure touring in future but am contemplating reducing from 2 cars to one. My wife drives an automatic Octavia estate and mine is a '99 Disco 2 converted from V8 to 300Tdi. I cycle to work so the Disco only does 4k miles per year.

So... if we drop to one car my criteria are:

• Budget up to £12k and preferably pre-'06 for cheaper tax
• Automatic gearbox
• Comfy on the motorway
• Not too big for every day use e.g. nursery drop off and supermarket parking etc
• Big enough for 4 people plus camping gear
• 'Proper' off road ability
• Some kerb appeal for a 4x4 nut - me!
• Affordable (but not cheap) running costs
• Reliable

As a Landy nut the obvious choice for a great all rounder that my wife would be happy driving every day and which I can use off road is a Disco 3. However, I just don't think I trust them enough to get me home from touring trips to (hopefully) Portugal, Pyrenees, Morocco etc.

So... I have always coveted Cruisers but kept this quiet amongst my more devout Landy mates! I quite fancy a 100 series but think it's a bit big for every day use, so I have joined the forum to learn about 120s.

Thanks for having me!

Cheers, Guy.

P.S. My Lottery win camper would be either a Defender 130 pop top station wagon or a 79 Series with a camper body. One can dream!!!

 

[AndycruiserguyLomas]

Pre 06 Invincible or LC4. Lots of looking till you get one thats right. Big enough to do all functions and still reasonably up to date. If fuel isn't too much of an issue consider the 4.0V6, they were considerably dearer than the diesels when new and a different world to drive and would have had an easier life.

Great intro BTW.

 

[Chris]

Guy welcome along but more importantly welcome into the light.

As I read this, I was thinking 120 actually. Or more accurately 125 which is the LWB. A 125 would certainly suit all those needs. Don't let anyone tell you they aren't decent off road either. OK hardcore pay and play? Maybe not, but with some ATs on there they're no slouch. Personally I'd suggest an LCS without so my electric wizardry.
The 5 speed auto is superb to drive, gives 28 mpg typically, enough torque to tow a mountain. Loads of room inside with a huge boot. It just gets harder if you want to start customising it significantly with winches and so on, but there are bars, suspension, racks and so on, just not as many as you'd find for a landy. Plenty about as Mr T made thousands of them. Just get one that looks nice and fresh underneath.

 

[Werneroeder]

Hi everyone.

My name's Guy. I'm new to the forum which was recommended to me by Pete from Atlas Overland.

I'm a big Land Rover fan and am currently driving my 4th Landy. I love them, but they certainly have their faults!

I have two young kids and want to introduce them to camping with a view to some adventure touring in future but am contemplating reducing from 2 cars to one. My wife drives an automatic Octavia estate and mine is a '99 Disco 2 converted from V8 to 300Tdi. I cycle to work so the Disco only does 4k miles per year.

So... if we drop to one car my criteria are:

• Budget up to £12k and preferably pre-'06 for cheaper tax
• Automatic gearbox
• Comfy on the motorway
• Not too big for every day use e.g. nursery drop off and supermarket parking etc
• Big enough for 4 people plus camping gear
• 'Proper' off road ability
• Some kerb appeal for a 4x4 nut - me!
• Affordable (but not cheap) running costs
• Reliable

As a Landy nut the obvious choice for a great all rounder that my wife would be happy driving every day and which I can use off road is a Disco 3. However, I just don't think I trust them enough to get me home from touring trips to (hopefully) Portugal, Pyrenees, Morocco etc.

So... I have always coveted Cruisers but kept this quiet amongst my more devout Landy mates! I quite fancy a 100 series but think it's a bit big for every day use, so I have joined the forum to learn about 120s.

Thanks for having me!

Cheers, Guy.

P.S. My Lottery win camper would be either a Defender 130 pop top station wagon or a 79 Series with a camper body. One can dream!!!

My 100 is for sale, and ticks most of your boxes.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&page=2

 

[Guy OJ]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys. That is a lovely looking 100 mate. Unfortunately if this will be our family car I need something that looks fairly stock. My Disco is "fully kitted" but the family motor needs to blend in a bit more. Hence the appeal of a 120 / 125.

Thanks again!

G

 

[Dave_S]

Currently have a 110 Defender and an 80 Series Cruiser ;-)

Welcome aboard.

 

[Guy OJ]

Thanks Dave. I have neglected to tell my wife this, but my plan would be to run just one car for a year or so - probably a 125 Cruiser. Then, in due course, I need a Camel Trophy 110 in my life as well!

 

[Werneroeder]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys. That is a lovely looking 100 mate. Unfortunately if this will be our family car I need something that looks fairly stock. My Disco is "fully kitted" but the family motor needs to blend in a bit more. Hence the appeal of a 120 / 125.

Thanks again!

G

No problem. If you know of someone that is looking for a good 100, this is one of those.

 

[Graham]

Hi,

Sounds very much like a 120 series is what your looking for.

Actually, the 120 series is looked at as a primarily a 5 door, with a few 3 door ones thown in.

I cant quite see the appeal of the 3 door, but any way.

I guess some thing like this.

Don't let high miles put you off.

My 2005 was close top 300,000 miles when I sold.

Gra.

 

[Guy OJ]

Hi,

Sounds very much like a 120 series is what your looking for.

Actually, the 120 series is looked at as a primarily a 5 door, with a few 3 door ones thown in.

I cant quite see the appeal of the 3 door, but any way.

I guess some thing like this.

Don't let high miles put you off.

My 2005 was close top 300,000 miles when I sold.

Gra.

View attachment 123222

Thanks Gra.

Being sensible and putting our needs as a family first, with just enough adventure thrown in to keep me sane, I think this will hit the spot! Cheers. G

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

100's are a bit bigger and need a bit more parking space but I'd try both if I were you especially with 2 kids you might want the extra room and I think you would have more options for kitting it out whilst keeping it fairly stock looking. I don't know where in the country you are but it's only just over 7 weeks till we meet up at Lincomb Farm near Stourport in Worcestershire and there is usually a good mix of vehicles to look at.

 

[AndycruiserguyLomas]

100's are a bit bigger and need a bit more parking space but I'd try both if I were you especially with 2 kids you might want the extra room and I think you would have more options for kitting it out whilst keeping it fairly stock looking. I don't know where in the country you are but it's only just over 7 weeks till we meet up at Lincomb Farm near Stourport in Worcestershire and there is usually a good mix of vehicles to look at.

What a good idea

 

[Bert]

Welcome aboard Guy. Personally, I love my 1997 Toyota Prado import. A great vehicle IMO, but there again I've never driven an 80.

 

[Guy OJ]

"100's are a bit bigger and need a bit more parking space but I'd try both if I were you especially with 2 kids you might want the extra room and I think you would have more options for kitting it out whilst keeping it fairly stock looking."

Thanks for the advice Jon - it is all appreciated. Over the last 10 years or so I have built up loads of knowledge of all things Land Rover, but now that I'm thinking of a Land Cruiser I am back at the bottom of the learning curve!

As far as size goes, the biggest limiting factor is the true day to day usability / practicality of something as big as a 100, plus if I am honest - my wife's willingness to drive something big. All of that said, before I considered Cruisers she said she would probably be willing to drive a Disco 3 as long as it had parking sensors, and they are pretty big too - I owned one briefly.

I can feel a couple of test drives coming on; I would personally favour the 100 for its larger size and - being brutally honest - it would give me more of a "driving an expedition vehicle' thrill when I used it, but I need to remember that Fay has to shoe horn the car into the car park at Tesco and our little boy's nursery as well; so it must be a balance.

I've always admired the Amazons... !!!

Thank you all again for your feedback and advice, and I have also been pleasantly surprised by the lack of anti-Land Rover banter I have received - I had my tin hat within arm's reach when I signed up to this forum!

 

[lc 120]

My wife is the main driver of our 100 and she is only 5' 1" tall, never seems to have a problem in supermarket car parks she just pushes them out of the way....

 

[Shayne]

I think we can all see the wisdom in your buying the wife a cruiser especially one with a tow hitch

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

When I first got an 80 my wife wouldn't drive it, said it was too big, then when she eventually tried it wouldn't let me have it back till we bought her one of her own and she had a 2" lift and 35's on it. My current 100 used to be hers. So my experience is that you may be surprised if you let your wife have a go in one I don't think a 100 is wider than a D3 and I know it's the same width as a 2006 full fat Range Rover.